Diabetes News August 20th 2010

Effectiveness of Sensor-Augmented Insulin-Pump Therapy in Type 1 Diabetes
In both adults and children with inadequately controlled type 1 diabetes, sensor-augmented pump therapy resulted in significant improvement in glycated hemoglobin levels, as compared with injection therapy – also see their Editorial (New England Journal of Medicine)

Prevalence of Diabetic Retinopathy in the United States, 2005-2008
In a nationally representative sample of US adults with diabetes aged 40 years and older, the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy and vision-threatening diabetic retinopathy was high, especially among Non-Hispanic black individuals (JAMA)

Decreasing Diabetes and Depression May Reduce Dementia
Removing risk factors such as diabetes and depression can reduce the incidence of dementia and mild cognitive impairment‚ a new study shows (American Diabetes Association)

Nanoparticle vaccine used to cure Type 1 diabetes in mice
Using a sophisticated nanotechnology-based “vaccine,” researchers were able to successfully cure mice with type 1 diabetes and slow the onset of the disease in mice at risk for the disease. The study was conducted at the (Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary)

Advanced Biological Therapies for Diabetic Foot Ulcers
Advanced biological therapies were used, on average, within 1 month, and improved healing of refractory diabetic foot ulcers (Archives of Dermatology)

Extreme Evolutionary Disparities Seen in Positive Selection across Seven Complex Diseases
There is more selection in alleles increasing, rather than decreasing, susceptibility to T1D. In the 80 SNPs most associated with T1D (p-value <7.01×10-5) showing strong signs of positive selection, 58 alleles associated with disease susceptibility show signs of positive selection, while only 22 associated with disease protection show signs of positive selection (PLoS ONE)

Diabetes Risk Score
Many people are at risk of developing Type 2 diabetes without realising it (Diabetes UK)

Traffic may drive some people to diabetes
Urban air pollution — especially the particles and gases spewed by heavy traffic — can increase a senior citizen’s risk of developing type-2 diabetes, according to a new German study (Science News)