Mary Ellen Vajravelu

Dr. Mary Ellen Vajravelu

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21 September 2018 in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism
Verified
Journal Article
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AHAdriana Herrera
Adriana Herrera
MVMary Ellen Vajravelu
Mary Ellen Vajravelu
SGStephanie Givler
Stephanie Givler
LMLauren Mitteer
Lauren Mitteer
CACatherine M Avitabile
Catherine M Avitabile
DLDiva D De León
Diva D De León
Context Diazoxide, the only FDA-approved drug to treat hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia, has been associated with several adverse events, which has raised concerns about the safety of this drug. Existing reports are limited to small studies and case reports. Objective To determine prevalence of and clinical factors associated with adverse events in infants and children treated with diazoxide. Design Retrospective cohort study of children with hyperinsulinism (HI) treated with diazoxide between 2003-2014. Setting The Congenital Hyperinsulinism Center at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Patients Children and infants with laboratory-confirmed diagnosis of HI. Diazoxide used for insulinoma-related hypoglycemia was excluded. Main Outcome Measures Prevalence of pulmonary hypertension (PH), edema, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, and hyperuricemia was determined. Tests of association and logistic regression were used to identify potential risk factors. Results 295 patients (129 female) met inclusion criteria with median age at diazoxide initiation of 29 days (IQR 10-142, n=226 available start dates); 2.4% were diagnosed with PH after diazoxide initiation. Children with PH (p=0.003) or edema (p=0.002) were born at earlier gestational age and more frequently had potential PH risk factors including respiratory failure and structural heart disease (p<0.0001 and p=0.005). Other adverse events included neutropenia (15.6%), thrombocytopenia (4.7%), and hyperuricemia (5.0%). Conclusions In this large cohort, PH occurred in infants with underlying risk factors, but no identifiable risk profile emerged for other adverse events. The relatively high prevalence of neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, and hyperuricemia suggests the value in proactively screening for these side effects in children treated with diazoxide.

9 September 2019 in Diabetes Care
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Journal Article
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ASAmy S. Shah
Amy S. Shah
LGLaure El Ghormli
Laure El Ghormli
MVMary Ellen Vajravelu
Mary Ellen Vajravelu
FBFida Bacha
Fida Bacha
RFRyan M. Farrell
Ryan M. Farrell
EUElaine M Urbina
Elaine M Urbina
OBJECTIVE To determine whether prior type 2 diabetes (T2D) treatment or glycemic control over time are independently associated with heart rate variability (HRV) and whether the presence of cardiac autonomic dysfunction is associated with arterial stiffness in young adults with youth-onset T2D enrolled in the Treatment Options for Type 2 Diabetes in Adolescents and Youth (TODAY) study. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Heartbeats over 10 min were measured to derive the normal R-Rs (NN intervals). Outcomes included the standard deviation of the NN intervals (SDNN), the root mean square differences of successive NN intervals (RMSSD), percent of NN beats that differ by more than 50 ms (PNN50), and the low-frequency (LF) power domain, high-frequency (HF) power domain, and their ratio (LF:HF). Autonomic dysfunction was defined as ≥3 of 5 abnormal HRV indices compared with obese controls from a separate study. RESULTS A total of 397 TODAY participants were evaluated 7 years after randomization. TODAY participants had reduced HRV (SDNN 58.1 ± 29.6 ms vs. controls 67.1 ± 25.4 ms; P < 0.0001) with parasympathetic loss (RMSSD 53.2 ± 36.7 ms vs. controls 67.9 ± 35.2 ms; P < 0.0001) with sympathetic overdrive (LF:HF ratio 1.4 ± 1.7 vs. controls 1.0 ± 1.1; P < 0.0001). Cardiac autonomic dysfunction was present in 8% of TODAY participants, and these participants had greater pulse wave velocity compared with those without dysfunction (P = 0.0001). HRV did not differ by randomized treatment, but higher hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) over time was independently associated with lower SDNN and RMSSD and higher LF:HF ratio after adjustment for age, race-ethnicity, sex, and BMI. CONCLUSIONS Young adults with youth-onset T2D show evidence of cardiac autonomic dysfunction with both parasympathetic and sympathetic impairments that are associated with higher HbA1c.

20 July 2023 in Life
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MVMary Ellen Vajravelu
Mary Ellen Vajravelu
ETEmir Tas
Emir Tas
SASilva Arslanian
Silva Arslanian
Obesity affects approximately 1 in 5 youth globally and increases the risk of complications during adolescence and young adulthood, including type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, hypertension, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, obstructive sleep apnea, and polycystic ovary syndrome. Children and adolescents with obesity frequently experience weight stigma and have an impaired quality of life, which may exacerbate weight gain. Pediatric obesity is typically defined using sex-, age-, and population-specific body mass index percentiles. Once identified, pediatric obesity should always be managed with lifestyle modification. However, adolescents with obesity may also benefit from anti-obesity medications (AOM), several of which have been approved for use in adolescents by the US Food and Drug Administration, including liraglutide, phentermine/topiramate, and semaglutide. For children with specific, rare monogenic obesity disorders, setmelanotide is available and may lead to significant weight loss. Metabolic and bariatric surgery may be used for the management of severe obesity in youth; though highly effective, it is limited to specialized centers and has had relatively low pediatric uptake. In this narrative review using pediatric-focused data from original research, reviews, clinical practice guidelines, governmental agencies, and pharmaceutical companies, we review obesity-related metabolic complications in youth and management strategies, including AOM and bariatric surgery.



5 November 2023 in The Science of Diabetes Self-Management and Care
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
VPVaishnavi Peyyety
Vaishnavi Peyyety
MZMargaret F. Zupa
Margaret F. Zupa
BHBrianna Hewitt
Brianna Hewitt
AGAdriana Rodriguez Gonzalez
Adriana Rodriguez Gonzalez
IMIswariya Mani
Iswariya Mani
MVMary Ellen Vajravelu
Mary Ellen Vajravelu
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify factors impacting the acceptability of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) in adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods: In this single-center study, semistructured interviews were conducted with AYAs with T2DM and their parents to determine attitudes about CGM, including barriers and facilitators. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and evaluated using thematic analysis. Results: Twenty AYAs and 10 parents participated (n = 30 total). AYAs were mean age 16.5 years (SD 2.2, range = 13.7-20.1) and had median diabetes duration of 1.3 years. Most were female (65%) and from minoritized background (40% non-Hispanic Black, 10% Hispanic, 5% Asian). Seven (35%) used CGM. The primary facilitator elicited was convenience over glucose meter use. Important barriers included the impact of physically wearing the device and drawing unwanted attention, desire for AYA privacy, and inadequate education about the device. Conclusions: In this diverse sample of AYAs with T2DM and their parents, CGM was generally regarded as convenient, although concerns about worsening stigma and conflict with parents were prevalent. These findings can guide the development of patient-centered approaches to CGM for AYAs with T2DM, a critical step toward reducing inequities in diabetes technology uptake.