Psychosocial Burden During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Adolescents With Type 1 Diabetes in Germany and Its Association With Metabolic Control.

PURPOSE: To investigate the psychosocial burden during the COVID-19 pandemic in adolescents with type 1 diabetes and its association with metabolic control. METHODS: Prospective multicenter observational cohort study based on data from the German Diabetes Prospective Follow-up Registry. Adolescents aged 12-20 years with type 1 diabetes were asked during routine follow-up visits to complete a questionnaire on psychosocial distress and daily use of electronic media during the COVID-19 pandemic from June 2021 to November 2022. Well-being, anxiety, and depression symptoms were assessed using World Health Organization Five Well-Being Index (WHO-5), General Anxiety Disorder scale 7 (GAD-7), and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 questionnaires. The impact of mental health symptoms on metabolic control was analyzed by using multivariable linear regression models adjusted for sex, diabetes duration, treatment, socioeconomic deprivation, and immigrant background. RESULTS: Six hundred eighty eight adolescents (45.6% females) from 20 diabetes centers participated. Compared with a prepandemic cohort, WHO-5 scores were lower during the COVID-19 pandemic (estimated mean difference -9.6 [95% confidence interval -11.6; -7.6], p < .001), but GAD-7 scores were not different (estimated mean difference 0.6 [95% confidence interval -0.2; 1.5], p = .14). HbA1c was significantly positively associated with GAD-7 and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and negatively associated with WHO-5 scores (all p < .001). Daily electronic media use was positively associated with adjusted mental health symptoms (all p < .01). DISCUSSION: Although the overall well-being of adolescents with type 1 diabetes was reduced during the later phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, the additional psychological burden was relatively low. However, mental health symptoms were associated with poorer metabolic control and higher use of electronic media.

Diet in the management of type 2 diabetes: umbrella review of systematic reviews with meta-analyses of randomised controlled trials.

Objective: To systematically summarise and evaluate the existing evidence on the effect of diet on the management of type 2 diabetes and prevention of complications. Design: Umbrella review of systematic reviews with meta-analyses of randomised controlled trials. Data sources: PubMed, Embase, Epistemonikos, and Cochrane, from inception up to 5 June 2022. Eligibility criteria for selecting studies: Systematic reviews with meta-analyses of randomised controlled trials reporting summary effect estimates on the effect of diet on any health outcome in populations with type 2 diabetes were included in the review. Only meta-analyses with randomised controlled trials with the duration of at least 12 weeks were eligible for inclusion. Summary data were extracted by two investigators independently. Summary effect estimates with 95% confidence intervals were recalculated with a random effects model if the information provided was insufficient. Methodological quality was assessed with the A MeaSurement Tool to Assess systematic Reviews (AMSTAR) 2 tool and the certainty of evidence with the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluations (GRADE) approach. Results: 88 publications with 312 meta-analyses of randomised controlled trials were included. Methodological quality was high to moderate in 23% and low to very low in 77% of the included publications. A high certainty of evidence was found for the beneficial effects of liquid meal replacement on reducing body weight (mean difference -2.37 kg, 95% confidence interval -3.30 to -1.44; n=9 randomised controlled trials included in the meta-analysis) and body mass index (-0.87, -1.32 to -0.43; n=8 randomised controlled trials), and of a low carbohydrate diet (<26% of total energy) on levels of haemoglobin A1c (-0.47%, -0.60% to -0.34%; n=17 randomised controlled trials) and triglycerides (-0.30 mmol/L, -0.43 to -0.17; n=19 randomised controlled trials). A moderate certainty of evidence was found for the beneficial effects of liquid meal replacement, plant based, Mediterranean, high protein, low glycaemic index, and low carbohydrate diets (<26% total energy) on various cardiometabolic measures. The remaining results had low to very low certainty of evidence. Conclusions: The evidence indicated that diet has a multifaceted role in the management of type 2 diabetes. An energy restricted diet can reduce body weight and improve cardiometabolic health. Beyond energy restriction, dietary approaches such as plant based, Mediterranean, low carbohydrate (<26% total energy), or high protein diets, and a higher intake of omega 3 fatty acids can be beneficial for cardiometabolic health in individuals with type 2 diabetes. Systematic review registration: PROSPERO CRD42021252309.

Efficacy of automated insulin delivery (AID) systems in type 1 diabetes: protocol of a systematic review and network meta-analysis of outpatient randomised controlled trials.

INTRODUCTION: Automated insulin delivery (AID), also known as artificial pancreas system or 'closed-loop system', represents a novel option for current treatments for type 1 diabetes (T1D). The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to assess the efficacy of AID systems in comparison with current intensified insulin therapy for glycaemic control and patient-reported outcomes in individuals with T1D. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Studies will be eligible if they are randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in people with T1D of all ages, and if they compare an AID system for self-administration during the day and night period with any other type of insulin therapy for at least 3 weeks. The primary outcome will be time in the glucose target range of 70-180 mg/dL. A systematic review will be conducted in the MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and ClinicalTrials.gov registries from their inception dates. Two authors will independently screen all references based on titles and abstracts against the eligibility criteria. For data extraction, standard forms will be developed and tested before extraction. All information will be assessed independently by at least two reviewers. The risk of bias of the included studies will be assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 tool. The data synthesis will include a random-effects pairwise and network meta-analysis (NMA) in a frequentist framework. Where applicable and if sufficient RCTs are available, sensitivity analyses will be performed, and heterogeneity and publication bias will be assessed. The certainty of evidence from the NMA will be evaluated following the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation working group guidance. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: No ethical approval is needed. The results will be reported to the funder, presented in a peer-reviewed scientific journal and at conferences, and disseminated via press release, social media and public events. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42023395492.

Comparison of diabetes distress and depression screening results of emerging adults with type 1 diabetes onset at different ages: findings from the German early-onset T1D study and the German Diabetes Study (GDS).

BACKGROUND: Diabetes distress is increasingly considered one of the most important psychosocial issues in the care of people with type 1 diabetes (T1D). We analyse whether diabetes distress and depression screening results of emerging adults are associated with the age at T1D onset. METHODS: Data were taken from two cohort studies conducted at the German Diabetes Center, Düsseldorf, Germany. The 18-30-year-old participants had an age at onset either before the age of 5 years (childhood-onset long-term T1D study group, N = 749) or during adulthood (adult-onset short-term T1D study group from the German Diabetes Study (GDS), N = 163). Diabetes distress and depression screening were analysed by means of the 20-item Problem Areas in Diabetes (PAID-20) scale and the nine-item depression module from the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). The average causal effect of age at onset was estimated by a doubly robust causal inference method. RESULTS: The PAID-20 total scores were increased in the adult-onset study group [potential outcome mean (POM) 32.1 (95% confidence interval 28.0; 36.1) points] compared to the childhood-onset study group [POM 21.0 (19.6; 22.4) points, difference 11.1 (6.9; 15.3) points, p<0.001] adjusted for age, sex and haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels. Moreover, more participants in the adult-onset group [POM 34.5 (24.9; 44.2) %] than in the childhood-onset group [POM 16.3 (13.3; 19.2) %] screened positive for diabetes distress [adjusted difference 18.3 (8.3; 28.2) %, p<0.001]. The PHQ-9 total score [difference 0.3 (-1.1; 1.7) points, p=0.660] and the proportion of participants with a positive screening result for depression [difference 0.0 (-12.7; 12.8) %, p=0.994] did not differ between the groups in the adjusted analyses. CONCLUSIONS: Emerging adults with short-term type 1 diabetes screened positive for diabetes distress more often than adults with type 1 diabetes onset during early childhood when age, sex and HbA1c values were considered confounding factors. Accounting for age at onset or the duration of diabetes may help explain the heterogeneity in the data when psychological factors are examined.

The interplay of family history of depression and early trauma: associations with lifetime and current depression in the German national cohort (NAKO).

Introduction: Family history of depression and childhood maltreatment are established risk factors for depression. However, how these factors are interrelated and jointly influence depression risk is not well understood. The present study investigated (i) if childhood maltreatment is associated with a family history of depression (ii) if family history and childhood maltreatment are associated with increased lifetime and current depression, and whether both factors interact beyond their main effects, and (iii) if family history affects lifetime and current depression via childhood maltreatment. Methods: Analyses were based on a subgroup of the first 100,000 participants of the German National Cohort (NAKO), with complete information (58,703 participants, mean age = 51.2 years, 53% female). Parental family history of depression was assessed via self-report, childhood maltreatment with the Childhood Trauma Screener (CTS), lifetime depression with self-reported physician's diagnosis and the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI), and current depressive symptoms with the depression scale of the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Generalized linear models were used to test main and interaction effects. Mediation was tested using causal mediation analyses. Results: Higher frequencies of the childhood maltreatment measures were found in subjects reporting a positive family history of depression. Family history and childhood maltreatment were independently associated with increased depression. No statistical interactions of family history and childhood maltreatment were found for the lifetime depression measures. For current depressive symptoms (PHQ-9 sum score), an interaction was found, with stronger associations of childhood maltreatment and depression in subjects with a positive family history. Childhood maltreatment was estimated to mediate 7%-12% of the effect of family history on depression, with higher mediated proportions in subjects whose parents had a depression onset below 40 years. Abuse showed stronger associations with family history and depression, and higher mediated proportions of family history effects on depression than neglect. Discussion: The present study confirms the association of childhood maltreatment and family history with depression in a large population-based cohort. While analyses provide little evidence for the joint effects of both risk factors on depression beyond their individual effects, results are consistent with family history affecting depression via childhood maltreatment to a small extent.

Spatiotemporal association between COVID-19 incidence and type 1 diabetes incidence among children and adolescents: a register-based ecological study in Germany.

Objective: Studies have shown an increased incidence of pediatric type 1 diabetes during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the detailed role of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the incidence increase in type 1 diabetes remains unclear. We investigated the spatiotemporal association of pediatric type 1 diabetes and COVID-19 incidence at the district level in Germany. Methods: For the period from March 2020 to June 2022, nationwide data on incident type 1 diabetes among children and adolescents aged <20 years and daily documented COVID-19 infections in the total population were obtained from the German Diabetes Prospective Follow-up Registry and the Robert Koch Institute, respectively. Data were aggregated at district level and seven time periods related to COVID-19 pandemic waves. Spatiotemporal associations between indirectly standardized incidence rates of type 1 diabetes and COVID-19 were analyzed by Spearman correlation and Bayesian spatiotemporal conditional autoregressive Poisson models. Results: Standardized incidence ratios of type 1 diabetes and COVID-19 in the pandemic period were not significantly correlated across districts and time periods. A doubling of the COVID-19 incidence rate was not associated with a significant increase in the incidence rate of type 1 diabetes (relative risk 1.006, 95% CI 0.987; 1.019). Conclusion: Our findings based on data from the pandemic period indirectly indicate that a causal relationship between SARS-COV-2 infection and type 1 diabetes among children and adolescents is unlikely.

Prevalence of type 1 and type 2 diabetes in children and adolescents in Germany from 2002 to 2020: A study based on electronic health record data from the DPV registry.

BACKGROUND: To provide estimates of the nationwide prevalence of type 1 diabetes (T1D) and type 2 diabetes (T2D) in individuals younger than 20 years of age in Germany from 2002 to 2020 and to identify trends. METHODS: Data were obtained from the electronic health record "Diabetes Prospective Follow-up Registry (DPV)" specific to diabetes care. Prevalence was estimated based on prevalent cases at the end of each year for the years 2002, 2008, 2014, and 2020 per 100 000 persons assuming a Poisson distribution and directly age- and/or sex-standardized to the population in 2020. Individuals younger than 20 years of age with a clinical diagnosis of T1D or 10-19-year-olds with T2D were eligible for inclusion in the study. RESULTS: The standardized T1D prevalence per 100 000 persons was 138.9 (95% CI: 137.1; 140.6) in 2002 and 245.6 (243.1; 248.0) in 2020. The standardized T2D prevalence per 100 000 persons was 3.4 (3.1; 3.8) in 2002 and 10.8 (10.1; 11.5) in 2020. The annual percent change (APC) in prevalence declined over the three periods 2002-2008/2008-2014/2014-2020 (T1D: 6.3% [3.6%; 9.0%]/3.1% [0.7%; 5.5%]/0.5% [-1.7%; 2.85], T2D: 12.3% [5.3%; 20.8%]/4.7% [-0.6%; 10.3%]/3.0% [-1.8%; 8.0%]). From 2014 to 2020, the highest APCs were observed among 15-19-year-olds (T1D: 2.5% [1.3%; 3.6%], T2D: 3.4% [-0.5%; 7.5%]). CONCLUSIONS: The increase in diabetes prevalence has slowed, but medical care should be prepared for an increase in adolescents with diabetes.

Family Structure is Associated with Mental Health and Attention Deficit (Hyperactivity) Disorders in Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the cross-sectional associations of family structure with mental health and attention deficit (hyperactivity) disorders (AD(H)D) in 11- to 17-year-old adolescents with early-onset type 1 diabetes participating in one of three baseline surveys as part of an ongoing cohort study. METHODS: Parents (n=1,631) completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire to screen for their child's mental health and answered questions about their child's diagnosis of AD(H)D. Associations between mental health or AD(H)D and family structure were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression analyses adjusted for various personal and diabetes-related variables. RESULTS: Compared to adolescents living with both parents, adolescents living with one parent and his/her partner had 2.35 (95% confidence interval 1.32; 4.21) higher odds of abnormal screening result and 2.08 (1.09; 3.95) higher odds of a borderline screening result while adolescents living with a single parent had 1.84 (1.07; 3.17)/1.08 (0.53; 2.21) higher odds of abnormal/borderline screening results. The odds ratios for diagnosed attention deficit (hyperactivity) disorder were 2.17 (0.98; 4.84) for adolescents living with one parent and his/her partner and 1.27 (0.54; 3.01) for those living with a single parent vs. both parents. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate higher odds of mental health problems and AD(H)D in adolescents with type 1 diabetes who do not live with both parents; this finding was most pronounced in individuals living with one parent and his/her partner vs. both parents. Longitudinal studies are needed to verify our results and elucidate the underlying mechanisms.

Overestimation and underestimation of youths' health-related quality of life are associated with youth and caregiver positive screens for depression: results of a population-based study among youths with longstanding type 1 diabetes.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to analyze the extent and direction of disagreement between self- and proxy-reported quality of life (QoL) and the factors associated with QoL overestimation and underestimation by caregivers compared with self-reports. METHODS: This study used data from population-based questionnaire surveys conducted in 2012-2013 and 2015-2016 with 11- to 17-year-olds with a duration of type 1 diabetes of 10 years or longer and their caregivers (n = 1058). QoL in youth was assessed via 10-item KIDSCREEN (KIDSCREEN-10) self- and proxy-reported questionnaires. The scores ranged from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating better QoL. Depression screening was performed via the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale for Children for youths (CES-DC screen positive: score > 15) and WHO-5 Well-being Index for parents/caregivers (WHO-5 screen positive: score ≤ 50). RESULTS: The mean self- and proxy-reported normalized KIDSCREEN-10 scores were 64.2 (standard deviation [SD] 11.4) and 66.1 (11.5), respectively. More caregivers overestimated (self-reported minus proxy-reported score < - 0.5*SD self-reported score) than underestimated (self-reported minus proxy-reported score > 0.5*SD self-reported score) youths' QoL (37% versus 23%, p < 0.001). Youths who screened positive for depression (18%) were at higher risk of their QoL being overestimated and lower risk of their QoL being underestimated by caregivers than youths who screened negative for depression (RROverestimation 1.30 [95% CI 1.10-1.52], RRUnderestimation 0.27 [0.15-0.50]). Caregivers who screened positive for depression (28%) overestimated the QoL of their children less often and underestimated the QoL of their children more often than caregivers who screened negative for depression (RROverestimation 0.73 [0.60-0.89], RRUnderestimation 1.41 [1.14-1.75]). CONCLUSIONS: Caregivers often over- or underestimated their children's QoL. Positive screens for depression among both youths and caregivers contributed to the observed differences between self- and caregiver-reported QoL.

Course of screening-based depression in young adults with a long type 1 diabetes duration: Prevalence and transition probabilities - A cohort study.

AIMS: To extend the current knowledge of the prevalence and course of screening-based depression (SBD) and its predictors in emerging adults with a long type 1 diabetes duration. METHODS: A total of 487 young adults (64.7% women, mean age 24.0 years) who participated in a nationwide cohort study provided data on SBD (Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) score ≥ 10). We estimated the overall and age- and sex-specific prevalence of SBD, identified the associated covariates, and determined the transition probabilities between SBD states using adjusted first-order Markov transition models. RESULTS: The prevalence of SBD was 17.7% in women and 7.0% in men. A total of 70.4% (95%-CI 57.4%; 80.8%) of the participants with SBD at the first screening still had SBD at the three-year follow-up. Of the subjects without SBD at baseline, 6.9% (4.9%; 9.8%) had SBD at follow-up. The main predictor of current SBD was previous SBD (OR 39.0 (15.4; 98.6)), followed by living in one's own or in a shared apartment vs. living with both parents (OR: 2.75 (1.03; 7.36)). CONCLUSIONS: Using an innovative analytical approach, emerging adults with a long diabetes duration demonstrated a moderate rate of incident SBD but a high rate of persistent SBD.

Screening for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and associated factors in adolescents and young adults with type 1 diabetes: Cross-sectional results of a Germany-wide population-based study.

AIMS: The aims of this study were to screen 14- to 30-year-olds with early-onset type 1 diabetes for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and to compare the characteristics of the study participants who had a positive result for GAD with those who had a negative result. METHODS: This study used data from a questionnaire survey conducted from 2018 to 2019. The GAD-7 questionnaire was used to screen for GAD (positive: GAD-7 score ≥ 10). All regression analyses were adjusted for age, sex, depression diagnosis and considered multiple testing. RESULTS: The 713 participants had a mean GAD-7 score of 4.32 (SD 4.18). A total of 12% of the study population (10% of adolescents, 13% of adults) was screened positive for GAD. Positive screening results were associated with impairments in various domains, such as self-assessed physical performance (RR poor versus good 3.03 [95% CI 1.85-4.96]), difficulty falling asleep (RR ≥3 times/week versus not during the last 4 weeks 5.36 [2.86-10.07]), glycemic control (RR HbA1c per 1% 1.16 [1.03-1.31]), and diabetes treatment satisfaction (RR poor versus good 2.67 [1.43-5.00]). CONCLUSIONS: Diabetologists should be aware that adolescents and young adults with GAD symptoms might experience extensive impairments in their daily lives.

Increased risk of impaired treatment satisfaction among girls/women and young people with suboptimal HbA1c: Results of a nationwide type 1 diabetes study.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to analyze the patient-reported outcome (PRO) of treatment satisfaction in a sample of children, adolescents and young adults with long-duration type 1 diabetes and to determine potential risk factors for poor treatment satisfaction and the intraindividual changes over a 3-year period. METHODS: This study used data from two population-based questionnaire surveys conducted in 2015-2016 and 2018-2019. The participants were 11 to 27 years old and had a type 1 diabetes duration of 10 years or longer in 2015-2016 (n = 575). Factors that were potentially associated with poor treatment satisfaction (moderate, poor or very poor) compared to the reference group (very good or good treatment satisfaction) were analyzed by log binomial regression adjusted for sex and age group. RESULTS: In 2015-2016 (2018-2019), 26% (33%) of the respondents rated their diabetes treatment/consultation as "very good", 53% (46%) as "good", and 20% (21%) as "poor". Based on the 2018-2019 data, girls/women had an increased risk of poor treatment satisfaction (RRgirls/women: 1.64 (1.10; 2.44), p = 0.016). In addition, people with hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) values ≥ 7.5% had a more than twice the risk of poor treatment satisfaction than people with HbA1c values < 7.5% (RRHbA1c ≥7.5%: 2.43 (1.63; 3.63), p < 0.001). A total of 42% of people with poor treatment satisfaction in 2015-2016 also reported poor treatment satisfaction at follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Most study participants were satisfied with their diabetes treatment. However, we identified risk groups that would benefit from targeted interventions to improve this important PRO.

Association of family structure with type 1 diabetes management and outcomes in adolescents: A population-based cross-sectional survey.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes therapies have enormously changed during past decades, but only few studies have analyzed the association between family structure and diabetes management and outcomes. OBJECTIVE: To analyze cross-sectionally the associations of family structure with type 1 diabetes (T1D) management and various diabetes outcomes. METHODS: A total of 1635 11- to 17-year-old participants and their parents completed one of three baseline surveys as part of a nationwide, population-based cohort study on early-onset, long-standing T1D. Associations between family structure and outcome variables were analyzed by multivariable linear/logistic regression. RESULTS: Compared to adolescents living with both parents (reference), HbA1c was 0.48% (95% confidence interval 0.24; 0.71) / 5.2 (2.6; 7.8) mmol/mol higher in adolescents living with one parent and 0.34% (0.08; 0.59) / 3.7 (0.9; 6.5) mmol/mol higher in those living with one parent and her/his partner. The blood glucose self-monitoring (SMBG) frequency was lower (single parent: -0.6 (-1.1; -0.2), parent and partner:-0.5 (-1.0; 0.0)) and parents reported more long-term consequences related to school or work (ORsingle-parent 1.52 (0.90; 2.57), ORparent + partner 1.50 (0.86; 2.60)). While living with one parent was associated with increased odds of insulin injection vs. insulin pump therapy (OR 1.61 [1.13; 2.29]), the odds of low hypoglycemia awareness (OR 1.75 [1.00; 3.08]) and diabetes complications (1.32 [0.78; 2.22]) were higher in people living with a parent and her/his partner. CONCLUSIONS: Living with only one parent with or without a new partner was associated with less SMBG and pump use and poor diabetes outcomes. Future studies to explore the underlying mechanisms are required.

Course of Disordered Eating Behavior in Young People With Early-Onset Type I Diabetes: Prevalence, Symptoms, and Transition Probabilities.

PURPOSE: The aims of this study were to analyze the prevalence and course of disordered eating behavior (DEB) in adolescents with intensively treated type I diabetes, describe differences in age-specific DEB symptoms, and identify predictors of current DEB. METHODS: Data were taken from 332/218 11- to 27-year-old participants (55.7% girls/women, mean age [SD] 17.8 [3.4] years, mean diabetes duration 14.9 [3.0] years) of two/three surveys of a Germany-wide longitudinal study on early-onset and long duration diabetes, respectively. A diabetes-adapted version of the SCOFF questionnaire was used to assess DEB. Both screening-based overall and age- and sex-specific prevalence of DEB and its symptoms were determined. To estimate transition probabilities between DEB states, first-order Markov transition models were implemented adjusting for previous sociodemographic, socioeconomic, and diabetes-specific covariates. RESULTS: The overall screening-based DEB prevalence among all 1,318 observations was 10.8% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 9.2%, 12.6%) with age-specific differences in symptom prevalence. Transition probabilities for developing/persistent DEB were twofold higher among female than male participants (risk ratio [RR] 2.3 [1.4, 3.9]/2.1 [1.3, 3.4]). In multiple adjusted regression, previous DEB (odds ratio [OR] 2.8 [95% CI 1.4, 5.6]), follow-up time (ORper 1-year increase 3.4 [1.4, 8.0]), and sex (ORgirls/women 2.1 [1.1, 3.9]) were the most important predictors of current DEB with further weaker associations for previous age and HbA1c. CONCLUSIONS: Our results contribute to better understanding the course of DEB in patients with early-onset diabetes and emphasize the relevance of regular DEB screenings including the age group of young adults.

Diabetic nephropathy and quality of life among youths with long-duration type 1 diabetes: A population-based cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether diabetic nephropathy (DN) is associated with lower quality of life (QOL) in youths with long-duration type 1 diabetes and whether associations differ by diabetes duration. METHODS: Overall, 1,462 youths aged 11 to 17 years with diabetes onset between 0 and 4 years of age and at least 10 years diabetes duration completed questionnaires on QOL between 2009 and 2016. Chronic generic and diabetes-specific QOL (diabetes impact and treatment scale) were assessed with three scales of the DISABKIDS instruments. Information on DN was obtained from the diabetes patient follow-up registry ("Diabetes-Patienten-Verlaufsdokumentation") with DN defined as micro- or macroalbuminuria. Linear regression analyses were used to evaluate the association between QOL and DN. To adjust for potential confounders, we applied inverse probability of treatment weighting for the linear regression. RESULTS: In adjusted analysis, DN was associated with lower QOL in the chronic generic and the two diabetes-specific DISABKIDS scales. Overall, the observed effects were not clinically relevant but increased consistently with longer diabetes duration. Among those with at least 16 years diabetes duration, differences in QOL between patients with vs without DN were clinically relevant on the chronic generic scale (ß = -10.3 [-21.0;0.7]). CONCLUSION: The results suggest that long-term microvascular complications can impair chronic generic QOL already in youths with type 1 diabetes. Differences in QOL between patients with and without DN seem to increase with diabetes duration.

Association of individual and area-level socioeconomic conditions with quality of life and glycaemic control in 11- to 21-year-old adolescents with early-onset type 1 diabetes: a cross-sectional study.

PURPOSE: To analyse the association of area-level deprivation (German Index of Multiple Deprivation, GIMD 2010) with health- and disease-related quality of life (QoL) and glycaemic control (HbA1c) jointly with individual-level socioeconomic status (SES) in young patients with preschool-onset type 1 diabetes. METHODS: A total of 425 male and 414 female patients aged 11-21 years from a Germany-wide population-based survey completed the generic KINDL-R, the DISABKIDS chronic-generic module (DCGM-12), and the DISABKIDS diabetes-specific module with impact and treatment scales (QoL indicators; range 0-100 with higher scores representing better QoL). To analyse the association of area-level deprivation and SES with QoL and HbA1c, multiple linear regression models were applied adjusting for sociodemographic and health-related variables. RESULTS: Mean QoL scores (SD) were 73.2 (12.2) for the KINDL-R, 76.1 (16.1) for the DCGM-12, 66.2 (19.9) for diabetes impact, and 56.4 (27.3) for diabetes treatment (DISABKIDS). Mean HbA1c was 8.3 (1.4)%. While both QoL outcomes and HbA1c level improved with increasing individual SES, no association was observed between area-level deprivation (GIMD 2010) and either outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with individual SES, area-level deprivation seems to be of minor importance for QoL and glycaemic control in young people with early-onset type 1 diabetes.

Risk of Microvascular Complications and Macrovascular Risk Factors in Early-Onset Type 1 Diabetes after at Least 10 Years Duration: An Analysis of Three Population-Based Cross-Sectional Surveys in Germany between 2009 and 2016.

AIMS: To estimate the risk of microvascular complications and macrovascular risk factors among persons with early-onset (diagnosed at ages 0 to <5 years) and long-duration type 1 diabetes and determine temporal trends and associations with potential predictors. METHODS: We conducted three population-based cross-sectional surveys in Germany (N = 1789) to obtain information on exposures and five outcomes (retinopathy, nephropathy, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and a composite endpoint combining all four outcomes). For each outcome, log-binomial spline regression was applied to estimate the risk and dose-response relationship with diabetes duration and exposures. RESULTS: The risk for microvascular complications increased after 14 years since diabetes diagnosis whereas dyslipidemia and hypertension were already prevalent at 10 years. The 15-year risk (95% confidence interval) of the composite endpoint for female and male patients was 22.9% (18.8%-27.9%) and 19.2% (15.5%-23.8%), respectively. Temporal trends suggested a decreasing risk between 2009 and 2016. Glycemic control, lifestyle-related factors, and SES, but not health care-related factors, were associated with the risk of the composite endpoint. CONCLUSIONS: In early-onset type 1 diabetes, there exists a considerable risk of complications and comorbidities already in young ages. Future research should focus on prevention of diabetic complications in young patients and clarification of pathways of the associations found.

Severe hypoglycemia and diabetic ketoacidosis in young persons with preschool onset of type 1 diabetes mellitus: An analysis of three nationwide population-based surveys.

OBJECTIVES: To describe incidence rates and temporal trends of severe hypoglycemia (SH) and of hospitalizations for SH or diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) in persons with early-onset, long-term type 1 diabetes (T1D) and associations of these short-term complications with potential risk factors. METHODS: This study includes data of 1,875 persons 11.2 to 21.9 years of age with early-onset (<5 years) and long-term (>10 years) T1D from 3 cross-sectional nationwide, population-based surveys conducted in 2009/2010, 2012/2013 and 2015/2016 using standardized questionnaires. Negative binomial regression was used to estimate incidence rates per 100 person-years (py), temporal trends and associations between potential risk factors and outcomes. RESULTS: The crude incidence rate of SH showed a decreasing trend over time (P for trend = .004), disappearing after adjustment for confounders (P for trend = .341). In contrast, adjusted rates of SH- and DKA-associated hospitalizations did not change significantly between 2009 and 2016 (P for trend = .306 and .774, respectively). Associations between sex, diabetes duration, insulin treatment regimen, hypoglycemia awareness as well as physical activity and SH were found, while family structure was associated with hospitalizations for SH. Family structure, socioeconomic status (SES), diabetes duration, and hemoglobin A1c values showed associations with DKA-related hospitalizations. CONCLUSIONS: After adjustment, rates of SH and SH- or DKA-associated hospitalization showed no significant changes in recent years. Structured education programs focusing on high-risk groups as, for example, persons with T1D living with 1 biological parent and the parents' partner or those with a low SES, should be implemented to reduce incidence rates of hospitalizations.

Eating Frequency and Carbohydrate Intake in Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes Differ from Those in Their Peers and are Associated with Glycemic Control.

AIM: The diet of people with type 1 diabetes may differ from that of healthy peers due to disease-related factors that may affect the course of diabetes. This cross-sectional study sought to compare meal and snacking frequency and corresponding carbohydrate intake among adolescents with intensively-treated type 1 diabetes and healthy peers and to analyze their association with glycemic control among diabetes patients. METHODS: Nutritional data of 712 11- to <19-year-olds from a nationwide population-based survey on early-onset type 1 diabetes (52.7% boys/men, mean age 15.6 years) were compared with 949 food records of 296 healthy participants in the DONALD cohort study (49.7% boys, mean age 14.4 years) using linear mixed models. Furthermore, the association between eating frequency and/or carbohydrate intake with glycemic control (HbA1c) was analyzed with multiple linear regression models. RESULTS: After comprehensive adjustment, diabetes patients had, on average, 4.6 [95% confidence interval 3.6, 5.5] more meals or snacks/week but consumed 75.9 [64.5, 87.3] fewer grams of carbohydrates/day than the comparison group. Diabetes subjects also consumed breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks more frequently but ate fewer carbohydrates at all eating occasions. Total carbohydrate intake and carbohydrate intake at breakfast were associated with higher HbA1c levels, while increased breakfast frequency was associated with lower HbA1c levels. CONCLUSION: Eating frequency and carbohydrate intake differed between adolescents with early-onset type 1 diabetes and non-diabetic peers. The observed associations with glycemic control challenge the concept of a completely unregulated eating frequency and carbohydrate intake for people on intensified insulin therapy.