Changes in attitudes to awareness of hypoglycaemia during a hypoglycaemia awareness restoration programme are associated with avoidance of further severe hypoglycaemia episodes within 24 months: the A2A in HypoCOMPaSS study

Characterising impaired awareness of hypoglycaemia and associated risks through HypoA-Q: findings from a T1D Exchange cohort

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS

We aimed to: (1) externally validate the five-item Hypoglycaemia Awareness Questionnaire (HypoA-Q) impaired awareness subscale (HypoA-Q IA); (2) examine how impaired awareness of hypoglycaemia (IAH) relates to the risk of severe hypoglycaemia and level 2 hypoglycaemia; and (3) identify factors associated with IAH.

METHODS

Nationwide survey of T1D Exchange registrants was conducted to collect data on demographics, 6 month severe-hypoglycaemia history, hypoglycaemia awareness status (via HypoA-Q IA, the Gold instrument and the Clarke instrument) and continuous glucose monitor (CGM) measures. The Clarke hypoglycaemia awareness factor (Clarke-HAF) was calculated to exclude severe-hypoglycaemia history items. Analyses included Cronbach's α, Spearman correlations and logistic regression.

RESULTS

Valid survey responses were collected from N=1580 adults with type 1 diabetes (median age, 44 years; 52% female participants; median HbA1c, 48 mmol/mol [6.5%]). Of these, 94% of participants were using CGMs and 69% were using hybrid closed-loop (HCL) systems; 30% had at least one severe-hypoglycaemia episode in the past 6 months. The HypoA-Q IA had satisfactory internal reliability (α=0.79) and construct validity. Higher HypoA-Q IA scores were independently associated with greater risk of severe hypoglycaemia (p<0.001), performing comparably to the Gold instrument and the Clarke-HAF instrument. HypoA-Q IA-determined IAH was independently associated with 88% higher odds of developing severe hypoglycaemia (p<0.001) and twofold higher odds for spending ≥1% of time in level 2 hypoglycaemia (p=0.011). Higher age and longer diabetes duration were associated with higher IAH risk (p<0.001). CGM and HCL use was associated with lower IAH risk (p<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION

The HypoA-Q IA is a brief, valid and reliable tool for assessing IAH in today's technology-oriented era. IAH was independently associated with severe hypoglycaemia and level 2 hypoglycaemia in a cohort with high prevalence of advanced diabetes technology use and HbA1c within the recommended range. CGM and HCL use was related to lower IAH risk.

Interoceptive Awareness Is Associated With Impaired Awareness of Hypoglycemia in Adults With Type 1 Diabetes

OBJECTIVE

To assess the association between impaired awareness of hypoglycemia (IAH) and interoceptive awareness in type 1 diabetes.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

A total of 154 adults with type 1 diabetes completed IAH surveys and the Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness, Version 2 (MAIA-2). Logistic regression was performed for assessment of associations between IAH and MAIA-2, accounting for covariates.

RESULTS

Significant relationships were observed between IAH and two MAIA-2 scales. Each 1-point increase on the Not-Worrying subscale was associated with 87% increased odds of IAH (odds ratio 1.87, CI 1.01-3.46) and on the Attention Regulation subscale was associated with 72% decreased odds of IAH (0.28, 0.12-0.66). Compared with scoring >90th percentile for Attention Regulation, scoring <10th percentile and scoring in the 10th-90th percentiles were associated with 71-fold (71.26, 3.42-1482.10) and 12-fold (12.73, 1.19-135.57) increased odds of IAH, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Less worry about and reduced ability to sustain and control attention to body sensations were associated with significantly increased odds of IAH.

Naming hypoglycemia: a narrative tool for young people with type 1 diabetes and their families

Objective

Hypoglycemia constitutes a communication barrier between youth with type 1 diabetes, their family members and health professionals. A narrative tool may contribute to a more effective communication.

Methods

Semi-structured interviews with six open-ended questions using narrative techniques collect and analyze (thematic and comparative analysis) different ways of "naming" the lived experience of hypoglycemia.

Results

103 participants, 40 with type 1 Diabetes aged 10-18 years (17 female), 63 relatives (40 female). Group 1 (G1), 10-14 years old (n = 21), Group 2 (G2), 15-18 years old (n = 19), Group 3 (G3) relatives, 30-59 years old. G3 was divided, G3.1: female (n = 42) and G3.2: male (n = 21).G1 and G2 presents greater attention to symptoms. G1 refers a greater need for help, G2 emphasizes autonomy. G2 and G3 describes better the medical protocol. G1 and G2 refer more topics such as "discomfort", "frustration", "obligation", "difficulty in verbalizing", G3 refers to "gilt", "fear" and "responsibility". G3.1 refer more "symptoms", "responsibility", "fault", "incapacity".

Conclusions

A narrative tool enhances the singularity of a common experience, proving itself useful to adolescents, relatives, and healthcare professionals.

Practice implications

In addition to gathering information that is usually acquired empirically, a narrative tool exposes knowledge gaps and may allow implementing intervention strategies.

Hypoglycaemia symptom frequency, severity, burden, and utility among adults with type 1 diabetes and impaired awareness of hypoglycaemia: Baseline and 24-week findings from the HypoCOMPaSS study

AIMS

To determine the frequency, severity, burden, and utility of hypoglycaemia symptoms among adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and impaired awareness of hypoglycaemia (IAH) at baseline and week 24 following the HypoCOMPaSS awareness restoration intervention.

METHODS

Adults (N = 96) with T1D (duration: 29 ± 12 years; 64% women) and IAH completed the Hypoglycaemia Burden Questionnaire (HypoB-Q), assessing experience of 20 pre-specified hypoglycaemia symptoms, at baseline and week 24.

RESULTS

At baseline, 93 (97%) participants experienced at least one symptom (mean ± SD 10.6 ± 4.6 symptoms). The proportion recognising each specific symptom ranged from 15% to 83%. At 24 weeks, symptom severity and burden appear reduced, and utility increased.

CONCLUSIONS

Adults with T1D and IAH experience a range of hypoglycaemia symptoms. Perceptions of symptom burden or utility are malleable. Although larger scale studies are needed to confirm, these findings suggest that changing the salience of the symptomatic response may be more important in recovering protection from hypoglycaemia through regained awareness than intensifying symptom frequency or severity.

Validating and Establishing a Diagnostic Threshold for the Hypoglycemia Awareness Questionnaire Impaired Awareness Subscale

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the discriminant and convergent validities of the Hypoglycemia Awareness Questionnaire Impaired Awareness (HypoA-Q IA) subscale and establish a diagnostic threshold for the classification of impaired awareness of hypoglycemia (IAH) in adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D).

METHODS

Twenty-one adults with T1D (male, 48%; median age, 36 years; and T1D duration, 21 years) completed the HypoA-Q IA subscale, Clarke, and hypoglycemia severity (HYPO) scores, continuous glucose monitoring, and hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemic clamp testing. Those with IAH defined by a Clarke score of ≥4 (n = 10) and who experienced severely problematic hypoglycemia and/or marked glycemic lability started automated insulin delivery as part of an 18-month intervention study with the 6-monthly paired assessment of the HypoA-Q IA subscale, Clarke score, HYPO score and continuous glucose monitoring, and hypoglycemic clamp testing at baseline and 6 and 18 months.

RESULTS

The HypoA-Q IA subscale discriminated between those with and without IAH defined by the Clarke score (W = 110.5; P <.001). During intervention, the HypoA-Q IA subscale demonstrated convergent validity via significant relationships with the Clarke (r = 0.72; P <.001) and HYPO (r = 0.60; P <.001) scores; hypoglycemia exposure below 70 (r = 0.53; P <.01), 60 (r = 0.50; P <.01), and 54 (r = 0.48; P <.01) mg/dL; and autonomic symptom (r = -0.53; P <.05), epinephrine (r = -0.68; P <.001), and pancreatic polypeptide (r = -0.52; P <.05) responses to insulin-induced hypoglycemia. The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed that the HypoA-Q IA subscale was an excellent predictor of an abnormal symptom response to insulin-induced hypoglycemia (area under the curve, 0.86) with a score of 12, which was the optimal threshold for IAH classification (sensitivity, 83%; specificity, 80%).

CONCLUSION

These findings support the validity of the HypoA-Q IA subscale and propose a HypoA-Q IA diagnostic threshold to identify IAH in both clinical and research settings.

Validation of Igls Criteria for Islet Transplant Functional Status Using Person-Reported Outcome Measures in a Cross-Sectional Study

Associations between islet graft function and well-being in islet transplant recipients requiring exogenous insulin remain unclear. This cross-sectional analysis compared person-reported outcome measures in 15 adults with type 1 diabetes whose islet transplants were classified according to Igls criteria as "Good" (n = 5), "Marginal" (n = 4) and "Failed" (n = 6) graft function. At a mean of 6.2 years post-first islet transplant, 90% reduction in severe hypoglycaemia was maintained in all groups, with HbA1c (mean ± SD mmol/mol) 49 ± 4 in recipients with "Good" function; 56 ± 5 ("Marginal"); and 69 ± 25 ("Failed"). Self-reported impaired awareness of hypoglycaemia persisted in all groups but those with "Good" function were more likely to experience symptoms during hypoglycaemia. "Marginal" function was associated with greater fear of hypoglycaemia (HFS-II score: "Marginal": 113 [95, 119]; "Failed": 63 [42, 93] (p = 0.082); "Good": 33 [29, 61]) and severe anxiety (GAD7: "Marginal"): 21 [17, 21]; "Failed": 6 [6, 6] "Good": 6 [3, 11]; (p = 0.079)), diabetes distress and low mood. Despite clear evidence of ongoing clinical benefit, Igls criteria 'Marginal' function is associated with sub-optimal well-being, including greater fear of hypoglycaemia and severe anxiety. This study provides person-reported validation that "Good" and "Marginal" graft function are differentiated by general and diabetes-specific subjective well-being, suggesting those with "Marginal" function may benefit from further intervention, including re-transplantation.

Commentary to accompany Flatt et al., Automated insulin delivery for hypoglycemia avoidance and glucose counterregulation in longstanding type 1 diabetes with hypoglycemia unawareness

N/A.