Factors associated with fear of hypoglycaemia among the T1D Exchange Glu population in a cross-sectional online survey

FREE: A randomized controlled feasibility trial of a cognitive behavioral therapy and technology-assisted intervention to reduce fear of hypoglycemia in young adults with type 1 diabetes

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to test the preliminary effectiveness of a cognitive behavioral therapy intervention (Fear Reduction Efficacy Evaluation [FREE]) designed to reduce fear of hypoglycemia in young adults with type 1 diabetes. The primary outcome was fear of hypoglycemia, secondary outcomes were A1C, and glycemic variability.

METHODS

A randomized clinical trial was used to test an 8-week intervention (FREE) compared to an attention control (diabetes education) in 50 young adults with type 1 diabetes who experienced fear of hypoglycemia at baseline. All participants wore a continuous glucose monitor for the 8-week study period. Self-reported fear of hypoglycemia point-of-care A1C testing, continuous glucose monitor-derived glucose variability were measured at baseline, Week 8, and Week 12 (post-program).

RESULTS

Compared to controls, those participating in the FREE intervention experienced a reduction in fear of hypoglycemia (SMD B = -8.52, p = 0.021), change in A1C (SMD B = 0.04, p = 0.841) and glycemic variability (glucose standard deviation SMD B = -2.5, p = 0.545) by the end of the intervention. This represented an 8.52% greater reduction in fear of hypoglycemia.

CONCLUSION

A cognitive behavioral therapy intervention (FREE) resulted in improvements in fear of hypoglycemia.

CLINICALTRIALS

govNCT03549104.

New advances in type 1 diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition resulting in insulin deficiency and eventual loss of pancreatic β cell function requiring lifelong insulin therapy. Since the discovery of insulin more than 100 years ago, vast advances in treatments have improved care for many people with type 1 diabetes. Ongoing research on the genetics and immunology of type 1 diabetes and on interventions to modify disease course and preserve β cell function have expanded our broad understanding of this condition. Biomarkers of type 1 diabetes are detectable months to years before development of overt disease, and three stages of diabetes are now recognized. The advent of continuous glucose monitoring and the newer automated insulin delivery systems have changed the landscape of type 1 diabetes management and are associated with improved glycated hemoglobin and decreased hypoglycemia. Adjunctive therapies such as sodium glucose cotransporter-1 inhibitors and glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists may find use in management in the future. Despite these rapid advances in the field, people living in under-resourced parts of the world struggle to obtain necessities such as insulin, syringes, and blood glucose monitoring essential for managing this condition. This review covers recent developments in diagnosis and treatment and future directions in the broad field of type 1 diabetes.

Prevalence of fear of hypoglycemia in adults with type 1 diabetes using a newly developed screener and clinician's perspective on its implementation

INTRODUCTION

Fear of hypoglycemia (FoH) affects quality of life, emotional well-being, and diabetes management among people with type 1 diabetes (PwT1D). American Diabetes Association's (ADA) guidelines recommend assessing FoH in clinical practice. However, existing FoH measures are commonly used in research and not in clinical practice. In this study, prevalence of FoH was assessed in PwT1D using a newly developed FoH screener for clinical practice; its association with established measures and outcomes was also determined. In addition, healthcare providers' (HCPs) perspectives on implementing FoH screener into real-world practice were explored.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

This multiphase observational study used mixed methods in two phases. First, we collected a cross-sectional survey (including the screener) from PwT1D (≥18 years) from T1D Exchange Quality Improvement Collaborative adult clinics. Pearson correlations and regression analyses were performed on diabetes outcome measures using screener scores. Second, we conducted focus groups among HCPs who treat PwT1D and descriptive analysis to summarize results.

RESULTS

We included 553 PwT1D. Participants had a mean±SD age of 38.9±14.2 years and 30% reported a high FoH total score. Regression analyses showed that higher A1c and higher number of comorbidities were significantly associated with high FoH (p<0.001). High FoH worry and behavior scores were significantly associated with 8-Item Patient Health Questionnaire and 7-Item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale scores. Participants with ≥1 severe hypoglycemia event(s) and impaired awareness of hypoglycemia had higher odds of high FoH. Eleven HCPs participated in focus group interviews; they expressed that the FoH screener is clinically necessary and relevant but poses implementation challenges that must be addressed.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results demonstrate FoH is common in PwT1D and affects their psychosocial well-being and diabetes management. In alignment with ADA position statement, HCP focus group results emphasize importance of screening for FoH. Implementing this newly developed FoH screener may help HCPs identify FoH in PwT1D.

Development and validation of fear of hypoglycemia screener: results from the T1D exchange registry

BACKGROUND

Fear of Hypoglycemia (FoH) in people with diabetes has a significant impact on their quality of life, psychological well-being, and self-management of disease. There are a few questionnaires assessing FoH in people living with diabetes, but they are more often used in research than clinical practice. This study aimed to develop and validate a short and actionable FoH screener for adults living with type 1 diabetes (T1D) for use in routine clinical practice.

METHODS

We developed an initial screener based on literature review and, interviews with healthcare providers (HCPs) and people with T1D. We developed a cross-sectional web-based survey, which was then conducted to examine the reliability and validity of the screener. Adults (aged ≥ 18 years) with diagnosis of T1D for ≥ 1 year were recruited from the T1D Exchange Registry (August-September 2020). The validation analyses were conducted using exploratory factor analyses, correlation, and multivariable regression models for predicting cut-off scores for the final screener.

RESULTS

The final FoH screener comprised nine items assessing two domains, "worry" (6-items) and "avoidance behavior" (three items), in 592 participants. The FoH screener showed good internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.88). The screener also demonstrated high correlations (r = 0.71-0.75) with the Hypoglycemia Fear Survey and moderate correlations with depression, anxiety, and diabetes distress scales (r = 0.44-0.66). Multivariable regression analysis showed that higher FoH screener scores were significantly associated with higher glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) (b = 0.04) and number of comorbidities (b = 0.03).

CONCLUSIONS

This short FoH screener demonstrated good reliability and validity. Further research is planned to assess clinical usability to identify patients with FoH and assist effective HCP-patient conversations.

'Didn't See the Need': Misperceptions about glucagon from the perspectives of people with diabetes and their caregivers

AIMS

Severe hypoglycaemia among people with diabetes who use insulin can be a life-threatening complication if left untreated. Although glucagon has been approved for treatment of hypoglycaemia since the 1960s, it has been underutilized. We aimed to understand the perceptions of people with diabetes and their caregivers about glucagon.

METHODS

We conducted in-depth, one-on-one telephone interviews with people with diabetes and their caregivers in the United States. The interviews included questions around general awareness of glucagon, reasons for owning or not owning glucagon, and suggestions for improving understanding of glucagon as treatment for severe hypoglycaemia. Initial synopsis and inductive codebook schema were used to analyse the responses by two independent researchers. Themes were developed from the codes, and codes were re-mapped back to the themes.

RESULTS

There were 60 dyads of people with diabetes and their caregivers (N = 120). Four themes developed from the interviews: (1) for most participants, the stated reasons for not owning or renewing a prescription for glucagon included unawareness of the medication, its advantages and its value; (2) misperceptions about glucagon occurred frequently; (3) caregivers often lacked confidence in administering reconstituted injectable glucagon; and (4) education and training from healthcare providers about glucagon would be welcomed.

CONCLUSIONS

This study emphasizes the need for healthcare providers to discuss hypoglycaemia prevention and events at each clinical visit, including the use of glucagon in the case of severe hypoglycaemia. Healthcare providers are encouraged to assess the knowledge of people with diabetes and their caregivers regarding treatment and prevention of hypoglycaemia.

Effectiveness of educational and behavioural interventions for reducing fear of hypoglycaemia among adults with type 1 diabetes: Systematic review and meta-analyses

AIMS

To summarize and critically appraise evidence regarding the effectiveness of educational and/or behavioural interventions in reducing fear of hypoglycaemia among adults with type 1 diabetes.

METHODS

Systematic searches of medical and psychology databases were conducted. Risk-of-bias was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Tools. Data were synthesized using random-effects meta-analyses for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and narrative synthesis for observational studies.

RESULTS

Five RCTs (N = 682) and seven observational studies (N = 1519) met the inclusion criteria, reporting on behavioural, structured education and cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) interventions. Most studies assessed fear of hypoglycaemia using the Hypoglycaemia Fear Survey Worry (HFS-W) and Behaviour (HFS-B) subscales. Mean fear of hypoglycaemia at baseline was relatively low across studies. Meta-analyses showed a significant effect of interventions on HFS-W (SMD = -0.17, p = 0.032) but not on HFS-B scores (SMD = -0.34, p = 0.113). Across RCTs, Blood Glucose Awareness Training (BGAT) had the largest effect on HFS-W and HFS-B scores, and one CBT-based program was as effective as BGAT in reducing HFS-B scores. Observational studies showed that Dose Adjustment for Normal Eating (DAFNE) was associated with significant fear of hypoglycaemia reductions.

CONCLUSIONS

Current evidence suggests that educational and behavioural interventions can reduce fear of hypoglycaemia. However, no study to date has examined these interventions among people with high fear of hypoglycaemia.

"It's embarrassing. I get angry. I get frustrated.": Understanding severe hypoglycemia and glucagon usage from the perspectives of people with type 1 diabetes

Introduction

This study characterized the emotional impact of severe hypoglycemia, views of glucagon, and barriers to glucagon use from the perspective of adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D).

Methods

Participants included individuals recruited from the T1D Exchange online community. The current study conducted 7 focus groups consisting of adults with T1D (N = 38, average age 49.4, SD = 16.11 years). Average duration of diabetes was 34.4 years (SD = 17.3) and average self-reported A1c was 6.8 % (SD = 0.7). Focus group interviews were recorded, transcribed, and thematically analyzed.

Results

A range of emotions was expressed about severe hypoglycemia including fear, anxiety, stress, frustration, shame, and embarrassment. Participants frequently identified prescription cost and insurance deductibles as barriers to glucagon use. Participants were also concerned about ease of administration-how difficult it is to prepare the glucagon in an emergency. Many participants expressed a preference for auto-injectables over nasal administration. Timing of glucagon action and time to recovery were high priorities. Some participants, while they had not self-administered glucagon, were interested in a mini-dose glucagon they could self-administer. They also identified desirable characteristics of glucagon treatment including reduced cost, long shelf-life, and quick activation.

Conclusions

These results highlight the attitudes about severe hypoglycemia and emergency treatment with glucagon. Healthcare professionals should assess glucagon training needs and knowledge when they meet with their patients with diabetes.

Diabetes-Related Worries and Coping Among Youth and Young Adults With Type 1 Diabetes

OBJECTIVE

Although mood and anxiety symptoms are common in youth with type 1 diabetes (T1D), little research has described their worries across developmental stages or the strategies they use to cope with these worries. This secondary data analysis aimed to describe and characterize common T1D-related worries and coping strategies from middle childhood through young adulthood.

METHODS

Twenty-three youth (9 children, 7 adolescents, and 7 young adults) completed semistructured qualitative interviews about health-related quality of life. We coded interview transcripts using thematic analysis to generate common themes of diabetes-related worries and coping strategies.

RESULTS

Participants' worries fell into four major themes: Managing Blood Glucose, Self-Efficacy for Diabetes Management, Interpersonal Relationships, and Lifestyle Impact, and eight youth denied having diabetes-related worries. Coping strategies fell into the three major themes: Attempts to Change Source of Worry, Attempts to Change Reactions to Worry, and Attempts to Orient Away from the Worry.

CONCLUSIONS

Youths' worries about various aspects of living with and feeling able to self-manage diabetes are important to consider across pediatric development as they can impact youths' participation in daily activities and future plans. By adolescence, youth report longer-term worries about the health and lifestyle implications of diabetes. Youths' reported coping strategies are generally consistent with existing coping frameworks, though our data suggest some possible refinements. Social support emerged as an important coping strategy for all age groups. Thus, interventions supporting youth in building and strengthening their social networks may be particularly beneficial in helping youth cope with their diabetes-related worries across development.

High prevalence of depressive symptoms among people with pediatric-onset and adolescent-onset type 1 diabetes: A cross-sectional analysis of the Diabetes Study from the Center of Tokyo Women's Medical University

AIMS

To investigate the prevalence of depressive symptoms by the age of onset of type 1 diabetes and its association with the condition of individuals with pediatric- and adolescent-onset type 1 diabetes.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This single-center cross-sectional study enrolled Japanese participants with type 1 diabetes. All participants completed a questionnaire about their diabetes-related condition and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, which was used to evaluate depression. Individuals with a Patient Health Questionnaire-9 score of ≥10 points were defined as having moderate depressive symptoms.

RESULTS

A total of 1,267 participants (mean age, 40 years; mean duration of type 1 diabetes, 21 years; 68% female; mean glycated hemoglobin, 7.8%) were included and classified according to the age of onset of type 1 diabetes to identify the proportion of moderate depressive symptoms in each group: 21% (0-12 years), 18% (13-19 years), and 13% (20-40 years). The prevalence of moderate depressive symptoms was significantly higher among participants with pediatric-onset type 1 diabetes (p<0.05). Moderate depressive symptoms were associated with increased glycated hemoglobin, neuropathy, and hypoglycemia unawareness.

CONCLUSIONS

Regular screening for depressive symptoms and hypoglycemia awareness is important. Healthcare professionals should provide appropriate psychosocial care for people with pediatric-onset and adolescent-onset type 1 diabetes from childhood through to adulthood.

Emergency Glucagon: a Focused Review of Psychosocial Experiences of Rescue Drugs for Type 1 Diabetes

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The purpose of this paper is to describe rescue glucagon types, safety, efficacy, and preferences, as well as to review articles regarding emergency glucagon usage, severe hypoglycemia, and the emotions of both phenomena. We conducted a review of current literature on glucagon usage and the emotional impact of severe hypoglycemia on people with diabetes (PwD) and the caregivers of people with type 1 diabetes (T1D).

RECENT FINDINGS

Minimal research exists pertaining to glucagon and severe hypoglycemic experiences in PwD, which is troubling considering the severity of risks and possible side effects. Recent articles described negative emotions such as fear, anxiety, stress, helplessness, shame, embarrassment, loneliness, frustration, hopefulness, and uncertainty surrounding glucagon usage. There is scarce research regarding PwD's emotions surrounding severe hypoglycemia and rescue glucagon use. Additional research is needed to investigate the emotions and feelings people with T1D and their caregivers' experience pertaining to severe hypoglycemia and emergency glucagon use.

The experience of a severe hypoglycaemic event from the perspective of people with diabetes and their caregivers: "What am I going to do?"

AIMS

Among people with diabetes using insulin, severe hypoglycaemia (SH) can be a life-threatening complication, if untreated. The personal experiences during an SH event from the perspectives of people with diabetes and their caregivers are not well-characterized. This study assessed the perceptions of the event and the decision making processes of people with diabetes (T1D n = 36; T2D n = 24) and their caregivers during SH events.

METHODS

In-depth one-on-one telephone interviews were conducted with dyads of people with diabetes and caregivers in the United States (n = 120). An initial synopsis and inductive codebook schema were used to analyse the data with two independent coders (kappa = 0.87-0.89). Themes were developed from the codes, and codes were re-mapped to the themes.

RESULTS

Four themes were formed: (1) Caregivers scramble to do the right thing and support people with diabetes in treating SH; (2) Decision making capacity is impaired during an SH event, often a panicked time; (3) People learn to manage SH events through their own experiences and frequently make lifestyle changes to prevent and treat future events; and (4) Discussion with healthcare providers about SH, and particularly SH treatment, is limited.

CONCLUSIONS

SH events are stressful and often evoke emotional reactions that can impair decision making. Thus, advance treatment planning of SH events needs to occur. Much of the knowledge about SH treatment derives from prior experience rather than healthcare provider guidance, suggesting a need for healthcare providers to initiate proactive discussions about SH treatment.

Tobacco use patterns and clinical outcomes in the T1D exchange

AIMS

This study examined associations between tobacco use and diabetes outcomes using the T1D Exchange Registry.

METHODS

Adult participants (N = 933) completed standardized questionnaires including self-reported outcomes: past year serious hypoglycemic and diabetic ketoacidosis episodes, diabetes self-care, diabetes distress, and self-monitoring of blood glucose. Chart-extracted outcomes included HbA1c, nephrology and neuropathy diagnoses, and BMI. We examined the relation of tobacco use status (never, former, current) and frequency of use (daily versus less than daily) to these outcomes.

RESULTS

The majority had never used tobacco (55%, n = 515); 27% (n = 252) were former users and 18% (n = 166) were current users (with 31% using daily). Tobacco status was associated with HbA1c, BMI, self-care, distress, and blood glucose monitoring frequency. Across most outcomes, current users evidenced worse values relative to never users, and former users were largely similar to never users. Daily use was associated with significantly worse outcomes on HbA1c, diabetes self-care, and distress scores relative to less than daily use.

CONCLUSIONS

These cross-sectional comparisons suggest that current tobacco use is associated with worse status on important clinical diabetes indicators. Former users did not evidence these deleterious associations. Findings point to potential diabetes-specific motivators that could inform tobacco cessation interventions.

Type 1 Diabetes, Sleep, and Hypoglycemia

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

To review the relationship between sleep and hypoglycemia, sleep characteristics, and their associations with glycemic control in persons with type 1 diabetes (T1D). The effects of sleep interventions and diabetes technology on sleep are summarized.

RECENT FINDINGS

Nocturnal hypoglycemia affects objective and subjective sleep quality and is related to behavioral, psychological, and physiological factors. Sleep disturbances are common, including inadequate sleep, impaired sleep efficiency, poor subjective satisfaction, irregular timing, increased daytime sleepiness, and sleep apnea. Some have a bidirectional relationship with glycemic control. Preliminary evidence supports sleep interventions (e.g., sleep extension and sleep coach) in improving sleep and glycemic control, while diabetes technology use could potentially improve sleep. Hypoglycemia and sleep disturbances are common among persons with T1D. There is a need to develop sleep promotion programs and test their effects on sleep, glucose, and related outcomes (e.g., self-care, psychological health).

Felix dies natalis, insulin… ceterum autem censeo "beta is better"

One hundred years after its discovery, insulin remains the life-saving therapy for many patients with diabetes. It has been a 100-years-old success story thanks to the fact that insulin therapy has continuously integrated the knowledge developed over a century. In 1982, insulin becomes the first therapeutic protein to be produced using recombinant DNA technology. The first "mini" insulin pump and the first insulin pen become available in 1983 and 1985, respectively. In 1996, the first generation of insulin analogues were produced. In 1999, the first continuous glucose-monitoring device for reading interstitial glucose was approved by the FDA. In 2010s, the ultra-long action insulins were introduced. An equally exciting story developed in parallel. In 1966. Kelly et al. performed the first clinical pancreas transplant at the University of Minnesota, and now it is a well-established clinical option. First successful islet transplantations in humans were obtained in the late 1980s and 1990s. Their ability to consistently re-establish the endogenous insulin secretion was obtained in 2000s. More recently, the possibility to generate large numbers of functional human β cells from pluripotent stem cells was demonstrated, and the first clinical trial using stem cell-derived insulin producing cell was started in 2014. This year, the discovery of this life-saving hormone turns 100 years. This provides a unique opportunity not only to celebrate this extraordinary success story, but also to reflect on the limits of insulin therapy and renew the commitment of the scientific community to an insulin free world for our patients.