Diabetes and Depression Offers Big Challenges
If you have diabetes, you’re more likely to be depressed than people without the disease. That simple fact, confirmed by a University of Adelaide study in 2004, should put all people with diabetes and their doctors on notice. Both type 1s and type 2s should be alert for the ways in which their chronic illness [...]
If you have diabetes, you’re more likely to be depressed than people without the disease.
That simple fact, confirmed by a University of Adelaide study in 2004, should put all people with diabetes and their doctors on notice. Both type 1s and type 2s should be alert for the ways in which their chronic illness can lead to depression. And doctors should know that patients’ moods are critical components of their health. How bad is it? According to that 2004 study (published in the journal Diabetes Care), 24 percent of people with diabetes are depressed. That’s nearly one in four. In the general population, only 17 percent of people suffer from depression.
Experts issue new lab analysis guidelines for the diagnosis and management of diabetes
Diabetes has become a global epidemic, and its diagnosis and management exert a tremendous burden on health care expenditure. The “Guidelines and Recommendations for Laboratory Analysis in the Diagnosis and Management of Diabetes Mellitus” was issued by the National Academy of Clinical Biochemistry in 2002. An update of the guidelines was recently issued by an [...]
Diabetes has become a global epidemic, and its diagnosis and management exert a tremendous burden on health care expenditure. The “Guidelines and Recommendations for Laboratory Analysis in the Diagnosis and Management of Diabetes Mellitus” was issued by the National Academy of Clinical Biochemistry in 2002. An update of the guidelines was recently issued by an expert committee of the NACB and the American Association for Clinical Chemistry based on new scientific evidence. Evidence-based recommendations were compiled based on published literature and expert consensus. The strength of the recommendations and the quality of the supporting evidence were assessed using a new grading system. T
Adapted adult questionnaire may be used as measure of emotional distress in adolescents with type 1 diabetes
Psychological problems have been commonly observed in adolescents with type 1 diabetes , with consequences on coping and problem-solving skills and treatment adherence. However, there is currently no validated instrument to measure this outcome in this patient population. To rectify this problem, a study adapted the adult Problem Area in Diabetes questionnaires in an attempt [...]
Psychological problems have been commonly observed in adolescents with type 1 diabetes , with consequences on coping and problem-solving skills and treatment adherence. However, there is currently no validated instrument to measure this outcome in this patient population. To rectify this problem, a study adapted the adult Problem Area in Diabetes questionnaires in an attempt to come up with a psychometrically sound measure of diabetes-specific emotional distress in T1DM adolescents. Questionnaire items were revised or removed, and additional items added when needed, resulting in a 61-item age-appropriate measure called PAID-T. A total of 130 adolescents were taken as sample group.
Bone mineral density and FRAX scores may predict fracture risk in adults with diabetes
Type 2 diabetes patients have increased risk for bone fractures despite the fact that bone mineral density tends to be higher among individuals with diabetes. To investigate this paradox, data from three prospective observational studies were pooled and analyzed to identify fracture risk predictors in adults with type 2 diabetes. In particular, the associations between [...]
Type 2 diabetes patients have increased risk for bone fractures despite the fact that bone mineral density tends to be higher among individuals with diabetes. To investigate this paradox, data from three prospective observational studies were pooled and analyzed to identify fracture risk predictors in adults with type 2 diabetes. In particular, the associations between femoral neck BMD T score and the World Health Organization Fracture Risk Algorithm score versus the risk for hip and non-spine fractures were investigated. The 3 studies included 9,449 and 7,436 community-dwelling U.S. adults. Data analyzed included incidence of radiology-verified fractures, demographics and insulin use. A total of 770 women and 1,199 men had type 2 diabetes. A mean follow-up of 12.6 years reported 84 hip and 262 non-spine fractures among females with diabetes. Among males with diabetes, 32 hip and 133 non-spine fractures were reported after a mean follow-up of 7.5 years. Femoral neck BMD T and FRAX scores were significantly associated with increased risk for both fracture types , with higher risks for type 2 diabetes versus nondiabetic patients for a given T or FRAX score. BMD and FRAX scores may be useful predictors of fracture risk in people with type 2 diabetes : 2184).
Age and sex are among the factors that define prolonged QT and QTc intervals in children with type 1 diabetes
Disturbances of metabolic decompensation, including prolonged QT and QTc intervals, are manifestations of dystrophic changes in the heart of children with type 1 diabetes. A novel study evaluated QT and QTc on ECG in 164 children with type 1 diabetes and 60 sex- and age-matched healthy children to determine correlations of prolonged QT and QTc [...]
Disturbances of metabolic decompensation, including prolonged QT and QTc intervals, are manifestations of dystrophic changes in the heart of children with type 1 diabetes. A novel study evaluated QT and QTc on ECG in 164 children with type 1 diabetes and 60 sex- and age-matched healthy children to determine correlations of prolonged QT and QTc intervals with duration of disease, age, sex, cholesterol levels , HbA1c levels, body mass index, blood pressure and pulse rate. QT and QTc intervals were elevated in type 1 diabetes children compared to the control group . QTc was higher in girls with type 1 diabetes than in boys . Fructozamine levels were higher in boys than in girls . QTc was found to be correlated with age and level of HbA1c .
Mobile phone intervention improves glycemic control in type 2 diabetes patients
The use of mobile phones is widespread worldwide. In recent years, health and medical phone applications have been utilized for self-management of chronic diseases, including diabetes. The effect of mobile phone-based interventions on glycemic control was assessed in a systematic review and meta-analysis. An extensive literature review restricted to English articles was conducted. Included were [...]
The use of mobile phones is widespread worldwide. In recent years, health and medical phone applications have been utilized for self-management of chronic diseases, including diabetes. The effect of mobile phone-based interventions on glycemic control was assessed in a systematic review and meta-analysis. An extensive literature review restricted to English articles was conducted. Included were studies designed as randomized or quasi-randomized controlled or crossover controlled trial which assessed use of mobile phones for diabetes self-management and measured HbA1c levels. Twenty-two trials involving 1,657 subjects were included in the analysis, taking into account potential selection bias and quality of the trials.
Functional HMGA1 gene variants are linked to type 2 diabetes in individuals of white European ancestry
There is strong evidence of a genetic component in type 2 diabetes and the high-mobility group AT-hook 1 is one of the genes involved. A functional variant of this gene was linked to insulin resistance in patients with type 2 diabetes in a previous study. Researchers investigated the prevalence of functional HMGA1 gene variants in [...]
There is strong evidence of a genetic component in type 2 diabetes and the high-mobility group AT-hook 1 is one of the genes involved. A functional variant of this gene was linked to insulin resistance in patients with type 2 diabetes in a previous study. Researchers investigated the prevalence of functional HMGA1 gene variants in case-control studies of three populations of white European ancestry. The Italian population consisted of 3,278 subjects with type 2 diabetes, and 2 control groups . The American group consisted of 970 type 2 diabetes and 958 control subjects, and the French population of 354 type 2 diabetes and 50 control subjects. Genomic analysis was done on blood cell DNA.
NIH Announces New Strategic Plan to Combat Diabetes
The National Institute of Health announced a new plan to set a standard for diabetes-related research over the next 10 years. The plan, “Advances and Emerging Opportunities in Diabetes Research,” was created by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. The plan assesses the research opportunities with the greatest possible benefit to [...]
The National Institute of Health announced a new plan to set a standard for diabetes-related research over the next 10 years. The plan, “Advances and Emerging Opportunities in Diabetes Research,” was created by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. The plan assesses the research opportunities with the greatest possible benefit to the millions of American who have diabetes, the potential to develop it, and its complications. The report detailed the 10 areas of diabetes research with the most potential, including: the relationship between obesity and type 2 diabetes, autoimmune mechanisms at work in type 1 diabetes, biology of beta cells, development of artificial pancreas technologies, prevention of complications of diabetes, and reduction of the impact of diabetes on groups with high susceptibility to the disease. The plan looks at both type 1 and type 2 diabetes as well as gestational diabetes. A draft of the strategic plan has been posted for public comment before it proceeds to publication.
