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Introduction: To evaluate the experiences of patients with type 1 diabetes following transition from a calibration-requiring to a calibration-free sensor and remote monitoring in the context of using automated insulin delivery (AID). Research design and methods: Fifteen participants aged 7–65 years with type 1 diabetes participating in a longitudinal study used a Medtronic® advanced hybrid closed loop (AHCL) device with initially calibration-requiring then calibration-free sensors. Qualitative interviews were conducted ≥20 weeks following use of the calibration-requiring and ≥4 weeks after use of the calibration-free sensors/remote monitoring. Thematic analysis was used to identify key themes and subthemes. Results: At baseline, mean diabetes duration was 14.5 years ( ± 10.9), mean Hba1c 54.8 mmol/mol ( ± 10.2) (7.2 ± 0.9%) and Time in range 75.4% ( ± 11.6). Participants reported a progressive improvement in digital and lifestyle integration, and device trust following transition to calibration-free sensors with remote monitoring potential. They also reported a reduced need for capillary glucose, increased device satisfaction and trust, and reduced burden of diabetes care. Negative aspects reported included periodic early sensor loss, and for some, impaired integration with mobile devices. Conclusion: Transitioning to calibration-free sensors with remote monitoring while using AHCL was associated with better user experience, including perceptions of improved quality of life and a reduced burden of diabetes care. Appropriate expectation setting, training, and ongoing support allow for the optimal user experience while using AHCL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A case study of a 9-year-old child with complex pain secondary to metastatic liver cancer, who eventually required intrathecal drug delivery (ITDD) of analgesia. Multi-modal symptom control strategies were deployed to achieve the child's and parental wishes for end-of-life care (EoLC) at home using ITDD. The following recommendations are made for nursing practice in paediatric palliative care (PPC); rigorous risk assessment, exemplary communication with the identification of a coordinating team, timely training needs assessment and the delivery of training from hospital based experts in ITDD practice, comprehensive symptom management plan and 24/7 access to specialist palliative care teams were essential for safe nursing practice. In this case, robust risk assessment and mitigations enabled challenges to be safely addressed with a successful outcome, extending the boundaries of PPC home care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate glycemic outcomes in youth (aged 13–25 years) with type 1 diabetes and high-risk glycemic control (HbA1c ≥8.5% [69 mmol/mol]) on multiple daily injection (MDI) therapy after transitioning to advanced hybrid closed loop (AHCL) therapy. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: This prospective, 3-month, single-arm, dual-center study enrolled 20 participants, and all completed the study. RESULTS: HbA1c decreased from 10.5 ± 2.1% (91.2 ± 22.8 mmol/mol) at baseline to 7.6 ± 1.1% (59.7 ± 11.9 mmol/mol), and time spent in target range 70–180 mg/dL (3.9–10.0 mmol/L) increased from 27.6 ± 13.2% at baseline to 66.5 ± 9.8% after 3 months of AHCL. Two episodes of diabetic ketoacidosis attributed to infusion set failure occurred. CONCLUSIONS: AHCL has the potential to improve suboptimal glycemia in youth with type 1 diabetes previously on MDI therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Open‐source automated insulin delivery (AID) is a user‐driven treatment modality used by thousands globally. Healthcare professionals' (HCPs) ability to support users of this technology is limited by a lack of knowledge of these systems. Aims: To describe the challenges experienced by HCPs supporting participants' use of open‐source automated insulin delivery in the Community deRivEd AuTomatEd insulin delivery (CREATE) study. Methods: Data were collected prospectively from the study team's fortnightly meetings and Slack Workspace (Slack Technologies, Ltd. 2018) during the first 4 months of the trial. Key topics were identified from minutes of meetings. Slack conversations were categorised by topic, with the number of posts per conversation, number of sites per conversation and involvement of experts in open‐source AID being recorded. Results: In the first 4 months of the trial, there were 254 conversations in Slack with a mean of 5.2 (±4.25) posts per conversation. The most frequent learning challenge was insulin pump and cannula problems relating to the DANA‐iTM insulin pump, which totalled 24.0% of all conversations. Experts on open‐source AID use were involved in 83.3% of conversations. Conclusions: A significant proportion of challenges related to specific devices, rather than AID. Challenges relating to the functioning of open‐source AID were more likely to involve input from experts in open‐source AID. This is the first report of challenges experienced by a multidisciplinary team in a supported open‐source environment that may inform expectations in routine clinical care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To investigate the experiences of parents caring for young children with type 1 diabetes type 1 diabetes using a do‐it‐yourself continuous glucose monitor (DIYrtCGM) in a supported setting. Methods: Exit interviews were conducted with parents from 11 families at the end of the MiaoMiao study: a randomised cross‐over trial focusing on parental fear of hypoglycaemia. Technical support was provided to participants while using DIYrtCGM during the trial. A convenience sampling approach was used to recruit parents. An in‐depth, semi‐structured interview approach was used. Thematic analysis was used to identify key themes and subthemes. Results: Parents identified that remote monitoring enabled proactive management and that overall alarms/glucose alerts were useful. Some parents reported reductions in anxiety, increased independence for their child, and improvements in the child–parent relationship. However, parents also reported regular signal loss with DIYrtCGM, along with complicated apps and challenges troubleshooting technical problems. Despite this, nine of the 11 families continued to use the system after the end of the trial. Conclusions: Do‐it‐yourself continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) was on balance beneficial for the parents interviewed. However, while access to CGM shifted the burden of care experienced by parents, burden did not significantly reduce for all parents, as the improved glycaemic control that they achieved was accompanied with the responsibility for continually monitoring their child's data. Supported use of do‐it‐yourself CGM may be an achievable, cost‐effective option for parents caring for children with type 1 diabetes in countries without funded access to CGM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To study the MiniMed Advanced Hybrid Closed-Loop (AHCL) system, which includes an algorithm with individualized basal target set points, automated correction bolus function, and improved Auto Mode stability.Research Design and Methods: This dual-center, randomized, open-label, two-sequence crossover study in automated-insulin-delivery-naive participants with type 1 diabetes (aged 7-80 years) compared AHCL to sensor-augmented pump therapy with predictive low glucose management (SAP + PLGM). Each study phase was 4 weeks, preceded by a 2- to 4-week run-in and separated by a 2-week washout.Results: The study was completed by 59 of 60 people (mean age 23.3 ± 14.4 years). Time in target range (TIR) 3.9-10 mmol/L (70-180 mg/dL) favored AHCL over SAP + PLGM (70.4 ± 8.1% vs. 57.9 ± 11.7%) by 12.5 ± 8.5% (P < 0.001), with greater improvement overnight (18.8 ± 12.9%, P < 0.001). All age-groups (children [7-13 years], adolescents [14-21 years], and adults [>22 years]) demonstrated improvement, with adolescents showing the largest improvement (14.4 ± 8.4%). Mean sensor glucose (SG) at run-in was 9.3 ± 0.9 mmol/L (167 ± 16.2 mg/dL) and improved with AHCL (8.5 ± 0.7 mmol/L [153 ± 12.6 mg/dL], P < 0.001), but deteriorated during PLGM (9.5 ± 1.1 mmol/L [17 ± 19.8 mg/dL], P < 0.001). TIR was optimal when the algorithm set point was 5.6 mmol/L (100 mg/dL) compared with 6.7 mmol/L (120 mg/dL), 72.0 ± 7.9% vs. 64.6 ± 6.9%, respectively, with no additional hypoglycemia. Auto Mode was active 96.4 ± 4.0% of the time. The percentage of hypoglycemia at baseline (<3.9 mmol/L [70 mg/dL] and ≤3.0 mmol/L [54 mg/dL]) was 3.1 ± 2.1% and 0.5 ± 0.6%, respectively. During AHCL, the percentage time at <3.9 mmol/L (70 mg/dL) improved to 2.1 ± 1.4% (P = 0.034) and was statistically but not clinically reduced for ≤3.0 mmol/L (54 mg/dL) (0.5 ± 0.5%; P = 0.025). There was one episode of mild diabetic ketoacidosis attributed to an infusion set failure in combination with an intercurrent illness, which occurred during the SAP + PLGM arm.Conclusions: AHCL with automated correction bolus demonstrated significant improvement in glucose control compared with SAP + PLGM. A lower algorithm SG set point during AHCL resulted in greater TIR, with no increase in hypoglycemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acid-base status is frequently assessed in severe sepsis and septic shock. Venous blood gas sampling is proposed as a less-invasive modality but lacks evidence within this population. The objective of this study was to evaluate the correlation and agreement between arterial blood gas (ABG), peripheral venous blood gas (pVBG), and central venous blood gas (cVBG) in severe sepsis and septic shock. We conducted a prospective, observational cohort study in subjects admitted to the medical intensive care unit. Simultaneous blood gas samples, including ABG, pVBG, and cVBG, were analyzed for correlation and agreement. Severity of illness scores revealed a mean (±SD) Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score of 7.9 ± 3.3, Simplified Acute Physiology II score of 49.3 ± 16.5, and a mortality rate of 11.9% in the intensive care unit and 16.4% in the hospital. We found a strong intraclass correlation (>0.85) for pH, partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2), bicarbonate, and base excess for ABG/pVBG, ABG/cVBG, and pVBG/cVBG comparisons. Agreement by the Bland-Altman method was found for pH (bias ± SD, 0.03 ± 0.04, 0.03 ± 0.02, and 0.00 ± 0.03) but not for pCO2, partial pressure of oxygen, bicarbonate, base excess, and oxyhemoglobin saturation. In conclusion, adequate correlation and agreement between ABG/pVBG, ABG/cVBG, and pVBG/cVBG comparisons was found only for pH. The current level of evidence does not support the use of venous blood gas sampling in this setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vitamin D status and associated metabolism during pregnancy and lactation have been assessed in only a limited number of longitudinal studies, all from the northern hemisphere, with no infant data concurrently reported. Therefore, we aimed to describe longitudinal maternal and infant 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25OHD) and parathyroid hormone (PTH) status during pregnancy and up to 5 months postnatal age, in New Zealand women and their infants living at 45° S latitude. Between September 2011 and June 2013, 126 pregnant women intending to exclusively breastfeed for at least 20 weeks were recruited. Longitudinal data were collected at three time-points spanning pregnancy, and following birth and at 20 weeks postpartum. Vitamin D deficiency (25OHD < 50 nmol/L) was common, found at one or more time-points in 65% and 76% of mothers and their infants, respectively. Mean cord 25OHD was 41 nmol/L, and three infants exhibited secondary hyperparathyroidism by postnatal week 20. Maternal late pregnancy 25OHD (gestation 32-38 weeks) was closely correlated with infant cord 25OHD, r² = 0.87 (95% CI (Confidence interval) 0.8-0.91), while no correlation was seen between early pregnancy (<20 weeks gestation) maternal and cord 25OHD, r² = 0.06 (95% CI -0.16-0.28). Among other variables, pregnancy 25OHD status, and therefore infant status at birth, were influenced by season of conception. In conclusion, vitamin D deficiency in women and their infants is very common during pregnancy and lactation in New Zealand at 45° S. These data raise questions regarding the applicability of current pregnancy and lactation policy at this latitude, particularly recommendations relating to first trimester maternal vitamin D screening and targeted supplementation for those "at risk". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 67-year-man presented to the emergency department with massive hemoptysis, coughing up about 250 mL frank blood in 2–3 hours. Physical examination was significant for tachycardia, tachypnea and blood around the mouth. A CT of the chest did not reveal any aetiology of hemoptysis. Flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy was remarkable for an actively oozing 1×1 cm sessile subglottic polyp on the anterior tracheal wall. CT neck revealed a 2.5×2.4 cm pretracheal soft tissue mass, bulging into the subglottic trachea. Fine needle aspiration confirmed papillary thyroid carcinoma with BRAF mutation. The patient underwent radical resection and surgical pathology confirmed a 2.5 cm papillary thyroid carcinoma with extensive extra-thyroid extension into the tracheal mucosa. Invasion of the trachea and surrounding structures like larynx and oesophagus is not usual for papillary thyroid carcinoma and may be associated with aggressive cancer behaviour and relatively poor outcome and prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]