Diabetes News January 23rd 2009

Research matters
The publication from the Research department at Diabetes UK – Winter edition. 20-page PDF (Diabetes UK)

Nothing to spit at: the salivary proteome of type 2 diabetes
With MS identification strategies, researchers have found candidate biomarkers that could help in the diagnosis of diabetes and prediabetic conditions (Journal of Proteome Research)

Preventing Hypoglycemia Using Predictive Alarm Algorithms and Insulin Pump Suspension
Using a statistical prediction algorithm with an 80 mg/dL threshold and a 30-min projection horizon, hypoglycemia was prevented 60% of the time. Using a linear prediction algorithm with an 80 mg/dL threshold and a 45-min prediction horizon, hypoglycemia was prevented 80% of the time (Diabetes Technology & Therapeutics)

Anti-obesity tablets cleared by EU for sale in UK pharmacies
The drug will be placed behind the counter in chemists, and pharmacy assistants will question patients to make sure the drug is suitable for them (Scotsman, UK)

Akesis Pharmaceuticals Discontinues Sole Clinical Development Program and Announces Intent to File for Bankruptcy
Akesis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced it has discontinued its sole clinical development program for AKP-020, a Phase IIa drug candidate for the treatment of diabetes mellitus (PharmaLive)

A Retrospective Analysis of 50 Consecutive Charcot Diabetic Salvage Reconstructions
Based on our experience with the patients described in this report, we feel that early aggressive surgical intervention for the progressive Charcot disorder is an effective approach to the prevention of lower-limb amputation in all Charcot joint deformities (The Journal of Foot and Ankle Surgery)

The effectiveness of non-surgical interventions in the treatment of Charcot foot
Author’s conclusions: Bisphosphonates may improve the healing of Charcot foot by reducing skin temperature and disease activity of Charcot foot when applied in addition to standard interventions to control the position and the shape of the foot (CRD)

Use of a subcutaneous injection port to improve glycemic control in children with type 1 diabetes
The Insuflon injection port helps some youth with T1D to improve glycemic control (Pediatric Diabetes)

Nemours lands grant to study diabetes
The National Institutes of Health on Monday awarded Nemours Children’s Clinic a $2.86 million grant to research use of glucose sensors in treatment of childhood diabete (Business Journal, USA)

Launch of a National Clinical to Explore if Anti-Inflammatory Drug Can Improve Glucose Control in Type 2 Diabetes
Multi-center Clinical Trial Funded by NIDDK Will Enroll Adults with Poorly Controlled Type 2 Diabetes (Joslin Diabetes Center)

Reducing postprandial hyperglycemia with adjuvant premeal pramlintide and postmeal insulin in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus
Postprandial hyperglycemia is considerably reduced in adolescents with T1DM when treated with fixed-dose premeal pramlintide, and precisely calculated postmeal insulin, without significant side effects (Pediatric Diabetes)

MPs win Diabetes UK parliamentary awards
Keith Vaz, MP for Leicester East, and Adrian Sanders, MP for Torbay and Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Diabetes, each received an award from Diabetes UK yesterday at our 75th Anniversary Parliamentary Reception (Diabetes UK)

Patterns of cerebral injury vary in those with dementia, diabetes
Patients with diabetes and dementia had more microvascular infarcts, increased interleukin-6 concentration (Endocrine Today)

Benefits and risks of tight glucose control in critically ill adults – a meta-analysis
CRD commentary – The review was generally well-conducted, the findings were reasonably consistent despite marked clinical and methodological heterogeneity between the primary studies, and the authors’ conclusions seem likely to be reliable (Centre for Reviews and Dissemination)

Call for Nominations
The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) is seeking the nomination of officers for the elections to be held at the General Council in Montreal, Canada, on 18 October 2009 (IDF)

£1.4m Programme to tackle child obesity launched
A new Welsh Assembly Government-funded programme designed to help overweight and obese children manage their weight and become fitter, healthier and happier will start being rolled out across Wales (Welsh Assembly Government)

Computerized Automated Reminder Diabetes System (CARDS): E-Mail and SMS Cell Phone Text Messaging Reminders to Support Diabetes Management
Cell phone text messaging to promote BG monitoring is a viable and acceptable option in adolescents and young adults with diabetes. However, maintaining interest levels for prolonged intervals remains a challenge (Diabetes Technology & Therapeutics)

Prolonged exposure to high insulin impairs the endothelial PI3-kinase/Akt/nitric oxide signalling
Prolonged exposure of HUVEC to high insulin levels induces a downregulation of the PI3K/Akt/eNOS axis. Such impairment of insulin signalling in states of prolonged hyperinsulinemia pontially contributes to detrimental effects on atherogenesis in insulin resistance states, such as the metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes (Thrombosis and Haemostasis)

Narrative Review: Effect of Bariatric Surgery on Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
This review discusses the various bariatric procedures and how they alter the enteroinsular axis. Familiarity with these effects can help physicians decide among the different surgical procedures and avoid postoperative hypoglycemia (Annals of Internal Medicine)

Effect of Insulin With Oral Nutrients on Whole-Body Protein Metabolism in Growing Pubertal Children With Type 1 Diabetes
Even with an ample supply of nutrients, insulin does not increase whole-body protein synthesis in pubertal children with type 1 diabetes mellitus and positive protein balance is solely due to a substantial reduction in the rate at which protein is degraded (Pediatric Research)

Seroquel increases diabetes by almost 400% claims doctor
Patients taking AstraZeneca’s antipsychotic Seroquel have an almost 400% increased risk of developing diabetes, an endocrinologist has told a US court (PharmaTimes)

Supporting people with long term conditions
Commissioning personalised care planning – a guide for commissioners (DoH)

Improved glycaemic control by switching from insulin NPH to insulin glargine: a retrospective observational study
In routine clinical practice, switching from NPH to glargine provides the opportunity for improving glycaemic control in diabetes patients inadequately controlled by NPH.(Cardiovascular Diabetology)

High glucose and oxidative/nitrosative stress conditions induce apoptosis in retinal endothelial cells by a caspase-independent pathway
These results are the first demonstrating that retinal endothelial cell apoptosis induced by high glucose is independent of caspase activation, and is correlated with AIF translocation to the nucleus (PubMed)

Championing diabetes in parliament
The Rt Hon Kevin Barron MP will host a parliamentary reception to mark our 75th anniversary on Tuesday 20 January at the House of Commons (Diabetes UK)

Novo takes stake in Merrion, signs $58 million diabetes pact
Novo Nordisk has signed another deal with Merrion Pharmaceuticals of Ireland which will see the firms develop and commercialise oral formulations of one of the Danish firm’s diabetes drugs (Pharma Times)

DiaMedica wins approval to initiate second Phase II diabetes trial
DiaMedica, a drug discovery and clinical development company, has received a no objection letter from Health Canada to initiate the second planned Phase II clinical trial investigating DM-71 in patients with type 2 diabetes (Datamonitor)

Diabetic man died after police mistook him for drink-driver, inquest hears
A diabetic man died after being wrongly arrested for drink-driving when police mistook his symptoms for the effects of alcohol (Telegraph, UK)

Patients to be given ‘personal health budgets’
Patients with conditions like diabetes and Parkinson’s are to be given personal “health budgets” from the NHS to buy their own treatments, under Government measures (Telegraph, UK)

Signal Pathway Found That May Be Involved In Type 2 Diabetes
Researchers have identified a signal pathway that could be involved in the occurrence of Type 2 diabetes. If it is deactivated, it may be possible to delay the illness by many years (Science Daily)

UM Diabetes Researchers Testing Stem Cells and Oxygen Therapy
Researchers at the Diabetes Research Institute (DRI) at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine have launched an FDA-approved clinical trial to test a novel protocol involving stem cells and oxygen therapy that showed promise in an earlier pilot study (DRI)

Patients with psoriasis show an increased risk of incident diabetes
A nested case-control analysis and follow-up using the U.K.-based General Practice Research Database compared the incidence rates of newly diagnosed diabetes among patients with or without psoriasis (ADA)

Merrion bottles up $58m diabetes pill deal
The agreement will see the two firms develop and commercialise oral formulations of a proprietary Novo Nordisk drug using Merrion’s GIPET technology (Independent, Ireland)