FREE: A randomized controlled feasibility trial of a cognitive behavioral therapy and technology-assisted intervention to reduce fear of hypoglycemia in young adults with type 1 diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to test the preliminary effectiveness of a cognitive behavioral therapy intervention (Fear Reduction Efficacy Evaluation [FREE]) designed to reduce fear of hypoglycemia in young adults with type 1 diabetes. The primary outcome was fear of hypoglycemia, secondary outcomes were A1C, and glycemic variability. METHODS: A randomized clinical trial was used to test an 8-week intervention (FREE) compared to an attention control (diabetes education) in 50 young adults with type 1 diabetes who experienced fear of hypoglycemia at baseline. All participants wore a continuous glucose monitor for the 8-week study period. Self-reported fear of hypoglycemia point-of-care A1C testing, continuous glucose monitor-derived glucose variability were measured at baseline, Week 8, and Week 12 (post-program). RESULTS: Compared to controls, those participating in the FREE intervention experienced a reduction in fear of hypoglycemia (SMD B = -8.52, p = 0.021), change in A1C (SMD B = 0.04, p = 0.841) and glycemic variability (glucose standard deviation SMD B = -2.5, p = 0.545) by the end of the intervention. This represented an 8.52% greater reduction in fear of hypoglycemia. CONCLUSION: A cognitive behavioral therapy intervention (FREE) resulted in improvements in fear of hypoglycemia. CLINICALTRIALS: govNCT03549104.

Behavioral interventions and symptom cluster change in adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and insomnia.

BACKGROUND: People with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and insomnia experience multiple co-occurring symptoms, but no studies have examined symptom cluster change over time in this population. OBJECTIVES: This study explored longitudinal patterns of symptom cluster profiles for adults with COPD and insomnia and evaluated whether behavioral interventions were associated with changes in symptom cluster profiles. METHODS: This study included 91 adults with COPD and insomnia who participated in a randomized trial of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) and COPD education. The pre-specified symptom cluster included insomnia, dyspnea, fatigue, anxiety, and depression. Latent profile analysis identified participant groups with distinct symptom cluster profiles at baseline, immediately post-intervention, and at 3-month follow-up; latent transition analysis then estimated the probability of group membership change over time. Multinomial logistic regression was used to determine whether the interventions were associated with changes in symptom cluster profiles. RESULTS: Three groups were identified at each of three time-points: Class 1 (low symptom burden), Class 2 (intermediate), and Class 3 (high). Classes 1 and 2 showed less movement to other classes (16 % and 38 %, respectively), whereas Class 3 showed greater transition (64 %). The CBT-I intervention was significantly associated with movement to a lower symptom burden group (Class 3 to 2 or 2 to 1). CONCLUSIONS: CBT-I, with or without COPD education, shows promise as a tailored intervention to reduce symptom burden in the study population. Study findings will facilitate development of interventions to reduce the severity of multiple co-occurring symptoms in people with COPD and insomnia. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: Registry: ClinicalTrials.gov; Name: A Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia Co-existing with COPD; Identifier: NCT01973647.

Association between sleep variability and time in range of glucose levels in patients with type 1 diabetes: Cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: Sleep and circadian disturbances emerge as novel factors influencing glycemic control in type 1 diabetes (T1D). We aimed to explore the associations among sleep, behavioral circadian parameters, self-care, and glycemic parameters in T1D. METHODS: Seventy-six non-shift-working adult T1D patients participated. Blinded 7-day continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) and hemoglobin A1C (A1C) were collected. Percentages of time-in-range (glucose levels 70-180 mg/dL) and glycemic variability (measured by the coefficient of variation [%CV]) were calculated from CGM. Sleep (duration and efficiency) was recorded using 7-day actigraphy. Variability (standard deviation) of midsleep time was used to represent sleep variability. Nonparametric behavioral circadian variables were derived from actigraphy activity recordings. Self-care was measured by diabetes self-management questionnaire-revised. Multiple regression analyses were performed to identify independent predictors of glycemic parameters. RESULTS: Median (interquartile range) age was 34.0 (27.2, 43.1) years, 48 (63.2%) were female, and median (interquartile range) A1C was 6.8% (6.2, 7.4). Sleep duration, efficiency, and nonparametric behavioral circadian variables were not associated with glycemic parameters. After adjusting for age, sex, insulin delivery mode/CGM use, and ethnicity, each hour increase in sleep variability was associated with 9.64% less time-in-range (B = -9.64, 95% confidence interval [-16.29, -2.99], p ≤ .001). A higher diabetes self-management questionnaire score was an independent predictor of lower A1C (B = -0.18, 95% confidence interval [-0.32, -0.04]). CONCLUSION: Greater sleep timing variability is independently associated with less time spent in the desirable glucose range in this T1D cohort. Reducing sleep timing variability could potentially lead to improved metabolic control and should be explored in future research. DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT: Data are available upon a reasonable request to the corresponding author.

Symptom Cluster Profiles in Adults with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Insomnia.

BACKGROUND: People with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and insomnia may experience multiple symptoms that can affect physical function, but little research has focused on symptom clusters in this population. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to identify subgroups of people with COPD and insomnia based on a pre-specified symptom cluster and determine whether physical function differed in the subgroups. METHODS: This secondary data analysis included 102 people with insomnia and COPD. Latent profile analysis classified subgroups of individuals sharing similar patterns of five symptoms: insomnia, dyspnea, fatigue, anxiety, and depression. Multinomial logistic regression and multiple regression determined factors associated with the subgroups and whether physical function differed among them. RESULTS: Three groups of participants were identified based on the severity of all five symptoms: low (Class 1), intermediate (Class 2), and high (Class 3). Compared to Class 1, Class 3 showed lower self-efficacy for sleep and for COPD management and more dysfunctional beliefs and attitudes about sleep. Class 3 showed more dysfunctional beliefs and attitudes about sleep than Class 2. Class 1 showed significantly better physical function than Classes 2 and 3. CONCLUSIONS: Self-efficacy for sleep and for COPD management and dysfunctional beliefs and attitudes about sleep were associated with class membership. As physical function differed among subgroups, interventions to improve self-efficacy for sleep and for COPD management and minimize dysfunctional beliefs and attitudes about sleep may reduce symptom cluster severity, in turn enhancing physical function.

Shift work domains and their interactions with empty calorie food/beverage consumption: A 14-day intensive longitudinal study.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Shift work has been linked to unhealthy eating behaviors such as imbalanced diet, or increased empty calorie food/beverage consumption. However, most research has focused on the impact of shift timing. The concept of shift work is complex, and it contains several domains such as shift timing, intensity, and speed. Previous studies have suggested that greater shift intensity and quicker shift speed may contribute to adverse health effects. However, evidence regarding associations between other domains of shift work and empty calorie food/beverage consumption has been relatively lacking. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate how other shift work domains related to empty calorie food/beverage consumption and whether different shift work domains interacted to influence the intake of foods or beverages. DESIGN: A 14-day intensive longitudinal study employing ecological momentary assessment. SETTINGS AND PARTICIPANTS: Eighty registered nurses working in 24 accredited Taiwanese hospitals (i.e., 9 medical centers, 12 regional hospitals, and 3 district hospitals) were recruited. METHODS: During the study period, a convenience sample of 77 participants completed 2444 momentary surveys about empty calorie food/beverage consumption on a smartphone. Three shift work domains (shift timing, intensity, and speed) were evaluated based on registry-based work schedules. To study how these shift work domains influenced empty calorie food/beverage consumption, we employed three-level mixed-effects regression models for data analyses. RESULTS: Findings suggested that greater night shift intensity increased the likelihood of sugar-sweetened beverage intake (odds ratio = 1.64, 95% confidence interval [1.01, 2.68]). The impacts of work shift intensity and shift timing on sugar-sweetened beverage consumption varied by shift speed. Among participants assigned a schedule with either medium or rapid shift speed, higher work shift intensity was associated with a higher probability of sugar-sweetened beverage consumption. Compared to day shifts, those who were assigned a quicker shift speed on evening shifts were more likely to consume sugar-sweetened beverages. However, associations between night shift intensity and sugar-sweetened beverage intake did not change by shift speed. Furthermore, shift intensity and shift timing did not interact to affect empty calorie food/beverage consumption. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated assignments of shift schedules (i.e., high night shift intensity, more changes in shift timings) might influence workers' consumption of empty calorie foods/beverages. Therefore, identifying and mitigating hazardous shift schedules may help to improve shift workers' eating behaviors and benefit their overall health.

Socratic Inquiry, Syllogism, Schematic Cases, and Symbolism: Critical Thinking Strategies for Nursing Education.

BACKGROUND: Critical thinking is an essential nursing competency. Faculty can teach students how to think critically by emphasizing the connections between their philosophy and nursing curricula to ensure that students recognize the cognitive processes they use to make complex decisions. PURPOSE: The purpose of this article is to examine the definitions, history, and utility of philosophical perspectives that inform critical thinking. We explain several approaches: Socratic inquiry, syllogism, schematic cases, and symbolism. METHODS: We conducted a narrative review about educational approaches and their associated philosophies. RESULTS: Philosophical awareness can enhance students' abilities to examine data, communicate ideas, evaluate diverse opinions, understand theories, and apply innovative solutions to problems they will encounter in clinical practice. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical issue dialogues, dramatizations (that link philosophical and practical themes), self-reflection exercises, and case studies (that are less content-laden and more focused on nurses' theories and decision-making processes) represent important and innovative critical thinking skill-building exercises.

Sleep-Opt-In: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study to Improve Sleep and Glycemic Variability in Adults With Type 1 Diabetes.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of a technology-assisted behavioral sleep intervention (Sleep-Opt-In) and to examine the effects of Sleep-Opt-In on sleep duration and regularity, glucose indices, and patient-reported outcomes. Short sleep duration and irregular sleep schedules are associated with reduced glycemic control and greater glycemic variability. METHODS: A randomized controlled parallel-arm pilot study was employed. Adults with type 1 diabetes (n = 14) were recruited from the Midwest and randomized 3:2 to the sleep-optimization (Sleep-Opt-In) or Healthy Living attention control group. Sleep-Opt-In was an 8-week, remotely delivered intervention consisting of digital lessons, sleep tracker, and weekly coaching phone calls by a trained sleep coach. Assessments of sleep (actigraphy), glucose (A1C, continuous glucose monitoring), and patient-reported outcomes (questionnaires for daytime sleepiness, fatigue, diabetes distress, and depressive mood) were completed at baseline and at completion of the intervention. RESULTS: Sleep-Opt-In was feasible and acceptable. Those in Sleep-Opt-In with objectively confirmed short or irregular sleep demonstrated an improvement in sleep regularity (25 minutes), reduced glycemic variability (3.2%), and improved time in range (6.9%) compared to the Healthy Living attention control group. Patient-reported outcomes improved only for the Sleep-Opt-In group. Fatigue and depressive mood improved compared to the control. CONCLUSIONS: Sleep-Opt-In is feasible, acceptable, and promising for further evaluation as a means to improve sleep duration or regularity in the population of people with type 1 diabetes.

Stress and human health in diabetes: A report from the 19th Chicago Biomedical Consortium symposium.

Stress and diabetes coexist in a vicious cycle. Different types of stress lead to diabetes, while diabetes itself is a major life stressor. This was the focus of the Chicago Biomedical Consortium's 19th annual symposium, "Stress and Human Health: Diabetes," in November 2022. There, researchers primarily from the Chicago area met to explore how different sources of stress - from the cells to the community - impact diabetes outcomes. Presenters discussed the consequences of stress arising from mutant proteins, obesity, sleep disturbances, environmental pollutants, COVID-19, and racial and socioeconomic disparities. This symposium showcased the latest diabetes research and highlighted promising new treatment approaches for mitigating stress in diabetes.

Sleep optimization to improve glycemic control in adults with type 1 diabetes: study protocol for a randomized controlled parallel intervention trial.

BACKGROUND: Despite improvements in treatment regimens and technology, less than 20% of adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D) achieve glycemic targets. Sleep is increasingly recognized as a potentially modifiable target for improving glycemic control. Diabetes distress, poor self-management behaviors, and reduced quality of life have also been linked to sleep variability and insufficient sleep duration. A significant gap of knowledge exists regarding interventions to improve sleep and the effects of sleep optimization on glycemic control in T1D. The purpose of this study is to determine the efficacy of a T1D-specific sleep optimization intervention (Sleep-Opt) on the primary outcomes of sleep variability, sleep duration, and glycemic control (A1C); other glycemic parameters (glycemic variability, time-in-range [TIR]); diabetes distress; self-management behaviors; quality of life; and other patient-reported outcomes in adults with T1D and habitual increased sleep variability or short sleep duration. METHODS: A randomized controlled parallel-arm study will be employed in 120 adults (aged 18 to 65 years) with T1D. Participants will be screened for habitual sleep variability (> 1 h/week) or insufficient sleep duration (< 6.5 h per night). Eligible subjects will be randomized to the Sleep-Opt intervention group or healthy living attention control group for 12 weeks. A 1-week run-in period is planned, with baseline measures of sleep by actigraphy (sleep variability and duration), glycemia (A1C and related glycemic measures: glycemic variability and TIR using continuous glucose monitoring), and other secondary outcomes: diabetes distress, self-management behaviors, quality of life, and additional patient-reported outcomes. Sleep-Opt is a technology-assisted behavioral sleep intervention that we recently developed that leverages the rapidly increasing public interest in sleep tracking. Our behavioral intervention employs four elements: a wearable sleep tracker, didactic content, an interactive smartphone application, and brief telephone counseling. The attention control group will participate in a healthy living information program. Baseline measures will be repeated at midpoint, program completion, and post-program (weeks 6, 12, and 24, respectively) to determine differences between the two groups and sustainability of the intervention. DISCUSSION: A better understanding of strategies to improve sleep in persons with T1D has the potential to be an important component of diabetes. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinical Trial Registration: NCT04506151 .

Effects of Sleep-Extend on glucose metabolism in women with a history of gestational diabetes: a pilot randomized trial.

OBJECTIVES: Women with a history of gestational diabetes (GDM) are at 7-fold increase in the risk of developing diabetes. Insufficient sleep has also been shown to increase diabetes risk. This study aimed to explore the feasibility of a sleep extension in women with a history of GDM and short sleep, and effects on glucose metabolism. METHODS: Women age 18-45 years with a history of GDM and actigraphy confirmed short sleep duration (<7 h/night) on weekdays were randomized at a ratio of 1 control (heathy living information) to 2 cases (6 weeks of "Sleep-Extend" intervention: use of a Fitbit, weekly digital content, and weekly coaching to increase sleep duration). An oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), 7-day actigraphy recording, and questionnaires were obtained at baseline and 6 weeks. Mean differences between baseline and end-of-intervention parameters were compared using independent samples t-tests. RESULTS: Mean (SD) sleep duration increased within the Sleep-Extend group (n=9, +26.9 (42.5) min) but decreased within the controls (n=5, - 9.1 (20.4) min), a mean difference (MD) of 35.9 min (95% confidence interval (CI) - 8.6, 80.5). Fasting glucose increased, but less in Sleep-Extend vs. control groups (1.6 (9.4) vs 10.4 (8.2) mg/dL, MD - 8.8 mg/dL (95% CI - 19.8, 2.1), while 2-h glucose levels after an OGTT did not differ. Compared to controls, Sleep-Extend had decreased fatigue score (MD - 10.6, 95%CI - 20.7, - 0.6), and increased self-report physical activity (MD 5036 MET- minutes/week, 95%CI 343, 9729. Fitbit compliance and satisfaction in Sleep-Extend group was high. CONCLUSION: Sleep extension is feasible in women with a history of GDM, with benefits in fatigue and physical activity, and possibly glucose metabolism. These data support a larger study exploring benefits of sleep extension on glucose metabolism in these high-risk women. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov , NCT03638102 (8/20/2018).