Diabetes

While rare, diabetic ketoacidosis occurs overwhelmingly in patients taking SGLT2 inhibitors with type 2 diabetes, according to the analysis from 3 North Carolina medical schools.

Liz Zhou, MD, director of evidence-based medicine at Sanofi Medical Affairs outlined the purpose of a study on real-world results of comparing basal insulin dose changes in type 2 diabetes patients using Lantus who either stay on Lantus or switch to Toujeo.

Dexcom's G5 Mobile is the only continuous glucose monitoring system that meets Medicare criteria for coverage. However, details of the coverage rules released this week state that people with diabetes who want coverage cannot use the system with a smartphone app.

Other studies have examined the link between snoring and diabetes. The lack of oxygen in snoring leads to increased insulin resistance, researchers believe.

The results are consistent with prior surveys by the American Association of Diabetes Educators. The group said CMS has put its 2019 round of bidding on hold, a move it "applauds."

The review found that only a fraction of the syndromes had been fully studied, and no gene or chromosomal location has been found for more than a quarter of them.

This week, the top stories in managed care included last-minute changes to Republicans' bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act; a lack of votes to pass the GOP health bill; and promising study results on PCSK9 inhibitors and SGLT2 inhibitors.

The study identified a target that reacts to the implantation of biomedical materials. The findings could to improvements in insulin pump infusion sets and CGM sensors.

The initiative includes targeted efforts in 7 cities to reduce the number of "unhealthy days," a metric devised by CDC to gauge physical and mental well-being.

The pilot project enrolled children who had a parent simultaneously taking the Diabetes Prevention Program, which has been shown to reduce progression to type 2 diabetes by 59%.

The studies will be done in patients with and without type 2 diabetes.

The analysis followed a landmark study in 2015 that showed insulin sensitivity could improve in patients with type 2 diabetes after only 10 days in a colder climate.

The CVD-REAL study presented at the American College of Cardiology 66th Scientific Session asked whether cardiovascular outcomes seen in the EMPA-REG OUTCOME trial could be seen in a real-world environment, and for the entire class of SGLT2 inhibitors, according to AstraZeneca’s Jim McDermott, PhD, vice president for Medical Affairs, Diabetes.

The step comes after months of criticism about high insulin prices.

Results from the CVD-REAL study seek to answer questions raised by the EMPA-REG OUTCOME study: do the effects of SGLT2 inhibitors on heart failure apply to a broad population?

The study found a "dose effect" in the elderly women who took statins to treat cholesterol.

Home health beneficiaries with diabetes using paid supplementary caregivers had 68% higher hazards of readmission due to urinary tract infection than those with unpaid supplementary caregivers.

Coverage from the American College of Cardiology 2017 Scientific Session.

The study seeks to answer several questions that look at which patients benefit from surgery over the long term.

An insurance company—sponsored enhanced primary care program had little effect on selected outcomes for low-income patients with diabetes.

Too much screen time is also blamed for rising rates of childhood obesity and diabetes. NIH Director Francis Collins said social media is a "chicken or the egg" issue, because it's unclear if social media causes isolation or reflects it.

Groups say the approach of the Republicans' plan moves away from prevention, which had been a chief aim of the Affordable Care Act. A large cut to the CDC would leave the future of the Diabetes Prevention Program unclear.

When caring for patients with diabetes, it’s important for providers to take into account the patient’s culture and how it can affect communication styles and treatment preferences, according to Heather Zacker, MS, senior director of Care Alliances of Joslin Innovation at Joslin Diabetes Center.

The study's lead author said the findings may show something similar to the "obesity paradox," where high-risk patients fare better than expected due to frequent follow-up by physicians.

The technology outlined in the study not only offers superior glucose control, but it also is being developed in forms that its creators say will be functional and discreet.

Patients with obesity often face severe stigmatization from healthcare providers, which can discourage them from seeking help, according to Fatima Cody Stanford, MD, MPH, MPA, FAAP, FTOS, of Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital. She explained that the “dismal” obesity education in medical schools can lead physicians to judge obese patients unfairly.

Advocates note that the cuts would put the nation's health system in reverse, away from stopping health problems before they get out of hand.

When people with diabetes experience symptoms of depression and/or anxiety, their risk of mortality increases-particularly for men with only depressive symptoms.

This week, the top managed care news included a bill from House Republicans to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, a new program at Walgreens to train pharmacists on an advanced cancer-care curriculum, and findings that health coaching helps the neediest patients most.

The researchers found that the shares of Americans who weighed too much rose over time, but the share who were trying to lose weight did not.