ISPAD ANNUAL CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS 2023.

The 49th Annual Conference of the International Society of Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes (ISPAD), held from October 18 to 21, 2023, in Rotterdam, Netherlands, showcased significant advancements and diversity in paediatric and adolescent diabetes research and clinical innovations. The conference, renowned for its global impact, brought together experts to discuss cutting-edge developments in the field. Highlights from the plenary sessions included ground-breaking research on immunotherapies and diabetes technologies and offering new insights into personalised treatment approaches. Keynote speakers emphasised the importance of early diagnosis, prevention and the potential of novel biomarkers in predicting disease progression. The symposia covered a broad spectrum of topics, from advancements in continuous glucose monitoring technologies to the latest in hybrid closed loop systems which promise to revolutionise diabetes management for young patients.

The potential of the Mediterranean diet to improve metabolic control and body composition in youths with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus.

BACKGROUND: A chronic autoimmune disease with an increasing incidence rate, type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is typified by the degeneration of the pancreatic beta cells. Diabetes management is significantly impacted by nutrition. Although it has been demonstrated that following the Mediterranean diet (MD) improves metabolic control with type 2 diabetes in children and adults, its effects on children with T1DM have not received much attention. OBJECTIVE: Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess whether adherence to Mediterranean diet is associated with better metabolic control and body composition in youths with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus. The study recruited T1DM patients aged 6-18 years at Istanbul University Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty Hospital's Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes Outpatient Clinic for follow-up. METHODS: In addition to demographic variables, some anthropometric measurements, body composition and biochemical parameters such as: Trygliceride(TG), Total cholesterol (TC), High density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), Low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), (Aspartate aminotransferase) AST, Alanine transaminase (ALT) and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) was analyzed. The time in range (TIR) is a value obtained from continuous glucose monitoring. KIDMED was used to assess the participants' adherence with the MD. RESULTS: Good adherence to the MD resulted in much larger height SDS than poor adherence. Poor adherence to MD resulted in higher body fat than moderate and good adherence. There is positivite correlation between TIR and KIDMED score. Adherence to MD is negatively associated with HbA1c. The regression anaylsis showed that a one-point rise in the KIDMED score would result in a 0.314-unit reduction in the HbA1c value (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, this study found that adhering to MD led to improved anthropometric measurements, biochemistry, and diabetes outcomes. Awareness among children, adolescents with T1DM, and their parents about the benefits of MD compliance for glycemic and metabolic control should be raised.

Diabetes-specific eating disorder and possible associated psychopathologies in adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus.

PURPOSE: It was aimed to investigate the frequency of the risk of diabetes-specific eating disorder (DSED) in adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and to reveal the accompanying psychopathologies. METHODS: Adolescents with T1DM aged 12-18 who applied to the pediatric diabetes outpatient clinic between July 2021 and March 2022 were included. Diabetes Eating Problem Survey-Revised (DEPS-R) was applied to all patients to determine the risk of DSED. In order to detect accompanying psychopathologies, Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q), Child Anxiety and Depression Scale-Child version (RCADS) and Parenting Style Scale were applied. After completing the scales, semi-structured interviews were conducted with all patients by a child and adolescent psychiatrist. RESULTS: Ninety-two adolescents (45 boys, 47 girls) were included. DSED risk was found in 23.9% of the cases. A positive correlation was found between DEPS-R and EDE-Q scores (p = 0.001, rho = 0.370). RCADS mean scores were significantly higher in the group with DSED risk (p < 0.001). When the Parenting Style Scale was evaluated, psychological autonomy scores were significantly lower in the group with DSED risk (p = 0.029). As a result of the psychiatric interviews, 30 (32.6%) patients had at least 1 psychiatric disorder. Of these, 2 patients were diagnosed with eating disorder. CONCLUSION: Almost one-fourth of adolescents with T1DM were found to be at risk of DSED. Routine screening of adolescents with T1DM with the DEPS-R scale may provide early detection of DSED, and referral of those at risk to child psychiatry enables early diagnosis and intervention for both eating disorders and accompanying psychopathologies. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III: Evidence obtained from cohort or case-control analytic studies.

Comparison of four different nutritional risk screening tools in hospitalized children / Comparação de quatro ferramentas diferentes de triagem de risco nutricional em crianças hospitalizadas

ABSTRACT Objective: Early detection of malnutrition risk in hospitalized children can improve health outcomes and quality of life; however, the number of studies where the pediatric screening tool is appropriate for Turkish children is limited. Therefore, this article aims to determine the prevalence of malnutrition risk in pediatric patients evaluated with Screening Tool for Risk on Nutritional Status and Growth, Screening Tool for the Assessment of Malnutrition in Pediatrics, Pediatric Yorkhill Malnutrition Score, and Simple Pediatric Nutrition Screening Tool with original and adjusted cutoffs and to evaluate which pediatric screening tool is appropriate for Turkish children. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, four published nutritional risk screening tools (Screening Tool for Risk on Nutritional Status and Growth, Screening Tool for the Assessment of Malnutrition in Pediatrics, Pediatric Yorkhill Malnutrition Score, Pediatric Nutrition Screening Tool) were applied to pediatric inpatients (n=604) aged 1 month to 17 years, admitted to a pediatric ward for at least 24 hours. Results: Pediatric Nutrition Screening Tool with adjusted cutoffs had the greatest recognition rate (94.2%) of acute malnutrition. Having a high nutritional risk by Pediatric Yorkhill Malnutrition Score was associated with an increased risk of acute (OR: 6.57 for Screening Tool for Risk on Nutritional Status and Growth, 5.84 for Screening Tool for the Assessment of Malnutrition in Pediatrics, and 20.35 for Pediatric Yorkhill Malnutrition Score) and chronic malnutrition (OR: 1.27 for Screening Tool for Risk on Nutritional Status and Growth, 3.28 for Screening Tool for the Assessment of Malnutrition in Pediatrics, and 1.72 for Pediatric Yorkhill Malnutrition Score). Classifying the at-risk category by the Pediatric Nutrition Screening Tool was related to raised odds of malnutrition (OR: 2.64 for original and 5.24 for adjusted cutoffs). This positive association was also observed for acute (OR: 4.07 for original cutoffs, and 28.01 for adjusted cutoffs) and chronic malnutrition (OR: 1.14 for original cutoffs, and 1.67 for adjusted cutoffs). Conclusion: Pediatric Nutrition Screening Tool with adjusted cutoffs and Pediatric Yorkhill Malnutrition Score have higher diagnostic accuracy than other screening tools in assessing the nutritional status of hospitalized Turkish children and detecting children, particularly with acute malnutrition.

RESUMO Objetivo: A detecção precoce do risco de desnutrição em crianças hospitalizadas pode melhorar a saúde e a qualidade de vida, porém o número de estudos em que a ferramenta de triagem pediátrica é apropriada para crianças turcas é limitado. O objetivo deste estudo foi determinar a prevalência do risco de desnutrição em pacientes pediátricos avaliados com Ferramenta de Triagem para Risco no Estado Nutricional e Crescimento, Ferramenta de Triagem para Avaliação de Desnutrição em Pediatria, Escore de Malnutrição Pediátrica de Yorkhill e Ferramenta de Triagem de Nutrição Pediátrica Simples com pontos de corte originais e ajustados para avaliar qual ferramenta de triagem pediátrica é apropriada para crianças turcas. Métodos: Neste estudo transversal, quatro ferramentas de triagem de risco nutricional publicadas (Ferramenta de Triagem para Risco no Estado Nutricional e Crescimento, Ferramenta de Triagem para Avaliação de Desnutrição em Pediatria, Escore de Malnutrição Pediátrica de Yorkhill, Ferramenta de Triagem de Nutrição Pediátrica) foram aplicadas a pacientes pediátricos (n=604) com idades entre 1 mês e 17 anos, internados em uma enfermaria pediátrica por pelo menos 24 horas. Resultados: A Ferramenta de Triagem de Nutrição Pediátrica com pontos de corte ajustados obteve a maior taxa de reconhecimento de desnutrição aguda (94,2%), enquanto a Ferramenta de Triagem para Avaliação de Desnutrição em Pediatria teve a maior taxa na identificação da desnutrição crônica (67,4%). Essas associações positivas foram mais notáveis para desnutrição aguda (OR: 6,57 para Ferramenta de Triagem para Risco no Estado Nutricional e Crescimento, 5,84 para Ferramenta de Triagem para Avaliação de Desnutrição em Pediatria e 20,35 para Escore de Malnutrição Pediátrica de Yorkhill) do que para desnutrição crônica (OR: 1,27 para Ferramenta de Triagem para Risco no Estado Nutricional e Crescimento, 3,28 para Ferramenta de Triagem para Avaliação de Desnutrição em Pediatria e 1,72 para Escore de Malnutrição Pediátrica de Yorkhill). A classificação da categoria de risco pela Ferramenta de Triagem de Nutrição Pediátrica foi relacionada a maiores chances de desnutrição (OR: 2,64 para pontos de corte originais e 5,24 para pontos de corte ajustados). Essa associação positiva também foi observada para desnutrição aguda (OR: 4,07 para pontos de corte originais e 28,01 para pontos de corte ajustados) e crônica (OR: 1,14 para pontos de corte originais e 1,67 para pontos de corte ajustados). Conclusão: A Ferramenta de Triagem de Nutrição Pediátrica com pontos de corte ajustados e Escore de Malnutrição Pediátrica de Yorkhill têm maior precisão diagnóstica do que outras ferramentas de triagem na avaliação do estado nutricional de crianças turcas hospitalizadas e na detecção da desnutrição aguda em particular.

Sleep architecture in neonatal and infantile onset epilepsies in the first six months of life: A scoping review.

AIM: Epilepsy occurs in approximately 80 per 100,000 infants in the first year of life, ranging in severity from self-limited and likely to spontaneously resolve, to severe developmental and epileptic encephalopathies. Sleep plays a key role in early brain development and the reciprocal relationship between sleep and seizures is not yet fully understood, particularly in young children. We conducted a Scoping Review to synthesise current knowledge of sleep architecture in neonates and infants with epilepsy. METHOD: Peer-reviewed publications from 2005 to 2022 describing sleep architecture in infants up to six months of age with unprovoked seizures were included. The analysis set was derived from EMBASE, Web of Science and PubMED using key terms "sleep, epilepsy and infant" and related descriptors. Inclusion criteria were prospectively described in a Scoping Review protocol. Sleep architecture was assessed as macro- and micro-structural elements. RESULTS: 21 publications were included in the qualitative analysis. In self-limited familial and genetic epilepsy, sleep macrostructure was generally preserved. In DEEs and in epileptic encephalopathies of genetic or structural aetiology, sleep architecture was significantly disrupted. INTERPRETATION: Early identification of infants with epilepsy is important to ensure early and effective treatment. In the DEE spectrum, sleep architecture is significantly impacted, and abnormal sleep architecture may be associated with compromised developmental outcome. Further research is needed to identify the sequence of events in abnormal brain development, epilepsy and sleep disruption and potentially help to predict the course of epilepsy towards a self-limited epilepsy versus a DEE.

Effect of the COVID-19 quarantine on metabolic control in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes.

INTRODUCTION: Metabolic control in type 1 diabetes (T1D) depends on many factors such as eating habits, exercise and lifestyle. The objective of this study was to investigate how these factors were affected during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) lockdown and impacted metabolic control in children with T1D. MATERIALS AND METHOD: One hundred children with T1D were enrolled in the study. Anthropometric measurements, snack and meal frequency, carbohydrate consumption, HbA1c levels, and exercise patterns were recorded and compared before and after the lockdown. Subjects were divided into two subgroups-patients with decreased and patients with increased HbA1c levels after the lockdown-and comparisons of the same parameters were also made between these two subgroups. RESULTS: In the overall group, the mean HbA1c level was significantly higher after the lockdown compared to before (p=0.035). Meal schedules changed due to delayed sleep and waking times, and total daily carbohydrate consumption increased in the subgroup with increased HbA1c while it decreased in the subgroup with decreased HbA1c (p<0.001 for both). CONCLUSION: Our study supports the notion that blood sugar management in children with T1D worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although it is not possible to explain this with any one factor, some behavioral changes observed in our study, such as inactivity, irregular meal frequency and timing, and irregular sleep and waking patterns appeared to be associated with blood sugar management.

Neonatal Problems and Infancy Growth of Term SGA Infants: Does "SGA" Definition Need to Be Re-evaluated?

Introduction: The exact definition of small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infant is still controversial among clinicians. In this study, we aimed to understand which definition is better in terms of establishing both early postnatal problems and growth. In this way, we compared early neonatal problems and infancy growth of term infants with birth weight (BW) < -2 SDS and with BW between 10th percentile (-1.28 SDS) and -2 SDS. Methods: A single center retrospective cohort study was conducted. Preterm infants, multiple gestations and newborns with any congenital anomalies were excluded from the study. Study group was defined as Group 1 (n = 37), infants BW < -2.00 SDS; Group 2 (n = 129), between -1.28 and -2.00 SDS; and Group 3 (n = 137), randomly selected newborns with optimal-for-gestational-age (BW between -0.67 and +0.67 SDS) as a control group. Results: The incidence of severe hypoglycemia was highest in Group 1 (%10.8) and Group 2 and 3 had similar rates of severe hypoglycemia (0.8 and 0.7%, respectively). The incidence of polycythemia was 5.4% in Group 1 and was significantly higher than Group 3 (0.0%) while it was 2.3% in Group 2. Short stature (length < -2 SDS) ratio at the age of 1 and 2 years were similar in each group. Overweight/obesity ratio at the age of 1 were 9.5, 20.8 and 16.7% in each group, respectively (p = 0.509). Conclusion: This study was planned as a pilot study to determine potential differences in the problems of hypoglycemia, polycythemia, and growth according to the differences in definition. Short term disturbances such as hypoglycemia and polycythemia are found to be higher in infants with a BW SDS below -2. From this point of view, of course, it will not be possible to change the routine applications immediately, however this study will be an initiative for discussions by making long-term studies.

Effect of the COVID-19 quarantine on metabolic control in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes.

INTRODUCTION: Metabolic control in type 1 diabetes (T1D) depends on many factors such as eating habits, exercise and lifestyle. The objective of this study was to investigate how these factors were affected during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) lockdown and impacted metabolic control in children with T1D. MATERIALS AND METHOD: One hundred children with T1D were enrolled in the study. Anthropometric measurements, snack and meal frequency, carbohydrate consumption, HbA1c levels, and exercise patterns were recorded and compared before and after the lockdown. Subjects were divided into two subgroups-patients with decreased and patients with increased HbA1c levels after the lockdown-and comparisons of the same parameters were also made between these two subgroups. RESULTS: In the overall group, the mean HbA1c level was significantly higher after the lockdown compared to before (p=0.035). Meal schedules changed due to delayed sleep and waking times, and total daily carbohydrate consumption increased in the subgroup with increased HbA1c while it decreased in the subgroup with decreased HbA1c (p<0.001 for both). CONCLUSION: Our study supports the notion that blood sugar management in children with T1D worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although it is not possible to explain this with any one factor, some behavioral changes observed in our study, such as inactivity, irregular meal frequency and timing, and irregular sleep and waking patterns appeared to be associated with blood sugar management.

Early Postnatal Metabolic Profile in Neonates With Different Birth Weight Status: A Pilot Study.

Introduction: Restricted or enhanced intrauterine growth is associated with elevated risks of early and late metabolic problems in humans. Metabolomics based on amino acid and carnitine/acylcarnitine profile may have a role in fetal and early postnatal energy metabolism. In this study, the relationship between intrauterine growth status and early metabolomics profile was evaluated. Materials and Methods: A single-center retrospective cohort study was conducted. Three hundred and sixty-one newborn infants were enrolled into the study, and they were grouped according to their birth weight percentile as small for gestational age (SGA, n = 69), appropriate for gestational age (AGA, n = 168), and large for gestational age (LGA, n = 124) infants. In all infants, amino acid and carnitine/acylcarnitine profiles with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) were recorded and compared between groups. Results: LGA infants had higher levels of glutamic acid and lower levels of ornithine, alanine, and glycine (p < 0.05) when compared with AGA infants. SGA infants had higher levels of alanine and glycine levels when compared with AGA and LGA infants. Total carnitine, C0, C2, C4, C5, C10:1, C18:1, C18:2, C14-OH, and C18:2-OH levels were significantly higher and C3 and C6-DC levels were lower in SGA infants (p < 0.05). LGA infants had higher C3 and C5:1 levels and lower C18:2 and C16:1-OH levels (p < 0.05). There were positive correlations between free carnitine and phenylalanine, arginine, methionine, alanine, and glycine levels (p < 0.05). Also, a positive correlation between ponderal index and C3, C5-DC, C14, and C14:1 and a negative correlation between ponderal index and ornithine, alanine, glycine, C16:1-OH, and C18:2 were shown. Conclusion: We demonstrated differences in metabolomics possibly reflecting the energy metabolism in newborn infants with intrauterine growth problems in the early postnatal period. These differences might be the footprints of metabolic disturbances in future adulthood.

Smoking prevalence and associated attitudes among high school students in Turkey.

This is a descriptive study to determine the smoking prevalence and attitudes with smoking among high school students in Sivas, Turkey. This study was carried out in 6 high schools located in Sivas, Turkey. The sample was constituted by 1050 students. The data of the study was obtained by a questionnaire which is developed by researchers. The x2 test was used in the statistical analyses. In this study, the rate of students who did not smoke or stopped smoking was found to be 79.6%, while the rate of occasionaly or daily smokers was 20.4%. Students with male gender, those whose fathers and mothers had a low educational level, and a smoking mother, father or sibling, had a higher frequency of smoking (p< 0.05). Students were found to have opposite attitudes to cigarette in general and rates of agreed to some attitude expressions were found to be higher in non-smoking students. The results demonstrated that the smoking prevalence among high school students was high and students with a smoking family member in particular, those with parents having low educational levels and of male gender should be regarded as a risk group for smoking.