Metabolic control and complications in Italian people with diabetes treated with continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion

BACKGROUND AND AIM

The objective of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate the degree of glycaemic control and the frequency of diabetic complications in Italian people with diabetes who were treated with continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII).

METHODS AND RESULTS

Questionnaires investigating the organisation of diabetes care centres, individuals' clinical and metabolic features and pump technology and its management were sent to adult and paediatric diabetes centres that use CSII for treatment in Italy. Information on standard clinical variables, demographic data and acute and chronic diabetic complications was derived from local clinical management systems. The sample consisted of 6623 people with diabetes, which was obtained from 93 centres. Of them, 98.8% had type 1 diabetes mellitus, 57.2% were female, 64% used a conventional insulin pump and 36% used a sensor-augmented insulin pump. The median glycated haemoglobin (HbA_1c) level was 60 mmol/mol (7.6%). The HbA_1c target (i.e. <58 mmol/mol for age <18 years and <53 mmol/mol for age >18 years) was achieved in 43.4% of paediatric and 23% of adult participants. Factors such as advanced pump functions, higher rate of sensor use, pregnancy in the year before the study and longer duration of diabetes were associated with lower HbA_1c levels. The most common chronic complications occurring in diabetes were retinopathy, microalbuminuria and hypertension. In the year before the study, 5% of participants reported ≥1 episode of severe hypoglycaemic (SH) episodes (SH) and 2.6% reported ≥1 episode of ketoacidosis.

CONCLUSIONS

Advanced personal skills and use of sensor-based pump are associated with better metabolic control outcomes in Italian people with diabetes who were treated with CSII. The reduction in SH episodes confirms the positive effect of CSII on hypoglycaemia.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT 02620917 (ClinicalTrials.gov).

Spectral characterization of laser-accelerated protons with CR-39 nuclear track detector

CR-39 nuclear track material is frequently used for the detection of protons accelerated in laser-plasma interactions. The measurement of track densities allows for determination of particle angular distributions, and information on the kinetic energy can be obtained by the use of passive absorbers. We present a precise method of measuring spectral distributions of laser-accelerated protons in a single etching and analysis process. We make use of a one-to-one relation between proton energy and track size and present a precise calibration based on monoenergetic particle beams. While this relation is limited to proton energies below 1 MeV, we show that the range of spectral measurements can be significantly extended by simultaneous use of absorbers of suitable thicknesses. Examples from laser-plasma interactions are presented, and quantitative results on proton energies and particle numbers are compared to those obtained from a time-of-flight detector. The spectrum end points of continuous energy distributions have been determined with both detector types and coincide within 50-100 keV.

Transient neonatal hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia and neurological outcome: a case report

Transient neonatal hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia (TNHI) is a form of neonatal-onset hyperinsulinism which usually resolves completely in a few days or months. It is secondary to conditions such as maternal diabetes mellitus or intra-uterine growth retardation. Other rare causes of TNHI are perinatal asphyxia and gestational diabetes. Hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia (HI) is also observed in association with rare metabolic or genetic conditions. It can also occur in newborns without risk factors. TNHI is usually a transient phenomenon. However, some newborns can have prolonged HI that requires treatment with diazoxide, persists for several months and then resolves spontaneously. Neonatal hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia must be promptly and correctly diagnosed and treated in order to avoid neurological consequences. We describe a case of transient neonatal hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia in a full-term born without perinatal complications and appropriate for gestational age with an unfavourable neurological outcome.

[Staging error in bladder carcinoma: anatomo-clinical correlation]

Presentation of clinico-pathological correlation in a series of patients with bladder carcinoma. All of them had a complete pathological and clinical staging following TNM guidelines (UICC 1987). Clinical evaluation consisted of a clinical examination, urography and/or ultrasound, cystoscopy, bimanual palpation under anaesthesia and biopsy. As an option, pelvic CAT, MRI and a bone scan were performed. In all cases a reliable pathological staging was obtained, either from cystectomy or complete TUR. Overall, there is a 66% clinico-pathological correlation (60% for Ta category, 78% for T1, 25% for T2, 57% for T3, and 74% for T4). There is a global error of 34% (40% of cases clinically considered Ta were invasive, 16% T1 were pT2 or more, 42% T2 were pT3 or more, and 10% T3 were pT4; while 6% of those considered T1 were pTa, 33% of T2 were pTa or pT1, 33% of T3 were pT2 or less, and 26% of T4 were pT3 or less). We therefore conclude that when T is lower the risk of being clinically understaged is greater, while higher T values increase the risk of clinical overstaging. From a practical point of view, the most severe errors are in the understaging of T2 and T3 (pT3-pT4) tumours and the overstaging of T2 (pT1) tumours. When cystectomy is performed, the risk of understaging is greater for tumours interpreted as T2-T3 while the risk of overstaging T4 tumours is lower. We conclude that, even when adequate staging of bladder cancer is attempted, pre-treatment tumour classification using the diagnostic methods currently available is far from satisfactory.