Family structures and parents' occupational models: its impact on children's diabetes.

AIMS: This study examines how family-related factors influence the management of children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1DM). We investigate the relationship between family patterns, parental work schedules and metabolic control. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analysed data from a nationwide diabetes survey (DPV) focusing on HbA1c, severe hypoglycaemia, diabetic ketoacidosis, hospital admissions and inpatient treatment duration. We used linear regression and negative binomial regression models. Our study includes 15,340 children under the age of 18 with data on family structure and parental division of labour. RESULTS: Children from two-parent households have better HbA1c outcomes than children from single-parent, blended or no-parent households (p < .0001). Higher HbA1C levels are associated with children living with an unemployed father, as opposed to those with full-time working parents or with a full-time working father and a part-time working mother (p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: These findings emphasise the importance of carefully considering family structure and working time models in the management of paediatric T1DM. Our results highlight risk factors within the family environment and emphasise the need for family-focused counselling of high-risk patients or severe cases in clinical practice.

Mental Health and Health-Related Quality of Life in Austrian Adolescents with Chronic Physical Health Conditions: Results from the MHAT Study.

Chronic physical health conditions (CPHC) are on the rise in younger age groups and might have a negative impact on children and adolescents. In a representative sample of Austrian adolescents aged 10-18 years, internalizing, externalizing, and behavioral problems were assessed cross-sectionally using the Youth Self-Report and health-related quality of life (HrQoL) using the KIDSCREEN questionnaire. Sociodemographic variables, life events, and chronic illness specific parameters were considered as associated variables with mental health problems in individuals with CPHC. Of 3469 adolescents, 9.4% of girls and 7.1% of boys suffered from a chronic pediatric illness. Of these individuals, 31.7% and 11.9% had clinically relevant levels of internalizing and externalizing mental health problems, respectively, compared to 16.3% and 7.1% adolescents without a CPHC. Anxiety, depression, and social problems were twice as high in this population. Medication intake due to CPHC and any traumatic life-event were related to mental health problems. All HrQoL domains were deteriorated in adolescents with a double burden of mental and CPHC, whereas adolescents with a CPHC without mental health problems did not differ significantly from adolescents without a chronic illness. Targeted prevention programs for adolescents with a CPHC are urgently needed to prevent mental health problems in the long term.

Psychosocial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic for adolescents with type-1-diabetes: a qualitative interview study involving adolescents and parents.

This study aims to investigate the psychosocial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on adolescents with type-1-diabetes (T1D). We conducted 18 semi-structured interviews including adolescents with T1D (n = 10, 50% female, 15-18 years) and their parents (n = 8, 88% mothers). The main topics addressed were experiences during confinement regarding everyday life, lifestyle behaviors, diabetes management and treatment. We applied thematic analysis to identify common patterns of meanings. Being aware of belonging to a potential COVID-19 risk group caused worries especially in parents which resulted in strict adherence to preventive measures. Information from trustworthy sources regarding the actual risk mitigated the concerns. Digital diabetes treatment was well accepted and experienced as highly usable. The pandemic situation either facilitated or hindered the transition from parental control to diabetes self-management. While some patients managed to improve healthy lifestyle behaviors as their everyday lives seemed more predictable, others had difficulties in adapting to changed daily routines resulting in increased sedentary behavior and snacking. The perceived level of stress was directly associated with blood glucose levels. In conclusion, the implementation of psychological interventions (both for adolescents with T1D and their parents) addressing mental health literacy and media literacy seems to be important to promote positive coping skills for dealing with the pandemic situation.

Time in Range in Children with Type 1 Diabetes before and during a Diabetes Camp-A Ceiling Effect?

Background: The aim of this study was to assess and compare the time in range (TIR) of children with type 1 diabetes (T1D) before and during a diabetes summer camp using different therapy modalities. Methods: A retrospective analysis of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) data collected from 26 children with T1D (mean age: 11.0 ± 1.4 years; 62% female; 62% on insulin pump; Hb1Ac 7.3 ± 0.8% (56.3 ± 8.7 mmol/mol) before and during a 14-day summer camp. CGM methods: 50% intermittently scanned CGM (isCGM) and 50% real-time CGM (rtCGM). No child was using a hybrid closed loop system. Results: Mean TIR during camp was significantly higher than before camp ((67.0 ± 10.7%) vs. 58.2% ± 17.4%, p = 0.004). There was a significant reduction in time above range (TAR) (p = 0.001) and increase in time below range (TBR) (p < 0.001), Children using isCGM showed a more pronounced improvement in TIR during camp compared to rtCGM-users (p = 0.025). The increase in TIR strongly correlated with numbers of scans per day in isCGM-users (r = 0.751, p = 0.003). Compared to isCGM-users, rtCGM-users showed significantly less TBR. The TIR target was met by 30.8% of participants during camp. Conclusion: Glycemic control improved significantly during the camp. However, on average, the therapy goal (TIR > 70%) could not be achieved despite great professional effort.

Non-suicidal self-injury in adolescents and young adults with type 1 diabetes: clinical characteristics from a German diabetes-patient registry (DPV).

The aim was to examine the relations between non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) and clinical parameters as well as other psychiatric comorbidities in adolescents and young adults with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D). Patients aged 8-<=25 years with T1D and documented NSSI from the DPV database (n=167) were compared to a control group with T1D without NSSI or other psychiatric comorbidities (n=76,050) using multivariable regression models, adjusted for demographics. Clinical diabetes-related outcomes (haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), daily insulin dose, diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), hypoglycaemia, number of hospital days, number of hospital admissions) were analysed. NSSI patients had significantly higher HbA1c (%): (+1.1 [0.8; 1.4]), higher daily insulin doses: (+0.08 (U/kg), [0.02; 0.13]), more DKA events per patient year: (+1.79 [1.22; 2.37]), more hospital days per patient year: (+0.25 [0.20; 0.29]) and more frequent hospital admissions per patient year: (+0.93 [0.79; 1.06]) compared to T1D patients without NSSI or other psychiatric comorbidities (differences of adjusted estimates [confidence interval]). This is the first study to investigate the association between NSSI and T1D. We revealed that NSSI is significantly related to diabetes outcomes in adolescent T1D patients. There should be an increased awareness for NSSI in the care for adolescents and young adults with T1D.

Performance of three different continuous glucose monitoring systems in children with type 1 diabetes during a diabetes summer camp.

The aim of this study was to assess accuracy of the three most commonly used continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) systems in almost real-life situation during a diabetes camp in children with type 1 diabetes (T1D) aged 9-14 years. Data was gathered during a 2-week summer camp under physicians' supervision. Out of 38 participating children with T1D (aged: 11.0 [9.9; 12.1] years; 57% girls, mean HbA1c 7.2 [6.9; 7.7] %,) 37 wore a CGM system (either Abbott FreeStyle Libre (FSL), Dexcom G6 (DEX) or Medtronic Enlite (ENL)) throughout the camp. All concomitantly available data pairs of capillary glucose measurements and sensor values were used for the analysis. Mean absolute relative difference (MARD) was calculated and Parkes Error Grid analyses were done for all three systems used. In total 2079 data pairs were available for analysis. The overall MARDs of CGM systems used at the camp was FSL: 13.3% (6.7;21.6). DEX: 10.3% (5.8; 16.7) and ENL 8.5% (3.6; 15.6). During eu-, hypo- and hyperglycemia MARDs were lowest in ENL. Highest MARDs were seen in hypoglycemia, where all three systems exhibited MARDs above 15%. Overnight MARDs of all systems was higher than during daytime. All sensors performed worst in hypoglycemia. Performance of the adequately calibrated Medtronic system outperformed the factory-calibrated sensors. For clinical practice, it is important to adequately train children with T1D and families in the correct procedures for sensors that require calibrations.

Personality, Coping and Developmental Conditions in Female Adolescents and Young Adults with Type 1 Diabetes: Influence on Metabolic Control and Quality of Life.

Objective: To assess personality factors, coping, developmental conditions and quality of life in female adolescents and young adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and high vs.low HbA1c. Methods: Patients were approached at the Department for Pediatrics, Medical University of Vienna; n = 129 female adolescents (10 to 23 years, mean age 15.21 ± 2.91) with type 1 diabetes were included. HIGH-A1c was defined as HbA1c > 7.5%, LOW-A1c as HbA1c ≤ 7.5% and compared to a sample of 56 age-matched female healthy controls. Self-rating questionnaires were used to assess psychosocial factors: Children's Depression Inventory (CDI); Junior Temperament and Character Inventory (J-TCI); Eating Disorders Inventory-2 (EDI-2); KIDCOPE; Subjective Family Image Test (SFIT) and Inventory of Life Quality in Children and Adolescents(ILC). Results: T1D patients with HIGH-A1c were younger at the age of diabetes onset, had a longer diabetes duration, a higher maximum BMI, higher depression score, and higher frequency of diabetic ketoacidosis in the last year. They showed significantly higher levels of fatigue, lower levels of taking responsibility, lower ability to set goals and lower self-acceptance, as well as higher levels of ineffectiveness, lower levels of emotional attachment within the family, in particular with the fathers, and used negative coping strategies more often compared to patients with LOW-A1c. Furthermore, they reported significantly higher burden of illness and lower quality of life. Conclusions: Disadvantageous personality and coping styles as well as developmental conditions should be addressed in the treatment of female adolescents with T1D with management problems.

Type 1 diabetes and epilepsy in childhood and adolescence: Do glutamic acid decarboxylase autoantibodies play a role? Data from the German/Austrian/Swiss/Luxembourgian DPV Registry.

AIMS: We aimed to analyze the relationship between epilepsy and glutamic acid decarboxylase autoantibodies (GADA) in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and the impact of GADA on demographic, clinical, and metabolic data in T1DM patients with epilepsy. METHODS: We searched for patients with T1DM ≤20 years and GADA measurements, and within this group for patients with epilepsy. We formed groups: T1DM + Epilepsy + GADA positive; T1DM + Epilepsy + GADA negative; T1DM + GADA positive; T1DM + GADA negative. We used logistic regression to analyze the relationship between epilepsy and GADA with odds ratio adjusted for sex, duration of diabetes (DOD), and age at diabetes onset (ADO). We used logistic regression with odds ratio adjusted for DOD and ADO onset using epilepsy as a dependent variable and GADA, HbA1c, ketoacidosis, severe hypoglycemia (SH), sex, celiac disease, and autoimmune thyroiditis as independent variables. We conducted regression analyses adjusted for sex, DOD, and ADO to analyze differences in clinical/metabolic parameters between the groups. RESULTS: Epilepsy was not more frequent in GADA-positive patients (GPP). Logistic regression including all patients with GADA measurements showed that hypoglycemia with coma (HC) correlated with epilepsy when compared to no SH. We found no differences in clinical and metabolic data between GPP and GADA-negative patients (GNP) with epilepsy. SH occurred more often in GPP with epilepsy in comparison to GPP without epilepsy. GNP with epilepsy had a higher rate of HC than GPP without epilepsy. CONCLUSION: We found no relationship between epilepsy and GADA. A relationship between T1DM and epilepsy might be explainable by SH.

Association of insulin-manipulation and psychiatric disorders: A systematic epidemiological evaluation of adolescents with type 1 diabetes in Austria.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to systematically assess the association of insulin-manipulation (intentional under- and/or overdosing of insulin), psychiatric comorbidity and diabetes complications. METHODS: Two diagnostic interviews (Diabetes-Self-Management-Patient-Interview and Children's-Diagnostic-Interview for Psychiatric Disorders) were conducted with 241 patients (age 10-22) with type 1 diabetes (T1D) from 21 randomly selected Austrian diabetes care centers. Medical data was derived from medical records. RESULTS: Psychiatric comorbidity was found in nearly half of the patients with insulin-manipulation (46.3%) compared to a rate of 17.5% in patients, adherent to the prescribed insulin therapy. Depression (18.3% vs 4.9%), specific phobia (21.1% vs 2.9%), social phobia (7.0% vs 0%), and eating disorders (12.7% vs 1.9%) were elevated in patients with insulin-manipulation. Females (37.7%) were more often diagnosed (P = 0.001) with psychiatric disorders than males (18.4%). In females, the percentage of psychiatric comorbidity significantly increased with the level of non-adherence to insulin therapy. Insulin-manipulation had an effect of +0.89% in HbA1c (P = <0.001) compared to patients adherent to insulin therapy, while there was no association of psychiatric comorbidity with metabolic control (HbA1c 8.16% vs 8.12% [65.68 vs 65.25 mmol/mol]). Ketoacidosis, severe hypoglycemia, and frequency of outpatient visits in a diabetes center were highest in patients with insulin-manipulation. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study using a systematic approach to assess the prevalence of psychiatric disorders in patients who do or do not manipulate insulin in terms of intentional under- and/or overdosing. Internalizing psychiatric disorders were associated with insulin-manipulation, especially in female patients and insulin-manipulation was associated with deteriorated metabolic control and diabetes complications.

Worse Metabolic Control and Dynamics of Weight Status in Adolescent Girls Point to Eating Disorders in the First Years after Manifestation of Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus: Findings from the Diabetes Patienten Verlaufsdokumentation Registry.

OBJECTIVE: To assess indications of eating disorders in girls with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). STUDY DESIGN: In total 31 556 girls aged >6 months and <23 years of age with T1DM from the Diabetes Patienten Verlaufsdokumentation (DPV) cohort were analyzed including 155 (0.49%) girls with anorexia nervosa, 85 (0.27%) girls with bulimia nervosa, 45 (0.14%) girls with binge eating disorder, and 229 (0.73%) girls with eating disorders not otherwise specified. Patient characteristics, weight changes, numbers of patients with severe hypoglycemia and diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), changes of glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels, use of pumps, and prevalence of celiac disease and autoimmune thyroiditis were compared between girls with and without eating disorders. Multiple logistic regression analyses were performed. RESULTS: Eating disorders were significantly associated with late pubertal age, nonusage of pumps, no migration background, increased HbA1c levels, increased frequencies of DKA and severe hypoglycemia, and celiac disease were not related to eating disorders. Significant differences in HbA1c levels, prevalence of DKA and severe hypoglycemia between girls with and without eating disorders were already detectable in the first years after onset of T1DM. A decrease of body mass index (BMI)-SDS increased the risk for comorbid anorexia nervosa (7.1-fold [95% CI 3.6-14.3] compared with stable BMI-SDS, 6.9-fold [95%CI 3.4-14.1] compared with increase of BMI-SDS). CONCLUSIONS: Poor metabolic control and increased rates of DKA and severe hypoglycemia in the first years after manifestation of T1DM can be hints for eating disorders in girls with T1DM, and weight loss is specific for anorexia nervosa. These clinical features should lead to screening for eating disorders especially at a late pubertal age.

Heart transplant centers with multidisciplinary team show a higher level of chronic illness management - Findings from the International BRIGHT Study.

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to: (1) explore the proportion of HTx centers that have a multidisciplinary team and (2) assess the relationship between multidisciplinarity and the level of chronic illness management (CIM). BACKGROUND: The International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT) recommends a multidisciplinary approach in heart transplant (HTx) follow-up care but little is known regarding the proportion of HTx centers that meet this recommendation and the impact on patient care. HTx centers with a multidisciplinary team may offer higher levels of CIM, a care model that has the potential to improve outcomes after HTx. METHODS: We conducted a secondary analysis of the BRIGHT study, a cross-sectional study in 11 countries. Multidisciplinarity in the 36 HTx centers was assessed through HTx director reports and was defined as having a team that was composed of physician(s), nurse(s), and another healthcare professional (either a social worker, psychiatrist, psychologist, pharmacist, dietician, physical therapist, or occupational therapist). CIM was assessed with the Patient Assessment of Chronic Illness Care (PACIC). Multiple linear regression assessed the relationship between multidisciplinarity and the level of CIM. RESULTS: Twenty-nine (80.6%) of the HTx centers had a multidisciplinary team. Furthermore, multidisciplinarity was significantly associated with higher levels of CIM (ß = 5.2, P = 0.042). CONCLUSION: Majority of the HTx centers follows the ISHLT recommendation for a multidisciplinary approach. Multidisciplinarity was associated with CIM and point toward a structural factor that needs to be in place for moving toward CIM.

Coeliac disease in adolescence: Coping strategies and personality factors affecting compliance with gluten-free diet.

OBJECTIVES: Patients suffering from a chronic condition such as coeliac disease (CD) need to develop coping strategies in order to preserve emotional balance and psychosocial functioning while adhering to their obligatory life-long gluten free diet (GFD). However, this can be particularly challenging for adolescents and may lead to dietary transgressions. Little is currently known about the influence of coping strategies and personality factors on dietary compliance. This study aims to explore these factors for the first time in adolescents with biopsy-proven CD. STUDY DESIGN: We included 281 adolescents with CD and 95 healthy controls. We classified patients according to their GFD adherence status (adherent vs. non-adherent) and assessed coping strategies using the KIDCOPE and personality traits using the Junior-Temperament and Character Inventory (J-TCI). RESULTS: Adolescents with CD adherent to GFD used less emotional regulation and distraction as coping strategies than non-adherent patients. In terms of personality traits, adherent patients differed from non-adherent patients with respect to temperament, but not with respect to character, showing lower scores in novelty seeking, impulsivity and rule transgressions and higher scores in eagerness with work and perfectionism compared to non-adherent patients. No differences were found between healthy controls and adherent CD patients across these personality traits. CONCLUSIONS: Coping strategies and personality traits differ in adolescent patients with CD adherent to GFD from those not adherent, and may therefore relate to risk or protective factors in adherence. Targeting coping and temperament using psychological interventions may therefore be beneficial to support adolescents with CD and optimise their adherence to GFD.

Insulin Pumps in Type 1 Diabetes with Mental Disorders: Real-Life Clinical Data Indicate Discrepancies to Recommendations.

BACKGROUND: The latest American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists/American College of Endocrinologists consensus statement published in 2014 does not recommend continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) in patients with mental health problems. This study investigated the use and discontinuation of CSII in daily routine care of type 1 diabetes (T1D) patients with or without comorbid mental disorders. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Insulin-treated T1D patients (n = 48,700) between 5 and 30 years of age (median [interquartile range], 15.6 [12.0-17.7] years) from the German/Austrian diabetes patient follow-up registry (DPV) were studied. A comorbid diagnosis and/or specific treatment of mental disorder was documented in 3,158 (6.5%) patients: attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), n = 1,352; depression, n = 692; eating disorders, n = 395; needle phobia, n = 319; anxiety/obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), n = 231; and psychosis and/or neuroleptic medication, n = 169. Multivariable logistic regression with age, sex, diabetes duration, and migration background as independent variables was used to compare groups. RESULTS: After adjustment for confounders, use of CSII was more common in patients with depression (41.5%), anxiety/OCD (41.4%), or needle phobia (75.8%) compared with patients without mental disorders (34.6%) (each P < 0.05). By contrast, psychotic patients (26.2%, P < 0.05) used CSII less often, and patients with ADHD (36.3%) or eating disorders (33.9%) used it with a similar frequency. Compared with patients without mental disorders (5.1%), the rate of CSII discontinuation was higher in patients with ADHD (9.7%), depression (8.2%), or eating disorders (10.0%) (P < 0.05, respectively) but similar in patients with anxiety/OCD (6.0%), psychosis (4.2%), or needle phobia (5.3%). CONCLUSIONS: In routine diabetes care, CSII use and discontinuation vary widely among T1D patients with mental disorders and indicate clear differences from the latest recommendations.

Eating Disorders in Adolescents with Celiac Disease: Influence of Personality Characteristics and Coping.

OBJECTIVES: Patients suffering from celiac disease (CD) have a higher risk of developing disturbed eating behaviour. METHOD: In a multi-centre study, 259 female adolescents with CD and without a chronic condition were analysed regarding their eating disorder (ED) status, depression, personality, coping strategies and quality of life. RESULTS: Patients with CD and comorbid EDs were older and more often non-compliant with their diet and had a higher body mass index (BMI) and higher levels of depression. Differences in personality features disappear when controlling for age and depression. Higher ill-being and lower joy in life were reported by patients with CD and ED compared with patients without EDs, even when controlling for age and depression levels. No differences between patients (with CD) with and without EDs in coping strategies were found. BMI and lower self-directedness predicted ED status. CONCLUSIONS: Early identification of EDs in patients with CD is suggested and should include BMI and personality factors.

Depression, metabolic control, and antidepressant medication in young patients with type 1 diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: Recent literature suggests an association between type 1 diabetes (T1D) and depression. So far, most studies explored this link in adult populations, with few data being available on diabetes and depression from minors and young adults. This study aimed to look for associations between symptoms of depression/antidepressant treatment and metabolic outcomes of T1D. METHODS: We conducted an observational study using the German diabetes database (Diabetes-Patienten-Verlaufsdokumentation--DPV) and searched for patients up to the age of 25 yr, with depressive symptoms and/or receiving antidepressant medication. RESULTS: Of 53 986 T1D patients below the age of 25 yr, antidepressant medication and/or depressive symptoms were reported in 419 (0.78%). After adjustment for age, gender, diabetes duration and center heterogeneity, minors and young adults with depressive symptoms showed worse outcome parameters such as a higher rate of severe hypoglycemia (0.56 vs. 0.20/patient year, p = 0.005) and more episodes of diabetic ketoacidosis (0.20 vs. 0.07/patient year, p < 0.001). Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) was higher in the depression group (74.50 vs. 67.58 mmol/mol, p < 0.001) and young patients with T1D and depression showed longer duration of inpatient treatment (7.04 vs. 3.10 hospital days/patient year, p < 0.001) and more frequent admissions to hospital care (0.63 vs. 0.32/patient year, p < 0.001). Antidepressant medication was recorded in 52.3% of the depressed patients, with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) being the most widely described class of antidepressants (29.1%). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrate an adverse treatment outcome for young patients with T1D and comorbid depressive symptoms underlining an urgent need for collaborative mental and somatic health care for patients with T1D and depression.

Adherence to clinical care guidelines for cystic fibrosis-related diabetes in 659 German/Austrian patients.

BACKGROUND: In Germany/Austria, data on medical care for cystic fibrosis-related diabetes (CFRD) is limited. METHODS: Anonymized data from 659 CFRD patients were analyzed and compared to the latest ADA/CFF guidelines. RESULTS: Specialized diabetes clinics were attended less frequently than recommended (3.1 vs. 4.0 times yearly). 7.9% of patients had a complete profile of examinations: diabetes education (44.9%), HbA1c (88.8%), blood pressure (79.5%), BMI (86.5%), lipid status (37.5%), retinopathy (29.9%), microalbuminuria (33.2%), and self-monitoring of blood glucose (71.6%). HbA1c and blood pressure were measured less frequently than recommended (2.3 and 2.0 vs. 4.0 times yearly). Overall, guidelines were followed more frequently in children than adults. Contrary to recommendations, not all patients were treated with insulin (77.2 vs. 100.0%). Insulin therapy was initiated earlier in children than adults, but there was still a substantial delay (0.9 vs. 2.7years after diagnosis, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: In CFRD patients studied, adherence to care guidelines was suboptimal.

Clinical characteristics and outcome of 467 patients with a clinically recognized eating disorder identified among 52,215 patients with type 1 diabetes: a multicenter german/austrian study.

OBJECTIVE: To compare clinical characteristics and outcome of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) between patients with and without a clinically recognized eating disorder (ED). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: A total of 52,215 T1DM patients aged 8 to <30 years from the prospective diabetes data acquisition system DPV were analyzed. A total of 467 patients had an additional diagnosis of ED according to DSM-IV criteria (anorexia nervosa [AN], n = 141 [female: 94.3%]; bulimia nervosa [BN], n = 62 [90.3%]; and EDs not otherwise specified, including binge-eating disorder [EDNOS], n = 264 [74.2%]). Groups were compared using multivariable regression. Cox proportional hazard ratios were calculated for the association between ED and retinopathy. RESULTS: After adjustment for age, sex, and duration of diabetes, patients with ED revealed higher HbA1c (no ED vs. AN, BN, or EDNOS, respectively: 8.29 ± 0.01% [67.1 ± 0.1 mmol/mol] vs. 8.61 ± 0.15% [70.6 ± 1.6 mmol/mol], 9.11 ± 0.23% [76.1 ± 2.5 mmol/mol], or 9.00 ± 0.11% [74.9 ± 1.2 mmol/mol]) and a higher rate of pathological insulin injection sites (48.4 vs. 64.3, 64.1, or 62.1%). Furthermore, ketoacidosis (5.7 ± 0.1 vs. 12.1 ± 2.1, 18.0 ± 4.1, or 12.9 ± 1.6 events per 100 person-years) and hospitalization (54.9 ± 0.3 vs. 89.3 ± 6.0, 132.0 ± 12.7, or 91.0 ± 4.4 per 100 person-years) were more common, and duration of hospital stay was longer (4.81 ± 0.01 vs. 11.31 ± 0.21, 18.05 ± 0.48, or 8.44 ± 0.13 days per year). All P values were <0.05. Patients with BN and EDNOS had a 2.5-fold (95% CI 1.3-4.8) and a 1.4-fold (0.8-2.3) higher risk for retinopathy, whereas AN patients had no increased risk (0.9 [95% CI 0.4-2.3]). CONCLUSIONS: Diabetes health care professionals should be aware of comorbid EDs in pediatric/young-adult T1DM patients. An ED diagnosis is associated with worse metabolic control and higher rates of diabetes complications.

Prevalence of intentional under- and overdosing of insulin in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of insulin under- and overdosing in paediatric patients. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Cross-sectional study including 241 patients (age 14.0 + 2.7 yr, 42.5% males) with type 1 diabetes from 21 diabetic outpatient clinics. Haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), height, and weight were available from clinical records. Patients were interviewed with the Diabetes Self-Management Profile (DSMP) interview. T test, U test, and chi-squared test were used for comparison. RESULTS: On the basis of the DSMP, 103 (42.7%) patients (group A) showed adherence to the therapeutic insulin regimen, while 71 (29.5%) patients (group B) confessed intentional over and/or under-dosing of insulin. Sixty-seven (27.8%) adolescents (group C) reported management problems leading to unintended inappropriate insulin dosages. In group B, 55 (22.8%) injected higher insulin doses and 58 (24.1%) omitted insulin. Patients of group B compared to group A were older 15.0 (±2.5) vs. 14.0 (±2.5) yr (p < 0.01), older at onset 9.5 (±3.6) vs. 8.3 (±3.8) yr (p = 0.05), were more often girls (69 vs. 45.6%), had a higher actual HbA1c (8.7 ± 1.7 vs. 7.8 ± 1.2%), and a higher average HbA1c in the previous year (8.3 ± 1.6 vs. 7.9 ± 1.2%) (p < 0.01). No significant differences could be found between group A and group C. CONCLUSION: Intentional overdosing of insulin is almost as prevalent in children and adolescents as insulin omission. Females are more at risk.

Characteristics of self-regulation in adolescent girls with type 1 diabetes with and without eating disorders: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: Pathology of the regulative mechanisms of self seems to be connected with eating disorders (EDs). The present study aimed to explore the hypothesis that there are differences in self-regulation in adolescent girls with Type 1 diabetes with and without EDs. DESIGN: A cross-sectional design was employed comparing patterns of self-regulation in adolescent girls with Type 1 diabetes with and without EDs in two eating status groups. METHODS: For the presence of EDs, 76 adolescent girls with Type 1 diabetes were assessed. Of these, 23 were diagnosed with an ED. In addition, dimensions of self-regulation as conceptualized in terms of Kohuts' psychodynamic theory of self were assessed. RESULTS: Adolescent girls with Type 1 diabetes and an ED were higher in three aspects of self-regulation - negative body self, object depreciation, and narcissistic gain from illness - in comparison with their peers without EDs. CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first to show evidence of deficits in self-regulation in adolescent girls with Type 1 diabetes and EDs. The importance of evaluating parameters of self-regulation for treatment planning for these youths is outlined.

Diagnostic accuracy of the clock drawing test: the relevance of "time setting'' in screening for dementia.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate the overall diagnostic accuracy of clock drawing test methods which require a defined time setting. In addition, diagnostic relevance of time setting was analyzed qualitatively. METHODS: Clock drawing test performance of 462 consecutive memory clinic patients were analysed by 5 different clock drawing test methods. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value as well as the overall misclassification rate was calculated against a clinical diagnosis of dementia. Further, qualitative analysis of error types was done when subjects failed in the time setting task. RESULTS: All clock drawing test methods that require time setting revealed higher sensitivities and superior negative predictive values as well as overall misclassification rates compared to methods which do not. Failure in the time setting task did not exclusively occur in dementia patients. However, error types which reflect a severely reduced capacity in abstract and conceptual thinking occurred exclusively in dementia patients. DISCUSSION: Clock drawing test methods that require time setting should be favoured above methods which do not. An additional analysis of time setting errors may yield valuable diagnostic information.