Effect of predicted low suspend pump treatment on improving glycaemic control and quality of sleep in children with type 1 diabetes and their caregivers: the QUEST randomized crossover study

Impact of continuous glucose monitoring on everyday life of young children with type 1 diabetes and their parents: An evaluation of 114 families

INTRODUCTION

The prevalence of type 1 diabetes is increasing worldwide. The advent of new monitoring devices has enabled tighter glycemic control.

AIM

To study the impact of glucose monitoring devices on the everyday life of young children with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and their parents.

METHODS

A questionnaire was addressed to parents of children with T1D under the age of 6 years with an insulin pump treated in one of the hospitals of the ADIM network in France between January and July 2020.

RESULTS

Among the 114 families included in the study, 53% of parents (26/49) woke up every night to monitor blood glucose levels when their child had flash glucose monitoring (FGM), compared with 23% (13/56) of those whose child had continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). Overall, 81% of parents (86/108) found that glucose monitoring improved their own sleep and parents whose child had CGM were significantly more likely to report improved sleep (86% vs 73%, p = 0.006). Forty-nine percent of parents (55/113) declared that they (in 87% of cases, the mother only) had reduced their working hours or stopped working following their child's T1D diagnosis. Maternal unemployment was significantly associated with the presence of siblings (p = 0.001) but not with glycemic control (p = 0,87). Ninety-eight percent of parents (105/107) think that glucose monitoring improves school integration.

CONCLUSION

In these families of children with T1D, new diabetes technologies reduced the burden of care but sleep disruption remained common. Social needs evaluation, particularly of mothers, is important at initial diagnosis of T1D in children.

Muscle-to-fat ratio in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes in predicting glycaemic control and partial clinical remission

BACKGROUND

Advances in treatment could mitigate the expected adverse changes in the body composition of children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1D).

OBJECTIVES

To examine the evolution of weight status and body composition and their association with glycaemic control and partial clinical remission in youth with T1D.

METHODS

Ninety-nine participants with T1D (median age 9.5 years [interquartile range 7.3, 12.9], 59.6% boys) were longitudinally followed for 3 years since diagnosis. Data at seven pre-determined time points were extracted from medical files. Outcome measures included body mass index (BMI) z-scores, muscle-to-fat ratio (MFR) z-scores, haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels, continuous glucose monitoring metrics, and insulin dose-adjusted HbA1c (IDAA1c) levels.

RESULTS

The BMI z-scores increased significantly (p < 0.001) for both sexes, with no significant change in MFR z-scores over time. The girls had higher BMI z-scores (p < 0.001) and lower MFR z-scores than the boys (p = 0.016). The mean HbA1c levels decreased during the first month and at 3 months since diagnosis (p < 0.001), then plateaued and achieved a median overall HbA1c of 7.1% for the entire cohort. At 12 months, 37 participants (37.6%) were in partial clinical remission, as evidenced by IDAA1c ≤ 9. The odds of partial clinical remission at 2 years increased by 2.1-fold for each standard deviation increase in the MFR z-score (p < 0.001). Higher MFR z-scores were associated with better metabolic control.

CONCLUSIONS

Integration of body composition assessments could mitigate adverse body changes in paediatric patients with T1D.

How mothers of a child with type 1 diabetes cope with the burden of care: a qualitative study

INTRODUCTION

Caregiver burden is a complex construct that depends heavily on the context and culture of the community in which care takes place. This study aimed to explore the lived experience of being mothers of a child with type 1 diabetes aged 6 to 18 years.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We used a qualitative methodology utilizing conventional content analysis. We conducted 24 interviews with 20 mothers who had a child with type 1 diabetes aged 6 to 17 years.

RESULTS

The mean age of mothers and children were 36.3 and 12.3 years, respectively. The mean of years with the disease was 4.3 years. Thirteen children were girls. The essential theme was coping with the burden of care through personalized coping and active acquisition of social support. The main theme consists of four sub-themes including Crisis in the family and burden of care, Losing the family equilibrium, Personalized coping strategies, and Active acquisition of social support. Mothers used personalized strategies and every support they could get to reach their aim.

CONCLUSIONS

Families of children with type 1 diabetes need extensive and personalized care plans.

Intermittent Scanning Glucose Monitoring or Predicted Low Suspend Pump Treatment: Does It Impact Time in Glucose Target and Treatment Preference? The QUEST Randomized Crossover Study

OBJECTIVE

To compare glycemic control and treatment preference in children with type 1 diabetes (T1D) using sensor augmented pump (SAP) with predictive low glucose suspend (SmartGuard^®) or pump with independent intermittent scanning continuous glucose monitoring (iscCGM, Freestyle libre ^®).

METHODS

In this open label, cross-over study, children 6 to 14 years of age, treated with insulin pump for at least 6 months, were randomized to insulin pump and iscCGM (A) or SAP with SmartGuard^® (B) for 5 weeks followed by 5 additional weeks. The difference in percentages of time in glucose target (TIT), (3.9 - 8.0 mmol/l), <3 mmol/l, > 8 and 10 mmol/l, were analyzed using linear mixed models during the final week of each arm and were measured by blinded CGM (IPro2^®).

RESULTS

31 children (15 girls) finished the study. With sensor compliance > 60%, no difference in TIT was found, TIT: A 37.86%; 95% CI [33.21; 42.51]; B 37.20%; 95% CI [32.59; 41.82]; < 3 mmol/l A 2.27% 95% CI [0.71; 3.84] B 1.42% 95% CI [-0.13; 2.97]; > 8 mmol/l A 0.60% 95% CI [0.56, 0.67]; B 0.63% [0.56; 0.70]. One year after the study all participants were on CGM compared to 80.7% prior to the study, with a shift of 13/25 participants from iscCGM to SAP.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, no significant difference in glycemic control was found whether treated with SAP (SmartGuard^®) or pump with iscCGM. The decision of all families to continue with CGM after the study suggests a positive impact, with preference for SmartGuard^®.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

[clinicaltrials.gov], identifier NCT03103867.

Evaluation of sleep characteristics of children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus

Objective:

To evaluate sleep characteristics of children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and their relationship with glycemic control.

Methods:

A cross-sectional study was conducted at a public hospital in São Paulo, Brazil. It included 86 patients with T1DM, aged between 10 and 18 years old, who were on insulin therapy, had performed at least three measurements of capillary blood glucose throughout the day, and had normal thyroid function. The clinical, anthropometric, and laboratory data of each patient were evaluated. The Pediatric Daytime Sleepiness Scale (PDSS) and the Munich Chronotype Questionnaire (MCTQ) were used to assess the sleep characteristics.

Results:

The mean level of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) was 9.2±2.1%, and it was higher in adolescents than in children. The mean score of PDSS was 13.9±4.7. Patients with HbA1c<7.5% had lower PDSS scores and longer sleep duration on weekdays than patients with HbA1c≥7.5%. HbA1c levels were negatively correlated with chronotype values and sleep duration on weekdays and positively correlated with social jet lag. Patients who had had T1DM for less than three years had a higher prevalence of daytime sleepiness. The regression analysis showed that higher HbA1c (≥7.5%) and shorter time since the diagnosis of T1DM increased the chance of daytime sleepiness, regardless of age and sex.

Conclusions:

Patients with higher HbA1c had more daytime sleepiness, a morning chronotype, shorter sleep duration on weekdays and a more significant social jet lag. The shorter diagnosis time for T1DM and greater levels of HbA1c increased the chance of daytime sleepiness.

Daily variations in sleep and glucose in adolescents with type 1 diabetes

OBJECTIVE

We used multilevel models (MLMs) to determine person (between-persons) and day level (within-person) associations between glucose variability indices and sleep characteristics in adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1D).

METHODS

Adolescents with T1D (Mean age 13.4 ± 1.8 years; 37.8% male; mean HbA1c 8.2 ± 1.2%, 66 mmol/mol) monitored their sleep and glucose patterns concurrently for 3-7 days with a wrist actigraph on their non-dominant wrist and a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) (their own or a provided, blinded CGM). Glucose variability indices included J index, coefficient of variation, low and high blood glucose risk indices (LBGI and HBGI), time in range, and sleep characteristics, including bedtime, wake time, total sleep time, sleep efficiency, wake after sleep onset, awakenings, and sleep fragmentation index.

RESULTS

More overall glucose variability was associated within person, more sleep disruptions (more awakenings and more fragmentation) or poorer sleep in our study (earlier wake time or longer wake after sleep onset). Also, more time spent in hypoglycemia <70 mg/dL and a higher LBGI was associated within person with earlier wake time indicating poorer sleep. However, a lower LBGI was associated with a later between-persons wake time.

CONCLUSIONS

Monitoring over a longer period of time in subsequent studies would allow researchers to determine the within person association between habitual short sleep duration and glucose variability. Providers should regularly assess sleep habits in adolescents as a way to improve glycemic control. Targeting a euglycemic range overnight is also important to promote better sleep and to decrease sleep disruptions.

When Low Blood Sugars Cause High Anxiety: Fear of Hypoglycemia Among Parents of Youth With Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

OBJECTIVES

Hypoglycemia is the most common acute complication of type 1 diabetes (T1D), and the potential short- and long-term sequelae can cause children and parents to develop significant fear of hypoglycemia (FOH). FOH and associated anxiety can be disruptive to activities of daily living and lead to reduced quality of life. We sought to determine the extent of FOH among parents of children with T1D within our clinic and to identify factors associated with greater FOH.

METHODS

Two hundred sixty-four parents of youth (2 to 18 years of age; mean ± standard deviation, 12.4±3.5 years) with T1D completed a survey that included demographic and disease-specific questions, the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and the Hypoglycemia Fear Survey---Parent version (HFS-P).

RESULTS

Of the 264 participants, 207 completed the full HFS-P, with a mean score of 67±19 (range, 31 to 119). The most frequent worries related to the child being hypoglycemic while alone or asleep. Higher HFS-P scores were also associated with more frequent and severe hypoglycemic episodes, higher state-trait anxiety scores, use of a continuous glucose monitor and more frequent blood glucose checks. Higher HFS-P scores were also associated with worse parental sleep quality and less parental engagement with treatment plans.

CONCLUSIONS

Parents of children with T1D experience FOH, especially during times of high vulnerability. Moreover, FOH could potentially impact clinical care (with parents being reluctant to administer suggested insulin doses) and quality of life (due to parental/child sleep disruption). Further studies are needed to develop and evaluate interventions aimed at reducing FOH in parents of youth with T1D.

Facilitators and Barriers of Sleep in Young Adults With Type 1 Diabetes

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to explore the perceived facilitators and barriers for obtaining sufficient sleep in young adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D).

METHODS

A qualitative descriptive approach was used to generate data. In-depth semi-structured interviews with 30 young adults with T1D (66.7% female, mean age = 22.1 years) were conducted. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and coded using NVivo.

RESULTS

Young adults with T1D reported feeling challenged at bedtime and overnight by the demands of a complex disease management regimen. General and diabetes-specific barriers and facilitators to obtaining sufficient sleep were the overarching themes in the present study. Young adults perceived that electronic device use was a facilitator for relaxation before bed and a barrier to sleep by some participants. Delays in bedtime or disruptions in sleep were common diabetes-specific barriers.

CONCLUSIONS

When designing sleep-promoting interventions for young adults with T1D, researchers should consider diabetes-specific challenges and solutions in addition to those present in the general young adult population.

Sleep characteristics in young adults with type 1 diabetes

Only 14% of young adults with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) achieve targets for glycemic control (HbA1C < 7.0%), with deterioration over time. Complex cognitive processes required to manage glycemia are vulnerable to sleep deficiency. Using Whittemore and Knafl's approach, we conducted an integrative review of research literature on sleep characteristics and glycemia in these young adults. Quality was assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (v. 2011). Multiple databases were searched for articles published in English in peer-reviewed journals from 2003 to 2018, using search terms 'sleep' and 'T1D' with age limiters 18-40. Of 218 studies initially retrieved, 17 original studies met the inclusion criteria. The following themes were identified in young adults with T1D: (1) They had poorer objective and subjective sleep quality, more variability, and impaired awakening response to hypoglycemia compared with controls; (2) They had poorer glycemic control that was associated with shorter sleep duration, poorer sleep quality, and less time in deep sleep; and (3) Hypoglycemia negatively impacted diabetes management, sleep quality, and next day functioning. Sleep deficiency, as indicated by short sleep duration is associated with a range of negative health outcomes for people with T1D; therefore, optimizing sleep should be a priority in practice and research.