Closed-Loop Insulin Delivery Systems for People with Type 1 Diabetes and Chronic Very Poor Metabolic Control: It Works and Is Safe!

To evaluate the percentage of patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and very poor metabolic control who would agree to be treated with a hybrid closed-loop (HCL) insulin delivery system, and to assess metabolic improvement and safety. In a single center, we identified all patients aged >18 years with hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) >11% (97 mmol/mol) before HCL treatment. We collected metabolic control and safety data up to 1 year post-HCL in those who accepted HCL after it was proposed to them. We identified 65 patients eligible for the study, 32 (50%) already used, or accepted to start using HCL. Patients were aged 18-49 years; mean(±standard deviation) baseline HbA1c was 12.5(±1.8)% (113 ± 20 mmol/mol). After 1 year, 25 patients (78%) were still using HCL and their mean HbA1c decreased to 9.4(±1.9)% (79 mmol/mol) (P < 0.001). The rate of acute metabolic events was similar during the year of follow-up to the rate in the 3 years before HCL initiation. HCL systems should be considered in patients with T1D and very poor metabolic control. ClinicalTrials registration no. NCT05282264.

Human herpesvirus 8 infection DNA positivity is associated with low insulin secretion: A case-control study in a sub-Saharan African population with diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Viruses have been considered potential triggers for the development of diabetes. This study assessed insulin secretion and insulin sensitivity in human herpesvirus 8 (HHV8)-infected and uninfected sub-Saharan African people with diabetes. METHODS: In all, 173 people with non-autoimmune diabetes were enrolled consecutively: 124 with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and 49 with ketosis-prone diabetes (KPD) admitted in hyperglycemic crisis. Those with KPD were further subdivided into those with new-onset ketotic-phase KPD (n = 34) or non-ketotic phase KPD (n = 15). All participants were screened for HHV8-specific antibodies and genomic DNA. Blood samples were collected for analysis of fasting glucose, HbA1c, lipid profile, and C-peptide, with insulin resistance and secretion estimated by homeostasis model assessment. RESULTS: Among the 173 diabetic participants, 88 (50.9%) were positive for HHV8 antibodies (Ac-HHV8+), including 15 (8.7%) positive for HHV8 DNA (DNA-HHV8+). The seroprevalence of HHV8 was similar between T2DM (55.6%) and KPD (61.2%) subjects. Of those with and without ketotic-phase KPD, 35.3% and 46.7% were Ac-HHV8+, respectively. Body mass index was significantly in lower DNA-HHV8+ than DNA-HHV8- subjects. Low-density lipoprotein and total cholesterol were significantly higher, but C-peptide and homeostatic model assessment of ß-cell function (HOMA-ß) were significantly lower in DNA-HHV8+ than DNA-HHV8- participants. After excluding DNA-HHV8+ participants, triglyceride concentrations were significantly higher in Ac-HHV8+ (n = 73) than Ac-HHV8- (n = 85) subjects. In contrast, HOMA-ß was significantly higher among Ac-HHV8+ than Ac-HHV8- participants. CONCLUSIONS: In the present study, HHV8 DNA positivity was associated with low insulin secretion in this sub-Saharan African diabetes population.

Long-term mortality in outpatients with type 2 diabetes in a reference hospital in Cameroon: a retrospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: There are limited data on mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in Sub-Saharan Africa. We aimed at determining the mortality rate, and the causes and the predictors of death in patients with T2DM followed as outpatients in a reference hospital in Cameroon. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: A reference hospital in Cameroon. PARTICIPANTS: From December 2015 to March 2016, patients with T2DM aged 18 years and older and who consulted between January 2009 and December 2014, were contacted directly or through their next of kin, and included in this study. All participants with less than 75% of desired data in files, those who could not be reached on the phone and those who refused to provide consent were excluded from the study. Of the 940 eligible patients, 628 (352 men and 276 women) were included and completed the study, giving a response rate of 66.8%. OUTCOME MEASURES: Death rate, causes of death and predictors of death. RESULTS: Of the 628 patients (mean age: 56.5 years; median diabetes duration: 3.5 years) followed up for a total of 2161 person-years, 54 died, giving a mortality rate of 2.5 per 100 person-years and a cumulative mortality rate of 8.6%. Acute metabolic complications (22.2%), cardiovascular diseases (16.7%), cancers (14.8%), nephropathy (14.8%) and diabetic foot syndrome (13.0%) were the most common causes of death. Advanced age (adjusted HR (aHR) 1.06, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.10; P=0.002), raised glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) (aHR 1.16, 95% CI 1.00 to 1.35; P=0.051), low blood haemoglobin (aHR 1.06, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.10; P=0.002) and proteinuria (aHR 2.97, 95% CI 1.40 to 6.28; P=0.004) were identified as independent predictors of death. CONCLUSIONS: The mortality rate in patients with T2DM is high in our population, with acute metabolic complications as the leading cause. Patients with advanced age, raised HbA1c, anaemia or proteinuria are at higher risk of death and therefore represent the target of interest to prevent mortality in T2DM.