Adherence to insulin pump treatment declines with increasing age in adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus.

AIM: This study assessed the impact of illness perceptions, emotional responses to the disease and its management, and patient characteristics on the adherence to optimal insulin pump management in adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus. METHODS: From May to December 2013 and May 2015 to September 2016, we investigated 90 adolescents (50% boys), 12-18 years with type 1 diabetes. We analysed the association of optimal adherence to insulin pump therapy to age, gender, diabetes duration, results of questionnaires relating to fear and problems of self-testing, illness perceptions, emotional distress and family conflicts. Optimal adherence was defined as bolusing insulin on average ≥2.5/3 main meals/d. RESULTS: Adolescents with suboptimal adherence were on average 1.8 years older (95% Confidence Interval 1.09-2.50 years, P < .001) than those with optimal adherence. After adjustment for age, no other patient or parent factors were related to optimal adherence. CONCLUSION: Adherence to insulin pump self-management in adolescents with type 1 diabetes declined with increasing age, illustrating the challenges of transition of self-management from parents to the adolescent patient themselves.

Seasonality of diagnosis of type 1 diabetes mellitus in the Netherlands (Young Dudes-2).

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate seasonality in the initial presentation of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) among Dutch children. METHODS: Observational, nationwide study in the Netherlands. Using the national registry for both healthcare reimbursement and pharmaceutical care, data of all Dutch children (aged 0-14 years) with a diagnosis of T1DM in the period 2009-2011 were obtained. RESULTS: During the study period (2009-2011) an average annual number of 2.909.537 children aged 0-14 lived in the Netherlands and 676 children were diagnosed with T1DM per year, translating into an annual incidence rate (IR) of T1DM of 23.2 per hundred thousand children (ptc). The annual IR differed significantly (p=0.03) between seasons: 6.4 ptc in winter, 4.9 ptc in spring, 5.4 ptc in summer and 6.6 ptc in autumn. This pattern was present within both boys and girls Conclusions: Among Dutch children aged 0-14 years, there is seasonality in the of T1DM with a peak incidence in autumn and winter.

The incidence of type 1 diabetes is still increasing in the Netherlands, but has stabilised in children under five (Young DUDEs-1).

AIM: This study described the incidence and prevalence of type 1 diabetes in children in the Netherlands in 2010-2011 and to compare these results with earlier studies. METHODS: This was a retrospective nationwide cohort study of Dutch children aged 14 years or younger. Patients were identified using health insurance reimbursement registries for hospital care and invoices for insulin. In the Netherlands, all children with diabetes are treated by hospital-based paediatricians and health care for all Dutch citizens is covered by law. RESULTS: The incidence of type 1 diabetes almost doubled between 1978-1980 and 2010-2011, from 11.1 to 21.4 per 100 000. In the youngest age group, who were under 5 years, the incidence rate doubled between 1996 and 1999 and remained stable after that. There were no relevant incidence differences between the sexes. The overall prevalence of type 1 diabetes in the Netherlands during 2009-2011 was 143.6 (95% confidence interval 141.1-146.2) per 100 000 children and was similar for boys and girls. CONCLUSION: The incidence of type 1 diabetes in children in the Netherlands almost doubled between 1978-1980 and 2010-2011, but the incidence in children under 5 years appeared to stabilise between 1996 and 1999. There were no statistical differences between the sexes.