8
NEWS
Diabetes distress and CGMs
Adults with Type 1 diabetes experience 'diabetes distress', even when using
continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), according to findings presented at the
Association of Diabetes Care & Educational Specialists Annual Conference.
The researchers asked 244 adults with Type 1 diabetes who used a
Dexcom CGM to complete the two-item Diabetes Distress Scale, which asks
participants if they are feeling overwhelmed by the demands of living with
diabetes and feeling as if they are often failing with their diabetes regimen.
Data comparison indicated moderate distress in the sample.
Younger participants were more likely to have a higher distress score on
the two-item scale than older participants, and those with a higher HbA1c
were also more likely to have more distress than participants with a lower
HbA1c.
"One of the benefits of CGM is that it helps to streamline diabetes
management, which may help to make daily diabetes management easier,"
said Katherine S. Chapman BA, research manager, and Caitlin S. Kelly PhD,
research scientist at T1D Exchange, "It makes sense to us that the difficulty
of living with diabetes - the emotional burden of having a chronic illness
that invades every part of your daily life - would still be difficult even if some
aspects of management are made easier through CGM."
Omnipod 5 launch in US
As reported in August 2022 by MedTechDive, the Omnipod 5 is one of two
insulin pumps manufactured by Insulet that can be purchased through
pharmacies, which Insulet said removes the high-upfront cost and four-year
lock-in period associated with sales through durable medical equipment
sellers. In a June investor event, the company's leaders said they expect
the new device will increase the number of new clients won away from
competitors. Currently, about 20% of sales come from users who switch from
competing devices.
Analysts are watching for more information on the integration of the
Omnipod 5 with Abbott Laboratories' and Dexcom's newest CGMs, as well
as CE clearance in Europe and a clinical trial of the device in patients with
Type 2 diabetes.
T1D increases
risk of
obstructive
sleep apnoea
A recent study has found that
patients with Type 1 diabetes had
an increased risk of obstructive
sleep apnoea.
The study found that the
risk factors for obstructive
sleep apnoea in patients with
Type 1 diabetes were obesity,
male sex, older age, depression,
atrial fibrillation, and the
use of lipid-lowering and
antihypertensive drugs.
Obesity warrants long-term
management
In a recent article in Medscape, Ania Jastreboff, MD, PhD explains how, when
patients with obesity come to her, "I look for the opportunity to share with
them that obesity is not their fault, but that it's biology driving their body to
carry extra weight and their body is super smart. We have a complex system
that was designed to make sure that we always held on to extra weight,
specifically extra fat, because that's how we store energy."
Jastreboff argues that every patient deserves to have individualised
treatment and that healthcare providers need to present patients with
different options, and then guide them toward the best therapy for them.
Referring to recent trials in which 9 in 10 individuals with obesity lost weight
while taking tirzepatide, Jastreboff commented: "These results are impressive.
They're an important step forward in potentially expanding effective
therapeutic options for people with obesity."
FDA approves
Lilly's
Mounjaro
The US Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) has approved
Mounjaro (tirzepatide), Eli Lilly and
Company's new once-weekly GIP
(glucose-dependent insulinotropic
polypeptide) and GLP-1 (glucagonlike
peptide-1) injection, to be used
as an adjunct to diet and exercise to
improve glycemic control in adults
with Type 2 diabetes.
Recent clinical trials ALSO found
that, while not indicated for weight
loss, Mounjaro led to significantly
greater weight reductions versus
comparators. "The approval of
Mounjaro is an exciting step
forward for people living with Type
2 diabetes, given the results seen
in these clinical trials," said Juan
Pablo Frías, M.D., Medical Director,
National Research Institute.
Mounjaro represents the first
new class of diabetes medicines
introduced in nearly a decade and
is expected to be made available in
the US in the coming weeks