New information about kids with type 1 and COVID, a possible link between pollution and type 2, a look at Dexcom's latest earnings call and a lot more.
We're trying something new for the next few weeks! Join Stacey live every Wednesday on Facebook for the top diabetes news and headlines or listen back via the podcast or on other social outlets.
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Podcast intro: Hi all! This episode is very different. Instead of a classic episode, I wanted to try something new. What you’re about to hear first aired live on our FB page. Join me every Wednesday this month at 4:30pm eastern for DC the news!
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Hi, I’m Stacey Simms, the host of what’s usually a weekly podcast providing info & inspiration for people with diabetes with a focus on people who use insulin. I’m trying something new. A short newscast full of the top diabetes news of the past week. And that’s all types of diabetes. We’ll debut here on FB Live and then share on other outlets, including the podcast.
The goal here is to get you up to speed – quickly – with good info.
And let’s not forget.. Diabetes Connections The News is brought to you by Inside the Breakthrough. A new history of science podcast full of “Did You Know Stuff”
Now.. let’s start!
In The News…
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The majority of children with type 1 who tested positive for COVID.. did just fine. According to the very first report about this, from Barbara Davis Center, 77% of children with type 1 who had COVID were cared for at home, without complications.
The children who were hospitalized were all diagnosed with diabetic ketoacidosis and the greatest risk for adverse outcomes was an A1C over 9. Fewer than 2% of all these cases required any respiratory support, and no deaths were recorded.
Kids with T1D and covid fared well: https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/950277
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Another study about kids and covid.. The incidence of severe diabetic ketoacidosis among children presenting with new-onset type 1 diabetes doubled during the pandemic period compared with 2019, according to data published in Pediatric Diabetes.
This research comes clinics in Canada from March to August 2020 and compared to the same period in 2019. The number of children diagnosed with T1D was similar but the frequency of DKA went from 45% to 68%.
What they called severe DKA went from 13% to 27%.
Speculation here is that fear of COVID kept people out of the doctor’s office until it was absolutely necessary, but these researchers say more education is needed around DKA even after the COVID pandemic ends.
More severe DKA in kids during covid: https://www.healio.com/news/endocrinology/20210422/severe-dka-at-type-1-diabetes-diagnosis-doubles-during-pandemic
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Hat tip to chris Wilson for this..
Dexcom had it’s first quarter earnings call last week. Still expecting G7 to launch in Europe ahead of the US, with US launch towards the end of the year. We’ll find out more details about the G7 at ATTD conference this summer. That’s the advanced technologies and treatments for diabetes conference.
Chief Operating Officer Quentin Blackford also reports that quote, “we rolled out an update to the G6 algorithm in the first quarter. We believe this update will drive further reductions to times in which data is temporarily unavailable And I've seen excellent results from the initial launch of this updated algorithm in Canada in 2020.”
I’ve talked to Dexcom a few times about how they can make changes to the transmitters and sensors that don’t require regulatory approval – no announcement they just roll them out. Looks like this was one of these.
https://www.fool.com/earnings/call-transcripts/2021/04/29/dexcom-inc-dxcm-q1-2021-earnings-call-transcript/
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Looking at type 2.. A new study suggests that people exposed long-term to certain air pollutants may have a higher risk of diabetes. This was part of the ongoing Jackson Heart Study which looks at African American patients in Mississippi.
The study included more than 5000 people ages 21 to 94 in the Tri-County Jackson area.. where traffic is the major source of ambient air pollution.
Levels of diabetes and of pollution exposure were assessed 1 and 3 years prior to visits 1 and 2. They reported a diabetes prevalence of 21.8% at visit 1 and 33.2.% at visit 2. Furthermore, 12.5% of those without diabetes at visit 1 developed it by the second visit.
Theses researchers say the results provide some evidence that the exposure is linked to diabetes. Apparently there are very few studies of environmental pollution risk factors in communities of color – these researchers say more follow up is needed.
Air pollutants and type 2 diabetes: https://www.hcplive.com/view/air-pollutants-associated-diabetes-prevalence
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Quick note about gestational diabetes. Turns out few women who meet the criteria for early gestational diabetes screening receive it. This study was only done at one location, but the authors say it’s indicative of a greater problem.
Only 12% of women who met the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists’ criteria for early gestational diabetes screening actually received it at a New York hospital. It’s recommended that all pregnant women be screened for gestational diabetes (GDM) at 24 to 28 weeks.
Nearly one-fifth of the women who met the criteria for early screening but were not screened were ultimately diagnosed with gestational diabetes further along in their pregnancy.
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Quick break – want to tell you about one of our great sponsors who helps make Diabetes Connections possible.
Inside the Breakthrough explores the idea of a “Eureka” moment. It’s historical wisdom mixed with modern insight – a little bit history show, little bit science show. The latest episode tells the story of Dr. Banting and the discovery of insulin. Every week is a different story – they’ve talked about snake oil and leaded gasoline & crime – but this week has info about the discovery of insulin that I’d never heard.. Banting had to sell his car to get money to buy dogfood. And of course, there’s scientific info as well. Listen to Inside the Breakthrough wherever you listen to podcasts..XX
Back to the news.. one of the pioneers of diabetes technology passed away this week. Helen Murray Free co-developed the dip-and-read diabetes test, a paper strip that detected glucose in urine.
She died on Saturday at the age of 98. Before the invention of the dip-and-read test in 1956, technicians added chemicals to urine and then heated the mixture over a Bunsen burner. The test was inconvenient, and, because it could not distinguish glucose from other sugars, results were not very precise.
Ms. Free and her husband figured out how get strips of filter paper to turn blue when glucose was present. The test made it easier for clinicians to diagnose diabetes and cleared the way for home test kits, which enabled patients to monitor glucose on their own.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/03/science/helen-murray-free-dead.html
And finally, big book launch this week – Chris Ruden is out with The Upper Hand: Leveraging limitations to turn adversity into advantage.
Chris is one of our favorite guests – he’s been on the podcast a couple of times. Chris was born with 2 fingers on his left hand and a shorter left arm. He was diagnosed with type 1 at age 19. He’s a champion power lifter – he’s been on the Titan Games and got a big hug from The Rock – and he’s out with a new book. Again it’s called The Upper Hand.. Congrats Chris!
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That’s our first Diabetes Connections – The News. I’m going to do this for about a month and see what the response is. If you like it, share it. And feel free to send me your news tips. Stacey @ diabetes dash connections dot com.
Please join me wherever you get podcasts for our next episode -Tuesday – we’re talking to the folks from Zealand Pharmacy about the newest shelf ready emergency glucagon -Zegalogue
Thanks and I’ll see you then!
