Category: health

BMJ: Flozin effects in type one diabetes

kaitiscotland2 Comments

 Adapted from BMJ 13 April19 Efficacy and safety of dual SGLT 1/2 inhibitor sotagliflozin in type one diabetes Musso G, Gambino R. Cassader M, Pascheta E. BMJ 2019:365:1328

Flozins are increasingly used for patients with “double diabetes” in practice. The authors of this study searched for randomised controlled trials for the drug Sotagliflozin to find out how effective they were and what safety issues were apparent. Over three thousand patient responses were studied. There were six trials that were of moderate to good quality and they ran between four weeks and a year. The relative pluses and minus are listed.

lowered HbA1c by  0.34% (small)

reduced fasting and post meal blood sugars

reduced daily total, basal and meal insulins

reduced time in target blood sugar range

reduced body weight by 3%

reduced systolic blood pressure by 3 mmHg

reduced protein in the urine

reduced the number of hypoglycaemic events

reduced the number of severe hypoglycaemic events

On the other hand these factors were increased:

Ketoacidosis increased by a factor of x 2 to x 8 depending on the study looked at

genital tract infections increased by a factor of x 2 to x 4.5

diarrhea increased up to x 2

volume depletion events increased by up to x 4

Patients got better blood sugar results from the higher dose of 400mg Sotagliflozin compared to the 200mg dose without increasing the risk of adverse events.

Most DKA episodes occurred as the drug was being started and patients cut their insulin dose too much, in anticipation of reduced blood sugars.

My comment: The risk of DKA in type twos is not very common but is a known effect of flozins, so it is not that surprising that this is increased in type ones too. The reduction in hypoglycaemia events and severity is a new finding and suggests an increasing role for flozins in type one management.

 

 

 

Type ones on low carb diets experience less hypoglycaemia

kaitiscotland3 Comments

Adapted from Why low carb diets for type one patients? Jun1 2019 by Emma Kammerer Pharmacy Doctorate Candidate Bradenton School of Pharmacy originally published in Diabetes in Control.

Both Dr Jorgen Neillsen and Dr Richard Bernstein have shown that insulin users have fewer attacks of hypoglycaemia and that the attacks are less severe.  A new randomised controlled study by Schmidt et al confirms this finding.

Studies have shown that when a high carb diet is consumed there 20% greater error in carbohydrate estimation compared to when a low carb diet is chosen. This then affects the insulin dose administered, and thus the resulting blood sugars.

Schmidt wanted to look at the long term effects on glycaemic control and cardiovascular risk in type one patients on a low carb diet compared to a high carb diet.

The study was a randomised open label crossover study involving 14 adults who had had diabetes for more than 3 years, to eliminate the honeymoon effect. The patients went on one diet for 12 weeks, had a washout period of another 12 weeks, and then took up the other diet.  This was done so that the glycated haemoglobin levels would not be carried over from one diet to the next.

A low carb diet was defined as less than 100g carb a day and a high carb diet as over 250g per day.

Patients were given individualised meal plans and education on how to eat healthy carbs, fats and proteins. They all were experienced insulin pump users. They were asked to record total carbohydrate eaten but not the food eaten. Measurements were taken on fasting days on the first and last day of the study periods.

Blood glucose levels were downloaded from continuous glucose monitoring devices.

Four patients dropped out of the study so ten completed the test which was considered satisfactory by the statistician involved.

Results showed that the time spent in normal blood sugar range 3.9 to 10 mmol/L ( USA 56-180) was not significantly different for each diet.

The time spent in hypoglycaemia, below 3.9 (USA 70) was 25 minutes less a day on the low carb diet, and six minutes less a day below 3.0 (USA 56).

On the low carb diet glycaemic variability was lower and  there were no reports of severe hypoglycaemia.

On the high carb diet, significantly more insulin was used, systolic blood pressure was higher and weight gain was more.

There was no relevant changes in factors for cardiac risk between the two study arms.

The study showed that a low carb diet can confer real advantages to type one patients but education on how to conduct a low carb diet and manage the lower doses of insulin is required.

Schmidt, Signe et al. Low versus high carbohydrate diet in type 1 diabetes: A 12 week randomised open label crossover study. Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism. 2019 March 26.

 

 

How Your Hormones Impact Physical Activity

EmmaLeave a comment

Dr Colberg’s article: useful to know…

Sheri Colberg, PhD's avatarDiabetes Motion: Expert Advice from Dr. Sheri

Insulin injection

The human body only has insulin to lower blood glucose but has five hormones that raise it (with some overlap). This hormone redundancy tells you is that, at least from a survival standpoint, your body is desperate to make sure you do not run out of blood glucose; it is not as concerned about you having too much. Insulin is an important hormone for regulating your body’s storage of fuels (carbohydrate, fat, and protein) after you eat. It tells your insulin-sensitive cells (mainly your muscle and fat cells but also your liver) to take up glucose and fat to store them for later as muscle and liver glycogen (the storage form of glucose) as well as stored fat. During exercise, any insulin in your bloodstream can make your muscles take up extra blood glucose. In people who have a pancreas that functions normally, insulin levels typically decrease during exercise, and…

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The natural low carb store: Cinnamon pinwheel biscuits

kaitiscotland4 Comments


Biscuit Ingredients
200g almond flour
75g Inulin or a tablespoon of granulated sugar substitute
50g butter (soft but not melted)
1 medium egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
20ml double cream
Filling Ingredients
30g butter (soft but not melted)
1 tbsp cinnamon
½ tsp vanilla extract

Method:

Mix biscuit ingredients. Make into dough. Form into a square shape.

Roll out on silicon liner or parchment.

Mix filling ingredients. Spread on the dough.

Roll up tightly using the silicon paper.

Put in freezer for ten minutes or the fridge for 30 minutes.

Put the oven on to 180 degrees.

Take the dough out of the fridge/freezer and cut into slices.

Arrange these on a silicon sheet and bake for 12-18 minutes depending on thickness of dough slices.

Nice eaten warm.

Seven observations on using the FreeStyle Libre for a week

Emma7 Comments
hand holding FreeStyle libre meter
You will prise this from my cold, dead hand…

Blood, I miss the sight of you… I’d gotten used to those tiny beads that popped from the tips of my fingers several times a day. This week, not so much.

And as misses go, it’s a rubbish one, right?

As the proud new owner of a FreeStyle Libre (may the universe rain her blessings down on NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde), I know the much-vaunted advantages. Ability to test more often and easily. Probable positive effect on your HbA1c levels (the long-term measure of blood glucose in the body) and reduced likelihood of complications.

Here, then, are my observations on the lesser quoted points you notice when you wear one…

  1. I’m clumsy as heck. Yes, I keep bumping into door frames. Maybe I always have walked into them on a regular basis but when I hit my right arm (the one I’m wearing the sensor on) off a door frame, I notice. Three times in the first four hours of wearing it.
  2. The absence of black dots. Those of us who’ve spent our lives doing five or six blood tests a day (see above) can hold out fingers tips covered in tiny black dots. Occasionally, the skin peels away in protest. Three days in and mine VANISHED.
  3. Oh, the joy of the night-time test! You wake up, roll over, grab the sensor from our bedside table and wave it in the direction of your arm. Voila! The result. No messing around opening that wee case up, taking out the tube of sticks, popping it open, finding a stick and taking three attempts to insert it into meter, pricking your finger and missing the stick with the dot of blood, etc. And all done in the dark because you don’t want to disturb your other half.
  4. No more vampire impressions. I did blood tests on public transport, in offices, when out and about, in the gym, the cinema, the pub, restaurants and more. And I was discreet about it, but when your finger bleeds you suck it to get rid of the excess, right? Some folks think that is disgusting or that you should always wipe it on a tissue or surgical wipe. Who has the foresight to carry all that around as well as everything else?
  5. Having to remind yourself you can test whenever the heck you want. I’ll get used to the feeling quickly but I’m still adjusting. Shall I test again? No, no I only pricked my finger an hour ago and I’m only prescribed XX amount of sticks every months so no… Stop right there, lady. Shall I run the meter over my sensor again? Yes, yes, yes!*
  6. Staring at your graph. Oh the fascination of watching what your blood sugar levels get up to over eight hours. Telling yourself you will record this properly, oh yes you will, and work out patterns so you can make educated adjustments, rather than relying on guesswork.
  7. Missing the sight of blood. As you might have guessed, the intro to this piece was a big, fat lie. I’m one hundred percent happy that bloody fingers are a thing of the past (ish, you still have to do some).

* Ten’s the recommendation, in case you were wondering. Too many’s not good on the sanity levels.

Food 4 your mood: Breakfast banana bread and pancakes

kaitiscotland1 Comment

Pancakes

Ingredients
1/2 c. almond flour
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
4 large eggs
1 tsp. lemon zest
Butter, for frying and serving
Method
— In a medium bowl, whisk together almond flour, cream cheese, eggs, and lemon zest until smooth.
— In a nonstick skillet over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Pour in about 3 tablespoons batter and cook until golden, 2 minutes. Flip and cook 2 minutes more. Transfer to a plate and continue with the rest of the batter.
— Serve topped with butter.

Banana Bread

Ingredients
1/3 c. coconut flour
1/4 c. almond flour
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 c. coconut oil
1/4 c. smooth unsweetened almond butter
2 large ripe bananas, mashed
2 tbsp. agave syrup or 1 tbsp. granulated sugar substitute (optional)
1 tbsp. pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
Method
— Preheat oven to 350° and line an 8″-x-5″ loaf pan with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk to combine coconut flour, almond flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
— In a large, microwave-safe bowl, combine coconut oil and almond butter. Microwave until coconut oil is melted and almond butter is more liquid, 10 seconds on high. Whisk in mashed bananas, agave, and vanilla, then whisk in eggs. Gently fold in dry ingredients until just combined.
— Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 40 to 45 minutes, until top is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool completely before slicing.

My people all together – #type1diabetes

Emma6 Comments

blood testing equipment type 1 diabetesEver sat in a room and thought, “I am with my people”? That was my experience this week as I attended an education session the NHS had put on; my attendance a condition for prescription of the Abbot FreeStyle Libre.

I doubt I’ve ever been in a room with so many other type 1 diabetics. Sure, type 1 is a hidden condition. Perhaps others travel on trains with me or flit about the offices of the University of Glasgow dropping their test strips wherever they go?* Still, my original statement holds. I reckoned on about 200 people there, with perhaps a third of them partners or parents.

All shapes and sizes

I arrived at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital early and watched in fascination as folks trooped in to the lecture theatre. We come in all shapes and sizes—all ages, all colours and all creeds. Who were the ones with diabetes? I put it down to those of us who carried our precious bag—the FreeStyle Libre and the doctor’s letter handed out when we registered—tightly. I’d expected lots of young people, but that wasn’t the case. The average age, I reckon, was mid to late 30s. Every time I saw someone who looked a lot older come in, I cheered silently.

Take that, reduced life span, and shove it where the sun don’t shine.

Our session took the form of a PowerPoint presentation by one of the diabetologists at the hospital, followed by some Q and As. I didn’t bother asking anything. As an introvert, I’m not going to raise my hand in a room that full of folks—even if they are my people. But there were plenty who didn’t suffer from shyness who dived in.

Can you scan your sensor through clothes? Yup. (So handy!)

Can you swim with it? Yes, but only half an hour is recommended. (Seriously, do people swim for longer than that? It’s the world’s most boring form of exercise unless you’re in open water.)

How long does it take for the prescription to come through once you hand the letter to your doctor? About 48 hours.

Can you connect it to your phone? Yes—there’s an app for it.

What happens if it keeps falling off? Some people have slippier skin than others. Thankfully, the two times I tried the sensor it stayed in place for its allotted fourteen days.

Talking to my people

I longed to talk to my people, but didn’t. See above-mentioned introvert tendencies. Who would I have chosen? The Indian girl who talked about running, exercising and wearing a sensor? The man behind me who asked if the Libre 2—the one with alarms that sound if your blood sugar levels go up or down too rapidly—would be available for us in the future? The glamorous young couple where I couldn’t work out which one would hold out the fingers covered in black dots from too much finger-pricking?

No. The one I’d have picked out was the woman I guessed to be in her late 30s who came in with an older man and woman I took to be her mum and dad. I watched her sit down near me and wiped away a wee tear. That might have been me once upon a time, attending with my lovely, supportive ma and pa. My father died nine years ago and how I’d love to have shared this new, wonderful development in diabetes care with him.

Session over, my precious bag and I got onto the bus to go home. “A new chapter, Emma B,” I said to myself. “How terribly exciting.”

*About to become a non-problem. Yay!

Vitamin D shown to improve blood sugar control in gestational diabetes

kaitiscotland1 Comment

From Ojo O et al. The effect of vitamin D supplementation in women with gestational diabetes mellitus. A systemic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019:16(10)

A meta-analysis has indicated that various factors relevant to improved blood sugar control are likely to be improved by vitamin D supplementation in  a total of 173 women with gestational diabetes.

Fasting blood glucose decreased by a mean of 0.46 mmol/L

Glycated haemoglobin decreased by a mean of 0.37%

Serum insulin reduced by a mean of 4.10 uIU/mL.

 My comment: Although the improvements are small, vitamin D supplements are inexpensive, easy to take and do not have the side effects of other medications.

 

 

Lower cholesterol may not better if you have neuropathy

kaitiscotland1 Comment

From Jende JME et al. Peripheral nerve damage in patients with type 2 diabetes. JAMA Netw Open. 2019;2(5);e194798

In type two patients who had diabetic neuropathy affecting the legs, low total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein cholesterol had more nerve lesions, impaired nerve conduction and more pain and disability than those with higher cholesterol levels.

Almost all type two diabetics will be advised to take statins to keep the cholesterol level down as this is generally accepted as improving the outlook for cardiac and circulatory conditions.

One hundred participants with type two diabetes were tested using magnetic resonance neurography. 64 had diabetic neuropathy and 36 did not.

My comment: Although this was not discussed in the abstract, I wonder whether those people with more advanced complications were being more intensively treated all round and thus had more/higher doses of statins, and so the relationship between low cholesterol and neuropathy severity was simple association, or whether there is a causative factor here. I am aware that statin neuropathy is believed to exist.