The impact of social deprivation on development and progression of diabetic kidney disease.

Introduction: Diabetes is one of the leading causes of chronic kidney disease. Social deprivation is recognised as a risk factor for complications of diabetes, including diabetic kidney disease. The effect of deprivation on rate of decline in renal function has not been explored in the Irish Health System to date.

'Werner Syndrome foot'-A case series of four Irish Traveller siblings with Werner Syndrome, diabetes mellitus and complex foot disease.

Unlabelled: AIMSWERNER SYNDROME IS A RARE PREMATURE AGEING AUTOSOMAL RECESSIVE DISORDER CAUSED BY PATHOGENIC VARIANTS IN THE WRN GENE. PEOPLE WITH WERNER SYNDROME MAY DEVELOP DIABETES MELLITUS. CHRONIC FOOT ULCERATION IS SEEN, WITH SOME CHARACTERISTICS OVERLAPPING WITH DIABETIC FOOT DISEASE.

Social deprivation and diabetic kidney disease: A European view.

There is a large body of literature demonstrating a social gradient in health and increasing evidence of an association between social deprivation and diabetes complications. Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) increases mortality in people with diabetes. Socioeconomic deprivation is increasingly recognized as a modifier of risk factors for kidney disease but also an independent risk factor itself for kidney disease.

Impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on the vitamin D status of people in the West of Ireland.

Objective: Identify the impact of COVID-19 lockdown restrictions on the vitamin D status of individuals in the west of Ireland.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: Adults who had wintertime serum 25(OH)D analysis completed in Galway University Hospital.

Maintaining glucose integrity ex-vivo: Impact of preanalytical specimen handling.

Background: Adopting the WHO protocol for glucose analysis is arguably impractical in the routine clinical setting. Deviations may develop due to a lack of understanding regarding the impact of glycolysis on the accuracy of results.

Aim: We sought to assess the stability of glucose in two different blood collection tubes (BCT), BD Vacutainer® FX 'Fl-Ox' and Greiner Vacuette® FC-Mix 'FC-Mix' stored at room temperature (RT:18-22°C) and 4°C over 8.

Hybrid Closed-Loop Therapy in Adults With Type 1 Diabetes and Above-Target HbA1c: A Real-world Observational Study.

Objective: We explored longitudinal changes associated with switching to hybrid closed-loop (HCL) insulin delivery systems in adults with type 1 diabetes and elevated HbA1c levels despite the use of intermittently scanned continuous glucose monitoring (isCGM) and insulin pump therapy.

Research Design And Methods: We undertook a pragmatic, preplanned observational study of participants included in the National Health Service England closed-loop pilot. Adults using isCGM and insulin pump across 31 diabetes centers in England with an HbA1c ≥8.

Comparing Glucose Outcomes Following Face-to-Face and Remote Initiation of Flash Glucose Monitoring in People Living With Diabetes.

Background: When launched, FreeStyle Libre (FSL; a flash glucose monitor) onboarding was mainly conducted face-to-face. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated a change to online starts with patients directed to online videos such as Diabetes Technology Network UK for education. We conducted an audit to evaluate glycemic outcomes in people who were onboarded face-to-face versus those who were onboarded remotely and to determine the impact of ethnicity and deprivation on those outcomes.

UK's Association of British Clinical Diabetologist's Diabetes Technology Network (ABCD-DTN): Best practice guide for hybrid closed-loop therapy.

This best practice guide is written with the aim of providing an overview of current hybrid closed-loop (HCL) systems in use within the United Kingdom's (UK) National Health Service (NHS) and to provide education and advice for their management on both an individual and clinical service level. The environment of diabetes technology, and particularly HCL systems, is rapidly evolving. The past decade has seen unprecedented advances in the development of HCL systems.

Chronic Kidney Disease Is Characterized by Expansion of a Distinct Proinflammatory Intermediate Monocyte Subtype and by Increased Monocyte Adhesion to Endothelial Cells.

Significance Statement: CKD is accompanied by abnormal inflammation, which contributes to progressive loss of functional renal tissue and accelerated cardiovascular disease. Although studies have documented that dysregulation of monocyte maturation and function is associated with CKD and its complications, it is not well characterized. This study reveals that a distinctive human monocyte subtype with high propensity for releasing proinflammatory mediators and activating endothelial cells is increased in adults with CKD compared with adults with high cardiovascular risk and normal kidney function.

Reference intervals for clinical biochemistry and haematology tests during normal pregnancy.

Background: Pregnancy induces physiological changes which affect biochemical and haematological parameters. As the significance of laboratory test results change throughout pregnancy, the reference interval (RI) or key result interpretive guide should be specific to pregnancy. This study sought to establish trimester-specific-RIs for routine biochemical and haematological tests in healthy white European women with singleton pregnancies with comparison to RIs for non-pregnant European adults.

Remote capillary blood collection for HbA measurement during the COVID-19 pandemic: A laboratory and patient perspective.

Aims: The purpose of this study was to assess the clinical performance and user acceptance of capillary blood samples prepared remotely using the MiniCollect® capillary blood collection device as an alternative to blood collection by venepuncture for glycated haemoglobin (HbA ) analysis.

Methods: Following written informed consent, a cross-sectional study was conducted in individuals aged ≥18 years with any type of diabetes who routinely self-monitor their blood glucose. Eligible participants recruited whilst attending their routine clinical appointments were required to provide a venous blood sample, prepare a capillary blood sample at home (remotely) and complete a bespoke questionnaire.

Multiplex Serum Biomarker Assays Improve Prediction of Renal and Mortality Outcomes in Chronic Kidney Disease.

Background: We investigated the predictive value of 11 serum biomarkers for renal and mortality end points in people with CKD.

Methods: Adults with CKD (=139) were enrolled from outpatient clinics between February 2014 and November 2016. Biomarker quantification was performed using two multiplex arrays on a clinical-grade analyzer.

The Clinical Application of Urine Soluble CD163 in ANCA-Associated Vasculitis.

Background: Up to 70% of patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) develop GN, with 26% progressing to ESKD. Diagnostic-grade and noninvasive tools to detect active renal inflammation are needed. Urinary soluble CD163 (usCD163) is a promising biomarker of active renal vasculitis, but a diagnostic-grade assay, assessment of its utility in prospective diagnosis of renal vasculitis flares, and evaluation of its utility in proteinuric states are needed.

Burden of chronic kidney disease and rapid decline in renal function among adults attending a hospital-based diabetes center in Northern Europe.

Introduction: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of diabetic kidney disease (DKD) and rapid renal function decline and to identify indices associated with this decline among adults attending a diabetes center in Northern Europe.

Research Design And Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study of 4606 patients who attended a diabetes center in Ireland between June 2012 and December 2016. Definition/staging of chronic kidney disease used the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) 2012 classification based on data from the most recently attended appointment.

In men who are overweight or obese, adding testosterone therapy reduced glucose intolerance/T2DM.

Wittert G, Bracken K, Robledo KP, et al. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 2021;9:32-45.

On the association between circulating biomarkers and atherosclerotic calcification in a cohort of arterial disease participants.

Background And Aims: Atherosclerotic calcification is a powerful predictor of cardiovascular disease. This study aims to determine whether circulating levels of a local/systemic calcification inhibitor or a marker of bone formation correlate with measures of coronary or extracoronary calcification.

Methods And Results: Clinical computed tomography (CT) was performed on 64 arterial disease participants undergoing carotid and lower extremity endarterectomy.

In T2DM, weekly insulin icodec did not differ from daily glargine for reducing HbA or significant/severe hypoglycemia.

Rosenstock J, Bajaj HS, Janež A, et al. N Engl J Med. 2020:383:2107-16.

Reference intervals for commonly requested biochemical and haematological parameters in a healthy Irish adult Caucasian population.

Introduction: In laboratory medicine, reference intervals (RIs) are key decision support tools used to guide the clinical interpretation of numerical test results. Best practice suggests each laboratory establishes RIs in the local population prior to introducing an assay into routine clinical practice.

Aim: The aim of this study was to define RIs for frequently requested biochemical/haematological parameters in a healthy adult Irish Caucasian population.

SGLT2 inhibitors increase risk for diabetic ketoacidosis in type 2 diabetes.

Liu J, Li L, Li S, et al. Diabetes Obes Metab. 2020;22:1619-27.

COVID-19 in adults: test menu for hospital blood science laboratories.

Introduction: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), is a respiratory illness caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The Clinical Blood Sciences Laboratory (CBSL) plays a key role in supporting the monitoring and management of patients with COVID-19 disease.

Objective: To provide a comprehensive CBSL testing protocol to support the medical management of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Biallelic CYP24A1 variants presenting during pregnancy: clinical and biochemical phenotypes.

Introduction: Inactivating mutations in CYP24A1, encoding vitamin D-24-hydroxylase, can lead to an accumulation of active vitamin D metabolites and consequent hypercalcaemia. Patient (infantile and adult) presentation is varied and includes mild-severe hypercalcaemia, hypercalciuria, nephrocalcinosis and nephrolithiasis. This study aimed to characterize the clinical and biochemical phenotypes of a family with two CYP24A1 missense variants.

A core outcome set for studies of gestational diabetes mellitus prevention and treatment.

Aims/hypothesis: The aim of this systematic review was to develop core outcome sets (COSs) for trials evaluating interventions for the prevention or treatment of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).

Methods: We identified previously reported outcomes through a systematic review of the literature. These outcomes were presented to key stakeholders (including patient representatives, researchers and clinicians) for prioritisation using a three-round, e-Delphi study.