Increase in newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes in youth during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States: A multi-center analysis

Management of diabetic ketoacidosis in children: Does early insulin glargine help improve outcomes?

BACKGROUND

Rebound hyperglycemia following the resolution of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is common in pediatric patients with type 1 diabetes, increasing the risk of recurrent DKA and complicating the transition to subcutaneous insulin. Multiple studies suggest that early administration of long-acting insulin analogs during DKA management safely improves this transition.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to determine whether early insulin glargine administration in children with DKA prevents rebound hyperglycemia and recurrent ketosis without increasing the rate of hypoglycemia or hypokalemia.

METHODS

Patients aged <21 years presenting with DKA to Children's Mercy Kansas City between October 2012 and October 2016 were reviewed. They were categorized as Early (>4 h of overlap with intravenous [IV] insulin) and Late (<2 h of overlap) cohorts.

RESULTS

We reviewed 546 DKA admissions (365 Early and 181 Late). Rebound hyperglycemia (>180 mg/dL) was lower in the Early group (66% vs. 85%, p ≤ 0.0001). Hypoglycemia (<70 mg/dL) during IV insulin administration was higher in the Early group than in the Late group (27% vs. 19%, p = 0.042). Hypoglycemia within 12 h of IV insulin discontinuation was lower in the Early group (16% vs. 26%, p = 0.012). Recurrent ketosis, hypokalemia, and cerebral edema were not different between the groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Early glargine administration in pediatric DKA management is safe, decreases the rate of rebound hyperglycemia, and improves the transition to subcutaneous insulin. Hypoglycemia is less frequent following IV insulin discontinuation with early glargine, but the IV insulin rate may need to be reduced to minimize hypoglycemia during IV insulin infusion.

The Role of Cytokines and T Cells as Mediators of Inflammatory Pathology in Type 1 Diabetes and COVID-19

During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, reports of individuals experiencing new-onset type 1 diabetes (T1D) began to appear in the literature. This spurred subsequent epidemiological studies that demonstrated an increase in new diagnosis of T1D compared to prepandemic. Development of T1D is characterized by the development of an inappropriate T cell response directed against pancreatic beta-cells, leading to eventual loss of insulin secretion. This T cell response occurs in genetically susceptible individuals and may be triggered by viral illnesses. Abnormal cytokine production is another element of the pathogenesis of T1D. Infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome related coronavirus 2 induces a profound increase in the production of inflammatory cytokines and causes significant T-cell dysregulation. These disruptions of the immune system may be linked to the development of T1D following COVID-19. [Pediatr Ann. 2024;53(7):e264-e268.].

Increased Severity of Presentation Signs in Children with Newly Diagnosed Type 1 Diabetes during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Tertiary Center Experience

INTRODUCTION

Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is an important complication of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) which is worsened when the diagnosis of T1DM is delayed. The aim of this study was to evaluate the presentation patterns, severity, autoantibody status, and seasonal variability of newly diagnosed T1DM patients during the pandemic period of 2 years compared to those in the pre-pandemic period.

METHODS

In this single tertiary center retrospective cohort study, newly diagnosed T1DM patients were grouped as pre-pandemic and pandemic period. Age, gender, the month of diagnosis, hemoglobin A1c, venous blood gas parameters, duration of symptoms, glutamic-acid-decarboxylase-antibody (anti-GAD), islet-cell antibody (ICA), and insulin autoantibody levels were recorded. The data obtained were compared between the groups.

RESULTS

Number of patients presenting with DKA was significantly higher during the pandemic period (92 [65.7%] vs. 62 [40.8%] patients, p < 0.001). In terms of clinical severity of DKA, pH, and HCO3 levels were lower during the pandemic period (p < 0.001), while the number of patients presenting with severe DKA was significantly higher during the pandemic period (41 [44.6%] vs. 17 [27.4%] patients, p = 0.031). ICA positivity was significantly higher in patients admitted during the pandemic period (47 [36.4%] vs. 21 patients [16.9%], p < 0.001), especially in the second year of the pandemic (p < 0.001). Anti-GAD-ICA co-positivity was significantly higher in patients admitted during the pandemic period and also in second year of the pandemic (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

DKA rates increased in newly diagnosed T1DM cases during the pandemic. Despite the relaxation of bans, the second year of the pandemic also saw increased rates of DKA and severe DKA compared to the pre-pandemic period. The significantly increased ICA positivity in the pandemic may support the effects of COVID-19 on autoimmune T1DM.

Improving Outcomes for People with Type 1 Diabetes Through Collaboration: Summary of Type 1 Diabetes Exchange Quality Improvement Collaborative Studies

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) management has evolved over the last decade. Innovations and groundbreaking research have paved the way for improved outcomes for people with T1D. One of the major T1D focused research network that has supported real-world research studies in the United States is the T1D Exchange Quality Improvement Collaborative (T1DX-QI) Network.T1DX-QI is a large multicenter network of 55 T1D clinics that uses quality improvement, health equity framework, and population health principles to improve outcomes for people with T1D. This article summarizes insights from T1DX-QI clinical and population health improvement studies.

Type 1 and Covid-19: Diagnosis, Clinical Care, and Health Outcomes during the Pandemic

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic disrupted health care, creating challenges for people with diabetes and health care systems. Diabetes was recognized as a risk factor for severe disease early in the pandemic. Subsequently, risk factors specific for people with type 1 diabetes were identified, including age, hemoglobin A1c level, and lack of continuous glucose monitoring . Telemedicine, especially when accompanied by diabetes data, allowed effective remote care delivery. However, pre-existing racial disparities in access to diabetes technology persisted and were associated with worse outcomes. Events of the COVID-19 pandemic underscore the importance of continuing to develop flexible and more equitable health care delivery systems.

Translation of cell therapies to treat autoimmune disorders

Autoimmune diseases are a diverse and complex set of chronic disorders with a substantial impact on patient quality of life and a significant global healthcare burden. Current approaches to autoimmune disease treatment comprise broadly acting immunosuppressive drugs that lack disease specificity, possess limited efficacy, and confer undesirable side effects. Additionally, there are limited treatments available to restore organs and tissues damaged during the course of autoimmune disease progression. Cell therapies are an emergent area of therapeutics with the potential to address both autoimmune disease immune dysfunction as well as autoimmune disease-damaged tissue and organ systems. In this review, we discuss the pathogenesis of common autoimmune disorders and the state-of-the-art in cell therapy approaches to (1) regenerate or replace autoimmune disease-damaged tissue and (2) eliminate pathological immune responses in autoimmunity. Finally, we discuss critical considerations for the translation of cell products to the clinic.

The COVID-19 Pandemic Increased the Incidence of New-Onset Type One Diabetes in Children

Background: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the incidence rate of childhood type 1 diabetes (T1D) is controversial. Our aim was to analyze the incidence of new-onset T1D among children aged 0-17 before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Israel. Methods: Data obtained from the national T1D registry for children aged 0-17 were analyzed for the pre-pandemic (1997-2019) and pandemic (2020-2022) periods. In the pre-pandemic period, 7246 children with newly diagnosed T1D were compared with 1490 children diagnosed during the pandemic period. Results: T1D incidence significantly increased in the 0-17 age group from a mean of 12.9/105 (pre-pandemic) to 17.7/105 and 16.7/105 during the first two years of the pandemic (2020 and 2021, respectively) (p = 0.0001). Stratifying by age group (0-4, 5-9, 10-14, and 15-17) revealed a significant increase in the 5-9, 10-14, and 15-17 groups, both in 2020 (p = 0.0001) and in 2021 (p = 0.0001). The incidence rate in the 0-4 age group showed no change in the first year of the pandemic (2020) (p = 0.4). However, in the second year of the pandemic (2021), there was a significant increase from 6.3/105 in the pre-pandemic period to 9.1/105 (p = 0.001). Anti-COVID-19 vaccination in 2022 led to a significant decrease in the incidence rates in the 10-14 and 15-17 age groups (p = 0.03 and p = 0.02, respectively). Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with a significant increase in the incidence of new-onset T1D in prepubertal and pubertal children. Anti-COVID-19 vaccination decreased the incidence rate significantly only in pubertal children.

Characterization of newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes in children and adolescents from 2017 to 2022 in China: a single-center analysis

OBJECTIVE

This study investigated the characteristics of newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) related to autoimmunity and the frequency of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) in children and adolescents from 2017-2022 in China.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Single-center regional data from the Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, Tongji Hospital, were used to compare 88 children and adolescents newly diagnosed with T1DM from 2020 to 2022 (i.e. during the COVID-19 pandemic in China) and 76 children and adolescents diagnosed with T1DM from 2017 to 2019. Auto-antibodies, including glutamic acid decarboxylase-65 and insulin auto-antibodies, were detected by enzyme-linked immunoassays. DKA was defined as a pH < 7.3 and/or a bicarbonate level < 15 mmol/L.

RESULTS

The median age of the 164 children and adolescents newly diagnosed with T1DM from 2017 to 2022 was 7.0 years (interquartile range [IQR]: 3.8-10.0 years; 51.83% male). The mean annual incidence of T1DM was 2.98 per 1,000,000 child years. The estimated frequency of auto-antibody positivity was 51.22% (n = 84), and there was no difference between the 2020-2022 group and 2017-2019 group (55.68% [n = 49] vs. 46.5% [n = 35]; p = 0.219). The frequency of DKA among the entire cohort was 57.93% (n = 95), and peaked in 2020 at 78.9% (15/19 patients). The frequency of DKA was not significantly higher in the 2020-2022 group compared with the 2017-2019 group (60.23% [n = 53] vs. 55.26% [n = 42]; p = 0.521). We found no significant difference in the frequency of DKA between patients who were negative vs. positive for auto-antibodies in the 2020-2022 group (64.10% [n = 25] vs. 57.14% [n = 28], p > 0.05). The C-peptide level and HbA1c (%) were positively correlated with onset age (R1 = 0.389, p < 0.01; R2 = 0.371, p < 0.01), and the estimated mean C-peptide level was 0.26 ng/ml (IQR: 0.2-0.4 ng/ml) in patients with DKA and 0.370 ng/ml (IQR: 0.2-0.6 ng/ml) in patients without DKA (p = 0.044).

CONCLUSIONS

This study showed the annual incidence of T1DM was 2.98 per 1,000,000 child years, gradually increased over the study period, and there was no significant increase in T1DM with auto-antibody positivity in children and adolescents newly diagnosed from 2020-2022 in China compared with the previous 3 years. Furthermore, the frequency of DKA was peaked in 2020, and were not significantly different between patients who were negative vs. positive for auto-antibodies.

Paediatric new onset type 1 diabetes and diabetic ketoacidosis during the COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia

AIMS

Despite emerging evidence of increased paediatric diabetes mellitus (DM) and diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) worldwide following the COVID-19 pandemic, studies in Asia are lacking. We aimed to determine the frequency, demographics, and clinical characteristics of new onset type 1 DM (T1DM) during the pandemic in Malaysia.

METHODS

This is a retrospective multicenter study involving new onset T1DM paediatric patients in Klang Valley, Malaysia during two time periods ie 18th September 2017-17th March 2020 (pre-pandemic) and 18th March 2020-17th September 2022 (pandemic).

RESULTS

There was a total of 180 patients with new onset T1DM during the 5-year study period (71 pre-pandemic, 109 pandemic). An increase in frequency of T1DM was observed during the pandemic (52 in 2021, 38 in 2020, 27 in 2019 and 30 in 2018). A significantly greater proportion of patients presented with DKA (79.8 % vs 64.8 %), especially severe DKA (46.8 % vs 28.2 %) during the pandemic. Serum glucose was significantly higher (28.2 mmol vs 25.9 mmol/L) with lower venous pH (7.10 vs 7.16), but HbA1c was unchanged.

CONCLUSIONS

New onset T1DM increased during the pandemic, with a greater proportion having severe DKA. Further studies are required to evaluate the mechanism leading to this rise to guide intervention measures.

Disrupted Pediatric Diabetes Trends in the Second Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Context

Increases in incident cases of pediatric type 1 (T1D) and type 2 diabetes (T2D) were observed during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Objective

This work aimed to identify trends in incidence and presentation of pediatric new-onset T1D and T2D during the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

A retrospective chart review was conducted. Demographics, anthropometrics, and initial laboratory results from patients aged 0 to 21 years who presented with new-onset diabetes to a pediatric tertiary care center were recorded.

Results

The incident cases of T1D (n = 46) and T2D (n = 46) in 2021-2022 (second year of the pandemic) were consistent with the incident cases of T1D (n = 46) and T2D (n = 53) in 2020 to 2021 (first year of the pandemic). Compared to the incident cases of diabetes in the prepandemic years, in the second year, the incident cases of T1D increased 48%, and the incident cases of T2D increased 188%. In the second year of the pandemic, incident cases of T2D represented half (50%) of all newly diagnosed pediatric diabetes cases. Patients with T2D were more likely to present in diabetic ketoacidosis, though this was not statistically significant (P = .08).

Conclusion

The increase in incident cases of pediatric T1D and T2D observed during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic persisted during the second pandemic year. This suggests that despite pediatric vaccination efforts and return to social in-person activities, we may continue to see effects of the pandemic on pediatric diabetes trends.

Incidence of Diabetes in Children and Adolescents During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Importance

There are reports of increasing incidence of pediatric diabetes since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Given the limitations of individual studies that examine this association, it is important to synthesize estimates of changes in incidence rates.

Objective

To compare the incidence rates of pediatric diabetes during and before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Data Sources

In this systematic review and meta-analysis, electronic databases, including Medline, Embase, the Cochrane database, Scopus, and Web of Science, and the gray literature were searched between January 1, 2020, and March 28, 2023, using subject headings and text word terms related to COVID-19, diabetes, and diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA).

Study Selection

Studies were independently assessed by 2 reviewers and included if they reported differences in incident diabetes cases during vs before the pandemic in youths younger than 19 years, had a minimum observation period of 12 months during and 12 months before the pandemic, and were published in English.

Data Extraction and Synthesis

From records that underwent full-text review, 2 reviewers independently abstracted data and assessed the risk of bias. The Meta-analysis of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (MOOSE) reporting guideline was followed. Eligible studies were included in the meta-analysis and analyzed with a common and random-effects analysis. Studies not included in the meta-analysis were summarized descriptively.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The primary outcome was change in the incidence rate of pediatric diabetes during vs before the COVID-19 pandemic. The secondary outcome was change in the incidence rate of DKA among youths with new-onset diabetes during the pandemic.

Results

Forty-two studies including 102 984 incident diabetes cases were included in the systematic review. The meta-analysis of type 1 diabetes incidence rates included 17 studies of 38 149 youths and showed a higher incidence rate during the first year of the pandemic compared with the prepandemic period (incidence rate ratio [IRR], 1.14; 95% CI, 1.08-1.21). There was an increased incidence of diabetes during months 13 to 24 of the pandemic compared with the prepandemic period (IRR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.18-1.37). Ten studies (23.8%) reported incident type 2 diabetes cases in both periods. These studies did not report incidence rates, so results were not pooled. Fifteen studies (35.7%) reported DKA incidence and found a higher rate during the pandemic compared with before the pandemic (IRR, 1.26; 95% CI, 1.17-1.36).

Conclusions and Relevance

This study found that incidence rates of type 1 diabetes and DKA at diabetes onset in children and adolescents were higher after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic than before the pandemic. Increased resources and support may be needed for the growing number of children and adolescents with diabetes. Future studies are needed to assess whether this trend persists and may help elucidate possible underlying mechanisms to explain temporal changes.

Examining the associations between COVID-19 infection and pediatric type 1 diabetes

INTRODUCTION

The COVID-19 pandemic represents an unprecedented challenge for public health worldwide, not only for the very high number of cases and deaths but also due to a wide variety of indirect consequences. Among these, the possible relationship between SARS-CoV-2 infection and type 1 diabetes (T1D) in pediatric age has aroused notable interest in the scientific community.

AREAS COVERED

This perspective article aims to focus on the epidemiological trend of T1D during the pandemic, the diabetogenic role of SARS-CoV-2, and the influence of preexisting T1D on COVID-19 outcomes.

EXPERT OPINION

The incidence of T1D has considerably changed during the COVID-19 pandemic, but any direct role of SARS-CoV-2 is uncertain. It is more likely that SARS-CoV-2 infection acts as an accelerator of pancreatic β-cell immunological destruction, which is activated by known viral triggers whose spread has been abnormal during these pandemic years. Another interesting aspect to consider is the role of immunization as a potential protective factor both for T1D development and the risk of severe outcomes in already diagnosed patients. Future studies are still required to address unmet needs, including the early use of antiviral drugs to reduce the risk of metabolic decompensation in children with T1D.

Incidence and presentation of new-onset type 1 diabetes in children and adolescents from Germany during the COVID-19 pandemic 2020 and 2021: Current data from the DPV Registry

AIMS

To determine whether the incidence of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D), autoantibody-negative diabetes, and diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) at diabetes onset in 2020 and 2021 changed when compared to long-standing trends.

METHODS

Our study is based on diabetes manifestation data of the 0.5-<18-year-old children/adolescents from the German multicenter Diabetes Prospective Follow-up Registry. Based on long-term pre-pandemic trends from 2011 to 2019, we estimated adjusted incidence rate ratios (IRR) for T1D and DKA, and prevalence rate ratios (PRR) regarding autoantibody status with 95 % confidence intervals (CI) for the years 2020 and 2021 (observed versus predicted rates), using multivariable negative binomial or beta-binomial regression, respectively.

RESULTS

We analyzed data of 30,840 children and adolescents with new-onset T1D. The observed incidences were significantly higher than the predicted incidences (IRR₂₀₂₀ 1.13 [1.08-1.19]; IRR₂₀₂₁ 1.20 [1.15-1.26]). The prevalence of autoantibody-negative diabetes did not change (PRR₂₀₂₀ 0.91 [0.75-1.10]; PRR₂₀₂₁ 1.03 [0.86-1.24]). The incidence of DKA during the pandemic was higher than predicted (IRR₂₀₂₀ 1.34 [1.23-1.46]; IRR₂₀₂₁ 1.37 [1.26-1.49]).

CONCLUSIONS

An increase in the incidences of T1D and DKA, but not of autoantibody-negative diabetes was observed during both pandemic years. Further monitoring and efforts for DKA prevention at onset are necessary.

Incidence Trends of New-Onset Diabetes in Children and Adolescents Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Findings From Florida

This study examined the incidence trends of new-onset type 1 and type 2 diabetes in children and adolescents in Florida before and during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. In this observational descriptive cohort study, we used a validated computable phenotype to identify incident diabetes cases among individuals <18 years of age in the OneFlorida+ network of the national Patient-Centered Clinical Research Network between January 2017 and June 2021. We conducted an interrupted time series analysis based on the autoregressive integrated moving average model to compare changes in age-adjusted incidence rates of type 1 and type 2 diabetes before and after March 2020, when COVID-19 was declared a national health emergency in the U.S. The age-adjusted incidence rates of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes increased post-COVID-19 for children and adolescents. These results highlight the need for longitudinal cohort studies to examine how the pandemic might influence subsequent diabetes onset in young individuals.

An exploratory analysis of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on pediatric type 1 diabetes mellitus patient outcomes: A single-center study

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic led to substantial shifts in pediatric diabetes care delivery to virtual and hybrid models. It is unclear if these changes in care delivery impacted short-term patient outcomes.

Objectives

We aimed to explore glycemic control and other diabetes-related outcomes in children living with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM) during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic at a tertiary pediatric academic center in Canada.

Subjects

Patients <18 years of age with a confirmed diagnosis of T1DM for at least one year were included.

Methods

This was a retrospective chart review. We compared data from two years pre-pandemic (March 15, 2018-March 14, 2020) to the first year of the pandemic (March 15, 2020-March 14, 2021). The data assessed included glycemic control [Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c)], diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), hospital attendance and hospitalizations, hypoglycemia, and hyperglycemia. The generalized estimating equation (GEE) analysis was used to model potential factors affecting the HbA1c and diabetes-related morbidities. Multiple imputations were conducted as a sensitivity analysis.

Results

There were 346 eligible patients included in the study. The HbA1c remained stable during the pandemic compared to the pre-pandemic phase (MD-0.14, 95% CI, -0.28, 0.01; p = 0.058). The pandemic saw an increase in the number of newly diagnosed patients (X2 = 16.52, p < 0.001) and a higher number of newly diagnosed patients presenting in DKA (X2 = 12.94, p < 0.001). In patients with established diabetes, there was an increase in hyperglycemia (OR1.38, 95% CI, 1.12,1.71; p = 0.003) and reduced DKA (OR 0.30, 95% CI, 0.12,0.73; p = 0.009) during the pandemic compared to the pre-pandemic phase. Stable rates of hospitalization (OR0.57, 95% CI, 0.31,1.04, p = 0.068) and hypoglycemia (OR1.11, 95% CI, 0.83,1.49; p = 0.484) were noted. These results were retained in the sensitivity analysis.

Conclusions

Glycemic control in children with T1DM remained stable during the first year of the pandemic. There were more newly diagnosed patients during the pandemic compared to the pre-pandemic phase, and more of these new patients presented in DKA. The latter presentation was reduced in those with established diabetes during the same period.Further studies are needed to assess the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on T1DM care pathways and outcomes to allow children, families, and diabetes teams to personalize choices of care models.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on long-term trends in the prevalence of diabetic ketoacidosis at diagnosis of paediatric type 1 diabetes: an international multicentre study based on data from 13 national diabetes registries

BACKGROUND

An increased prevalence of diabetic ketoacidosis at diagnosis of type 1 diabetes in children was observed in various diabetes centres worldwide during the COVID-19 pandemic. We aimed to evaluate trends in the prevalence of diabetic ketoacidosis at diagnosis of paediatric type 1 diabetes before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to identify potential predictors of changes in diabetic ketoacidosis prevalence during the pandemic.

METHODS

For this international multicentre study, we used data from 13 national diabetes registries (Australia, Austria, Czechia, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Norway, Slovenia, Sweden, USA [Colorado], and Wales). The study population comprised 104 290 children and adolescents aged 6 months to younger than 18 years, who were diagnosed with type 1 diabetes between Jan 1, 2006, and Dec 31, 2021. The observed diabetic ketoacidosis prevalence in 2020 and 2021 was compared to predictions based on trends over the pre-pandemic years 2006-19. Associations between changes in diabetic ketoacidosis prevalence and the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic and containment measures were examined with excess all-cause mortality in the whole population and the Stringency Index from the Oxford COVID-19 Government Response Tracker.

FINDINGS

87 228 children and adolescents were diagnosed with type 1 diabetes between 2006 and 2019, 8209 were diagnosed in 2020, and 8853 were diagnosed in 2021. From 2006 to 2019, diabetic ketoacidosis at diagnosis of type 1 diabetes was present in 23 775 (27·3%) of 87 228 individuals and the mean annual increase in the prevalence of diabetic ketoacidosis in the total cohort from 2006 to 2019 was 1·6% (95% CI 1·3 to 1·9). The adjusted observed prevalence of diabetic ketoacidosis at diagnosis of type 1 diabetes was 39·4% (95% CI 34·0 to 45·6) in 2020 and 38·9% (33·6 to 45·0) in 2021, significantly higher than the predicted prevalence of 32·5% (27·8 to 37·9) for 2020 and 33·0% (28·3 to 38·5) for 2021 (p&lt;0·0001 for both years). The prevalence of diabetic ketoacidosis was associated with the pandemic containment measures, with an estimated risk ratio of 1·037 (95% CI 1·024 to 1·051; p&lt;0·0001) per ten-unit increase in the Stringency Index for 2020 and 1·028 (1·009 to 1·047; p=0·0033) for 2021, but was not significantly associated with excess all-cause mortality.

INTERPRETATION

During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a marked exacerbation of the pre-existing increase in diabetic ketoacidosis prevalence at diagnosis of type 1 diabetes in children. This finding highlights the need for early and timely diagnosis of type 1 diabetes in children and adolescents.

FUNDING

German Federal Ministry for Education and Research, German Robert Koch Institute, German Diabetes Association, German Diabetes Foundation, Slovenian Research Agency, Welsh Government, Central Denmark Region, and Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions.

Children, adolescents, and young adults hospitalized with COVID-19 and diabetes in summer 2021

INTRODUCTION

More information is needed to understand the clinical epidemiology of children and young adults hospitalized with diabetes and COVID-19. We describe the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients <21 years old hospitalized with COVID-19 and either Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM or T2DM) during peak incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection with the B.1.617.2 (Delta) variant.

METHODS

This is a descriptive sub-analysis of a retrospective chart review of patients aged <21 years hospitalized with COVID-19 in six US children's hospitals during July-August 2021. Patients with COVID-19 and either newly diagnosed or known T1DM or T2DM were described using originally collected data and diabetes-related data specifically collected on these patients.

RESULTS

Of the 58 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 and diabetes, 34 had T1DM and 24 had T2DM. Of those with T1DM and T2DM, 26% (9/34) and 33% (8/24), respectively, were newly diagnosed. Among those >12 years old and eligible for COVID-19 vaccination, 93% were unvaccinated (42/45). Among patients with T1DM, 88% had diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and 6% had COVID-19 pneumonia; of those with T2DM, 46% had DKA and 58% had COVID-19 pneumonia. Of those with T1DM or T2DM, 59% and 46%, respectively, required ICU admission.

CONCLUSION

Our findings highlight the importance of considering diabetes in the evaluation of children and young adults presenting with COVID-19; the challenges of managing young patients who present with both COVID-19 and diabetes, particularly T2DM; and the importance of preventive actions like COVID-19 vaccination to prevent severe illness among those eligible with both COVID-19 and diabetes.

Making Diabetes Electronic Medical Record Data Actionable: Promoting Benchmarking and Population Health Improvement Using the T1D Exchange Quality Improvement Portal

This article describes how the T1D Exchange Quality Improvement Collaborative leverages an innovative web platform, the QI Portal, to gather and store electronic medical record (EMR) data to promote benchmarking and population health improvement in a type 1 diabetes learning health system. The authors explain the value of the QI Portal, the process for mapping center-level data from EMRs using standardized data specifications, and the QI Portal's unique features for advancing population health.