Insulin pumps appear to work better than the newest long-acting insulin therapy in helping children with juvenile type-1 diabetes to maintain healthy blood sugar levels, according to a study released on Friday.

In a study involving just 32 patients and funded by insulin pump-maker Medtronic Inc., the pump compared favorably to Lantus, a long-acting injectable form of insulin.

The 16-week trial found the pump significantly reduced glucose levels as compared with multiple daily insulin injections of Lantus.

The pager-sized pump is a programmable device that infuses insulin through a catheter.

Lantus is made by Aventis and is a longer-acting insulin designed to keep blood sugar at a consistent level for extended periods. Patients also needed additional injections with short-acting insulin after meals.

“In this population, it (pump therapy) was better than what is thought to be the state-of-the-art injection therapy,” said lead investigator William Tamborlane of Yale University.

The study appeared in the July issue of the journal Diabetes Care.