Significant and persistent improvements in time in range and positive emotions in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes using a closed-loop control system after attending a virtual educational camp

Objective To evaluate the six-month impact of the advanced automated functions of a closed-loop control (CLC) system (Control-IQ) and a virtual educational camp (vEC) on emotions and time in range (TIR) of children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes. Methods Children and their parents participated in a three-day vEC. Clinical, glucose, and emotion data were evaluated before, just after, and six months after the vEC. Emotions were evaluated using adapted Plutchik's and Geneva Emotion Wheels. Results Forty-three children and adolescents (7-16 years) showed significant improvements in positive emotions immediately and six months after the vEC (67% and 65% vs 38%, p < 0.05, respectively), while mixed emotions were reduced (32% and 15% vs 61%, p < 0.05 and p < 0.001, respectively). The median percentage TIR increased from 64% (IQR 54-72) to 75% (IQR 70-82) with Control-IQ (p < 0.001) six months after the vEC. Conclusions Positive emotions (joy, serenity, and satisfaction) significantly improved while mixed emotions were significantly worse six months after the initiation of a CLC system (Control-IQ) and a vEC

Fluid intake and hydration status in obese vs normal weight children

Background/Objectives:Little is known on the relationship between obesity and hydration levels in children. This study assessed whether and by which mechanisms hydration status differs between obese and non-obese children.Subjects/Methods:Hydration levels of 86 obese and 89 normal weight children (age: 7-11 years) were compared. Hydration was measured as the average free water reserve (FWR=urine output/24 h minus the obligatory urine output total 24 h excreted solutes/97th percentile of urine osmolality of children with adequate water intake, that is, 830 mOsm/kg) over 2 days. Three days of weighed dietary and fluid intakes were recorded. Non-parametric tests were used to compare variables that were skewed and to assess which variables correlated with hydration. Variables mediating the different hydration levels of obese and normal weight children were assessed by co-variance analysis.Results:Obese children were less hydrated than normal weight peers FWR=median (IQR): 0.80 (-0.80-2.80) hg/day vs 2.10 (0.10-4.45) hg/day, P<0.02; 32% of obese children vs 20% of non-obese peers had negative FWR, P<0.001. Body mass index (BMI) z-score (z-BMI) and water intake from fluids correlated with FWR (ρ=-0.18 and 0.45, respectively, both P<0.05). Water intake from fluids completely explained the different hydration between obese and normal weight children FWR adjusted for water from fluids and z-BMI=2.44 (0.44) hg vs 2.10 (0.50) hg, P=NS; B coefficient of co-variation between FWR (hg/day) and water intake from fluids (hg/day)=0.47, P<0.001.Conclusions:Obese children were less hydrated than normal weight ones because, taking into account their z-BMI, they drank less. Future prospective studies are needed to explore possible causal relationships between hydration and obesity

PediaVirus chatline: all together against COVID-19

On occasion of the COVID-19 pandemic, in Italy, during the outbreak period, 140 professionals, including paediatricians (the majority), general health practitioners, infectious diseases specialists, epidemiologists, neuropsychiatrists, neurologists, psychologists, pharmaceutical representatives, magistrates, predominantly Italian but also from other countries in Europe and beyond, created a chatline to share their own experiences.The results of such investigation have been reported in this report