Here are a few reports from the ADA 79th Scientific Sessions last month, regarding the impact of daily living for T1 adults:
Impact of Mild and Moderate High Blood Glucose Excursions on Daily Living in Adults with Type 1 Diabetes and Glucose Excursions over 140 mg/dL May Impact Quality of Life in Patients with Well-Managed Type 1 Diabetes presented by Allyson Hughes, PhD et al.
This study illustrates the impact of mild HBG excursions and glycemic variability on QoL in people with T1D. HBG excursions were related to QoL and glycemic variability was related to happiness further supporting the urgency to decrease the amount of time hyperglycemic. These results indicate the need to increase time in range and decrease overall blood glucose variability. Read more:
Factors Associated with Fear of Hypoglycemia among the T1D Exchange Glu Population authored by Jingwen Liu, PhD et al. This is REALLY interesting. I’ve known way too many adult T1s who “run high” for fear of lows.
Fear of hypoglycemia (FoH) has been associated with suboptimal diabetes management and health outcomes. The American Diabetes Association recommends further mental health evaluation and treatment if a person with diabetes has a positive screen for FoH.
Read more: Factors Associated with Fear of Hypoglycemia among the T1D’s
Diabetes: Some antidepressants reduce death risk was written by Yella Hewings-Martin, PhD for MedicalNewsToday.com, 4 July 2019. Very interesting! Depression and diabetes are two major causes of early death — particularly when they co-occur. Researchers have found that taking certain antidepressants may reduce mortality risk.
“The reduction of mortality in individuals with [diabetes] remains a critically important and unmet need,” explain Dr. Vincent Chin-Hung Chen — of Chiayi Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University in Puzi, Taiwan — and colleagues in a recent paper in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. “The incidence of major depressive disorder [among] individuals with diabetes is significantly greater than the general population,” says Dr. Chen. “Diabetes and depression each independently contribute to increasing total mortality.”
When the researchers analyzed the data, they found that as the daily dose increased, death rates decreased. Specifically, the data showed that taking high daily doses of antidepressants was linked to a 35% reduction in mortality when compared with taking low daily doses.
Further, compared with taking a low daily dose, taking a high daily dose of norepinephrine-dopamine reuptake inhibitors (NDRIs) was associated with an 80% decrease in mortality.
Additionally, Dr. Chen suggests that taking antidepressants may reduce inflammation and, by extension, death risk. Another theory he puts forward in the paper is that the drugs may reduce excessive blood clotting. According to the American Heart Association (AHA), nearly 80% of people with diabetes die due to blood clot-related complications, such as heart attacks and stroke.
Read more and to discuss with your healthcare professionals: Diabetes: Some antidepressants reduce death risk
Israeli study: Gut biome responds to social stress was published by Naama Barak for Israel21c.org, 26 June 2019. Findings could lead to tailored microbial interventions that reduce autoimmunity and additional stress-inducible illness.
We all know that stress is bad for us – to the point of making us ill. But scientists still don’t have a deep understanding of the connection between stressful life events and autoimmune diseases. A recently published Israeli study, however, suggests that gut microbiota may play a significant role in that connection.
In their study recently published in mSystems, researchers from Bar-Ilan University found that the onset of stress caused changes in intestinal bacteria that in turn stimulated immune cells in a way that increased the likelihood that the body would attack itself.
Although researchers have identified some inherited risks for autoimmune diseases, the diseases are believed to arise from the complex interplay of genetic and environmental factors. The Bar-Ilan study, led by immunologist Dr. Orly Avni, investigated these environmental risks, such as psychological and social stress, because these offer opportunities for potential treatment.
Read more: Israeli study: Gut biome responds to social stress
And out of left field but fyi, You Can Now Get Your Whole Genome Sequenced for Less Than an iPhone, discussed by Emily Mullin for Medium.com/OneZero, 1 July 2019. But will people buy it — and is all that genetic information actually worth it?
Veritas Genetics is making a big bet that people want to know what’s in their genome. The Boston-based company, which started offering whole genome sequencing in 2016 for $999 — the first company to do so below four figures — announced today that it is lowering the price to $599. For much less than the price of the latest iPhone model, consumers can get a full readout of their DNA.
Veritas’ move is a clear signal that genetic sequencing technology is getting cheaper as it becomes more automated — but whether people will want to know about the disease risks that may lurk in their genomes is yet to be seen.
Whole genome sequencing is the process of spelling out a person’s entire DNA sequence, all 6 billion letters. By contrast, most consumer genetic tests, including 23andMe and AncestryDNA, use a less comprehensive technique called genotyping, which only decodes a few specific genes of interest. It’s the difference between reading the entire book of life versus just a few pages.
Veritas’ whole genome product — dubbed myGenome — gives customers information on more than around 200 health conditions and 80 genes, including 20 so-called highly actionable ones.
Read more: You Can Now Get Your Whole Genome Sequenced for Less Than an iPhone
I got my Gnome sequenced and it returned the result: rejected.
I believe that depression is inherit in all chronic disease patients. I think in many ways diabetes is receiving a disproportional amount of attention regarding depression. I agree it is bad, but many chronic illness’s are.