Type 1 Diabetes Flashcards
What is the definition of T1DM?
absolute insulin deficiency causes persistent hyperglycaema (random plasma glucose >11 mmol/L)
What causes type 1 diabetes?
absolute insulin deficiency usually resulting from autoimmune destruction of insulin-producing beta cell in the pancrea
What is the role of genetics in T1DM?
it is a heritable polygenic disease; increased risk of 6-7% if sibling has it, 1-9% if parent has it
What are thought to be 5 environmental factors associated with type 1 diabetes?
- Diet
- Vitamin D exposure
- Obesity
- Early-life exposure to viruses associated with islet inflammation (e.g. enteroviruses)
- Decreased gut-microbiome diversity
What are 2 ages when the peak incidence of diagnosis of T1DM occurs?
6 months - 5 years and 10-14 years
At what age is the prevalence of T1DM highest?
35-60 years
What are 8 complications to T1DM?
- Microvascular: retinopathy, nephropathy, neuropathy
- Macrovascular: peripheral arterial disease, IHD, cerebrovascular disease
- Metabolic disease: DKA, hypoglycaemia
- Other autoimmune conditions
- Psychological complications e.g. anxiety, depression, diabetes-related emotional distress
- Infections and other skin complications
- Reduced quality of life
- Reduced life expectancy
What are 7 autoimmune conditions which have increased incidence with T1DM?
- Graves’ disease
- Hashimoto’s thyroiditis
- Autoimmune gastritis
- Pernicious anaemia
- Coeliac disease
- Vitiligo
- Addison’s disease
What are 5 examples of psychological complications of T1DM?
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Diabetes-related emotional distress
- Behavioural conduct disorders (children)
- Eating disorders - Diabulimia (omitting insulin to lose weight)
What a specific example of a skin complication of T1DM?
necrobiosis lipoidica - inflammaory condition in which shiny, reddish-brown or yellowish patches develop in skin of people with diabetes
How much does type 1 diabetes reduce life expectancy in the UK?
11-15 years
What are 5 clinical features of type 1 diabetes in adults?
- Ketosis
- Rapid weight loss
- Age of onset <50 years
- BMI < 25
- Person and/or family history of autoimmune disease
What should you do immediately (same day) if T1DM is diagnosed?
refer immediately to diabetes specialist team to confirm the diagnosis and provide immediate care
What are the only 3 situations when C-peptide and/or diabetes specific autoantibody titres are measured to confirm the diagnosis of T1DM?
- If T1DM suspected but clinical presentation includes some atypical features (e.g. >50y, BMI >25, slow evolution of hyperglycaemia)
- T1DM has been diagnosed and treatment started but clinical suspicion that may have monogenic form of diabetes, and one or both tests may guide use of genetic testing
- Classification of diabetes is uncertain and conirming it would have implications for availability of treatment e.g. continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII or ‘insulin pump’
What are 4 symptoms that should make you suspect T1DM in a child or young person presenting with hyperglycaemia (random plasma glucose >11 mol/L)?
- Polyuria
- Polydipsia
- Weight loss
- Excessive tiredness
What should you do immediately if T1DM is suspecte din a child or young person?
refer immediately to multidisciplinary paediatric diabetes care team with competencies needed to confirm diagnosis and provide immediate care
What are 5 features that should make you suspected type 2 rather than type 1 diabetes in a child or young adult?
- Strong family history of type 2 diabetes
- Obesity
- Black or Asian family origin
- No insulin requirement, or have an insulin requirement of less than 0.5 units/kg body weight/day after the partial remission phase
- Evidence of insulin resistance (e.g. acanthosis nigricans)
What are 3 features that should make you suspect monogenic or mitochondrial diabetes in a child or young person?
- Diabetes in first year of life
- Rarely or never develop ketone bodies in the blood (ketonaemia) during episodes of hyperglycaemia
- Associated features e.g. optic atrophy, retinitis pigmentosa, deafness, or features of another systemic illness or syndrome
What are 12 features that should make you suspicious of DKA?
- finger prick blood glucose >11mmol/L
- increased thirst and urinary frequency
- weight loss
- inability to tolerate fluids
- persistent vomiting and/or diarrhoea
- abdominal pain
- visual disturbance
- lethargy and/or confusion
- fruity smell of acetone on the breath
- acidotic breathing - deep sighing (Kussmaul) respiration
- dehydration, which can be classified as mild, moderate or severe
- shock - from severe dehydration
What defines mild dehydration in DKA?
only just clinically detectable
What defines moderate dehydration in DKA?
dry skin and mucous membranes, reduced skin turgor
What defines severe dehydration in DKA?
sunken eyes and prolonged capillary refill time
What are 3 signs of shock in DKA?
- Tachycardia, poor peripheral perfusion, and (late sign) hypotension
- Lethargy, drowsiness, decreased level of consciousness
- Reduced urine output
What are 5 precipitating factors of DKA to assess for?
- Infection e.g. pneumonia or UTI
- Physiological stress e.g. trauma, surgery
- Non-adherence to insulin treatment regimen or intentional insulin omission to lose weight (diabulimia)
- Other medical conditions (hypothyroidism or pancreatitis)
- Drug treatment (corticosteroids, diuretics, sympathomimetic drugs such as salbutamol)
What are 3 types of drugs which could trigger DKA?
- Corticosteroids
- Diuretics
- Sympathomimetic drugs e.g. salbutamol
What should you always test for in suspected DKA?
ketones
What causes raised ketones in DKA?
produced by liver when there is a lack of glucose (starvation ketones) and as an alternative energy source when there is a relative insulin deficiency
What are the cut-offs for high ketones for urine and blood ketones?
urine: 2+
blood: above 3mmol/L
How should you test for ketones in a child or young person?
blood ketones (in adult, urine or blood)
What are 7 symptoms of mild hypoglycaemia?
- Hunger
- Anxiety or irritability
- Sweating
- Tingling lips
- Irritability
- Palpitations
- Tremor
What are 8 signs of established hypoglycaemia?
- Weakness and lethargy
- Impaired vision
- Incoordination
- Reduced orientation
- Irrational behaviour
- Emotional lability
- Deterioration of cognitive function (if <3mmol/L)
What is the clinical defintion of hypoglycaemia?
< 3.5 mmol/L
What are 4 signs of severe hypoglycaemia?
- Convulsions
- Inability to swallow
- Loss of consciousness
- Coma
For adults with diabetes what type of care plan is important to have in place?
individual care plan - set up by diabetes specialist team
How often should an individual care plan be reviewed?
annually
What is an example of a structured education programme to offer for adults diagnosed with T1DM?
DAFNE (dose-adjustment for normal eating) programme
What is an example of an online resource for adults with T1DM?
Diabetes UK website www.diabetes.org.uk
What are 12 aspects of the individualised care plan for adults with T1DM?
- Diabetes education - sites and timescales
- Insulin therapy - injections, regimens, dose adjustment
- Self-monitoring of blood glucose
- Treatment targets
- Hypoglycaemia - risks, symptoms, treatment
- Management of special situations e.g. driving, fasting, physical activity
- Managemetn of diabetes during period of illness
- Cardiovascular risk factors (monitoring and management)
- Complications
- Means and frequency of communicating with specialist team
- Frequency and content of follow up consultations
- Contraception and pregnancy planning advice (when appropriate)
Who should initiate and manage insulin therapy for adults with T1DM?
healthcare profesionals with relevant experise and training
What is the target HbA1c for adults with T1DM?
48 mmol/mol
What is a condition that may mean the target HbA1c in adults with T1DM is higher?
CKD
How often should HbA1c be measured in adults?
every 3-6 months
What are 3 things needed to self monitor blood glucose?
blood glucose monitor, lancets, testing strips
What are 5 situations when adults with T1DM should test the blood glucose levels?
- Before breakfast
- 2 hours after meals
- During periods of illness
- Before driving
- If feeling hypoglycaemic
What is an alternative to taking individual blood glucose readings throughout the day?
continuous glucose monitoring: tiny electrode inserted under skin, provide reading every 1-5 minutes
provides retrospective and real-time info
When is continuous glucose monitoring recommended for adults with T1DM?
not routinely, but special circumstances e.g. more than 1 episode a year of severe hypoglycaemia with no obvious cause
How many times a day should adults with T1DM be recommended to monitor BG levels?
at least 4 times a day, including before meals and before bed
What are 8 situations when more frequent monitoring of blood glucose may be needed for T1DM?
- Target HbA1c not achieved
- Frequecy of hypos increases
- Legal requirement to do so e.g. before driving
- During periods of illness
- Before, during and after sport
- When planning pregnancy, during pregnancy, while breastfeeding
- If need to know BG levels >4x a day e.g. impaired awareness of hypos
- If necessary due to lifestyle e.g. drive for long period of time, high-risk activity or occupation, travel frequently across time zones
What is the optimal target for an adult with T1DM for fasting plasma glucose?
5-7 mmol on waking
What is the optimal target for an adult with T1DM for plasma glucose before meals/ other times?
4-7mmol/L
What is the target plasma glucose for adults who test after meals and within what time frame?
5-9 mmol/L at least 90 minutes after eating
What determines the adult target plasma glucose levels for bedtime?
take into account timing of last meal and related insulin dose, be consistent with recommended fasting level on waking
What are 5 situations when NICE recommends real-time continuous glucose monitoring is considered for adults with T1DM?
- Extreme fear of hypos
- >1 episode a year of severe hypos with no obvious cause
- Complete loss of awareness of hypoglycaemia
- Persistent hyperglycaemia (HbA1c of 75 mmol/mol or higher) depsite testing at least 10 times a day
- Frequent (more than 2 episodeS) of asymptomatic hypoglycaemia
What dietary advice is recommnded for adults with T1DM?
carbohydrate counting training
dietary information to prevent CVD - low in fat, salt, sugar, 5 fruit and veg