Search

OBJECTIVE We characterized the receipt of diabetes specialty care and management services among older adults with diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Using a 20% random sample of fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries aged ≥65 years, we analyzed cohorts of type 1 diabetes (T1D) or type 2 diabetes (T2D) with history of severe hypoglycemia (HoH), and all other T2D annually from 2015 to 2019. Outcomes were receipt of office-based endocrinology care, diabetes education, outpatient diabetes health services, excluding those provided in primary care, and any of the aforementioned services. RESULTS In the T1D cohort, receipt of endocrinology care and any service increased from 25.9% and 29.2% in 2015 to 32.7% and 37.4% in 2019, respectively. In the T2D with HoH cohort, receipt of endocrinology care and any service was 13.9% and 16.4% in 2015, with minimal increases. Age, race/ethnicity, residential setting, and income were associated with receiving care. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that many older adults may not receive specialty diabetes care and underscore health disparities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Screening for autoantibodies associated with type 1 diabetes can identify people most at risk for progressing to clinical type 1 diabetes and provide an opportunity for early intervention. Drawbacks and barriers to screening exist, and concerns arise, as methods for disease prevention are limited and no cure exists today. The availability of novel treatment options such as teplizumab to delay progression to clinical type 1 diabetes in high-risk individuals has led to the reassessment of screening programs. This study explored awareness, readiness, and attitudes of endocrinology providers toward type 1 diabetes autoantibody screening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many adults with diabetes do not reach optimal glycemic targets, and, despite advances in diabetes management, diabetes technology use remains significantly lower in racial/ethnic minority groups. This study aimed to identify factors associated with achieving the recommended A1C target of <7% using data on 12,035 adults with type 1 diabetes from 15 centers participating in the T1D Exchange Quality Improvement Collaborative. Individuals attaining the target A1C were more likely to be older, White, have private health insurance, and use diabetes technology and less likely to report depressive symptoms or episodes of severe hypoglycemia or diabetic ketoacidosis than those with higher A1C levels. These findings highlight the importance of overcoming inequities in diabetes care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes how the T1D Exchange Quality Improvement Collaborative leverages an innovative web platform, the QI Portal, to gather and store electronic medical record (EMR) data to promote benchmarking and population health improvement in a type 1 diabetes learning health system. The authors explain the value of the QI Portal, the process for mapping center-level data from EMRs using standardized data specifications, and the QI Portal's unique features for advancing population health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To report the prevalence of depression, eating disorder symptoms, and impaired health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and examine their longitudinal associations with glycemia and diabetes complications in young adults with youth-onset type 2 diabetes.Research Design and Methods: Participants recruited over a 4-year period were enrolled at 15 clinical diabetes centers in the follow-up observational Treatment Options for type 2 Diabetes in Adolescents and Youth (TODAY2) study. From 2014-2020, prevalence of symptoms of depression, eating disorders, and HRQOL by sex, race/ethnicity, and baseline family income were assessed annually. Longitudinal relationships between assessments of glycemia and complications with psychiatric symptoms and HRQOL were evaluated in adjusted models.Results: Participants (n = 514) were 21.7 ± 2.5 years old with a diabetes duration of 8.6 ± 1.5 years in year 1 of TODAY 2 (2014). Symptoms of depression and impaired HRQOL were common and increased significantly over 6 years (14.0% to 19.2%, P = 0.003; and 13.1% to 16.7%, P = 0.009, respectively). Depression and impaired HRQOL were more common in women and those with lower baseline family income but did not differ by race/ethnicity. Rates of binge eating were stable over time; self-reported purging increased. Over time, symptoms of depression were associated with higher HbA1c, hypertension, and retinopathy progression; impaired HRQOL was associated with higher BMI, systolic blood pressure, hypertension, and retinopathy progression; and symptoms of eating disorders were associated with higher BMI.Conclusions: Significant psychiatric symptoms and impaired HRQOL are common among emerging adults with youth-onset type 2 diabetes and are positively associated with glycemia, hypertension, and retinopathy progression in this group that is at ongoing risk for medical morbidity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess pregnancy outcomes in young women with youth-onset type 2 diabetes followed in the Treatment Options for Type 2 Diabetes in Adolescents and Youth (TODAY) study.Research Design and Methods: Pregnancy information (outcome and any maternal or fetal complications) was obtained from the female participants by self-report. Additionally, medical records for the pregnancy and the child's neonatal course were obtained with data abstracted into standardized forms.Results: Over a maximum of 15 years, 260 pregnancies were reported by 141 women (aged 21.5 ± 3.2 years, BMI 35.6 ± 7.2 kg/m2, and diabetes duration 8.1 ± 3.2 years). Contraception use prior to pregnancy was reported by 13.5% of the women. Complications were reported by 65% of the women during their pregnancy. Pregnancy loss was observed in 25.3% and preterm birth in 32.6% of pregnancies. HbA1c ≥8% was observed in 31.9% of the pregnancies, and 35% of the pregnancies were complicated by chronic hypertension. Nephropathy prior to pregnancy was observed in 25% of the women. In the offspring, 7.8% were classified as small for gestational age, 26.8% large for gestational age, and 17.9% in the macrosomic range.Conclusions: Based on observations from the TODAY cohort, young women with pregestational, youth-onset type 2 diabetes had very high rates of maternal complications stemming from significant socioeconomic disadvantage. The substantial maternal and infant complications seen in these young moms could potentially be avoided with improved contraception rates and reproductive planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Advances in diabetes technology have transformed the treatment paradigm for type 1 diabetes, yet the burden of disease is significant. We report on a pivotal safety study of the first tubeless, on-body automated insulin delivery system with customizable glycemic targets.Research Design and Methods: This single-arm, multicenter, prospective study enrolled 112 children (age 6-13.9 years) and 129 adults (age 14-70 years). A 2-week standard therapy phase (usual insulin regimen) was followed by 3 months of automated insulin delivery. Primary safety outcomes were incidence of severe hypoglycemia and diabetic ketoacidosis. Primary effectiveness outcomes were change in HbA1c and percent time in sensor glucose range 70-180 mg/dL ("time in range").Results: A total of 235 participants (98% of enrolled, including 111 children and 124 adults) completed the study. HbA1c was significantly reduced in children by 0.71% (7.8 mmol/mol) (mean ± SD: 7.67 ± 0.95% to 6.99 ± 0.63% [60 ± 10.4 mmol/mol to 53 ± 6.9 mmol/mol], P < 0.0001) and in adults by 0.38% (4.2 mmol/mol) (7.16 ± 0.86% to 6.78 ± 0.68% [55 ± 9.4 mmol/mol to 51 ± 7.4 mmol/mol], P < 0.0001). Time in range was improved from standard therapy by 15.6 ± 11.5% or 3.7 h/day in children and 9.3 ± 11.8% or 2.2 h/day in adults (both P < 0.0001). This was accomplished with a reduction in time in hypoglycemia <70 mg/dL among adults (median [interquartile range]: 2.00% [0.63, 4.06] to 1.09% [0.46, 1.75], P < 0.0001), while this parameter remained the same in children. There were three severe hypoglycemia events not attributable to automated insulin delivery malfunction and one diabetic ketoacidosis event from an infusion site failure.Conclusions: This tubeless automated insulin delivery system was safe and allowed participants to significantly improve HbA1c levels and time in target glucose range with a very low occurrence of hypoglycemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To examine the relationship between health care coverage and HbA1c in young adults with youth-onset type 2 diabetes who transitioned to community diabetes care after receiving care during the Treatment Options for type 2 Diabetes in Adolescents and Youth (TODAY) study.Research Design and Methods: Participants completed questionnaires annually. HbA1c was measured in a central laboratory. Data from 2 years before and after transitioning to community care (2013-2016) were examined and compared between states with and without expanded Medicaid.Results: In 2016 (n = 427; mean age 24 years), 2 years after transitioning to community care, 93% of participants in states with Medicaid expansion had health care coverage compared with 68% (P < 0.0001) in states without Medicaid expansion. Mean HbA1c was 9.8% in participants with government coverage, 9.3% with commercial coverage, and 10.1% in those with no coverage (P = 0.0774). Additionally, 32%, 42%, and 66% of those with government coverage, commercially covered, and no coverage, respectively, were not attending outpatient diabetes visits (P < 0.0001). Of those with government coverage, 83% reported they had adequate coverage for insulin syringes/needles/pens, and 89% for glucose-monitoring supplies, with more limited coverage in those with commercial plans. Participants with commercial coverage had higher education attainment (P < 0.0001); 52% had HbA1c ≥9.0% compared with 64% of those who were government covered and 58% with no coverage (P = 0.0646).Conclusions: More young adults with type 2 diabetes from the TODAY cohort had health care coverage in states with expanded Medicaid but glycemic control remained poor, regardless of coverage. New therapies and approaches are needed for this vulnerable population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]