- July 31, 2004
Children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes
show early signs of changes in the heart. Researchers used ultrasound to examine the hearts of 80 young people
with diabetes and 52 age-matched control subjects. The wall of the left ventricle, the main pumping chamber of the heart, was thicker in girls with diabetes than
in the non-diabetic group. The hearts of both diabetic girls and diabetic boys also showed delayed relaxation between heartbeats.
Female Children and Adolescents With Type 1 Diabetes Have More Pronounced Early Echocardiographic Signs of Diabetic Cardiomyopathy
Diabetes Care
2004 27: 1947-1953
[Story at
Reuters Health.
Abstract at
Diabetes Care;
full text at
Diabetes Care, requires subscription].
- July 30, 2004
A blood test called
hemoglobin A1c
(HbA1c) can predict whether partial foot amputation will succeed in diabetics with foot ulcers or whether a more disabling below-the-knee amputation will be required, new research shows…
[Story at
Yahoo! News, from Reuters:
Test Predicts Limb Loss in Diabetics].
- July 29, 2004
Wherever six-year-old Cecilia Boore goes, she carries a small homemade purse. It holds a device about the size of a pager that continuously injects insulin
and keeps her blood sugar at a healthy level.
Her mother, Heather Boore, hopes Ron Reagan's televised Tuesday night speech promoting embryonic stem cell research will spotlight an area of science that could one day allow her daughter to have a normally functioning pancreas…
[Story at
PJStar.com, Stem cell debate hits home.
Mr. Reagan's speech is reproduced at this website, at
Text of Ron Reagan's speech as prepared for delivery 27July2004 at the Democratic National Convention]
- July 28, 2004
The National Institute for Clinical Excellence in the UK has drawn up guidelines for treatment of
type 1 diabetes
It says early intervention could prevent kidney disease, blindness, nerve damage and foot problems which may lead to amputation.
However, experts have warned that current standards of care are patchy across the UK…
[Story at
BBC News UK edition.
The NICE guidelines are posted at
Type 1 diabetes: diagnosis and management of type 1 diabetes in children, young people and adults].
- July 27, 2004
Moderate exercise, such as walking or cycling to work every day, can help keep people with diabetes alive, Finnish researchers report.
More vigorous exercise helps, too, but the study shows that people with
type 2 diabetes
can work life-saving exercise into their everyday routines.
Occupational, Commuting, and Leisure-Time Physical Activity in Relation to Total and Cardiovascular Mortality Among Finnish Subjects With Type 2 Diabetes
Circulation Vol 110, 2004
[Story at
Yahoo! News, from Reuters.
Abstract at
Circulation;
full text at
Circulation, requires subscription].
- July 26, 2004
Caffeine could interfere with the body's ability to handle blood sugar, thus worsening
type 2 diabetes.
Researchers found a strong correlation between caffeine intake at mealtime and increased glucose and insulin levels among people with
type 2 diabetes…
[Story at
Stuff (New Zealand).
Caffeine Impairs Glucose Metabolism in Type 2 Diabetes
Diabetes Care.
Abstract/text not yet on-line; see
Future Table of Contents: Aug 1, 2004; 27 (8)]
- July 25, 2004
Herb Hamrol, a clerk in a San Francisco supermarket, turned 101 1/2 this month.
He has cut down his duties over the years, slowed down by age, diabetes and macular degeneration. But he continues to work two days a week…
[Story at
Contra Costa Times:
At 101, worker refuses to be shelved]
- July 24, 2004
As a population of couch potatoes gallops towards obesity, their bodies face a deadly double-whammy.
The combination of inactivity and weight gain contributes to one diagnosis of diabetes in Australia every 10 minutes…
Diabetes Australia estimates 1.24 million people have diabetes — though 600,000 don't know it.
[Story at
The Australian:
A type you can do without].
- July 23, 2004
Diabetes and heart disease are two completely different conditions, but researchers say they share some common, deadly traits. Diabetics are three times as likely to develop heart disease, and they're more likely to die from it.
[Story at
ThePittsburghChannel:
Diabetes And Heart Disease].
- July 22, 2004
India has the largest pool of diabetic patients, with more than 20 million citizens suffering from the ailment — small wonder that insulin is one of the most researched drugs in the country…
[Story at
Online Asia Times:
India's clinical trials and tribulations].
- July 21, 2004
Experts say keeping blood pressure and cholesterol levels in check can significantly lower the risk of Alzheimer's disease. And once the brain disease develops, a diabetes pill [rosiglitazone] may actually improve thinking…
Rosiglitazone Preserves Cognitive Functions in Patients with Early Alzheimer's Disease
[Story at
WebMDHealth.
Abstract at
9th International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders (search for presentation number O4-05-05)].
- July 20, 2004
A study of more than 2,000 children born to mothers
with gestational diabetes found that the level of maternal obesity was the "main predicating factor" for defects of the heart, kidney and urinary tract…
In human gestational diabetes mellitus congenital malformations are related to pre-pregnancy body mass index and to severity of diabetes.
Diabetologia 2004 Mar;47(3):509-14.
[Story at
news.telegraph.uk.co.
Abstract at
PubMed;
full text at
Diabetelogia, requires subscription].
- July 19, 2004
It doesn't matter whether you walk fast, ski, swim, cycle, or jog. It doesn't even seem to matter if you do it only once a week. Researchers find that men and women aged 65 and older live 40% longer if they exercise just once a week compared with elderly people who were physically inactive.
Frequent and occasional physical activity in the elderly: A 12-year follow-up study of mortality.
American Journal of Preventive Medicine
Volume 27, Issue 1, Pages 22-27 (July 2004)
[Story at
BruneiDirect.Com, from
WebMD.
Abstract at
AJPM;
full text at
AJPM].
- July 18, 2004
Evidence is building that really heavy people may be able to greatly improve their odds of dodging weight-related illnesses while remaining very heavy.
The secret: Lose just a few pounds.
Many obesity experts agree that getting down to a normal size may not be necessary to avoid much of the bad effects of being big. Dropping 10 or 15 pounds - too little to even miss on many people - can have a surprising and substantial effect on the body processes that obesity disrupts…
[Story at
Los Angeles Times.
Small Loss Can Be Big Win for Obese].
- July 17, 2004
The FDA has announced canine patients are getting their own insulin.
A new drug just for dogs called
Vetsulin is expected to improve their quality of life, making side effects more rare and better controlling symptoms like thirst…
[Story at
News 8 Austin.
Insulin for dogs. Note: This news story has the product's name wrong: it's Vetsulin, not Vestilin. And interestingly, the product is not recombinant-DNA canine insulin, but
U-40 porcine (pig) insulin.
The FDA has a press release about this product at
FDA Approves First Insulin Drug for Diabetic Dogs].
- July 16, 2004
Medicare now recognizes obesity as an illness, a change in policy that may allow millions of overweight Americans to make medical claims for treatments such as stomach surgery and diet programs…
Though Medicare and Medicaid programs cover sicknesses caused by obesity - including
type 2 diabetes
- the previous policy meant that weight-loss therapies have often been denied coverage.
[Story at
Yahoo! News, from the AP.
Medicare Redefines Obesity As an Illness; HHS press release at
HHS Announces Revised Medicare Obesity Coverage Policy].
- July 15, 2004
Two weight-loss drugs and an antidepressant show signs of helping people with
type 2 diabetes
shed unwanted pounds, but long-term effects of the medications are uncertain…
Efficacy of Pharmacotherapy for Weight Loss in Adults With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
Archives of Internal Medicine, 2004;164:1395-1404
[Story at
Ivanhoe Newswire.
Abstract at
Arch Int Med;
full text at
Arch Int Med, requires subscription].
- July 14, 2004
Older diabetic patients who withdraw from their normal social activities may be showing early signs of deteriorating health.
Researchers found that among more than 5,200 older people with diabetes, those who said they had recently curtailed their leisure activities were more likely than others to die or develop a disability over the next two years…
Health-Related Social Disengagement in Elderly Diabetic Patients: Association with subsequent disability and survival
Diabetes Care 2004 27: 1630-1637
[Story at
Reuters Health.
Abstract at
Diabetes Care;
full text at
Diabetes Care, requires subscription].
- July 13, 2004
Eight of the 11 people charged in an alleged scheme to steal insulin and test strips from U.S. Army pharmacies pleaded not guilty Monday in federal court…
The 11 were indicted last week in an alledged $2 million plot to steal the supplies between 2002 and 2004 from Fort Riley; Fort Polk, La.; Fort Knox, Ky.; Ft. Lee, Va.; Fort Gordon, Ga.; and Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, D.C.
[Story at
LJWorld.com:
Eight plead not guilty in insulin thefts. Also see earlier story
at
The Wichita Eagle:
Probe: Soldiers stole insulin, sold it in Arizona]
- July 12, 2004
Scientists have discovered a gene mutation that contributes to type 1 diabetes, a discovery that could improve screening for the disease and help identify children at risk.
The gene mutation - called SUMO-4 - is one of several that have been identified as contributors to type 1 diabetes.
A functional variant of SUMO4, a new IB modifier, is associated with type 1 diabetes
Nature Genetics
[Story at
Yahoo! News, from the AP.
Abstract at
Nature Genetics;
full text at
Nature Genetics, requires subscription].
- July 11, 2004
Dietary fiber might prevent so-called hyperinsulinemia and perhaps help ward off full-blown diabetes.
Researchers compared the effect of high-fiber cereal versus low-fiber cereal; both test cereals contained the same amount of carbohydrate but different amounts of fiber.
Blood glucose
levels rose less after participants ate the high-fiber cereal than after the low-fiber cereal…
High-Fiber Cereal Reduces Postprandial Insulin Responses in Hyperinsulinemic but not Normoinsulinemic Subjects
Diabetes Care 2004 27: 1281-1285
[Story at
PakTribune.
Abstract at
PubMed;
full text at
Diabetes Care, requires subscription].
- July 10, 2004
Erythropoietin (EPO), is commonly used to treat anemia. But by making an ever-so-small tweak in its structure, researchers say,
it can potentially be used to treat diabetes complications, and
a host of other disorders...
Derivatives of Erythropoietin That Are Tissue Protective But Not Erythropoietic
Science 9 July 2004: 239-242.
[Story at PalmBeachPost.com.
Abstract at Science, requires subscription;
full text at Science, requires subscription].
- July 9, 2004
A recent study has found that women with a history of a major depressive episode were twice as likely to have the metabolic syndrome.
Depression and the Metabolic Syndrome in Young Adults: Findings From the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
Psychosom Med 2004 66: 316-322.
[Story at
Yahoo! News, from Reuters.
Abstract at
Psychomatic Medicine;
full text at
Psychomatic Medicne, requires subscription].
- July 8, 2004
As one of swimming's most free-spirited and successful ambassadors, Gary Hall Jr. has a lot of outside interests. He restored a purple microbus that won first prize at a VW show. He was the first paid endorser of the Grateful Dead sunglass line. The Gibson Guitar Co. counts him among its family.
But for Hall, who is competing for a third Olympic berth at the U.S. swimming trials, there are a couple of things about which he is very serious. Diagnosed as a diabetic in 1999, Hall continues his crusade of succeeding in the face of the disease…
He won't attribute his growing maturity to the gravity of diabetes, which he had when he won gold in the 50-meter freestyle and the highly memorable 400-meter relay in the 2000 Sydney Games.
"But being diagnosed with diabetes has caused me to examine what's important in life," he said. "On one hand it's an inspiring message I'd like to carry. At the same time, it's a very serious disease."
[Story at
MercuryNews.com, Flamboyant Hall trying to raise the profile of swimming. Requires free sign-up.]
- July 7, 2004
Canadian researchers found that uninsured patients with diabetes have greater
blood glucose
fluctuations, leaving them more likely to develop long-term complications…
[Story at
CBC News,
High cost of diabetes supplies raises risk of complications].
- July 6, 2004
New research suggests that diabetes is independently linked to a range of cancers. Researchers followed people for up to sixteen years, and found a significant association between diabetes and colon and pancreatic cancers. There were also increased risks of other cancers.
Diabetes Mellitus as a Predictor of Cancer Mortality in a Large Cohort of US Adults
American Journal of Epidemiology
2004; 159:1160-1167.
[Story at
Medical News Today.
Abstract at
PubMed;
full text at
Am J Epidemiol , requires subscription].
- July 5, 2004
If you have diabetes and are managing it well, you could win a trip to meet singer Patti LaBelle and see her in concert. LaBelle, who has
type 2 diabetes, has teamed up with the makers of Glucerna to teach the 18 million Americans living with diabetes how to better cope with the disease. Contestants are asked to write a 250 to 500 word essay that tells an inspiring story about how they deal with diabetes and answer the question: "What does diabetes freedom mean to you?" Entries must be submitted between July 1 and Sept. 20 online at
http://www.diabetesfreedom.com, or contestants can call
1-800-986-8935 to request an entry form.
[Story at
The Salt Lake Tribune,
Diabetic star offers contest ]
- July 4, 2004
Health Minister John Rahael
of Trinidad and Tobago
said his Ministry was alarmed by the growing incidence of diabetes, especially among young persons.
He added that the implementation of a national policy on the management of chronic non-communicable diseases would result in "a drastic reduction in the level of morbidity and mortality"…
[Story at
Trinidad and Tobago Express:
Rahael alarmed over growing incidence of diabetes in T&T]
- July 3, 2004
A skin patch containing the anesthetic lidocaine appears to be a useful treatment for the hand and foot pain often experienced by people with diabetes, according to a preliminary open-label study.
Effectiveness, Tolerability, and Impact on Quality of Life of the 5% Lidocaine Patch in Diabetic Polyneuropathy
Arch Neurol. 2004;61:914-918.
[Story at
Reuters Health.
Abstract at
Archives of Neurology;
full text at
Archives of Neurology, requires subscription].
- July 2, 2004
Use of an
insulin pump
improved glycemic control in children and adolescents with
type 1 diabetes
better than did multiple daily injections of insulin aspart with once-daily insulin glargine, according to the results of a small, randomized, short-duration study...
A Randomized, Prospective Trial Comparing the Efficacy of Continuous Subcutaneous Insulin Infusion With Multiple Daily Injections Using Insulin Glargine
Diabetes Care 2004 27: 1554-1558
[Story at
Medscape (requires free subscription).
Abstract at
Diabetes Care;
full text at
Diabetes Care, requires subscription.
Note the misleading title of this article. This study did not
employ multiple injections of glargine, but multiple injections of rapid-acting aspart and once-daily glargine. — the editors].
- July 1, 2004
The Indian Health Service announced that competitive grant funds are now available to IHS, tribal, and urban Indian programs, to be used to target efforts to prevent diabetes among American Indians and Alaska Natives…
[Story at
NativeTimes.com:
Millions of Dollars Available for Diabetes Prevention:
IHS announces available grant funds].
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