Association of COVID-19 and Development of Type 1 Diabetes: A Danish Nationwide Register Study.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the incidence of type 1 diabetes (T1D) before and during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and determine whether severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is associated with T1D development. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: All Danish residents aged <30 years free of diabetes from 2015 to 2021 were included. Individuals were followed from 1 January 2015 or birth until the development of T1D, the age of 30, the end of the study (31 December 2021), emigration, development of type 2 diabetes, onset of any cancer, initiation of immunomodulating therapy, or development of any autoimmune disease. We compared the incidence rate ratio (IRR) of T1D using Poisson regression models. We matched each person with a SARS-CoV-2 infection with three control individuals and used a cause-specific Cox regression model to estimate the hazard ratio (HR). RESULTS: Among 2,381,348 individuals, 3,579 cases of T1D occurred. The adjusted IRRs for T1D in each quarter of 2020 and 2021 compared with 2015-2019 were as follows: January-March 2020, 1.03 (95% CI 0.86; 1.23); January-March 2021, 1.01 (0.84; 1.22), April-June 2020, 0.98 (0.80; 1.20); April-June 2021, 1.34 (1.12; 1.61); July-September 2020, 1.13 (0.94; 1.35); July-September 2021, 1.21 (1.01; 1.45); October-December 2020, 1.09 (0.91; 1.31); and October-December 2021, 1.18 (0.99; 1.41). We identified 338,670 individuals with a positive SARS-CoV-2 test result and matched them with 1,004,688 control individuals. A SARS-2-CoV infection was not significantly associated with the risk of T1D development (HR 0.90 [95% CI 0.60; 1.35]). CONCLUSIONS: There was an increase in T1D incidence during April-June 2021 compared with April-June 2015-2019, but this could not be attributed to SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Quality of diabetes treatment in four orthopaedic departments in the Capital Region of Denmark.

INTRODUCTION: Hyperglycaemia during hospitalisation is associated with a longer and more complicated admission and with increased mortality. Therefore, guidelines suggest that blood glucose should be less than 10 mmol/l. In this audit, we aimed to describe the prevalence of diabetes patients at four orthopaedic departments in the Capital Region of Denmark and to measure the quality of in-hospital diabetes management. METHODS: We conducted audits of medical records in the electronic health record system for two months in 2019. All patients admitted were included in the audit. We gathered information on diabetes status, orthopaedic diagnosis, glycosylated haemoglobin and diabetes management. RESULTS: Among 2,463 included patients, 10% had diabetes. The three most frequent diagnosis groups were infection, fracture of lower extremity and hospitalised for alloplastic surgery. The number of blood glucose measurements during 24-hour perioperative care was 6.5. Among patients analysed, 10-20% did not have their blood glucose measured in the days following surgery. Among patients, 64% received insulin 1-50% of the required times. CONCLUSION: We demonstrated that 10% of hospitalised patients suffer from diabetes. The audit also showed that blood glucose is generally measured according to guidelines, whereas the treatment of an elevated blood glucose is far from being given according to guidelines. This may potentially delay recovery and prolong hospitalisation. FUNDING: none. TRIAL REGISTRATION: not relevant.

The influence on survival of glucocorticoid induced diabetes in cancer patients with metastatic spinal cord compression.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The influence of glucocorticoid induced hyperglycemia on survival in patients with metastatic spinal cord compression (MSCC) is unknown. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a prospective, observational cohort study 131 patients with MSCC referred to radiotherapy, 30 Gray (Gy) in 10 fractions, and treated with ≥100 mg prednisolone a day were followed with daily blood glucose measurements during radiotherapy. RESULTS: During follow-up a total of 56 patients 43% (95% CI = 35-52%) presented plasma glucose values diagnostic of diabetes. Sixteen patients who developed diabetes were treated with insulin, 12% (95% CI = [6%; 18%]) of the total population. The patients developing diabetes with need for insulin therapy during glucocorticoid therapy had a significantly increased mortality compared to those with normal glucose metabolism and with diabetes without need for therapy, hazard ratio = 2.1 (95% CI = 1.08-4.09, p = 0.0285). DISCUSSION: To our knowledge this is the first prospective study to describe the influence of glucocorticoid induced diabetes on survival in patients with MSCC from different primary tumors. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that development of diabetes during high-dose glucocorticoid therapy needing insulin treatment in patients with MSCC from different primary tumors is associated with reduced survival.

Glucocorticoid-induced diabetes in patients with metastatic spinal cord compression.

BACKGROUND: The risk of developing diabetes mellitus (DM) during treatment with high-dose glucocorticoids is unknown and monitoring of glucose is random in many settings. OBJECTIVE: To determine incidence of and risk factors for induction of DM during high-dose glucocorticoid therapy of metastatic spinal cord compression (MSCC) in patients referred to radiotherapy. Furthermore, to describe the time course of development of DM. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: 140 patients were recruited (131 were included in the analysis) with MSCC receiving high-dose glucocorticoid ≥100 mg prednisolone per day were included in a prospective, observational cohort study. The primary endpoint was development of DM defined by two or more plasma glucose values ≥11.1 mmol/L. Plasma glucose was monitored on a daily basis for 12 days during radiotherapy. RESULTS: Fifty-six of the patients (43%; 95% CI 35-52%) were diagnosed with DM based on plasma glucose measurements during the study period. Sixteen patients, 12% (95% CI 6-18%), were treated with insulin. At multivariate analysis, only high baseline HbA1c predicted the development of insulin-treated DM. An HbA1c-value <39 mmol/mol was associated with a negative predictive value of 96% for not developing DM needing treatment with insulin. The diagnosis of diabetes with need for insulin treatment was made within 7 days in 14 of the 16 (88%; 95% CI 72-100%) patients. CONCLUSION: The risk of developing DM during treatment with high-dose glucocorticoids in patients with MSCC referred to radiotherapy is high in the first treatment week. Only referral HbA1c predicts the development of DM.

Early incidence of glucocorticoid-induced diabetes in patients with brain tumors: a retrospective study of the first 7 days of treatment.

BACKGROUND: Hyperglycemia or diabetes is a well-known side effect of treatment with glucocorticoids. In patients with brain tumors, glucocorticoids are widely used to treat symptoms of peritumoral edema. We conducted a retrospective study of patients with suspected brain tumor to determine the incidence of and risk factors for glucocorticoid-induced diabetes. METHODS: This was a retrospective study of patients referred with suspected brain tumor to a neurological department, using data from a clinical database, electronic medical records, the laboratory system, and the pathology information bank. . Nondiabetic patients with a neuroimaging-verified brain tumor treated with high-dose glucocorticoid and monitored with glucose measurements were included in the study. RESULTS: Among 809 patients referred with suspected brain tumor, 171 were eligible for the study. Thirty-eight (22%) patients developed glucocorticoid-induced diabetes, defined as 2 glucose measurements ≥200 mg/dl (11.1 mmol/l) within the first week of treatment, and 4 of the patients were treated with insulin. The majority of patients with glucocorticoid-induced diabetes were identified on days 2, 3, and 4, and glucose levels were highest in the afternoon and evening. We were not able to identify any risk factors for glucocorticoid-induced diabetes and glucocorticoid-induced diabetes had no influence on survival in our cohort. CONCLUSIONS: Glucocorticoid-induced diabetes is frequent in the first 7 days of treatment in patients with brain tumors. The results emphasize the need for screening for glucocorticoid-induced diabetes in this group of patients to avoid comorbidity expected to arise from hyperglycemia.

Obstructive sleep apnoea is frequent in patients with type 1 diabetes.

AIM: Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) is frequent in patients with type 2 diabetes. The aim of this study is to evaluate prevalence of OSA in patients with type 1 diabetes. METHODS: In a cross-sectional design, all patients with type 1 diabetes attending the outpatient clinic were offered screening for OSA for one night with the ApneaLink+ home-monitoring device. OSA was classified by the Apnoea-Hypopnea index (AHI; apnoeas/hypopneas per hour sleep). Symptoms of OSA were scored using the Epworth Sleepiness Score. Presence of autonomic neuropathy was evaluated by the Vagus® device. RESULTS: A total of 200 of 518 eligible patients with type 1 diabetes (39%) participated (68% men; age 52±15years (mean±SD), diabetes duration 24±14years and BMI 25.3±3.3kg/m2). OSA was diagnosed in 92 patients (46% (95% CI: 40-53)). Five patients had known OSA, and OSA was newly diagnosed in 87 patients, predominantly mild OSA (60 patients (69%)). OSA was present in 32% of the patients with normal BMI, in 60% of overweight patients, and in 61% of obese patients. Patients with type 1 diabetes and OSA were largely asymptomatic and did not report more sleepiness than patients without OSA. At multivariate analysis, age, BMI and presence of nephropathy were positively associated with risk of OSA. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of asymptomatic OSA is high in a cohort of patients with type 1 diabetes. Older age, overweight, and presence of nephropathy are associated with OSA.

Vascular endothelial growth factor during hypoglycemia in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus: relation to cognitive function and renin-angiotensin system activity.

In healthy adults, levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) increase in response to mild hypoglycemia. VEGF is implicated in glucose transport over the blood-brain barrier, and the increase during hypoglycemia has been positively correlated with preservation of cognitive function during hypoglycemia. High activity in the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) is associated with an increased risk of severe hypoglycemia in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus. Renin-angiotensin system possibly exerts its mechanism in hypoglycemia via VEGF. We studied the impact of mild hypoglycemia on plasma VEGF in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus and high or low RAS activity and analyzed associations between VEGF levels and cognitive function during hypoglycemia. Eighteen patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus-9 with high and 9 with low RAS activity-underwent a single-blinded, placebo-controlled, crossover study with either mild hypoglycemia or stable glycemia. Cognitive function was assessed by the California Cognitive Assessment Package and the Alzheimer Quick Test. Nadir plasma glucose was 2.2 (0.3) mmol/L. During the control study, plasma VEGF did not change. During hypoglycemia, plasma VEGF increased from 39 to 58 pg/L in the high-RAS group (P = .004) and from 76 to 109 pg/L in the low-RAS group (P = .01), with no difference between RAS groups (P = .9). A weak association between reduced preservation of cognitive function during hypoglycemia and low VEGF response was observed. Plasma VEGF levels increase during mild, short-term hypoglycemia in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus. The VEGF response is not dependent on RAS activity and only weakly associated with preservation of cognitive function during hypoglycemia. Thus, the previously described association between low RAS activity and better cognitive performance during hypoglycemia does not seem to be mediated by VEGF.

[Spontaneous hemothorax from a fibrous pleural tumour in an expectant father. Is the delivery room a dangerous place for men?]. / Spontan haemothorax fra en fibrøs pleural tumor hos en vordende far. Er fødestuer farlige for maend?

A 34-year-old male was admitted to our department with dyspnoea and severe pain in the left hemithorax. The symptoms had started suddenly three days before in the delivery room when his child was being born. An X-ray of the chest showed a tumour in the left side of the mediastinum and a large left pleural effusion. This was confirmed by CT, which revealed a round mass 11 cm in diameter. During the operation a benign solitary fibrous tumour was radically resected from the pleura and a large hemothorax was removed. This unusual presentation with severe bleeding from a pleural tumour was most probably initiated by the expectant father's excitement during his wife's labour.