Gender differences in diabetes self-care in adults with type 1 diabetes: Findings from the T1D Exchange clinic registry

Aims To evaluate gender differences in diabetes self-care components including glycemic, blood pressure and lipid control, utilization of diabetes technologies and acute diabetes complications in adults with type 1 diabetes. Methods A total of 9,481 participants >18 years were included in the analysis, 53% were female. Variables of interest included glycemic control measured by HbA1c, systolic/diastolic blood pressures, presence of dyslipidemia, insulin delivery modality, and rates of acute complications. Results Glycemic control was similar in women and men (mean HbA1c in both groups: 8.1% ± 1.6% (64 ± 16 mmol/mol), (p = 0.54). More women used insulin pump therapy (66% vs. 59%, p < 0.001) but use of sensor technology was similar (p < = 0.42). Women had higher rates of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) (5% vs. 3%, p < 0.001) and eating disorders (1.7% vs. 0.1%, p < 0.001). Severe hypoglycemia rates were not different between men and women (p = 0.42). Smoking (6% vs 4%, p < 0.001), systolic (125 ± 14.2 vs. 121 ± 14.4, p < 0.001) and diastolic blood pressure (73.3 ± 9.5 vs. 72.2 ± 9.3, p < 0.001) and rate of dyslipidemia (28% vs. 23%, p < 0.001) were higher in men. Conclusion While glycemic control in type 1 diabetes was similar regardless of gender, rates of DKA and eating disorders were higher in women while rates of smoking, hypertension and dyslipidemia were higher in men

The Contemporary Prevalence of Diabetic Neuropathy in Type 1 Diabetes: Findings From the T1D Exchange

To evaluate the contemporary prevalence of diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) in participants with type 1 diabetes in the T1D Exchange Clinic Registry throughout the U.S. DPN was assessed with the Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument Questionnaire (MNSIQ) in adults with ≥5 years of type 1 diabetes duration. A score of ≥4 defined DPN. Associations of demographic, clinical, and laboratory factors with DPN were assessed. Among 5,936 T1D Exchange participants (mean ± SD age 39 ± 18 years, median type 1 diabetes duration 18 years [interquartile range 11, 31], 55% female, 88% non-Hispanic white, mean glycated hemoglobin [HbA ] 8.1 ± 1.6% [65.3 ± 17.5 mmol/mol]), DPN prevalence was 11%. Compared with those without DPN, DPN participants were older, had higher HbA , had longer duration of diabetes, were more likely to be female, and were less likely to have a college education and private insurance (all < 0.001). DPN participants also were more likely to have cardiovascular disease (CVD) ( < 0.001), worse CVD risk factors of smoking ( = 0.008), hypertriglyceridemia ( = 0.002), higher BMI ( = 0.009), retinopathy ( = 0.004), reduced estimated glomerular filtration rate ( = 0.02), and Charcot neuroarthropathy ( = 0.002). There were no differences in insulin pump or continuous glucose monitor use, although DPN participants were more likely to have had severe hypoglycemia ( = 0.04) and/or diabetic ketoacidosis ( < 0.001) in the past 3 months. The prevalence of DPN in this national cohort with type 1 diabetes is lower than in prior published reports but is reflective of current clinical care practices. These data also highlight that nonglycemic risk factors, such as CVD risk factors, severe hypoglycemia, diabetic ketoacidosis, and lower socioeconomic status, may also play a role in DPN development

Inflammation, Hyperglycemia, and Adverse Outcomes in Individuals With Diabetes Mellitus Hospitalized for COVID-19

OBJECTIVE Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a major risk factor for severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) for reasons that are unclear. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We leveraged the International Study of Inflammation in COVID-19 (ISIC), a multicen-ter observational study of 2,044 patients hospitalized with COVID-19, to characterize the impact of DM on in-hospital outcomes and assess the contribution of inflammation and hyperglycemia to the risk attributed to DM. We measured biomarkers of inflammation collected at hospital admission and collected glucose levels and insulin data throughout hospitalization. The primary outcome was the composite of in-hospi-tal death, need for mechanical ventilation, and need for renal replacement therapy. RESULTS Among participants (mean age 60 years, 58.2% males), those with DM (n = 686, 33.5%) had a significantly higher cumulative incidence of the primary outcome (37.8% vs. 28.6%) and higher levels of inflammatory biomarkers than those without DM. Among biomarkers, DM was only associated with higher soluble urokinase plas-minogen activator receptor (suPAR) levels in multivariable analysis. Adjusting for suPAR levels abrogated the association between DM and the primary outcome (adjusted odds ratio 1.23 [95% CI 0.78, 1.37]). In mediation analysis, we estimated the proportion of the effect of DM on the primary outcome mediated by suPAR at 84.2%. Hyperglycemia and higher insulin doses were independent predictors of the primary outcome, with effect sizes unaffected by adjusting for suPAR levels. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that the association between DM and outcomes in COVID-19 is largely mediated by hyperinflammation as assessed by suPAR levels, while the impact of hyperglycemia is independent of inflammation. © 2022 by the American Diabetes Association. Readers may use this article as long as the work is properly cited, the use is educational and not for profit, and the work is not altered. More information is available at https://www. diabetesjournals.org/journals/pages/license