Regular physical activity as a physiological factor contributing to extend partial remission time in children with new onset diabetes mellitus-Two years observation.

BACKGROUND: Beneficial effects of physical activity (PA) are confirmed in patients with all types of long-lasting diabetes. The possibility of PA to be a factor prolonging remission phase in children with new-onset type 1 diabetes (T1D) has not yet been thoroughly studied. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to elucidate the influence of regular PA on prevalence of partial remission (PR), metabolic control, daily insulin requirement (DIR), and C-peptide secretion in children newly diagnosed with T1D. METHODS: A total of 125 children diagnosed with T1D were studied prospectively for 2 years. Patients were controlled every 3 months and advised with PA according to ISPAD recommendations. Anthropometric parameters, HbA1c, C-peptide level and DIR were analyzed. Patients' PA level was assessed using a self-designed questionnaire. RESULTS: We classified 43% of participants as physically-active. In this group, lower HbA1c after 2 years, lower DIR after 3, 6 months, and after 2 years (all P < .05) were found. At discharge from hospital, the prevalence of DIR < 0.5 U/kg/24 h with near normoglycemia was similar in both groups. Then, we observed higher PR prevalence in active group lasting over time and resulting in 44% vs 13% after 2 years (P < .001). C-peptide after 2 years was comparable in both groups, with higher prevalence of clinically significant levels (>0.2 nmoL/L) in active group: 79.6% vs 61.4% (P = .029). CONCLUSIONS: These data support the view that regular PA may essentially contribute to extending PR time in pediatric diabetes, and may therefore lead to a better long-term metabolic control of the disease.

Five-year observation of the relationship between body mass index and glycated hemoglobin in children with Type 1 diabetes mellitus.

BACKGROUND: Poor metabolic control is a well-recognized risk factor for cardiovascular disease. However, the relationship between such factor as body weight and metabolic control in children with diabetes mellitus type 1 (DM1) is unclear. The aim of this study was to examine the relationships between body weight, age, metabolic control, sex, and form of insulin therapy in children with DM1. METHODS: This was a retrospective study of children with DM1 treated at one diabetes center for a minimum of 5 years since diagnosis. RESULTS: Median body mass index standard deviation score (BMI-SDS) increased annually (p = .0042) on average 0.08 ± 0.27 per year throughout the observation. As well HbA1c and daily dose insulin increased annually (p < .0001; p < .0001, respectively) on average by 0.43 ± 0.79 and by 0.13 ± 0.17 per year. Percentage of good metabolic control - HbA1c cut-off of 6.5% - gradually worsened in all patients over the 5 years, with a higher percentage of girls experiencing poor metabolic control (84.48% of girls vs. 77.87% of boys; p = .01895). No correlation between BMI-SDS and metabolic control (HbA1c) was found (R = 0.09, p = .60). CONCLUSIONS: Body weight appears to be more affected by non-diabetic factors (e.g. irregular eating and sedentary lifestyle) than by the clinical course of diabetes. Metabolic control and body weight must be maintained in all children with DM1 (males and females) to reduce their future risk of cardiovascular disease.

The influence of clinical and genetic factors on the development of obesity in children with type 1 diabetes.

The exact cause of the obesity epidemic remains unknown; however, both environmental and genetic factors are involved. People at risk of developing obesity include children with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), which in turn increases their cardiovascular disease risk. Here, we discuss the clinical and genetic factors influencing weight in patients with T1DM. In children with T1DM, the presence of obesity depends mainly on sex, metabolic control, and disease duration. However, genetic factors, including the fat mass and obesity-associated (FTO) gene, are also associated with body weight. Indeed, children with the FTO gene rs9939609 obesity-risk allele (homozygous = AA or heterozygous = AT) are predisposed to a higher body mass index and have a greater risk of being overweight or obese. However, in this review, we show that FTO gene polymorphisms only have a small effect on body weight in children, much weaker than the effect of clinical factors. The association between FTO gene polymorphisms and body weight is only statistically significant in children without severe obesity. Moreover, other genetic factors had no effect on weight in patients with T1DM, and further research involving larger populations is required to confirm the genetic basis of diabetes and obesity. Therefore, identifying the clinical features of children with T1DM, such as their initial body mass index, sex, metabolic control, and disease duration, will still have the strongest effect on reducing risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. Physicians should pay close attention to modifiable elements of these relationships, for example, metabolic control and energy and insulin intake, when caring for patients with T1DM. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Elevated levels of Th17 cells in children with central obesity.

BACKGROUND: It is believed that the recently discovered interleukin 17-producing Th17 cells play a role in the pathogenesis of chronic inflammation in the course of obesity and diabetes. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of our study was to complete data on this subject in children. METHODS: We assessed Th17 cell levels in the peripheral blood of children diagnosed with central obesity (n = 14) and compared the results with data obtained in patients with newly diagnosed (n = 11) and long-term type 1 diabetes mellitus (n = 18), and in a control group as well (n = 24). RESULTS: (i) Children with central obesity were characterized by higher percentages of Th17 cells as compared to children from the control group; (ii) in the peripheral blood of patients with long-term type 1 diabetes the Th17 cell counts were higher compared to the control group; (iii) total plasma cholesterol concentration correlated positively with Th17/Treg cells ratio; and (iv) among patients with long-term diabetes, disease duration correlated positively with Th17 cell count and Th17/Th1 cell ratio. CONCLUSION: The results of our study indicate that Th17 cells may be involved in chronic inflammation accompanying obesity and type 1 diabetes mellitus in children.

Disturbances of modulating molecules (FOXP3, CTLA-4/CD28/B7, and CD40/CD40L) mRNA expressions in the orbital tissue from patients with severe graves' ophthalmopathy.

Purpose. To evaluate the relationship between the expression of orbital tissue mRNA for FOXP3, CTLA-4/CD28/CD80/CD86, and CD40/CD40 and the severity of Graves' orbitopathy (GO). Material and Methods. Orbital tissue was obtained from 26 patients with GO, with mild (n = 6) or severe GO (n = 20), and 7 healthy controls. The expression of mRNA of FOXP3, CTLA-4/CD28/CD80/CD86, CD40/CD40L was measured by RT-PCR. TCR and CD3 were evaluated by immunohistochemistry. Results. Higher mRNA for FoxP3 (relative expression: 1.4) and CD40 (1.27) and lower expression of CTLA-4 (0.61) were found in the GO tissues versus controls. In severe GO as compared to mild GO higher mRNA expression for FoxP3 (1.35) and CD40 (1.4) and lower expression for CTLA-4 (0.78), CD28 (0.62), and CD40L (0.56) were found. A positive correlation was found between FOXP3 mRNA and CD3 infiltration (R = 0.796, P = 0.0000001). Conclusions. The enhanced FOXP3 mRNA expression in GO samples may suggest the dysfunction of FOXP3 cells in the severe GO. The diminished mRNA expression of CTLA-4 in severe GO may indicate inadequate T regulatory function. The enhanced mRNA expression of CD40 in severe GO and negative correlation to CRP mRNA may suggest their role in the active and inactive GO.

Disease associated clinical factors and FTO polymorphism: effect on body mass in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus.

BACKGROUND: One of the consequences of excessive weight gain during insulin therapy in type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is an increased predisposition to cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Not only clinical but also genetic factors may play a role in the pathogenesis of this phenomenon. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of cardiovascular disease risk factors as well as the fat mass and obesity associated (FTO) gene rs9939609 variant in a large group of children with T1DM of the same ethnic-Polish origin. A total of 1237 children with T1DM and 1015 controls were recruited. RESULTS: The proportions of patients with obesity, hypertension, and abnormal LDL-cholesterol levels among children with T1DM were significantly higher than those in the non-diabetic. There was a higher rate of overweight, central obesity, and abnormal LDL-cholesterol levels among girls in comparison to that in boys in the group of children with diabetes. Children with inadequate metabolic control were characterized by the presence of more CVD risk factors. Similar differences were observed in children treated with the use of pens versus those using insulin pumps. The FTO gene single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) correlated with body mass index (BMI) in both control and diabetic children, but the effect was lesser in diabetics. In a regression model the current BMI-SDS value in diabetics was significantly affected by the baseline BMI, disease duration, metabolic control, and subject's sex, but not the FTO genotype. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical rather than genetic factors have a greater impact on the development of overweight and obesity in insulin-treated children

Subclinical cardiovascular system changes in obese patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to determine the prevalence of excess body mass in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) children and to investigate the influence of obesity into the early, subclinical changes in cardiovascular system in these patients. METHODS: Fifty-eight JIA patients, aged median 13 years, were compared to 36 healthy controls. Traditional cardiovascular risk factors and inflammatory markers (hsCRP, IL-6, TNF α, adiponectin) were studied together with IMT (intima-media thickness), FMD (flow mediated dilation), and LVMi (left ventricle mass index) as surrogate markers of subclinical atherosclerosis. RESULTS: Thirteen JIA children (22%) were obese and had increased systolic blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides, insulin, HOMA, hsCRP, and IL-6 compared to nonobese JIA and controls. FMD was decreased compared to nonobese JIA and controls, whereas IMT and LVMi were increased. In multivariate regression analysis, TNF α, SDS-BMI, and systolic blood pressure were independent predictors of early CV changes in JIA. CONCLUSIONS: Coincident obesity is common in JIA children and is associated with insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, and increased levels of inflammatory markers leading to early changes in cardiovascular system. Thus, medical care of children with JIA should include strategies preventing cardiovascular disease by maintenance of adequate body weight.

Can the practice of mindfulness reduce medical errors?

Purpose: In this article we consider the impact of mindfulness as an effective method of coping with stress and review the available literature on this topic; in addition, we share our 5 years of experience working with final year medical students. Views: Working in a hospital is a demanding and stressful job. Despite the rapid development of new technologies, the number of medical errors is not decreasing. In this paper we look for effective methods to improve medical education with a focus on the effects of stress on situational awareness (SA) and executive functions (EF). This study provides information on the beneficial effects of mindfulness techniques that, by influencing EF and SA, can directly reduce physicians' errors. Conclusions: The authors of this paper contend that effective methods of coping with stress, including mindfulness, should be considered as an additional subject in the final years of medical education.

Overweight, obesity and features of metabolic syndrome in children with diabetes treated with insulin pump therapy.

There has been no specific evaluation of atherogenic risk factors in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) treated with continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII). We, therefore, studied the prevalence of overweight/obesity and metabolic syndrome among these patients. Five hundred children with T1DM treated with CSII and multiple daily insulin (MDI) regimen were included in the study. Anthropometric data/physical examination, data concerning diabetes, and a lipid profile were assessed in this group, and compared with respect to treatment method (CSII vs. MDI). Almost one-third (30.2%) of the children were overweight/obese. The body mass index (BMI) values at the time of the present evaluation were significantly higher in comparison with the BMI values 3-6 months after the diagnosis. Dyslipidemia was recognized in 51.6%, hypertension in 4.8%, and the metabolic syndrome in 3.2%. of the subjects. The overweight/obese children differed from their normal-weight counterparts with respect to metabolic control, the incidence of hypertension, dyslipidemia, and metabolic syndrome. The girls showed higher prevalence of overweight/obesity and higher BMI values compared to the boys. The children treated with CSII had the same prevalence of overweight/obesity, but a lower incidence of dyslipidemia, and a better metabolic control compared to the children treated with MDI regimen. Our study shows a high prevalence of overweight/obesity and dyslipidemia in children with T1DM including those treated with an insulin pump.

[Endothelial progenitor cells as a new marker of endothelial function with respect to risk of cardiovascular disorders]. / Komórki progenitorowe sródblonka jako nowy marker funkcji endotelium w ocenie ryzyka chorób ukladu sercowo-naczyniowego.

The discovery of endothelial progenitor cells (EPC), over a decade ago, has refuted the previous belief that vasculogenesis only occurs during embryogenesis. The results of several studies revealed altered number and impaired function of EPC in hyperlipidemia, hypertension, diabetes, obesity as well as in rheumatoid arthritis. The population of developmental age is characterized by higher counts of EPC compared to adults. However, among young patients with chronic disorders that affect the vascular system, the number of EPC decreases. The reduced circulating concentration of EPC has become a surrogate marker of endothelial function and has been implicated in the pathogenesis of many vascular diseases. This article aims to review the biology and pathophysiology of EPC in the conditions of cardiovascular risk factors. The potential possibilities of increasing EPC number and function as well as the use of EPC in the treatment of vascular pathology will also be discussed.

Mindfulness Is Related to the Situational Awareness of Medical Students Confronted with Life-Threatening Emergency Situations.

BACKGROUND: Emergency medicine can impose a heavy psychological burden on healthcare workers. Stress experienced during life-threatening situations may disrupt situational awareness (SA), i.e., the perception of environmental elements with respect to time and space, the comprehension of their meaning, and the projection of their state into the near future. We aimed to investigate whether mindfulness (a special way of paying attention: conscious, non-judgmental, and oriented to the present moment) can be related to the SA levels among final-year medical students confronted with life-threatening situations during medical simulations. METHODS: The simulations were constructed as high-fidelity scenarios in children and adults (ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT03761355). The components of mindfulness were assessed using the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire. SA among students was assessed using The Situation Awareness Global Assessment Technique at three levels: (1) data, (2) comprehension, and (3) projection. RESULTS: In total, 117 students were included. Level 1 SA positively correlated with the overall mindfulness score and its components, i.e., nonreactivity, conscious presence, and nonjudgment. Moreover, level 3 SA significantly correlated with the description, but not with the overall mindfulness score. A regression model showed that nonreactivity explained 34% of Level 1 of SA variability. The addition of conscious presence and nonjudgment into this model did not change its predictive value. CONCLUSIONS: nonreactivity a component of mindfulness of final-year medical students is related to the meticulous data collection of patients in life-threatening situations.

Mindfulness in healthcare professionals and medical education.

Healthcare professionals are exposed not only to the ubiquitous stress, but also to the culture of perfectionism. Therefore, they need tools to achieve a balance between work and rest in order to effectively help their patients. The study objective is a review of the literature on the implementation of mindfulness in healthcare professionals and medical students. The authors searched the literature in PubMed and Google Scholar databases for publications about "mindfulness" in "healthcare professionals" and "medical students." The search included manuscripts published to July 31, 2019. Mindfulness is a process of intentional paying attention to experiencing the present moment with curiosity, openness and acceptance of each experience without judgment. Mindfulness training leads to a better mood perception, lower stress perception, and responding to stimuli more effectively. All these features can have a potentially positive effect on healthcare service. The paper describes methods of intervention as well as their effects, which may be useful both in maintaining the well-being of healthcare professionals and in patient care. Mindfulness meditation has a beneficial effect on stress, depression, burnout, well-being and empathy among doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers. However, the method has a number of limitations, including a small number of participants, a high dropout rate in the intervention group and, above all, ceasing to practice mindfulness in the longer term after the course termination. Mindfulness can be widely implemented by healthcare professionals, thus improving their well-being and the quality of care they provide. Further standard scientific research is needed to confirm this impact. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2021;34(1):1-14.

Relationship between mindfulness, stress, and performance in medical students in pediatric emergency simulations.

Objectives: Pediatric teams of emergency departments work under extreme stress, which affects high-level cognitive functions, specifically attention and memory. Therefore, the methods of stress management are being sought. Mindfulness as a process of intentionally paying attention to each moment with acceptance of each experience without judgment can potentially contribute to improving the performance of medical teams. Medical simulation is a technique that creates a situation to allow persons to experience a representation of a real event for the purpose of education. It has been shown that emergency medicine simulation may create a high physiological fidelity environment similarly to what is observed in a real emergency room. The aim of our study was to determine whether the technical and non-technical skills of medical students in the course of pediatric high fidelity simulations are related to their mindfulness and stress. Participants and methods: A total of 166 standardized simulations were conducted among students of medicine in three simulation centers of medical universities, assessing: stress sensation (subjectively and heart rate/blood pressure), technical (checklists) and non-technical skills (Ottawa scale) and mindfulness (five facet mindfulness questionnaire): ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT03761355. Results: The perception of stress among students was lower and more motivating if they were more mindful. Mindfulness of students correlated positively with avoiding fixation error. In the consecutive simulations the leaders' non-technical skills improved, although no change was noted in their technical skills. Conclusion: The results of our research indicate that mindfulness influence the non-technical skills and the perception of stress of medical students during pediatric emergency simulations. Further research is needed to show whether mindfulness training leads to improvement in this field.

[The role of T-regulatory cells in the pathogenesis of immunological disturbances accompanying obesity and atherosclerosis]. / Rola limfocytów T-regulatorowych w patogenezie zaburzen immunologicznych towarzyszacych otylosci i miazdzycy.

Obesity and atherosclerosis, and their consequences, including cardiovascular disease, are plagues of the 21st century. Chronic inflammation, whose mechanism is not well understood, underlies the pathophysiological bases of both processes. T lymphocytes, macrophages, and the proinflammatory cytokines produced by these cells play key roles in the immunological disturbances accompanying obesity and atherosclerosis. It was recently shown that T-regulatory cells can play a role in these processes. T-regulatory cells are a small subpopulation of T cells which are responsible for inhibition of the immune response. In this review, experiments conducted in mice and human models on the role of diminished number and/or function of T-regulatory lymphocytes in the pathogenesis of immune disturbances accompanying obesity and atherosclerosis are discussed. The results of studies using T-regulatory cells to stabilize and decrease atherosclerotic lesions in blood vessel walls are also summarized. The results of experiments performed so far are encouraging and give some hope for the future use of T-regulatory cells in the therapy of obesity and atherosclerosis.

Relationship between Executive Functions, Mindfulness, Stress, and Performance in Pediatric Emergency Simulations.

Over the past decade, high-fidelity medical simulation has become an accepted and widely used teaching method in pediatrics. Both simulation and work in the real conditions of emergency departments are accompanied by stress that affects the executive functions of participants. One of the methods for reducing stress among medical students and healthcare professionals is the practice of mindfulness. The aim of this study was to examine whether executive functions, mindfulness, and stress are related to the technical and non-technical skills of medical students participating in medical simulations in pediatrics. The study included 153 final-year medical students. A total of 306 high-fidelity simulations of life-threatening situations involving children were conducted. Results: Stress and the coping mechanism of the participants were correlated to their skills during pediatric simulations. Some components of mindfulness, such as non-judgment and conscious action, were positively related to the skills of medical team leaders. Executive functions correlated with the non-technical skills and mindfulness of the medical students. Conclusions: Stress, mindfulness, and executive functions modeled the behavior and skills of medical students during pediatric simulations of life-threatening events. Further research in this area may prove whether mindfulness training will improve learning outcomes in pediatric emergency medicine.

Factors affecting weight and body composition in childhood cancer survivors-cross-sectional study.

Due to improved efficacy of antitumour treatment in the general population, there are increasingly more childhood cancer survivors. However, some of these survivors are at risk of distant complications including cardiovascular disease. We aimed to examine the risk of overweight/obesity and abnormal body composition in a large group of patients from our paediatric oncology centre. We used anthropometric methods and electrical bioimpedance to assess these features, and then determined their association with disease and treatment. We found patients treated for leukaemia/lymphoma (especially boys) had significantly higher rates of overweight/obesity compared to the other patient groups. On the contrary, overweight/obesity was more common in girls among patients treated for solid tumours. Patients treated for leukaemia/lymphoma were characterised by a higher body fat content compared to those treated for solid tumours and controls. During treatment for cancer, patients had a higher percentage of muscle mass deficiency compared to those in the control group. Our regression analysis showed time from completion of treatment, gender and type of therapy (radiotherapy, megachemotherapy) were associated with body weight and body composition including fat and muscle content. We recommend paediatricians and general practitioners should actively try to detect and prevent cardiovascular disease among childhood cancer survivors.

Increasing Co-occurrence of Additional Autoimmune Disorders at Diabetes Type 1 Onset Among Children and Adolescents Diagnosed in Years 2010-2018-Single-Center Study.

Objectives: The prevalence of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D) in children is growing, but its relation to other autoimmune disorders that coexist since the onset of diabetes is not recognized. The objective of this study was to assess the incidence of T1D and the prevalence of autoimmune illnesses additionally coexisting since the diabetes mellitus onset in children during a period of 9 years' observation. Methods: In this retrospective study, the incidence rate (IR) of the T1D was calculated as the total number of all cases that were newly diagnosed per 100,000 population people between 0 and 18 years of age. The selected age groups (0-4, 5-9, 10-14, and 15-18 years) were examined, respectively. The studied group included 493 children (264 [53.55%] boys) between 0 and 18 years old newly diagnosed with T1D in one of the Polish centers in the years 2010-2018. Other autoimmune illnesses diagnoses were obtained from medical records taken from the first hospital treatment, when T1D was recognized. Results: The annual standardized IR of T1D increased from 19.2/100,000 in year 2010 to 31.7/100,000 in 2018 (1.7-fold over 9 years' observation), with an increase in the incidence rate ratio (IRR) by 4% per year. The highest growth in IR was recorded in 5- to 9-year-olds (from 19.61 in 2010 to 43.45 in 2018). In 61 (12.4%) of the studied group, at least one additional autoimmune disease was diagnosed. The prevalence doubled from 10.4% in the year 2010 to 20.8% in the year 2018. Autoimmune thyroid illnesses were found in 37 children (7.5%); their incidence increased from 6.3% to almost 2-fold, 12.5%, in 2018. In 26 children (5.3%), celiac disease was recognized; the prevalence increased from 4.2 to 9.8% in the study period. The prevalence of additional autoimmune thyroid disease was higher in glutamic acid decarboxylase-positive antibodies (χ2 = 3.4, p = 0.04) patients, the oldest age group (15-18 years) (χ2 =7.1, p = 0.06), and in girls (χ2 =7.1, p = 0.007). Conclusions:The standardized IR of T1D in children increased 1.7-fold over the 9-year observation period, and IRR increased 4% per year. Additional autoimmunity represents a significant comorbidity in patients with new-onset T1D. The number of children diagnosed with additional autoimmune diseases that accompany T1D is rapidly growing in all age groups throughout recent years.

[The assessment of T regulatory cells in the peripheral blood of children with metabolic syndrome]. / Ocena limfocytów T regulatorowych we krwi obwodowej dzieci z zespolem metabolicznym.

UNLABELLED: The metabolic syndrome is defined as the co-existence of risk factors for the development of cardio-vascular disease: obesity, hypertension, insulin resistance and dyslipidemia. For a few years there has been a growing interest in immune-inflammatory aspects of obesity and metabolic syndrome. According to many authors the disturbances in the number and(or) function of T regulatory cells are responsible for autoimmune diseases. It is possible that they play a role in a pathogenesis of chronic inflammation accompanying obesity. THE AIM OF THE STUDY was to determine the percentages of T regulatory cells in children with metabolic syndrome. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Fourty seven children with metabolic syndrome were prospectively enrolled into the study according to the IDF criteria (central obesity and two of: hypertension, hypertriglycerydemia, low HDL, hyperglycemia/glucose intolerance/diabetes). With the use of five-colour flow cytometry the following percentages of T cells in the peripheral blood were assessed: CD4(+), CD4(+)CD25(high), CD4(+)CD25(high)FoxP3(+), CD4(+)CD25(high)CD127(low), CD4(+)CD25(high)FoxP3(+)CD127(low). RESULTS: In the group of children with metabolic syndrome we noted lower percentages of CD4(+)CD25(high) cells compared to control children: 1.7 vs. 3.7% (p = 0.01). The differences in CD4(+)CD127(low) cells were not statistically significant: 15.7 vs. 17.6% (p = 0.1). We did not observe the differences between examined and control group in the percentages of CD4(+)CD25(high)CD127(low) and CD4(+)CD25(high)FoxP3(+) cells (respectively: 0.54% vs. 0.58%, 0.49 vs. 0.59%, p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Results of our investigation suggest the lower percentages of CD4(+)CD25(high) but not other Tregs subpopulation cells in children with metabolic syndrome. The further research concerning the role of Tregs in the pathogenesis of immunologic disturbances accompanying metabolic syndrome will continue.

The Empowerment of Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes Is Associated with Their Executive Functions.

BACKGROUND: Adolescence is a difficult period for young people with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), both in psychological and clinical terms. Empowerment therapy may support these patients, provided they are ready to change and have adequate executive functions to facilitate this change. Therefore, we hypothesise that the readiness of adolescents with T1DM to change is related to clinical features and/or their executive functions. METHODS: Using the Diabetes Empowerment Scale and the Behavioural Rating Inventory of Executive Function, we evaluated patients with T1DM duration of more than one year from three Polish diabetes centres of the PolPeDiab study group (N = 146). We related the data to features associated with disease and treatment and compared the results to those of adolescents without diabetes (N = 110). RESULTS: We observed that adolescents with T1DM had a higher rate of abnormal results in executive function tests than their peers without diabetes (p > 0.05). Diabetes empowerment in this group of patients decreased with disease duration (r = -0.25, p = 0.006) and increased with deteriorating metabolic control (HbA1c; r = 0.25, p = 0.006). The greater the deficiencies in executive functions among adolescents with T1DM, the greater their readiness to change. The relationship between executive functions and diabetes empowerment is partially gender-differentiated. CONCLUSIONS: To conclude, we propose individualized diabetes education in this group of patients based on the assessment of readiness to change and executive functions.

[Myeloid-derived suppressor cells - the new mechanism of immunosuppression in cancer]. / Komórki supresyjne pochodzace z linii mieloidalnej- nowy mechanizm uposledzenia odpornosciw chorobach nowotworowych.

In this paper we summarized the current knowledge about the new mechanism of immunosuppression in cancer i.e. the lately discovered myeloid-derived suppresor cells (MDSC). MDSC are produced in bone marrow under the influence of tumor cell derived substances. MDSC show negative effect on T lymphocytes function through arginine depletion and nitric oxide production. In mice MDSC are characterized by Gr-1 and CD11b expression, however in human there are no definitive markers of this subpopulation. Some laboratory experiments in turning back the negative influence of MDSC on immunological system are provided, mainly through the administration of monoclonal antibodies against MDSC or drugs which block their function. The elucidation of MDSC characteristics can allow us to build new immunotherapeutic protocols in the future.