Metabolic control during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic in pediatric patients with type 1 diabetes: results from the German DPV initiative.

AIM: To assess effects of the SARS-CoV2 pandemic on metabolic control in youth with type 1 diabetes (T1D) in Germany in a population-based analysis. METHODS: Data from 33,372 pediatric T1D patients from the Diabetes Prospective Follow-up (DPV) registry, with face-to-face visits or telemedicine contacts in the years 2019-2021, were available. Datasets from eight time periods between March 15, 2020, and December 31, 2021, according to SARS-CoV2 incidence waves, were compared to those from five control time periods. Parameters of metabolic control were assessed with adjustment for sex, age, diabetes duration, and repeated measurements. Laboratory-measured HbA1c values and those estimated from CGM were aggregated into a combined glucose indicator (CGI). RESULTS: There was no clinically relevant difference in metabolic control between pandemic and control time periods with adjusted CGI values ranging from 7.61% [7.60-7.63] (mean [95% confidence interval (CI)]) in the third quarter of 2019 to 7.83% [7.82-7.85] in the time period from January 1 to March 15 2020, in the other control periods, and during the pandemic, CGI values lay between these values. BMI-SDS rose during the pandemic from 0.29 [0.28-0.30] (mean [95% CI]) in the third quarter of 2019 to 0.40 [0.39-0.41] during the fourth wave. Adjusted insulin dose rose during the pandemic. Event rates for hypoglycemic coma and diabetic ketoacidosis remained unchanged. CONCLUSIONS: We found no clinically relevant change of glycemic control or incidence of acute diabetes complications during the pandemic. The observed BMI increase may represent an important health risk for youth with T1D.

A centennial review of discoveries and advances in diabetes: Children and youth.

Diabetes is an increasingly common chronic metabolic disorder in children worldwide. The discovery of insulin in 1921 resulted in unprecedented advancements that improved the lives of children and youth with diabetes. The purpose of this article is to review the history of diabetes in children and youth over the last century and its implications for future developments in the field. We identified 68 relevant events between 1921 and 2021 through literature review and survey of pediatric endocrinologists. Basic research milestones led to the discovery of insulin and other regulatory hormones, established the normal physiology of carbohydrate metabolism and pathophysiology of diabetes, and provided insight into strategies for diabetes prevention. While landmark clinical studies were initially focused on adult diabetes populations, later studies assessed etiologic factors in birth cohort studies, evaluated technology use among children with diabetes, and investigated pharmacologic management of youth type 2 diabetes. Technological innovations culminated in the introduction of continuous glucose monitoring that enabled semi-automated insulin delivery systems. Finally, professional organizations collaborated with patient groups to advocate for the needs of children with diabetes and their families. Together, these advances transformed type 1 diabetes from a terminal illness to a manageable disease with near-normal life expectancy and increased our knowledge of type 2 diabetes and other forms of diabetes in the pediatric population. However, disparities in access to insulin, diabetes technology, education, and care support remain and disproportionately impact minority youth and communities with less resources. The overarching goal of diabetes management remains promoting a high quality of life and improving glycemic management without undermining the psychological health of children and youth living with diabetes.

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.

Changes in Type 2 Diabetes Trends in Children and Adolescents During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

CONTEXT: There is concern that the growing incidence of pediatric type 2 diabetes (T2D) may have been further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. OBJECTIVE: To examine whether trends in new-onset pediatric T2D-inclusive of patients requiring hospitalization and patients managed as outpatients-were impacted during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to compare patient characteristics prior to and during COVID-19. METHODS: A retrospective single-center medical record review was conducted in a hospital which cares for 90% of Alabama's pediatric T2D patients. Patients with new-onset T2D referred from March 2017 to March 2021 were included. Counts of patients presenting per month ("monthly rates") were computed. Linear regression models were estimated for the full sample and stratified by Medicaid and non-Medicaid insurance status. Patient characteristics prior to vs during COVID-19 were compared. RESULTS: A total of 642 patients presented with new-onset T2D over this period. Monthly rates were 11.1 ±â€…3.8 prior to COVID-19 and 19.3 ±â€…7.8 during COVID-19 (P = .004). Monthly rates for Medicaid patients differed prior to and during COVID-19 (7.9 ±â€…3.4 vs 15.3 ±â€…6.6, P = .003) but not for non-Medicaid patients (3.3 ±â€…1.7 vs 4.0 ±â€…2.4, P = .33). Regression results showed significant increases in monthly rates during COVID-19 for the full sample (ß= 5.93, P < .05) and for Medicaid enrollees (ß= 5.42, P < .05) Hospitalization rate, severity of obesity, and hemoglobin A1c remained similar prior to and during COVID-19, though the proportion of male patients increased from 36.8% to 46.1% (P = .021). CONCLUSIONS: A rise in new-onset T2D was observed among Alabama's youth during the COVID-19 pandemic, a burden that disproportionately affected Medicaid enrollees and males. Future research should explore the pathways through which the pandemic impacted pediatric T2D.

Pediatric Diabetes on the Rise: Trends in Incident Diabetes During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Context: The effects of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the incident cases of pediatric type 1 diabetes (T1D) and type 2 diabetes (T2D) are not clear. Objective: To identify trends in incidence and presentation of pediatric new-onset T1D and T2D during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted. Demographics, anthropometrics, and initial laboratory results from patients ages 0 through 21 years who presented with new-onset diabetes to a pediatric tertiary care center were recorded. Results: During the pandemic, incident cases of pediatric T1D increased from 31 in each of the prior 2 years to 46; an increase of 48%. Incident cases of pediatric T2D increased by 231% from 2019 to 2020. The number of incident cases of pediatric T2D increased significantly more than the number of incident cases of pediatric T1D (P = 0.009). Patients with T2D were more likely to present in diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), though this was not statistically significant (P = 0.093). Severe DKA was higher compared with moderate DKA (P = 0.036) in incident cases of pediatric T2D. During the pandemic, for the first time, incident cases of T2D accounted for more than one-half of all newly diagnosed pediatric diabetes cases (53%). Conclusions: There were more incident pediatric T1D and T2D cases as well as an increase in DKA severity in T2D at presentation during the COVID-19 pandemic. More importantly, incident T2D cases were higher than the incident T1D during the pandemic. This clearly suggests a disruption and change in the pediatric diabetes trends with profound individual and community health consequences.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in parents of children with type 1 diabetes during Covid-19 pandemic.

INTRODUCTION: The Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a group of persistent psychological and physiological symptoms due to a traumatic, severe, event. Only few studies focused on the effects of Covid-19 on psychosocial outcomes in children with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) and their parents. AIM OF THE STUDY: The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence PTSD in parents of children with T1D during COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In the period between March and May 2020 we submitted the "Impact of Event Scale - Revised" (IES-R) questionnaire to the parents of 34 children with Type 1 Diabetes, asking them to express their emotions about the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. RESULTS: A total of thirty mothers (mean age 43.0 ± 4.2 years) and 25 fathers (mean age 45.6 ± 5.9 years) participated in the survey and completed the questionnaires. 29.1% of parents had a score that allows to define a clinically relevant level of PTSD; ten mothers and 6 fathers had a PTSD clinically relevant score, corresponding, respectively, to 28.4 and 24% of total mothers and fathers. Finally, mothers and fathers, both express PTSD symptoms mainly in the form of intrusion and hyperarousal. CONCLUSIONS: The present study confirms a high prevalence symptoms related to PTSD in mothers and fathers of children with Type 1 Diabetes. We believe that psychosocial outcomes of the COVID-19 pandemic should be taken into account in the planning of the next future assistance for children with T1D.

Transitioning to Telehealth Services in a Pediatric Diabetes Clinic During COVID-19: An Interdisciplinary Quality Improvement Initiative.

COVID-19 necessitated a rapid shift to telehealth for psychologists offering consultation-liaison services in pediatric medical settings. However, little is known about how psychologists providing these services adapted to using telehealth service delivery formats. This report details how our interdisciplinary team identified declining psychosocial screener completion and psychology consultation rates as primary challenges following a shift to telehealth within a pediatric diabetes clinic. We utilized the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) quality improvement framework to improve screening and consultation rates, which initially declined during the telehealth transition. Screening and consultation rates dropped initially, but recovered to nearly pre-pandemic levels following three PDSA intervention cycles. During implementation, challenges arose related to the feasibility of patient interactions, interdisciplinary collaboration, patient engagement, and ethical issues. Clinics shifting psychology consultation-liaison services to telehealth should prioritize interdisciplinary communication, elicit perspectives from all clinic professionals, leverage the electronic health record, and develop procedures for warm handoffs and navigating ethical issues.

Early-Onset Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Globally, the prevalence of chronic, non-communicable diseases is increasing at an alarming rate. Amongst it, Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) is becoming more prevalent among young individuals due to obesity and sedentary habits. With the advent of COVID-19, there has been an increasing trend for diabetes and its complications. Here we describe a 13-year-old female girl with polyuria, polydipsia for two months with further assessment leading to a diagnosis of Type 2 DM who is now closely monitored by a pediatric endocrinologist. She remains euglycemic with insulin and lifestyle changes. Early-onset DM is complex and requires multidisciplinary care for preventing complications and comorbidities. Hence, early recognition and management are crucial.

The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on telemedicine in pediatric diabetes centers in Italy: Results from a longitudinal survey.

AIMS: In March and April 2020, at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, our previous survey of Italian pediatric diabetes centers showed that 75% of telemedicine use was voluntary. We hypothesized that the COVID-19 pandemic has acted as a picklock to overcome barriers to telemedicine regulation, use, and reimbursement. METHODS: Between March 22nd and April 12th, 2021, the same survey administered in 2020 was sent to all 68 Italian pediatric diabetes centers belonging to the Italian Society for Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes (ISPED) to collect data on the demographic variables of respondents; information about the center; the use, codification, and reimbursement of telemedicine; and used tools. Descriptive data were evaluated to establish how the COVID-19 pandemic has changed telemedicine practice. RESULTS: Eighty-two percent of responder centers reported an increase in the use of telemedicine, with televisits by video calling implemented in over half of centers. There was a significant increase in the number of centers formally tracking telemedicine use and obtaining reimbursement from the national health service (42% vs. 29% and 62% vs. 32%; p < 0.001, respectively). No reimbursement was provided to centers not using televisits. CONCLUSIONS: From a voluntary procedure with a lack of traceability, telemedicine has become a new structured reality that may help our pediatric patients beyond this pandemic.

Telemedicine in the Time of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Results from the First Survey among Italian Pediatric Diabetes Centers.

BACKGROUND: Use of telemedicine for children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic was investigated. METHOD: 68 Italian pediatric diabetes centers were invited to complete a survey about telemedicine usage in their pediatric patients, allocated to the no-tech group (multiple daily injections and self-monitoring blood glucose) and the tech group (insulin pump and/or flash- or continuous-glucose monitoring). RESULTS: 60.3% of the centers completed the survey. In both the no-tech and tech groups, the most used ways of communication were generic download portals, instant messaging with personal physicians' mobiles, working emails, and phone calls to physicians' mobiles, with no difference, except for the use of email being higher in the no-tech group (p = 0.03). Seventy-four percent of the centers did not have any systematization and/or reimbursement, with significant differences among regions (p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Almost all Italian pediatric diabetes centers use telemedicine in a semi-volunteering manner, lacking proper codification, reimbursement system, legal traceability, and accreditation system.

Shaping Workflows in Digital and Remote Diabetes Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic via Service Design: Prospective, Longitudinal, Open-label Feasibility Trial.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic poses new challenges to health care providers and the delivery of continuous care. Although many diabetes technologies, such as insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitors, have been established, the data from these devices are rarely assessed. Furthermore, telemedicine has not been sufficiently integrated into clinical workflows. OBJECTIVE: We sought to remotely support children with type 1 diabetes and their caregivers, enhance the clinical outcomes and quality of life of children with diabetes, increase multiple stakeholders' engagement with digital care via a participatory approach, evaluate the feasibility of using an interoperable open-source platform in a university hospital setting, and analyze the success factors and barriers of transitioning from conventional care to digital care. METHODS: Service design methods were used to adapt clinical workflows. Remote consultations were performed on a monthly and on-demand basis. Diabetes device data were uploaded from patients' homes to an open-source platform. Clinical and patient-reported outcomes were assessed before, during, and after the COVID-19 lockdown period in Germany. RESULTS: A total of 28 children with type 1 diabetes and their caregivers enrolled in this study and completed 6 months of remote visits. Of these 28 participants, 16 (57%) also opted to attend at least one of their regular visits remotely. After 3 months of remote visits, participants' time in range (P=.001) and time in hyperglycemia (P=.004) significantly improved, and their time in hypoglycemia did not increase. These improvements were maintained during the COVID-19 lockdown period (ie, between months 3 and 6 of this study). Participants' psychosocial health improved after 6 months. CONCLUSIONS: Remote consultations and commonly shared data access can improve the clinical outcomes and quality of life of children with type 1 diabetes, even during challenging circumstances. A service design approach helped with the delivery of comprehensive and holistic solutions that accounted for the needs of multiple stakeholders. Our findings can inform the future integration of digital tools into clinical care during and beyond the pandemic. TRIAL REGISTRATION: German Clinical Trials Register DRKS00016170; https://tinyurl.com/skz4wdk5.

Increased Incidence of Pediatric Diabetic Ketoacidosis After COVID-19: A Two-Center Retrospective Study in Korea.

PURPOSE: We evaluated the clinical characteristics and severity of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) in children before and after the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak to identify its indirect effects on DKA incidence. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This retrospective study included 19 children with DKA admitted to the emergency room (ER) in two centers in Jeonbuk province, Korea during the first 6 months of the year from 2017 to 2020. Data were collected on age, height, body weight, clinical symptoms, diabetic mellitus (DM) type, and laboratory findings. DKA severity was based on the presence of acute kidney injury, cerebrovascular accident, and altered mental status. The ratio of patients with DKA in all pediatric patients who visited the study ERs and in the Jeonbuk population was also determined. RESULTS: There were no differences in anthropometric characteristics and complication rates between the pre-COVID-19 and COVID-19 periods; however, the rate of polydipsia was significantly higher in the COVID-19 period. All seven patients admitted during the COVID-19 pandemic (100%) had polydipsia and polyuria and were newly diagnosed with DM. The rate of pediatric patients with DKA admitted to the ER in 2020 (0.459%) was more than twice the mean rate of 0.206% for the four-year period. The incidence of DKA in the Jeonbuk population (0.00141%) also exceeded the mean rate (0.0009%). CONCLUSION: The incidence of pediatric DKA might be higher due to the indirect effect of COVID-19 pandemic. Physicians should be aware of nonspecific symptoms related to DKA in children admitted to the ER.