Diabetes

This week, the top managed care news included a report from CMS that found 2 million people dropped Obamacare coverage after failing to pay their premiums; a study found the diabetes drug canagliflozin reduced cardiovascular risk; and the Supreme Court of the United States rules in favor of biosimilars.

Cardiovascular outcomes trials and a photography ban that dominated social media were big news at the 77th Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association.

The researchers' approach to finding the compound could be used to find cures in other diseases.

On June 14, 2017, Western Connecticut Health Network (WCHN) announced its launch of a new study that will research the connection between pancreatic cancer and new-onset diabetes. This $2.7 million study will span 3 years and aims to discover a method to detect pancreatic cancer while it can still be cured.

The collaboration between a digital behavioral health provider and an insurer comes as CMS admits challenges setting up the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program.

Studies presented at the 77th Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association show that the combination therapy helps patients with the highest glycated hemoglobin levels gain control quickly.

The study's lead author said that complications from cardiovascular disease remain an unmet clinical challenge in type 2 diabetes.

The CANVAS study’s outcomes were “a positive first step” in proving that canagliflozin can be used for the primary prevention of heart failure in patients with diabetes, but more evidence is needed, according to the study’s lead author, Bruce Neal, MB, ChB, PhD, of the George Institute for Global Health at UNSW Sydney, who presented the findings at the 77th Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association’s in San Diego, California.

Hybrid closed-loop insulin delivery systems, also referred to as an artificial pancreas, can help improve the management of diabetes while researchers seek a cure, as well as provide reassurance for patients and their families, according to Eda Cengiz, MD, MHS, FAAP, associate professor of pediatrics at Yale School of Medicine.

A light-hearted format for the discussion at the 77th Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association still brought out the seriousness of the issue: too many with type 2 diabetes have poor glycemic control, and another medication may not be the answer.

The long-awaited results from CANVAS show a reduced risk of cardiovascular events. The study's lead author said clinicians should balance the significant benefits of the drug against the potential harms for a small number of patients with known risks.

Results presented at the 77th Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association are for combinations with ertugliflozin, an investigational SGLT2 inhibitor before FDA.

At a symposium at the 77th Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association, experts suggested that the relationship between heart failure and diabetes is finally getting the attention it deserves.

Continuous glucose monitoring has the potential to revolutionize diabetes care for patients with type 2 diabetes, whether they are on insulin therapy or not, but the technology must be accompanied by stronger support from clinicians in order to be most successful, explained William Polonsky, PhD, CDE, president of the Behavioral Diabetes Institute and associate clinical professor at University of California, San Diego.

The Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) has demonstrated that it can improve the quality of care for Medicare beneficiaries with diabetes while saving or maintaining costs, explained Nina Brown-Ashford, MPH, CHES, deputy group director at the CMS Innovation Center. Next, CMS will finalize the DPP’s expansion in another round of rulemaking.

No one questions the long-term savings that the Diabetes Prevention Program will bring to Medicare, but getting it off the ground will require several steps that have never been done before, including a new payment model.

Diabetes management programs can be delivered digitally or in a traditional in-person setting, but there are benefits and drawbacks to each, explained Neal Kaufman, MD, founder and chief medical officer of Canary Health.

There are a number of exciting technological advances that could change diabetes care as we know it, such as improved continuous glucose monitors and convenient decision support tools, said Robert Gabbay, MD, PhD, chief medical officer of the Joslin Diabetes Center.

Prior data had indicated that sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors could be linked to diabetic ketoacidosis, a serious complication of diabetes.

This week, the top managed care stories included findings that some cancers are being diagnosed earlier after people gain coverage under the Affordable Care Act; a new poll gauged Americans' views on Medicaid; and JDRF launched a new campaign to meet the needs of people with type 1 diabetes.

Being isolated due to being overweight can have long-term health consequences, and the study's lead author said reducing stigma should be part of anti-bullying efforts.

While alcohol is known to limit skeletal muscle growth, few studies have looked at the relationship between sarcopenia and problem drinking.

The enzyme that affects the body's ability to process LDL cholesterol was found to be correlated with A1C levels. A symposium on the topic will be part of this weekend's 77th Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association.

When the World Health Organization (WHO) updates its Essential Medicines List every 2 years, observers anticipate the addition of some new drugs or alternate indications. The 20th edition, released Tuesday, also includes a more drastic change by categorizing antibiotics.

The study said the alternative to BMI offers a better way to measure visceral fat, which poses a greater cardiovascular threat.