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• Introduction: Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a chronic autoimmune disease, characterised by progressive destruction of the insulin-producing β cells of the pancreas. One immunosuppressive agent that has recently shown promise in the treatment of new-onset T1D subjects aged 12-45 years is ATG, Thymoglobuline®, encouraging further exploration in lower age groups. Methods and analysis: MELD-ATG is a phase 2, multi-centre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-arm parallel-group trial in participants 5-25 years diagnosed with T1D within 3–9 weeks of planned treatment day 1. A total of 114 participants will be recruited sequentially into seven different cohorts with the first cohort of 30 participants being randomised to placebo, 2.5 mg/kg, 1.5 mg/kg, 0.5 mg/kg and 0.1 mg/kg ATG total dose in a 1:1:1:1:1 allocation ratio. The next six cohorts of 12-15 participants will be randomised to placebo, 2.5 mg/kg, and one or two selected middle ATG total doses in a 1:1:1:1 or 1:1:1 allocation ratio, as dependent on the number of middle doses, given intravenously over 2 consecutive days. The primary objective will be to determine the changes in stimulated C-peptide response over the first 2 hours of a mixed meal tolerance test (MMTT) at 12 months for 2.5mg/kg ATG arm versus the placebo. Conditional on finding a significant difference at 2.5 mg/kg, a minimally effective dose will be sought. Secondary objectives include the determination of the effects of a particular ATG treatment dose on 1) stimulated C-peptide, 2) HbA1c, 3) daily insulin dose, 4) time in range by intermittent continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) measures, 5) fasting and stimulated dry blood spot (DBS) C-peptide measurements. Ethics and dissemination: MELD-ATG received first regulatory and ethical approvals in Belgium in September 2020 and from the German and UK regulators as of February 2021. The publication policy is set in the INNODIA grant agreement (www.innodia.eu)., Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program EFPIA JDRF The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust

Using the Immunochip custom SNP array, which was designed for dense genotyping of 186 loci identified through genome-wide association studies (GWAS), we analyzed 11,475 individuals with rheumatoid arthritis (cases) of European ancestry and 15,870 controls for 129,464 markers. We combined these data in a meta-analysis with GWAS data from additional independent cases (n = 2,363) and controls (n = 17,872). We identified 14 new susceptibility loci, 9 of which were associated with rheumatoid arthritis overall and five of which were specifically associated with disease that was positive for anticitrullinated peptide antibodies, bringing the number of confirmed rheumatoid arthritis risk loci in individuals of European ancestry to 46. We refined the peak of association to a single gene for 19 loci, identified secondary independent effects at 6 loci and identified association to low-frequency variants at 4 loci. Bioinformatic analyses generated strong hypotheses for the causal SNP at seven loci. This study illustrates the advantages of dense SNP mapping analysis to inform subsequent functional investigations.

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text., Background: Peripheral artery disease (PAD) affects >200 million people worldwide and is associated with high mortality and morbidity. We sought to identify genomic variants associated with PAD overall and in the contexts of diabetes and smoking status. Methods: We identified genetic variants associated with PAD and then meta-analyzed with published summary statistics from the Million Veterans Program and UK Biobank to replicate their findings. Next, we ran stratified genome-wide association analysis in ever smokers, never smokers, individuals with diabetes, and individuals with no history of diabetes and corresponding interaction analyses, to identify variants that modify the risk of PAD by diabetic or smoking status. Results: We identified 5 genome-wide significant (Passociation ≤5×10−8) associations with PAD in 449 548 (Ncases=12 086) individuals of European ancestry near LPA (lipoprotein [a]), CDKN2BAS1 (CDKN2B antisense RNA 1), SH2B3 (SH2B adaptor protein 3) - PTPN11 (protein tyrosine phosphatase non-receptor type 11), HDAC9 (histone deacetylase 9), and CHRNA3 (cholinergic receptor nicotinic alpha 3 subunit) loci (which overlapped previously reported associations). Meta-analysis with variants previously associated with PAD showed that 18 of 19 published variants remained genome-wide significant. In individuals with diabetes, rs116405693 at the CCSER1 (coiled-coil serine rich protein 1) locus was associated with PAD (odds ratio [95% CI], 1.51 [1.32–1.74], Pdiabetes=2.5×10−9, Pinteractionwithdiabetes=5.3×10−7). Furthermore, in smokers, rs12910984 at the CHRNA3 locus was associated with PAD (odds ratio [95% CI], 1.15 [1.11–1.19], Psmokers=9.3×10−10, Pinteractionwithsmoking=3.9×10−5). Conclusions: Our analyses confirm the published genetic associations with PAD and identify novel variants that may influence susceptibility to PAD in the context of diabetes or smoking status.

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text., Background: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is accelerated in subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D). Methods: To test whether this reflects differential genetic influences on CAD risk in subjects with T2D, we performed a systematic assessment of genetic overlap between CAD and T2D in 66 643 subjects (27 708 with CAD and 24 259 with T2D). Variants showing apparent association with CAD in stratified analyses or evidence of interaction were evaluated in a further 117 787 subjects (16 694 with CAD and 11 537 with T2D). Results: None of the previously characterized CAD loci was found to have specific effects on CAD in T2D individuals, and a genome-wide interaction analysis found no new variants for CAD that could be considered T2D specific. When we considered the overall genetic correlations between CAD and its risk factors, we found no substantial differences in these relationships by T2D background. Conclusions: This study found no evidence that the genetic architecture of CAD differs in those with T2D compared with those without T2D.

Background: Postnatal insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) replacement with recombinant human (rh)IGF-1 and IGF binding protein-3 (rhIGF-1/rhIGFBP-3) is being studied as a potential treatment to reduce comorbidities of prematurity. We have recently reported on a phase II, multicenter, randomized, controlled trial comparing postnatal rhIGF-1/rhIGFBP-3 replacement with standard of care (SOC) in extremely preterm infants (NCT01096784). Maximum severity of retinopathy of prematurity was the primary endpoint of the trial and presence of GMH-IVH/PHI one of the pre-specified secondary endpoints. Infants therefore received serial cranial ultrasound scans (CUS) between birth and term age. In this post-hoc analysis we present a detailed analysis of the CUS data of this trial and evaluate the effect of postnatal rhIGF-1/rhIGFBP-3 replacement on the incidence of different kinds of brain injury in extremely preterm infants. Methods: This report is an exploratory post-hoc analysis of a phase II trial in which infants

Aims/hypothesis As part of the Surrogate Markers for Micro- and Macrovascular Hard Endpoints for Innovative Diabetes Tools (SUMMIT) programme we previously reported that large panels of biomarkers derived from three analytical platforms maximised prediction of progression of renal decline in type 2 diabetes. Here, we hypothesised that smaller (n ≤ 5), platform-specific combinations of biomarkers selected from these larger panels might achieve similar prediction performance when tested in three additional type 2 diabetes cohorts. Methods We used 657 serum samples, held under differing storage conditions, from the Scania Diabetes Registry (SDR) and Genetics of Diabetes Audit and Research Tayside (GoDARTS), and a further 183 nested case–control sample set from the Collaborative Atorvastatin in Diabetes Study (CARDS). We analysed 42 biomarkers measured on the SDR and GoDARTS samples by a variety of methods including standard ELISA, multiplexed ELISA (Luminex) and mass spectrometry. The subset of 21 Luminex biomarkers was also measured on the CARDS samples. We used the event definition of loss of >20% of baseline eGFR during follow-up from a baseline eGFR of 30–75 ml min−1 [1.73 m]−2. A total of 403 individuals experienced an event during a median follow-up of 7 years. We used discrete-time logistic regression models with tenfold cross-validation to assess association of biomarker panels with loss of kidney function. Results Twelve biomarkers showed significant association with eGFR decline adjusted for covariates in one or more of the sample sets when evaluated singly. Kidney injury molecule 1 (KIM-1) and β2-microglobulin (B2M) showed the most consistent effects, with standardised odds ratios for progression of at least 1.4 (p

Objectives To describe the characteristics of children and adults with incident type 1 diabetes in contemporary, multiethnic UK, focusing on differences between the islet autoantibody negative and positive. Design Observational cohort study. Setting 146 mainly secondary care centres across England and Wales. Participants 3312 people aged ≥5 years were recruited within 6 months of a clinical diagnosis of type 1 diabetes via the National Institute for Health Research Clinical Research Network. 3021 were of white European ethnicity and 291 (9%) were non-white. There was a small male predominance (57%). Young people

U sprečavanju ozljeda na radu zakon predviđa primjenu priznatih pravila struke, te u praksi provjerene načine pomoću kojih se otklanjaju ili smanjuju rizici na radu. Safety Hazard Observation Cards (SHOC) dokazano je korisno sredstvo za povećanje svijesti zaposlenika i pozornosti o nesigurnim radnjama i nesigurnim uvjetima. Bez obzira na to, u hrvatskoj praksi teško je uvjeriti zaposlenike da zapišu svoja zapažanja i potpišu ih. Tijekom godina u Podružnici Saipem SpA u Republici Hrvatskoj uočena je nevoljkost zaposlenika spram ispunjavanja SHOC-kartica. Kako bi se motivirali zaposlenici, organizirana su događanja s iskonstruiranim opasnostima koje su radnici u određenom roku trebali pronaći te ih zapisati i opisati na za to predviđenim formularima/karticama. Zaposleniku koji je prvi prepoznao sve "iskonstruirane opasnosti" dodijeljena je nagrada. Tijekom tih događanja broj napisanih SHOC-kartica ne samo da je nadmašio njihovu godišnju "proizvodnju", nego je i pomogao da se prepoznaju i otklone mnoge druge opasnosti, a zaposlenici su sa zadovoljstvom sudjelovali. Događaj je organiziran nekoliko puta godišnje kako bi se poboljšala svijest o važnosti popunjavanja SHOC-kartica i ojačali napori za promjenu kulture sigurnosti na radu., In preventing injury at work, the law provides for the application of recognized professional rules and in practice proven ways of eliminating or reducing workplace risks. Safety Hazard Observation Cards (SHOC) have proven to be a useful tool to increase employees’ awareness and attention to unsafe actions and unsafe conditions. However, in Croatian practice, it is difficult to persuade employees to write down their observations and sign them. Over the years, in the Saipem SpA Croatian Branch, we encountered employees’ reluctance towards filling the SHOC-cards. To motivate employees, we have organized events in which we set up hazards that employees should locate in the allotted time, and write and describe them on the forms, i.e. cards provided for the purpose. The employee who first identified all "set up hazards" was awarded a prize. During these events, the number of SHOC-cards written not only exceeded their annual "production" but also helped to recognize and eliminate many other hazards, and the employees were pleased to participate. The event is organized several times a year to enhance awareness of the importance of filling SHOCs and strengthening efforts to change the safety culture.

Low serum IGF-1 levels have been linked to increased risk for development of type 2 diabetes. However, the physiological role of IGF-1 in glucose metabolism is not well characterized.Our objective was to explore glucose and lipid metabolism associated with variations in serum IGF-1 levels.IGF-1 levels were measured in healthy, nonobese male volunteers aged 18 to 50 years from a biobank (n = 275) to select 24 subjects (age 34.8 ± 8.9 years), 12 each in the lowest (low-IGF) and highest (high-IGF) quartiles of age-specific IGF-1 SD scores. Evaluations were undertaken after a 24-hour fast and included glucose and glycerol turnover rates using tracers, iv glucose tolerance test to estimate peripheral insulin sensitivity (IS) and acute insulin and C-peptide responses (indices of insulin secretion), magnetic resonance spectroscopy to measure intramyocellular lipids (IMCLs), calorimetry, and gene expression studies in a muscle biopsy.Acute insulin and C-peptide responses, IS, and glucose and glycerol rate of appearance (Ra) were evaluated.Fasting insulin and C-peptide levels and glucose Ra were reduced (all P.05) in low-IGF compared with high-IGF subjects, indicating increased hepatic IS. Acute insulin and C-peptide responses were lower (both P.05), but similar peripheral IS resulted in reduced insulin secretion adjusted for IS in low-IGF subjects (P = 0.044). Low-IGF subjects had higher overnight levels of free fatty acids (P = .028) and β-hydroxybutyrate (P = .014), increased accumulation of IMCLs in tibialis anterior muscle (P = .008), and a tendency for elevated fat oxidation rates (P = .058); however, glycerol Ra values were similar. Gene expression of the fatty acid metabolism pathway (P = .0014) was upregulated, whereas the GLUT1 gene was downregulated (P = .005) in the skeletal muscle in low-IGF subjects.These data suggest that serum IGF-1 levels could be an important marker of β-cell function and glucose as well as lipid metabolic responses during fasting.

BACKGROUND Whether an insulin infusion should be used for tight control of hyperglycemia in critically ill children remains unclear. METHODS We randomly assigned children (≤16 years of age) who were admitted to the pedi atric intensive care unit (ICU) and were expected to require mechanical ventilation and vasoactive drugs for at least 12 hours to either tight glycemic control, with a target blood glucose range of 72 to 126 mg per deciliter (4.0 to 7.0 mmol per liter), or conventional glycemic control, with a target level below 216 mg per deciliter (12.0 mmol per liter). The primary outcome was the number of days alive and free from mechanical ventilation at 30 days after randomization. The main prespecified subgroup analysis compared children who had undergone cardiac surgery with those who had not. We also assessed costs of hospital and community health services. RESULTS A total of 1369 patients at 13 centers in England underwent randomization: 694 to tight glycemic control and 675 to conventional glycemic control; 60% had undergone cardiac surgery. The mean between-group difference in the number of days alive and free from mechanical ventilation at 30 days was 0.36 days (95% confidence interval [CI], −0.42 to 1.14); the effects did not differ according to subgroup. Severe hypogly cemia (blood glucose

Rare and functional SIAE variants are not associated with autoimmune disease risk in up to 66,924 individuals of European ancestry

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an archetypal, common, complex autoimmune disease with both genetic and environmental contributions to disease aetiology. Two novel RA susceptibility loci have been reported from recent genome-wide and candidate gene association studies. We, therefore, investigated the evidence for association of the STAT4 and TRAF1/C5 loci with RA using imputed data from the Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium (WTCCC). No evidence for association of variants mapping to the TRAF1/C5 gene was detected in the 1860 RA cases and 2930 control samples tested in that study. Variants mapping to the STAT4 gene did show evidence for association (rs7574865, P = 0.04). Given the association of the TRAF1/C5 locus in two previous large case-control series from populations of European descent and the evidence for association of the STAT4 locus in the WTCCC study, single nucleotide polymorphisms mapping to these loci were tested for association with RA in an independent UK series comprising DNA from >3000 cases with disease and >3000 controls and a combined analysis including the WTCCC data was undertaken. We confirm association of the STAT4 and the TRAF1/C5 loci with RA bringing to 5 the number of confirmed susceptibility loci. The effect sizes are less than those reported previously but are likely to be a more accurate reflection of the true effect size given the larger size of the cohort investigated in the current study.

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a common autoimmune disorder that arises from the action of multiple genetic and environmental risk factors. We report the findings of a new genome-wide association study of T1D, combined in a meta-analysis with two previously published studies. The total sample set included 7,514 cases and 9,045 reference samples. Forty-one distinct genomic locations provided evidence for association to T1D in the meta-analysis (P < 10-6). After excluding previously reported associations, 27 regions were further tested in an independent set of 4,267 cases, 4,463 controls and 2,319 affected sib-pair (ASP) families. Of these, 18 regions were replicated (P < 0.01; overall P < 5 × 10-8) and four additional regions provided nominal evidence of replication (P < 0.05). The many new candidate genes suggested by these results include IL10, IL19, IL20, GLIS3, CD69 and IL27.

The WTCCC study identified 49 SNPs putatively associated with rheumatoid arthritis at P = 1 x 10(-4) - 1 x 10(-5) (tier 3). Here we show that three of these SNPs, mapping to chromosome 10p15 (rs4750316), 12q13 (rs1678542) and 22q13 (rs3218253), are also associated (trend P = 4 x 10(-5), P = 4 x 10(-4) and P = 4 x 10(-4), respectively) in a validation study of 4,106 individuals with rheumatoid arthritis and an expanded reference group of 11,238 subjects, confirming them as true susceptibility loci in individuals of European ancestry.

The Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium (WTCCC) identified nine single SNPs putatively associated with rheumatoid arthritis at P = 1 x 10(-5) - 5 x 10(-7) in a genome-wide association screen. One, rs6920220, was unequivocally replicated (trend P = 1.1 x 10(-8)) in a validation study, as described here. This SNP maps to 6q23, between the genes oligodendrocyte lineage transcription factor 3 (OLIG3) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha-induced protein 3 (TNFAIP3).

Familial glucocorticoid deficiency (FGD) has long been recognised as a clinical entity, but molecular studies have so far been performed in only a few individuals. We describe a girl born to consanguineous Pakistani parents with clinical and biochemical features of FGD who is homozygous for the R146H mutation of the adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) receptor gene. This mutation creates a new restriction enzyme site in the ACTH receptor gene, allowing accurate characterisation of the mutation without DNA sequencing. Our patient is the third child reported to be homozygous for the R146H mutation. Interestingly, she has a tall stature, a clinical finding reported in several children who have ACTH insufficiency and mutations of the ACTH receptor gene. We suggest that mutation analysis of the ACTH receptor gene be considered in children with clinical features of FGD and tall stature.

The most consistent finding derived from the WTCCC GWAS for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) was association to a SNP at 6q23. We performed a fine-mapping of the region in order to search the 6q23 region for additional disease variants. 3962 RA patients and 3531 healthy controls were included in the study. We found 18 SNPs associated with RA. The SNP showing the strongest association was rs6920220 [P = 2.6 x 10(-6), OR (95% CI) 1.22 (1.13-1.33)]. The next most strongly associated SNP was rs13207033 [P = 0.0001, OR (95% CI) 0.86 (0.8-0.93)] which was perfectly correlated with rs10499194, a SNP previously associated with RA in a US/European series. Additionally, we found a number of new potential RA markers, including rs5029937, located in the intron 2 of TNFAIP3. Of the 18 associated SNPs, three polymorphisms, rs6920220, rs13207033 and rs5029937, remained significant after conditional logistic regression analysis. The combination of the carriage of both risk alleles of rs6920220 and rs5029937 together with the absence of the protective allele of rs13207033 was strongly associated with RA when compared with carriage of none [OR of 1.86 (95% CI) (1.51-2.29)]. This equates to an effect size of 1.50 (95% CI 1.21-1.85) compared with controls and is higher than that obtained for any SNP individually. This is the first study to show that the confirmed loci from the GWA studies, that confer only a modest effect size, could harbour a significantly greater effect once the effect of additional risk variants are accounted for.

Background and Purpose The Type 1 Diabetes Genetics Consortium (T1DGC) is an international project whose primary aims are to: (a) discover genes that modify type 1 diabetes risk; and (b) expand upon the existing genetic resources for type 1 diabetes research. The initial goal was to collect 2500 affected sibling pair (ASP) families worldwide. Methods T1DGC was organized into four regional networks (Asia-Pacific, Europe, North America, and the United Kingdom) and a Coordinating Center. A Steering Committee, with representatives from each network, the Coordinating Center, and the funding organizations, was responsible for T1DGC operations. The Coordinating Center, with regional network representatives, developed study documents and data systems. Each network established laboratories for: DNA extraction and cell line production; human leukocyte antigen genotyping; and autoantibody measurement. Samples were tracked from the point of collection, processed at network laboratories and stored for deposit at National Institute for Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) Central Repositories. Phenotypic data were collected and entered into the study database maintained by the Coordinating Center. Results T1DGC achieved its original ASP recruitment goal. In response to research design changes, the T1DGC infrastructure also recruited trios, cases, and controls. Results of genetic analyses have identified many novel regions that affect susceptibility to type 1 diabetes. T1DGC created a resource of data and samples that is accessible to the research community. Limitations Participation in T1DGC was declined by some countries due to study requirements for the processing of samples at network laboratories and/or final deposition of samples in NIDDK Central Repositories. Re-contact of participants was not included in informed consent templates, preventing collection of additional samples for functional studies. Conclusions T1DGC implemented a distributed, regional network structure to reach ASP recruitment targets. The infrastructure proved robust and flexible enough to accommodate additional recruitment. T1DGC has established significant resources that provide a basis for future discovery in the study of type 1 diabetes genetics. Clinical Trials 2010; 7: S5—S32. http://ctj.sagepub.com

The role of the pancreas and insulin secretion in utero is to support fetal growth and preparation of the fetus with the nutritional reserves to maintain glucose homeostasis after birth. Adaptation at birth includes dramatic endocrine changes, up-regulation of enzymes critical for gluconeogenesis and preparation for the infant to regulate glucose control in the setting of an intermittent enteral supply of nutrition. Disorders of glucose homeostasis are not uncommon at this time, particularly in the setting of prematurity and very low birth weight (VLBW1,500 g). Although historically hypoglycaemia has been the clinical concern, hyperglycaemia is also a well-documented problem, particularly during the first week in VLBW infants. This hyperglycaemia is a marker of insulin resistance and relative insulin deficiency and may reflect the prolonged catabolism observed in VLBW infants. Reduced insulin levels may also contribute to reduced insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) generation, and an increased risk of retinopathy of prematurity. Pilot studies of insulin replacement in VLBW infants demonstrate improved glucose control, and increased circulating IGF-1 bioactivity. This suggests that, along with nutritional support, restoration of the normal hormonal balance may be important in promoting anabolism in the VLBW infant.

Adolescents and young women with a history of precocious pubarche (PP, appearance of pubic hair before 8 years) exhibit hyperlipidaemia, and ovarian hyperandrogenism, indicating increased risk of coronary heart disease in the long term. The aim of this study was to determine the relative contribution of fasting insulin sensitivity, and post oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) measures of insulin secretion to metabolic risk markers of adult disease.We have analysed data from 51 young women presenting with isolated PP (age range, 5.9-19.0 years) in early, mid and late puberty and 68 puberty-matched controls (age range, 6.2-16.8 years). Body composition data from a further 67 girls with PP are also presented.The homeostasis model of assessment insulin sensitivity index (HOMA Si) based on fasting glucose and insulin measurements and MSI120 based on insulin levels over the first 120 min following standard oral glucose load were selected as measures of fasting insulin sensitivity and 0-120-min insulinaemia, respectively. ISI30 was used as an index of insulin secretion 30 min following oral glucose load.The physiological decrease in fasting insulin sensitivity, 30-min insulin secretion and 0-120-min insulinaemia during puberty were exaggerated in PP girls. The relationship between fasting insulin sensitivity and 0-120-min insulinaemia was similar in PP girls and in controls but at each level of fasting insulin sensitivity the PP girls had a higher level of insulin secretion in response to an oral glucose load (P0.001). Fasting insulin sensitivity and 0-120 minute insulinaemia but not 30-min insulin secretion were strongly related to known cardiovascular risk factors. In a multivariate model incorporating fasting insulin sensitivity, 0-120-min insulinaemia, pubertal stage and body mass index (BMI) SDS as covariates, 0-120-min insulinaemia was strongly associated with elevated free androgen index, total cholesterol and truncal fat mass (P0.001) whereas fasting insulin sensitivity was associated only with reduced free androgen index (P0.02).Chronic exposure to insulin as reflected by 0-120 min hyperinsulinaemia, rather than 30 min insulin secretion, or fasting insulin senstivity, was most closely related cardiovascular disease risk in girls with PP.

Loss of function mutations in the small heterodimer partner (SHP) gene have been reported to cause obesity and increased birth weight. We examined the relation between genetic variation in SHP and birth weight, adiposity, and insulin levels in three independent populations. The coding regions and 562 bases of the SHP promoter were screened for mutations in 329 subjects with severe early-onset obesity. Two novel missense mutations, R34G and R36C, were identified; these were not found in control subjects and did not cosegregate with obesity in family studies. Two common polymorphisms, G171A and -195CTGAdel, were found in 12 and 16% of subjects, respectively. Within the obese cohort, G171A and -195CTGAdel carriers had higher and lower birth weights, respectively, than wild-type subjects, the rare homozygotes for G171A being particularly large at birth. In a U.K. population-based cohort of 1,079 children, the 171A allele was associated with higher BMI (P0.05) and waist circumference (P = 0.001). Children carrying the G171A variant had higher 30-min insulin responses to a glucose load (P = 0.03). In conclusion, although mutations in SHP are not a common cause of severe human obesity, genetic variation in the SHP locus may influence birth weight and have effects on BMI, possibly through effects on insulin secretion.

The main therapeutic challenge in the treatment of Type 1 diabetes is maintenance of near-normoglycaemia in order to prevent long-term complications and avoid hypoglycaemia. This goal is relevant from the onset of the disease and is feasible if physiological models of insulin replacement are used and patients are educated in the strategy of intensive insulin therapy. Although the use of available insulins within a multiple injection regimen has improved, metabolic control it is still far from being optimal. The recent introduction of insulin analogues with a short- and long-acting profile seems promising in improving metabolic control and quality of care. Insulin lispro and insulin aspart, the short-acting insulin analogues offer a better post-prandial profile, while insulin glargine the new long-acting insulin analogue might provide better overnight control. In fact, the theoretical combination of an acute prandial insulin peak with a flat interprandial and overnight plasma profile would closely mimic the 24-hr insulin profile of non-diabetic individuals. This would possibly lead to lower post-prandial blood glucose excursion and better fasting blood glucose associated with minimal risk of hypoglycaemia. The possible reduction of hypoglycaemia is especially important in children as recurrent episodes might represent a potential risk for cognitive impairment. However, recent clinical research on the short-acting insulin analogues demonstrates the difficulties of translating these theoretical benefits into clinical relevant advantages. This might happen to other insulin analogues and requires further and larger studies in order to fully exploit the theoretical advantages of insulin analogues in the paediatric population. Safety issues should also be carefully monitored when introducting analogues in long-term therapy.

The prevalence of ovarian hyperandrogenism, hyperinsulinism and dyslipidemia is increased among adolescent girls with a history of premature pubarche (defined as the appearance of pubic hair before the age of 8 yr). The ovarian hyperandrogenism is characterized by clinical signs of androgen excess and by an exaggerated ovarian 17-hydroxyprogesterone response to GnRH agonist stimulation. The hyperinsulinism and dyslipidemia are detectable before and during pubertal development, and are commonly accompanied by low serum levels of insulin-like growth factor binding-protein 1 (IGFBP-1) and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), and by an increased prevalence of anovulation from late adolescence onwards, even in the absence of clinical signs of androgen excess. In girls, premature pubarche, hyperinsulinism, low IGFBP-1, dyslipidemia, anovulation and hyperandrogenism--and some combinations of these--have been related to reduced fetal growth, indicating that these constellations or sequences may have a prenatal origin. Together, these findings suggest that premature pubarche in girls should no longer be merely regarded as a normal variant of development, but rather as a childhood marker pointing to an increased risk for a polyendocrine-metabolic disorder of prenatal origin.

This study investigated the effect on blood sugar control and weight gain of a multiple injection therapy (MIT) regimen in 22 established adolescent diabetics using a pre-prandial 50:50 mixture of Isophane/soluble insulin with night-time Isophane. This regimen was compared in a cross-over study with MIT using pre-prandial soluble insulin and night-time Isophane. After 4 wk for stabilization, there were 2 periods of 16 wk on each regimen. Throughout the study, blood sugar control was monitored by regular HbA1 and fructosamine measurements. The total daily dose of insulin was unchanged throughout the study, 1.0 +/- 0.3 iu/kg/day for Penmix/Isophane and 1.1 +/- 0.3 iu/kg/day for soluble/Isophane. The mean HbA1 and fructosamine did not alter significantly on either regimen. There was no significant weight gain during the Penmix therapy, despite the increased proportion of longer-acting despite the increased proportion of longer-acting insulin. Lean body mass (LBM) measured by skinfold thickness and electrical impedance only changed marginally on either regimen; the correlation between the 2 measuring techniques for LBM was good. Patient acceptance of the 50:50 Penmix insulin was high, 13 of 19 children preferring it to the conventional regimen.

Context: Recent studies suggest that copy number variation in the human genome is extensive and may play an important role in susceptibility to disease, including neuropsychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia and autism. The possible involvement of copy number variants (CNVs) in bipolar disorder has received little attention to date. Objectives: To determine whether large (>100 000 base pairs) and rare (found in

The study was undertaken to determine whether overnight insulin requirements were being met during conventional insulin therapy in adolescents with IDDM. Overnight glucose and insulin profiles were compared when the subjects were on their usual insulin regime (baseline) and when the blood glucose was clamped using a variable rate insulin infusion (clamp). Thirteen adolescents (5 boys and 8 girls, median age 12.2 yr; range 10.5-15.4 yr; Median HBA1 11.4%; range 8.4-15.6) took part in the study. Three were on twice daily, two on multiple injection therapy and two on once daily insulin therapy. During the baseline studies, blood glucose concentrations fell to a nadir at 0200-0400 hr and then rose during the early hours of the morning. The clamp studies confirmed that the insulin requirement for euglycaemia was higher between 0500 and 0800 hr (15.4 +/- 0.9 mU/kg/hr) than between 0100 and 0400 (12.1 +/- 1.1 mU/kg/hr; p = 0.002). Comparison of the free insulin concentrations between the baseline and clamp nights, indicated that during the baseline study subjects were relatively over-insulinized during the early part of the night and under-insulinized during the latter part of the night irrespective of what insulin regime they were receiving. We conclude that current insulin regimes do not provide appropriate insulin delivery for the control of blood glucose during puberty.