Partial Clinical Remission of Type 1 Diabetes in Swedish Children: A Longitudinal Study from the Swedish National Quality Register (SWEDIABKIDS) and the Better Diabetes Diagnosis (BDD) Study.

Aims/Hypotheses: To investigate the frequency and characteristics of partial remission in Swedish children with type 1 diabetes and whether the insulin delivery method, that is, continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) or multiple daily injections (MDIs), affects incidence and duration of this period, 2007-2011. Factors that increase the proportion of subjects who enter partial remission and extend this period can improve long-term metabolic control and reduce the risk of severe hypoglycemia, improve quality of life, and, in the long run, reduce late complications. Methods: Longitudinal data from 2007 to 2020 were extracted from the Swedish National Quality Register (SWEDIABKIDS) with all reported newly diagnosed children. Data on C-peptide from the participants in the Better Diabetes Diagnosis study from 2007 to 2010 were used. The definition of partial remission was insulin dose-adjusted HbA1c: HbA1c (%) + [4 × total daily insulin dose (U/kg/day)] ≤9. Results: Of the 3887 patients, 56% were boys. More boys than girls were in partial remission throughout the follow-up period until 24 months after diabetes onset. Fewer children 0-6 years old had partial remission at 3 and 12 months but not at 24 months compared with older age-groups. A larger proportion of patients using CSII at 12 and 24 months remained in partial remission compared with those with MDI (37% vs. 33%, P = 0.02 and 31% vs. 27%, P = 0.01, respectively). The level of C-peptide was higher in the group with partial remission and mean HbA1c was lower (both P < 0.001). Partial remission at 12 months after diabetes onset was associated with CSII (odds ratio [OR]: 1.39, confidence interval [CI]:1.13, 1.71), shorter diabetes duration (OR: 0.80, CI: 0.76, 0.84), and male sex (OR: 1.23, CI: 1.04, 1.46). Conclusions/Interpretation: Insulin through MDI, longer duration of diabetes, and female sex were associated with lower frequency of partial remission. Use of CSII seems to contribute to longer partial remission among Swedish children with type 1 diabetes.

Entrustable professional activities (EPAs) for undergraduate medical education - development and exploration of social validity.

BACKGROUND: The development of entrustable professional activities (EPAs) as a framework for work-based training and assessment in undergraduate medical education has become popular. EPAs are defined as units of a professional activity requiring adequate knowledge, skills, and attitudes, with a recognized output of professional labor, independently executable within a time frame, observable and measurable in its process and outcome, and reflecting one or more competencies. Before a new framework is implemented in a specific context, it is valuable to explore social validity, that is, the acceptability by relevant stakeholders. AIM: The aim of our work was to define Core EPAs for undergraduate medical education and further explore the social validity of the constructs. METHOD AND MATERIAL: In a nationwide collaboration, EPAs were developed using a modified Delphi procedure and validated according to EQual by a group consisting of teachers nominated from each of the seven Swedish medical schools, two student representatives, and an educational developer (n = 16). In the next step, social validity was explored in a nationwide survey. The survey introduced the suggested EPAs. For each EPA, the importance of the EPA was rated, as was the rater's perception of the present graduates' required level of supervision when performing the activity. Free-text comments were also included and analyzed. RESULTS: Ten Core EPAs were defined and validated. The validation scores for EQual ranged from 4.1 to 4.9. The nationwide survey had 473 responders. All activities were rated as "important" by most responders, ranging from 54 to 96%. When asked how independent current graduates were in performing the ten activities, 6 to 35% reported "independent". The three themes of the free text comments were: 'relevant target areas and content'; 'definition of the activities'; and 'clinical practice and learning'. CONCLUSION: Ten Core EPAs were defined and assessed as relevant for Swedish undergraduate medical education. There was a consistent gap between the perceived importance and the certainty that the students could perform these professional activities independently at the time of graduation. These results indicate that the ten EPAs may have a role in undergraduate education by creating clarity for all stakeholders.

Saliva Cortisol in Girls With Functional Abdominal Pain Disorders: A Randomized Controlled Dance and Yoga Intervention.

Introduction: Functional abdominal pain disorders (FAPDs) are common among girls and has been associated with stress. Cortisol is one of the major stress hormones. Dance and yoga have been shown to reduce abdominal pain among girls with FAPDs. Aim: To investigate the effect of an 8-month intervention with dance and yoga on cortisol levels in saliva among girls with FAPDs. Methods: A total of 121 girls aged 9-13 years with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or functional abdominal pain were included in the study. Participants were randomized into an intervention group and a control group. The intervention group attended a combined dance and yoga session twice a week for 8 months. Saliva samples were collected during 1 day, in the morning and evening, at baseline, and at 4 and 8 months. Subjective pain and stress were assessed as well. Results: No significant effects on saliva cortisol levels between groups were observed after completion of the intervention at 8 months. However, evening cortisol and evening/morning quotient were significantly reduced at 4 months in the intervention group compared to the control group (p = 0.01, p = 0.004). There was no association between cortisol quota and pain or stress. Conclusion: Improvements in cortisol levels were seen in the intervention group at 4 months but did not persist until the end of the study. This indicates that dance and yoga could have a stress-reducing effect during the ongoing intervention.

Dance and yoga reduced functional abdominal pain in young girls: A randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Functional abdominal pain disorders (FAPDs) affect children, especially girls, all over the world. The evidence for existing treatments is mixed, and effective accessible treatments are needed. Dance, a rhythmic cardio-respiratory activity, combined with yoga, which enhances relaxation and focus, may provide physiological and psychological benefits that could help to ease pain. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a dance and yoga intervention on maximum abdominal pain in 9- to 13-year- old girls with FAPDs. METHODS: This study was a prospective randomized controlled trial with 121 participants recruited from outpatient clinics as well as the general public. The intervention group participated in dance and yoga twice weekly for 8 months; controls received standard care. Abdominal pain, as scored on the Faces Pain Scale-Revised, was recorded in a pain diary. A linear mixed model was used to estimate the outcomes and effect sizes. RESULTS: Dance and yoga were superior to standard health care alone, with a medium to high between-group effect size and significantly greater pain reduction (b = -1.29, p = 0.002) at the end of the intervention. CONCLUSIONS: An intervention using dance and yoga is likely a feasible and beneficial complementary treatment to standard health care for 9- to 13-year-old girls with FAPDs. SIGNIFICANCE: FAPDs affect children, especially girls, all over the world. The negative consequences such as absence from school, high consumption of medical care and depression pose a considerable burden on children and their families and effective treatments are needed. This is the first study examining a combined dance/yoga intervention for young girls with FAPDs and the result showed a reduction of abdominal pain. These findings contribute with new evidence in the field of managing FAPDs in a vulnerable target group.

Dance intervention for adolescent girls: Effects on daytime tiredness, alertness and school satisfaction. A randomized controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: Daytime tiredness is a risk factor for poor health and well-being in the short and long term and is often associated with sleep problems, stress-related mental health complaints and decreased school functioning. This study investigates the effect of an 8 month dance intervention study on daytime tiredness, alertness, sleep duration, sleep quality and school satisfaction. METHODS: Randomized controlled intervention study that included a total of 112 girls aged 13-18 years old with stress-related somatic and mental health problems. Dance intervention with focus on enjoyment were performed semiweekly for 8 months. Questionnaire-based measurements regarding self-reported daytime tiredness, alertness, school satisfaction, sleep duration and quality were evaluated at baseline and at 8-, 12- and 20- month follow-ups. RESULTS: Daytime tiredness decreased significantly in the dance group compared to control group at all follow-ups. Alertness increased significant within the dance group, but there were no significant difference compared to the controls. Significant improvements were found in all sleep quality items within the dance group, between groups only one significant result was found. No conclusive changes in sleep duration were observed. School satisfaction increased significantly in the dance intervention group; however, its significance compared to that of the control group faded after adjustment for differences between groups at baseline. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that a dance intervention focusing on enjoyment can be effective in decreasing daytime tiredness. This study also adds to the growing body of evidence for the benefits of using nonpharmacological interventions to decrease stress-related problems among adolescents.

A decade of improved glycemic control in young children with type 1 diabetes: A population-based cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Early-onset type 1 diabetes (T1D) is associated with high risk of early cardiovascular complications and premature death. The strongest modifiable risk factor is HbA1c. Other modifiable factors, such as overweight, also increase the risk of complications. During the last decade, the introduction of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) has offered new options in the treatment of T1D. OBJECTIVE: To compare treatment outcomes in children younger than 7 years with T1D in Sweden in two separate cohorts: one in 2008 and one in 2018. METHODS: All children in the national pediatric diabetes registry (SWEDIABKIDS) younger than 7 years with T1D were included. Data from 2008 and 2018 were analyzed. RESULTS: Data were available on 666 children (45% girls) in 2008 and 779 children (45% girls) in 2018. Mean age was 5.6 (1.4) versus 5.5 (1.4) years and mean diabetes duration 2.3 (1.4) versus 2.2 (1.4) years. The use of CGM increased from 0% to 98% and the use of an insulin pump from 40% in 2008 to 82% (p < 0.01)in 2018.Mean HbA1c was 58 mmol/mol (7.4%) in 2008 and 50 mmol/mol (6.7%) in 2018 (p < 0.01). The frequency of overweight and obesity was the same in 2008 and 2018(26% vs. 29%). CONCLUSION: During this decade, usage of CGM and insulin pump increased and HbA1c decreased. However, HbA1c remained higher than the physiological level and thus continued to represent a cardiovascular risk, especially in combination with overweight or obesity. The frequency of overweight and obesity remained unchanged.

Comparing continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion and multiple daily injections in children with Type 1 diabetes in Sweden from 2011 to 2016-A longitudinal study from the Swedish National Quality Register (SWEDIABKIDS).

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to compare metabolic control measured as hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), the risk of severe hypoglycemia, and body composition measured as body mass index standard deviation scores (BMI-SDS) in a nationwide sample of children and adolescents with Type 1 diabetes with continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) and multiple daily injections (MDI), respectively. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Longitudinal data from 2011 to 2016 were extracted from the Swedish National Quality Register (SWEDIABKIDS) with both cross-sectional (6 years) and longitudinal (4 years) comparisons. Main end points were changes in HbA1c, BMI-SDS, and incidence of severe hypoglycemia. RESULTS: Data were available from 35,624 patient-years (54% boys). In general, HbA1c decreased approximately 0.5% (2-5 mmol/mol) from 2011 to 2016 (ptrend < 0.001) and the use of CSII increased in both sexes and all age groups. Mean HbA1c was 0.1% (0.7-1.5 mmol/mol) lower in the CSII treated group. Teenagers, especially girls, using CSII tended to have higher BMI-SDS. There was no difference in the number of hypoglycemias between CSII and MDI over the years 2011-2016. CONCLUSIONS: There was a small decrease in HbA1c with CSII treatment but of little clinical relevance. Overall, mean HbA1c decreased in both sexes and all age groups without increasing the episodes of severe hypoglycemia, indicating that other factors than insulin method contributed to a better metabolic control.

Acute effects of aerobic continuous, intermittent, and resistance exercise on glycemia in adolescents males with type 1 diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: Increased levels of physical activity is often associated with reduced HbA1c in individuals with diabetes. However, the effect on glycemic control differs between different programs of exercise. The aim of this study was to compare the acute effects on glycemia of resistance and two aerobic continuous and intermittent exercise bouts in adolescent males with type 1 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Eight active males with type 1 diabetes (17.5 ± 0.8 years, BMI: 20.8 ± 2.2 kg/m2 , HbA1c: 7.2 ± 0.5% [54.9 ± 5.3 mmol/mol]) performed four experimental sessions-nonexercise (control), resistance exercise (RE) and two isocaloric continuous (CE) and intermittent (IE) cycling exercise trials-in a randomized order. Each session consisted of 45 min of exercise (except for the control modality) and 60 min of passive recovery. Venous blood was drawn for assessment of plasma glucose (PG). A two-way repeated-measures ANOVA was used for statistical comparisons. RESULTS: A significant time-to-exercise interaction effect on PG was detected. PG significantly decreased during IE (-5.1 ± 1.6 mmol/L) and CE (-5.4 ± 1.8 mmol/L) but not during RE (-1.0 ± 1.4 mmol/L, ns). Additionally, decreases in PG after IE and CE were sustained throughout the recovery period. CONCLUSIONS: While intermittent and continuous aerobic exercises are associated with a lowering of glycemia in male adolescents with type 1 diabetes, glycemia remained stable without significant alterations after resistance exercise. These findings hold important implications related to clinical exercise advice and disease management in adolescents with type 1 diabetes.

Combined Etanercept, GAD-alum and vitamin D treatment: an open pilot trial to preserve beta cell function in recent onset type 1 diabetes.

AIM: We aimed to study the feasibility and tolerability of a combination therapy consisting of glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD-alum), Etanercept and vitamin D in children and adolescents with newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D), and evaluate preservation of beta cell function. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Etanercept Diamyd Combination Regimen is an open-labelled multi-centre study pilot trial which enrolled 20 GAD antibodies positive T1D patients (7 girls and 13 boys), aged (mean ±SD): 12.4 ± 2.3 (8.3-16.1) years, with a diabetes duration of 81.4 ± 22.1 days. Baseline fasting C-peptide was 0.24 ± 0.1 (0.10-0.35) nmol/l. The patients received Day 1-450 Vitamin D (Calciferol) 2000 U/d per os, Etanercept sc Day 1-90 0.8 mg/kg once a week and GAD-alum sc injections (20 µg, Diamyd™) Day 30 and 60. They were followed for 30 months. RESULTS: No treatment related serious adverse events were observed. After 6 months 90-min stimulated C-peptide had improved in 8/20 patients and C-peptide area under the curve (AUC) after Mixed Meal Tolerance Test in 5 patients, but declined thereafter, while HbA1c and insulin requirement remained close to baseline. Administration of Etanercept did not reduce tumour necrosis factor (TNF) spontaneous secretion from peripheral blood mononuclear cells, but rather GAD65-induced TNF-α increased. Spontaneous interleukin-17a secretion increased after the administration of Etanercept, and GAD65-induced cytokines and chemokines were also enhanced following 1 month of Etanercept administration. CONCLUSIONS: Combination therapy with parallel treatment with GAD-alum, Etanercept and vitamin D in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes was feasible and tolerable but had no beneficial effects on the autoimmune process or beta cell function.

Celiac disease can be predicted by high levels of tissue transglutaminase antibodies in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes.

OBJECTIVES: Children with type 1 diabetes (T1D) are not included in guidelines regarding diagnosis criteria for celiac disease (CD) without a diagnostic biopsy, due to lack of data. We explored whether tissue transglutaminase antibodies (anti-tTG) that were ≥ 10 times the upper limit of normal (10× ULN) predicted CD in T1D. METHODS: Data from the Swedish prospective Better Diabetes Diagnosis study was used, and 2035 children and adolescents with T1D diagnosed between 2005-2010 were included. Of these, 32 had been diagnosed with CD before T1D. The children without CD were repeatedly screened for CD using anti-tTG antibodies of immunoglobulin type A. In addition, their human leukocyte antigen (HLA) were genotyped. All children with positive anti-tTG were advised to undergo biopsy. Biopsies were performed on 119 children and graded using the Marsh-Oberhüber classification. RESULTS: All of the 60 children with anti-tTG ≥10x ULN had CD verified by biopsies. The degree of mucosal damage correlated with anti-tTG levels. Among 2003 screened children, 6.9% had positive anti-tTG and 5.6% were confirmed CD. The overall CD prevalence, when including the 32 children with CD before T1D, was 7.0% (145/2035). All but one of the children diagnosed with CD had HLA-DQ2 and/or DQ8. CONCLUSIONS: As all screened children and adolescents with T1D with tissue transglutaminase antibodies above 10 times the positive value 10x ULN had CD, we propose that the guidelines for diagnosing CD in screened children, when biopsies can be omitted, should also apply to children and adolescents with T1D as a noninvasive method.

An Intervention With Dance and Yoga for Girls With Functional Abdominal Pain Disorders (Just in TIME): Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Functional abdominal pain disorders (FAPDs) affect many children worldwide, predominantly girls, and cause considerable long-term negative consequences for individuals and society. Evidence-based and cost-effective treatments are therefore strongly needed. Physical activity has shown promising effects in the practical management of FAPDs. Dance and yoga are both popular activities that have been shown to provide significant psychological and pain-related benefits with minimal risk. The activities complement each other, in that dance involves dynamic, rhythmic physical activity, while yoga enhances relaxation and focus. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to evaluate the effects of a dance and yoga intervention among girls aged 9 to 13 years with FAPDs. METHODS: The study is a prospective randomized controlled trial among girls aged 9 to 13 years with functional abdominal pain, irritable bowel syndrome, or both. The target sample size was 150 girls randomized into 2 arms: an intervention arm that receives dance and yoga sessions twice weekly for 8 months and a control arm that receives standard care. Outcomes will be measured at baseline and after 4, 8, 12, and 24 months, and long-term follow-up will be conducted 5 years from baseline. Questionnaires, interviews, and biomarker measures, such as cortisol in saliva and fecal microbiota, will be used. The primary outcome is the proportion of girls in each group with reduced pain, as measured by the faces pain scale-revised in a pain diary, immediately after the intervention. Secondary outcomes are gastrointestinal symptoms, general health, mental health, stress, and physical activity. The study also includes qualitative evaluations and health economic analyses. This study was approved by the Regional Ethical Review Board in Uppsala (No. 2016/082 1-2). RESULTS: Data collection began in October 2016. The intervention has been performed in 3 periods from 2016 through 2019. The final 5-year follow-up is anticipated to be completed by fall 2023. CONCLUSIONS: Cost-effective and easily accessible interventions are warranted to reduce the negative consequences arising from FAPDs in young girls. Physical activity is an effective strategy, but intervention studies are needed to better understand what types of activities facilitate regular participation in this target group. The Just in TIME (Try, Identify, Move, and Enjoy) study will provide insights regarding the effectiveness of dance and yoga and is anticipated to contribute to the challenging work of reducing the burden of FAPDs for young girls. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02920268); https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02920268. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/19748.

Translating glycated hemoglobin A1c into time spent in glucose target range: A multicenter study.

BACKGROUND: Approximately 90% of children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes in Sweden use continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), either as real-time CGM or intermittently scanned CGM to monitor their glucose levels. Time in target range (TIT) is an easily understandable metric for assessing glycemic control. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine the relation between TIT and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Subjects were recruited from three diabetes care centers in Sweden. Glucose data were collected for 133 children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes through CGM using Diasend. Subjects with registration time over 80% were included in the analysis. HbA1c was collected from SWEDIABKIDS, the Swedish pediatric diabetes quality registry. TIT was defined as 3.9 to 7.8 mmol/L (70-140 mg/dL) and time in range (TIR) as 3.9 to 10 mmol/L (70-180 mg/dL). RESULTS: During the period of 60 days, 105 subjects provided complete data for analysis. Mean age was 12.2 (±3.3) years, mean HbA1c was 53.9 (±8.2) mmol/mol or 7.1% (±0.7%). Mean sensor glucose value was 8.6 (±1.3) mmol/L, mean coefficient of variation was 42.2% (±7.2%), mean TIT was 40.9% (±SD 12.2%), and mean TIR was 60.8% (±13.1%). There was a significant nonlinear relation between TIT during 60 days and HbA1c, R2 = 0.69. CONCLUSION: This study suggests a nonlinear relation between time spent in glucose target range and HbA1c. The finding implies that time spent in TIT could be a useful metric in addition to HbA1c to assess glycemic control.

Effect of Vitamin D supplementation on body composition and cardiorespiratory fitness in overweight men-a randomized controlled trial.

PURPOSE: Several observational studies have shown an association between vitamin D deficiency and non-skeletal major health issues including impaired cardiorespiratory fitness and adiposity. Only a few studies have examined the impact of vitamin D supplementation on these conditions and the results are ambiguous. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of vitamin D supplementation on body composition and cardiorespiratory fitness in overweight/obese men with vitamin D deficiency. METHODS: This study was a prospective, placebo controlled, double blinded, randomized trial with a study period of 6 months. Forty overweight/obese men (BMI > 25 kg/m2) with vitamin D deficiency (25(OH)D ≤ 55 nmol/L) were randomized to receive either 2000 IU Cholecalciferol drops or the equivalent amount of drops of placebo. At baseline and follow up body composition and cardiorespiratory fitness were measured and blood samples were obtained. Body composition was measured using bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) and cardiorespiratory fitness using cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET). The primary outcomes were changes in percentage body fat and in maximum oxygen uptake (VO2max). RESULTS: No statistically significant difference between the placebo and the intervention group regarding changes in percentage body fat (p = 0.54) and VO2max (p = 0.90) was observed. Moreover, there was no statistically significant difference between the groups concerning changes in BMI (p = 0.26), maximum load (p = 0.89) and oxygen uptake at anaerobic threshold (AT) (p = 0.14). CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that treatment with 2000 IU/d vitamin D for 6 months does not impact body composition or maximum oxygen uptake in overweight/obese men with vitamin D deficiency.

Self-care management of type 1 diabetes has improved in Swedish schools according to children and adolescents.

AIM: Age-appropriate support for diabetes self-care is essential during school time, and we investigated the perceived quality of support children and adolescents received in 2015 and 2008. METHODS: This national study was based on questionnaires answered by children and adolescents aged 6-15 years of age with type 1 diabetes attending schools or preschools in 2008 (n = 317) and 2015 (n = 570) and separate parental questionnaires. The subjects were recruited by Swedish paediatric diabetes units, with 41/44 taking part in 2008 and 41/42 in 2015. RESULTS: Fewer participants said they were treated differently in school because of their diabetes in 2015 than 2008. The opportunity to perform insulin boluses and glucose monitoring in privacy increased (80% versus 88%; p < 0.05). Most (83%) adolescents aged 13-15 years were satisfied with the support they received, but levels were lower in girls (p < 0.05). More subjects had hypoglycaemia during school hours (84% versus 70%, p < 0.001), but hypoglycaemia support did not increase and was lower for adolescents than younger children (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Children and adolescents received more support for type 1 diabetes in Swedish schools in 2015 than 2008, but more support is needed by girls and during hypoglycaemia.

Improved diabetes management in Swedish schools: results from two national surveys.

BACKGROUND: Support in diabetes self-care in school is essential to achieve optimal school performance and metabolic control. Swedish legislation regulating support to children with chronic diseases was strengthened 2009. OBJECTIVE: To compare the results of a national survey conducted 2008 and 2015 measuring parents' and diabetes specialist teams' perceptions of support in school. METHOD: All pediatric diabetes centers in Sweden were invited to participate in the 2015 study. In each center, families with a child being treated for T1DM and attending preschool class or compulsory school were eligible. The parents' and the diabetes teams' opinions were collected in two separate questionnaires. RESULTS: Forty-one out of 42 eligible diabetes centers participated and 568 parents answered the parental questionnaire in 2015. Metabolic control had improved since the 2008 survey (55.2 ± 10.6 mmol/mol, 7.2% ± 1.0%, in 2015 compared with 61.8 ± 12.4 mmol/mol, 7.8% ± 1.1% in 2008). The proportion of children with a designated staff member responsible for supporting the child's self-care increased from 43% to 59%, (P < .01). An action plan to treat hypoglycemia was present for 65% of the children in 2015 compared with 55% in 2008 (P < .01). More parents were satisfied with the support in 2015 (65% compared with 55%, P < .01). CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that staff support has increased and that more parents were satisfied with the support for self-care in school in 2015 compared with 2008. More efforts are needed to implement the national legislation to achieve equal support in all Swedish schools.

Dietary fat intake predicts 1-year change in body fat in adolescent girls with type 1 diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine whether objectively measured physical activity and dietary macronutrient intake differentially predict body fat in adolescent girls with type 1 diabetes and control girls. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: This study comprised 23 girls (12-19 years) with type 1 diabetes and 19 age-matched healthy control girls. At baseline, physical activity and energy intake were assessed for 7 consecutive days by accelerometry and a structured food diary, respectively. Body composition was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry at baseline and after 1 year. RESULTS: Fat intake was positively related to a 1-year change in percentage body fat (P = 0.006), after adjustment for total energy intake. No significant interaction was observed (case-control group x main exposure), indicating that the association between fat intake and gain in body fat was similar in both groups. Physical activity did not predict gain in body fat; however, total physical activity was positively associated with a gain in lean body mass (P < 0.01). Girls treated with six daily dosages of insulin increased their percentage of body fat significantly more than those treated with four daily injections (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In this prospective case-control study, we found that fat intake predicted gain in percentage of body fat in both adolescent girls with type 1 diabetes and healthy control girls. The number of daily insulin injections seems to influence the accumulation of body fat in girls with type 1 diabetes.

Metformin as additional therapy in adolescents with poorly controlled type 1 diabetes: randomised placebo-controlled trial with aspects on insulin sensitivity.

OBJECTIVE: Metabolic control often deteriorates during puberty in children with type 1 diabetes. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether addition of metformin for 3 Months improves metabolic control and insulin sensitivity. DESIGN: Twenty-six of 30 randomised adolescents with type 1 diabetes (18 females, eight males) completed a double-blind placebo-controlled trial. Their mean age was 16.9+/-1.6 (s.d.) Years, mean glycated haemoglobin (HbA(1c)) 9.5+/-1.1% and daily insulin dosage 1.2+/-0.3 U/kg. The participants were randomised to receive oral metformin or placebo for 3 Months. HbA(1c) was measured Monthly, and peripheral insulin sensitivity was assessed by a euglycaemic hyperinsulinaemic clamp at baseline and at the end of the study. RESULTS: HbA(1c) decreased significantly in the group treated with metformin, from 9.6 to 8.7% (P<0.05), but was unchanged in the placebo group (9.5 vs 9.2%). Peripheral glucose uptake divided by mean plasma insulin concentration was increased in the metformin group (P<0.05) but not in the placebo group. Initial insulin sensitivity was inversely correlated to changes in HbA(1c) (r=-0.62; P<0.05) and positively correlated to changes in insulin sensitivity (r=0.77; P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: In this double-blind placebo-controlled study we found that metformin improves metabolic control in adolescents with type 1 diabetes. The effect seems to be associated with an increased insulin-induced glucose uptake.