Care delivery and outcomes among Belgian children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes

Effect of an Integrated, Multidisciplinary Nationwide Approach to Type 1 Diabetes Care on Metabolic Outcomes: An Observational Real-World Study

Objective: Achieving good metabolic control in people with type 1 diabetes (T1D) remains a challenge, despite the evolutions in diabetes technologies over the past decade. Here we investigate the evolution of metabolic control in people with T1D, where care is provided by specialized centers with access to technology, diabetes education, and regular follow-up. Methods: Data were cross-sectionally collected between 2010 and 2018 from more than 100 centers in Belgium. The evolutions over time of hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and systolic blood pressure (SBP) were investigated, together with the evolutions of use of insulin pump (continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion [CSII]), continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), and lipid-lowering and antihypertensive drugs. Association of HbA1c with gender, age, diabetes duration, and technology use was analyzed on the most recent cohort. Results: The study population contained data from 89,834 people with T1D (age 1-80 years). Mean HbA1c decreased from 65 mmol/mol (8.1%) in 2010-2011 to 61 mmol/mol (7.7%) in 2017-2018 (P < 0.0001, adjusted for gender, age, diabetes duration, and technology use). Respectively, mean LDL cholesterol decreased from 2.45 mmol/L (94.6 mg/dL) to 2.29 mmol/L (88.5 mg/dL) (P < 0.0001, adjusted for gender, age, and diabetes duration), and mean SBP remained stable. CGM usage increased, whereas the use of CSII and lipid-lowering and antihypertensive drugs remained stable. Gender, age, diabetes duration, and technology use were independently associated with HbA1c. Conclusions: Our real-world data show that metabolic and lipid control improved over time in a system where T1D care is organized through specialized multidisciplinary centers with emphasis on linking education to provision of technology, and its quality is monitored.

Family and household structure are associated with acute type 1 diabetes complications: results of cross-sectional analyses

AIM

To examine the association of family/household structure with short-term diabetes complications in adolescents and emerging adults with early-onset type 1 diabetes in more detail.

METHODS

Data on 1690 11-21-year-olds with type 1 diabetes were used to estimate associations of family/household structure with self-reported severe hypoglycaemia, hospitalizations for severe hypoglycaemia or diabetic ketoacidosis, applying multiple negative binomial regression.

RESULTS

Compared with living with both biological parents living with a single mother was associated with an increased rate of hospitalizations for ketoacidosis (incidence rate ratio 1.71, 95% CI 1.00-2.82). Incidence rate ratio of hospitalizations for ketoacidosis was similar (1.67, 95% CI 0.91-3.07) if the mother lived with a partner, however, hypoglycaemia-related hospitalizations increased (3.66, 95% CI 1.54-8.71). Participants living with a single father had 4.43 (95% CI 1.30-15.05) /10.42 (95% CI 1.55-70.22) times higher rates of severe hypoglycaemia and related hospitalizations, while living with a father and his partner was associated with an increased incidence rate ratio of hospitalizations for ketoacidosis (3.48, 95% CI 0.96-12.63) compared with living with both biological parents.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings of our exploratory analyses point to different self-reported diabetes outcomes depending on the family/household structure. If confirmed in future studies, they may help to identify young people with diabetes at risk of short-term diabetes complications.

The rise of technology in diabetes care. Not all that is new is necessarily better

Health-care technologies have brought many benefits to the medical profession and to patients. The introduction of the continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) pump and continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices offers patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D) the opportunity to optimize their blood glucose control and are increasingly being championed as a routine treatment approach for young people. However, the current evidence base does not convincingly support arguments for the generalized application of CSII and CGM into routine clinical practice. The 'patient-medical device interface' is clearly a complex paradigm, and central to its success is the degree of adherence, understanding, and engagement demonstrated by the patient with the technology. The introduction CSII/CGM technologies into the daily routine care of the patient imposes both psychological and 'time-effort' burdens that many patients and families with T1D will find demanding. The current application of these devices cannot therefore be considered a panacea for the self-management of T1D, and raises a number of challenging problems, including those of a practical, health-economic, and ethical nature that need to be fully resolved before it and other emerging technologies can be considered to have achieved this status.

Resources and population served: a description of the Ontario Paediatric Diabetes Network

BACKGROUND

The Network of Ontario Pediatric Diabetes Programs was established in 2001 to provide access to specialized pediatric diabetes care. Universal funding for pediatric insulin pump therapy has been available in Ontario since 2006. The objective of this study was to describe the distribution of patients, resources and insulin pump use across centres within the network, now called the Ontario Paediatric Diabetes Network.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional survey in 2012 of the 35 pediatric diabetes centres in Ontario to measure centre characteristics, patient volume and available clinical and social resources. We used health administrative data from the provincial Assistive Devices Program to describe patients aged 18 years or less using insulin pumps by centre as a measure of technology uptake.

RESULTS

All 35 centres participated, reporting a total of 6676 children with type 1 diabetes and 368 with type 2 diabetes. Most (> 80%) children with type 1 diabetes were followed at tertiary (n = 5) or large community (n = 14) centres. Nursing patient load was similar between centre types, but there was a large range across centres within any type. Overall, percent insulin pump use was 38.1% and varied widely across centres (5.3%-66.7%). Funded 24-hour support for pump users was available at 5 (36%) small community centres, 3 (19%) large community centres and 2 (40%) tertiary centres.

INTERPRETATION

Our study showed differences in access to specialized and after-hours care for children with diabetes in Ontario. Pump use varied widely across centres. Further research is needed to assess the impact of these observed differences on quality of care and outcomes.

Care of diabetes in children and adolescents: controversies, changes, and consensus

Diabetes is one of the most common chronic medical disorders in children. The management of diabetes remains a substantial burden on children with diabetes and their families, despite improvements in treatment and rates of morbidity and mortality. Although most children with diabetes have type 1 diabetes, the increasing recognition of type 2 diabetes and genetic forms of diabetes in the paediatric population has important treatment implications. Diabetes therapy focuses strongly on targets for good metabolic control to reduce the risk of long-term complications. A parallel goal is to minimise short-term complications of hypoglycaemia and diabetic ketoacidosis. Technology offers opportunity for improvement in care, but has not yet fully lived up to its potential. New insights into the pathogenesis of diabetes and the development of new therapies have led to clinical trials aimed at the prevention of diabetes.

One center in Brussels has consistently had the lowest HbA1c values in the 4 studies (1994-2009) by the Hvidoere International Study Group on Childhood Diabetes: What are the "recipes"?

The principal aims of therapeutic management of the child, adolescent and adult with type 1 diabetes are to allow good quality of life and to avoid long-term complications (retinopathy, neuropathy, nephropathy, cardiovascular disease, etc.) by maintaining blood glucose concentrations close to normal level. Glycated hemoglobin levels (HbA1c) provide a good criterion of overall glycemic control. The Hvidoere Study Group (HSG) on Childhood Diabetes, founded in 1994, is an international group representing about twenty highly experienced pediatric centers from Europe, North America, Japan and Australia. Four international comparisons of metabolic control (1995, 1998, 2005, 2009) have been performed. The one center that has consistently had the lowest HbA1c values (approximate 7.3% or 56.3 mmol/mol) is my center in Brussels. This is more often obtained with a twice-daily free-mixed regimen with additional supplemental fast insulins ad hoc. The so-called “Dorchy’s recipes” are summarized. The conclusion is that the number of daily insulin injections, 2 or ≥ 4, or the use of pumps, by itself does not necessarily give better results. Intensified therapy should not depend upon the number of insulin doses per day, by syringe, pen or pump but rather should be redefined as to intent-to-treat ascertainment (i.e., goals). When there are no mutually agreed upon goals for BG and/or HbA1c, when there is insufficient education and psychosocial support by the medical team or at home, there is likely to be poor outcomes, as shown by the HSG. One of our recipes is not to systematically replace rapid-acting human insulins by fast-acting analogues. Because the multicenter studies of the HSG, performed in developed countries without financial restriction, show that treatment of childhood diabetes is inadequate in general and that levels of HbA1c are very different, diabetes treatment teams should individually explore the reasons for failure, without any prejudice or bias. Any dogmatism must be avoided. Treatment cost vs results must also be taken into account.