Long-term trends in the incidence of type 1 diabetes in Denmark: the seasonal variation changes over time

Research Progress on the Relationship between Vitamins and Diabetes: Systematic Review

Diabetes is a serious chronic metabolic disease that causes complications over time, bringing serious public health challenges that affect different countries across the world. The current clinical drugs for diabetes may lead to adverse effects such as hypoglycemia and liver and abdominal distension and pain, which prompt people to explore new treatments for diabetes without side effects. The research objective of this review article is to systematically review studies on vitamins and diabetes and to explain their possible mechanism of action, as well as to assess the role of vitamins as drugs for the prevention and treatment of diabetes. To achieve our objective, we searched scientific databases in PubMed Central, Medline databases and Web of Science for articles, using "vitamin" and "diabetes" as key words. The results of numerous scientific investigations revealed that vitamin levels were decreased in humans and animals with diabetes, and vitamins show promise for the prevention and/or control of diabetes through anti-inflammation, antioxidation and the regulation of lipid metabolism. However, a few studies showed that vitamins had no positive effect on the development of diabetes. Currently, studies on vitamins in the treatment of diabetes are still very limited, and there are no clinical data to clarify the dose-effect relationship between vitamins and diabetes; therefore, vitamins are not recommended as routine drugs for the treatment of diabetes. However, we still emphasize the great potential of vitamins in the prevention and treatment of diabetes, and higher quality studies are needed in the future to reveal the role of vitamins in the development of diabetes.

Ultrasound Detected Subcutaneous Changes in a Pediatric Cohort After Initiation of a New Insulin Pump or Glucose Sensor

Objective: This study examined subcutaneous tissue changes at sites used by continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) and continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), and tested whether these changes, if any, were associated with glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c). Research Design and Methods: This prospective study investigated recently used CSII or CGM sites in 161 children and adolescents during the first year after initiation of a new diabetes device. Subcutaneous changes such as echogenicity, vascularization, and the distance from the skin surface to the muscle at CSII and CGM sites were assessed by ultrasound. Results: The distance from skin surface to muscle fascia at both the upper arm and abdomen was influenced by age, body mass index z-score, and sex. Especially in boys and the youngest, the depth of many devices outreached the mean distance. The mean distance for boys at the abdomen and upper arm ranged from 4.5-6.5 mm and 5-6.9 mm for all ages, respectively. Hyperechogenicity at CGM sites was 4.3% after 12 months. The frequency of subcutaneous hyperechogenicity and vascularization at CSII sites increased significantly over time (41.2% to 69.3% and 2% to 16% respectively, P < 0.001 and P = 0.009). Hyperechogenicity in the subcutis was not a predictor of elevated HbA1c (P = 0.11). Conclusion: There is large variation in the distance from the skin surface to the muscle fascia and many diabetes devices reach even deeper. Hyperechogenicity and vascularization increased significantly over time at CSII sites, but not CGM sites. The importance of hyperechogenicity for insulin absorption is unclear and further investigations are needed. Clinical Trial Registration number: NCT04258904.

A collaborative comparison of international pediatric diabetes registries

BACKGROUND

An estimated 1.1 million children and adolescents aged under 20 years have type 1 diabetes worldwide. Principal investigators from seven well-established longitudinal pediatric diabetes registries and the SWEET initiative have come together to provide an international collaborative perspective and comparison of the registries.

WORK FLOW

Information and data including registry characteristics, pediatric participant clinical characteristics, data availability and data completeness from the Australasian Diabetes Data Network (ADDN), Danish Registry of Childhood and Adolescent Diabetes (DanDiabKids), Diabetes prospective follow-up registry (DPV), Norwegian Childhood Diabetes Registry (NCDR), National Paediatric Diabetes Audit (NPDA), Swedish Childhood Diabetes Registry (Swediabkids), T1D Exchange Quality Improvement Collaborative (T1DX-QI), and the SWEET initiative was extracted up until 31 December 2020.

REGISTRY OBJECTIVES AND OUTCOMES

The seven diabetes registries and the SWEET initiative collectively show data of more than 900 centers and around 100,000 pediatric patients, the majority with type 1 diabetes. All share the common objectives of monitoring treatment and longitudinal outcomes, promoting quality improvement and equality in diabetes care and enabling clinical research. All generate regular benchmark reports. Main differences were observed in the definition of the pediatric population, the inclusion of adults, documentation of CGM metrics and collection of raw data files as well as linkage to other data sources. The open benchmarking and access to regularly updated data may prove to be the most important contribution from registries. This study describes aspects of the registries to enable future collaborations and to encourage the development of new registries where they do not exist.

Cost of Treating Skin Problems in Patients with Diabetes Who Use Insulin Pumps and/or Glucose Sensors

Background: The use of insulin pump and glucose sensor is advantageous, but unfortunately many experience skin problems. To reduce or overcome skin problems, patients use additional products or change their sets preterm. Therefore, the aim was to investigate costs related to skin problems. Materials and Methods: Two hundred sixty-three patients from four different hospitals in Denmark participated in a cross-sectional survey about skin problems related to insulin pump and/or glucose sensor use. Additional costs aside technology and diabetes treatment were calculated based on adhesives, patches, lotion, and preterm shifts of infusion or sensor sets due to skin problems. Descriptive statistics and linear regression were used. Results: The total costs for all these expenses were 11493.9 U.S. dollars (USD) in 145 pediatric patients and 4843 USD in 118 adult patients. The costs were higher in patients with, than without, skin problems and for skin problems due to the glucose sensor compared with insulin pump. Pediatric patients with eczema and/or wound due to the glucose sensor did cost 154.3 USD more, than patients without these skin problems (P < 0.01). We found a clear dose/response relationship between costs and severity of skin problems, especially in pediatric patients. Conclusions: Our data show that skin problems due to use of insulin pump and/or glucose sensor have significant costs on the Danish welfare system. This leaves an economic incentive for developing more skin-sensitive adhesive for the infusion set and sensors, at least for a certain subgroup of patients.

Maternal and Early Life Iron Intake and Risk of Childhood Type 1 Diabetes: A Danish Case-Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

Iron overload has been associated with diabetes. Studies on iron exposure during pregnancy and in early life and risk of childhood type 1 diabetes (T1D) are sparse. We investigated whether iron supplementation during pregnancy and early in life were associated with risk of childhood T1D.

METHODS

In a case-cohort design, we identified up to 257 children with T1D (prevalence 0.37%) from the Danish National Birth Cohort through linkage with the Danish Childhood Diabetes Register. The primary exposure was maternal pure iron supplementation (yes/no) during pregnancy as reported in interview two at 30 weeks of gestation (n = 68,497 with iron supplement data). We estimated hazard ratios (HRs) using weighted Cox regression adjusting for multiple confounders. We also examined if offspring supplementation during the first 18 months of life was associated with later risk of T1D.

RESULTS

Maternal iron supplementation was not associated with later risk of T1D in the offspring HR 1.05 (95% CI: 0.76⁻1.45). Offspring intake of iron droplets during the first 18 months of life was inversely associated with risk of T1D HR 0.74 (95% CI: 0.55⁻1.00) (ptrend = 0.03).

CONCLUSIONS

Our large-scale prospective study demonstrated no harmful effects of iron supplementation during pregnancy and in early life in regard to later risk of childhood T1D in the offspring.

Environmental and individual predictors of 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations in Denmark measured from neonatal dried blood spots: the D-tect study

Environmental factors such as sunshine hours, temperature and UV radiation (UVR) are known to influence seasonal fluctuations in vitamin D concentrations. However, currently there is poor understanding regarding the environmental factors or individual characteristics that best predict neonatal 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentrations. The aims of this study were to (1) identify environmental and individual determinants of 25(OH)D concentrations in newborns and (2) investigate whether environmental factors and individual characteristics could be used as proxy measures for neonatal 25(OH)D concentrations. 25-Hydroxyvitamin D3 (25(OH)D3) was measured from neonatal dried blood spots (DBS) of 1182 individuals born between 1993 and 2002. Monthly aggregated data on daily number of sunshine hours, temperature and UVR, available from 1993, were retrieved from the Danish Meteorological Institute. The individual predictors were obtained from the Danish National Birth register, and Statistics Denmark. The optimal model to predict 25(OH)D3 concentrations from neonatal DBS was the one including the following variables: UVR, temperature, maternal education, maternal smoking during pregnancy, gestational age at birth and parity. This model explained 30 % of the variation of 25(OH)D3 in the neonatal DBS. Ambient UVR in the month before the birth month was the best single-item predictor of neonatal 25(OH)D3, accounting for 24 % of its variance. Although this prediction model cannot substitute for actual blood measurements, it might prove useful in cohort studies ranking individuals in groups according to 25(OH)D3 status.

Plasma lipid species at type 1 diabetes onset predict residual beta-cell function after 6 months

INTRODUCTION

The identification of metabolomic dysregulation appears promising for the prediction of type 1 diabetes and may also reveal metabolic pathways leading to beta-cell destruction. Recent studies indicate that regulation of multiple phospholipids precede the presence of autoantigens in the development of type 1 diabetes.

OBJECTIVES

We hypothesize that lipid biomarkers in plasma from children with recent onset type 1 diabetes will reflect their remaining beta-cell function and predict future changes in beta-cell function.

METHODS

We performed targeted lipidomic profiling by electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry to acquire comparative measures of 354 lipid species covering 25 lipid classes and subclasses in plasma samples from 123 patients < 17 years of age followed prospectively at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after diagnosis. Lipidomic profiles were analysed using liner regression to investigate the relationship between plasma lipids and meal stimulated C-peptide levels at each time point. P-values were corrected for multiple comparisons by the method of Benjamini and Hochberg.

RESULTS

Linear regression analysis showed that the relative levels of cholesteryl ester, diacylglycerol and triacylglycerol at 1 month were associated to the change in c-peptide levels from 1 to 6 months (corrected p-values of 4.06E-03, 1.72E-02 and 1.72E02, respectively). Medium chain saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids were the major constituents of the di- and triacylglycerol species suggesting a link with increased lipogenesis.

CONCLUSION

These observations support the hypothesis of lipid disturbances as explanatory factors for residual beta-cell function in children with new onset type 1 diabetes.

Incidence of Type 1 Diabetes in Children Aged Below 18 Years during 2013-2015 in Northwest Turkey

Objective

To assess the incidence of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) in children under 18 years of age in the northwest region of Turkey during 2013-2015.

Methods

All newly diagnosed T1DM cases were recorded prospectively during 2013-2015. Total, as well as gender and age group specific (0-4, 5-9, 10-14 and 15-17 age) mean incidences per 100,000 per year were calculated.

Results

There were 1,773 patients diagnosed during 2013-2015 (588 cases in 2013, 592 cases in 2014, 593 cases in 2015). Of these, 862 (48.6%) were girls and 911 (51.4%) were boys. The mean age at diagnosis was 9.2±4.2 years and it was not significantly different between girls (9.0±4.1 years) and boys (9.4±4.4 years) (p=0.052). The crude mean incidence was 8.99/100.000 confidence interval (CI) (95% CI: 8.58-9.42). Although mean incidence was similar between boys [8.98/100.000 (CI: 8.40 to 9.58)] and girls [9.01/100.000 (CI: 8.42 to 9.63)], there was male predominance in all groups except for 5-9 year age group. The standardized mean incidence was 9.02/100.000 according to the World Health Organization standard population. The mean incidence for the 0-4, 5-9, 10-14 and 15-17 age groups was 6.13, 11.68, 11.7 and 5.04/100.000 respectively. The incidence of T1DM was similar over the course of three years (p=0.95). A significant increase in the proportion of cases diagnosed was observed in the autumn-winter seasons.

Conclusion

The northwest region of Turkey experienced an intermediate incidence of T1DM over the period of the study.

Parental Smoking and Risk of Childhood-onset Type 1 Diabetes

BACKGROUND

A few prospective studies suggest an association between maternal smoking during pregnancy and lower risk of type 1 diabetes. However, the role of unmeasured confounding and misclassification remains unclear.

METHODS

We comprehensively evaluated whether maternal smoking in pregnancy predicts lower risk of childhood-onset type 1 diabetes in two Scandinavian pregnancy cohorts (185,076 children; 689 cases) and a Norwegian register-based cohort (434,627 children; 692 cases). We measured cord blood cotinine as an objective marker of nicotine exposure during late pregnancy in 154 cases and 476 controls. We also examined paternal smoking during pregnancy, in addition to environmental tobacco smoke exposure the first 6 months of life, to clarify the role of characteristics of smokers in general.

RESULTS

In the pregnancy cohorts, maternal smoking beyond gestational week 12 was inversely associated with type 1 diabetes, pooled adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) 0.66 (95% CI = 0.51, 0.85). Similarly, in the Norwegian register-based cohort, children of mothers who still smoked at the end of pregnancy had lower risk of type 1 diabetes, aHR 0.65 (95% CI = 0.47, 0.89). Cord blood cotinine ≥30 nmol/L was also associated with reduced risk of type 1 diabetes, adjusted odds ratio 0.42 (95% CI = 0.17, 1.0). We observed no associations of paternal smoking during pregnancy, or environmental tobacco smoke exposure, with childhood-onset type 1 diabetes.

CONCLUSION

Maternal sustained smoking during pregnancy is associated with lower risk of type 1 diabetes in children. This sheds new light on the potential intrauterine environmental origins of the disease.

Association between maternal gluten intake and type 1 diabetes in offspring: national prospective cohort study in Denmark

OBJECTIVE

To examine the association between prenatal gluten exposure and offspring risk of type 1 diabetes in humans.

DESIGN

National prospective cohort study.

SETTING

National health information registries in Denmark.

PARTICIPANTS

Pregnant Danish women enrolled into the Danish National Birth Cohort, between January 1996 and October 2002, MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Maternal gluten intake, based on maternal consumption of gluten containing foods, was reported in a 360 item food frequency questionnaire at week 25 of pregnancy. Information on type 1 diabetes occurrence in the participants' children, from 1 January 1996 to 31 May 2016, were obtained through registry linkage to the Danish Registry of Childhood and Adolescent Diabetes.

RESULTS

The study comprised 101 042 pregnancies in 91 745 women, of whom 70 188 filled out the food frequency questionnaire. After correcting for multiple pregnancies, pregnancies ending in abortions, stillbirths, lack of information regarding the pregnancy, and pregnancies with implausibly high or low energy intake, 67 565 pregnancies (63 529 women) were included. The average gluten intake was 13.0 g/day, ranging from less than 7 g/day to more than 20 g/day. The incidence of type 1 diabetes among children in the cohort was 0.37% (n=247) with a mean follow-up period of 15.6 years (standard deviation 1.4). Risk of type 1 diabetes in offspring increased proportionally with maternal gluten intake during pregnancy (adjusted hazard ratio 1.31 (95% confidence interval 1.001 to 1.72) per 10 g/day increase of gluten). Women with the highest gluten intake versus those with the lowest gluten intake (≥20 v <7 g/day) had double the risk of type 1 diabetes development in their offspring (adjusted hazard ratio 2.00 (95% confidence interval 1.02 to 4.00)).

CONCLUSIONS

High gluten intake by mothers during pregnancy could increase the risk of their children developing type 1 diabetes. However, confirmation of these findings are warranted, preferably in an intervention setting.

The proportion of familial cases of type 1 diabetes is increasing simultaneously with the disease incidence: Eighteen years of the Israeli Pediatric Diabetes Registry

BACKGROUND

The global rise in incidence of type 1 diabetes (T1D) is too rapid to be attributed to susceptible genetic background, pinpointing a significant role for environmental factors. Unlike the theory that the need for genetic susceptibility has lessened over time, we hypothesized that the rise in T1D incidence is faster in a genetically susceptible population.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

The study population comprised of 5080 patients aged 0 to 17 years who were reported to the National Israel Diabetes Registry between 1997 and 2014. The patients were divided into familial cases (first-degree relative has T1D), and sporadic cases. Demographic and clinical data were retrieved from the registry. The change in annual percent (from the entire cohort) was computed separately for the sporadic and familial cohorts.

RESULTS

The familial (n = 546; 10.7%) and sporadic (n = 4534; 89.3%) cases were comparable for gender, ethnicity, and age at diagnosis. Consanguinity was more common in the familial vs sporadic group (10% vs 6.1%; P = .001). The average annual percent change increased by 1.9% in the familial cases and decreased by 0.2% in the sporadic cases (P = .04).

CONCLUSIONS

The rapid rise in the proportion of familial cases of T1D suggests that environmental factors impose higher diabetogenic pressure in patients with a susceptible genetic background.

High frequencies of dermatological complications in children using insulin pumps or sensors

BACKGROUND

Dermatological complications in children and adolescents that are related to continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) and continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) have not been well-characterized. This study examined the prevalence and characteristics of different types of dermatological complications.

METHODS

Online questionnaires regarding dermatological complications related to CSII and/or CGM were returned from a total of 144 children and adolescents, aged 2 to 20 years. Both previous and current skin problems were reported along with their clinical characteristics. Descriptive statistics, χ² tests, and multivariate analyses were used to evaluate the data.

RESULTS

Of 143 patients using CSII, 90% had previous and 63% reported current dermatological complications. Non-specific eczema was most frequently reported and was currently present in 25.7% of the patients. These results were independent of age and current CGM use. Among the 76 patients using CGM, 46% reported current dermatological complications. A history of atopy was associated with dermatological complications in individuals using CSII, but not CGM. The patients rated CGM-related dermal issues as significantly worse than those associated with CSII (P < .05).

CONCLUSIONS

Dermatological complications can be a serious problem in treating pediatric and adolescent patients of all ages with CSII and/or CGM. Only a few clinical characteristics associated with these complications were identified in this study, highlighting the need for prospective studies that might lead to improvements in the prevention and treatment of dermatological problems.

A Danish version of self-efficacy in diabetes self-management: A valid and reliable questionnaire affected by age and sex

BACKGROUND

Managing the chronic illness type 1 diabetes (T1D) is extremely demanding, especially during adolescence. Self-efficacy is belief in one's own capabilities and this is crucial for diabetes management. Having a valid method for measuring self-efficacy is important.

OBJECTIVE

Our aims were to psychometrically validate a Danish version of the self-efficacy in diabetes management (SEDM) questionnaire, and to examine the relationship between background variables and self-efficacy.

METHODS

All Danish adolescents with T1D (n = 1075) were invited to participate in our study. In total, 689 agreed to participate and 602 completed the study. Data were collected using a web-based survey. All participants were asked to provide a blood sample for HbA1c measurement. Graphical log-linear Rasch modeling (GLLRM) was used to validate the questionnaire and its reliability was assessed using Monte Carlo simulation.

RESULTS

We found the questionnaire to be valid and reliable, but it had a dual structure that suggested a need for 2 separate subscales. One subscale related to practical (SEDM1) and the other to emotional (SEDM2) aspects of diabetes management. Both subscales were targeted toward adolescents with lower self-efficacy and were associated with HbA1c. SEDM1 was influenced by treatment modality and age. In SEDM2 we found an interaction between age and sex.

CONCLUSION

The Danish version of the SEDM questionnaire should be divided into two parts, each with a valid and reliable subscale for self-efficacy measurement. The relationship between self-efficacy and age seems to differ between boys and girls.

Ethnic predisposition of diabetes mellitus in the patients with previous history of gestational diabetes mellitus: a review

INTRODUCTION

The worldwide prevalence of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) is increasing day by day. However, there is a knowledge gap regarding the effect of ethnic and geographical distribution on the risk of developing Diabetes Mellitus (DM) in women with history of GDM. This review was conducted to find out the role of ethnic and geographical distribution on the risk of developing DM is women with GDM.

AREAS COVERED

In this review we conducted a comprehensive search of published studies through different electronic databases (PubMed, Google Scholar, CINAHL, CINAHL plus and EMBASE) published between 1990 and 2017. The studies which were published in English investigated the risk of development of DM in women with previous history of GDM, reported outcome according to ethnicity with specific criteria of reporting DM and GDM, reported development of diabetes after 6 month of delivery in women with GDM during pregnancy were included. Initially, 350 articles were identified, among which 16 articles were included in the final review.

EXPERT COMMENTARY

Studies showed the increased risk of developing subsequent DM is associated with precedent GDM. Around 7-84% women developed diabetes after GDM in five years follow up, where some studies reported the risk continues to increase with increasing age. Risk of DM was found higher for some specific ethnicities, irrespective of the location of the study conducted. East Indian women showed the highest risk of postpartum DM after GDM and the crude prevalence remained almost similar in all form of study worldwide. Public health programme should focus more on women belonging to high-risk ethnicity of GDM for the prevention of postpartum DM.

Paternal and maternal obesity but not gestational weight gain is associated with type 1 diabetes

Background

Our objective was to examine the associations of parental body mass index (BMI) and maternal gestational weight gain with childhood-onset type 1 diabetes. Comparing the associations of maternal and paternal BMI with type 1 diabetes in the offspring will provide further insight into the role of unmeasured confounding by characteristics linked to BMI in both parents.

Methods

We studied 132 331 children participating in the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study (MoBa) and the Danish National Birth Cohort (DNBC) who were born between February 1998 and July 2009. Exposures of interest included parental BMI and maternal gestational weight gain obtained by maternal report. We used Cox-proportional hazards regression to examine the risk of type 1 diabetes (n=499 cases), which was ascertained by national childhood diabetes registers.

Results

The incidence of type 1 diabetes was 32.7 per 100 000 person-years in MoBa and 28.5 per 100 000 person-years in DNBC. Both maternal pre-pregnancy obesity, adjusted hazard ratio (HR) 1.41 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.06, 1.89] and paternal obesity, adjusted HR 1.51 (95% CI: 1.11, 2.04), were associated with childhood-onset type 1 diabetes. The associations were similar after mutual adjustment. In contrast, maternal total gestational weight gain was not associated with childhood-onset type 1 diabetes, adjusted HR 1.00 (95% CI: 0.99, 1.02) per kilogram increase.

Conclusions

Our study suggests that the association between maternal obesity and childhood-onset type 1 diabetes is not likely explained by intrauterine mechanisms, but possibly rather by unknown environmental factors influencing BMI in the family.

Low levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus: a single center experience

PURPOSE

Low vitamin D level is common in adults with diabetes mellitus (DM). We assessed vitamin D level and its associated factors in Korean youth with type 1 DM.

METHODS

Type 1 DM cases (n=85) and healthy controls (n=518) aged <20 years were included and grouped into 3 categories according to vitamin D level: deficiency (<20 ng/mL), insufficiency (20-30 ng/mL), or sufficiency (≥30 ng/mL).

RESULTS

The mean serum vitamin D level was significantly lower (21.6±8.5 ng/mL vs. 28.0±12.0 ng/mL, P<0.001) and vitamin D deficiency prevalence was significantly higher (48% vs. 26%, P<0.001) in type 1 DM cases than in healthy controls. Logistic regression analysis revealed that type 1 DM cases were more likely to have vitamin D deficiency (P=0.004), independent of sex, age, and body mass index. Type 1 DM cases with vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency were mainly diagnosed in winter (November to April) (P=0.005), and the duration of diabetes was longer than in those with vitamin D sufficiency (P=0.046). However, season of diagnosis, duration of diabetes, prescribed daily insulin dose, and glycosylated hemoglobin and C-peptide levels were not associated with 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) level in type 1 DM cases after adjustment for other factors.

CONCLUSIONS

We recommend assessment of serum 25(OH)D level in type 1 DM cases and to treatment if findings indicate insufficiency. Further studies investigating the mechanisms underlying vitamin D deficiency in youth with type 1 DM are needed.

Childhood body mass index in relation to subsequent risk of type 1 diabetes-A Danish cohort study

The incidence of type 1 diabetes (T1D) is increasing, and obesity may be a contributing factor by increasing the risk and accelerating the onset. We investigated the relation between childhood body mass index z-scores (BMIz) and the later risk of T1D, including association with age at onset of T1D. The study included 238 cases and 10 147 controls selected from the Copenhagen School Health Record Register (CSHRR). Cases of T1D were identified in the Danish Registry of Childhood and Adolescent Diabetes and 2 regional studies and linked to CSHRR. Using conditional logistic regression models, the association of childhood prediagnostic BMIz at 7 and 13 years of age and changes between these ages with subsequent risk (odds ratio, OR) of T1D was estimated. A greater BMIz at 7 and 13 years of age was associated with increased risk of T1D with OR of 1.23 (confidence interval, CI 1.09-1.37; P = .0001) and 1.20 (CI 1.04-1.40; P = .016), respectively. The risk was increased by upward changes in z-scores from birth to 7 years (OR=1.21, P = .003) and from 7 to 13 years of age (OR=1.95, P = .023), but in the latter age interval also by a decline in BMIz (OR = 1.91, P = .034). There were no associations between BMIz at 7 and 13 years of age and the age of onset (P = .34 and P = .42, respectively). Increased BMIz is associated with a moderate increase in risk of T1D, but with no relation to age at onset within the analyzed age range. Increased BMIz over time is unlikely to explain the rising incidence of T1D.

Levels of soluble TREM-1 in children with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes and their siblings without type 1 diabetes: a Danish case-control study

BACKGROUND

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an organ-specific autoimmune disease with an increase in incidence worldwide including Denmark. The triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 (TREM-1) is a potent amplifier of pro-inflammatory responses and has been linked to autoimmunity, severe psychiatric disorders, sepsis, and cancer.

HYPOTHESIS

Our primary hypothesis was that levels of soluble TREM-1 (sTREM-1) differed between newly diagnosed children with T1D and their siblings without T1D.

METHODS

Since 1996, the Danish Childhood Diabetes Register has collected data on all patients who have developed T1D before the age of 18 years. Four hundred and eighty-one patients and 478 siblings with measurements of sTREM-1-blood samples were taken within 3 months after onset-were available for statistical analyses. Sample period was from 1997 through 2005. A robust log-normal regression model was used, which takes into account that measurements are left censored and accounts for correlation within siblings from the same family.

RESULTS

In the multiple regression model (case status, gender, age, HLA-risk, season, and period of sampling), levels of sTREM-1 were found to be significantly higher in patients (relative change [95%CI], 1.5 [1.1; 2.2],P = 0.02), but after adjustment for multiple testing our result was no longer statistically significant (P _adjust = 0.1). We observed a statistical significant temporal increase in levels of sTREM-1.

CONCLUSION

Our results need to be replicated by independent studies, but our study suggests that the TREM-1 pathway may have a role in T1D pathogenesis.

High Neonatal Blood Iron Content Is Associated with the Risk of Childhood Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

(1) Background: Iron requirement increases during pregnancy and iron supplementation is therefore recommended in many countries. However, excessive iron intake may lead to destruction of pancreatic β-cells. Therefore, we aim to test if higher neonatal iron content in blood is associated with the risk of developing type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D) in childhood; (2) Methods: A case-control study was conducted, including 199 children diagnosed with T1D before the age of 16 years from 1991 to 2005 and 199 controls matched on date of birth. Information on confounders was available in 181 cases and 154 controls. Iron was measured on a neonatal single dried blood spot sample and was analyzed by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Multivariate logistic regression was used to evaluate if iron content in whole blood was associated with the risk of T1D; (3) Results: A doubling of iron content increased the odds of developing T1D more than two-fold (odds ratio (95% CI), 2.55 (1.04; 6.24)). Iron content increased with maternal age (p = 0.04) and girls had higher content than boys (p = 0.01); (4) Conclusions: Higher neonatal iron content associates to an increased risk of developing T1D before the age of 16 years. Iron supplementation during early childhood needs further investigation, including the causes of high iron in neonates.

Neonatal levels of adiponectin, interleukin-10 and interleukin-12 are associated with the risk of developing type 1 diabetes in childhood and adolescence: A nationwide Danish case-control study

BACKGROUND/AIM

An in-depth understanding of the early phase of type 1 diabetes (T1D) pathogenesis is important for targeting primary prevention. We examined if 14 preselected mediators of immune responses differed in neonates that later developed T1D compared to control neonates.

METHODS

The study is a case-control study with a 1:2 matching. The individuals were born between 1981 through 2002. Cases were validated using the National Patient Register and the Danish Childhood Diabetes Register. Interleukin(IL)-1β, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12p70, interferon gamma, tumor necrosis factor alpha, transforming growth factor beta 1 (active form), leptin, adiponectin, c-reactive protein, mannose-binding lectin and soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 were measured by using a flowmetric Luminex xMAP® technology. We tested two models both including a number of possible confounders. In the first model (model 1) we also adjusted for HLA-DQB1 genotype. A total of 1930 groups of assay-matched cases and controls (4746 individuals) were included in the statistical analyses.

RESULTS

Adiponectin was negatively associated with later risk of T1D in both models (relative change (RC), model 1: 0.95, P=0.046 and model 2: 0.95, P=0.006). IL-10 and IL-12 were both positively associated with T1D risk in the model 2 (RC, 1.19, P=0.006 and 1.07, P=0.02, respectively)-these results were borderline significant in model 1, but showed the same direction as the results from model 2.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results indicate that specific immunological signatures are already present at time of birth in children developing T1D before the age of 18years.

Danish Registry of Childhood and Adolescent Diabetes

AIM

The aims of the Danish Registry of Childhood and Adolescent Diabetes (DanDiabKids) are to monitor and improve the quality of care for children and adolescents with diabetes in Denmark and to follow the incidence and prevalence of diabetes.

STUDY POPULATION

The study population consists of all children diagnosed with diabetes before the age of 15 years since 1996. Since 2015, every child followed up at a pediatric center (<18 years of age) will be included.

MAIN VARIABLES

The variables in the registry are the quality indicators, demographic variables, associated conditions, diabetes classification, family history of diabetes, growth parameters, self-care, and treatment variables. The quality indicators are selected based on international consensus of measures of good clinical practice. The indicators are metabolic control as assessed by HbA1c, blood pressure, albuminuria, retinopathy, neuropathy, number of severe hypoglycemic events, and hospitalization with ketoacidosis.

DESCRIPTIVE DATA

The number of children diagnosed with diabetes is increasing with ∼3% per year mainly for type 1 diabetes (ie, 296 new patients <15 years of age were diagnosed in 2014). The disease management has changed dramatically with more children treated intensively with multiple daily injections, insulin pumps, and increased number of self-monitored blood glucose values per day. These initiatives have resulted in a significant improvement in HbA1c over the years and a decrease in the number of children experiencing severe hypoglycemia, diabetic nephropathy, and retinopathy.

CONCLUSION

The systematic collection of data in DanDiabKids documents improved quality of care over the last 12 years, despite a substantial increase in the number of patients cared for by pediatric departments in Denmark, fulfilling the purpose of the registry.

Fertility treatment and childhood type 1 diabetes mellitus: a nationwide cohort study of 565,116 live births

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the association between specific types of fertility treatment and childhood type 1 diabetes mellitus.

DESIGN

Nationwide birth cohort study.

SETTING

Not applicable.

PATIENT(S)

All pregnancies resulting in a live-born singleton child in Denmark from 1995 to 2003.

INTERVENTION(S)

Not applicable.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S)

Childhood type 1 diabetes mellitus identified from redeemed prescriptions for insulin until 2013.

RESULT(S)

The study included 565,116 singleton pregnancies. A total of 14,985 children were conceived by ovulation induction or intrauterine insemination, and 8,490 children were conceived by in vitro fertilization or intracytoplasmic sperm injection. During the follow-up period, 2,011 (0.4%) children developed type 1 diabetes mellitus. The primary analyses showed no association between fertility treatment and childhood type 1 diabetes mellitus. In secondary analyses, ovulation induction or intrauterine insemination with follicle-stimulating hormone was associated with an increased risk of type 1 diabetes mellitus (hazard ratio 3.22; 95% confidence interval 1.20 to 8.64). No clear associations were seen with other types of fertility treatment or with specific treatment indications.

CONCLUSION(S)

No association between fertility treatment and childhood type 1 diabetes mellitus was found. Ovulation induction or intrauterine insemination with follicle-stimulating hormone may be associated with an increased risk of childhood type 1 diabetes mellitus. However, this finding may be due to chance or to confounding by indication and thus requires further investigation.

No Contribution of GAD-65 and IA-2 Autoantibodies around Time of Diagnosis to the Increasing Incidence of Juvenile Type 1 Diabetes: A 9-Year Nationwide Danish Study

Aims. A new perspective on autoantibodies as pivotal players in the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes (T1D) has recently emerged. Our key objective was to examine whether increased levels of autoantibodies against the β-cell autoantigens glutamic acid decarboxylase (isoform 65) (GADA) and insulinoma associated antigen-2A (IA-2A) mirrored the 3.4% annual increase in incidence of T1D. Methods. From the Danish Childhood Diabetes Register, we randomly selected 500 patients and 500 siblings for GADA and IA-2A analysis (1997 through 2005). Blood samples were taken within three months after onset. A robust log-normal regression model was used. Nine hundred children and adolescents had complete records and were included in the analysis. Cochran-Armitage test for trend was used to evaluate changes in prevalence of autoantibody positivity by period. Results. No significant changes in levels of GADA and IA-2A were found over our 9-year study period. No trends in autoantibody positivity-in either patients or siblings-were found. Levels of GADA and IA-2A were significantly associated with HLA risk groups and GADA with age. Conclusion. The prevalence of positivity and the levels of GADA and IA-2A have not changed between 1997 and 2005 in newly diagnosed patients with T1D and their siblings without T1D.

Neonatal vitamin D status is not associated with later risk of type 1 diabetes: results from two large Danish population-based studies

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS

The aim of this work was to assess whether neonatal levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) are associated with risk of developing type 1 diabetes before the age of 18 years.

METHODS

Two large-scale studies with different designs-a case-cohort and a case-control-were conducted using Danish national register data and biobank material. Weighted Cox regression and conditional logistic regression were used to calculate HRs and ORs, respectively. The concentration of 25(OH)D was assessed from neonatal dried blood spots using highly sensitive liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Quintiles of 25(OH)D3 were used in the main analyses.

RESULTS

The case-cohort study included 912 type 1 diabetes cases and 2866 individuals without type 1 diabetes born in Denmark between 1981 and 2002 and followed up until the end of 2012. The case-control study included 527 matched case-control pairs born between 1981 and 1999 and followed up until May 2004. Both studies found no association between 25(OH)D3 levels and later risk of developing type 1 diabetes. The neonatal total 25(OH)D levels in the studies were low: 46% (case-cohort study) and 51% (case-control study) of individuals had 25(OH)D levels <25 nmol/l.

CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION

Our two large-scale national studies showed that 25(OH)D3 levels around the time of birth were not associated with later type 1 diabetes risk. Whether higher levels of 25(OH)D3 during pregnancy, acquired by higher doses of supplementation than are recommended today in most countries, could protect the offspring against type 1 diabetes cannot be ruled out by the present studies.

Seasonality of diagnosis of type 1 diabetes mellitus in the Netherlands (Young Dudes-2)

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to investigate seasonality in the initial presentation of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) among Dutch children.

METHODS

Observational, nationwide study in the Netherlands. Using the national registry for both healthcare reimbursement and pharmaceutical care, data of all Dutch children (aged 0-14 years) with a diagnosis of T1DM in the period 2009-2011 were obtained.

RESULTS

During the study period (2009-2011) an average annual number of 2.909.537 children aged 0-14 lived in the Netherlands and 676 children were diagnosed with T1DM per year, translating into an annual incidence rate (IR) of T1DM of 23.2 per hundred thousand children (ptc). The annual IR differed significantly (p=0.03) between seasons: 6.4 ptc in winter, 4.9 ptc in spring, 5.4 ptc in summer and 6.6 ptc in autumn. This pattern was present within both boys and girls Conclusions: Among Dutch children aged 0-14 years, there is seasonality in the of T1DM with a peak incidence in autumn and winter.

Incidence of type 1 diabetes in age groups above 15 years: facts, hypothesis and prospects for future epidemiologic research

Although onset of type 1 diabetes can occur in adulthood, epidemiological data are scarce, limiting our potential to identify unknown determinants of the disease. Paucity of registries expanding the recruitment of incident cases up to adulthood, atypical clinical features of type 1 diabetes at onset, misclassification of type 1 as type 2 diabetes and little use of markers of β-cell autoimmunity represents major obstacles in studying the risk of type 1 diabetes in adults. New strategies in study design, data collection and analyses may overcome these problems in the future. Population-based surveys and registries including adulthood; use of etiological rather than clinical criteria to define type 1 diabetes; availability of electronic health records as prescription data sources to avoid missing data; and application of proper statistical methods will be instrumental to gain better insight on the epidemiology and natural history of the disease.

Increasing Incidence of Juvenile Thyrotoxicosis in Denmark: A Nationwide Study, 1998-2012

AIM

The aim of this study was to determine in a Danish nationwide study whether the incidence rate (IR) of thyrotoxicosis in children below 15 years of age has increased between 1998 and 2012 and to compare the results with previously published national data from 1982 to 1988. Furthermore, we intended to conduct a descriptive study of children diagnosed with Graves' disease (GD) between 2008 and 2012.

METHODS

Children diagnosed with thyrotoxicosis between 1998 and 2012 were identified through the Danish National Patient Registry. All medical records were reviewed to verify the diagnosis. Additional data were collected on children diagnosed with GD in 2008-2012.

RESULTS

In total, 237 patients with juvenile thyrotoxicosis (JT) were identified. The overall IR in 1998-2012 was 1.58/100,000 person-years and has increased significantly from 0.79/100,000 person-years in 1982-1988 (p < 0.001). The IR has continued to increase during the recent 15 years (1.31-1.83/100,000 person-years), with a 12.5% increase with each 5-year time period. The IR increased with age and female sex (p < 0.001). The descriptive study included 79 children with GD, presenting with a wide spectrum of clinical features. Remission occurred in 13.9%.

CONCLUSION

The IR of JT has increased significantly since 1982-1988 and has continued to increase during the recent 15 years. The overall IR was 1.58/100,000 person-years during 1998-2012.

Seasonal variation of diseases in children: a 6-year prospective cohort study in a general hospital

Seasonal variation in pediatrics has been well described in some infectious diseases, asthma, and diabetes, but data on seasonality for other diseases in children are sparse. To explore the extent of seasonal variation of the entire pediatric field, we analyzed diagnostic codes of all newly referred patients (n = 51,054) to our pediatric department of a large teaching hospital in the Netherlands over a 6-year period (2008-2013). Seasonality was analyzed using simple moving averages, the standard error of the mean (SEM) and the percentage monthly variation. We defined seasonal variation as a visually recognizable periodic pattern in every year in combination with a standard error of the mean > 0.20. Four diseases fulfilled our definition of seasonality: respiratory tract infections (peak in January, +107.0 %), gastroenteritis (peak in February-March, +95.8 % and +112.9 %, respectively), functional complaints (peak in March, +34.0 %, and November, +13.4 %), and asthma (peak in March, +27.8 %, and October, +17.5 %). Together, these four categories comprised 21.2 % of all newly referred patients.

CONCLUSION

Seasonal variation occurs in more than one fifth of all patients with pediatric disease. We demonstrated not only seasonal variation for respiratory tract infections, gastroenteritis, and asthma, but also for functional complaints.

WHAT IS KNOWN

• Seasonal variation has been described for pediatric diseases such as bronchiolitis, gastroenteritis, asthma, and diabetes. • Information on seasonality in other pediatric fields is sparse but may be helpful in understanding pathophysiology and workforce planning. What is new: • This study confirmed seasonal variation in respiratory infection diseases gastroenteritis and asthma. • Moreover, it showed seasonal variation for functional complaints for example (abdominal pain and headache), which has not been described previously.

Exposure to sunshine early in life prevented development of type 1 diabetes in Danish boys

BACKGROUND

We aimed to assess the association between exposure to sunshine during gestation and the risk of type 1 diabetes (T1D) in Danish children.

METHODS

The study population included 331,623 individuals born in Denmark from 1983 to 1988; 886 (0.26%) developed T1D by the age of 15 years. The values of sunshine hours were obtained from the Danish Meteorological Institute. Gestational exposure to sunshine was calculated by summing recorded monthly sunshine hours during the full 9 months prior to the month of birth. The linear variable then was split into two categories separated by the median value.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS

Cox regression models showed that more sunshine during the third gestational trimester was associated with lower hazards (HR) of T1D at age 5-9 years in males: HR (95% CI): 0.60 (0.43-0.84), p=0.003. Our results should be considered in the context of evidence-based recommendations to the public about skin protection from the sun.

Prevalence of celiac disease autoimmunity in children with type 1 diabetes: regional variations across the Øresund strait between Denmark and southernmost Sweden

OBJECTIVES

The aim was to determine the prevalence of celiac disease autoimmunity in children with type 1 diabetes (T1D) diagnosed in Denmark and Sweden.

METHODS

A total of 662 Swedish children with T1D were matched with 1080 Danish children with T1D and 309 healthy children from Sweden and 283 from Denmark served as controls. Sera were analyzed for the presence of IgA and IgG (IgAG) autoantibodies against deamidated gliadin peptide (DGP) and tissue transglutaminase (tTG) with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and IgG-tTG separately in a radioligand binding assay (RBA). Human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DQB1 and DQA1 genotyping were determined in the T1D cohorts.

RESULTS

In the Swedish T1D cohort, 17.2% (114/662) were IgAG-DGP/tTG positive compared with 11.7% (126/1080) in the Danish T1D cohort (p = 0.001) and with 9.4% (29/309) Swedish (p = 0.001) and 5.7% (16/283) Danish (p = 0.003) controls. In the Swedish T1D cohort, both levels of IgAG-DGP/tTG and IgG-tTG were higher compared with the levels in the Danish T1D (p < 0.001). In the control group, 2.8% of the Danish children were positive for both IgAG-DGP/tTG and IgG-tTG, compared to 0.3% of the Swedish. Presence of HLA-DQ2 was equally distributed among 89 children with T1D positive for both IgAG-DGP/tTG and IgG-tTG.

CONCLUSION

The discrepancy in levels of IgAG-DGP/tTG and IgG-tTG between Swedish and Danish T1D cohorts was independent of HLA and suggests that regional variations in comorbidity of celiac disease in T1D is caused by difference in exposure to environmental factors.

Vitamin D fortification and seasonality of birth in type 1 diabetic cases: D-tect study

Fortification of margarine with vitamin D was mandatory in Denmark during 1961-1985. The aim of the study was to assess whether gestational and early infancy exposure to margarine fortification was associated with seasonality of birth in Danish type 1 diabetes (T1D) patients. The risks of T1D in Danes born during various exposure periods around margarine fortification termination in 1985 were analyzed. As expected, the T1D hazards in males unexposed to margarine fortification and born in spring were higher than in males born in autumn: relevant hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) in various exposure groups ranged from 1.74 (1.112/2.708) to 37.43 (1.804/776.558). There were no indications of seasonality of birth in males exposed to fortification, nor in both exposed and unexposed females. The study suggests that early life exposure to low-dose vitamin D from fortified food eliminates seasonality of birth in T1D male patients. Further studies are required to investigate the identified gender differences.

Gestational and Early Infancy Exposure to Margarine Fortified with Vitamin D through a National Danish Programme and the Risk of Type 1 Diabetes: The D-Tect Study

The objective of the study was to assess whether gestational and early infancy exposure to low dose vitamin D from a mandatory margarine fortification programme in Denmark influenced the risk of developing type 1 diabetes (T1D) before age of 15 years. The study population included all individuals born in Denmark from 1983 to 1988 and consisted of 331,623 individuals. The 1^st of June 1985, which was the date of issue of the new ministerial order cancelling mandatory fortification of margarine with vitamin D in Denmark, served as a reference point separating the studied population into various exposure groups. We further modelled birth cohort effects in children developing T1D as a linear spline, and compared the slopes between the birth cohorts with various prenatal and infancy exposures to vitamin D fortification. In total, 886 (0.26%) individuals developed T1D before the age of 15 years. The beta coefficients (95% CI), or slopes, for linear birth cohort effect in log Hazard Ratio (HR) per one month of birth in individuals born during the periods of gestational exposure, wash-out, and non-exposure were: 0.010 (-0.002/0.021), -0.010 (-0.035/0.018), and 0.008 (- 0.017/0.032), respectively. The beta coefficients (95% CI) for individuals born during the periods of first postnatal year exposure, wash-out, and non-exposure were: 0.007 (-0.016/0.030), 0.006 (-0.004/0.016), and 0.007 (-0.002/0.016), respectively. In conclusion, we found no evidence to support that exposure to low dose vitamin D from the Danish mandatory margarine fortification regimen during gestational and first postnatal year of life changed the risk of developing T1D before the age of 15 years.

Levels of adiponectin and leptin at onset of type 1 diabetes have changed over time in children and adolescents

Adiponectin and leptin are proteins secreted by the adipose tissue and have an influence on insulin sensitivity and on inflammatory markers. Altered levels could play a part in the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes mellitus. We determined adiponectin and leptin levels over a nine-year period in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D) in relation to the increasing incidence of T1D, and studied the impact of patient status, age, gender and body mass index (BMI). Data were derived from a population-based registry of diabetic children (DanDiabKids) from 1997 to 2005. Children with newly diagnosed T1D (n = 482) were included, and healthy siblings (n = 479) were chosen as a control group. Leptin levels were significantly higher in recent years (in both patients and siblings), whereas for adiponectin, the levels were lower in recent years in the patient group. Leptin levels were lower in children with T1D (RR 0.74, p = 0.003) and in males (RR 0.52, p < 0.001) and increasing with age in both groups. For adiponectin, there was a negative association between level and age in patients. Both adipokines showed a significant correlation with BMI and lower levels in children with blood samples taken within the first 2 days after initiation of insulin treatment. There has been a change in leptin and adiponectin levels in children with or without T1D from 1997 to 2005. This is not explained by changes in BMI and may reflect changes in other factors like diet or physical activity.

Systemic levels of CCL2, CCL3, CCL4 and CXCL8 differ according to age, time period and season among children newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and their healthy siblings

The mechanisms by which antigen-specific T cells migrate to the islets of Langerhans in type 1 diabetes (T1D) are largely unknown. Chemokines attract immune cells to sites of inflammation. The aim was to elucidate the role of inflammatory chemokines in T1D at time of diagnosis. From a population-based registry of children diagnosed with T1D from 1997 to 2005, we studied five different inflammatory chemokines (CCL2, CCL3, CCL4, CCL5 and CXCL8). Four hundred and eighty-two cases and 479 sibling frequencies matched on age and sample year distribution were included. Patients showed lower levels of CCL4 compared to siblings, but this result was not significant after correction for multiple testing. CCL2, CCL3, CCL4 and CXCL8 levels were highest in the most recent cohorts (P < 0.01) in both patients and siblings. A significant seasonal variation - for most of the chemokines - was demonstrated with the highest level during the summer period in both patients and siblings. In addition, there was a significant inverse relationship between CCL4 levels and age. When comparing patients and siblings, remarkably few differences were identified, but interestingly chemokine levels varied with age, season and period for the entire study population. Such variations should be taken into account when studying chemokines in paediatric populations.

Vitamin D and psoriasis pathology in the Mediterranean region, Valencia (Spain)

Vitamin D has important immunomodulatory effects on psoriasis in the Mediterranean region. To measure vitamin D intake in subjects with and without psoriasis, and to find an association with relevant clinical features, a case-control study was performed using cases (n = 50, 50% participation rate) clinically diagnosed with psoriasis and 200 healthy subjects (39.5% participation rate), leaving a final sample of 104 people. A survey was conducted using a food frequency questionnaire and clinical histories. Cases and controls were compared using univariate and multivariate analyses. We observed insufficient intake of cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) or ergocalciferol (vitamin D2) for both cases and controls. Patients with psoriasis were at greater risk of associated pathologies: dyslipidaemia (OR: 3.6, 95% CI: 0.8–15.2); metabolic syndrome (OR: 3.3, 95% CI: 0.2–53.9); hypertension (OR: 1.7, 95% CI: 0.4–7.2). Insufficient vitamin D intake in both psoriasis patients and controls in the Mediterranean population, and cardiovascular comorbility is more frequent in patients with psoriasis.

Disease progression among 446 children with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes located in Scandinavia, Europe, and North America during the last 27 yr

OBJECTIVE

To clarify whether the rate of decline in stimulated C-peptide (SCP) from 2 to 15 months after diagnosis has changed over an interval of 27 yr.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

The rate of decline in SCP levels at 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15 months after diagnosis was compared in four paediatric cohorts from Scandinavian and European countries including 446 children with new onset type 1 diabetes (T1D, 1982-2004). Findings were evaluated against 78 children (2004-2009) from the TrialNet studies.

RESULTS

The mean rate of decline [%/month (±SEM)] in SCP for a 10-yr-old child was 7.7%/month (±1.5) in the 1982-1985 Cohort, 6.3%/month (±1.7) in the 1995-1998 Cohort, 7.8%/month (±0.7) in the 1999-2000 Cohort, and 10.7%/month (±0.9) in the latest 2004-2005 Cohort (p = 0.05). Including the TrialNet Cohort with a rate of decline in SCP of 10.0%/month (±0.9) the differences between the cohorts are still significant (p = 0.039). The rate of decline in SCP was negatively associated with age (p < 0.0001), insulin antibodies (IA) (p = 0.003), and glutamic acid decarboxylase-65 (GAD65A) (p = 0.03) initially with no statistically significant effect of body mass index (BMI) Z-score at 3 months. Also, at 3 months the time around partial remission, the effect of age on SCP was significantly greater in children ≤5 yr compared with older children (p ≤ 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

During the past 27 yr, initial C-peptide as well as the rate of C-peptide decline seem to have increased. The rate of decline was affected significantly by age, GAD65A, and IA, but not BMI Z-score or initial C-peptide.

Trends in the incidence of childhood type 1 diabetes mellitus in Beijing based on hospitalization data from 1995 to 2010

OBJECTIVES

To study the incidence trend of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) in children in Beijing from 1995 to 2010, to compare it with incidences reported worldwide and to predict the requirement of medical resources in the future.

METHODS

This study involved newly diagnosed T1DM cases younger than 15 years of age in the Beijing Children's Hospital from January 1995 to December 2010. We calculated the incidence of T1DM children in Beijing according to hospitalization data and Beijing's population. We defined it as the underestimated incidence rate (UE-IR).

RESULTS

The UE-IRs of T1DM ranged from around 0.88/100,000 to 2.37/100,000 for children in Beijing younger than 15 years of age from 1995 to 2010. The UE-IR increased faster in boys (1.47 times) and in the age group of 0-4 years (1.89 times) after 2003. The UE-IR was greatest in children aged 5-9 years (1.81/100,000) followed by the age of puberty (10-14 years, 1.76/100,000). The predicted number of new T1DM cases in Beijing will increase 1.97 times over the next 10 years.

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence trend of T1DM was increasing gradually in those younger than 15 years of age in Beijing. The incidence of younger children and boys grew faster. The 5- to 14-year-old children represented a high-risk population of T1DM. The number of predicted new T1DM cases will grow rapidly. This means that we should train more health care providers for pediatric diabetes patients, in order to achieve high-quality medical care and to be able to prevent or postpone chronic complications.

Differences in MBL levels between juvenile patients newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and their healthy siblings

The incidence of type 1 diabetes (T1D) has during the last few decades been increasing in children and juveniles. Multi-factorial courses combining genetic disposition and environmental factors might be in play, and through the years, there has been a mounting interest in the innate immune system's role in the development of T1D. The aim of this study was to determine mannose binding lectin (MBL) levels in newly diagnosed children with T1D (n=481) over a period of 10 years (1997-2005) and to compare these levels with corresponding levels in their healthy siblings (n=479). Furthermore, the aims were to evaluate if MBL-levels in patients and siblings were influenced by season, age autoimmunity and/or changed over time. The study found that MBL levels differed between patients and their healthy siblings when adjusted for age, gender, season and period. More patients than siblings had MBL levels above 0.8 μg/ml, associated with high producing MBL genotypes, and the elevated MBL levels were associated with high levels of four T1D related cytokines (IL-1β, IL-12, IL-18 and TNF-α). MBL levels increased during the study period and siblings had seasonal variance in concentrations with the lowest level during wintertime (Dec-Feb). In conclusion, more patients than siblings had a high MBL level, and high levels of MBL were related to high levels of T1D specific cytokines, supporting a role of the innate immune system and MBL on the risk of developing T1D.

Adolescents with poorly controlled type 1 diabetes can benefit from coaching: a case report and discussion

Traditional interventions aimed at improving patient self-management and at motivating the patients to change behaviour seem to be insufficient in adolescents with very high HbA1c. In this paper we present a case consisting of nine adolescents with poorly controlled diabetes type 1. They had previously shown continuously high levels of HbA1c for 2 years despite intensive follow-up and were therefore invited to participate in a coaching program. The coaching program was conducted by professional certified coaches and consisted of two group and eight individual coaching sessions. After completing the coaching sessions, HbA1c had decreased significantly in six out of nine of the adolescents. The participants were interviewed twice following the coaching sessions. All participants reported that they found the sessions very rewarding, and several explained that they now saw themselves differently and had gained more self-esteem and more energy.

Genetics of diabetes--are we missing the genes or the disease?

Diabetes is a group of metabolic diseases characterized by hyperglycemia resulting from defects in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both. The chronic hyperglycemia of diabetes is associated with long-term damage, dysfunction, and failure of different organs, especially the eyes, kidneys, nerves, heart, and blood vessels. Several pathogenic processes are involved in the development of diabetes. These range from autoimmune destruction of the beta-cells of the pancreas with consequent insulin deficiency to abnormalities that result in resistance to insulin action (American Diabetes Association, 2011). The vast majority of cases of diabetes fall into two broad categories. In type 1 diabetes (T1D), the cause is an absolute deficiency of insulin secretion, whereas in type 2 diabetes (T2D), the cause is a combination of resistance to insulin action and an inadequate compensatory insulin secretory response. However, the subdivision into two main categories represents a simplification of the real situation, and research during the recent years has shown that the disease is much more heterogeneous than a simple subdivision into two major subtypes assumes. Worldwide prevalence figures estimate that there are 280 million diabetic patients in 2011 and more than 500 million in 2030 (http://www.diabetesatlas.org/). In Europe, about 6-8% of the population suffer from diabetes, of them about 90% has T2D and 10% T1D, thereby making T2D to the fastest increasing disease in Europe and worldwide. This epidemic has been ascribed to a collision between the genes and the environment. While our knowledge about the genes is clearly better for T1D than for T2D given the strong contribution of variation in the HLA region to the risk of T1D, the opposite is the case for T2D, where our knowledge about the environmental triggers (obesity, lack of exercise) is much better than the understanding of the underlying genetic causes. This lack of knowledge about the underlying genetic causes of diabetes is often referred to as missing heritability (Manolio et al., 2009) which exceeds 80% for T2D but less than 25% for T1D. In the following review, we will discuss potential sources of this missing heritability which also includes the possibility that our definition of diabetes and its subgroups is imprecise and thereby making the identification of genetic causes difficult.

Vitamin D and diabetes: the odd couple

The beneficial effects of vitamin D supplementation for several health-related issues, including the prevention of diabetes, are a topic of intense discussion. Data from epidemiological studies suggest a correlation between vitamin D deficiency and higher prevalence of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes (T1D and T2D). In animal models, vitamin D deficiency predisposes to diabetes whereas vitamin D supplementation prevents disease. Nevertheless, well-designed clinical intervention studies are lacking. We discuss here the evidence for a role of vitamin D in diabetes and propose that vitamin D deficiency should be avoided, especially in all at-risk people. This should be possible by implementing global guidelines and by focusing on daily dietary supplementation with small doses of vitamin D.

Diabetic ketoacidosis at the onset of type 1 diabetes is associated with future HbA1c levels

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS

We investigated the long-term impact of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) at onset on metabolic regulation and residual beta cell function in a Danish population with type 1 diabetes.

METHODS

The study is based on data from DanDiabKids, a Danish national diabetes register for children. The register provides clinical and biochemical data on patients with type 1 diabetes diagnosed in 1996-2009 and then followed-up until 1 January 2012. Repeated-measurement models were used as statistical methods.

RESULTS

The study population comprised 2,964 children <18 years. The prevalence of DKA at diagnosis was 17.9%. Of the total subjects, 8.3% had mild, 7.9% had moderate and 1.7% had severe DKA. DKA (moderate and severe) was associated with increased HbA1c (%) levels (0.24; 95% CI 0.11, 0.36; p = 0.0003) and increased insulin dose-adjusted HbA1c (IDAA1c, 0.51; 95% CI 0.31, 0.70; p < 0.0001) during follow-up, after adjustment for covariates. Children without a family history of diabetes were more likely to present with DKA (19.2% vs 8.8%, p < 0.0001); however, these children had a lower HbA1c (%) level over time (-0.35; 95% CI -0.46, -0.24; p < 0.0001). Continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) was associated with a long-term reduction in HbA1c, changing the effect of DKA, after adjustment for covariates (p < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION

DKA at diagnosis was associated with poor long-term metabolic regulation and residual beta cell function as assessed by HbA1c and IDAA1c, respectively; however, CSII treatment was associated with improvement in glycaemic regulation and residual beta cell function, changing the effect of DKA at onset in our population.

How do childhood diagnoses of type 1 diabetes cluster in time?

Background

Previous studies have indicated that type 1 diabetes may have an infectious origin. The presence of temporal clustering—an irregular temporal distribution of cases—would provide additional evidence that occurrence may be linked with an agent that displays epidemicity. We tested for the presence and form of temporal clustering using population-based data from northeast England.

Materials and Methods

The study analysed data on children aged 0–14 years diagnosed with type 1 diabetes during the period 1990–2007 and resident in a defined geographical region of northeast England (Northumberland, Newcastle upon Tyne, and North Tyneside). Tests for temporal clustering by time of diagnosis were applied using a modified version of the Potthoff-Whittinghill method.

Results

The study analysed 468 cases of children diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. There was highly statistically significant evidence of temporal clustering over periods of a few months and over longer time intervals (p<0.001). The clustering within years did not show a consistent seasonal pattern.

Conclusions

The study adds to the growing body of literature that supports the involvement of infectious agents in the aetiology of type 1 diabetes in children. Specifically it suggests that the precipitating agent or agents involved might be an infection that occurs in “mini-epidemics”.

Vitamin D and diabetes: its importance for beta cell and immune function

Experimental evidence indicates that vitamin D may play a role in the defense against type 1 diabetes (T1D) as well as type 2 diabetes (T2D). Epidemiological data have established a link between vitamin D deficiency and an increased incidence of both T1D and T2D, whereas early and long-term vitamin D supplementation may decrease the risk of these disorders. The protective effects of vitamin D are mediated through the regulation of several components such as the immune system and calcium homeostasis. However, an increasing amount of evidence suggests that vitamin D also affects beta cells directly thereby rendering them more resistant to the types of cellular stress encountered during T1D and T2D. This review evaluates the role of vitamin D signaling in the pathogenesis of T1D and T2D with a special emphasis on the direct effects of vitamin D on pancreatic beta cells.

High incidence of childhood type 1 diabetes in Al-Madinah, North West Saudi Arabia (2004-2009)

BACKGROUND

There is a geographical variation in the incidence of childhood type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) with a steady increase reported from some countries. However, data on the incidence of childhood T1DM in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are limited.

OBJECTIVE

To identify the incidence rate (IR) and epidemiological trends of childhood T1DM in the largest city of northwest Saudi Arabia.

METHODS

All patients with newly diagnosed T1DM aged 0-12 yr living in the city between 2004 and 2009 were identified from different sources. The data were analyzed according to age, sex, and month of presentation.

RESULTS

In total, 419 patients (249 girls) were diagnosed between 2004 and 2009 inclusive. The mean age at diagnosis was 6.9 ± 3.5 yr. The mean annual age-standardized IR was 29.0 (95% confidence interval 26.0-32.0). The incidence was significantly higher in the 10-12-yr age group than in younger children (p < 0.001) and higher in girls than in boys (33.0 vs. 22.2 per 100 000; p < 0.001). There was no significant increase in the annual incidence during the 6-yr period (p = 0.68) and more cases were diagnosed during autumn and winter months (p = 0.002).

CONCLUSIONS

Al-Madinah city has the highest reported incidence of childhood T1DM in the Middle East and North Africa region. Further studies to identify the reasons for this high incidence are needed.

High levels of immunoglobulin E and a continuous increase in immunoglobulin G and immunoglobulin M by age in children with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes

The incidence of type 1 diabetes (T1D) is increasing, either because of environmental factors accelerating onset of the disease or because of inducement of autoimmune diabetes in children who previously were at lower risk. High levels of immunoglobulin (Ig), specifically, IgM and IgA, and a low level of IgG were reported in adult patients; however no studies have analyzed the increasing incidence in relation to Ig levels. Our aim was to describe Ig in children newly diagnosed with diabetes and in their healthy siblings. Children with T1D expressed significantly lower IgG (p < 0.01) and higher IgA levels (p = 0.045), whereas no differences in IgE or IgM (p > 0.5) levels were found. Age-specific levels were unchanged over a 9-year period. In patients and siblings IgG, IgA and IgE increased by age (p < 0.001); which was in contrast to IgM (p > 0.05). The continued increase in IgG levels by age indicates that adult levels are reached later than in previously studied cohorts, thereby indicating a slower maturation of the immune system.