The Review of Insulin Pens-Past, Present, and Look to the Future.

Currently, there are about 150-200 million diabetic patients treated with insulin globally. The year 2021 is special because the 100th anniversary of the insulin discovery is being celebrated. It is a good occasion to sum up the insulin pen technology invention and improvement which are nowadays the leading mode of an insulin delivery. Even though so many years have passed, insulin is still administered subcutaneously, that is why devices to deliver it are of great importance. Insulin pens have evolved only through the last decades (the reusable, durable pens, and the disposable, prefilled pens) and modern smart insulin pens have been developed in the last few years, and both types of the devices compared to traditional syringes and vials are more convenient, discrete in use, have better dosing accuracy, and improve adherence. In this review, we will focus on the history of insulin pens and their improvement over the previous decades.

Has the COVID-19 Pandemic Affected the Prevalence of Diabetic Ketoacidosis in Polish Children with Newly Diagnosed Type 1 Diabetes? An Example of the Largest Polish Pediatric Diabetes Center (Upper Silesia-Katowice, Poland).

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to analyze the prevalence of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) in children with newly disclosed type 1 diabetes (T1D) during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 compared to 2019. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of the history database of all hospitalized children in our department. The International Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes (ISPAD) guidelines were used for the diagnosis of DKA. RESULTS: The database of children with newly disclosed T1D included 196 patients (89 girls and 107 boys) from 2019, and 223 patients (113 girls and 110 boys) from 2020 (a total of 419 patients-202 girls and 217 boys) aged 0 to 18 years. A significantly higher percentage of DKA was observed in 2020 compared to the previous year (47.53% vs. 35.2% [p = 0.005]). The percentage of severe DKA increased in 2020 compared to 2019 (18.39% vs. 14.07% [p = 0.118]). Compared to 2019, the average HbA1c level was higher in 2020 (12.57 ± 2.75% vs. 11.95 ± 2.89% [p < 0.025]), and the average pH level (7.26 vs. 7.31 [p = 0.002], and average HCO3 level (16.40 vs. 18.66 [p = 0.001]) were lower, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: During the COVID-19 (2020) pandemic, the incidence of DKA increased in Polish children with newly diagnosed T1D. The conclusions from the analysis of the functioning of health systems during the pandemic should be used in the future to prevent, in similar periods, an increase in severe complications of delayed diagnosis of T1D.

The Frequency of Use and Harm Perception of Heated Tobacco Products (HTPs): The 2019 Cross-Sectional Survey among Medical Students from Poland.

Heated tobacco products (HTPs) are devices for generating a nicotine aerosol by heating the tobacco sticks. This study aimed to assess (1) the prevalence of HTP and tobacco cigarette usage among medical students, (2) to characterize smoking habits and (3) to assess students' awareness and opinions about HTPs. A cross-sectional survey on the frequency and attitudes toward cigarettes, e-cigarettes and HTP use was performed between 2019-2020 at the Medical University of Silesia in Katowice (Poland). The data were obtained from 1344 students aged 21.8 ± 1.9 years (response rate: 66.9%). Current traditional tobacco use was 13.2%, e-cigarettes use 3.5%, and HTP use 2.8% of students. Duration of use was shorter among HTPs users comparing to cigarette smokers (p < 0.001) although the number of tobacco sticks used daily was similar (p = 0.1). Almost 30% of respondents have ever tried HTPs. HTPs were considered safe by 5.3% of respondents (43.2% of HTP users vs. 3.9% of non-HTP users, p < 0.001). HTP users were more likely to report that heating tobacco is not addictive (odds ratio (OR) = 8.9, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.8-45.8) and disagreed with a public ban on HTP use (OR = 4.9, 95%CI: 2.5-9.8). Among students, HTP use was less popular than cigarette smoking, but awareness of their presence is widespread.