Gestational diabetes perception profiles based on attachment style: a cross-sectional study.

AIMS: Gestational diabetes (GDM) is a prevalent complication in pregnancy that requires effective self-management, which can be influenced by illness perceptions. Moreover, behavioral regulation can be affected by attachment styles. Thus, our study aimed to identify common GDM perception profiles and test their association with attachment styles. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 446 women completed the Relationship Questionnaire (RQ), the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (BIPQ), and additional items about GDM diagnosis, information, competence, adherence, behavioral change. Latent profile analysis (LPA) was conducted to determine GDM perception profiles. Multinomial logistic regression followed to calculate the association between GDM perception profiles and attachment styles. RESULTS: Three distinct profiles emerged: coping (n = 172, 38.6%)-characterized by the most positive GDM perception, burdened (n = 222, 49.8%)-indicating the emotional burden of the disease, and resourceless (n = 52, 11.7%)-reporting lack of resources (i.e. information, competence). Women with insecure attachment styles were more likely to develop a burdened GDM perception profile. Specifically, the expression of a fearful (OR = 1.184 [95%CI: 1.03; 1.36], p = 0.016) and a preoccupied (OR = 1.154 [95%CI: 1.01; 1.32], p = 0.037) attachment style increased the likelihood for a burdened perception profile, while a secure attachment style (OR = 10.791 [95%CI: 0.65; 0.96], p = 0.017) decreased likelihood for developing resourceless GDM perception profile. CONCLUSIONS: Three GDM perception profiles were identified and the role of attachment styles in shaping these perceptions was confirmed. Further studies are needed to investigate whether a tailored treatment approach based on the predominant attachment style could lead to more positive GDM perceptions, improved glycemic control, and better perinatal outcomes.

Effectiveness of a comprehensive telemedicine intervention replacing standard care in gestational diabetes: a randomized controlled trial.

AIMS: Telemedicine improves glycemic and perinatal outcomes when used as an adjunct to standard care in gestational diabetes (GDM). Little is known about its effectiveness when used instead of standard care. We aimed to compare the outcomes of telemedicine care and the standard care in women with GDM. METHODS: In a single-center, parallel, randomized controlled trial, women were randomized to: (1) a telemedicine group, sending glucose readings via an application installed on a smartphone and monthly individual video calls replacing on-site visits or (2) standard care group with routine monthly on-site visits. The primary outcome was the effectiveness of glycemic control. The secondary outcomes were gestational weight gain (GWG) and perinatal data, including birth weight, gestational age, the incidence of the offspring large for gestational age, preterm birth, preeclampsia and cesarean section. RESULTS: A total of 106 women were randomized to the telemedicine (n = 54) and the standard care group (n = 52). The telemedicine group demonstrated less postprandial measurements above the glycemic target (10.4% [3.9-17.9] vs. 14.6% [6.5-27.1]; p = 0.015), together with lower average postprandial glucose (5.6 ± 0.3 vs. 5.9 ± 0.4; p = 0.004). Percentage of cesarean section was lower in the telemedicine group (9 (17.3%) vs. 18 (35.3%); p = 0.038). CONCLUSIONS: Telemedicine offers an effective alternative to delivering care to women with GDM. Trial registration NCT05521893, ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier URL: https://www. CLINICALTRIALS: gov/ct2/show/NCT05521893?term=NCT05521893&draw=2&rank=1.

No Indices of Increased Type 2 Diabetes Risk in Individuals with Reactive Postprandial Hypoglycemia.

Reactive postprandial hypoglycemia (RPH) is an understudied condition that lacks clinical definition, knowledge of future health implications, and an understanding of precise underlying mechanisms. Therefore, our study aimed to assess the glycemic response after glucose ingestion in individuals several years after the initial evaluation of RPH and to compare glucose regulation in individuals with RPH vs. healthy volunteers. We assessed the inter- and intra-individual differences in glucose, insulin, and C-peptide concentrations during 5-h oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTTs); the surrogate markers of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR and Matsuda index); and beta-cell function (distribution index and insulinogenic index). The study included 29 subjects with RPH (all females, aged 39 (28, 46) years) and 11 sex-, age-, and body mass index (BMI)-matched controls. No biochemical deterioration of beta-cell secretory capacity and no progression to dysglycemia after 6.4 ± 4.2 years of follow-up were detected. RPH subjects were not insulin resistant, and their insulin sensitivity did not deteriorate. RPH subjects exhibited no differences in concentrations or in the shape of the glucose-insulin curves during the 5-h OGTTs compared to age- and BMI-matched controls. No increased incident type 2 diabetes risk indices were evident in individuals with RPH. This dictates the need for further research to investigate the magnitude of future diabetes risk in individuals experiencing RPH.

Carbohydrate Intake and Closed-Loop Insulin Delivery System during Two Subsequent Pregnancies in Type 1 Diabetes.

Carbohydrate intake is one of the main determinants of glycemic control. In pregnancy, achievement of tight glycemic control is of utmost importance; however, data on the role of hybrid closed-loop systems (HCLs) in pregnancy are scarce. Therefore, we aimed to assess glycemic control achieved through the use of HCLs, and its association with carbohydrate intake in type 1 diabetes pregnancy. We included data from women with a sensor-augmented pump (SAP) during their first pregnancy and HCL use during the subsequent pregnancy. Student's paired t-test was used to compare data between both pregnancies. Six women were identified, with age 30.2 ± 3.6 vs. 33.0 ± 3.6 years, diabetes duration 23 ± 5 vs. 26 ± 5 years, and baseline HbA1c 6.7 ± 0.7% (50.1 ± 7.7 mmol/mol) vs. 6.3 ± 0.6% (45.2 ± 6.5 mmol/moll) in the first and second pregnancies, respectively. Time with glucose in the range 3.5-7.8 mmol/L was 69.1 ± 6.7 vs. 78.6 ± 7.4%, p = 0.045, with the HCLs compared to SAP. Higher meal frequency, but not the amount of carbohydrate consumption, was associated with more time spent in the target range and lower glycemic variability. HCLs and meal frequency were associated with better glycemic control in a small series of pregnant women with type 1 diabetes. Whether this translates to better perinatal outcomes remains to be seen.

Exercise and nutrition in type 1 diabetes: Insights from the FinnDiane cohort.

Type 1 diabetes is a challenging disease, characterized by dynamic changes in the insulin need during life periods, seasons of the year, but also by everyday situations. In particular, changes in insulin need are evident before, during and after exercise and having meals. In the midst of different life demands, it can be very burdensome to achieve tight glycemic control to prevent late diabetes complications, and at the same time, to avoid hypoglycemia. Consequently, many individuals with type 1 diabetes are faced with diabetes distress, decreasing profoundly their quality of life. Today, the nationwide Finnish Diabetic Nephropathy (FinnDiane) Study, launched in 1997, has gathered data from more than 8,000 well-characterized individuals with type 1 diabetes, recruited from 93 centers all over Finland and has established its position as the world's leading project on studying complications in individuals with type 1 diabetes. Studying risk factors and mechanisms of diabetes complications is inconceivable without trying to understand the effects of exercise and nutrition on glycemic control and the development of diabetes complications. Therefore, in this paper we provide findings regarding food and exercise, accumulated during the 25 years of studying lives of Finnish people with type 1 diabetes.

Long-term population-based trends in the incidence of cardiovascular disease in individuals with type 1 diabetes from Finland: a retrospective, nationwide, cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disease is the main determinant of premature mortality in patients with type 1 diabetes. However, time trends regarding different types of cardiovascular disease in childhood-onset type 1 diabetes with a long timespan from the diagnosis of diabetes are not well established. This study aimed to investigate the cumulative incidence of cardiovascular disease in individuals with type 1 diabetes in a population-based cohort in Finland, the country with the world's highest incidence of type 1 diabetes. METHODS: In this retrospective, nationwide registry-based, cohort study, all patients who were diagnosed between Jan 1, 1965, and Dec 31, 1999 with type 1 diabetes when they were younger than 15 years old in Finland were followed up and monitored for the occurrence of cardiovascular disease (including coronary artery disease, stroke, peripheral artery disease, and heart failure) until the end of 2016 and for cardiovascular disease mortality until 2017. Cumulative incidences of cardiovascular disease were calculated by the Fine and Gray method according to the year of diabetes diagnosis using six diagnosis cohorts: 1965-69, 1970-74, 1975-1979, 1980-84, 1985-89, 1990-94, and 1990-95. Trends in cardiovascular disease event rates were analysed by Fine and Gray competing risks regression models using year of diabetes diagnosis as continuous variable. In addition, non-linearity in trends was assessed with restricted cubic splines. The excess risk of coronary artery disease and stroke was estimated by comparison with the risk in the Finnish general population by calculating standardised incidence ratios (SIRs) and their time trends. The data for Finnish general population were drawn from the Cardiovascular Disease Register of the National Institute of Health and Welfare. The SIRs were calculated as ratios of observed and expected number of events in individuals with type 1 diabetes during 1991-2014. FINDINGS: 11 766 individuals were included in this study. During 361 033 person-years of follow-up and a median of 29·6 years (IQR 22·3-37·9) follow-up, a total of 1761 individuals had single or multiple types of cardiovascular disease events. 2686 events (864 [32·2%] coronary artery disease events, of which 663 were acute myocardial infarctions; 497 [18·5%] strokes; 854 [31·8%] peripheral artery diseases, of which 498 were lower extremity amputations; and 471 [17·5%] heart failure events) were reported until Dec 31, 2016, and 1467 deaths until Dec 31, 2017. Cardiovascular disease risk decreased linearly by 3·8% (hazard ratio [HR] 0·96 [95% CI 0·96-0·97]; p<0·0001) by later calendar year of diabetes diagnosis (p<0·0001). There was a decrease in the SIRs for both coronary artery disease and stroke within all 10-year age groups under 65 years, except for stroke in the oldest age group. However, the SIR was still 8·9 (95% CI 3·9-17·5) for coronary artery disease and 2·9 (1·3-5·7) for stroke in those diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in the 1990s. Finally, the cardiovascular disease death rate decreased constantly by diagnosis year. INTERPRETATION: The risk of cardiovascular disease has decreased over time in Finland in individuals with childhood-onset type 1 diabetes. However, there is still considerable excess cardiovascular disease risk in individuals with type 1 diabetes compared with the general population. These results highlight the need for studies on the mechanisms of atherosclerosis from the time of diagnosis of type 1 diabetes to facilitate early and effective prevention of cardiovascular disease in these individuals. FUNDING: Folkhälsan Research Foundation, Academy of Finland, Wilhelm and Else Stockmann Foundation, Liv och Hälsa Society, Novo Nordisk Foundation, Finnish Foundation for Cardiovascular Research, Finnish Diabetes Research Foundation, Diabetes Research Foundation, Medical Society of Finland, Sigrid Jusélius Foundation, and Helsinki University Hospital Research Funds.

Prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms in women with gestational diabetes: a longitudinal cohort study.

AIMS: Prevalence of mental disorders in women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is not well defined; however, their presence could interfere with effective glucose self-management. Therefore, we aimed to assess the incidence of depression and anxiety symptoms in women with GDM in the 2nd and 3rd trimester of pregnancy and their impact on glycemic control. METHODS: We included consecutive women undergoing the GDM screening test at the University Medical Centre Ljubljana. Women with GDM (n = 77) and women without GDM (n = 103) completed questionnaires on depression and anxiety symptomatology, health locus of control and social support. RESULTS: The incidence of depression symptoms in the 2nd trimester is higher in women with GDM (23.4%) than in women without GDM (10.7%; p = 0.022; OR = 2.6). The incidence of depression and anxiety symptomatology did not change significantly from 2nd to 3rd trimester within both groups; however, an increase in the average severity of depression symptomatology was observed. Glycemic control was negatively associated with the external health locus of control. CONCLUSIONS: Our results highlight the need for depression screening early on during pregnancy, especially in women with GDM. Timely psychological support may contribute to better GDM management and possibly prevent negative pregnancy outcomes.

Sphingomyelin and progression of renal and coronary heart disease in individuals with type 1 diabetes.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: Lipid abnormalities are associated with diabetic kidney disease and CHD, although their exact role has not yet been fully explained. Sphingomyelin, the predominant sphingolipid in humans, is crucial for intact glomerular and endothelial function. Therefore, the objective of our study was to investigate whether sphingomyelin impacts kidney disease and CHD progression in individuals with type 1 diabetes. METHODS: Individuals (n = 1087) from the Finnish Diabetic Nephropathy (FinnDiane) prospective cohort study with serum sphingomyelin measured using a proton NMR metabolomics platform were included. Kidney disease progression was defined as change in eGFR or albuminuria stratum. Data on incident end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and CHD were retrieved from national registries. HRs from Cox regression models and regression coefficients from the logistic or linear regression analyses were reported per 1 SD increase in sphingomyelin level. In addition, receiver operating curves were used to assess whether sphingomyelin improves eGFR decline prediction compared with albuminuria. RESULTS: During a median (IQR) 10.7 (6.4, 13.5) years of follow-up, sphingomyelin was independently associated with the fastest eGFR decline (lowest 25%; median [IQR] for eGFR change: <-4.4 [-6.8, -3.1] ml min-1 [1.73 m-2] year-1), even after adjustment for classical lipid variables such as HDL-cholesterol and triacylglycerols (OR [95% CI]: 1.36 [1.15, 1.61], p < 0.001). Similarly, sphingomyelin increased the risk of progression to ESRD (HR [95% CI]: 1.53 [1.19, 1.97], p = 0.001). Moreover, sphingomyelin increased the risk of CHD (HR [95% CI]: 1.24 [1.01, 1.52], p = 0.038). However, sphingomyelin did not perform better than albuminuria in the prediction of eGFR decline. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: This study demonstrates for the first time in a prospective setting that sphingomyelin is associated with the fastest eGFR decline and progression to ESRD in type 1 diabetes. In addition, sphingomyelin is a risk factor for CHD. These data suggest that high sphingomyelin level, independently of classical lipid risk factors, may contribute not only to the initiation and progression of kidney disease but also to CHD. Graphical abstract.

Association between pre-pregnancy body weight and dietary pattern with large-for-gestational-age infants in gestational diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Both obesity and gestational diabetes (GDM) are associated with adverse outcomes. Diet during pregnancy impacts weight gain and fetal growth. Therefore, we aimed to explore non-pharmacological treatment success depending on pre-pregnancy body weight and its association with large for gestational age (LGA) infants in women with GDM. METHODS: In our observational study we investigated 57 singleton pregnant women with GDM. All women received standard treatment, including healthy diet education and regular medical checkups. Data were collected through blood analysis, medical records and questionnaires assessing diet before conception and during pregnancy. Differences in dietary patterns were compared in normal weight and overweight/obese group using Mann-Whitney U, Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test or Kruskal-Wallis test, as appropriate. Logistic regression was used for prediction of LGA. p-value less than 0.05 was used for statistical significance. RESULTS: Preconceptionally, the Mann-Whitney U test showed that the normal-weight group (n = 41) more frequently consumed fruits (U = 116.5, p < 0.001), eggs (U = 189.5, p = 0.02), cheese (U = 148.0, p = 0.003) compared to the overweight/obese group (n = 16), that consumed more beef (U = 407.0, p = 0.03) and low-calorie beverages (U = 397.0, p = 0.05). During pregnancy both groups improved their diet, with no differences detected. Personality types differed only preconceptionally with regard to healthy diet. Excessive gestational weight gain did not significantly differ between body-weight groups (16.6% vs. 23.1%), neither did the incidence of LGA infants (46.2% vs. 43.8%). Significant predictors of LGA were paternal height (OR = 1.12, 95% CI 1.01-1.23), 3rd trimester HbA1c (OR = 0.50, 95% CI 0.26-0.97), unemployment (OR = 4.80, 95% CI 1.12-20.61) and diet improvement during pregnancy (OR = 1.19, 95% CI 1.02-1.39). After adjustment improvement in diet was no longer a significant predictor for LGA. CONCLUSION: Even though dietary patterns of the participants significantly improved during pregnancy, LGA infants were born independently of pre-pregnancy weight or diet and despite good glycemic control. Further research is needed to explore social determinants of health and whether solutions outside the health sector could provide efficient means in preventing adverse pregnancy outcomes as well as improving metabolic health.

Physical Activity in the Prevention of Development and Progression of Kidney Disease in Type 1 Diabetes.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Physical activity is a fundamental part of lifestyle management in diabetes care. Although its benefits are very well recognized in the general population and in people with type 2 diabetes, much less is known about the effects of exercise in type 1 diabetes. In particular, exercise effects in relation to diabetic kidney disease (DKD) are understudied. Some uncertainties about physical activity recommendations stem from the fact that strenuous exercise may worsen albuminuria immediately after the activity. However, in middle-aged and older adults without diabetes, observational studies have suggested that physical activity is associated with a decreased risk of rapid kidney function deterioration. In this review, we focus on the role of physical activity in patients with DKD and type 1 diabetes. RECENT FINDINGS: Hereby, we present data that show that in individuals at risk of DKD or with established DKD, regular moderate-to-vigorous physical activity was associated with reduced incidence and progression of DKD, as well as reduced risk of cardiovascular events and mortality. Therefore, regular moderate-to-vigorous exercise should become a central part of the management of individuals with type 1 diabetes, in the absence of contraindications and accompanied with all needed educational support for optimal diabetes management.

The Association of Severe Diabetic Retinopathy With Cardiovascular Outcomes in Long-standing Type 1 Diabetes: A Longitudinal Follow-up.

OBJECTIVE: It is well established that diabetic nephropathy increases the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), but how severe diabetic retinopathy (SDR) impacts this risk has yet to be determined. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: The cumulative incidence of various CVD events, including coronary heart disease (CHD), peripheral artery disease (PAD), and stroke, retrieved from registries, was evaluated in 1,683 individuals with at least a 30-year duration of type 1 diabetes drawn from the Finnish Diabetic Nephropathy Study (FinnDiane). The individuals were divided into four groups according to the presence of diabetic kidney disease (DKD) and/or SDR (+DKD/+SDR, +DKD/-SDR, -DKD/+SDR, and -DKD/-SDR) at baseline visit. Furthermore, age-specific incidences were compared with 4,016 control subjects without diabetes. SDR was defined as laser photocoagulation and DKD as estimated glomerular filtration rate <60 mL/min/1.73 m2. RESULTS: During 12,872 person-years of follow-up, 416 incident CVD events occurred. Even in the absence of DKD, SDR increased the risk of any CVD (hazard ratio 1.46 [95% CI 1.11-1.92]; P < 0.01), after adjustment for diabetes duration, age at diabetes onset, sex, smoking, blood pressure, waist-to-hip ratio, history of hypoglycemia, and serum lipids. In particular, SDR alone was associated with the risk of PAD (1.90 [1.13-3.17]; P < 0.05) and CHD (1.50 [1.09-2.07; P < 0.05) but not with any stroke. Moreover, DKD increased the CVD risk further (2.85 [2.13-3.81]; P < 0.001). However, the risk was above that of the control subjects without diabetes also in patients without microvascular complications, until the patients reached their seventies. CONCLUSIONS: SDR alone, even without DKD, increases cardiovascular risk, particularly for PAD, independently of common cardiovascular risk factors in long-standing type 1 diabetes. More remains to be done to fully understand the link between SDR and CVD. This knowledge could help combat the enhanced cardiovascular risk beyond currently available regimens.

Self-reported Hypoglycaemia in Patients treated with Insulin: A Large Slovenian Retrospectively-prospective Study.

INTRODUCTION: Hypoglycaemia is the major barrier for glycaemic target achievement in patients treated with insulin. The aim of the present study was to investigate real-world incidence and predictors of hypoglycaemia in insulin-treated patients. METHODS: More than 300 consecutive patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes treated with insulin were enrolled during regular out-patient visits from 36 diabetes practices throughout the whole country. They completed a comprehensive questionnaire on hypoglycaemia knowledge, awareness, and incidence in the last month and last six months. In addition, in the prospective part, patients recorded incidence of hypoglycaemic events using a special diary prospectively on a daily basis, through 4 weeks. RESULTS: At least one hypoglycaemic event was self-reported in 84.1%, and 56.4% of patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, respectively, during the prospective period of 4 weeks. 43.4% and 26.2% of patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, respectively, experienced a nocturnal hypoglycaemic event. In the same time-period, severe hypoglycaemia was experienced by 15.9% and 7.1% of patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, respectively. Lower glycated haemoglobin was not a significant predictor of hypoglycaemia. CONCLUSIONS: Rates of self-reported hypoglycaemia in patients treated with insulin in the largest and most comprehensive study in Slovenia so far are higher than reported from randomised control trials, but comparable to data from observational studies. Hypoglycaemia incidence was high even with high glycated haemoglobin values.

Fatty kidney: emerging role of ectopic lipid in obesity-related renal disease.

The global increase in chronic kidney disease (CKD) parallels the obesity epidemic. Obesity conveys a gradual but independent risk of progression of CKD that seems irrespective of the underlying nephropathy. Obesity has been associated with a secondary focal segmental glomerulosclerosis coined obesity-related glomerulopathy (ORG). Pathways through which obesity might cause renal disease are not well understood, and early clinical biomarkers for incipient ORG or renal relevant obesity are currently lacking. Recent human and experimental studies have associated ectopic lipid accumulation in the kidney (fatty kidney) with obesity-related renal disease. There is enough growing insight that ectopic lipid--the accumulation of lipid in non-adipose tissue--is associated with structural and functional changes of mesangial cells, podocytes, and proximal tubular cells to propose the development of ORG as a maladaptive response to hyperfiltration and albuminuria. Recent advances in metabolic imaging might validate ectopic lipid as a biomarker and research aid, to help translate novel therapeutics from experimental models to patients.