Diabetes Pro Quarterly - Summer 2013 - (Page 6)

PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION NASCAR Nationwide Series driver Ryan Reed (center, wearing tie) takes time to visit with ADA staff and attendees at the 73rd Scientific Sessions in Chicago. News From the 73rd Scientific Sessions The American Diabetes Association’s 73rd Scientific Sessions, the largest international diabetes meeting, brought together the world’s preeminent diabetes researchers and other health care experts for five days of scientific presentations, discussions, and analyses of the latest research surrounding this complex set of diseases. Held June 21–25 in Chicago, the meeting showcased cutting-edge research on type 1 and type 2 diabetes, gestational diabetes, prediabetes, and obesity, along with the latest technology for managing these diseases. The meeting drew nearly 18,000 participants, including more than 14,000 clinicians and researchers, from all 50 states and 117 countries. Convening the world’s top experts in basic, clinical, and behavioral research, clinical care, and diabetes education on an annual basis at the Association’s Scientific Sessions has helped improve the lives of people with diabetes by shaping the direction of research, technology, and care. This year’s program included 730 speakers addressing participants at 92 symposia, 52 oral abstract sessions, and 10 interest group discussions. In addition, 1,908 abstracts were given as poster presentations. Following are some highlights from the conference: 6 Thirty Years Later, the Good News Keeps Coming From DCCT/EDIC At a special symposium on a landmark government-sponsored study of longterm, intensive therapy for people with type 1 diabetes, we learned that patients undergoing this type of therapy achieved near-normal glucose levels and substantially lower risk of developing severe eye disease, impaired kidney function, heart disease, and stroke. These findings are the latest results from a study begun 30 years ago, the National Institutes of Health– funded Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT), and its long-term follow-up study, the Epidemiology of Diabetes Interventions and Complications (EDIC). The DCCT, which began in 1983, demonstrated a consistent beneficial effect of intensive therapy aimed at achieving near-normal glucose levels on reducing complications, compared with conventional therapy. Improved glucose control was achieved with frequent insulin injections or insulin pump therapy guided by frequent self-monitoring of blood glucose with fingerstick testing. As first reported in 1993, intensive therapy reduced the early stages of eye, kidney, and nerve complications by as much as 76 percent, compared with the conventional therapy. On the basis of these results, DCCT intensive therapy has been adopted worldwide as the standard of therapy for type 1 diabetes. Over the past 20 years, long-term followup was conducted to determine how in- tensive therapy would impact people with type 1 diabetes over the long term. More than 95 percent of the surviving members of the original 1,441 DCCT research participants continue to be followed. At the symposium, we learned that the latest data continue to show positive results. The long-term consequences of intensive therapy have shown a 50 percent reduction in risk for developing impaired kidney function and a 60 percent reduction in risk for heart disease and stroke. It also reduced the severe, vision-threatening stages of diabetic eye disease and the need for ocular surgery and procedures by 50 percent in the original intensive therapy group, as well as the risk for progressive stiffening of the hands and shoulders, a complication that can make daily tasks for people with diabetes more difficult. ASPIRE: A Major Step Forward for the Artificial Pancreas We’ve been hearing for years about advances in the development of an artificial pancreas, but until now, none of these developments had led to a product that could be brought to market for U.S. consumers. This year, we learned of a major development showing that an insulin pump can be programmed to temporarily shut off when blood glucose levels dip too low, successfully reducing the duration and incidence of nighttime hypoglycemia. This threshold suspend feature is part of the MiniMed 530G system made by Medtronic and is currently undergoing review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Diabetes Pro Quarterly - Summer 2013

Diabetes Pro Quarterly - Summer 2013
In This Issue
Arizona Safe at School Victory
6th Disparities Partnership Forum
News From the 73rd Scientific Sessions
July 2013 American Diabetes Association Award Recipients

Diabetes Pro Quarterly - Summer 2013