Incorporating the Six Core Elements of Health Care Transition in Type 1 Diabetes Care for Emerging Adults.

A growing body of literature finds persistent problems in the provision of recommended health care transition services, as well as adverse outcomes associated with the lack of these services in emerging adults with type 1 diabetes. The Six Core Elements of Health Care Transition offers a structured approach to the phases of health care transition support for both pediatric and adult diabetes practices. This article reviews strategies to incorporate the Six Core Elements into ambulatory diabetes care to support successful health care transition for emerging adults with type 1 diabetes.

Identifying Suicide Risk in Adolescents and Young Adults With Type 1 Diabetes: Are Depression Screeners Sufficient?

OBJECTIVE: Examine the utility of suicide-risk items embedded within depression screeners for identifying the presence of suicide risk in adolescents and young adults (AYA) with type 1 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Sensitivity, specificity, and predictive value of self-report of suicide risk on the Patient Health Questionniaire-9 (PHQ-9) were compared with the pediatric psychologist-administered Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) as the reference standard for AYA with type 1 diabetes seen in a multidisciplinary AYA Diabetes Program clinic. RESULTS: Of 133 participants, 9.8% and 11.3% reported suicide risk on the PHQ-9 and C-SSRS, respectively. Sensitivity of the PHQ-9 risk item was 53.3% (95% CI 27.4%-77.7%), specificity was 95.7% (95% CI 89.9%-98.4%), positive predictive value was 61.5% (95% CI 32.3%-84.9%), and negative predictive value was 94.2% (95% CI 87.9-97.4%). CONCLUSIONS: Depression screeners appear to under-identify AYA with type 1 diabetes who may otherwise be at risk for suicide.

Evaluating the Impact of Inadequate Meal Consumption on Insulin-Related Hypoglycemia in Hospitalized Patients.

OBJECTIVE: Meal intake is sometimes reduced in hospitalized patients. Meal-time insulin administration can cause hypoglycemia when a meal is not consumed. Inpatient providers may avoid ordering meal-time insulin due to hypoglycemia concerns, which can result in hyperglycemia. The frequency of reduced meal intake in hospitalized patients remains inadequately determined. This quality improvement project evaluates the percentage of meals consumed by hospitalized patients with insulin orders and the resulting risk of postmeal hypoglycemia (blood glucose [BG] <70 mg/dL, <3.9 mmol/L). METHODS: This was a retrospective quality improvement project evaluating patients with any subcutaneous insulin orders hospitalized at a regional academic medical center between 2015 and 2017. BG, laboratory values, point of care, insulin administration, diet orders, and percentage of meal consumed documented by registered nurses were abstracted from electronic health records. RESULTS: Meal consumption ≥50% was observed for 85% of meals with insulin orders, and bedside registered nurses were accurate at estimating this percentage. Age ≥65 years was a risk factor for reduced meal consumption (21% of meals 0%-49% consumed, P < .05 vs age < 65 years [12%]). Receiving meal-time insulin and then consuming only 0% to 49% of a meal (defined here as a mismatch) was not rare (6% of meals) and increased postmeal hypoglycemia risk. However, the attributable risk of postmeal hypoglycemia due to this mismatch was low (4 events per 1000) in patients with premeal BG between 70 and 180 mg/dL. CONCLUSION: This project demonstrates that hospitalized patients treated with subcutaneous insulin have a low attributable risk of postmeal hypoglycemia related to inadequate meal intake.

The Hybrid Closed-Loop System: Evolution and Practical Applications.

Achievement of well-controlled blood glucose is essential for preventing complications in patients with type 1 diabetes. Since the inception of continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion, the aim has been to develop an artificial pancreas, with the ability to use an automated algorithm to deliver one or more hormones in response to blood glucose with the intent to keep blood sugar as close to a prespecified target as possible. Development and rapid improvement of continuous glucose sensor technology has recently allowed swift progress toward a fully closed-loop insulin delivery system. In 2017, Medtronic began marketing the 670G insulin pump with Guardian 3 sensor. When in auto mode, this is a hybrid closed-loop insulin delivery system that automatically adjusts basal insulin delivery every 5 min based on sensor glucose to maintain blood glucose levels as close to a specific target as possible. Patients receive prandial insulin by entering carbohydrate amount into the bolus calculator. Early studies show improvement in HbA1c in both adults and adolescents with this technology. Initial safety trials showed no occurrence of diabetic ketoacidosis or hypoglycemia. The utility of this device is limited by blood glucose targets of 120 and 150 mg/dL that are unacceptably high for some patients. Notwithstanding recent advances, we are far from a system that is able to replicate islet function in the form of a fully automated, multihormonal blood glucose control device.