Aims/hypothesis The aim of this study was to investigate the evidence of an increased risk of childhood-onset type 1 diabetes in children born by Caesarean section by systematically reviewing the published literature and performing a meta-analysis with adjustment for recognised confounders. Methods After MEDLINE, Web of Science and EMBASE searches, crude ORs and 95% CIs for type 1 diabetes in children born by Caesarean section were calculated from the data reported in each study. Authors were contacted to Diabetologia (2008) 51:726-735

Aims/hypothesis The aim of the study was to describe 20-year incidence trends for childhood type 1 diabetes in 23 EURODIAB centres and compare rates of increase in the first (1989)(1990)(1991)(1992)(1993)(1994)(1995)(1996)(1997)(1998) and second (1999)(2000)(2001)(2002)(2003)(2004)(2005)(2006)(2007)(2008) halves of the period. Methods All registers operate in geographically defined regions and are based on a clinical diagnosis. Completeness of registration is assessed by capture-recapture methodology.Twenty-three centres in 19 countries registered 49,969 new cases of type 1 diabetes in individuals diagnosed before their 15th birthday during the period studied. Results Ascertainment exceeded 90% in most registers. During the 20-year period, all but one register showed statistically significant changes in incidence, with rates universally increasing. When estimated separately for the first and second halves of the period, the median rates of increase -012-2571-8 were similar: 3.4% per annum and 3.3% per annum, respectively. However, rates of increase differed significantly between the first half and the second half for nine of the 21 registers with adequate coverage of both periods; five registers showed significantly higher rates of increase in the first half, and four significantly higher rates in the second half. Conclusions/interpretation The incidence rate of childhood type 1 diabetes continues to rise across Europe by an average of approximately 3-4% per annum, but the increase is not necessarily uniform, showing periods of less rapid and more rapid increase in incidence in some registers. This pattern of change suggests that important risk exposures differ over time in different European countries. Further time trend analysis and comparison of the patterns in defined regions is warranted.Diabetologia (2012) 55:2142-2147 DOI 10.1007/s00125

These results suggest that there are substantial variations in glycaemic control among people with Type 1 diabetes between the data sources and that there is room for improvement in all populations, especially in young adults.

Our telemedical support program, VIE-DIAB, proved to be feasible in adolescents and helped to improve glycemic control.

No abstract

In a cohort study, Beate Karges and colleagues find that the association between low hemoglobin A1C and severe hypoglycemia in children and young adults with type 1 diabetes has decreased over the period between 1995 and 2012. Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary

Exposing the oral mucosa to antigen may stimulate immune tolerance. It is unknown whether treatment with oral insulin can induce a tolerogenic immune response in children genetically susceptible to type 1 diabetes. OBJECTIVE To assess the immune responses and adverse events associated with orally administered insulin in autoantibody-negative, genetically at-risk children. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS The Pre-POINT study, a double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-escalation, phase 1/2 clinical pilot study performed between 2009 and 2013 in Germany, Austria, the United States, and the United Kingdom and enrolling 25 islet autoantibody-negative children aged 2 to 7 years with a family history of type 1 diabetes and susceptible human leukocyte antigen class II genotypes. Follow-up was completed in August 2013. INTERVENTIONS Children were randomized to receive oral insulin (n = 15) or placebo (n = 10) once daily for 3 to 18 months. Nine children received insulin with dose escalations from 2.5 to 7.5 mg (n = 3), 2.5 to 22.5 mg (n = 3), or 7.5 to 67.5 mg (n = 3) after 6 months; 6 children only received doses of 22.5 mg (n = 3) or 67.5 mg (n = 3). MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES An immune response to insulin, measured as serum IgG and saliva IgA binding to insulin, and CD4 + T-cell proliferative responses to insulin. RESULTS Increases in IgG binding to insulin, saliva IgA binding to insulin, or CD4 + T-cell proliferative responses to insulin were observed in 2 of 10 (20% [95% CI, 0.1%-45%]) placebo-treated children and in 1 of 6 (16.7% [95% CI, 0.1%-46%]) children treated with 2.5 mg of insulin, 1 of 6 (16.7%[ 95% CI, 0.1%-46%]) treated with 7.5 mg, 2 of 6 (33.3% [95% CI, 0.1%-71%]) treated with 22.5 mg, and 5 of 6 (83.3% [ 95% CI, 53%-99.9%]) treated with 67.5 mg (P = .02). Insulin-responsive T cells displayed regulatory T-cell features after oral insulin treatment. No hypoglycemia, IgE responses to insulin, autoantibodies to glutamic acid decarboxylase or insulinoma-associated antigen 2, or diabetes were observed. Adverse events were reported in 12 insulin-treated children (67 events) and 10 placebo-treated children (35 events). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE In this pilot study of children at high risk for type 1 diabetes, daily oral administration of 67.5 mg of insulin, compared with placebo, resulted in an immune response without hypoglycemia. These findings support the need for a phase 3 trial to determine whether oral insulin can prevent islet autoimmunity and diabetes in such children.

DPV data indicate that an HbA1c of <7.5% can frequently be achieved in children with type 1 diabetes who are under 6 years old. An improved metabolic control of type 1 diabetes in young patients appears to decrease the risk of DKA without increasing SH. The greater frequency of suboptimal control in young patients in the T1DX compared with the DPV is not fully explained by a less frequent use of insulin pumps and may relate to the higher HbA1c targets that are recommended for this age group in the USA.