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Our aim was to report our telemedicine experience with type 1 diabetes patients using insulin pumps who fasted for Ramadan 2020 during the COVID‐19 pandemic. The routine diabetes outpatient care in our Changing Diabetes in Children (CDiC) Pediatric Diabetes Center at the Bangladesh Institute of Research and Rehabilitation in Diabetes, Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders hospital was closed, as there was a lockdown from 26 March in Bangladesh. The diabetes team in our center started telemedicine care for routine follow up of patients. Nine patients who wished to fast for Ramadan contacted our diabetes team over the phone. The mean age was 19.3 ± 5.0 years, and five (55.6%) were female. Most of the patients fasted >20 days. Hyperglycemia and mild hypoglycemia were common complications during fasting. There was no episode of severe hypoglycemia or diabetic ketoacidosis, and none of the patients required admission. During the COVID‐19 crisis in Bangladesh, patients with type 1 diabetes using an insulin pump could fast safely for Ramadan with the support of the telemedicine service by the diabetes team. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fibrocalculous pancreatic diabetes (FCPD) is a unique form of diabetes with classic triad of abdominal pain, pancreatic calculi, and diabetes. This study was undertaken to identify the clinical characteristics in newly diagnosed children and adolescents with FCPD and compare them with children with Type 1 diabetes (T1D). The study was carried out at the Changing Diabetes in Children (CDiC) Diabetes Clinic of tertiary care hospital, BIRDEM in Bangladesh. All patients underwent abdominal X-rays and careful analysis of history of abdominal pain to differentiate the two diagnoses. Pancreatic auto antibodies were not available. Four hundred twenty-nine patients were aged under 18 years at diabetes presentation: 106 (25%) fulfilled the criteria for FCPD and 323 (75%) for T1D. When comparing FCPD with T1D at diagnosis, it was found that they were older (median age 14.0 [IQR 12.0-15.0] years vs 12.0 [IQR 10.0-14.0] years (p < .0001)). Few had a positive family history of diabetes (31% vs 48% (p = .002)). DKA was less common (4 vs 12% (p = .020)). HbA1c was higher (13.6 ± 4.2% (125 ± 22) vs 12.1 ± 3.4% (109 ± 14) (p = .001)). More FCPD patients had atypical symptoms compared to T1D (25 vs 14%, (p = .010)). The median duration of symptoms was significantly longer (3.0[1.0-6.0] vs 1.0[1.0-2.0] months (p = .0001)). Cataracts were more common in FCPD (9 vs 3% (p = .010)). The median dose of insulin was higher in FCPD patients than T1D (1.41[0.91-2.03] vs 1.02[0.78-1.48] (p = .0001)). In addition to pancreatic calcification, FCPD showed atypical symptoms with longer prodrome and higher HbA1c than T1D. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Dyslipidemia and hyperglycemia are metabolic abnormalities commonly found in young patients with Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and both increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. Methods: This cross-sectional study was aimed to evaluate the pattern of dyslipidemia and its relationship with other risk factors in children and adolescents with T1DM. A total of 576 T1DM patients aged 10-18 years who attended Changing Diabetes in Children, a pediatric diabetes clinic in Bangladesh Institute of Research and Rehabilitation for Diabetes, Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders over 1 year period from July 2015 to June 2016 were included in this study. Results: The overall frequency of dyslipidemia was 65%. The high triglyceride, high cholesterol, high low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and low high-density lipoprotein were found in 50%, 66%, 75%, and 48%, respectively. Compared to patients without dyslipidemia, patients with dyslipidemia had significantly lower mean body mass index (kg/m2) (18.4 [interquartile range; 16.2-21.4] vs. 19.5 [17.3-21.5] (P = 0.005)); significantly higher median fasting blood sugar (12.7 [9.9-15.2] vs. 10.6 [7.9-12.6] (P < 0.0001)) and higher median glycosylated hemoglobin (9.8 [8.4-11.8] vs. 7.9 [9.3-10.5] (P < 0.0001)). Hypertension was significantly higher in dyslipidemic patients (9.4% vs. 2.5% P < 0.002). Conclusion: More than half (65%) of our children and adolescents with T1DM had dyslipidemia, among them high LDL was the most common. These findings emphasize the screening of lipid profile in T1DM children and adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Recent data show that the prevalence of diabetes among children and adolescents is increasing in some ethnic groups. The worldwide epidemic of childhood obesity has been accompanied by an increase in the incidence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) in youth. Methods: The aim of this study was to describe the baseline characteristics of children and adolescents diagnosed =18 years who had features of T2D and presented at Changing Diabetes in Children, Paediatric Diabetes Clinic at Bangladesh Institute of Research and Rehabilitation of Diabetes, Endocrine, and Metabolic Disorders. All patients who were newly diagnosed and came to the clinic from March 2011 to March 2015 were included. Results: Among 939 newly registered patients, 77 (8%) had a diagnosis of T2D. The age at diagnosis was 9-10 years in 11 patients (14%), 11-14 years in 46 (60%) and 15-17 years in other 20 patients (26%). Majority of the children had a positive family history of T2D (94%) and 58% were obese. Median fasting insulin (27.9 [17.3-99.3]) was high in 76% patients. Insulin was started initially along with metformin in 40 patients and could be stopped in six patients in 3 months. Conclusion: Our study reflects that T2D is emerging as a problem in children and adolescents in Bangladesh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To compare rates of microvascular complications in adolescents with type 1 diabetes treated with continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) versus multiple daily injections (MDI). Research Design and Methods: Prospective cohort of 989 patients (aged 12–20 years; diabetes duration >5 years) treated with CSII or MDI for >12 months. Microvascular complications were assessed from 2000–14: early retinopathy (seven-field fundal photography), peripheral nerve function (thermal and vibration threshold testing), autonomic nerve abnormality (heart rate variability analysis of electrocardiogram recordings) and albuminuria (albumin creatinine ratio/timed overnight albumin excretion). Generalized estimating equations (GEE) were used to examine the relationship between treatment and complications rates, adjusting for socio-economic status (SES) and known risk factors including HbA1c and diabetes duration. Results: Comparing CSII with MDI: HbA1C was 8.6% [70mmol/mol] vs. 8.7% [72 mmol/mol]) (p = 0.7), retinopathy 17% vs. 22% (p = 0.06); microalbuminuria 1% vs. 4% (p = 0.07), peripheral nerve abnormality 27% vs. 33% (p = 0.108) and autonomic nerve abnormality 24% vs. 28% (p = 0.401). In multivariable GEE, CSII use was associated with lower rates of retinopathy (OR 0.66, 95% CI 0.45–0.95, p = 0.029) and peripheral nerve abnormality (OR 0.63, 95% CI 0.42–0.95, p = 0.026), but not albuminuria (OR 0.46, 95% CI 0.10–2.17, p = 0.33). SES was not associated with any of the complication outcomes. Conclusions: In adolescents, CSII use is associated with lower rates of retinopathy and peripheral nerve abnormality, suggesting an apparent benefit of CSII over MDI independent of glycemic control or SES. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Artificial intelligence (AI) appears capable of detecting diabetic retinopathy (DR) with a high degree of accuracy in adults; however, there are few studies in children and young adults. Methods: Children and young adults (3-26 years) with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) or type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) were screened at the Dhaka BIRDEM-2 hospital, Bangladesh. All gradable fundus images were uploaded to Cybersight AI for interpretation. Two main outcomes were considered at a patient level: 1) Any DR, defined as mild non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR or more severe; and 2) Referable DR, defined as moderate NPDR or more severe. Diagnostic test performance comparing Orbis International's Cybersight AI with the reference standard, a fully qualified optometrist certified in DR grading, was assessed using the Matthews correlation coefficient (MCC), area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC-ROC), area under the precision-recall curve (AUC-PR), sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values. Results: Among 1274 participants (53.1% female, mean age 16.7 years), 19.4% (n = 247) had any DR according to AI. For referable DR, 2.35% (n = 30) were detected by AI. The sensitivity and specificity of AI for any DR were 75.5% (CI 69.7-81.3%) and 91.8% (CI 90.2-93.5%) respectively, and for referable DR, these values were 84.2% (CI 67.8-100%) and 98.9% (CI 98.3%-99.5%). The MCC, AUC-ROC and the AUC-PR for referable DR were 63.4, 91.2 and 76.2% respectively. AI was most successful in accurately classifying younger children with shorter duration of diabetes. Conclusions: Cybersight AI accurately detected any DR and referable DR among children and young adults, despite its algorithms having been trained on adults. The observed high specificity is particularly important to avoid over-referral in low-resource settings. AI may be an effective tool to reduce demands on scarce physician resources for the care of children with diabetes in low-resource settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The prevalence of childhood obesity has increased over the last two decades. Obesity is a major risk factor for chronic diseases and plays a central role in insulin resistance or metabolic syndrome. Methods: The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of obesity and abdominal obesity by means of body mass index (BMI) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) in adolescent girls in a district school in Bangladesh. Based on age and sex specific BMI percentiles, the students were classified as normal weight (5th-<85th percentile), overweight (85th-<95th percentiles), and obese (≥95th percentile). Central obesity was categorized as WHtR ≥ 0.5. Adolescent girls (aged 9-17 years) attending the sixth to twelfth grades (n = 501) in a Bengali medium school participated in the study. Results: The prevalence of obesity and overweight were 23% and 14% among the girls. The prevalence of central obesity was 26%. Around 14% of girls in the normal weight group were centrally obese. There was a significant relationship between WHtR and BMI status (P = 0.0001). Conclusion: Our study provides evidence showing a high prevalence of overall and central obesity in adolescent girls in our population. We emphasize the need for further large scale surveillance programs and preventive strategies in our population to reduce the incidence of obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Fasting (Sawm) during Ramadan, one of the five pillars of Islam is obligatory for all healthy adult and adolescent Muslims from the age of 12 years. Some children with diabetes, despite their exemption insist on fasting in Ramadan. We evaluated the safety of fasting among children with type 1 diabetes. Materials and Methods: A prospective observational study was designed for diabetic children and adolescents who wish to fast during Ramadan 2012. Patients with their caregivers were given intensive education and instructions were provided by diabetic educators, dieticians and physicians on insulin adjustment, home blood glucose monitoring and dietary adjustments prior to Ramadan. Results: A total of 33 children and adolescents were included in this study. Of these, 16 were male and 17 were female. Majority (60.6%) of the patients could complete their fasting during the Ramadan. Patients were divided into two groups, those who completed fasting were considered as Group-I, whereas patients who broke the fast were in Group-ll. Blood glucose, hemoglobin A1c weight, and insulin dose before and after Ramadan in two groups showed no significant difference. Conclusion: Children older than 11 years of age with type 1 diabetes mellitus with conventional twice-a-day regimen can fast safely during Ramadan provided they have proper education and intensive follow-up during Ramadan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Muslim people with T1DM should be actively discouraged from fasting during the COVID-19 pandemic, as diabetes has emerged as a significant risk factor for adverse outcomes of COVID-19 infection. We report the experience of young patients with type 1, type 2 and other types diabetes who fasted during Ramadan 2020 at the time of the COVID-19 pandemic time lockdown.Research Design and Methods: A Post- Ramadan survey was designed for young patients who fasted during Ramadan in 2020 during COVID pandemic time. The study was conducted to compared the basal characteristics and other parameters in children and adolescents (<18 years), with young adults (≥18 years) with diabetes at Paediatric Diabetes Center in BIRDEM in Bangladesh.Results: Among the study participants, a significantly higher number of participants were in older age group who fasted for more than 15 days (p = 0.045). A considerable proportion (30.7%) of patients developed mild hypoglycaemia, and only eight patients (2.6%) developed moderate to severe hypoglycemia. There was significant reduction of post Ramadan basal insulin dose in both groups (p = 0.001). Although increased bolus insulin dose requirements were observed in older age group, but decreased requirement was observed in younger age group during Ramadan (p = 0.001). Post Ramadan median HbA1C in both groups was increased with marked increase in older age group compared to younger age group though it did not reach the statistical significance. (p = 0.239) CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 pandemic had minor impact on fasting during Ramadan in our cohort, they could fast safely with less complications during Ramadan. Our data supports Ramadan focused diabetes education with ample self-care, young people with diabetes can fast safely during Ramadan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our aim was to investigate the ability, frequency of acute complications and impact on glycemic control in uncontrolled T1DM who fasted during Ramadan. 74 Patients with T1D who insisted on fasting were enrolled 1 month prior to Ramadan and given intensive education by Diabetes team on insulin dose, glucose monitoring and dietary adjustments. Patients were divided into two groups ; group A- HbA1c < 9%(<75 mmol/mol) and group B- HbA1c ≥ 9% (≥75 mmol/mol) and different variables were compared. Most of the patients fasted 58 (78.4%) for more than 15 days. There was no significant difference (p = 0.790), while comparing the breaking the fast in the two groups. Hypoglycaemia was common acute complications among them. There was no significant difference in the frequency of hypoglycaemia between two groups (P = 0.448). There was increased insulin requirement in both groups during Ramadan (p = 0.00001), with an increase in basal insulin in well controlled (from 24 to 34 units). There was significant reduction of Post Ramadan mean HbA1C in both groups [P = 0.0001)]. Children, adolescents and young adults with T1D with poor glycaemic control can fast safely during Ramadan with proper education and intensive monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Our aim was to investigate the ability, frequency of acute complications and impact on glycemic control in uncontrolled T1DM who fasted during Ramadan.Methods: 74 Patients with T1D who insisted on fasting were enrolled 1 month prior to Ramadan and given intensive education by Diabetes team on insulin dose, glucose monitoring and dietary adjustments. Patients were divided into two groups ; group A- HbA1c < 9%(<75 mmol/mol) and group B- HbA1c ≥ 9% (≥75 mmol/mol) and different variables were compared.Results: Most of the patients fasted 58 (78.4%) for more than 15 days. There was no significant difference (p = 0.790), while comparing the breaking the fast in the two groups. Hypoglycaemia was common acute complications among them. There was no significant difference in the frequency of hypoglycaemia between two groups (P = 0.448). There was increased insulin requirement in both groups during Ramadan (p = 0.00001), with an increase in basal insulin in well controlled (from 24 to 34 units). There was significant reduction of Post Ramadan mean HbA1C in both groups [P = 0.0001)].Conclusion: Children, adolescents and young adults with T1D with poor glycaemic control can fast safely during Ramadan with proper education and intensive monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Little information is published on diabetes in young people in Bangladesh. We aimed to investigate the demographic, clinical, and biochemical features, and HLA-DRB1 alleles in new cases of diabetes affecting Bangladeshi children and adolescents <22 years of age.Methods: The study was conducted at Bangladesh Institute of Research and Rehabilitation of Diabetes, Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders (BIRDEM) in Dhaka. One hundred subjects aged <22 years at diagnosis were enrolled. Demographic characteristics, clinical information, biochemical parameters (blood glucose, HbA1c, C-peptide, and autoantibodies against glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 (GADA) and islet antigen-2 (IA-2A) were measured. High-resolution DNA genotyping was performed for HLA-DRB1.Results: Eighty-four subjects were clinically diagnosed as type 1 diabetes (T1D), seven as type 2 diabetes (T2D), and nine as fibrocalculous pancreatic disease (FCPD). Of the 84 with T1D, 37 (44%) were males and 47 (56%) females, with median age at diagnosis 13 years (y) (range 1.6-21.7) and peak age at onset 12-15 years. 85% of subjects were assessed within one month of diagnosis and all within eleven months. For subjects diagnosed with T1D, mean C-peptide was 0.46 ± 0.22 nmol/L (1.40 ± 0.59 ng/mL), with 9 (10.7%) IA-2A positive, 22 (26%) GADA positive, and 5 (6%) positive for both autoantibodies. Analysis of HLA-DRB1 genotypes revealed locus-level T1D association (p = 6.0E-05); DRB1*04:01 appeared predisposing (p < 3.0E-06), and DRB1*14:01 appeared protective (p = 1.7E-02).Conclusions: Atypical forms of T1D appear to be more common in young people in Bangladesh than in European populations. This will be helpful in guiding more specific assessment at onset and potentially, expanding treatment options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetes is a major non‐communicable disease with long‐term complications. Over one million children and adolescents are affected with type 1 diabetes in the world. The number of children and adolescents with type 2 diabetes is also on the rise due to the increase incidence of childhood diabetes. South East Asian (SEA) contributes 184 100 children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes under the age of 20 years for this global health issue as at 2019. Countries of SEA region share same socio demographic, cultural, and economic challenges when it comes to holistic care of affected children. It is timely to discuss common concerns of these countries to give the best possible care for children affected with diabetes to minimize the burden of diabetes related complications, which would potentially affect the socioeconomic development of the respective countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the discussion on addition of screening and treatment recommendations for vascular complications in type 2 diabetes (T2D). Topics include updating urinary albumin/creatinine ratio (ACR) thresholds for the diagnosis of increased albuminuria; and recommendation for eGFR monitoring in young people with diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze whether the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic increased the number of cases or impacted seasonality of new-onset type 1 diabetes (T1D) in large pediatric diabetes centers globally. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We analyzed data on 17,280 cases of T1D diagnosed during 2018–2021 from 92 worldwide centers participating in the SWEET registry using hierarchic linear regression models. RESULTS: The average number of new-onset T1D cases per center adjusted for the total number of patients treated at the center per year and stratified by age-groups increased from 11.2 (95% CI 10.1–12.2) in 2018 to 21.7 (20.6–22.8) in 2021 for the youngest age-group, <6 years; from 13.1 (12.2–14.0) in 2018 to 26.7 (25.7–27.7) in 2021 for children ages 6 to <12 years; and from 12.2 (11.5–12.9) to 24.7 (24.0–25.5) for adolescents ages 12–18 years (all P < 0.001). These increases remained within the expected increase with the 95% CI of the regression line. However, in Europe and North America following the lockdown early in 2020, the typical seasonality of more cases during winter season was delayed, with a peak during the summer and autumn months. While the seasonal pattern in Europe returned to prepandemic times in 2021, this was not the case in North America. Compared with 2018–2019 (HbA1c 7.7%), higher average HbA1c levels (2020, 8.1%; 2021, 8.6%; P < 0.001) were present within the first year of T1D during the pandemic. CONCLUSIONS: The slope of the rise in pediatric new-onset T1D in SWEET centers remained unchanged during the COVID-19 pandemic, but a change in the seasonality at onset became apparent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The COVID-19 pandemic led to significant changes in global care for pediatric type 1 diabetes. • We present diabetes outcomes in >40,000 youths with T1D from the international SWEET registry before and during the pandemic. • We evaluated trends in HbA1c and severe adverse events across a 4-year observation period. • Changes in HbA1c and acute diabetes complications were consistent with shifts in provision of diabetes care. • There was a positive impact of transition to telemedicine on glycemic outcomes regardless of the increase in technology use. This study aimed to provide a global insight into initiatives in type 1 diabetes care driven by the COVID-19 pandemic and associations with glycemic outcomes. An online questionnaire regarding diabetes care before and during the pandemic was sent to all centers (n = 97, 66,985 youth with type 1 diabetes) active in the SWEET registry. Eighty-two responded, and 70 (42,798 youth with type 1 diabetes) had available data (from individuals with type 1 diabetes duration >3 months, aged ≤21 years) for all 4 years from 2018 to 2021. Statistical models were adjusted, among others, for technology use. Sixty-five centers provided telemedicine during COVID-19. Among those centers naive to telemedicine before the pandemic (n = 22), four continued only face-to-face visits. Centers that transitioned partially to telemedicine (n = 32) showed a steady increase in HbA1c between 2018 and 2021 (p < 0.001). Those that transitioned mainly to telemedicine (n = 33 %) improved HbA1c in 2021 compared to 2018 (p < 0.001). Changes to models of care delivery driven by the pandemic showed significant associations with HbA1c shortly after the pandemic outbreak and 2 years of follow-up. The association appeared independent of the concomitant increase in technology use among youth with type 1 diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on International Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes (ISPAD) guidelines on microvascular and macrovascular complications in children and adolescents. It mentions that screening for microvascular disease should be performed preconception and during each trimester of pregnancy. It suggests intensive education and treatment to prevent or delay the onset and progression of vascular complications.

Fasting during the month of Ramadan, the ninth month of Islamic lunar calendar, is obligatory for all healthy adult and adolescent Muslims from the age of 12 years. Fasting starts from early dawn (Sohur/Sehri) till sunset (Iftar). During this period one has to abstain from eating and drinking. Islam has allowed many categories of people to be exempted from fasting, for example, young children, travelers, the sick, the elderly, pregnant, and lactating women. According to expert opinion, patients with type 1 diabetes (type 1 DM) who fast during Ramadan are at a very high risk to develop adverse events. However, some experienced physicians are of the opinion that fasting during Ramadan is safe for type 1 DM patients, including adolescents and older children, with good glycemic control who do regular self-monitoring and are under close professional supervision. The strategies to ensure safety of type 1 diabetic adolescents who are planning to fast include the following: Ramadan-focused medical education, pre-Ramadan medical assessment, following a healthy diet and physical activity pattern, modification in insulin regimen, and blood glucose monitoring as advised by the physician. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims HLA association with type 1 diabetes (T1D) is well established. HLA alleles and haplotype combinations vary among populations; however, the vast majority of T1D association studies have focused on subjects of European descent. Even the Type 1 Diabetes Genetics Consortium collection is predominantly comprised of European samples. The aim of this study is to determine HLA association with T1D in understudied populations around the globe, with a particular focus on developing countries, to elucidate differences in HLA-associated T1D susceptibility among populations and increase predictive power for T1D for all. Methods In collaboration with the Life for a Child program, we are collecting 100 blood samples from T1D patients and 200 saliva samples from unrelated controls from each of six countries, including Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Mali, Sudan, and Haiti. For 469 samples collected to date, DNA was extracted and HLA DRB1 genes were sequenced with exon-based NGS technology on the Roche 454 GS Junior platform. Association analyzes were performed by gene counting, followed by chi-square analysis. Results To date, we have received 20 patients and 209 controls from Azerbaijan, 20 patients and 110 controls from Pakistan, and 110 controls from Bangladesh; DRB1 was genotyped for all samples. In preliminary analyzes, for Azerbaijan, DRB1 ∗ 03:01 (OR = 8.22; p = 1.35 × 10 - 9 ) and DRB1 ∗ 04:02 (OR = 6.93; p = 1.39 × 10 - 7 ) are significantly predisposing for T1D, while both DRB1 ∗ 15:01 and DRB1 ∗ 15:02 appear protective, but do not yet reach statistical significance. For Pakistan, the DRB1 ∗ 03:01 association is even stronger (OR = 10.37; p = 1.26 × 10 - 9 ), and DRB1 ∗ 15:02 protection is nearly significant (OR = 0.00, p = 0.063); however, no T1D association was observed for any DRB1 ∗ 04 allele. Conclusion These data illustrate the differences in HLA associated T1D susceptibility among populations. Additional differences will be revealed as we continue to receive and genotype samples. These differences are relevant for understanding the basic biology of HLA-associated T1D susceptibility, for prediction and differential diagnosis of T1D, and for eventual development of precision medicine-based treatment strategies for all individuals, regardless of ethnic heritage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]