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Objective Obesity is a growing emergency also in type 1 diabetes (T1D). Sex-differences in obesity prevalence and its clinical consequences in adult T1D subjects have been poorly investigated. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of obesity and severe obesity, clinical correlates and potential sex-differences in a large cohort of T1D subjects, participating to the AMD Annals Initiative in Italy. Research design and methods The prevalence of obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m2) and severe obesity (BMI ≥ 35 kg/m2) according to sex and age, as well as obesity-associated clinical variables, long-term diabetes complications, pharmacological treatment, process indicators and outcomes, and overall quality of care (score Q) were evaluated in 37,436 T1D subjects (45.3% women) attending 282 Italian diabetes clinics during 2019. Results Overall, the prevalence of obesity was similar in the two gender (13.0% in men and 13.9% in women; mean age 50 years), and it increased with age, affecting 1 out of 6 subjects aged >65 years. Only severe obesity (BMI >35 Kg/m2) was more prevalent among women, who showed a 45% higher risk of severe obesity, compared with men at multivariate analysis. CVD risk factors (lipid profile, glucose and blood pressure control), and the overall quality of diabetes care were worse in obese subjects, with no major sex-related differences. Also, micro- and macrovascular complications were more frequent among obese than non-obese T1D men and women. Conclusions Obesity is a frequent finding in T1D adult subjects, and it is associated with a higher burden of CVD risk factors, micro- and macrovascular complications, and a lower quality of care, with no major sex-differences. T1D women are at higher risk of severe obesity.

Objective: evaluate the metabolic impact and metrics of the new hybrid closed loop insulin delivery system on the quality of life in patients with type 1 diabetes. Methods: Metrics obtained with CGM with >80% of CGM readings over a 4-week period in real life: Time in Range (TIR%) [target 70-180 mg/Dl (3.9-10mmol/L) ], Time Above Range (TAR%) [ (>180mg/dl (>10mmol/L) ], Time Below Range (TBR%) [ Results: Fifty-two type 1 diabetic patients (38F; 14M) on SAP therapy aged 45.5±12.0 yrs, BMI 27.7±15.5 kg/m2, duration of diabetes 24.6±13.4 yrs, were studied. In these patients, who were treated with total daily insulin (TDI) 0.55±0.16 UI/kg/day, basal 0.27±0.UI/kg/day, bolus 0.28±0.UI/kg/day, mean glucose was 158.6 mg/dl (8.8 mmol/L) (121-250) , TIR% 62.4±13.5%, TBR% 4.6±4.5%, TAR% 33.0±15.1%, CV% 36.1±5.2%. Only 19 of 52 patients reached TIR≥70%. A subgroup of 30 patients (21F; 9M) , mean age 44.2±12.2 yrs, BMI 29.2±19.7 kg/m2, duration of diabetes 24.2±13.6 yrs, HbA1c 7.7±1.4%, TDI 0.59±0.14 UI/kg/day, basal 0.30 UI/kg/day, bolus 0.29 UI/kg/die, shifted from SAP to HCL. CGM Metrics regarding our patient's glucose status at baseline and 1, 2, 3, 6 and 12 months after, showed that: mean sensor BG decreased from 158.6 mg/dl (8.8 mmol/L) at baseline to 144.3 mg/dl (8.2mmol/L, p Conclusions: HCL improves glucose status increasing TIR% and reducing TAR%, TBR% and glycemic variability, improving the quality of life. Disclosure A.Convertino: None. C.Giuliani: None. O.Bitterman: None. A.Napoli: None.

Recent psychodynamic research hypothesises a connection between diabetes adaptation and the feeling of loss and damage enacted by such a chronic disease. This study aims at exploring the associatio...

OBJECTIVE: To estimate patient and health care delays in the diagnosis of PTB and to evaluate associated factors.METHODS: PTB incident cases ≥18 years diagnosed between September 2010 and September 2011 in the Lazio region; information on symptoms and date of onset, health professionals contacts, diagnostic exams performed, and drugs prescribed before diagnosis were collected through a standardized questionnaire. The total delay (TD) was divided into patient delay (PD: from symptoms onset to first contact with healthcare services) and health system delay (HSD: from first contact to diagnosis).RESULTS: 278 cases were evaluated. Median PD,HSD, and TD, were 31, 15, and 77.5 days, respectively. The median PD, HSD, and TD were significantly lower in foreign born patients (26, 10.5, 63.5, vs. 45, 36, 100 days, respectively). Other factors independently associated with longer delay were: absence of fever and presence of weight loss for PD; prior unspecific treatment, absence of cough, consult with a general practitioner, visit to an outpatient clinic, and a PD CONCLUSIONS: In Italy, the delay in TB diagnosis is similar to that estimated in other European countries. Results indicate that actions aimed to reduce diagnostic delay should be primarily addressed to Italian patients.

Il diabete monogenico da deficit di glucochinasi (MODY 2) spesso non viene diagnosticato oppure viene classificato come diabete tipo 2; quando l’iperglicemia viene riscontrata per la prima volta in gravidanza, esso puo essere scambiato per diabete gestazionale (GDM). La prevalenza di MODY 2 tra le donne con GDM varia dallo 0 al 6%, in base ai criteri di selezione utilizzati per inviare le pazienti al test genetico. Infatti, non vi e ancora totale accordo su quali siano i criteri che permettano di individuare con il migliore rapporto costo-beneficio le pazienti a piu alto rischio; i piu utili sembrano essere il BMI e la glicemia a digiuno anche se, utilizzando diversi cut-off, specificita e sensibilita variano. La gestione del MODY 2 in gravidanza e ancora oggetto di dibattito. Il problema principale e che il genotipo fetale sembrerebbe influenzare la crescita fetale in risposta all’iperglicemia materna per cui, mentre i feti non portatori della mutazione materna rischierebbero le medesime complicanze di tutti i figli di madre diabetica (macrosomia, ipoglicemia neonatale, ecc.), i feti portatori della mutazione necessiterebbero di elevati valori di glicemia materna per avere un’adeguata secrezione insulinica e, quindi, una normale crescita. Di conseguenza, alcuni autori suggeriscono di sottoporre le donne MODY 2 in gravidanza a terapia insulinica solo se il feto non ha ereditato la mutazione; esistono altri studi in cui non si e osservata una differenza significativa riguardo il peso alla nascita dei neonati affetti in base alla terapia effettuata in gravidanza (dieta o insulina). Tuttavia, di solito il genotipo fetale non e noto fino alla nascita; pertanto, sarebbe necessario seguire la crescita fetale tramite ecografie seriate e iniziare la terapia insulinica solo in caso di eccessiva crescita, fin quando lo sviluppo di nuove metodiche diagnostiche non invasive, come l’estrazione del DNA fetale dal sangue materno, non permettera una diagnosi precoce e, quindi, una piu accurata gestione terapeutica. Infine, non vi e alcun dato su quali dovrebbero essere i target glicemici nelle gravidanze MODY 2 che, in base a quanto detto fino ad ora, potrebbero essere diversi in base al genotipo fetale.

Background This study aims to evaluate: 1) the prevalence of Female Sexual Dysfunction (FSD) in women affected by type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (DM) and the control group; 2) the correlation between duration of DM, HbA1C levels and sexual life quality; 3) the relationship between different methods of insulin administration and sexual life quality; 4) the correlation between FSD and diabetes complications. Methods We selected 33 women with type 1 DM and 39 healthy women as controls. Each participant underwent a detailed medical history and physical examination and completed the 6-item Female Sexual Function Index questionnaire (FSFI-6). In patients affected by type 1 DM, the different methods of insulin administration (Multi Drug Injection - MDI or Continuous Subcutaneous Insulin Infusion - CSII) and the presence of DM complications were also investigated. Results The prevalence of FSD (total score ≤ 19) was significantly higher in the type 1 DM group than in the control group (12/33, 36.4% and 2/39, 5.2%, respectively; p = 0.010). No statistically significant differences were found regarding FSD according to the presence of complications, method of insulin administration or previous pregnancies. Conclusions This study underlined that FSD is higher in women affected by type 1 DM than in healthy controls. This could be due to the diabetic neuropathy/angiopathy and the type of insulin administration. Therefore, it is important to investigate FSD in diabetic women, as well as erectile dysfunction in diabetic men.

Objective: To develop a core outcome set (COS) for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the effectiveness of interventions for the treatment of pregnant women with pregestational diabetes mellitus (PGDM). Design: A consensus developmental study. Setting: International. Population: Two hundred and five stakeholders completed the first round. Methods: The study consisted of three components. (1) A systematic review of the literature to produce a list of outcomes reported in RCTs assessing the effectiveness of interventions for the treatment of pregnant women with PGDM. (2) A three-round, online eDelphi survey to prioritise these outcomes by international stakeholders (including healthcare professionals, researchers and women with PGDM). (3) A consensus meeting where stakeholders from each group decided on the final COS. Main outcome measures: All outcomes were extracted from the literature. Results: We extracted 131 unique outcomes from 67 records meeting the full inclusion criteria. Of the 205 stakeholders who completed the first round, 174/205 (85%) and 165/174 (95%) completed rounds 2 and 3, respectively. Participants at the subsequent consensus meeting chose 19 outcomes for inclusion into the COS: trimester-specific haemoglobin A1c, maternal weight gain during pregnancy, severe maternal hypoglycaemia, diabetic ketoacidosis, miscarriage, pregnancy-induced hypertension, pre-eclampsia, maternal death, birthweight, large for gestational age, small for gestational age, gestational age at birth, preterm birth, mode of birth, shoulder dystocia, neonatal hypoglycaemia, congenital malformations, stillbirth and neonatal death. Conclusions: This COS will enable better comparison between RCTs to produce robust evidence synthesis, improve trial reporting and optimise research efficiency in studies assessing treatment of pregnant women with PGDM. Tweetable abstract: 165 key stakeholders have developed #Treatment #CoreOutcomes in pregnant women with #diabetes existing before pregnancy.

Aims/hypothesis Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is linked with a higher lifetime risk for the development of impaired fasting glucose, impaired glucose tolerance, type 2 diabetes, the metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, postpartum depression and tumours. Despite this, there is no consistency in the long-term follow-up of women with a previous diagnosis of GDM. Further, the outcomes selected and reported in the research involving this population are heterogeneous and lack standardisation. This amplifies the risk of reporting bias and diminishes the likelihood of significant comparisons between studies. The aim of this study is to develop a core outcome set (COS) for RCTs and other studies evaluating the long-term follow-up at 1 year and beyond of women with previous GDM treated with insulin and/oral glucose-lowering agents. Methods The study consisted of three work packages: (1) a systematic review of the outcomes reported in previous RCTs of the follow-up at 1 year and beyond of women with GDM treated with insulin and/or oral glucose-lowering agents; (2) a three-round online Delphi survey with key stakeholders to prioritise these outcomes; and (3) a consensus meeting where the final COS was decided. Results Of 3344 abstracts identified and evaluated, 62 papers were retrieved and 25/62 papers were included in this review. A total of 121 outcomes were identified and included in the Delphi survey. Delphi round 1 was emailed to 835 participants and 288 (34.5%) responded. In round 2, 190 of 288 (65.9%) participants responded and in round 3, 165 of 190 (86.8%) participants responded. In total, nine outcomes were selected and agreed for inclusion in the final COS: assessment of glycaemic status; diagnosis of type 2 diabetes since the index pregnancy; number of pregnancies since the index pregnancy; number of pregnancies with a diagnosis of GDM since the index pregnancy; diagnosis of prediabetes since the index pregnancy; BMI; post-pregnancy weight retention; resting blood pressure; and breastfeeding. Conclusions/interpretation This study identified a COS that will help bring consistency and uniformity to outcome selection and reporting in clinical trials and other studies involving the follow-up at 1 year and beyond of women diagnosed with GDM treated with insulin and/or oral glucose-lowering agents during pregnancy. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1007/s00125-019-4935-9) contains peer-reviewed but unedited supplementary material, which is available to authorised users.

To assess the GDM recurrence rate in a cohort of pregnant women with prior GDM, to compare two consecutive pregnancies complicated by GDM, to compare women with nonrecurrent and recurrent GDM and to stratify the latter in women with early and late recurrent GDM.Retrospective study including 113 women with GDM in an index pregnancy (G1), at least a postindex pregnancy (G2) and normal glucose tolerance in between. The GDM recurrence rate was assessed, and maternal and neonatal outcomes and pancreatic beta cell function of the index pregnancy were compared with those of the postindex pregnancy (G1 vs. G2). Women with nonrecurrent GDM were compared with those with recurrent GDM.The GDM recurrence rate was 83.2% and the minimum prevalence of early recurrent GDM was 43,4%. The pregravid BMI of women with recurrent GDM increased between the two pregnancies (27.3 ± 5.98 vs. 28.1 ± 6.19 kg/mGDM shows a high recurrence rate in our cohort of slightly overweight women, with an early GDM minimum prevalence of 43.4%.

Among chronic diseases, diabetes is recognized as a major health risk negatively affecting the quality of life, with significant morbidity and mortality rates (World Health Organization, 2018), which is expected to rise to 552 million people by 2030, leading to considerable health expenditures (Whiting et al., 2011; Khan et al., 2020). Given its long-lasting nature and risky complications, diabetes requires continuous self-care including being active, eating healthily, taking medication, monitoring symptoms, solving problems, reducing risks, and healthy coping (Di Biase et al., 1997; Glasgow et al., 2008), thus making diabetes management and treatment adherence relevant challenges. In this regard, depressive and anxiety symptoms are often reported by patients with diabetes because of the disease-related distress including worry about complications, fear of hypoglycemia, and guilt feelings about uncontrolled blood glucose (Nouwen, 2015; Sartorius, 2018; Shinkov et al., 2018; Wardian et al., 2018). Overall, this difficulty complying with the stressful rigors of diabetes and required lifestyle changes tends to worsen glycemic control, resulting in higher hemoglobin A1c levels and less optimal outcomes (Whithorth et al., 2016; Egan et al., 2017; Fukuda and Mizobe, 2017; Graham et al., 2020; Schmitt et al., 2021). Therefore, to promote higher patient self-care and treatment adherence, a primary task for healthcare professionals is reducing diabetes distress by improving patients' skills at regulating negative emotions (Coccaro et al., 2021). Emotion awareness and management in diabetes care are based on the capacity to deal with feelings and thoughts on both conscious and unconscious levels (Ivinson, 1995). From such a perspective, a psychodynamic approach can provide a significant contribution to a better understanding of the patient's emotional life. This article provides some basic psychodynamic insights with a practical value, focusing on the concepts of alexithymia, defense mechanisms, loss, mourning, and transference–countertransference dynamics in the therapeutic relationship. This may also help medical and nursing professions dealing with diabetes care to reconsider patient difficulties and communication through a new lens, thus improving clinical observation and care.

Good glycemic control is crucial to reduce the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes. Our aim was to evaluate the efficacy of Flash Glucose Monitoring (FGM) on glucose control in women with pregestational diabetes.Forty women with inadequately controlled type 1 (T1D, n = 34) and type 2 (T2D, n = 6) diabetes at conception were randomly assigned to two arms: the Flash Glucose group (FG, n = 21) using FGM, and the control group (CG, n = 19) using self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG). Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c, %), time in (TIR), below (TBR) and above (TAR) range, glucose variability as well as the occurrence of maternal and neonatal adverse outcomes, were evaluated. HbA1c decreased significantly (p 0.01) and similarly (-0.65 ± 0.7 vs. -0.67 ± 0.8 for FG and CG, respectively; p = 0.89) in both groups during pregnancy. HbA1c reduction was positively associated with the number of daily FGM scans (p 0.01). TBR (12.1 ± 2.0% vs. 19.6 ± 3.9%, p = 0.04) and the mean of the daily serum glucose difference (MODD) index (59.1 ± 5.4 vs. 77.7 ± 4.6, p = 0.02) were significantly lower in FG at second trimester. The rates of perinatal adverse outcomes were not different in the two studied groups.In women with pregestational diabetes, FGM and SMBG had similar efficacy on glucose control during pregnancy. FGM showed additional advantages in terms of TBR and glucose variability. Achievement of good metabolic results depended on the adequate use of glucose sensor.At ClinicalTrials.gov as NCT04666818 on December 14, 2020.

Objective To explore the subjective experience of physicians working in diabetic settings about their care relationships in order to find some unique clues contributing to physician professional health and capacity to manage patients’ adherence. Research design and methods An interview-based exploratory study has been carried out involving 18 physicians (77.8% female) with at least 3 years of clinical practice in diabetes care. In-depth interviews about the emotional experience with patients with diabetes were conducted and audio recorded. Interviews transcripts were analyzed through a computer-based text analysis which allowed the identification of thematic domains (Cluster Analysis) and latent factors (Correspondence Analysis) viewed through a psychodynamic and constructivist lens. Results Six thematic domains emerged respectively referring to: Concern (8.43%), Control (14.42%), Ambivalence (22.08%), Devotion (22.49%), Guilt (19.29%) and Strive for Achievement (13.30%). Moreover, three latent dimensions were taken into account, which explained 69.20% of data variance: Affect Repression (28.50%), Tendency to Repair (22.70%) and Anxiety Pattern (18.00%). Conclusions Overall, the results of the present study confirm the challenging nature of diabetes care. In particular, physicians ongoing effort to restore patients’ psychological integrity in chronic condition constitute the most novel finding above all. In this regard, the need for emotional labor in physicians’ education and training is suggested in order to both prevent burnout symptoms (e.g. depersonalization) and promote shared decision making in care relationships. However, findings should be treated as preliminary given the convenience nature of the sample and its reduced size.

Many specialists use the remote management of people with chronic disease as diabetes, but structured management protocols have not been developed yet. The COVID-19 pandemic has given a big boost to the use of telemedicine, as it allows to maintain the physical distance, essential to the containment of contagion having regular health contact. Encouraging results related to the use of telemedicine in women with hyperglycaemia in pregnancy, have been recently published. It is well known that hyperglycaemia alters the immune response to infections, that inflammation, in turn, worsens glycaemic control and that any form of hyperglycaemia in pregnancy (HIP) has effects not only on the mother but also on development of the foetus. Therefore, the Italian Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Group, together with a group of experts, developed these recommendations in order to guide physicians in the management of HIP, providing specific diagnostic, therapeutic and assistance pathways (PDTAs) for the COVID-19 emergency. Three detailed PDTAs were developed, for type 1, type 2 and gestational diabetes.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between anxiety, prenatal attachment, and depressive symptoms among women with diabetes in pregnancy. Participants were 131 consecutive pregnant women between the ages of 20 and 45 with a diagnosis of gestational or pregestational type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Data on previous psychiatric symptoms were obtained from the Anamnestic and Social Questionnaire and the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI). Information on prenatal attachment was collected using The Prenatal Attachment Inventory (PAI), and The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) assessed depressive symptoms in the third trimester of pregnancy (at a mean of 25 weeks). Results demonstrated that in women affected by diabetes in pregnancy, two facets of prenatal attachment (anticipation, interaction) were negatively correlated with depressive symptoms, and a history of anxiety, assessed with the MINI, moderated the relation between the prenatal attachment interaction factor and depressive symptoms during pregnancy.

SARS-Cov2 infection has recently spread to Italy with important consequences on pregnancy management, mother and child health and mother-child contact. Breastfeeding improves the health of mother and child and reduces risk of neonatal infection with other pathogens that are likely to cause serious illness. To date no evidence confirmed COVID-19 vertical transmission from infected pregnant mother to their fetus. However it is well known that an infected mother can transmit the COVID-19 virus through respiratory droplets during breastfeeding or intimate contact. Thus, the mothers with known or suspected COVID-19 should adhere to standard and contact precautions during breastfeeding. Woman Study Group of AMD, after reviewing current knowledge about COVID-19 vertical transmission and the compatibility of breastfeeding in COVID-19 mother, the available recommendations from Health Care Organizations and main experts opinions, issued the following suggestions on breastfeeding during the COVID-19 pandemic, addressed both to mothers with and without diabetes. It should be considered that following suggestions may change in the future when more evidence is acquired regarding SARS-Cov2 infection.

Background A good metabolic control before conception and throughout pregnancy with diabetes decreases the risk of short- and long-term adverse outcomes of the mothers and their offsprings. Insulin treatment remains the gold standard treatment recommended for any type of diabetes. New technologies including new insulins and insulin analogues, continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion without and with sensors, the low-glucose predictive suspension function, and closed-loop systems that persistently and automatically self-adjust according to patients' continuous glucose monitoring readings have expanded the offer to clinicians for achieving tight glucose control. Areas of uncertainty Unsafe effects of insulin and insulin analogues in pregnancy with diabetes could be linked with changes in insulin immunogenicity, teratogenicity, and mitogenicity. Second-generation insulin analogues need to be tested and proven. Effectiveness and safety of new insulin delivery systems in real life of diabetic women in pregnancy need further confirmations. Sources MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, randomized controlled trials, systematic review and meta-analysis, observational prospective and retrospective studies, case series reports for the most recent insulin analogues, published in English impacted journals, and consensus statements from scientific societies I excluded 60 from 221 papers as not suitable for the purpose of the subject. Results Subcutaneous insulin infusion can be safely used during pregnancy and delivery of well-trained women. Sensors are increasingly accurate tools that improve the efficacy and safety of integrated systems' functioning. Continuous glucose monitoring provides metrics ("time in range" time in "hypoglycemia" and in "hyperglycemia," glucose variability, average glucose levels in different time intervals) used as a guide to diabetes management; these new metrics are object of discussion in special populations. Randomized controlled trials have shown that sensor-augmented pump therapy improves pregnancy outcomes in women with type 1 diabetes. Closed-loop insulin delivery provides better glycemic control than sensor-augmented pump therapy during pregnancy, before, and after delivery. Conclusion Second-generation insulin analogues and newer insulin infusion systems that automatically self-adjust according to patients continuous glucose monitor readings are important tools improving the treatment and quality of life of these women. Multi-institutional and disciplinary teams are working to develop and evaluate a pregnancy-specific artificial pancreas.

Authors would like to correct the error in their publication.

Aims/hypothesis The aim of this study was to develop a core outcome set (COS) for trials and other studies evaluating the effectiveness of prepregnancy care for women with pregestational (pre-existing) diabetes mellitus. Methods A systematic literature review was completed to identify all outcomes reported in prior studies in this area. Key stakeholders then prioritised these outcomes using a Delphi study. The list of outcomes included in the final COS were finalised at a face-to-face consensus meeting. Results In total, 17 outcomes were selected and agreed on for inclusion in the final COS. These outcomes were grouped under three domains: measures of pregnancy preparation (n = 9), neonatal outcomes (n = 6) and maternal outcomes (n = 2). Conclusions/interpretation This study identified a COS essential for studies evaluating prepregnancy care for women with pregestational diabetes. It is advocated that all trials and other non-randomised studies and audits in this area use this COS with the aim of improving transparency and the ability to compare and combine future studies with greater ease. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00125-017-4277-4) contains peer-reviewed but unedited supplementary material, which is available to authorised users.

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a risk factor for GDM in next pregnancies.The aims of this observational study are to measure GDM recurrence rate in post index pregnancy of women with prior GDM and to compare maternal and neonatal outcomes and pancreatic beta cells function in two consecutive pregnancies. Methods: Longitudinal observational study in 68 women with GDM in index pregnancy (G1), followed by a post index pregnancy (G2) and normal glucose tolerance in-between [G1 vs. G2: age 32,1±4,6 vs. 35,5±4,7 years, BMI 24,5 (19,2-42,7) vs. 24,7 (17,5-42,2) kg/m2, ns]. GDM diagnosis according to IADPSG criteria. Statistics: SPSS. Results: significantly earlier first visit gestational age in G2 [17 (6-36) weeks] than in G1 [28,5 (8-35) weeks] (p Conclusions: GDM relapsed in the majority of women with previous GDM with no weight gain between pregnancies and no pancreatic function deterioration. However, a normal OGTT in second pregnancy was found in normoweight women. Disclosure C. Giuliani: None. O. Bitterman: None. F. Amorosi: None. C. Festa: None. A. Napoli: None.

In 2010, Italian health professionals rapidly implemented the one-step screening for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) based on a 75 g OGTT, to comply with the diagnostic criteria proposed by the International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups (IADPSG). The change was promoted by the two main Italian scientific societies of diabetology, Associazione Medici Diabetologi (AMD) and Societa Italiana di Diabetologia (SID), and it took just a few months for the Istituto Superiore di Sanita, together with several scientific societies, to revise the criteria and include them in the National Guidelines System. Over the last 9 years, the implementation of these guidelines has shown some benefits and some drawbacks. In order to evaluate the critical issues arisen from the implementation of the current Italian guidelines for the diagnosis of GDM, the studies published on this topic have been reviewed. The search was performed using the following keywords: “gestational diabetes” AND “diagnostic criteria” OR screening AND Ital*. The study is an expert opinion paper, based on the relevant scientific literature published between 2010 and 2019. The databases screened for the literature review included PubMed, MEDLINE, and Scopus. The implementation of the Guidelines for Screening and Diagnosis of GDM in Italy present some strengths and some weaknesses. One of the positive aspects is that high-risk women are required to perform an OGTT early in pregnancy. By contrast, there are several aspects in need of improvement: (1) In spite of the current indications, only a minority of high-risk women perform OGTT early in pregnancy; (2) several low-risk women are screened for GDM; (3) in some low-risk women affected by GDM, the diagnosis might be missed with the application of the current guidelines; (4) there is a lack of homogeneity in the risk assessment data from different regions. In order to improve the current Italian GDM guidelines, some practical solutions have been suggested.

Mobile health (mHealth) applications (apps) have been recently introduced as an easily accessible tool for providing information to pregnant women with diabetes. Despite the growing number of apps on the topic "diabetes & pregnancy", a smartphone app offering comprehensive and individualized information to both women (before and during gestation) and their healthcare professionals was still missing. To overcome this lack, the Italian Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Group conceived and realized in 2016 a novel mobile app called "MySweetGestation". It is designed to be an interactive educational tool for both patients and physicians not expert in the field. Through an interactive way of learning, it provides validated information to the user, focusing on different area of interest: from prevention and risk factors for developing diabetes during pregnancy to treatment and follow-up strategies after gestation. Three years since its publication, MySweetGestation has been downloaded in different western and eastern countries worldwide, suggesting a widespread social impact. Easily accessible personalized information made available via mHealth technology may be of great importance to spread controlled information among the pregnant population. MySweetGestation, being an interactive educational device for both patients and healthcare professionals, may contribute to improve the management of pregnant women with diabetes.

Aims: Many authors do not recommend hypoglycemic treatment during pregnancy in women affected by monogenic diabetes due to heterozygous glucokinase (GCK) mutations (MODY 2) in case of affected fetus, because maternal hyperglycemia would be necessary to achieve a normal birthweight. We aimed to evaluate differences in birthweight between MODY 2 affected children according to the parent who carried the mutation. Methods: We retrospectively studied 48 MODY 2 affected children, whose mothers did not receive hypoglycemic treatment during pregnancy, divided into two groups according to the presence of the mutation in the mother (group A) or in the father (group B). Data were extracted from the database of the Regional Centre of Pediatric Diabetology of the University of Campania, Naples, collected from 1996 to 2016. We analyzed birthweight and centile birthweight. Results: Percentage of small for gestational age was significantly higher in group B than in group A. We found three large for gestational age in the group that inherited the deficit from the mother, all with the same novel GCK mutation (p.Lys458-Cys461del). Conclusions: We hypothesize that not all MODY 2 affected fetuses need the same levels of hyperglycemia to have an appropriate growth, maybe because different kinds of GCK mutations may result in different phenotypes. Consequently, a “tailored therapy” of maternal hyperglycemia, based on fetal growth frequently monitored through ultrasounds, is essential in MODY 2 pregnancies.

Every 10 years, the Diabetic Pregnancy Study Group, a study group of the EASD, conducts an audit meeting to review the achievements of the preceding decade and to set the directions for research and clinical practice improvements for the next decade. The most recent meeting focused on the following areas: improving pregnancy outcomes for women with pregestational type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes; the influence of obesity and gestational diabetes on pregnancy outcomes; the determinants and assessment of fetal growth and development; and public health issues, including consideration of transgenerational consequences and economic burden. The audit meeting also considered the likely impact of ‘omics’ on research within the field and the potential of these technologies to enable precision-medicine approaches to management. Through sharing of the findings and ideas of audit meeting participants, the DPSG hopes to promote networking, research and advances in clinical care, to improve outcomes for all women and their offspring affected by diabetes and obesity in pregnancy.

The aim of this review is to provide general suggestions on physical activity (PA) in pre-gestational and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and encourage women to take part in safe and effective activities throughout pregnancy, in the absence of other contraindications. PA before and during pregnancy and in postpartum has many positive effects on the mother, as it could reduce the risk of GDM, excessive weight gain and lower back pain and also prevents, in the postpartum, diabetes mellitus. It may also reduce the duration of labour and complications at childbirth, fatigue, stress, anxiety and depression, thereby leading to an improved sense of wellbeing. Clinically, it is thought to help prevent preeclampsia and premature birth even though RCTs provide conflicting evidence with regard to the prevention of GDM. The main reason for this rests on the fact that the majority of clinical trials have not been able to replicate the preventive effect of PA on the onset of GDM, such as the different adherence of the patient to PA. Herein, we survey the literature regarding exercise and PA on GDM prevention and treatment as well as on clinical outcomes in pre-GDM in pregnancy. On the basis of the current literature, we also present a series of general recommendations and suggestions on PA and exercise training in pregnancy among both diabetic patients and those at risk for GDM.

Women with gestational hyperglycemia commonly experience hypertensive disorders during pregnancy. More information is needed about how hypertension develops in these patients over time. We investigated the prevalence of hypertension during and 3 years after pregnancy in Caucasian women with gestational hyperglycemia. We also investigated metabolic syndrome presence, glucose tolerance status, insulin sensitivity and insulin secretion levels in the follow-up period. In a prospective longitudinal study with a 3-year follow-up, we assessed hypertension status and clinical-related characteristics of 103 consecutive women with gestational hyperglycemia sub-grouped according to their hypertensive status during and after pregnancy. Overall, 29 (28.1%) women had hypertension during pregnancy (24 gestational hypertension; 4 chronic hypertension; 1 preeclampsia). At follow-up 16 (15.5%) women were diagnosed as having hypertension (11 with hypertension in pregnancy; 5 with a normotensive pregnancy). Women with hypertension after pregnancy had higher BMI, metabolic syndrome rate and worse insulin resistance indexes than normotensive women. Weight increase at follow-up (OR 1.17, 95% CI 1.00–1.35) and hypertension in pregnancy (OR 6.72, 95% CI 1.17–38.64) were associated with hypertension after pregnancy. Women with gestational hyperglycemia should undergo regular monitoring during and after pregnancy to detect metabolic and clinical impairments and to prevent cardiovascular harm.

Maturity Onset Diabetes of the young (MODY) is an autosomal dominant disease that includes clinically heterogeneous forms of not autoimmune diabetes that are caused by mutations in different genes. To date at least thirteen subtypes of MODY have been described. Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor-1α (HNF-1α) gene mutations (MODY3) lead to a severe form of diabetes during adolescence, with glycosuria and progressive reduction of insulin secretion. The management of pregnancies in women with familial diseases could be difficult. We reported a case of a 36-year-old woman at the 5th week of a twin, bicorial, biamniotic pregnancy, diagnosed with diabetes at 18 years of age, with negative autoimmunity and diabetes family history. Genetic tests on woman and on her family showed father, sister, first daughter and one of the twins, carriers of c.812G>A HNF-1α mutation. This case of a twin pregnancy, with only one fetus inheriting the disease, allowed us to evaluate the genotype influence in a shared metabolic environment.

Thyroid autoimmunity is very frequent in women of reproductive age and is associated with many adverse pregnancy outcomes; also, diabetes mellitus in pregnancy, of any type, is associated to many complications. In type 1 diabetes, the prevalence of thyroid autoimmunity is higher than in healthy population. Instead, the association of thyroid autoimmunity with other types of diabetes is less clear; however, there are some studies claiming that the prevalence is higher in gestational diabetes too. Poor data about type 2 diabetes in pregnancy are available. It is also unclear how diabetes and thyroid function influence each other and if levothyroxine therapy is necessary in pregnancy with positive autoimmunity but normal thyroid function.The aim of this article was to find in the literature studies on thyroid autoimmunity in different types of diabetes in pregnancy, in order to detect any difference in prevalence. Data were found through pubmed database from 1990 to 2013.Several studies found a higher prevalence of thyroid autoimmunity in GDM compared to healthy controls; therefore it would be appropriate to extend screening for thyroid diseases to women with GDM. More studies are needed on the possible requirement of therapy for thyroid autoimmunity when the function is normal.

Background & Aims: Breastfeeding improves glucose tolerance in the early postpartum period of women with prior gestational diabetes GDM, but it is unclear whether future risk of metabolic alterations, like type 2 diabetes, is reduced. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of lactation, three years after pregnancy, on glucose and lipid metabolism in women with prior gestational diabetes. Materials & Methods: A population of women with prior gestational diabetes (Carpenter and Coustan Criteria) was evaluated with comparison of results for “lactating” [BF] versus “nonlactating women” [non BF]. Breast feeding was defined [BF] if lasting? 4 weeks. In each woman a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was performed to analyze the glucose tolerance, insulin sensitivity/resistance and b-cell function. Fasting serum was used to study their lipid profile (total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein [HDL] cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein [LDL] cholesterol, and triglycerides), apolipoprotein B, apolipoprotein A1, homocysteine, fibrinogen, hsCRP, uric acid, microalbuminuria. Statistics: Paired and Un-paired t-test, Mann-Whitney and χ2 tests were used, as appropriate. Results: A total of 81 women were evaluated (62 [BF] and 19 [non BF]). Maternal age (37.1 ± 4.6 vs 37.4 ± 4.9 years), body mass index (26.3 ± 5.6 vs 26.4 ± 5.3 kg/m2), parity (1.9 ± 0.8 vs 1.7 ± 0.8) and length of follow-up (32.2 ± 20.2 vs 32.1± 20,0) were not different between the two groups. No effect was visible on glucose tolerance, HOMA-IR and other b-cell function indexes as well as hs-CRP (not significantly lower in non BF), uric acid, total cholesterol, HDL and LDL cholesterol. Levels of significance were only reached for “HOMA-IS” [BF] 1.0 ± 0.7 vs [non BF] 0.6 ± 0.4, p = 0.04) and triglycerides [BF] 83.8 ±46.7 vs [non BF] 123.2 ± 94.0 mg/dl, p = 0.02). Conclusions: Breastfeeding does not improve the glucose tolerance of our women with prior GDM three years after delivery, even though lower levels of triglycerides and improved insulin sensitivity are still visible.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the quality of type 2 diabetes care according to sex. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Clinical data collected during the year 2009 were extracted from electronic medical records; quality-of-care indicators were evaluated. Multilevel logistic regression analysis was applied to estimate the likelihood of women versus men to be monitored for selected parameters, to reach clinical outcomes, and to be treated with specific classes of drugs. The intercenter variability in the proportion of men and women achieving the targets was also investigated. RESULTS Overall, 415,294 patients from 236 diabetes outpatient centers were evaluated, of whom 188,125 (45.3%) were women and 227,169 (54.7%) were men. Women were 14% more likely than men to have HbA1c >9.0% in spite of insulin treatment (odds ratio 1.14 [95% CI 1.10–1.17]), 42% more likely to have LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) ≥130 mg/dL (1.42 [1.38–1.46]) in spite of lipid-lowering treatment, and 50% more likely to have BMI ≥30 kg/m2 (1.50 [1.50–1.54]). Women were less likely to be monitored for foot and eye complications. In 99% of centers, the percentage of men reaching the LDL-C target was higher than in women, the proportion of patients reaching the HbA1c target was in favor of men in 80% of the centers, and no differences emerged for blood pressure. CONCLUSIONS Women show a poorer quality of diabetes care than men. The attainment of the LDL-C target seems to be mainly related to pathophysiological factors, whereas patient and physician attitudes can play an important role in other process measures and outcomes.

Aims To describe the degree of diffusion and acceptance of national guideline on screening and diagnosis of gestational diabetes (GDM) among Italian diabetes centers and to detect possible areas for benchmarking. Methods In 2013 the Italian Diabetes in Pregnancy Study Group structured a national survey, focused on GDM screening and diagnostic procedures, that was administered to diabetologists. Results Overall, 122 diabetologists of 122 different diabetes centers (21.7% territorial, 78.3% hospital/University) completed the questionnaire. All respondents declared to execute a 75 g-oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) as diagnostic test. Almost one in five centers preferred a universal screening procedure, the others executing a selective risk factors-based screening. In patients at high risk for GDM the OGTT was performed at 16–18 weeks’ gestation in 84.0% of the cases; only 6.5% of respondents preferred to execute it as soon as possible; and 9.5% used to wait until 24–28 weeks’ gestation. In the case of fasting plasma glucose (FPG) ≥5.1 mmol/l (92 mg/dl), two third of respondents used to proceed with the execution of the complete diagnostic OGTT, the others considering sufficient the FPG value for the diagnosis. Conclusions Good level of reception of national recommendations was documented. The diagnostic procedure was generally accepted and applied. Some criticisms were specifically linked to the choice of universal or risk factor-based screening procedure, and to the right time for executing the OGTT in women at high risk.

BACKGROUND: MODY diabetes includes rare familiar forms due to genetic mutations resulting in β-cell dysfunction. MODY 3 is due to mutations in the gene transcription factor HNF-1α, with diabetes diagnosis in adolescence or early adult life. Few data are available about MODY 3 in pregnancy. CASE REPORT: A 36-year-old Italian woman came to our unit at the 5th week of pregnancy. She was diagnosed with diabetes at 18 years, with negative autoimmunity and a strong familiarity for diabetes. She was treated with gliclazide and metformin. She had a previous pregnancy in which she was treated with insulin, giving birth at 38 weeks to a 3.210 kg baby girl, who showed neonatal hypoglycemia. We switched her to insulin treatment according to guidelines. We asked for genetic molecular testing, resulting in a HNF-1α gene mutation. A US examination at 7 weeks revealed a twin, bicorial, biamniotic pregnancy. At 37 weeks of gestation, she gave birth to two normal-weight baby girls; only one showed neonatal hypoglycemia and a genetic test revealed that she was affected by HNF-1α gene mutation. Subsequently, entire family of the woman was tested, showing that the father, the sister and the first daughter had the same HNF-1α mutation. DISCUSSION: A MODY 3 foetus needs a near-normal maternal glycemic control, because the exposure to intrauterine hyperglycemia can lead to an earlier age of diabetes onset. Neonatal hypoglycemia is generally observed in MODY 1 infants, but it is possible to hypothesize that some HNF-1α mutations could lead to a functionally impaired protein that might dysregulate HNF-4α expression determining hypoglycemia.

The aim of this study was to assess carbohydrate (CHO)-to-insulin ratio (CHO/IR) values in pregnant women with type 1 diabetes and to describe differences in CHO/IR across each week of pregnancy.This was a multicenter, retrospective, observational study (2006-2012) of 101 white pregnant women with a mean age of 32 (range, 18-43) years who had type 1 diabetes and were under continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) therapy. These patients had the following characteristics: type 1 diabetes duration was 1 year (range, 1-31 years), the pregestational glycosylated hemoglobin level was 6.9% (range, 6.8-12.1%), the median weight gain during pregnancy was 14 kg (-3; 25 kg), with delivery at 37 weeks (range, 30-40 weeks), and the child had a birth weight of 3.530 kg (range, 1.480-5.250 kg). The CHO/IR was measured by dividing the CHO (in g) of each meal by insulin unit injected to acquire and maintain the following glycemic targets: fasting90 mg/dL and 1-h postprandial130 mg/dL. Simultaneously, CHO/IR indices were calculated through 500/total daily doses of insulin and 300/total daily doses of insulin. Education and management before and during pregnancy were in agreement with Italian Association of Dietitians, Association of Medical Diabetologists, and Italian Society of Diabetology recommendations. Data were analyzed using SPSS software (version 20.0; SPSS, Inc., Chicago, IL).The CHO/IR decreased on average from 9.6 (5-18) to 5.4 (2.3-8) at breakfast, from 10 (3.5-16) to 8.4 (3.0-17.8) at lunch, and from 12.5 (8-20) to 6.1 (4.2-12) at dinner. The CHO/IR calculated using the "500 rule" decreased from 14.3 (10-20.3) to 8.6 (4.1-15.9). Using the "300 rule," the ratios decreased from 8.5 (6-12.1) to 5.2 (2.4-9.5). The bivariate correlation between the values calculated more appropriate values using the "300 rule" for breakfast and the "500 rule" for lunch and dinner across all weeks of pregnancy.CHO/IR reduction in pregnancy is likely due to an increase in insulin resistance.

Objective -The scope of this study is to detect whether or not the entropy (E) circadian rhythm (CR) is maintained preserved in sinusal R-R intervals (SRRI), its loss being the expression of a transition to an indeterministic chaos in heart rate variability (HRV). Methods - The E of SRRI was estimated in 14 type I diabetic pregnant women (DPW) in the first trimester of an apparently uncomplicated gestation (7 patients - mean age = 30.3 + 4.1 y - without clinical and laboratory evidence of cardiac autonomic neuropathy, and 7 patients - mean age = 30.7 + 3.6 y - with positive tests for a cardiac dysautonomia).The E CR was studied via the single cosinor method, and summarized via the population-mean cosinor method. Results - The E CR was found not to be preserved in both the investigated type I DPW, despite the occurrence of the SRRI CR. Conclusions -The loss of the E CR confirms that in type I DPW there is a transition to an indeterministic disorder in HRV due to the lack of an autocorrelated periodic chaos in cardiac pacing. Such an unphysiological neurovegetative regulation suggests a new silent cardiac dysautonomic syndrome, that we intend to call "minimum delirium cordis syndrome" (MDCS). Can the MDCS be regarded as a condition of cardiovascular risk? To answer this question, it seems justified to suggest that the study of the E CR should be added to the routine tests that are presently applied to clinical analysis of the Holter ECG, being the classic tests of linear analysis not methodologically suitable for detecting the indeterministic chaos of the MDCS.