Poor diabetes control in children tied to high risk for COVID-19 complications, death
Findings can help families make decisions about in-person schooling
2021-03-20
(Press-News.org) WASHINGTON--Children with poorly controlled type 1 diabetes have a 10 times higher risk of COVID-19-related complications and death compared to those with well-controlled diabetes, according to a study presented virtually at ENDO 2021, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting.
"This study shows keeping diabetic children's blood sugar under control is more important than ever during the pandemic," said lead author Manish Raisingani, M.D., of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and Arkansas Children's in Little Rock, Ark. "The findings will help children with type 1 diabetes and their families make better choices about the safety of attending school in person and engaging in other in-person activities during this pandemic."
Some data suggests that adults with type 1 diabetes may have a higher risk of COVID-19 complications and death, but there has been limited research on children. Raisingani analyzed data on children under age 18, using an international database that collects real-time electronic medical records data. The researchers reviewed data on about 2,000 children with type 1 diabetes and COVID-19, as well as more than 300,000 children with COVID-19 who did not have type 1 diabetes.
The study analyzed hemoglobin A1c levels in the children with diabetes. A1c is a simple blood test that measures a person's average blood sugar levels over the past three months. It is the main test to help people manage their diabetes. Higher A1c levels are linked to diabetes complications. The goal for most people with diabetes is an A1c level of 7% or less.?
Raisingani found that in children with A1c levels higher than 9%, the risk of COVID-19 complications was 10 times higher compared with children whose A1c levels were under 7%, indicating well-controlled diabetes. Children with type 1 diabetes and COVID-19 were more likely to die, to require an endotracheal tube to help them breathe, to develop pneumonia, or to develop septic shock, compared with children who had COVID-19 and did not have type 1 diabetes.
"Many parents of children with type 1 diabetes are wondering if it's safe to send their child to school during the pandemic," Raisingani said. "Our findings indicate that if their A1c is high, it would be best to have them attend virtual school, but if it's 7% or under, their risk is similar to other children without type 1 diabetes."
INFORMATION:
Endocrinologists are at the core of solving the most pressing health problems of our time, from diabetes and obesity to infertility, bone health, and hormone-related cancers. The Endocrine Society is the world's oldest and largest organization of scientists devoted to hormone research and physicians who care for people with hormone-related conditions.
The Society has more than 18,000 members, including scientists, physicians, educators, nurses and students in 122 countries. To learn more about the Society and the field of endocrinology, visit our site at http://www.endocrine.org. Follow us on Twitter at @TheEndoSociety and @EndoMedia.
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
2021-03-20
WASHINGTON--Commonly used medications for type 2 diabetes and obesity called glucagon like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs), are not associated with an increased risk of breast cancer, despite previous studies that suggested a possible link, according to a study presented virtually at ENDO 2021, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting.
"GLP-1RAs can be used as adjunct to diet and exercise in subjects with type 2 diabetes and those without type 2 diabetes and excess weight, without an increased risk of breast cancer or noncancerous masses in the breast," said lead researcher Giovana Fagundes Piccoli, M.D., of the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil.
GLP-1 RAs have been shown to be effective in treating obesity and type 2 diabetes ...
2021-03-20
WASHINGTON--New genetic research suggests men can develop characteristics of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)--a common metabolic and reproductive disorder that affects women. The study was presented virtually at ENDO 2021, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting.
PCOS is a common disorder characterized by irregular menstrual periods, disruption of normal metabolism and elevated testosterone levels. PCOS affects up to 10% of all women of reproductive age. The disorder can lead to obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease, which are often life-long conditions.
Men who have genetic risk factors ...
2021-03-20
WASHINGTON--Addressing sleep symptoms during menopause may reduce susceptibility to weight gain, according to a small study presented virtually at ENDO 2021, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting.
"Our findings suggest that not only estrogen withdrawal but also sleep disturbances during menopause may contribute to changes in a woman's body that could predispose midlife women to weight gain," said lead researcher Leilah Grant, Ph.D., of Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Mass. "Helping women sleep better during menopause may therefore reduce the chances ...
2021-03-20
WASHINGTON--Endogenous Cushing's syndrome, a rare hormonal disorder, is associated with a threefold increase in death, primarily due to cardiovascular disease and infection, according to a study whose results will be presented at ENDO 2021, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting.
The research, according to the study authors, is the largest systematic review and meta-analysis to date of studies of endogenous (meaning "inside your body") Cushing's syndrome. Whereas Cushing's syndrome most often results from external factors--taking cortisol-like medications such as prednisone--the endogenous type occurs when the body overproduces the hormone cortisol, affecting multiple bodily ...
2021-03-20
WASHINGTON--Two-thirds of patients with chronic endocrine health problems who need close monitoring say they would like to continue with telemedicine follow-up visits after the COVID-19 pandemic ends, according to a survey that will be presented virtually at ENDO 2021, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting. Three-quarters of providers also said they want to continue with telehealth after the pandemic.
"Endocrinology clinics have significant number of patients who need long-term close follow-up for medication adjustments, symptom checks and counseling," said lead researcher Maryam Nemati, M.D., of San Joaquin General Hospital in French Camp, Calif. "Our ...
2021-03-20
WASHINGTON--Treatment of hypothyroidism, which results from an underactive thyroid gland, should be individualized and consideration should be given to alternatives to the first-line therapy, including desiccated thyroid extract and combination therapy to replace the body's two main thyroid hormones, thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). Results of their new randomized clinical study are being presented at ENDO 2021, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting.
Combination therapy has been shown to be equally as effective as the standard treatment with levothyroxine alone, researchers say.
"There are now proven good treatment options for the more than one in 10 patients with hypothyroidism who continue to experience symptoms of fatigue, mental fogginess, weight ...
2021-03-20
WASHINGTON--An industry-supported study of an oral testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), testosterone undecanoate (TU, brand name Jatenzo) finds it is an effective, long-term treatment for men with low testosterone levels, with no evidence of liver toxicity. The findings are being presented virtually at ENDO 2021, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting.
TST is currently available in multiple modes of administration, including implantable pellets, transdermal gels and intramuscular injections.
"For many men with low testosterone levels, an oral option is preferred to avoid issues associated with other ...
2021-03-20
WASHINGTON--Among women who develop diabetes during pregnancy, night owls have a higher risk of complications for mother and baby than early birds do, according to a study whose results will be presented at ENDO 2021, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting.
Compared with other pregnant women with gestational diabetes, those with a preference for evening activity had three times higher the chance of having preeclampsia, which is pregnancy-induced high blood pressure, and four times the rate of their newborns being treated in a neonatal intensive care unit, the study investigators reported.
These findings suggest a ...
2021-03-20
WASHINGTON--Children with achondroplasia, the most common form of disproportionate short stature, grow taller with trends in improved body proportions after two years of daily vosoritide treatment, a new study analysis finds. Results of the industry-sponsored study will be presented at ENDO 2021, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting.
"This is the first robust evidence of a precision therapy for achondroplasia," said the lead investigator, Ravi Savarirayan, M.D., Ph.D., a professor at Murdoch Children's Research Institute at Royal Children's Hospital in Parkville, Australia.
Achondroplasia is a genetic bone growth ...
2021-03-20
WASHINGTON--A study in mice finds treatment with a molecule called MCB-613 repairs heart tissue after a severe heart attack, preventing damage that can lead to heart failure. The findings are being presented virtually at ENDO 2021, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting.
"This is a remarkable discovery that may lead to effective and safe treatments to prevent the progression to heart failure after a heart attack," said lead researcher Lisa K. Mullany, Ph.D., of Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.
Heart failure after a heart attack is the leading cause of death in humans, and currently there are no definitive therapies other than heart transplantation.
Researchers had previously found that MCB-613 stimulates proteins called steroid receptor coactivators ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
[Press-News.org] Poor diabetes control in children tied to high risk for COVID-19 complications, death
Findings can help families make decisions about in-person schooling
