Latest news with #LancetDiabetes&Endocrinology
Observer
15-04-2025
- Health
- Observer
Study links diabetes in pregnancy to developmental risks
Maternal diabetes, a pregnancy complication that can affect up to a third of women globally, is linked with a higher risk of neurodevelopmental issues in children, a large new study found. The study, which was published last week in the journal Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, adds to a growing body of evidence that ties maternal diabetes to a range of health complications for both the mother and the child. Though the findings describe only a correlation, experts said the data underscored the need for screening and early treatment of diabetes, a condition that is becoming more common worldwide. In the United States, an estimated 10% of women had diagnosed diabetes in 2021, and 9% of pregnant American women develop gestational diabetes every year. 'We've known for some time that there's some link between elevated glucose levels in pregnancy and future neurodevelopmental disorders,' said Dr. Elizabeth Halprin, who is chief of adult diabetes at the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston and was not involved in the study. The new findings speak 'to the need to control diabetes during pregnancy,' she added. The analysis, which pooled data from 202 studies on more than 56 million pregnancies around the world, examined outcomes for children whose mothers had Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes while pregnant, or were diagnosed with gestational diabetes. These conditions are collectively referred to as 'maternal diabetes.' Even when studies accounted for other factors like a woman's age or body mass index, children born to women who had diabetes during pregnancy were 28% more likely to have a neurodevelopmental issue than children whose mothers didn't have the disease. The risks of ADHD and intellectual disability were slightly higher compared with those of other issues, like autism. The analysis found a greater likelihood of neurodevelopmental disorders in children of women who were diabetic before pregnancy, compared with those who had gestational diabetes. Having gestational diabetes for a longer period or having gestational diabetes severe enough to warrant medication also increased the risk. The consistency of the associations is surprising, given how large and diverse the data set was, said Fangkun Liu, an author of the paper and an associate professor of neurosurgery at Central South University in Changsha, China. It's not clear what might be behind the potential link between high blood sugar levels and neurodevelopmental issues. The study's authors suggest that Type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune condition, may increase inflammation in children, correlating with increased risk of autism and ADHD. Maternal diabetes also affects how genes are expressed and could cause changes that affect brain function, they said. Doctors have also known for years that high blood sugar increases the risk of neurological birth defects, including spina bifida and a condition called anencephaly, when the brain isn't fully developed. It is thereforen't surprising that high blood sugar might affect other types of neurological development, too, said Dr. Susan Spratt, a professor of endocrinology at the Duke University School of Medicine. The study 'does not establish diabetes as a direct cause' of neurodevelopmental disorders, Liu said, because it was difficult to account for all confounding factors, particularly genetics. Some studies in the analysis looked at siblings and found no clear link between maternal diabetes and neurodevelopmental issues. Both Halprin and the authors noted that the new study didn't include much data from low-income countries, such as those in South and Southeast Asia, where maternal diabetes is more prevalent. The biggest unanswered question is whether getting blood sugar under control could cut these potential risks. 'As a researcher, a physician in this space, as well as a parent, I want to now know more about the impact of glucose control treatment in pregnancy,' said Dr. Kartik Venkatesh, who is the director of the Diabetes in Pregnancy Program at Ohio State University and was not involved in the study. The authors called for more rigorous research into this question. Several experts said the study points to the need for comprehensive diabetes screening among young women in their 20s and 30s, so that anyone who may get pregnant receives treatment before they conceive. An estimated 4% of U.S. women had undiagnosed diabetes in 2021. The American Diabetes Association recommends that women with diabetes meet with an endocrinologist or a specialist in maternal-fetal medicine when planning to conceive. In addition to controlling their blood sugar before and during pregnancy, some patients may need to stop taking certain drugs, such as medications called sulfonylureas, which are known to cross the placenta and are typically not recommended during pregnancy. There is little research on the effects of drugs like Ozempic during pregnancy. The ADA recommends that pregnant patients with diabetes receive nutrition counseling that promotes a diet of whole grains, lean protein, and fresh fruits and vegetables. Exercise can help improve glucose levels and reduce the need for insulin, which is the preferred medication for managing diabetes in pregnancy. While the findings can seem concerning, Venkatesh said, 'the reality of diabetes care in pregnancy is we have treatments that work.' This article originally appeared in
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Researchers uncover a link to autism—and it isn't vaccines
Just as Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has called for an investigation into debunked claims of vaccines causing autism, a massive new study bolsters a body of evidence behind an entirely different link to the neurodevelopmental disorder: gestational diabetes. The study, out of China and published in the Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology journal, is the latest to show a connection between diabetes during pregnancy, which affects up to 9% of U.S. pregnancies, and an increased risk not only of autism, but also other brain and nervous system problems. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability caused by differences in the brain, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While some people with ASD have a known difference, like a genetic condition, other causes are not yet known, and scientists believe there are multiple causes that act together. While the research—a meta-analysis of data pooled from 202 earlier studies of more than 56 million mother-child pairs—doesn't show whether gestational diabetes actually causes those problems, it shows that when mothers have diabetes while pregnant, children are 28% more likely to be diagnosed with a neurodevelopmental disorder. For autism, the risk was 25% higher for children of mothers with diabetes during pregnancy—and 30% higher for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), 32% higher for intellectual disability, 20% higher for trouble with communication, 17% higher for movement issues, and 16% higher for learning disorders—compared to babies whose mothers did not have gestational diabetes. Further, the researchers noted, having diabetes diagnosed before pregnancy appears to be linked with a 39% higher risk for one or more of those neurodevelopmental disorders than having gestational diabetes, which often resolves with the birth. Past research has also found a higher diabetes prevalence in people with autism, and also that people with autism may have a higher risk of developing diabetes. And a 2022 meta-analysis out of the U.K. found evidence of a statistically significant association between ASD and diabetes. Researchers behind the latest analysis said that more research is needed, and called for 'diligent monitoring' of blood sugar levels throughout pregnancy. This story was originally featured on
Reuters
07-04-2025
- Health
- Reuters
Study strengthens link between maternal diabetes and autism
Summary Diabetes during pregnancy linked to higher neurodevelopmental disorder risk in children Gestational diabetes poses lower risk than pre-existing diabetes Diabetes affects up to 9% of U.S. pregnancies, CDC reports April 7 (Reuters) - A large new study adds to evidence that diabetes during pregnancy is linked with an increased risk of brain and nervous system problems in children, including autism, researchers say. Whether diabetes actually causes those problems remains unclear. But when mothers have diabetes while pregnant, children are 28% more likely to be diagnosed with a neurodevelopmental disorder, according to an analysis of data pooled from 202 earlier studies involving more than 56 million mother-child pairs. Keep up with the latest medical breakthroughs and healthcare trends with the Reuters Health Rounds newsletter. Sign up here. The risks for children of mothers with diabetes during pregnancy were 25% higher for autism, 30% higher for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and 32% higher for intellectual disability. They were also 20% higher for trouble with communication, 17% higher for movement problems and 16% higher for learning disorders than in children whose mothers did not have diabetes while pregnant. Diabetes diagnosed before pregnancy appeared to confer a 39% higher risk for one or more of these neurodevelopmental disorders compared with gestational diabetes that begins in pregnancy and often resolves afterward, the researchers reported in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, opens new tab. Diabetes affects up to 9% of pregnancies in the United States, with the incidence rising, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Seven of the earlier studies compared affected children with siblings. These analyses did not find an effect from mothers' diabetes, which suggests that shared genetic or familial factors might be contributing to the increased risk, the authors noted. The findings emphasize the importance of medical support for women at risk of developing diabetes and the continuous monitoring of their children, the researchers said. The association of maternal diabetes with autism in offspring is well known, said Dr. Magdalena Janecka of NYU Grossman School of Medicine, who studies links between in utero exposures and child development but was not involved in the new research. A large 'meta-analysis' like this one allows for analyses of subgroups, such as mothers with pre-existing vs gestational diabetes, or children with autism vs those with ADHD or movement disorders, but it cannot prove cause and effect, Janecka said. 'Meta-analyses allow us to compare groups more precisely. At the same time, they are not bringing us any closer to understanding the causes or the underlying mechanisms.' The study comes as Trump administration health officials have called for further research into whether vaccines are a cause of autism, a claim long championed by new Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. that has been debunked by established science.
New York Times
07-04-2025
- Health
- New York Times
New Study Links Diabetes in Pregnancy to Developmental Risks in Children
Maternal diabetes, a pregnancy complication that can affect up to a third of women globally, is linked with a higher risk of neurodevelopmental issues in children, a large new study found. The study, which was published in the journal Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology on Monday, adds to a growing body of evidence that ties maternal diabetes to a range of health complications for both the mother and the child. Though the findings describe only a correlation, experts said the data underscored the need for screening and early treatment of diabetes, a condition that is becoming more common worldwide. In the United States, an estimated 10 percent of women had diagnosed diabetes in 2021, and 9 percent of pregnant American women develop gestational diabetes every year. 'We've known for some time that there's some link between elevated glucose levels in pregnancy and future neurodevelopmental disorders,' said Dr. Elizabeth Halprin, who is chief of adult diabetes at the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston and was not involved in the study. The new findings speak 'to the need to control diabetes during pregnancy,' she added. The analysis, which pooled data from 202 studies on more than 56 million pregnancies around the world, examined outcomes for children whose mothers had Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes while pregnant, or were diagnosed with gestational diabetes. These conditions are collectively referred to as 'maternal diabetes.' Even when studies accounted for other factors like a woman's age or body mass index, children born to women who had diabetes during pregnancy were 28 percent more likely to have a neurodevelopmental issue than children whose mothers didn't have the disease. The risks of A.D.H.D. and intellectual disability were slightly higher compared with those of other issues, like autism. The analysis found a greater likelihood of neurodevelopmental disorders in children of women who were diabetic before pregnancy, compared with those who had gestational diabetes. Having gestational diabetes for a longer period of time or having gestational diabetes severe enough to warrant medication also increased the risk. The consistency of the associations is surprising, given how large and diverse the data set was, said Fangkun Liu, an author of the paper and an associate professor of neurosurgery at Central South University in Changsha, China. It's not clear what might be behind the potential link between high blood sugar levels and neurodevelopmental issues. The study's authors suggest that Type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune condition, may increase inflammation in children, correlating with increased risk of autism and ADHD. Maternal diabetes also affects how genes are expressed and could cause changes that affect brain function, they said. Doctors have also known for years that high blood sugar increases the risk of neurological birth defects, including spina bifida and a condition called anencephaly, when the brain isn't fully developed. It therefore isn't surprising that high blood sugar might affect other types of neurological development, too, said Dr. Susan Spratt, a professor of endocrinology at the Duke University School of Medicine. The study 'does not establish diabetes as a direct cause' of neurodevelopmental disorders, Dr. Liu said, because it was difficult to account for all confounding factors, particularly genetics. Some studies in the analysis looked at siblings and found no clear link between maternal diabetes and neurodevelopmental issues. Both Dr. Halprin and the authors noted that the new study didn't include much data from low-income countries, such as those in South and Southeast Asia, where maternal diabetes is more prevalent. The biggest unanswered question is whether getting blood sugar under control could cut these potential risks. 'As a researcher, a physician in this space, as well as a parent, I really want to now know more about the impact of glucose control treatment in pregnancy,' said Dr. Kartik Venkatesh, who is the director of the Diabetes in Pregnancy Program at Ohio State University and was not involved in the study. The authors called for more rigorous research into this question. Several experts said the study points to the need for comprehensive diabetes screening among young women in their 20s and 30s, so that anyone who may get pregnant receives treatment before they conceive. An estimated 4 percent of U.S. women had undiagnosed diabetes in 2021. The American Diabetes Association recommends that women with diabetes meet with an endocrinologist or a specialist in maternal-fetal medicine when planning to conceive. In addition to controlling their blood sugar before and during pregnancy, some patients may need to stop taking certain drugs, such as medications called sulfonylureas, which are known to cross the placenta and are typically not recommended during pregnancy. There is little research on the effects of drugs like Ozempic during pregnancy. The A.D.A. recommends that pregnant patients with diabetes receive nutrition counseling that promotes a diet of whole grains, lean protein and fresh fruits and vegetables. Exercise can help improve glucose levels and reduce the need for insulin, which is the preferred medication for managing diabetes in pregnancy. While the findings can seem concerning, Dr. Venkatesh said, 'the reality of diabetes care in pregnancy is we have treatments that work.'
Reuters
07-03-2025
- Health
- Reuters
Health Rounds: Common vaginal infection helped by also treating male partners
March 7 (Reuters) - (This is an excerpt of the Health Rounds newsletter, where we present latest medical studies on Tuesdays and Thursdays. To receive the full newsletter in your inbox for free sign up here, opens new tab) A common bacterial infection of the vagina is actually a sexually transmitted disease that can be helped by also treating male sexual partners, researchers have discovered. Bacterial vaginosis affects nearly a third of women worldwide and can cause infertility, premature births and newborn deaths. It has long been attributed to an imbalance in the distribution of healthy organisms living in the vagina, researchers said in a report in The New England Journal of Medicine., opens new tab More than 50% of women have recurrent bacterial vaginosis within three months after the usual treatment with oral antibiotics. In a trial, 164 women with recurrent infections who were in monogamous relationships all received the recommended antibiotics. Their male partners received either an oral antibiotic and a topical antibiotic cream, or placebo. The researchers stopped the trial early when it became clear the recurrence rate was 50% lower in the partner treatment group. They say their findings hold the key to reducing the high recurrence rates of bacterial vaginosis. 'This successful intervention is relatively cheap and short and has the potential for the first time to not only improve bacterial vaginosis cure for women' but also to prevent the infections and associated serious complications, study leader Catriona Bradshaw of Monash University in Australia said in a statement. KIDNEY RECIPIENTS WITH DIABETES BENEFIT FROM GLP-1 DRUGS Kidney transplant recipients with diabetes have better outcomes if they are prescribed GLP-1 drugs, a review of U.S. medical records suggests. Those who started taking a drug from that widely used class of medicines post-transplant were 49% less likely to experience failure of the new organ and 31% less likely to die within five years of starting treatment, compared to similar patients who did not receive the medications, researchers reported in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, opens new tab. The roughly 18,000 study subjects underwent kidney transplantation between 2013 and 2020. About 11% of them were prescribed any of several GLP-1 drugs at a median of 19 months post-transplant. Eli Lilly's (LLY.N), opens new tab Trulicity (dulaglutide) was the most commonly used GLP-1 drug in the study. Some patients received Novo Nordisk's ( opens new tab Ozempic (semaglutide) or the company's older Victoza (liraglutide). Several other drugs in the class, also known for its weight-loss effects, were used in the trial. Most of the serious GLP-1-associated complications such as pancreatitis and liver problems were not seen in the transplant patients, researchers said. The drugs also were not associated with medullary thyroid cancer as has been reported before in patients taking the types of immunosuppressive medications used after transplants. The GLP-1 drugs did increase the risk of diabetic eye disease. To manage the risk of diabetic retinopathy, study lead author Dr. Babak Orandi from the NYU Grossman School of Medicine recommends ensuring blood sugar levels are controlled before starting GLP-1 medications. He also advises gradually increasing GLP-1 doses for kidney transplant recipients with severe diabetes or a history of eye problems. 'Our research offers a large amount of real-world clinical data to guide the management of benefits and risks of GLP-1 use in kidney transplant recipients,' Orandi said in a statement. ROBOTIC SLEEVE MAY SOMEDAY SUPPRESS HAND TREMORS People whose hands tremble and shake uncontrollably may someday be able to wear a robotic device in a soft sleeve that will suppress their tremors and improve their ability to perform daily activities, a new invention suggests. Such devices are not yet commercially available, but researchers in Germany have come a step closer to making them a reality. They designed a 'mechanical patient' with a biorobotic arm that can precisely simulate the shaking of an individual patient's wrist and hand. They also came up with lightweight strands of artificial muscles that can contract and relax in a way that compensates for the movements of the robotic arm until the tremor can hardly be felt or seen. 'We see a great potential for our muscles to become the building blocks of a garment one can wear very discreetly so that others don't even realize the person suffers from a tremor,' study leader Alona Shagan Shomron of the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems said in a statement. Writing on Thursday in Device, opens new tab, the team expressed hope that their biorobotic arm will serve as a platform not just for their own work but also for other research teams to test artificial muscles, avoiding some of the time-consuming and costly clinical testing on real patients. 'With the combination of mechanical patient and biomechanical model we can measure if any tested artificial muscles are good enough to suppress all tremors, even very strong ones,' study coauthor Daniel Haufle of the University of Tubingen said in a statement.
