Longitudinal Association of Depressive Symptoms, Binge Eating, and Quality of Life With Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Young Adults With Youth-Onset Type 2 Diabetes: The TODAY2 Study

Factors Affecting Quality of Life in Adolescents Living With Type 2 Diabetes: A Substudy of the Improving Renal Complications in Adolescents With Type 2 Diabetes Through REsearch (iCARE) Cohort

OBJECTIVES

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) disproportionately impacts adolescents living in challenging socioeconomic conditions. However, the impacts of T2D on quality of life (QOL) in this context are unknown. Our aim in this study was to evaluate QOL and identify its biological, psychological, and social determinants among adolescents living with and without T2D from similar sociodemographic backgrounds. Relationships between glycemic stability, early complications, and treatments of T2D and QOL were also examined.

METHODS

Ninety-two adolescents with T2D and 59 at-risk controls were included from the Improving Renal Complications in Adolescents With Type 2 Diabetes Through Research (iCARE) cohort. The main outcome was QOL (Pediatric QOL Inventory [PedsQL]). Biological covariates included age, sex, body mass index z score, glycated hemoglobin, estimated glomerular filtration rate, and urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio. Psychological factors included perceived stress (14-item Perceived Stress Scale) and mental distress (6-item Kessler scale). Social factors included food security (Household Food Security Survey Module) and income quintile. Multivariate linear regression analyses were used to identify factors associated with QOL between adolescents with and without T2D, and within the T2D cohort.

RESULTS

Mean total QOL scores among adolescents with T2D were lower than in controls (67.0±14.8 vs 71.7±16.2, p=0.04). Age, sex, and percent Indigenous ethnicity were not significantly different between groups. Mean duration of T2D was 2.3±2.0 years. In the multivariate analysis, QOL was not associated with diabetes status, but negative associations were seen between mental distress (β=-1.46, p<0.001) and food insecurity QOL (β=-6.26, p=0.037). No differences were seen between biological factors and QOL in either analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

Significant factors associated with decreased QOL in adolescents living with T2D include mental distress and food insecurity, indicating areas for targeted intervention.

Introducing Diagnostic Classification Modeling as an Unsupervised Method for Screening Probable Eating Disorders

Screening for eating disorders (EDs) is an essential part of the prevention and intervention of EDs. Traditional screening methods mostly rely on predefined cutoff scores which have limitations of generalizability and may produce biased results when the cutoff scores are used in populations where the instruments or cutoff scores have not been validated. Compared to the traditional cutoff score approach, the diagnostic classification modeling (DCM) approach can provide psychometric and classification information simultaneously and has been used for diagnosing mental disorders. In the present study, we introduce DCM as an innovative and alternative approach to screening individuals at risk of EDs. To illustrate the practical utility of DCM, we provide two examples: one involving the application of DCM to examine probable ED status from the 12-item Short form of the Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire (EDE-QS) to screen probable thinness-oriented EDs and the Muscularity-Oriented Eating Test (MOET) to screen probable muscularity-oriented EDs.

Psychosocial Factors and Glycemic Control in Young Adults With Youth-Onset Type 2 Diabetes

Importance

Youth-onset type 2 diabetes is associated with poor glycemic control and early onset of complications. Identification of psychosocial factors associated with poor glycemic control is needed to inform efficacious interventions.

Objective

To identify psychosocial factors associated with glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels in young adults with youth-onset type 2 diabetes.

Design, Setting, and Participants

For the iCount cohort study, HbA1c levels were measured twice (at baseline [T1] and at 1 year [T2]) during the last years (2017-2019) of the observational phase of the multicenter Treatment Options for Type 2 Diabetes in Adolescents and Youth (TODAY2) study. Participants were young adults who had been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes during childhood or adolescence. Data were analyzed from December 2021 to September 2023.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Glycemic control was examined categorically (high [≥8.0%] vs low [<8.0%] HbA1c), continuously (HbA1c level), and over time (change in HbA1c: decreased ≥0.5%, remained stable, or increased ≥0.5%). Psychosocial measures included beliefs about medicines, depression and anxiety symptoms, diabetes distress, diabetes self-efficacy, self-management support, and unmet material needs. Multivariable logistic and linear regression models evaluated the association of each psychosocial factor with the probability of T2 HbA1c of 8.0% or greater, T2 HbA1c level, and change in HbA1c.

Results

Of the 411 TODAY2 participants approached, 381 enrolled in the iCount study, and 348 with T1 and T2 HbA1c data comprised the analysis group. The 348 participants had a mean (SD) age of 26.1 (2.5) years and a mean (SD) HbA1c of 9.4% (2.8%). Most participants (229 [65.8%]) were women. In adjusted multivariable regressions, greater beliefs that diabetes medicines are necessary (odds ratio [OR], 1.19 [95% CI, 1.03-1.37]; P = .02), concerns about medicines (OR, 1.20 [95% CI, 1.00-1.45]; P = .049), diabetes distress (OR, 1.08 [95% CI, 1.02-1.15]; P = .006), and high distress (OR, 2.18 [95% CI, 1.15-4.13]; P = .02) increased the odds of high HbA1c at T2. Greater support (OR, 0.67 [95% CI, 0.46-0.97]; P = .04) and diabetes self-efficacy (OR, 0.91 [95% CI, 0.84-0.99]; P = .02) decreased the odds of high HbA1c at T2. Diabetes distress was associated with higher HbA1c level at T2 (coefficient, 0.08 [95% CI, 0.02-0.13]; P = .01). Beliefs that diabetes medicines are necessary (OR, 1.20 [95% CI, 1.03-1.39]; P = .02) and concerns about medicines (OR, 1.22 [95% CI, 1.00-1.47]; P = .048) increased the odds of an HbA1c decrease of at least 0.5% over 1 year.

Conclusions and Relevance

In this cohort study of young adults with youth-onset type 2 diabetes, beliefs about medicines, high diabetes distress, low diabetes self-efficacy, and self-management support were associated with high HbA1c over time. Future research should assess whether interventions that address these factors result in improved glycemic control in this at-risk group.

Psychiatric adverse events associated with GLP-1 receptor agonists: a real-world pharmacovigilance study based on the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System database

Background

Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) are widely used due to their profound efficacy in glycemic control and weight management. Within real-world contexts, the manifestation of certain psychiatric adverse events (AEs) has been observed, which is potentially linked to the administration of GLP-1 RAs. The objective of this study was to undertake a comprehensive investigation and characterization of the psychiatric AEs associated with GLP-1 RAs.

Methods

We retrieved reports of AEs associated with treatment with GLP-1 RAs during the period from the first quarter (Q1) of 2004 to Q1 2023 from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) database. Descriptive analysis was performed to examine the clinical characteristics and time to onset of the psychiatric AEs caused by GLP-1 RAs. Moreover, disproportionality analyses were performed using the reporting odds ratio (ROR) to identify GLP-1 RA-related psychiatric AEs.

Results

A total of 8,240 reports of psychiatric AEs were analyzed out of 181,238 AE reports with treatment with GLP-1 RAs. Among these cases, a higher percentage was represented by women compared to men (65.89% vs. 30.96%). The median age of these patients was 56 years, with an interquartile range (IQR) of 48-67 years, based on data available in 286 case reports. This study showed that the median time to onset of the overall GLP-1 RA-related AEs was 31 days (IQR = 7-145.4 days), which varied among GLP-1 RA regimens. Specifically, exenatide had a significantly longer onset time at 45 days (IQR = 11-213 days), with statistically significant differences from the onset times of the other five GLP-1 RAs (p< 0.0001). Moreover, eight categories of psychiatric AEs, namely, nervousness (ROR = 1.97, 95% CI = 1.85-2.11), stress (ROR = 1.28, 95% CI = 1.19-1.38), eating disorder (ROR = 1.57, 95% CI = 1.40-1.77), fear of injection (ROR = 1.96, 95% CI = 1.60-2.40), sleep disorder due to general medical condition-insomnia type (ROR = 2.01, 95% CI = 1.60-2.52), binge eating (ROR = 2.70, 95% CI = 1.75-4.16), fear of eating (ROR 3.35, 95% CI = 1.65-6.78), and self-induced vomiting (ROR = 3.77, 95% CI = 1.77-8.03), were defined as GLP-1 RA-related psychiatric AEs through disproportionality analysis.

Conclusion

Our findings demonstrate a significant association between GLP-1 RAs and the development of specific psychiatric AEs. Despite the observational nature of this pharmacovigilance study and the inherent limitations of the FAERS database, our preliminary findings in this work could provide a better basis for understanding the potential psychiatric AEs that may occur with GLP-1 RA treatment, assisting clinicians to focus on these AEs and provide early intervention for optimal risk management.

Effect of self-help interventions on psychological, glycemic, and behavioral outcomes in patients with diabetes: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

BACKGROUND

Self-help interventions are beneficial for patients with diabetes; however, related studies have reported conflicting results. To date, no review has examined the effect of self-help interventions on diabetes outcomes.

OBJECTIVES

To systematically evaluate the effects of self-help interventions on psychological, glycemic, and behavioral outcomes in patients with diabetes.

DESIGN

A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

METHODS

Five databases-PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, PsycINFO, and ClinicalTrials.gov-were searched from 1996, 1937, 1947, 1887, and 2000, respectively, to 2 June 2023. Studies that employed a randomized controlled trial design, enrolled adults with diabetes, implemented a self-help intervention as the main or an additional intervention, and reported the outcomes of interest were included. Studies providing self-help interventions to patients with gestational diabetes or pregnant women were excluded. The primary outcomes were diabetes distress, depression, and anxiety, and the secondary outcomes were glycemic and behavioral outcomes (self-management behavior, self-efficacy, and quality of life). Hedges' g and the associated 95 % confidence interval (CI) were calculated using a random-effects model to obtain the pooled estimates of short-, mid-, and long-term effects of self-help interventions. Heterogeneity was explored using I2 and Q statistics, and moderator analysis was performed to identify the sources of heterogeneity.

RESULTS

Of 17 eligible studies, 16 provided data for meta-analysis. We included 3083 patients with diabetes; the majority were women (61.95 %), and their average age was 55.13 years. Self-help interventions exerted significant short-term effects on diabetes distress (g = -0.363; 95 % CI = -0.554, -0.173), depression (g = -0.465; 95 % CI = -0.773, -0.156), anxiety (g = -0.295; 95 % CI = -0.523, -0.068), glycosylated hemoglobin level (g = -0.497; 95 % CI = -0.791, -0.167), self-efficacy (g = 0.629; 95 % CI = 0.060, 1.197), and quality of life (g = 0.413; 95 % CI = 0.104, 0.721; g = 0.182; 95 % CI = 0.031, 0.333; and g = 0.469; 95 % CI = 0.156, 0.783 for overall, physical, and mental domains, respectively). We also noted significant mid-term effects of self-help interventions on diabetes distress (g = -0.195; 95 % CI = -0.374, -0.016), self-management behavior (g = 0.305; 95 % CI = 0.155, 0.454), and overall quality of life (g = 0.562; 95 % CI = 0.315, 0.810). The certainty of evidence ranged from high to very low certainty for the measured outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Self-help interventions may have some positive effects on diabetes distress, anxiety, self-management behavior, and quality of life.

REGISTRATION

This review was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42022329905).

TWEETABLE ABSTRACT

This meta-analysis demonstrated that self-help interventions might improve psychological and behavioral outcomes in patients with diabetes.

Antihypertensive and Lipid-Lowering Medication Adherence in Young Adults With Youth-Onset Type 2 Diabetes

Importance

Youth-onset type 2 diabetes is associated with early development of chronic complications. Treatment of elevated blood pressure (BP), nephropathy, and dyslipidemia are critical to reduce morbidity. Data are needed on adherence to BP- and lipid-lowering medications in young adults with youth-onset diabetes.

Objective

To assess adherence and factors associated with adherence to BP- and lipid-lowering medications in young adults with youth-onset type 2 diabetes and diagnoses of hypertension, nephropathy, or dyslipidemia.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This cohort study measured medication adherence with 3 monthly unannounced pill counts at 2 time points 1 year apart during iCount, conducted during the last years (2017-2019) of the observational phase of the Treatment Options for Type 2 Diabetes in Adolescents and Youth study. Psychosocial factors associated with medication adherence were examined. Participants included individuals with youth-onset type 2 diabetes with hypertension, nephropathy, or dyslipidemia receiving diabetes care in their communities. Data were analyzed from September 2022 to September 2023.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The main outcome was BP- and lipid-lowering medication adherence, with low adherence defined as using less than 80% of pills and high adherence, at least 80% of pills. Psychosocial factors were measured using the Beliefs about Medicines Questionnaire and Material Needs Insecurities Survey.

Results

Of 381 participants in iCount, 243 participants (mean [SD] age, 26.12 [2.51] years; 159 [65.43%] women) with hypertension, nephropathy, or dyslipidemia were included in analysis. Among 196 participants with hypertension or nephropathy, 157 (80.1%) had low adherence. Participants with low adherence, compared with those with high adherence, were younger (mean [SD] age, 25.99 [2.41] vs 27.26 [2.41] years; P = .005), had higher glycated hemoglobin A1c (mean [SD], 10.33% [2.66 percentage points] vs 8.85% [2.39 percentage points]; P = .001), shorter diabetes duration (mean [SD], 12.32 [1.49] vs 12.90 [1.46] years; P = .03), and less education (eg, 17 participants [10.83%] vs 0 participants with no high school diploma; P = .004). Of 146 participants with dyslipidemia, 137 (93.8%) had low adherence and only 9 participants (6.2%) had high adherence. Of 103 participants with low adherence to BP-lowering medications and using oral hypoglycemic agents, 83 (80.58%) had low adherence to oral hypoglycemic agents. Beliefs that medications are necessary were higher for participants with high adherence to BP-lowering medications than those with low adherence in unadjusted analyses (mean [SD] necessity score, 16.87 [6.78] vs 13.89 [9.15]; P = .03). In adjusted multivariable analyses of participants with hypertension or nephropathy, having at least 1 unmet social need (odds ratio [OR], 0.20; 95% CI, 0.05-0.65; P = .04) and medication concerns (OR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.40-0.96; P = .01) were associated with worse medication adherence 1 year follow-up. Diabetes distress, self-efficacy, depressive and anxiety symptoms, and self-management support were not associated with 1-year medication adherence.

Conclusions and Relevance

These findings suggest that adherence to BP- and lipid-lowering medications was very poor in this cohort. To improve medication adherence and prevent early vascular events, approaches that identify and address medication concerns and unmet social needs are needed.

Emerging Adults with Diabetes in Safety-Net Care: Self-Management Influences and Patient-Provider Interactions

Emerging adults with diabetes, particularly in underserved communities, represent a growing but less studied population whose needs may differ from older adults. This study investigated perspectives of underserved emerging adults regarding diabetes self-management influences and provider interactions. Focus groups and interviews with emerging adults in a safety-net health care setting were conducted to identify perspectives regarding self-management influences and patient-provider interactions. Diabetes was perceived as a psychological burden complicated by busy lifestyles and competing responsibilities. Lack of resources, especially financial barriers, also limited self-management. Participants often perceived diabetes visits as standardized encounters providing access to diabetes supplies but desired additional guidance appropriate to their needs and life-stage. Participants valued encouragement and positive ongoing provider relationships for tailored informational and emotional support and support from family and peers. Providers and health care systems adapting to provide or facilitate this support will be better able to optimize diabetes management at and between visits.

[Mental disorders and diabetes mellitus (Update 2023)]

Psychiatric disorders and psychological problems are common in patients with diabetes mellitus. There is a twofold increase in depression which is associated with suboptimal glycemic control and increased morbidity and mortality. Other psychiatric disorders with a higher incidence of diabetes are cognitive impairment, dementia, disturbed eating behavior, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, bipolar disorders and borderline personality disorder. The coincidence of mental disorders and diabetes has unfavorable influences on metabolic control and micro- and macroangiopathic complications. Improvement of therapeutic outcome is a challenge in the modern health care system. The intentions behind this position paper are to rise awareness of this special set of problems, to intensify cooperation between involved health care providers and to reduce incidence of diabetes mellitus as well as morbidity and mortality from diabetes in this patient group.