Lessons from the Hvidoere International Study Group on childhood diabetes: be dogmatic about outcome and flexible in approach

Correlation between centre size, metabolic variation and mean HbA1c in major paediatric diabetes centres

AIM

To exploit a relatively homogeneous national health care context and a national diabetes database to address the questions: Is there an optimal clinic/centre size in determining outcomes?; and Can improvement in median centre outcomes be driven by reducing variability in outcome?

METHODS

Using the Australasian Diabetes Database Network, data from seven tertiary hospital paediatric diabetes clinics for patients with type one diabetes from Australia were recorded from 6-month uploads: September 2017, March 2018, September 2018 and March 2019. Data from 25 244 patient visits included demographic variables, HbA1C, number of patient visits and insulin regimens.

RESULTS

There was no association between centre size and median HbA1C. On the other hand, there was a significant association between or median absolute deviation of HbA1C outcomes and the median HbA1C result between centres. On average every two thirds of a median absolute deviation increase in clinic HbA1C was associated with a 1.0% (10.9 mmol/mol) increase in median clinic HbA1C.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data have shown that it is likely difficult for centres to have a low median HbA1C if there is high variance of HbA1C's within centres or within centre treatment groups. This appears to be true regardless of centre size. These findings need to be carefully considered by teams who wish to lower their clinic median HbA1C.

14. Children and Adolescents: Standards of Care in Diabetes-2024

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) "Standards of Care in Diabetes" includes the ADA's current clinical practice recommendations and is intended to provide the components of diabetes care, general treatment goals and guidelines, and tools to evaluate quality of care. Members of the ADA Professional Practice Committee, an interprofessional expert committee, are responsible for updating the Standards of Care annually, or more frequently as warranted. For a detailed description of ADA standards, statements, and reports, as well as the evidence-grading system for ADA's clinical practice recommendations and a full list of Professional Practice Committee members, please refer to Introduction and Methodology. Readers who wish to comment on the Standards of Care are invited to do so at professional.diabetes.org/SOC.

Transition From Childhood to Adult Care in Patients with Type 1 Diabetes: 20 Years of Experience From the Tübinger Transition Study

AIMS

Transition from pediatric to adult care is difficult for patients with chronic diseases. In this study, factors associated with metabolic control in childhood-onset type 1 diabetes (T1D) after transfer to adult care were analyzed.

METHODS

Overall, 224 persons with T1D were contacted yearly from 1998 to 2019. They voluntarily answered a questionnaire about their current hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels, diabetes-associated complications, kind of care, living conditions, and family situation. Then, mixed longitudinal-cross-sectional analyses were carried out.

RESULTS

Overall, 190 patients answered at least once (mean age: 26.6 years). Diabetes complications were mentioned by 10 patients (5 microalbuminuria, 5 retinopathy). Most patients (92.6%) were in diabetes-specific care during the first year after transfer, with a trend to leave diabetes-specific care during the observation period. Patients in diabetes-specific care displayed lower HbA1c levels (%/mmol/mol) (7.1/54 vs. 7.5/58). An important predictor for HbA1c after transfer was HbA1c during the year before transfer (r=0.67, p <0.001). Patients living alone showed no difference in HbA1c levels from those living with their parents. Married patients had lower HbA1c levels (7.0/53 vs. 7.3/56, p<0.05) than unmarried ones. Patients with children (15.8%) presented lower HbA1c levels (6.9/52 vs. 7.3/56, p <0.01) than those without.

CONCLUSIONS

Good metabolic results are favored in patients followed-up in specialized care, are married, and are parents. We recommend transfer to a diabetologist with experience in T1D at an individual age.

14. Children and Adolescents: Standards of Care in Diabetes-2023

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) "Standards of Care in Diabetes" includes the ADA's current clinical practice recommendations and is intended to provide the components of diabetes care, general treatment goals and guidelines, and tools to evaluate quality of care. Members of the ADA Professional Practice Committee, a multidisciplinary expert committee, are responsible for updating the Standards of Care annually, or more frequently as warranted. For a detailed description of ADA standards, statements, and reports, as well as the evidence-grading system for ADA's clinical practice recommendations and a full list of Professional Practice Committee members, please refer to Introduction and Methodology. Readers who wish to comment on the Standards of Care are invited to do so at professional.diabetes.org/SOC.

A centennial review of discoveries and advances in diabetes: Children and youth

Diabetes is an increasingly common chronic metabolic disorder in children worldwide. The discovery of insulin in 1921 resulted in unprecedented advancements that improved the lives of children and youth with diabetes. The purpose of this article is to review the history of diabetes in children and youth over the last century and its implications for future developments in the field. We identified 68 relevant events between 1921 and 2021 through literature review and survey of pediatric endocrinologists. Basic research milestones led to the discovery of insulin and other regulatory hormones, established the normal physiology of carbohydrate metabolism and pathophysiology of diabetes, and provided insight into strategies for diabetes prevention. While landmark clinical studies were initially focused on adult diabetes populations, later studies assessed etiologic factors in birth cohort studies, evaluated technology use among children with diabetes, and investigated pharmacologic management of youth type 2 diabetes. Technological innovations culminated in the introduction of continuous glucose monitoring that enabled semi-automated insulin delivery systems. Finally, professional organizations collaborated with patient groups to advocate for the needs of children with diabetes and their families. Together, these advances transformed type 1 diabetes from a terminal illness to a manageable disease with near-normal life expectancy and increased our knowledge of type 2 diabetes and other forms of diabetes in the pediatric population. However, disparities in access to insulin, diabetes technology, education, and care support remain and disproportionately impact minority youth and communities with less resources. The overarching goal of diabetes management remains promoting a high quality of life and improving glycemic management without undermining the psychological health of children and youth living with diabetes.

Comparison Between Continuous Versus Flash Glucose Monitoring in Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults with Type 1 Diabetes: An 8-Week Prospective Randomized Trial

INTRODUCTION

To assess the impact of real-time continuous glucose monitoring (RT-CGM) instead of first-generation flash glucose monitoring (FGM) on hypoglycaemia in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes.

METHODS

In this randomized controlled interventional study, young individuals with type 1 diabetes used RT-CGM or FGM for 8 weeks. We evaluated changes in time below range (TBR), severe hypoglycaemia (SH), HbA1c, glycaemic variability, and impaired awareness of hypoglycaemia with RT-CGM (intervention group) in comparison with FGM.

RESULTS

We randomly assigned 37 participants to either the intervention group (n = 19) or the control group (n = 18). At 8 weeks, we did not find a decrease in TBR in either group, but there was a significant reduction in SH in the intervention group. For participants with TBR ≥ 5% at baseline, we observed significant reductions in 24-h TBR, wake TBR, sleep TBR, and glucose variability at 8 weeks in the intervention group.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of RT-CGM versus FGM decreased SH in young individuals with type 1 diabetes, and TBR and glucose variability in patients with a higher TBR at baseline. The patient's history should be taken into account when advising on the method of blood glucose monitoring, as RT-CGM could be more effective in younger patients at high risk for SH.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04249102.

Advancements and future directions in the teamwork, targets, technology, and tight control-the 4T study: improving clinical outcomes in newly diagnosed pediatric type 1 diabetes

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The benefits of intensive diabetes management have been established by the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial. However, challenges with optimizing glycemic management in youth with type 1 diabetes (T1D) remain across pediatric clinics in the United States. This article will review our Teamwork, Targets, Technology, and Tight Control (4T) study that implements emerging diabetes technology into clinical practice with a team approach to sustain tight glycemic control from the onset of T1D and beyond to optimize clinical outcomes.

RECENT FINDINGS

During the 4T Pilot study and study 1, our team-based approach to intensive target setting, education, and remote data review has led to significant improvements in hemoglobin A1c throughout the first year of T1D diagnosis in youth, as well as family and provider satisfaction.

SUMMARY

The next steps include refinement of the current 4T study 1, developing a business case, and broader implementation of the 4T study. In study 2, we are including a more pragmatic cadence of remote data review and disseminating exercise education and activity tracking to both English- and Spanish-speaking families. The overall goal is to create and implement a translatable program that can facilitate better outcomes for pediatric clinics across the USA.

Expert guidance on the multidisciplinary management of cystinosis in adolescent and adult patients

Cystinosis, a rare autosomal recessive lysosomal storage disorder, results in an abnormal accumulation of the amino acid cystine in multiple organs and tissues of the body. Renal symptoms typically develop in the first few months of life, with extra-renal manifestations becoming apparent over the next 10–20 years, which require coordinated multidisciplinary care. Here, we describe a consensus-based guidance to support the management of adolescents and adults living with cystinosis. The programme was led by a Steering Committee (SC) of six experts in the management of patients with cystinosis, who identified a list of 15 key questions reflecting the multi-organ effects of cystinosis. An Extended Faculty (EF) of eight additional specialists was invited to answer the questions via an online digital platform using a quasi-Delphi approach. The consolidated answers were summarized into recommendations. Where evidence was lacking, recommendations were developed using collective expert consensus. The EF was asked to agree/disagree with the clinical recommendations. The expert-agreed clinical recommendations provide guidance that considers both renal and extra-renal systems. The topics covered are advice on fertility and family planning, consideration of the nervous, muscular, ophthalmic, cardio-respiratory, endocrine, dermatological and gastrointestinal systems, as well as guidance on dental care, diet, lifestyle, and improving quality of life and psychological well-being. In summary, this work outlines recommendations and a checklist for clinicians with a vision for improving and standardizing the multidisciplinary care for patients with cystinosis.

Teamwork, Targets, Technology, and Tight Control in Newly Diagnosed Type 1 Diabetes: the Pilot 4T Study

CONTEXT

Youth with type 1 diabetes (T1D) do not meet glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) targets.

OBJECTIVE

This work aimed to assess HbA1c outcomes in children with new-onset T1D enrolled in the Teamwork, Targets, Technology and Tight Control (4T) Study.

METHODS

HbA1c levels were compared between the 4T and historical cohorts. HbA1c differences between cohorts were estimated using locally estimated scatter plot smoothing (LOESS). The change from nadir HbA1c (month 4) to 12 months post diagnosis was estimated by cohort using a piecewise mixed-effects regression model accounting for age at diagnosis, sex, ethnicity, and insurance type. We recruited 135 youth with newly diagnosed T1D at Stanford Children's Health. Starting July 2018, all youth within the first month of T1D diagnosis were offered continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) initiation and remote CGM data review was added in March 2019. The main outcomes measure was HbA1c.

RESULTS

HbA1c at 6, 9, and 12 months post diagnosis was lower in the 4T cohort than in the historic cohort (-0.54% to -0.52%, and -0.58%, respectively). Within the 4T cohort, HbA1c at 6, 9, and 12 months post diagnosis was lower in those patients with remote monitoring than those without (-0.14%, -0.18% to -0.14%, respectively). Multivariable regression analysis showed that the 4T cohort experienced a significantly lower increase in HbA1c between months 4 and 12 (P < .001).

CONCLUSION

A technology-enabled, team-based approach to intensified new-onset education involving target setting, CGM initiation, and remote data review statistically significantly decreased HbA1c in youth with T1D 12 months post diagnosis.

Hemoglobin A1c trajectories in the first 18 months after diabetes diagnosis in the SWEET diabetes registry

AIM

A majority of youth with type 1 diabetes do not meet recommended hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) targets. The SWEET diabetes registry is a multi-national registry of youth with diabetes. We used data from this registry to identify characteristics associated with glycemic control.

METHODS

Patients in the SWEET diabetes registry with at least one HbA1c value within 10 days of diagnosis and three follow up measurements in the first 18 months of diagnosis were included (~10% of the SWEET diabetes registry). Locally weighted scatterplot smoothing was used to generate curves of HbA1c. Wilcoxon, Kruskal-Wallis, or χ2-tests were used to calculate differences between groups.

RESULTS

The mean HbA1c of youth in the SWEET diabetes registry is highest at diagnosis and lowest between months 4 and 5 post-diabetes diagnosis. HbA1c continues to increase steadily through the first 18 months of diagnosis. There are no differences in HbA1c trajectories based on sex or use of diabetes technology. Youth in North America/Australia/New Zealand had the highest HbA1c throughout the first 18 months of diagnosis. The trajectory of youth from countries with nationalized health insurance was lower than those countries without nationalized health insurance. Youth from countries with the highest gross domestic product (GDP) had the highest HbA1c throughout the first 18 months of diagnosis.

CONCLUSIONS

In this subset of patients, the trajectory of youth from countries with nationalized health insurance was lower than those countries without nationalized health insurance. High GDP and high use of technology did not seem to protect from a higher trajectory.

14. Children and Adolescents: Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes-2022

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) "Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes" includes the ADA's current clinical practice recommendations and is intended to provide the components of diabetes care, general treatment goals and guidelines, and tools to evaluate quality of care. Members of the ADA Professional Practice Committee, a multidisciplinary expert committee (https://doi.org/10.2337/dc22-SPPC), are responsible for updating the Standards of Care annually, or more frequently as warranted. For a detailed description of ADA standards, statements, and reports, as well as the evidence-grading system for ADA's clinical practice recommendations, please refer to the Standards of Care Introduction (https://doi.org/10.2337/dc22-SINT). Readers who wish to comment on the Standards of Care are invited to do so at professional.diabetes.org/SOC.

Long-term Occupational Consequences for Families of Children With Type 1 Diabetes: The Mothers Take the Burden

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the occupational and financial consequences for parents following the onset of type 1 diabetes in their child.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

A questionnaire assessing occupational and financial situations before and in the first year after the onset of diabetes was distributed to all families with a child ≤14 years of age at diagnosis with a diabetes duration of at least 12 months in nine German pediatric diabetes centers.

RESULTS

Data of 1,144 children (mean age at diagnosis 6.7 [3.6] years; 46.5% female) and their families were obtained. Mothers' occupational status reflected in paid working hours was significantly reduced in the first year after their child's diabetes diagnosis (P < 0.001). Overall, 15.1% of mothers stopped working, and 11.5% reduced working hours. Mothers of preschool children were particularly affected. Fathers' working status hardly changed (P = 0.75). Nearly half of the families (46.4%) reported moderate to severe financial losses. Compared with an earlier similar study in 2003, significant negative occupational consequences for mothers and financial burden on families remained unchanged in 2018 (P = 0.59 and 0.31, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Mothers of young children with newly diagnosed diabetes experienced negative consequences in their occupational situation. This inequality for mothers can have long-term negative consequences for their mental health and future economic situation. There is an urgent need for action to reduce the burden on families and to provide professional, social, and regulatory support, especially for mothers of young children with diabetes.

Two Sides of a Coin: Parental Disease-Specific Training as Seen by Health Care Practitioners and Parents in Pediatric Liver Transplantation

In the absence of widely accepted education standards for parents of children after liver transplantation (LTx), the content and structure of parental training are influenced by health care practitioners’ (HCP) individual knowledge and assessment of the relevance of its contents. This study examines the hypothesis that expectations towards training differ between HCPs and parents, and that the quality of parental training affects the job-satisfaction of HCPs. Attitudes towards disease-specific education were assessed by tailor-made questionnaires in HCPs (n = 20) and parents of children with chronic liver disease or after LTx (n = 113). These were supplemented by focused interviews in n = 7 HCPs and n = 16 parents. Parents were more satisfied with current counseling than HCP. Language barriers and low parental educational background were perceived as obstacles by 43% of HCPs. The quality of parental knowledge was felt to have a strong influence on HCPs job satisfaction. The expectations towards the content of disease-specific education largely overlap but are not synonymous. HCP and parents agreed with regards to the importance of medication knowledge. Parents rated the importance about the meaning of laboratory values and diagnostic procedures significantly higher (3.50 vs. 2.85, p < 0.001 and 3.42 vs. 2.80, p < 0.001) than HCPs. Parents and HCPs would prefer a structured framework with sufficient staff resources for disease-specific counseling.

13. Children and Adolescents: Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes-2021

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) "Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes" includes the ADA's current clinical practice recommendations and is intended to provide the components of diabetes care, general treatment goals and guidelines, and tools to evaluate quality of care. Members of the ADA Professional Practice Committee, a multidisciplinary expert committee (https://doi.org/10.2337/dc21-SPPC), are responsible for updating the Standards of Care annually, or more frequently as warranted. For a detailed description of ADA standards, statements, and reports, as well as the evidence-grading system for ADA's clinical practice recommendations, please refer to the Standards of Care Introduction (https://doi.org/10.2337/dc21-SINT). Readers who wish to comment on the Standards of Care are invited to do so at professional.diabetes.org/SOC.

Update on Preventive Cardiology

Although progress had been made in reducing cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality, the positive trend has reversed in recent years, and CVD remains the most common cause of mortality in US women and men. Youth represent the future of CVD prevention; emerging evidence suggests exposure to risk factors in children contributes to atherosclerosis and results in vascular changes and increased CVD events. The contributors to CVD include those commonly seen in adults. This article reviews hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, obesity, diabetes, and smoking. It discusses the prevalence of each disease, diagnosis, treatment, and cardiovascular complications.

Assessing guideline adherence in the management of type 1 diabetes mellitus in Australian children: a population-based sample survey

INTRODUCTION

To estimate adherence to clinical practice guidelines in selected settings at a population level for Australian children with type 1 diabetes mellitus.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Medical records of children with type 1 diabetes mellitus aged 0-15 years in 2012-2013 were targeted for sampling across inpatient, emergency department and community visits with specialist pediatricians in regional and metropolitan areas and tertiary pediatric hospitals in three states where approximately 60% of Australian children reside. Clinical recommendations extracted from two clinical practice guidelines were used to audit adherence. Results were aggregated across types of care (diagnosis, routine care, emergency care).

RESULTS

Surveyors conducted 6346 indicator assessments from an audit of 539 healthcare visits by 251 children. Average adherence across all indicators was estimated at 79.9% (95% CI 69.5 to 88.0). Children with type 1 diabetes mellitus have higher rates of behavioral and psychological disorders, but only a third of children (37.9%; 95% CI 11.7 to 70.7) with suboptimal glycemic control (eg, hemoglobin A1c >10% or 86 mmol/mol) were screened for psychological disorders using a validated tool; this was the only indicator with <50% estimated adherence. Adherence by care type was: 86.1% for diagnosis (95% CI 76.7 to 92.7); 78.8% for routine care (95% CI 65.4 to 88.9) and 83.9% for emergency care (95% CI 78.4 to 88.5).

CONCLUSIONS

Most indicators for care of children with type 1 diabetes mellitus were adhered to. However, there remains room to improve adherence to guidelines for optimization of practice consistency and minimization of future disease burden.

Versorgung von Kindern und Jugendlichen mit Typ-1-Diabetes: Lösungen für technische und psychosoziale Herausforderungen

Diabetes mellitus Typ 1 ist die häufigste endokrinologische Erkrankung bei Kindern und Jugendlichen unter 15 Jahren. Eine Heilungsperspektive bezüglich der Autoimmunreaktion gegen die insulinbildenden Betazellen ist weiterhin nicht in Sicht. Dennoch konnte durch technische Innovationsschübe bei Glukosesensoren, Insulinpumpen und Steuerungsalgorithmen innerhalb der letzten Jahre die Stoffwechselkontrolle optimiert werden. Diese Entwicklungen führen zusammen mit individuellen Diabetesschulungen und psychosozialer Unterstützung zu einer deutlichen Verbesserung der Versorgung.

In diesem Übersichtsartikel wird die aktuelle Versorgungssituation von Kindern und Jugendlichen mit Typ-1-Diabetes sowie ihren Eltern dargestellt. In Deutschland ist die multidisziplinäre, spezialisierte Versorgung durch Teams aus Kinder- und Jugenddiabetolog*innen, Diabetesberater*innen, Sozialarbeiter*innen und Kinder- und Jugendpsychotherapeut*innen seit vielen Jahren etabliert und führt zu einer im internationalen Vergleich sehr guten Versorgungsqualität. Fokussiert werden die Diabetesschulung mit dem Schwerpunkt, das Selbstmanagement optimal zu unterstützen, die psychosoziale Begleitung und Intervention sowie die Inklusion in Schulen und Kindertagesstätten. Wir gehen außerdem auf neue soziale Entwicklungen der Diabetes-Online-Community ein. Ein aktuelles Beispiel ist die patientenbetriebene Bewegung „Do-It-Yourself Artificial Pancreas System“ (DIY-APS), die als Open-Source-Projekt mittlerweile Innovationsgeber auch für Medizinproduktehersteller ist. Zum Schluss beleuchten wir die damit verbundenen Chancen, aber auch die Verschiebung der klassischen Arzt-Patienten-Rollen.

Improving Clinical Outcomes in Newly Diagnosed Pediatric Type 1 Diabetes: Teamwork, Targets, Technology, and Tight Control-The 4T Study

Many youth with type 1 diabetes (T1D) do not achieve hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) targets. The mean HbA1c of youth in the USA is higher than much of the developed world. Mean HbA1c in other nations has been successfully modified following benchmarking and quality improvement methods. In this review, we describe the novel 4T approach-teamwork, targets, technology, and tight control-to diabetes management in youth with new-onset T1D. In this program, the diabetes care team (physicians, nurse practitioners, certified diabetes educators, dieticians, social workers, psychologists, and exercise physiologists) work closely to deliver diabetes education from diagnosis. Part of the education curriculum involves early integration of technology, specifically continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), and developing a curriculum around using the CGM to maintain tight control and optimize quality of life.

13. Children and Adolescents: Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes-2020

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) "Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes" includes the ADA's current clinical practice recommendations and is intended to provide the components of diabetes care, general treatment goals and guidelines, and tools to evaluate quality of care. Members of the ADA Professional Practice Committee, a multidisciplinary expert committee (https://doi.org/10.2337/dc20-SPPC), are responsible for updating the Standards of Care annually, or more frequently as warranted. For a detailed description of ADA standards, statements, and reports, as well as the evidence-grading system for ADA's clinical practice recommendations, please refer to the Standards of Care Introduction (https://doi.org/10.2337/dc20-SINT). Readers who wish to comment on the Standards of Care are invited to do so at professional.diabetes.org/SOC.

Hemoglobin A1c Trajectory in Pediatric Patients with Newly Diagnosed Type 1 Diabetes

Despite advances in diabetes technology and treatment, a majority of children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1D) fail to meet hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) targets. Among high-income nations, the United States has one of the highest mean HbA1c values. We tracked the HbA1c values of 261 patients diagnosed with T1D in our practice over a 2.5-year period to identify inflection points in the HbA1c trajectory. The HbA1c declined until 5 months postdiagnosis. There was a rise in the HbA1c between the fifth and sixth month postdiagnosis. The HbA1c continued to steadily rise and by 18 months postdiagnosis, the mean HbA1c was 8.2%, which is also our clinic mean. Understanding the HbA1c trajectory early in the course of diabetes has helped to identify opportunities for intensification of diabetes management to flatten the trajectory of HbA1c and improve clinical outcomes.

Two's company, is three a crowd? Ethical cognition in decision making and the role of industry third parties in pediatric diabetes care

Families of children with diabetes increasingly obtain health information from a variety of sources. Doctor-patient relationships have accordingly become more fluid and dynamic with input from other parties. These outside parties include representatives from the diabetes health care industry-industry third parties (ITPs). This review is an exploration of the ethical principles and cognitive processes involved when doctors and patients negotiate around health care practices and the role of ITPs in that dialogue. Ethical principles of conflicts of interest, beneficence (act in the best interests of the patient), non-maleficence (act so as to do no harm) and justice (act so as to allocate resources fairly or justly) are relevant considerations. Reflexive and analytic thinking and various cognitive biases also play a significant part in clinical decision making. A complex case example is analyzed to highlight a process of ethical cognition in decision making to ensure high-value care and optimal patient outcomes.

13. Children and Adolescents: Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes-2019

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) "Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes" includes ADA's current clinical practice recommendations and is intended to provide the components of diabetes care, general treatment goals and guidelines, and tools to evaluate quality of care. Members of the ADA Professional Practice Committee, a multidisciplinary expert committee, are responsible for updating the Standards of Care annually, or more frequently as warranted. For a detailed description of ADA standards, statements, and reports, as well as the evidence-grading system for ADA's clinical practice recommendations, please refer to the Standards of Care Introduction Readers who wish to comment on the Standards of Care are invited to do so at professional.diabetes.org/SOC.

Management of diabetes complications in youth

Type 1 and type 2 diabetes are increasing in prevalence and diabetes complications are common. Diabetes complications are rarely studied in youth, despite the potential onset in childhood. Microvascular complications of diabetes include retinopathy, diabetic kidney disease or nephropathy, and neuropathy that may be somatic or autonomic. Macrovascular disease is the leading cause of death in patients with type 1 diabetes. Strict glycaemic control will reduce microvascular and macrovascular complications; however, they may still manifest in youth. This article discusses the diagnosis and treatment of complications that arise from type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus in youth. Screening for complications is paramount as early intervention improves outcome. Screening should commence from 11 years of age depending on the duration of type 1 diabetes or at diagnosis for patients with type 2 diabetes. Diabetic retinopathy may require invasive treatment such as laser therapy or intravitreal antivascular endothelial growth factor therapy to prevent future blindness. Hypertension and albuminuria may herald diabetic nephropathy and require management with angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition. In addition to hypertension, dyslipidaemia must be treated to reduce macrovascular complications. Interventional trials aimed at examining the treatment of diabetes complications in youth are few. Statins, ACE inhibitors and metformin have been successfully trialled in adolescents with type 1 diabetes with positive effects on lipid profile, microalbuminuria and measures of vascular health. Although relatively rare, complications do occur in youth and further research into effective treatment for diabetes complications, particularly therapeutics in children in addition to prevention strategies is required.

Achieving target levels for vascular risk parameters in Polish school-age children with type 1 diabetes - a single center study

Background Therapeutic goals have been established to decrease the risk of long-term complications of type 1 diabetes (T1DM). The effects of these guidelines should be constantly evaluated. Hence, the present study examines the frequency at which children with T1DM treated by one of the Polish reference centers complied with the therapeutic targets issued in 2014 by the International Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes (ISPAD) and by the Diabetes Poland (PTD). Methods A retrospective analysis (years 2011-2014) was performed in patients with T1DM aged 6.5-18 years, with diabetes duration >12 months and no change of insulin regimen within 6 months. Collected data included insulin therapy regimen, weight, height, blood pressure, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglycerides (TG) and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) level from the last hospitalization. Results The records of 447 patients (260 boys, 299 treated with insulin pump) were analyzed. All ISPAD goals were achieved by 123 (27.5%) patients, but only 43 (9.6%) met all PTD targets. Optimal HbA1c was achieved by 224 (50.1%) according to ISPAD criteria (HbA1c<7.5%) and by 87 (19.6%) patients according to PTD (HbA1c≤6.5%). Obesity was diagnosed in 11.6% of the patients; 19.7% of the patients were overweight. In logistic regression, patient age was the only independent predictor of failing to achieve complete T1DM control (p=0.001, OR=1.12 [1.05-1.23]) and optimal HbA1c (p=0.01, OR=1.1 [1.0-1.2]) according to ISPAD guidelines. Moreover, girls had a greater risk of failing body mass index (BMI) targets (PTD: p=0.002, OR=2.16; ISPAD: p=0.0001, OR=3.37) and LDL-C targets (p=0.005, OR=1.8) than boys. Conclusions Overall, control of vascular risk factors in Polish children with T1DM is unsatisfactory. While too few children are achieving the HbA1c target set by PTD, it is possible that such strict national target helps half of the Polish school-age patients achieve ISPAD-issued aim which is more liberal. High prevalence of overweight among children with T1DM warrants initiatives focused not only on glycemic control but also on motivation of patients to lead a healthy lifestyle.

The clinician factor: Personality characteristics of clinicians and their impact upon clinical outcomes in the management of children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to estimate clinician qualities that influence metabolic outcomes in youth with type 1 diabetes.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Data were gathered over two 3 month periods in a large tertiary diabetes center (1500 patients, 8 clinicians) from patients with type 1 diabetes who received continuous care from each clinician. Data included sex, age, diabetes duration, insulin regimen, body mass index (BMI), insulin dose and episodes of severe hypoglycemia. Clinician data included target blood glucose levels, target glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), Diabetes Attitude Scale and Big 5 Personality Inventory Scale. Mean HbA1c per clinician was the primary outcome variable.

RESULTS

The 8 clinicians saw a total of 464 patients during the first time period, and 603 in the second time period. Lowest to highest mean HbA1c per clinician varied by 0.7%. There were small but statistically significant differences between clinicians with their patients' age at diagnosis, duration of diabetes, age, gender, treatment type and BMI SD score. After controlling for these differences, the clinician characteristics that were associated with lower mean HbA1c were having no lower limit in target HbA1c and being self-reportedly "less agreeable." The impact of these clinician attitudinal traits was equivalent to the combined effects of patient characteristics and treatment type.

CONCLUSIONS

There was a significant variation in metabolic outcomes between treating clinicians. After controlling for patient clinical differences, clinician mean HbA1c was associated with lower limit in target HbA1c and being "less agreeable." Clinicians who were more demanding and dogmatic appeared to have better outcomes.

Pediatric diabetes training for healthcare professionals in Europe: Time for change

BACKGROUND

Training for healthcare professionals (HCPs) in Europe who care for children and young people (CYP) with type 1 diabetes and their families is variable depending on the country. Building on the work of SWEET (Better control in Pediatric and Adolescent diabeteS: Working to crEate CEnTers of Reference) and using the German Certified Diabetes Educators (CDEs) curriculum, a European collaboration of pediatric diabetes experts aimed to (1) establish current core elements that should be included in a pediatric diabetes education training course and (2) create a template for a European CDE's training curriculum.

METHODS

A qualitative methodology incorporating a survey questionnaire, focus group discussions, individual semi-structured interviews and workshops was employed to explore participants' experiences and opinions. HCPs-pediatric consultants, diabetes nurses, dietitians and psychologists, national and local diabetes leads, academic and education leads and children, and young people with diabetes and families took part in the study. The total number of participants equaled 186.

RESULTS

A template for a European Certified Diabetes Educator Curriculum (EU-CDEC) was developed based on the themes that emerged from the participants' expertise and experiences. This provides a model for HCPs' pediatric diabetes training provision.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a severe shortage of high quality, standardized training for HCPs across the majority of European countries. Lack of trained HCPs for CYP with diabetes will result in the delivery of suboptimal care and impact on health, wellbeing and clinical and psychological outcomes. The EU-CDEC template can be used to increase access to high quality training provision for all HCPs across Europe and worldwide.

Targeting postprandial glycaemia in children with diabetes: Opportunities and challenges

Postprandial glycaemia makes a substantial contribution to overall glycaemic control in diabetes, particularly in patients whose preprandial glycaemia is relatively well controlled and glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) only modestly elevated. Our review addresses the determinants of postprandial glycaemia and how it may be targeted therapeutically in children with diabetes. Postprandial glycaemia is influenced by preprandial glycaemia, macronutrients and their absorption, insulin delivery and sensitivity, the action of the enteroendocrine system, and the rate of gastric emptying. Contemporary continuous glucose monitoring systems reveal patterns of post prandial glycaemia and allow management to be guided more precisely. Delays in blood glucose determination, insulin delivery and its absorption remain challenges in the rapidly evolving closed loop continuous subcutaneous insulin and glucagon delivery systems developed for children with type 1 diabetes. Augmentation of the incretin system through nutritional preloads or incretin mimetics targets postprandial glycaemia by slowing gastric emptying as well as insulinotropic and glucagonostatic effects. These treatments are of particular relevance to children with type 2 diabetes. Following the development of targeted therapies in adults, postprandial blood glucose control will now be increasingly targeted in the treatment of diabetes in children.

Diabetes in Childhood and Adolescence

BACKGROUND

The incidence of type 1 diabetes mellitus in childhood and adolescence is steadily rising and now stands at 22.9 new cases per year per 100 000 persons up to age 15.

METHODS

This review is based on pertinent publications retrieved by a selective literature search, with special attention to the current German S3 guideline on diabetes in childhood and adolescence.

RESULTS

Polydipsia, polyuria, and weight loss are the characteristic presenting symptoms of diabetes mellitus. The acutely presenting patient needs immediate stabilization because of the danger of rapid metabolic decompensation (risk of keto - acidosis, 21.1%). Long-term insulin therapy can be delivered either by subcutaneous injection or by an insulin pump. The goals of treatment are the near-normalization of glucose metabolism (HbA1c <7.5%), the avoidance of acute complications (hypoglycemia and ketoacidosis), the reduction of diabetes-specific sequelae (retinopathy, nephropathy, neuropathy, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia), unrestricted participation in age-appropriate everyday activities, and normal physical and psychosocial development. Children and adolescents with diabetes need individualized treatment with frequent adjustments and holistic overall care so that these goals can be effectively met.

CONCLUSION

Every physician must be able to diagnose the initial presentation of diabetes and to initiate the first steps in its management. The patient should be referred as soon as possible to a diabetes team that has experience in the treatment of children and adolescents.

12. Children and Adolescents: Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes-2018

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) "Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes" includes ADA's current clinical practice recommendations and is intended to provide the components of diabetes care, general treatment goals and guidelines, and tools to evaluate quality of care. Members of the ADA Professional Practice Committee, a multidisciplinary expert committee, are responsible for updating the Standards of Care annually, or more frequently as warranted. For a detailed description of ADA standards, statements, and reports, as well as the evidence-grading system for ADA's clinical practice recommendations, please refer to the Standards of Care Introduction Readers who wish to comment on the Standards of Care are invited to do so at professional.diabetes.org/SOC.

Does knowledge on diabetes management influence glycemic control? A nationwide study in patients with type 1 diabetes in Brazil

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study is to establish demographic and clinical data associated with the knowledge on diabetes management and its influence on glycemic control in patients with type 1 diabetes.

METHODS

This was a retrospective, observational, multicenter study conducted with 1,760 patients between August 2011 and August 2014 in 10 cities of Brazil.

RESULTS

Overall, 1,190 (67.6%) patients knew what glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) means. These patients were older, had longer disease duration, longer follow-up in each center, reported lower frequency of self-reported hypoglycemia, and were more frequently Caucasians and at glycemic goal. Multivariate analysis showed that knowledge on what HbA1c means was related to more years of school attendance, self-reported ethnicity (Caucasians), severe hypoglycemia, economic status, follow-up time in each center, and participation on diabetes educational programs. Good glycemic control was related to older age, more years of school attendance, higher frequency of daily self-monitoring of blood glucose, higher adherence to diet, and knowledge on what HbA1c means.

CONCLUSION

Patients with a knowledge on what HbA1c means had a better chance of reaching an adequate glycemic control that was not found in the majority of our patients. Diabetes care teams should rethink the approaches to patients and change them to more proactive schedules, reinforcing education, patients' skills, and empowerment to have positive attitudes toward reaching and maintaining a better glycemic control. Finally, the glucocentric approach to diabetes management should be changed to actions that include patients' psychosocial aspects aiming to reduce the stress of living with diabetes, improving glycemic control, and avoiding adverse outcomes.

A Mobile App for the Self-Management of Type 1 Diabetes Among Adolescents: A Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND

While optimal blood glucose control is known to reduce the long-term complications associated with type 1 diabetes mellitus, adolescents often struggle to achieve their blood glucose targets. However, their strong propensity toward technology presents a unique opportunity for the delivery of novel self-management interventions. To support type 1 diabetes self-management in this population, we developed the diabetes self-management app bant, which included wireless blood glucose reading transfer, out-of-range blood glucose trend alerts, coaching around out-of-range trend causes and fixes, and a point-based incentive system.

OBJECTIVE

The primary objective was to evaluate bant 's effect on hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) through a randomized controlled trial (RCT). Secondary measures (eg, self-monitoring of blood glucose [SMBG]) were also collected to assess bant 's impact on the self-management behaviors of adolescents with type 1 diabetes.

METHODS

We enrolled 92 adolescents into a 12-month RCT, with 46 receiving usual care and 46 receiving usual care plus bant. Clinical outcome data were collected at quarterly research visits via validated tools, electronic chart review, glucometer downloads, and semistructured interviews. App satisfaction was assessed at 6 and 12 months, and at trial end, users ranked bant components based on perceived usefulness. Mobile analytics captured frequency of blood glucose uploads, which were used to categorize participants into high, moderate, low, or very low engagement levels.

RESULTS

Linear mixed models showed no changes in primary and secondary clinical outcomes. However, exploratory regression analysis demonstrated a statistically significant association between increased SMBG and improved HbA1c in the intervention group. For a subgroup of bant users taking SMBG ≥5 daily, there was a significant improvement in HbA1c of 0.58% (P=.02), while the parallel subgroup in the control arm experienced no significant change in HbA1c (decrease of 0.06%, P=.84). Although app usage did diminish over the trial, on average, 35% (16/46 participants) were classified as moderately or highly engaged (uploaded SMBG ≥3 days a week) over the 12 months.

CONCLUSION

Although primary analysis of clinical outcomes did not demonstrate differences between the bant and control groups, exploratory analysis suggested that bant may positively impact the use of SMBG data and glycemic control among youth. The next generation of bant will aim to remove barriers to use, such as deploying the app directly to personal devices instead of secondary research phones, and to explore the utility of integrating bant into routine clinical care to facilitate more frequent feedback. Future evaluations of mHealth apps should consider more robust research tools (eg, ResearchKit) and alternative RCT study designs to enable more rapid and iterative evaluations, better suited to the nature of rapidly evolving consumer technology.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01899274; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01899274 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6qWrqF1yw).

Glycemic control and complications in patients with type 1 diabetes - a registry-based longitudinal study of adolescents and young adults

OBJECTIVE

The main aims of this study were to assess longitudinal glycemic control and the prevalence of retinopathy and nephropathy in young people (aged 14-30 yr) with type 1 diabetes in Norway.

METHOD

Data on 874 patients were obtained by linking two nationwide, population-based medical quality registries: The Norwegian Diabetes Register for Adults and The Norwegian Childhood Diabetes Registry.

RESULTS

Median age was 23 yr, median diabetes duration 9 yr and 51% were male. Median HbA_1c increased through adolescence to peak at ages of 17 yr for females and 19 yr for males, females had higher HbA_1c than males: 9.3% (78 mmol/mol) vs. 9.1% (76 mmol/mol). Subsequently, median HbA_1c declined but was still >8% (>64 mmol/mol) for patients approaching 30 yr. Half of the patients aged 14-17 yr and 40% of patients aged 18-25 yr had HbA_1c >9% (75 mmol/mol). Retinopathy was found in 16% and nephropathy in 13% of the population. Patients transferring from the pediatric department to adult care between the ages of 14 and 17 yr had higher median HbA_1c and prevalence of late complications than those transferring at ages 18-22 yr. Less than 40% of patients with albuminuria were treated with ACE inhibitors or angiotensin II receptor blocker.

CONCLUSION

Our results demonstrate that treatment of adolescents and young adults with type 1 diabetes in Norway is not optimal, especially for patients in their late teens. We suggest that pediatricians and endocrinologists should critically assess the care offered to this group and consider new approaches to help them improve glycemic control.

Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and its associated factors in children with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM)

BACKGROUND

The objective of the study was to describe the baseline health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in a cohort of children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), and analyze its associated clinical and sociodemographic factors, assessing HRQOL through internet.

METHODS

This was a descriptive study of 136 patients with T1DM from 5 hospitals in Catalonia, Spain (72 girls, mean age 13.4 years (range 8-19). Inclusion criteria were more than 6 months from diagnosis, more than 8 years old and without cognitive problems. Sociodemographic (age, sex, family level of education, type of family and origin) and clinical variables (type of insulin therapy, duration of disease, adherence to treatment, body mass index and HbA1c) were collected. HRQOL was assessed using the EuroQol-5D (EQ-5D-Y) and KIDSCREEN, collected via web. Mental health status was assessed using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Multiple linear regression models were adjusted.

RESULTS

Physical-well-being mean scores were lower (worse) than the European average (<50) and especially in girls, older children (>11 years old), those from single-parent families, and those with low adherence. Older children and patients with poor metabolic control (HbA1c >7,5% [58 mmol/mol]) showed worse scores in the KIDSCREEN-10 index. Similar results were observed with the EQ-5D-Y. Multivariate models showed that age, single-parent families, adherence and mental health were the most influential factors.

CONCLUSIONS

Diabetic patients report similar HRQOL than the population of the same age with slightly worse physical well-being. The study shows some factors to be taken into account to improve HRQOL, and also the feasibility of using web to collect information in clinical practice.

Is the incidence of type 1 diabetes in children and adolescents stabilising? The first 6 years of a National Register

The Irish Childhood Diabetes National Register (ICDNR) was established in 2008 to define accurately the incidence and monitor the epidemiology of type 1 diabetes (T1D) in the Irish population. Here, we report data from the first 6 years of the National Register and compare with previous national data. Prospective national incident data regarding T1D in those under 15 years resident in Ireland were collected from 2008 to 2013 and national incidence rates (IRs) calculated. Ascertainment completeness was assessed using capture-recapture methodology. The period identified 1566 new cases of T1D, ascertainment reached 96.8 % in 2013. The standardised incidence rate was 27.5 in 2008 stabilising at 28.7 and 28.8 cases /100,000/year in 2012 and 2013. There was no evidence that the incidence changed significantly in the 6-year period either overall or for each age group and gender. There was evidence of a difference in the incidence of T1D across the age groups with the overall incidence highest in the 10-14 year age category. A strong seasonal association was demonstrated.

CONCLUSIONS

This study confirms Ireland as a high-incidence country for type 1 diabetes whilst demonstrating that the previous marked increase in IR from 16.3 cases/100,000/year in 1997 has not continued. Ongoing monitoring through the robust mechanism of the ICDNR is required to clarify whether this is a fluctuation or if the incidence of T1D diabetes has stopped rising in our population. Alternatively, this apparent stabilisation may reflect a shift to a later age at diagnosis. "What is known :" • The incidence of Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is increasing in most populations worldwide although in certain high-incidence populations, it may be stabilising • There was a marked increase in T1D in Ireland between 1997 and 2008 • T1D incidence increases with affluence "What is New:" • The high incidence of T1D in Ireland has been confirmed at 28.8 cases/100,000/year in 2013 and has been effectively stable in the period 2008-2013 • Incidence is highest in Irish 10-14 year olds • Changes in incidence possibly reflecting life style and economic climate • Marked seasonality of diagnosis confirmed.