Diabetes News You Can Use
Semaglutide not linked to increased depression risk
A study published in JAMA Internal Medicine found that the weight-loss drug semaglutide does not increase the risk of depression or suicidal behavior in people without prior mental health conditions. Researchers emphasized the need for further investigation into its effects on those with existing mental health issues, as the trials did not include such individuals.
Full Story: HealthDay News (9/3)
New Zepbound options aim to increase drug accessibility
In an effort to widen supply and improve access to its weight loss drug Zepbound for people who do not have insurance, Eli Lilly & Co. has introduced a new version of the medication at half the price. The drug is now available in 2.5 mg and 5 mg single-dose vials through the manufacturer’s direct-to-consumer website, costing $399 and $549 per month, respectively.
Full Story: CNBC (8/27)
Consider both A1C and CGM metrics in diabetes care
Clinical providers should not rely on a single metric when managing diabetes, and considering both A1C and continuous glucose monitoring data to understand a patient’s individual situation can improve care, according to a presentation at the Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists annual meeting. The limitations of A1C and CGM mean that providers need to consider all data when managing care for patients with diabetes.
Full Story: Healio (free registration) (9/3)
Risk factors for ICI-induced autoimmune diabetes
Patients with cancer receiving treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors may have a seven-fold increased incidence of new autoimmune diabetes, a study in JAMA Oncology reported, and certain treatment combinations as well as preexisting type 2 diabetes are risk factors. “Our findings may empower physicians to identify individuals at high risk of ICI-induced diabetes and guide ICI initiation and therapeutic planning accordingly,” the researchers said.
Full Story: Cancer Therapy Advisor (9/4)
Expanded semaglutide coverage could cost Medicare billions
A study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine estimates that annual Medicare spending could increase from $34 billion to $145 billion if the program starts covering semaglutide for individuals with overweight and cardiovascular disease. “When established cardiovascular disease is narrowly defined, only 1 in 7 Medicare beneficiaries with elevated BMI are likely to be eligible to receive semaglutide, but costs to Medicare could still exceed $10 billion per year,” says the study’s lead author, Alexander Chaitoff.
Full Story: Managed Healthcare Executive (8/26), The American Journal of Managed Care (8/26)
Lilly to sell lower-cost tirzepatide vials
Eli Lilly and Co. said that to address demand issues and increase access to its weight-loss drug tirzepatide, it will sell single-dose vials of the prescription medication in the US at prices significantly lower than what it charges for its auto-injector pens. Patients will be able to get the Zepbound vials only by paying out of pocket at the company’s LillyDirect website.
Full Story: HealthDay News (8/27), Medscape (8/27)
Semaglutide, antidepressants tied to suicidal ideation
An analysis of the World Health Organization’s global database of adverse drug reactions found that a disproportional number of patients on antidepressant medications taking semaglutide GLP-1 drugs reported suicidal ideation. Individuals taking liraglutide GLP-1 drugs with antidepressants did not show increased suicidal ideation, the study in JAMA Network Open reported.
Full Story: Medical News Today (8/27)
Diabetes linked to brain aging; healthy lifestyle may help
Analysis of MRI brain scans of individuals between the ages of 40 and 70 enrolled in the UK Biobank showed that prediabetes and diabetes were associated with accelerated brain aging, an early warning sign for dementia, according to a study in Diabetes Care. “On the positive side, it seems that people with diabetes may be able to influence their brain health through healthy living,” lead study author Abigail Dove said.
Full Story: Medical Xpress (8/28)
Eating red meat may elevate diabetes risks
A study published in the journal Nature Metabolism found that a diet high in heme iron, a type of iron found in red meat, was linked to a 26% higher Type 2 diabetes risk compared with a diet with the lowest levels of heme iron, including plant-based foods, which contain non-heme iron. “Reducing heme iron intake, particularly from red meat, and adopting a more plant-based diet can be effective strategies in lowering diabetes risk,” says researcher Frank Hu.
Full Story: HealthDay News (8/12)
Lower life expectancy with diabetes tied to complications
A study found that individuals with diabetes are more likely to develop multiple health complications, and multiple long-term conditions in diabetes at age 50 were associated with reduced life expectancy. The findings were published in the journal Nature Medicine.
Full Story: Medical News Today (8/8)
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Congratulations to this year’s funding awardees
Congratulations to this year's funding awardees: Dr. Megan Capozzi and Dr. Huu Hien Hunyh have been awarded Pilot and Feasibility awards and Dr. Devasena Ponnalagu has been awarded the New Investigator award.
In Memoriam Jerry Palmer
Jerry P. Palmer, M.D., the former University of Washington (UW) Diabetes Research Center Director, passed away on Wednesday 28 February 2024. Jerry played major roles at the UW and VA Puget Sound Health Care System (VAPSHCS). He came to Seattle in 1975 to do his endocrine fellowship at the urging of R.H. Williams and never left. During his time in the Pacific Northwest, Jerry gave tirelessly in the true sense of the word. He was quiet and humble, loved by his patients, fellow faculty members, and colleagues alike.
Jerry distinguished himself scientifically in numerous ways. He first to describe the presence of insulin autoantibodies in people with type 1 diabetes who were insulin naïve. That discovery led to the use of this biomarker for diagnosing type 1 diabetes which continues to be a mainstay today both clinically and in research. He also demonstrated the importance of T-cell reactivity and using this approach has helped us learn that many people who look more typically like they have type 2 diabetes do also have an immune basis for their disease. Jerry was a leader in the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT) and its follow on the Epidemiology of Diabetes Complications (EDIC) Study that continues to this day. The results of this major clinical trial showed definitively that improved glucose control reduces complications in diabetes, which was then considered a breakthrough and today is considered fundamental for all people with diabetes globally. He and his colleagues demonstrated the presence of subclinical beta-cell function in relatives of people with type 1 diabetes and its progressive loss was the basis for their development of diabetes. He was also part of the group that demonstrated that the loss of the small amount of residual beta-cell function in those with recent-onset type 1 diabetes could be slowed with intensive insulin treatment. After the DCCT/EDIC, Jerry played a leadership role in TrialNet that paved the way for the development of immune modulator therapy, an approach that was recently introduced into the clinical arena. Across the variety of his research pursuits, Jerry mentored numerous postdoctoral fellows and always ensured that their interests were represented before his own.
Jerry motivated strongly for the establishment of the Diabetes Care Center at UW, which opened its doors in 1991. While this clinical center opened in modest surroundings and set the benchmark for diabetes treatment in Seattle, today it hosts over 18,000 patient visits annually. The success of this clinical endeavor and the strength of the research environment at the University laid the foundation for the formation of the UW Medicine Diabetes Institute.
Administratively, Jerry was highly successful doing so quietly while at the same time giving credit to those around him. He directed the UW Diabetes Research Center from 1996-2011, having previously served for many years as its Deputy Director. The success of the Center and its strength today is in no small measure the result of his devotion to its mission. He was the Chief of the Endocrine Division at VAPSHCS lobbying vigorously that its faculty not only provide the highest standard of clinical care for their patients but also that they be given sufficient time to pursue their research interests. Nationally, he served in numerous capacities, including as a member of the national Board of Directors of the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and for a decade on the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) Advisory Council.
Jerry Palmer set a standard for all in Seattle, nationally and internationally. While achieving all of this, at all times his family was his pride, joy, priority, and devotion. All of us will miss him dearly.
Jeff Chamberlain Receives 2024 MDA Legacy Award
CVTMC Associate Director, Jeff Chamberlain, professor (Medical Genetics) is honored by the Muscular Dystrophy Association with the 2024 Legacy Award for Achievement in Research, for his achievements in translational research. The MDA Legacy Award for Achievement in Research is an annual recognition for outstanding accomplishments in neuromuscular disease research. This is the MDA’s highest award for contributions to the fight against muscular dystrophy.
Read more on the MDA website.
Affiliate Josh Thaler is Senior Author of “Obesity-associated microglial inflammatory activation paradoxically improves glucose tolerance”
Affiliate Joshua Thaler, associate professor (Metabolism, Endocrinology and Nutrition) is senior author of “Obesity-associated microglial inflammatory activation paradoxically improves glucose tolerance” in Cell Metabolism. This article was featured as a Research Highlight in Nature Reviews Endocrinology. To read the article click here.
Affiliate Bessie Young is the 2023 Recipient of the Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility Paul Beeson Award
Affiliate, Bessie Young, professor (Nephrology) is the 2023 recipient of the Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility Paul Beeson Award. This award is given annually to an activist in the field of health care or health advocacy who has made a substantial contribution to peace, justice, and health in Washington state.