Diabetes News You Can Use
Poll: GLP-1 drugs have been used by 1 in 8 US adults
A Kaiser Family Foundation poll found that an estimated 1 in 8 US adults has taken a GLP-1 class drug to treat weight loss and obesity-related conditions, with 6% of poll respondents stating they were currently using Eli Lilly and Co.’s obesity drug Zepbound or Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic for diabetes or Wegovy for weight loss. The poll also showed an increased awareness about such treatments, as well as their popularity, despite recent intermittent supply shortages of these drugs.
Full Story: Reuters (5/10)
Night shifts tied to markers of metabolic conditions
A study in the Journal of Proteome Research found that volunteers who worked simulated night shift schedules for three days had increases in biomarkers associated with greater risk of metabolic disorders, including diabetes and obesity. “When internal rhythms are dysregulated, you have this enduring stress in your system that we believe has long-term health consequences,” said lead study author Hans Van Dongen.
Full Story: Medical Daily (5/10)
Risk for T2D after gestational diabetes quantified
A large study of women with two singleton pregnancies found an association between gestational diabetes and an increased risk for subsequent diabetes, according to a study in JAMA Network Open. The risk was 15.8 times higher for women with gestational diabetes in both pregnancies and 4.35 times higher for women with gestational diabetes only in the first pregnancy.
Full Story: Physician’s Weekly (5/10)
MASLD prevalence in T2D almost 69% and growing worldwide
A study in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology found that the prevalence of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease is high and growing worldwide among individuals with type 2 diabetes, with the global pooled NAFLD/MASLD prevalence in patients with diabetes reaching almost 69%. “Almost 2 out of 3 patients with T2D and NAFLD/MASLD have NASH/MASH, and 15% have advanced fibrosis,” the researchers wrote.
Full Story: Gastroenterology Advisor (4/25)
GLP-1 drug may mitigate Parkinson’s progression
A small study published in The New England Journal of Medicine suggests that a GLP-1 receptor agonist similar to the diabetes medication Ozempic and obesity drug Wegovy may lead to modest slowing of Parkinson’s disease symptoms. Parkinson’s expert Michael Okun called the findings “a really encouraging step forward,” and Hyun Joo Cho of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke said the study is important but further research is needed.
Full Story: The New York Times
Semaglutide tied to heart failure benefits for patients with T2D
Patients with type 2 diabetes and obesity-related heart failure with preserved ejection fraction received weight loss and heart failure benefits with semaglutide, according to a study in the New England Journal of Medicine, mirroring the results of a study in The Lancet. “Consistency between the findings of the two trials provides greater reassurance that semaglutide is an efficacious treatment option with a favorable safety profile in a broad population” with HFpEF related to obesity, the researchers said.
Full Story: MedPage Today (free registration)
Study of T1D in adults provides new insights
A study published in the journal The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology, based on data from over 2.8 million people, examined the development of type 1 diabetes in adults. The study found that heritability is lower for T1D in adults than children, indicating environmental factors may play a more significant role in adults, lead researcher Yuxia Wei said.
Full Story: Medical Xpress (4/1)
Tirzepatide may lead to better glucose control
A study published in the journal Diabetes Care found that treatment with tirzepatide significantly improved A1C and postprandial glucose levels for patients with type 2 diabetes, compared with basal insulins degludec and glargine. The use of tirzepatide also was associated with a decrease in body weight.
Full Story: Medscape (4/3)
SGLT2 inhibitors linked to greater MASLD regression
A nationwide cohort study in JAMA Internal Medicine of 80,178 patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease and type 2 diabetes treated with oral antidiabetic medication found that sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors were associated with a higher probability of MASLD regression and lower adverse liver-related outcomes compared with other antidiabetic drugs. “SGLT2 inhibitors were distinguished by their association with fatty liver improvement, surpassing other [oral antidiabetic drugs] known for their potential benefits in MASLD,” said Dr. Won Kim, a study author.
Full Story: Healio (free registration) (3/13)
Metabolic syndrome may increase cancer risk by 30%
People with metabolic syndrome had a 30% higher chance of developing cancer over the course of a decade after diagnosis, according to a study published in the journal Cancer. The researchers also studied inflammation by tracking C-reactive protein, concluding that elevated levels of the protein along with metabolic syndrome “significantly associated with subsequent breast, endometrial, colorectal and liver cancers.”
Full Story: National Public Radio (3/11)
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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.
Affiliate David Dicheck Selected to Receive the 2023 ATVB Special Recognition Award in Vascular Biology
Affiliate David Dichek, professor (Cardiology) has been selected to receive the 2023 ATVB Special Recognition Award in Vascular Biology. The Council on Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology (ATVB) established the Special Recognition Award in 1981 to recognize council members who have made significant contributions to the council as well as the fields of Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology. The award will be presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions in November.