BackgroundGlucocorticoids commonly cause drug-induced diabetes. This association is well recognized but available evidence does not answer clinically relevant issues in subjects without diabetes.MethodsThirty-five individuals without diabetes with a recent diagnosis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia or non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma on high-dose glucocorticoid therapy were studied. Close systematic monitoring of fasting and postprandial glycemia and fasting insulin determinations, HOMA-insulin resistance and HOMA β-cell function were performed. The primary objective was to define the incidence of secondary diabetes in patients treated with high-dose glucocorticoids. Secondary objectives were to specify the intensity, the moment it appears and the evolution of hyperglycemia, in addition to the risk factors, mechanisms and impact of continuous and cyclical glucocorticoids on the development of hyperglycemia.ResultsMean age of patients was 38.4 ± 18.7 years. The incidence of diabetes was 40.6% and was found after the first week; half the time it occurred between the second and fourth. Two-thirds spontaneously normalized by eight weeks. Continuous glucocorticoid administration had a higher incidence of fasting hyperglycemia (P = 0.003). Mean peak insulin levels were significantly higher in cases of diabetes.ConclusionsHigh-dose prednisone for 2 to 3 months produced an elevated incidence of diabetes, usually with mild hyperglycemia occurring between the second and fourth week, normalizing spontaneously in all cases. Hyperglycemia was more frequent with continuous doses and occurred in cases with increased insulin resistance. The clinical and therapeutic characteristics of our participants, who were otherwise healthy, could represent the clinical setting of many patients with illness from other medical areas that might require high doses of GC for six to twelve weeks.

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Background Continuous glucose monitoring systems are increasingly being adopted as an alternative to self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) by persons with diabetes mellitus receiving insulin therapy. Main body The FreeStyle Libre flash glucose monitoring system (Abbott Diabetes Care, Witney, United Kingdom) consists of a factory-calibrated sensor worn on the back of the arm which measures glucose levels in the interstitial fluid every minute and stores the reading automatically every 15 min. Swiping the reader device over the sensor retrieves stored data and displays current interstitial glucose levels, a glucose trend arrow, and a graph of glucose readings over the preceding 8 h. In patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) receiving insulin therapy, pivotal efficacy data were provided by the 6-month REPLACE randomized controlled trial (RCT) and 6-month extension study. Compared to SMBG, the flash system significantly reduced the time spent in hypoglycemia and frequency of hypoglycemic events, although no significant change was observed in glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels. Subsequent RCTs and real-world chart review studies have since shown that flash glucose monitoring significantly reduces HbA1c from baseline. Real-world studies in both type 1 diabetes or T2D populations also showed that flash glucose monitoring improved glycemic control. Higher (versus lower) scanning frequency was associated with significantly greater reductions in HbA1c and significant improvements in other measures such as time spent in hypoglycemia, time spent in hyperglycemia, and time in range. Additional benefits associated with flash glucose monitoring versus SMBG include reductions in acute diabetes events, all-cause hospitalizations and hospitalized ketoacidosis episodes; improved well-being and decreased disease burden; and greater treatment satisfaction. Conclusion T2D patients who use flash glucose monitoring might expect to achieve significant improvement in HbA1c and glycemic parameters and several associated benefits.

BackgroundSeminomas have been rarely associated with malignant hypercalcemia. The responsible mechanism of hypercalcemia in this setting has been described to be secondary to 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D secretion. The relationship with PTHrP has not been determined or studied.The aim of this study is to describe and discuss the case and the pathophysiological mechanisms involved in a malignant hypercalcemia mediated by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D and PTHrP cosecretion in a patient with seminoma.Case presentationA 35-year-old man was consulted for assessment and management of severe hypercalcemia related to an abdominal mass. Nausea, polyuria, polydipsia, lethargy and confusion led him to the emergency department. An abdominal and pelvic enhanced CT confirmed a calcified pelvic mass, along with multiple retroperitoneal lymphadenopathy. Chest x-ray revealed “cannon ball” pulmonary metastases. The histopathology result was consistent with a seminoma. Serum calcium was 14.7 mg/dl, PTH was undetectable, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D was within normal values and PTHrP and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin were elevated (35.0 pg/ml, and 212 pg/ml, respectively). After the first cycle of chemotherapy with bleomycin, etoposide and cisplatin, normocalcemia was restored. Both PTHrP and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D, dropped dramatically to 9.0 pg/ml and 8.0 pg/ml, respectively.ConclusionThe association of seminoma and malignant hypercalcemia is extremely rare. We describe a case of a patient with a seminoma and malignant hypercalcemia related to paraneoplastic cosecretion of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D and PTHrP. After successful chemotherapy, calcium, PTHrP and 1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D returned to normal values.

In this post hoc analysis of the randomized controlled LixiLan‐O trial in insulin‐naive patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) not controlled with metformin, with or without a second oral antihyperglycaemic drug (OAD), the efficacy and safety of the fixed‐ratio combination, iGlarLixi (insulin glargine 100 U [iGlar] and lixisenatide [Lixi]), compared to its individual components was assessed in two patient subgroups: group 1) baseline HbA1c ≥9% (n = 134); group 2) inadequate control (HbA1c ≥7.0% and ≤9.0%) despite administration of two OADs at screening (n = 725). Treatment with iGlarLixi resulted in significantly greater reduction in least squares mean HbA1c compared to treatment with iGlar or Lixi alone in both subgroups (group 1: 2.9%, 2.5%, 1.7% and group 2: 1.5%, 1.2%, 0.7%, respectively). Target HbA1c less than 7% was achieved in more than 70% of patients using iGlarLixi in both subgroups, while mitigating the weight gain observed with use of iGlar alone. Rates of hypoglycaemic events were low overall. These results suggest that treatment with iGlarLixi achieves superior glycaemic control compared to treatment with iGlar or Lixi alone in T2DM patients with HbA1c ≥9% or in those inadequately controlled with two OADs.

There is a lack of information about the maternal-fetal outcomes in patients with gestational diabetes and concomitant COVID-19; and there is even less information about the outcomes of pregnant women with gestational diabetes and COVID-19. We present a case of a primigravidae of 20-year-old woman with gestational diabetes and COVID-19 and a review of the literature.

AimsTo examine the association of baseline patient characteristics with study outcomes in people with type 2 diabetes receiving insulin glargine 300 U/mL (Gla-300) versus glargine 100 U/mL (Gla-100), over a 6-month period.MethodsA post hoc patient-level meta-analysis using data from three multicenter, randomized, open-label, parallel-group, phase 3a studies of similar design, in people previously receiving either basal and prandial insulin, basal insulin + oral antihyperglycemic drugs, or no prior insulin (EDITION 1, 2 and 3, respectively). The endpoints, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), hypoglycemia, body weight change, and insulin dose were investigated by subgroups: age (< 65 and ≥ 65 years), body mass index (BMI; < 30 and ≥ 30 kg/m2), age at onset (< 40, 40–50, and > 50 years), and diabetes duration (< 10 and ≥ 10 years).ResultsReduction in HbA1c was comparable between insulins, regardless of subgroup. The lower risk of ≥ 1 nocturnal (00:00–05:59 h) confirmed (≤ 3.9 mmol/L [≤ 70 mg/dL]) or severe hypoglycemic event with Gla-300 versus Gla-100 was also unaffected by participant characteristics. While heterogeneity of treatment effect between diabetes duration subgroups was seen for the risk of ≥ 1 confirmed (≤ 3.9 mmol/L [≤ 70 mg/dL]) or severe hypoglycemic event at any time (24 h), treatment effect consistently favored Gla-300; no evidence of heterogeneity was observed for the other subgroups. Annualized rates of confirmed (≤ 3.9 mmol/L [≤ 70 mg/dL]) or severe hypoglycemia and body weight change were not influenced by participant characteristics; a similar pattern was observed with insulin dose.ConclusionsComparable glycemic control was observed with Gla-300 versus Gla-100, with less hypoglycemia, regardless of age, BMI, age at onset or diabetes duration.FundingSanofi.Plain Language SummaryPlain language summary available for this article.Electronic Supplementary MaterialThe online version of this article (10.1007/s13300-018-0498-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.