Diabetes News December 5th 2008

New Director for the National Diabetes Support Team
The National Diabetes Support Team have appointed a new Director Anna Morton who took up post on 1st December 2008 (NDST)

Antecedent hypoglycemia impairs autonomic cardiovascular function – implications for rigorous glycemic control
Because impaired autonomic function, including decreased cardiac vagal baroreflex sensitivity, may contribute directly to mortality in diabetes and cardiovascular disease, our findings raise new concerns regarding the consequences of hypoglycemia (Diabetes)

Emerging drugs for diabetic retinopathy
Emerging treatments, possibly used in combination with standard therapy, offer the hope of effective and safe treatment that may allow us to improve visual outcomes and prevent the damaging consequences of DR (PubMed)

Genetic screening no better than traditional risk factors in predicting type 2 diabetes
Screening for a panel of gene variants associated with the risk for type 2 diabetes can identify adults at risk for the disease but is not significantly better than assessment based on traditional risk factors, such as weight, blood pressure and blood glucose levels (Endocrine Today)

Screening for Gestational Diabetes Mellitus
The USPSTF concludes that the current evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of benefits and harms of screening for gestational diabetes mellitus, either before or after 24 weeks gestation. Supporting Documents (AHRQ)

Clinical topic – Diabetes Type 2
This Topic Review is based on the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guideline Type 2 diabetes: the management of type 2 diabetes (CKS)

Asian diabetes ‘time-bomb’ feared
UK-based South Asians face a health “time-bomb” in the next 30 years due to the prevalence of diabetes within the community (BBC, UK)

Generex Announces Positive Results of Metformin Chewing Gum Trial
Results of this fully compliant ICH-GCP conducted study indicate that the MetControl Metformin chewing gum and traditional Metformin tablets are bioequivalent in respect of both the rate and the extent of systemic absorption such that MetControl and Metformin tablets are therapeutically equivalent and therefore interchangeable (MarketWatch)

No benefit for nasal insulin in preventing, delaying type 1 diabetes
Nasal insulin did not prevent or delay type 1 diabetes in children with human leukocyte antigens-conferred susceptibility to diabetes, according to the findings from a new study (Endocrine Today)

Genaera initiates dosing in Phase Ib study of diabetes and obesity drug
Genaera, a biopharmaceutical company, has started dosing of subjects in study MSI-1436C-102, the multiple ascending dose Phase Ib study of trodusquemine in overweight and obese type 2 diabetes (Pharmaceutical Business Review)

Insulin Maker Promises Free Diabetes Care, Medicine to Kids
The world’s biggest maker of insulin on Wednesday pledged to provide diabetes care, including free medication, to 10,000 children in African countries to combat a hidden killer (FOXNEWS)

National Diabetes Audit (NDA) Summary: 2003/4 to 2005/6
This factsheet gives a summary of the findings from the NDAs carried out in 2003/4, 2004/5 and 2005/6 (National Diabetes Support Team)

Gestational diabetes mellitus in Australia, 2005-06
This is the first national report on the incidence of gestational diabetes mellitus among Australian women (AIHW, Australia)

Fund (small clinical projects)
The Novo Nordisk UK Research Foundation invites individuals or departments in the UK working within the field of diabetes to apply for the following education and travel award (Novo Nordisk UK)

Dexcom continuous glucose monitor receives European CE mark
People with type 1 diabetes in Europe will have access to a new continuous glucose monitor (CGM), which received the CE mark this week (JDRF)

Preteens, teens doubled use of diabetes drugs
A recent article in Pediatrics, discussed how preteens and teens have doubled use of diabetes drugs in the past 4 years and that the prevalence is dramatically higher among young girls vs. boys. Why is this occurring? Why is it higher in girls? This week we have the article for you and commentary from Janet Silverstein, MD, Endocrine Today Editorial Board member (Diabetes in Control)

Rationale and Strategies for Early Detection and Management of Diabetic Kidney Disease
Despite the American Diabetes Association and the National Kidney Foundation advocating annual screening of diabetic patients, DKD remains underdiagnosed in the diabetic population (Mayo Clinical Proceedings)

Lexicon files application for diabetes drug
The mechanism of action of LX4211 specifically blocks reabsorption of glucose by the kidney, which may help to improve glucose control in patients with type 2 diabetes (CNN)

RADAR review
Rosiglitazone (Avandia) and rosiglitazone with metformin (Avandamet) for type 2 diabetes mellitus (National electronic Library for Medicines)

Diamy Diabetes Vaccine – Three Blockbuster Indications
The Diamyd® vaccine may be effective in preventing type 1 diabetes in individuals that have not yet presented clinical symptoms (Diamyd Medical)

New screening tool may help identify patients with prediabetes
Researchers have developed a new clinical tool to assess the likelihood of impaired fasting glucose to identify individuals with prediabetes and undiagnosed diabetes (Endocrine Today)

Health and welfare expenditure series (2003 to 2033)
The report presents projections for the 20 disease groups (including diabetes) and estimates change in funding by the Australian Government, State and Territory governments and the private sector (AIHW, Australia)

GI News – December 2008
This issue of GI News is packed with tips to help you keep the pounds at bay over the festive season (GI News, Australia)

Concerns remain over diabetes care
Norfolk has double the rate of childhood diabetes than the national average and there has been widespread concern about lack of staffing, especially at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (EDP24, UK)

The incretins: From the concept to their use in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Part A: Incretins: Concept and physiological functions
This paper briefly reviews the concept of incretins and describes the biological effects of the two incretins identified so far: the glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP); and the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) (PubMed)

Hypoglycemic pharmacological treatment of type 2 diabetes: Targeting the endothelium
In this review, the pharmacological treatment available against type 2 diabetes mellitus is discussed with particular emphasis on its impact on the endothelium (PubMed)

Age-adjusted Percentage of U.S. Adults Who Had Diagnosed Diabetes, 2007
Data Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (National Conference of State Legislatures, USA)

IDF calls for policy-makers to take action in the fight against diabetes in South and Central America
The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) South and Central American Region (SACA) is calling for policy-makers and patient organizations to implement national policies to control the rising diabetes epidemic in South and Central America (IDF)