Objective: To assess the degree, duration, mean absolute relative difference (MARD), and error analysis of discrepant values per continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) systems after hydroxyurea (HU) administration. Research Design and Methods: Inpatient glucometer and CGM data from 16 total pancreatectomy/islet autotransplantation patients using Dexcom Professional G4 and 12 patients using Dexcom G6 were analyzed after daily dosing with HU. Timing of HU dosing and median of 9.5 days of sensor and glucometer values were assessed per patient. Results: A large positive elevation of sensor readings was identified after HU dosing. The greatest discrepancy between glucometer and sensor readings occurred 0.5–2 h after HU administration [G4 (mean 3.0 mmol/L, median 2.4 mmol/L, MARD 55%), G6 (mean 4.2 mmol/L, median 4.6 mmol/L, MARD 91%)]. The discrepancy was <1.1 mmol/L, mean (−0.5 mmol/L) and median (−0.5 mmol/L), MARD 14% (G4) and <1.1 mmol/L, mean (0.3 mmol/L) and median (0.3 mmol/L), MARD 17% (G6), by 6 h after administration. Error analysis with the G6 system found 94% of pairs in clinically acceptable range by 6–9 h after HU administration. Aspirin, also given once daily, did not result in glucose value discrepancy with the G6 system but variability was observed with the G4 system. Conclusions: There was marked elevation of sensor glucose readings compared with glucometer values [up to 13.9 mmol/L (G4), 13 mmol/L (G6)] from 0.5 to 6 h after HU administration. It is important to counsel a patient using a Dexcom CGM system and HU therapy on this finding and to advise reliance on glucometer testing for accurate glucose assessment up to 6–9 h after HU administration.

Turner syndrome (TS) carries an increased risk for vascular disease, or vasculopathy. Vasculopathy can be detected in young TS patients. Vasculopathy was prospectively assessed by measuring vascular function and structure in TS patients (n = 49) and lean (L) (n = 76) and obese (O) controls (n = 52) through noninvasive techniques. Controls were drawn from previously known adolescents who were age-matched and disease-free. Pulse wave velocity femoral (PWVf), augmentation index (AIx), carotid intima media thickness (cIMT), and Young's Elastic Modulus (YEM). Mean age and body mass index (BMI) for TS, L, and O subjects were 11.89 years and 21.2 kg/m(2), 17.93 years and 20.9 kg/m(2), and 18.35 years 36.5 kg/m(2), respectively. Blood pressure means (mmHg) in TS, L, and O subjects were 112/65, 103/59, and 113/67, respectively. A greater AIx and YEM were seen in TS patients after adjusting for age plus BMI: AIx = 12.3% ± 2 (TS), -2% ± 1.7 (L), 5.8% ± 2.2 (O); YEM = 544.4 mmHg/mm ± 26.75 (TS), 258.1 mmHg/mm ± 22.7 (L), 343.5 mmHg/mm ± 30.6 (O). After adjustment for age and BMI, a greater PWVf was seen in TS vs L controls (P < .0001). The cIMT was lowest in the TS group: 0.35 mm ± 0.06 vs 0.43 mm ± 0.06 (L) and 0.45 mm ± 0.06 (O) (P < .001). Vasculopathy, a marker of cardiovascular morbidity in adult TS, is detected in childhood. The findings remained after adjusting for age, demonstrating stiffer arterial vessels in young TS patients.

Hyperglycemia is detrimental to postoperative islet cell survival in patients undergoing total pancreatectomy with islet autotransplantation (TPIAT). This makes continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) a useful management tool. We evaluated the accuracy of the Dexcom G6 CGM in pediatric intensive care unit patients following TPIAT. Twenty-five patients who underwent TPIAT had Dexcom G6 glucose values compared to paired serum glucose values. All paired glucose samples were obtained within 5 minutes of each other during the first seven days post TPIAT. Data were evaluated using mean absolute difference (MAD), mean absolute relative difference (MARD), %20/20, %15/15 accuracy, and Clarke Error Grid analysis. Exclusions included analysis during the CGM “warm-up” period and hydroxyurea administration (known drug interference). A total of 183 time-matched samples were reviewed during postoperative days 2–7. MAD was 14.7 mg/dL and MARD was 13.4%, with values of 15.2%, 14.0%, 12.1%, 11.4%, 13.2% and 14.1% at days 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7, respectively. Dexcom G6 had a %20/20 accuracy of 78%, and a %15/15 accuracy of 64%. Clarke Error Grid analysis showed that 77% of time-matched values were clinically accurate, and 100% were clinically acceptable. The Dexcom G6 CGM may be an accurate tool producing clinically acceptable values to make reliable clinical decisions in the immediate post-TPIAT period.

Discoveries such as the use of injectable insulin in the 1920s and the development of at-home monitoring tools (ie, glucometer) in the 1970s revolutionized care for patients with type 1 diabetes. Over time, these improvements and others have made physician involvement with diabetes management an increasingly outpatient endeavor.¹ In recent years, the initial inpatient treatment for patients with new-onset type 1 diabetes do not have diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), defined as a bicarbonate level of at least 18 mEQ/L (to convert to millimoles per liter, multiply by 1) or negative urine ketone results, has not been shown to provide long-term benefits despite being more costly than outpatient care. This has led to a higher frequency of insurance coverage denials for patients with a new diagnosis of diabetes. A study looking at the long-term outcomes of patients age 1 to 18 years with new-onset type 1 diabetes who received insulin initiation education in an outpatient vs inpatient setting showed no statistically significant difference in hemoglobin A_1c values 1 year postdiagnosis.² Furthermore, as expected, charges were lower for the same health care services (ie, diagnostic testing, hospital care, supplies, and pharmacy) for those treated in an outpatient setting.

Total pancreatectomy with islet autotransplantation (TPIAT) is a surgical procedure for patients with chronic pancreatitis and poor quality of life. Euglycemia is critical for islet cell survival and engraftment. We reviewed clinical care practice and hypothesized that early in-hospital transition from intravenous insulin to insulin pump therapy, managed by an endocrine unit trained on post-surgical care, would improve glucose control and impact the length of hospital stay. We completed a retrospective analysis of 40 pediatric patients who underwent TPIAT. Comparative hospitalized postoperative groups included those who received insulin intravenously, followed by multiple daily injections, subsequently managed by pump therapy (n = 14), versus those who received insulin intravenously followed by early pump therapy provided on the endocrine unit trained to manage post-surgical patients (n = 26). The outcomes analyzed included percentage of blood glucoses in target (4.44–6.66 mmol/L (80–120 mg/dL)), hypoglycemia (<3.33 mmol/L (7.77 mmol/L (>140 mg/dL)), blood glucose variability, and length of hospital unit stay post-ICU. Hospitalized patients with early transition to pump therapy on a specialized endocrine unit had a higher proportion of glucose values in the target range (61% vs. 51%, p = 0.0003), a lower proportion of hyperglycemia (15% vs. 19%, p = 0.04), and a lower proportion of hypoglycemia, though not statistically significant (3.4% vs. 4.4%, p = 0.33). Early pump users also had lower variability in glucose values over 10 days post-intravenous insulin (p = 0.001), and the post-transition median length of stay was shorter by 5 days (median: 11.5 vs. 16.5 days, p = 0.005). Early in-hospital pump therapy managed by the specialized endocrine unit improved glucose outcomes and reduced the duration of in-unit stay.