Introduction of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) is a key factor in decreasing HbA1c in war refugee children with type 1 diabetes.

AIMS: Our aim was to describe the changes in therapy and diabetes control in Ukrainian war refugee children with diabetes (CwD) during the first year of their stay in Czechia. METHODS: A total of 124 CwD (62 male, 62 female) were enrolled into this observational study. Anthropometric, laboratory and diabetes management data were acquired at baseline and at 3 months intervals for 12 months. All CwD were offered a CGM device during their first visit. Generalized Estimating Equation models were fitted in order to estimate the dynamics of studied characteristics. RESULTS: Median baseline HbA1c was 58 mmol/mol (IQR [48; 73]mmol/mol) (7.5 %, IQR[6.5;8.8]%). The HbA1c decreased significantly throughout the course of the study at a pace of - 2.2 mmol/mol (-0.2 %pt.) per visit (P = 0.01, CI[-3.2;-1.1]). The pace of the decrease in the average HbA1c was significantly higher in the group of CwD who received CGM in Czechia than in those who already had it from Ukraine by 2.9 mmol/mol (0.27 %pt.) per visit (P < 0.001, CI [-4.4; -1.3]). CONCLUSIONS: The steepest decrease in HbA1c was observed in CwD with newly initiated CGM underlining its vital role in improving the glucose control of CwD regardless of their background.

[Contrast sensitivity and optic coherence tomography examinations in adolescent patients with diabetes type I preretinopathy (a pilot study)]. / Preretinopatie u mladistvých s diabetem 1. typu z pohledu vysetrení citlivosti na kontrast a koherencní tomografie (pilotní studie).

AIM: To evaluate the development of retinal changes in adolescent patients with diabetes type I (T1DM) with diseases duration more than 10 years, which started before 5 years of age. METHODS: The development of the findings on the posterior pole was followed up. The retinal functions were established by means of contrast sensitivity in four space frequencies: 3 cycles/degree (c/deg) (perimacular area), 6 c/deg and 12 c/deg (macular area), and, finally, 18 c/deg (foveola). The central retinal thickness, average retinal thickness of the specified quadrant of macular area, the foveolar depth of its own, and the volume of the perimacular area (perimacular cube volume) were measured by means of optical coherent tomography (OCT). MATERIAL: Altogether 20 patients with diabetes type I meeting the set criteria were examined, and their findings were compared with control group of healthy adolescent people. The values from the control group were used as our normative database. RESULTS: On the retina, there were found, during the diseases course lasting in average 13.3 years, changes of the macular area, especially tortuosity of macular final capillaries and pigmentation with disappearing of foveolar reflex, which, in 20 %, were followed by sporadic hard exsudates of the retina. Difference of the decreased values in adolescent patients, comparing to the control group, was recorded in contrast sensitivity in space frequencies of 3 c/deg (p 0.047) and 12 c/deg (p 0,0497), but statistically significant was the difference in space frequencies of 6 c/deg (p 0.0001) and 18 c/deg (p 0.0001). Using the OCT, no statistically significant difference was found in the central retinal thickness, but the values of foveolar depth in patients with diabetes type I were variable (p 0.0153); in four eyes it was much deeper, and in other four of them it was much shallower. Furthermore, there was higher the average thickness of the retina (p 0.0008) and the volume of the perimacular area (perimacular cube) (p 0,0001). CONCLUSION: The findings in eight eyes out of five patients with T1DM were evaluated as diabetic preretinopathy - pre-stage of beginning stage of diabetic retinopathy in central area of the retina from the functional and structural point of view of current pathological changes of contrast sensitivity and OCT. The findings of other three patients were rated as diabetic preretinopathy according to sporadic hard exsudates of the retina and OCT changes, but. until now, without contrast sensitivity changes. The one-year profile of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) was higher in patients with diabetic preretinopathy than without the eye involvement, but it was not statistically significant (p 0,0314).Key words: Contrast sensitivity (CS), Spectral Domain Optic Coherence Tomography (SD-OCT), diabetes mellitus type I (T1DM), diabetic preretinopathy (DpR), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c).

[New knowledge in the heredity of autoimmune diabetes. 1st part--Monogenetically determined types of autoimmune diabetes]. / Nové poznatky v genetice autoimunitního diabetu (1): Monogenne podmínené typy autoimunitního diabetu.

The incidence of type 1 diabetes (DM1) varies greatly among different nations and ethnic groups. Precise mapping of DM1 incidence and its trends is useful in the study of the interaction of genetic and non-genetic factors which influence the manifestation and course of the disease. Important progress has been made in the understanding of the mechanisms of autoimmune diabetes by the study of genes and autoimmune forms of monogenetic diabetes.

[Glibenclamide instead of insulin: a new chance for MODY 3 type diabetes patients: case report]. / Glibenklamid místo inzulinu: nová sance pro pacienty s diabetem MODY 3: kazuistika.

MODY 3 belongs to monogenic forms of diabetes mellitus and is caused by monoallelic mutation in gene for transcription factor HNF-1alpha, essential for regulation of beta-cell function. Clinical presentation of MODY 3 is similar to that of type 1 diabetes. Although MODY 3 patients are not threatened by ketoacidosis, tight metabolic control is important for prevention of chronic diabetic complications. In the sibbling pair diabetes was manifested by osmotic symptoms resulting from hyperglycaemia at the age of 18 years (brother) resp. 15 years (sister) and both of them started being treated with intensified insulin treatment. Metabolic control of the brother was very tight with HbA1c 3.3 % but frequent hypoglycaemias occured. On the contrary metabolic control of the sister was very poor due to her non-compliance (HbA1c 10.9 %, IFCC). Molecular-genetic testing proved HNF-1alpha gene mutation (Arg200Gly). In accordance with the references treatment with sulphonylurea derivate glibenclamide was initiated [at the doses 1.25 (brother) resp. 7.5 (sister) mg/day] and insulin treatment was discontinued. The treatment change led to better quality of life and metabolic control in both the patients and suprisingly to the lower frequency of the hypoglycaemias in the brother (HbA1c decreased from 3.3 % to 2.8 % in three months in the brother resp. from 10.9 % to 10.0 % in two months in the sister). Molecular-genetic testing enables the change of treatment leading to better quality of life and metabolic control, although its longterm safety and efficacy will have to be confirmed.

[The contrast sensitivity test in early detection of ocular changes in children, teenagers, and young adults with diabetes mellitus type I]. / Test citlivosti na kontrast v casné detekci ocních zmen u detí, dospívajících a mladých dospelých s diabetes mellitus 1. typu.

UNLABELLED: The authors examined repeatedly every year 213 patients (97 boys and young men and 116 girls and young women, age ranged 6-36 years, median: 16.4 years). The diabetes mellitus type I duration at the first eye examination was 0.1 to 26 years (median: 5.9 years), and was diagnosed at the age 2-30 years (median 10.5 years). Changes of the posterior pole and their correlation to functional tests and to metabolic parameters were evaluated in five-years periods since the start of the study (within the fifth year of the study, between years 6-10, 11-15, and over 16 years of the study duration respectively). The beginning changes at the fundus were represented by means of dilatation of the capillaries with their possible obliteration and tortuosity, which was rare (7%) until the 5th year of the disease duration, between 6-10 years it was almost in a half of the patients (43 %), and after 10 years in was present in more than 90% of cases. Changes of the macular structure by means of the irregularity of foveolar reflex and relative retinal thickening without significant macular edema with increased pigmentation of this region appeared rarely after the fifth year (5%) and after 15th year of duration were present in more than two thirds of eyes (65%). Combination of these two findings was considered as diabetic preretinopathy (DpR), and was detected in 9% of eyes until 10 years of duration of diabetes. The number of hard exudates and microaneurysms gradually increased. Signs of non-prolipherative diabetic retinopathy were noticed in 0.5% of cases by means of ophthalmoscopical examination in patients with duration of diabetes type I less than 10 years. After that period, the non-prolipherative diabetic retinopathy was present in 19% of cases, and diabetic preretinopathy in 42%. The contrast sensitivity was examined by means of CSV-1000 instrument in 3, 6, 12 and 18 cycles/degree (c/deg) respectively. Normal values for children 6 years old and older were established in a previous study in a control group of children and teenagers without diabetes and with healthy eyes. In the age range 6 - 10 years the mean threshold values [log] are for: 3 c/deg 1.82; 6 c/deg 2.04; 12 c/deg 1.74; and 18 c/deg 1.29. Since the age of 11 years, normal mean threshold contrast sensitivity values [log] are for: 3 c/deg 1.92; 6 c/deg2.19; 12 c/deg 1.89; and 18 c/deg 1.42. No statistically significant difference was found in respective frequencies at the contrast sensitivity curve formulation. The marginal contrast level with standard deviation less than 0.15 log (range, 0.09 - 0.14), for all spatial frequencies represents for children aged 6 - 10 years the 5th stimulation target, and for those of 11 years of age and older the 6th stimulation target disc of the instrument. The value of pathologically decreased contrast sensitivity increased depending on the duration of the diabetes from 1.5% (up to 5 years of diabetes) to 23% after 15 years of diabetes. The lowest decrease of contrast sensitivity in pathological and border values of space frequencies was found in low-frequency 3 c/deg, which shows the evidence of perifoveolar involvement. No statistical significant difference was found among particular frequencies of low, middle, and higher contrast levels in pathological values of contrast sensitivity, but in case of counting in their border values, the statistical significant difference (p = 0.036) was established between the two frequencies 3 c/deg and 18 c/deg, which is giving the evidence of perifoveolar rather than exactly foveolar changes in scope of diabetes mellitus type I. The total decrease of contrast sensitivity values was determined by the increase of changes' number at the posterior pole by means of diabetic preretinopathy and non-prolipherative diabetic retinopathy mostly after 10 years of diabetes duration. Lowering of the contrast sensitivity by 65% is directly related to already mentioned changes of the macular region structure (MDM) and involvement of the foveola with preserved visual acuity. The decrease of the contrast sensitivity corresponded mostly with the posterior pole finding, and not with the diabetes duration, especially in middle and higher frequencies of 6, 12, and 18 c/deg. Changes in color vision by means of 15 Hue test were found in 7% of followed patients and those were not in direct connection with the disease, but were similar to changes in normal population. The decrease of contrast sensitivity values did not depend on the actual metabolic status of the basic disease (actual blood sugar and Hb A1c levels at the time of the ocular examination), nor with the one year level of compensation of diabetes (level of Hb A1c and microalbuminuria during the one year of the study. CONCLUSION: The contrast sensitivity examination by means of CSV-1000 device was not time consuming, non invasive for the patients and in case of good cooperation revealed the functional insufficiency of the retina, which was the sign of initial diabetic changes in foveolar and perifoveolar region structure.

Validation of a mathematical model predicting the response to growth hormone treatment in prepubertal children with idiopathic growth hormone deficiency.

OBJECTIVE: To validate a mathematical model developed by Ranke et al. (J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1999;84:1174-7783) to predict the GH response during the first years of GH replacement therapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 38 children with idiopathic GH deficiency (GHD) met all inclusion criteria for the prediction model, but the group differed in some characteristics from the cohort from which the model was derived. RESULTS: Using the model for the 1st year including maximum GH after stimulation and the equation for the 6th year, the predicted value corresponded well with actual height gain. Differences were found when the growth response of the 1st year excluding maximum GH and that of the 2nd-5th year were calculated, resulting in a significant underestimation of actual height gain (-0.63 to -1.07 cm/year). CONCLUSION: The mathematical prediction model tended to underpredict the growth response to GH treatment in our patients with pronounced GHD. The severity of GHD seems to be an important parameter for the 1st year prediction.

High-performance liquid chromatographic study of the aromatic nitrile metabolism in soil bacteria.

Simultaneous HPLC determination of bromoxynil, ioxynil and dichlobenil, three arylnitrile herbicides, and their metabolic products in soil extracts and microbiological media is described. Limits of detection (LODs) ranged from 0.56 to 3.97 ppb. Slight modification of the mobile phase composition allowed determination of 13 other aromatic nitriles. Assay of aromatic nitrile hydratase, amidase or nitrilase activities is possible by the method developed.