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Aims: To determine rates and predictors of postpartum diabetes screening among Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander and non‐Indigenous women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Methods: PANDORA is a prospective longitudinal cohort of women recruited in pregnancy. Postpartum diabetes screening rates at 12 weeks (75‐g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT)) and 6, 12 and 18 months (OGTT, glycated haemoglobin [HbA1C] or fasting plasma glucose) were assessed for women with GDM (n = 712). Associations between antenatal factors and screening with any test (OGTT, HbA1C, fasting plasma glucose) by 6 months postpartum were examined using Cox proportional hazards regression. Results: Postpartum screening rates with an OGTT by 12 weeks and 6 months postpartum were lower among Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander women than non‐Indigenous women (18% vs. 30% at 12 weeks, and 23% vs. 37% at 6 months, p < 0.001). Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander women were more likely to have completed a 6‐month HbA1C compared to non‐Indigenous women (16% vs. 2%, p < 0.001). Screening by 6 months postpartum with any test was 41% for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander women and 45% for non‐Indigenous women (p = 0.304). Characteristics associated with higher screening rates with any test by 6 months postpartum included, insulin use in pregnancy, first pregnancy, not smoking and lower BMI. Conclusions: Given very high rates of type 2 diabetes among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, early postpartum screening with the most feasible test should be prioritised to detect prediabetes and diabetes for intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Background: Few studies have assessed whether children exposed to in utero hyperglycaemia experience different growth trajectories compared to unexposed children. Objectives: To assess association of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) with early childhood weight, length/height and body mass index (BMI) trajectories, and with timing and magnitude of peak BMI in infancy. Methods: PANDORA is a birth cohort recruited from an Australian hyperglycaemia in pregnancy register, and women with normoglycaemia recruited from the community. Offspring growth measures were obtained from health records over a median follow‐up of 3.0 years (interquartile range 1.9–4.0). This analysis included children born to Aboriginal mothers with in utero normoglycaemia (n = 95), GDM (n = 228) or T2D (n = 131). Growth trajectories (weight, length/height and BMI) were estimated using linear mixed models with cubic spline functions of child age. Results: After adjustment for maternal factors (age, BMI, parity, smoking, and socioeconomic measures) and child factors (age, gestational age at birth, and sex), children born to mothers with T2D or GDM had lower weight, length/height and BMI trajectories in infancy than children born to mothers with normoglycaemia, but similar weight and BMI by completion of follow‐up. Children exposed to T2D had lower mean peak BMI 17.6 kg/m2 (95% confidence interval [CI] 17.3–18.0) than children exposed to normoglycaemia (18.6 kg/m2 [18.1–18.9]) (p = 0.001). Conclusions: Maternal hyperglycaemia was associated with differences in early childhood growth trajectories after adjustment for maternal BMI. Exploration of associations between in utero hyperglycaemia exposure and growth trajectories into later childhood is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims/hypothesis: We aimed to assess associations between cord blood metabolic markers and fetal overgrowth, and whether cord markers mediated the impact of maternal adiposity on neonatal anthropometric outcomes among children born to Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Australian women with normal glucose tolerance (NGT), gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and pregestational type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods: From the Pregnancy and Neonatal Outcomes in Remote Australia (PANDORA) study, an observational cohort of 1135 mother–baby pairs, venous cord blood was available for 645 singleton babies (49% Indigenous Australian) of women with NGT (n = 129), GDM (n = 419) and type 2 diabetes (n = 97). Cord glucose, triacylglycerol, HDL-cholesterol, C-reactive protein (CRP) and C-peptide were measured. Multivariable logistic and linear regression were used to assess the associations between cord blood metabolic markers and the outcomes of birthweight z score, sum of skinfold thickness (SSF), being large for gestational age (LGA) and percentage of body fat. Pathway analysis assessed whether cord markers mediated the associations between maternal and neonatal adiposity. Results: Elevated cord C-peptide was significantly associated with increasing birthweight z score (β 0.57 [95% CI 0.42, 0.71]), SSF (β 0.83 [95% CI 0.41, 1.25]), percentage of body fat (β 1.20 [95% CI 0.69, 1.71]) and risk for LGA [OR 3.14 [95% CI 2.11, 4.68]), after adjusting for age, ethnicity and diabetes type. Cord triacylglycerol was negatively associated with birthweight z score for Indigenous Australian women only. No associations between cord glucose, HDL-cholesterol and CRP >0.3 mg/l (2.9 nmol/l) with neonatal outcomes were observed. C-peptide mediated 18% (95% CI 13, 36) of the association of maternal BMI with LGA and 11% (95% CI 8, 17) of the association with per cent neonatal fat. Conclusions/interpretation: Cord blood C-peptide is an important mediator of the association between maternal and infant adiposity, across the spectrum of maternal glucose tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Aim: We assessed associations between cardiometabolic risk factors and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) decline according to baseline albuminuria to identify potential treatment targets in Indigenous Australians. Methods: The eGFR Follow‐up Study is a longitudinal cohort of 520 Indigenous Australians. Linear regression was used to estimate associations between baseline cardiometabolic risk factors and annual Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration eGFR change (mL/min per 1.73m2/year), among those classified with baseline normoalbuminuria (urine albumin‐to‐creatinine ratio (uACR) <3 mg/mmol; n = 297), microalbuminuria (uACR 3–30 mg/mmol; n = 114) and macroalbuminuria (uACR ≥30 mg/mmol; n = 109). Results: After a median of 3 years follow‐up, progressive declines of the age‐ and sex‐adjusted mean eGFR were observed across albuminuria categories (−2.0 [−2.6 to –1.4], −2.5 [−3.7 to −1.3] and −6.3 [−7.8 to −4.9] mL/min per 1.72m2/year). Although a borderline association was observed between greater baseline haemoglobin A1c and eGFR decline in those with macroalbuminuria (P = 0.059), relationships were not significant in those with microalbuminuria (P = 0.187) or normoalbuminuria (P = 0.23). Greater baseline blood pressure, C‐reactive protein, waist‐to‐hip ratio and lower high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol showed non‐significant trends with greater eGFR decline in the presence of albuminuria. Conclusion: Over a 3 year period, marked eGFR decline was observed with greater baseline albuminuria. Cardiometabolic risk factors were not strong predictors for eGFR decline in Indigenous Australians without albuminuria. Longer follow‐up may elucidate the role of these predictors and other mechanisms in chronic kidney disease progression in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To examine the association between soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (sTNFR1) levels and kidney disease progression in Indigenous Australians at high risk of kidney disease.Research Design and Methods: This longitudinal observational study examined participants aged ≥18 years recruited from >20 sites across diabetes and/or kidney function strata. Baseline measures included sTNFR1, serum creatinine, urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (uACR), HbA1c, C-reactive protein (CRP), waist-to-hip ratio, systolic blood pressure, and medical history. Linear regression was used to estimate annual change in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) for increasing sTNFR1, and Cox proportional hazards were used to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) and 95% CI for developing a combined renal outcome (first of a ≥30% decline in eGFR with a follow-up eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m2, progression to renal replacement therapy, or renal death) for increasing sTNFR1.Results: Over a median of 3 years, participants with diabetes (n = 194) in the highest compared with the lowest quartile of sTNFR1 experienced significantly greater eGFR decline (-4.22 mL/min/1.73 m2/year [95% CI -7.06 to -1.38]; P = 0.004), independent of baseline age, sex, eGFR, and uACR. The adjusted HR (95% CI) for participants with diabetes per doubling of sTNFR1 for the combined renal outcome (n = 32) was 3.8 (1.1-12.8; P = 0.03). No association between sTNFR1 and either renal outcome was observed for those without diabetes (n = 259).Conclusions: sTNFR1 is associated with greater kidney disease progression independent of albuminuria and eGFR in Indigenous Australians with diabetes. Further research is required to assess whether TNFR1 operates independently of other metabolic factors associated with kidney disease progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on a study which found that cardiovascular disease, specifically coronary heart disease (CHD), is the major cause of premature death for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia. Percentage of the accounted deaths is presented. It notes that cardiovascular disease is a major contributor to the gaps in life expectancy between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, revealing the life expectancy of men and women.

Background While Indigenous Australians are believed to be at a high risk of psychological illness, few screening instruments have been designed to accurately measure this burden. Rather than simply transposing western labels of symptoms, this paper describes the process by which a screening tool for depression was specifically adapted for use across multiple Indigenous Australian communities. Method Potential depression screening instruments were identified and interrogated according to a set of pre-defined criteria. A structured process was then developed which relied on the expertise of five focus groups comprising of members from primary Indigenous language groups in central Australia. First, focus group participants were asked to review and select a screening measure for adaptation. Bi-lingual experts then translated and back translated the language within the selected measure. Focus group participants re-visited the difficult items, explored their meaning and identified potential ways to achieve equivalence of meaning. Results All five focus groups independently selected the Primary Health Questionnaire 9, several key conceptual differences were exposed, largely related to the construction of hopelessness. Together with translated versions of each instrument for each of the five languages, a single, simplified English version for use across heterogeneous settings was negotiated. Importantly, the 'code' and specific conceptually equivalent words that could be used for other Indigenous language groups were also developed. Conclusions The extensive process of adaptation used in this study has demonstrated that within the context of Indigenous Australian communities, across multiple language groups, where English is often a third or fourth language, conceptual and linguistic equivalence of psychological constructs can be negotiated. A validation study is now required to assess the adapted instrument's potential for measuring the burden of disease across all Indigenous Australian populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Australia's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (Indigenous) populations have disproportionately high rates of adverse perinatal outcomes relative to other Australians. Poorer access to good quality maternal health care is a key driver of this disparity. The aim of this study was to describe patterns of delivery of maternity care and service gaps in primary care services in Australian Indigenous communities. Methods: We undertook a cross-sectional baseline audit for a quality improvement intervention. Medical records of 535 women from 34 Indigenous community health centres in five regions (Top End of Northern Territory 13, Central Australia 2, Far West New South Wales 6, Western Australia 9, and North Queensland 4) were audited. The main outcome measures included: adherence to recommended protocols and procedures in the antenatal and postnatal periods including: clinical, laboratory and ultrasound investigations; screening for gestational diabetes and Group B Streptococcus; brief intervention/advice on health-related behaviours and risks; and follow up of identified health problems. Results: The proportion of women presenting for their first antenatal visit in the first trimester ranged from 34% to 49% between regions; consequently, documentation of care early in pregnancy was poor. Overall, documentation of routine antenatal investigations and brief interventions/advice regarding health behaviours varied, and generally indicated that these services were underutilised. For example, 46% of known smokers received smoking cessation advice/counselling; 52% of all women received antenatal education and 51% had investigation for gestational diabetes. Overall, there was relatively good documentation of follow up of identified problems related to hypertension or diabetes, with over 70% of identified women being referred to a GP/Obstetrician. Conclusion: Participating services had both strengths and weaknesses in the delivery of maternal health care. Increasing access to evidence-based screening and health information (most notably around smoking cessation) were consistently identified as opportunities for improvement across services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women have high rates of gestational diabetes (GDM). The Pregnancy And Neonatal Diabetes Outcomes in Remote Australia (PANDORA) study is a prospective longitudinal cohort of women with type 2 diabetes (T2D), GDM or normoglycemia in pregnancy in the Northern Territory, Australia. In this analysis we report progression to prediabetes and T2D at 2.5 years [range 2.1, 3] postpartum in a subgroup of Aboriginal and Europid women with GDM and normoglycemia in pregnancy (n=337). Women with pre-existing T2D were excluded. Data were analysed using Fisher's exact tests. Among Aboriginal women with GDM we assessed predictions for progression using multivariate logistic regression. Aboriginal women with GDM (n=111) were younger than Europid women with GDM (n=104) (29 years (SD 5.9) vs. 32 (5.6) p<0.01), with similar first trimester BMI (28.9 kg/m2 (SD 7.2) vs. 28.5 (6.7) p=0.64). Of Aboriginal women with GDM, 24 (22%) progressed to T2D and 12 (11%) to prediabetes. Of Aboriginal women with normoglycemia (n=60), 1 (2%) progressed to T2D and 1 (2%) to prediabetes (p<0.01 for combined outcome vs. GDM women). Of Europid women with GDM, none progressed to T2D and 4 (4%) to prediabetes and of those with normoglycemia (n=62) none progressed to diabetes or prediabetes (p=0.09 vs. GDM women). Among Aboriginal women with GDM, factors associated with postpartum diabetes or prediabetes were age (OR 1.11, 1.03-1.2) and, after adjusting for age: severity of GDM (higher fasting plasma glucose (per 1 mmol/L OR 2.11, 1.23-3.62), use of insulin (OR 3.20, 1.35-7.6)) and higher first trimester BMI (per 3 kg/m2 OR 1.22, 1.01-1.47). Not smoking was protective (OR 0.35, 0.14-0.90), although any breastfeeding at 6-months postpartum was not (OR 0.95, 0.36-2.47). To our knowledge this is the only prospective study of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women with GDM. We report the highest rates in the world of T2D after GDM at 2.5 years postpartum, highlighting a need for targeted interventions in this high-risk population. Disclosure: A. Wood: None. J. Boyle: None. F. Barzi: None. E.L. Barr: None. M.J.I. Hare: None. A. Titmuss: None. E. Death: None. M. Kirkwood: None. A. Simmonds: None. E.M. Moore: None. J. Oats: None. D. McIntyre: Other Relationship; Self; Novo Nordisk A/S. P.Z. Zimmet: None. A.D. Brown: None. J.E. Shaw: Advisory Panel; Self; AstraZeneca, Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., Mylan, Sanofi. Research Support; Self; AstraZeneca. Speaker's Bureau; Self; Eli Lilly and Company, Mylan. L.J. Maple-Brown: None. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetes is a major burden on Australia's Indigenous population, with high rates of disease and vascular complications. Diabetic vascular complications are associated with impaired ischemia-driven angiogenesis. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are known to regulate angiogenesis. We have recently identified a novel anti-angiogenic role for miR-181c. High-density lipoproteins (HDL) are associated with reduced rates of diabetic complications and serve as carriers of miRNAs in the circulation. HDL miRNA profiles differ in disease states. We sought to determine if circulating miR-181c levels reflect the severity of diabetic complications in Australian Aboriginal people. HDL was isolated from plasma samples of Australian Aboriginal participants with or without diabetes and associated complications living in regional South Australia; and a cohort of non-Indigenous participants without diabetes. We found that HDL miR-181c levels were strikingly elevated in the group of Aboriginal people with diabetic complications. However, plasma miR-181c levels were overall lower in Australian Aboriginal participants compared to the non-Indigenous group. Angiogenic capacity of isolated HDL was assessed in vitro using the Matrigel tubulogenesis assay. Under high glucose (25 mM) conditions, cells treated with HDL from the group of Aboriginal people with diabetic complications had a reduced capacity to form tubules and had lower mRNA levels of the hypoxia angiogenic transcription factor HIF-1α compared to all other groups. This attenuation of pro-angiogenic capacity may be attributed to the concurrent increase in cellular miR-181c levels. In conclusion, HDL from Aboriginal people with diabetic complications had reduced angiogenic capacity, highlighting its impaired function in the diabetic state and is potentially linked to the increased levels of the anti-angiogenic miRNA miR-181c. HDL miR-181c may be a novel biomarker for the extent of diabetic complications in Australian Aboriginal people. Disclosure: K.R. Morrison: None. C. Bursill: None. E. Solly: None. T. Shemesh: None. S. Nicholls: Consultant; Self; Amgen Inc., AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH, Cerenis, CSL Behring, Eli Lilly and Company, Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., Novo Nordisk Inc., Omthera, Pfizer Inc., Resverlogix Corp., Roche Pharma, Sanofi, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited. Research Support; Self; Amgen Inc., AstraZeneca, Athernova, Cerenis, Eli Lilly and Company, InfraReDx, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, Resverlogix Corp., Sanofi. A.D. Brown: None. J.T.M. Tan: None. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]