StemCell Therapy

Micky Bedell | BDN

Micky Bedell | BDN

Learning how to make food last longer can help limit trips to the grocery store.

As of 1 p.m. Friday, March 13, test results show that two Maine residents have tested presumptive positive for the coronavirus. Click here for the latest coronavirus news, which the BDN has made free for the public. You can support this mission by purchasing a digital subscription.

Now that the novel coronavirus has officially made its way to Maine, people have been stocking up on food, preparing for potential social distancing, self-isolation or self-quarantine. Canned and non-perishable foods especially have been flying off the shelves.

If you are worried about your stockpiles of more perishable food going to waste, there are ways to keep food fresher for longer. Besides, even though it is smart to stock up on pressure-canned beans, meat and vegetables and for long-term storage (here are some tips for organizing that stockpiled pantry, by the way), maintaining your health with fresh, healthy food is never more important than in the face of a global pandemic.

You can still go to the grocery store while practicing social distancing, self-isolation and self-quarantine, but the best way to keep yourself from getting sick is to avoid going out as much as possible. Here is a roundup of tips to make sure your food stockpiles will last as long as possible, and that you dont waste anything that might be valuable to use.

Sam Schipani | BDN

Mesh produce bags holding various forms of produce at the Hannaford's on Union Street in Bangor.

[Do you have questions about the coronavirus? Ask us here.](this was last shared on FB at 12pm Thursday)

Fruits and vegetables all have different requirements for storage. Some stay crisp in the refrigerator, while others will dry out in the cold. Produce, like apples, onions and tomatoes, emit a gas called ethylene as they ripen and should be kept away from produce like cucumbers, peppers and leafy greens that are sensitive to the gas and will spoil faster if stored with ethylene-emitting fruits and vegetables.

Here is a comprehensive roundup of the best way to store all different types of produce to make your fresh food stores last as long as possible.

Storing food in the freezer will not only prevent spoilage, but it will help preserve some of its quality. Here are some foods you didnt know you could freeze for longer storage. You can also save a range of foodstuffs in old ice cube trays to use for later, including broth, buttermilk and bacon drippings.

Though transmission of the novel coronavirus to persons from contaminated surfaces has not been documented, current evidence suggests that it may remain viable for hours to days on surfaces. If you do venture out to the grocery store, that means taking extra precautions while grocery shopping. Given the number of hands that dive in and dig around in produce bins, it would be wise to take extra precautions by washing your fruits and vegetables in a disinfecting wash. Heres how to make your own produce wash from white vinegar, water and lemon.

Hydrogen peroxide will give leafy greens an extra boost of freshness and longevity. Add one tablespoon of three percent hydrogen peroxide to a spray bottle filled with water and spritz your salad greens before returning them to the fridge. Wash thoroughly before eating to avoid any unpleasant tastes.

If you can get your hands on it, hydrogen peroxide is another way to make a produce wash. A simple combination of hydrogen peroxide and water serves as an inexpensive, Food and Drug Administration-approved, alternative to pricey fruit and vegetable washes. Add a tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide to a gallon of water to get rid of any lingering microbes when cleaning your produce. Rinse thoroughly before eating to avoid lingering flavors. Here are some other uses for hydrogen peroxide, as well as everything you need to know about cleaning with hydrogen peroxide.

Though canned beans are convenient, dried beans are cheaper, healthier and more sustainable than their canned counterparts. Proper storage will help them last without getting moldy or drying out. Heres how to properly store dried beans for maximum longevity.

After cooking, save the ends of the green onion bulbs with the roots attached. Place the bulbs root-end down in a small jar or glass and add enough water to cover the roots. Set the jar on a sunny windowsill, and, after about two weeks, your green onions will have formed long green shoots, and you will be ready to reap the rewards (yes, this trick works).

Leeks and fennel can be regrown with the same technique, though they take a little longer to grow. You can put the heart of romaine lettuce and the base of celery in water and it will regrow leaves. Many herbs including basil, mint and rosemary can also be placed in water to grow new roots and transfer to a pot of soil.

Reutilizing food scraps will make sure that nothing goes to waste. Here is how to make your own vegetable broth out of vegetable scraps, and how to make your own turkey broth out of a bird carcass (the same, more or less, goes for a chicken carcass).

Please dont replace the CDC recommendations for cleaning with only orange peels. If cleaning products are not available at stores and your house is getting a little stale after some time in self-isolation, citrus rinds can help freshen things up. Heres what you can do with all those leftover lemon, orange and lime peels.

Watch: Symptoms of the coronavirus disease

Original post:
Here's how to make your food last during the coronavirus - Bangor Daily News

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is getting increasingly sophisticated day by day in its application, with enhanced efficiency and speed at a lower cost. Every single sector has been reaping benefits from AI in recent times. The Healthcare industry is no exception. Here is decoding the future trajectory of healthcare with AI.

The impact of artificial intelligence in the healthcare industry through machine learning (ML) and natural language processing (NLP) is transforming care delivery. Additionally, patients are expected to gain relatively high access to their health-related information than before through various applications such as smart wearable devices and mobile electronic medical records (EMR).

The personalized healthcare will authorize patients to take the wheel of their well-being, facilitate high-end healthcare, and promote better patient-provider communication to underprivileged areas.

For instance, IBM Watson for Health is helping healthcare organizations to apply cognitive technology to provide a vast amount of power diagnosis and health-related information.

In addition, Googles DeepMind Health is collaborating with researchers, clinicians, and patients in order to solve real-world healthcare problems. Additionally, the company has combined systems neuroscience with machine learning to develop strong general-purpose learning algorithms within neural networks to mimic the human brain.

Companies are working towards developing AI technology to solve several existing challenges, especially within the healthcare space. Strong focus on funding and starting AI healthcare programs played a significant role in Microsoft Corporations decision to launch a 5-year, US$ 40 million program known as AI for Health in January 2019.

The Microsoft program will use artificial intelligence tools to resolve some of the greatest healthcare challenges including global health crises, treatment, and disease diagnosis. Microsoft has also ensured that academia, non-profit, and research organizations have access to this technology, technical experts, and resources to leverage AI for care delivery and research.

In January 2020, these factors influenced Takeda Pharmaceuticals Company and MITs School of Engineering to join hands for three years to drive innovation and application of AI in the healthcare industry and drug development.

AI applications are only centered on three main investment areas: Diagnostics, Engagement, and Digitization. With the rapid advancement in technologies. There are exciting breakthroughs in incorporating AI in medical services.

The most interesting aspect of AI is robots. Robots are not only replacing trained medical staff but also making them more efficient in several areas. Robots help in controlling the cost while potentially providing better care and performing accurate surgery in limited space.

China and the U.S. have started investing in the development of robots to support doctors. In November 2017, a robot in China passed a medical licensing exam using only an AI brain. Also, it was the first-ever semi-automated operating robot that was used to suture blood vessels as fine as 0.03 mm.

In order to prevent coronavirus from spreading, the American doctors are relying on a robot that can measure the patients act and vitals. In addition, robots are also being used for recovery and consulting assistance and transporting units. These robots are showcasing significant potential in revolutionizing medical procedures in the future.

Precision medicine is an emerging approach to disease prevention and treatment. The precision medication approach allows researchers and doctors to predict more accurate treatment and prevention strategies.

The advent of precision medicine technology has allowed healthcare to actively track patients physiology in real-time, take multi-dimensional data, and create predictive algorithms that use collective learnings to calculate individual outcomes.

In recent years, there has been an immense focus on enabling direct-to-consumer genomics. Now, companies are aiming to create patient-centric products within digitization processes and genomics related to ordering complex testing in clinics.

In January 2020, ixLayer, a start-up based in San-Francisco, launched one of its kind precision health testing platforms to enhance the delivery of diagnostic testing and to shorten the complex relationship among physicians, precision health tests, and patients.

Personal health monitoring is a promising example of AI in healthcare. With the emergence of advanced AI and Internet of Medical Things (IoMT), demand for consumer-oriented products such as smart wearables for monitoring well-being is growing significantly.

Owing to the rapid proliferation of smart wearables and mobile apps, enterprises are introducing varied options to monitor personal health.

In October 2019, Gali Health, a health technology company, introduced its Gali AI-powered personal health assistant for people suffering from inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). It offers health tracking and analytical tools, medically-vetted educational resources, and emotional support to the IBD community.

Similarly, start-ups are also coming forward with innovative devices integrated with state-of-the-art AI technology to contribute to the growing demand for personal health monitoring.

In recent years, AI has been used in numerous ways to support the medical imaging of all kinds. At present, the biggest use for AI is to assist in the analysis of images and perform single narrow recognition tasks.

In the United States, AI is considered highly valuable in enhancing business operations and patients care. It has the greatest impact on patient care by improving the accuracy of clinical outcomes and medical diagnosis.

Strong presence of leading market players in the country is bolstering the demand for medical imaging in hospitals and research centers.

In January 2020, Hitachi Healthcare Americas announced to start a new dedicated R&D center in North America. Medical imaging will leverage the advancements in machine learning and artificial intelligence to bring about next-gen of medical imaging technology.

With a plethora of issues driven by the growing rate of chronic disease and the aging population, the need for new innovative solutions in the healthcare industry is moving on an upswing.

Unleashing AIs complete potential in the healthcare industry is not an easy task. Both healthcare providers and AI developers together will have to tackle all the obstacles on the path towards the integration of new technologies.

Clearing all the hurdles will need a compounding of technological refinement and shifting mindsets. As AI trend become more deep-rooted, it is giving rise to highly ubiquitous discussions. Will AI replace the doctors and medical professionals, especially radiologists and physicians? The answer to this is, it will increase the efficiency of the medical professionals.

Initiatives by IBM Watson and Googles DeepMind will soon unlock the critical answers. However, AI aims to mimic the human brain in healthcare, human judgment, and intuitions that cannot be substituted.

Even though AI is augmenting in existing capabilities of the industry, it is unlikely to fully replace human intervention. AI skilled forces will swap only those who dont want to embrace technology.

Healthcare is a dynamic industry with significant opportunities. However, uncertainty, cost concerns, and complexity are making it an unnerving one.

The best opportunity for healthcare in the near future are hybrid models, where clinicians and physicians will be supported for treatment planning, diagnosis, and identifying risk factors. Also, with an increase in the number of geriatric population and the rise of health-related concerns across the globe, the overall burden of disease management has augmented.

Patients are also expecting better treatment and care. Due to growing innovations in the healthcare industry with respect to improved diagnosis and treatment, AI has gained consideration among the patients and doctors.

In order to develop better medical technology, entrepreneurs, healthcare service providers, investors, policy developers, and patients are coming together.

These factors are set to exhibit a brighter future of AI in the healthcare industry. It is extremely likely that there will be widespread use and massive advancements of AI integrated technology in the next few years. Moreover, healthcare providers are expected to invest in adequate IT infrastructure solutions and data centers to support new technological development.

Healthcare companies should continually integrate new technologies to build strong value and to keep the patients attention.

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The insights presented in the article are based on a recent research study on Global Artificial Intelligence In Healthcare Market by Future Market Insights.

Abhishek Budholiya is a tech blogger, digital marketing pro, and has contributed to numerous tech magazines. Currently, as a technology and digital branding consultant, he offers his analysis on the tech market research landscape. His forte is analysing the commercial viability of a new breakthrough, a trait you can see in his writing. When he is not ruminating about the tech world, he can be found playing table tennis or hanging out with his friends.

See the original post:
Decoding the Future Trajectory of Healthcare with AI - ReadWrite

Report Scope: The report provides a comprehensive summary of cloud computing for cell biology, genomics and drug design along with detailed profiles of key market players including a revenue product portfolio and recent activities.

New York, March 09, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Cloud Computing in Cell Biology, Genomics and Drug Development" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p05873501/?utm_source=GNW The report analyzes trends and dynamics including drivers, limitations, challenges and opportunities.

The report discusses strategies adopted by emerging market players with recommendations for new market entrants.This research study discusses historical, current and potential market size.

The report will help market players and new entrants to make informed decisions about the production and export of goods and services, as well as providing organizations, distributors and exporters information about market development and trends.The study segments the market on the basis of applications and end uses.

A geographical market analysis is provided for all major segments.

Report Includes: - 43 data tables and 18 additional tables - An overview of the global market for cloud computing applications in cell biology, genomics and drug development - Analyses of global and regional market trends, with data from 2018 to 2019, and projections of compound annual growth rates (CAGRs) through 2024 - Assessment of market trends and opportunities, key developments and the impact of cloud computing technology on the biotechnology, pharmaceutical and healthcare industry verticals - Insight into recent developments in cloud infrastructure and information pertaining to key partnerships between cloud service providers and pharma/biotech companies and investment in pharmaceutical R&D sector - Discussion of the suppliers landscape, as well as the market positioning and strategies of key manufacturers and suppliers for cloud computing applications - Review of patent applications filed regarding cloud computing technology in the U.S. healthcare sector - Company profiles of the leading market players, including Amazon Web Services (AWS) Inc., Cisco Systems Inc., DXC Technology, Google LLC, Salesforce.com Inc., and SAP SE

Summary The global market for cloud computing in cell biology, genomics and drug development is estimated to grow at a CAGR of REDACTED during the forecast period.The market was valued at REDACTED in 2018 and is expected to reach REDACTED in 2024.

In biomedical research, cloud computing has resolved big data concerns and improves data, analytics, collaboration and sharing. Increasing biomedical research based on human, animal, plants, and microbes has increased the dependency on proper storage and network infrastructure as well as secure and scalable computing.

With growing big data concerns, researchers are inclined towards cloud computing platforms.These platforms provide flexibility to users to pay according to their usage of cloud services including software, hardware infrastructure and platforms to solve biomedical computation concerns.

The cloud offers ondemand storage and an analysis facility to users which makes it an emerging computing platform to address big data concerns.Owing to the flexibility and cost-effectiveness, cloud services are gaining significant importance in life science research for data storage, communication and collaboration with stakeholders.

On cloud platforms, large datasets and applications for gene sequencing, image analysis, protein folding and data mining can be shared for collaborative research between facilities.

The major pivotal factors contributing to the growth of the market include rising genomics and proteomics research and the increasing number of clinical trials performed across various countries.Considerable public and private investment in genomics and proteomics research is providing support to biotechnology start-ups and research institutes.

This helps healthcare providers to develop and commercialize genomics technologies and personalized medicines. Increasing U.S. FDA approvals for personalized medicines are supporting the growth in genomics research. For example, according to the Personalized Medicine Coalition, in 2018, approximately REDACTED of the REDACTED new molecular entities (NMEs) approved by the FDA are personalized medicines which constitute REDACTED of all new drug approvals. The Coalition classified REDACTED of NMEs as personalized medicines in 2017, REDACTED in 2015 and REDACTED in 2016. The U.S. FDA is making efforts to facilitate access to genomic testing and integration of real-world evidence into its regulatory framework. As a result, the FDA has begun to authorize the marketing of cancer-related genetic tests, and pharmacogenetics were allowed to be sold directly to the consumers. This has resulted in the development of personalized medicine as an emerging practice of medicine that utilizes the genetic profile of an individual to make appropriate decisions regarding prevention, diagnosis and treatment of the condition. Gaining complete knowledge about the patients genetic profile helps doctors to choose proper therapy or medication and to administer it with the proper regimen or dose. Significant data is generated by sequencing a single human genome which necessitates the adoption of cloud services. The 1000 Genomes Project is an effort to sequence genomes of at least a thousand people from across the globe to develop the most comprehensive and medically relevant picture of human genetic variation. This initiative intends to make genomic data easily accessible from international research institutions. Major support for the project is offered by the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute in Hinxton, England and the Beijing Genomics Institute, Shenzhen (BGI Shenzhen) in China.Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05873501/?utm_source=GNW

About ReportlinkerReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.

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Original post:
Cloud Computing in Cell Biology, Genomics and Drug Development - Yahoo Finance

Revolutionary Gene-Editing Tool

Cardiovascular or heart disease (CVDs) is the leading cause of death across the world. Heart attacks resulting due to CVDs can cause death, and severe damage to cardiac muscle a muscle that forms the wall of the heart in survivors. However, researchers claim that they have discovered stem-cell activated mechanisms that promote healing after a heart attack.

According to the study by researchers from Mayo Clinic, stem cells were found to reverse the damage and restore cardiac muscle back to its condition before a heart attack. Human cardiopoietic cells obtained from stem cells within the bone marrow were found to hone in on damaged proteins and reverse intricate changes that a heart attack caused.

"The response of the diseased heart to cardiopoietic stem cell treatment revealed development and growth of new blood vessels, along with new heart tissue," said Dr. Kent Arrell, first author of the study, in a statement.

For the study, the researchers examined the diseased hearts of mice. The hearts of mice that received human cardiopoietic stem cell therapy were compared with those of that did not. Nearly 4,000 cardiac proteins were identified using a data science technique to map proteins found in the cardiac muscle. Over 10 per cent of the discovered proteins were found to suffer damage as a result of a heart attack.

"While we anticipated that the stem cell treatment would produce a beneficial outcome, we were surprised how far it shifted the state of diseased hearts away from disease and back toward a healthy, pre-disease state," said Dr. Arrell.

While the organs in the human body have the ability to repair their damaged cells, they may be unable to restore the loss entirely, and this holds good for cardiac cells as well. Dr. Andre Terzic, senior author of the study, said: "The extent of change caused by a heart attack is too great for the heart to repair itself or to prevent further damage from occurring."

He explained that upon the administration of cardiopoietic stem cell therapy to mice, a partial or complete reversal of nearly two-thirds of the damage caused by a heart attack was noted. Around 85 per cent of all cellular functional categories struck by the disease responded favorably to the treatment.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), CVDs claim nearly 18 million lives every year, which translates to 31 per cent of all deaths. The findings of the study provide an improved understanding of the restoration of heart health using stem cells and provide a framework for wider utilization of stem cell therapy for the treatment of various conditions.

Stressing that the actual mechanism behind the repair of diseased organs by stem cells is poorly understood, Dr. Terzic added: "This study sheds light on the most intimate, yet comprehensive, regenerative mechanisms paving a road map for responsible and increasingly informed stem cell application."

See the article here:
Stem cells can reverse damage caused by heart attack; repair mechanism discovered: Study - International Business Times, Singapore Edition

We live in a world of numerical benchmarks. Where numbers transcend the simple quantity they represent and instead become powerful markers for our society. We need look no further than Washington, D.C., to see how critical numerical benchmarks are in the way in which we govern ourselves: 268 electoral votes to win the presidency, 218 seats to control the House, 67 votes to override a presidential veto, 60 senators necessary to overcome a filibuster, and the list goes on. Sometimes, however, numerical benchmarks take on a much more human and personal significance. Sometimes numerical benchmarks are more than just ways in which we organize our society, sometimes they represent the accumulated differences between certain death and the hope of life.

In 2019, National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP)/Be The Match accomplished a feat that no one could even imagine when we began over 30 years ago 100,000 bone marrow transplants performed. This milestone is even more awe inspiring when you consider that only 50,000 transplants were facilitated over the first 25 years. It took just over seven years to double that number.

This is more than just a number, more than just an extraordinary achievement, each one of those 100,000 bone marrow transplants represents individuals with personal stories. Stories of life and death, of devastating sadness and overwhelming joy, and powerful reminders of the critical nature of the work of the entire transplant community.

Stories told by people like Katie and Jon Lanza. At just four-months-old, their son Nolan was diagnosed with a rare and often fatal genetic disorder, hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH). Symptoms of HLH include fevers, an enlarged spleen, low blood counts and liver abnormalities.

His only hope for survival was a bone marrow transplant.

Thats when Be The Match Registry stepped in, a match was found, and little Nolan had a transplant in May 2018, which saved his life.

As a physician, I do more than simply read about these powerful personal stories, I experience them first hand through my own patients. Patients like Lisa Maxson, a mother of three who found herself fighting for her life when diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia at the age of 28. I understand all too well that life or death for that one patient I am treating can come down to finding that one donor. Fortunately for Lisa, that match was found and her life continues to be a testament to the Be The Match Registry.

As we celebrate this impressive benchmark, we honor the individuals and families who make up those 100,000 bone marrow transplants and the doctors, nurses, medical professionals and caregivers who are such an important part of this process. We also honor the visionaries who came before us. The men and women who, when told a national registry would fail, never gave up hope. Their vision became a reality and through collaboration, commitment, and compassion, we can now say that 100,000 volunteer donors have stepped up to help a stranger and millions more have joined the Be The Match Registry.

Be The Match Registry also stands out as an outstanding example of a highly successful public-private partnership between the federal government, Congress, NMDP, volunteers, patients, and families, our medical providers, and researchers. Showing that when we work together, we can accomplish almost anything.

Our work, however, is not done. We know that innovation must happen faster than ever, which is why we are not only celebrating 100,000 bone marrow transplants facilitated, we are also celebrating two significant acts of Congress last year that will help us achieve the next 100,000 transplants.

For the first time ever, Congress fully funded the C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program (Program), operated by NMDP/Be The Match, and gave Medicare patients expanded access to cellular therapy. Accomplished through bipartisan support, members of Congress stood up for blood cancer and blood disease patients in need of a donor and modernized Medicare reimbursement to ensure equal access.

Full funding by Congress means more donors will be added to the Be The Match Registry and more donors means more hope for the patient diagnosed with blood cancer or blood disease every three minutes of every day.

In addition to funding, the Patient Access to Cellular Transplant (PACT) Act (H.R. 2498/S. 1268) was signed into law in December. By fixing a reimbursement issue, this legislation expands Medicare beneficiaries access to bone marrow, peripheral blood stem cell, and cord blood transplants keeping families together by giving these patients the opportunity to access this life-saving treatment.

As survival rates from leukemia, lymphoma, and other forms of blood cancer soar to all-time highs thanks in part to rapid advancements in medical science and efforts from committed groups like NMDP/Be The Match we applaud Congress for stepping up and doing its part.

For transplant physicians like me, our focus is on individual patients. We work to help each person who comes to us hoping for a healthy future. By passing full funding and the PACT Act, Congress has helped thousands of patients at once with the stroke of a pen.

On behalf of the 100,000 patients who have received a transplant and for the next 100,000 whose survival will depend on cellular therapy, we say thank you to the members of the House and Senate for their vision and unwavering support.

Dr. Steven Devine is the Chief Medical Office for the National Marrow Donor Program/Be the Match Registry.

Link:
Behind the numbers of 100,000 bone marrow transplants and counting | TheHill - The Hill

We now know that COVID-19 is only mild to moderate for 80% of laboratory confirmed patients and about 6.1% patients get critical (respiratory failure, septic shock, and/or multiple organ dysfunction/failure), according to the joint WHO - China mission. Clearly, those who are in the critical stage are prone to death, most of them are aged more than 60, especially those with underlying conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory disease and cancer.

With 110,297 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 3,840 deaths, more than 62,000 have recovered, as of Monday, March 9. The coronavirus is majorly transmitted through droplets and fomites via nose, mouth and eyes, during close unprotected contact between the infected and a normal person.

The majority consists of mild cases, and hence told ,Tom Inglesby, director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security and an expert in pandemics and public health preparedness in a statement, "The more we diagnose mild cases, the more that will drive down the overall case mortality rate." The challenge is to identify mild cases, while severe cases are identified easily owing to symptoms.

In the case of the 6% who get critical, there is a "tipping point, where everything is going downhill and, at some point, you can't get it back," David Morens told news agency Bloomberg. Morens is the senior scientific adviser to the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, US.

The virus, at first, usually infects the nose. If it stays there, that's not fatal, but dangerous once it hits the lungs. Once it is down the windpipe to the peripheral branches of the respiratory tree and lung tissue, it take the patient to the critical stage (pneumonia-causing damage), explains Jeffery K. Taubenberger to Bloomberg who is the head of the viral pathogenesis and evolution section of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in Bethesda, Maryland

Normally, if white blood cells consume pathogens and help to heal damaged tissue as a body's immediate response, it can clear the infection, he adds. But damage would result in loss of protective mucus-producing cells as well as the tiny hairs, or cilia, that sweep dirt and respiratory secretions out of the lungs. "You have no ability to keep stuff out of the lower respiratory tract,"

Secondary bacterial infections are a great threat, in addition to coronavirus, as they kill the respiratory tract stem cells that enable tissue to rejuvenate,Taubenberger said adding that lungs would starve vital organs of oxygen like the kidneys, liver, brain and heart. "You just can't physically repair your lungs," he adds.

This is a cascading action. "When you get a bad, overwhelming infection, everything starts to fall apart in a cascade," said David Morens. Those among the 6% are prone to experiencing this "tipping point".

Continued here:
The 'tipping point' of death that coronavirus victims suffer and never return - International Business Times, Singapore Edition

Can you imagine needing a life-saving transplant and then having a family member, who is an exact donor match, denied entry into the U.S. for a medical procedure that could save your life? Or being denied your dying wish to see your foreign parent, sibling or child because they could not gain permission to enter the U.S.? For many patients, this is a harsh reality and a violation of their basic human rights.

For three years I was a lawyer with New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG) LegalHealth division and provided free civil legal services to New York City hospital patients with low income. Transplant teams sought my assistance when plans for a patients transplant were stalled after a family member who was an exact donor match had been denied a visitor visa to travel to the U.S. Palliative care teams sought my assistance for terminally ill patients who wished to see a family member before they died, but the loved one had been denied a visitor visa.

Whether a patients family member is able to secure a visitor visa is entirely at the discretion of the U.S. Department of State consular officer who is adjudicating the visa application. If the officer is not persuaded that the family member will return home after their temporary stay in the U.S., the officer will deny the visitor visa under Section 214(b) of the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act. This law creates an automatic presumption that anyone who applies for a visitor visa actually intends to remain in the U.S. permanently. This presumption of immigrant intent can only be overcome if an applicant demonstrates sufficiently strong familial, social, professional and economic ties to a country other than the U.S.

Citizens of 38 (mostly European) Visa Waiver Program countries are not required to obtain visas for short visits to the U.S. In contrast, citizens of African countries and most Latin American and Asian countries are excluded from the Visa Waiver Program. As a result, patients of African, Latin American and Asian-descent have a much harder time bringing their family members to the U.S. for transplants and end-of-life companionship.

Most of my clients were experiencing poverty. Their family members often could not show proof of financial ties needed to overcome the presumption of immigrant intent. In such cases, I helped the seriously ill client request assistance from their elected representatives, who sometimes then engaged in quiet diplomacy with the State Department on behalf of the constituent. But even with the help of lawyers and elected officials, many visas are denied, and denials cannot be appealed.

The discretionary standard for evaluating immigrant intent is unjust and violates fundamental principles of human rights. The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which the U.S. has adopted, states that no individual should be arbitrarily deprived of his or her life. It also recognizes that family is the fundamental unit of society and is entitled to protection by the government. These basic principles are violated when a patient dies waiting for a donor match to be allowed into the U.S., or is denied the comfort of being with close family before death.

The story of my client Jocelyn (whose name has been changed to protect her identity) illustrates the current systems flaws. Jocelyn was a naturalized U.S. citizen who became ill with an aggressive blood cancer in her early forties. Her sister in Guyana was determined to be an exact donor match for a stem cell transplant. As the caregiver for their aging mother, Jocelyns sister had no income and was unable to obtain a visitor visa. With no other viable donor source available, Jocelyn died awaiting a transplant.

A simple reform to current visa policy would prevent tragedies like Jocelyns from occurring. The discretionary standard for granting or denying a visitor visa should be dispensed with for two categories of visitor visa applicants:Those who are certified by a physician to be an exact donor match for a U.S. citizen or lawful immigrant, and the immediate family members of a U.S. citizen or lawful immigrant who has a terminal illness. A new emergency visa category should be created for these visa applicants, with its own set of conditions to minimize the risk of visitor overstays.

Bipartisan support for legislative and policy reform potentially exists. Just last fall, after congressional hearings and significant opposition, the Trump Administration reversed its decision to end medical deferred action, which allows undocumented immigrants suffering from life-threatening conditions to request to remain in the U.S. with authorization temporarily to obtain medical treatment that is unavailable in their home countries, without which they will likely die. Medical and legal communities had challenged the decision, arguing that no one should be denied life-saving medical treatment just because of their immigration status. The same commonsense notion applies here. Transplant candidates should not die because of the vagaries of consular officers, and terminally-ill patients should be able to die with dignity, surrounded by their loved ones, regardless of their familys origin. Reforming U.S. visitor visa policy by creating an emergency visa category for donor matches and close family of terminally ill patients would ensure that the fundamental principles of human rights and basic decency are respected.

Christina T.Holderis public interest counsel at Lowenstein Sandler LLP. She previously worked as a senior staff attorney at New York Legal Assistance Group.

View post:
US visa policy violates the human rights of transplant candidates and the terminally ill | TheHill - The Hill

Deals and Financings

Nanjing Legend Biotech, a subsidiary of GenScript (HK: 1548) (OTC:GNNSF), has filed for an IPO on a US exchange. In 2017, Legend surprised the world when its CAR-T therapy produced a 94% response rate in pretreated multiple myeloma patients. Six months later, Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) partnered the treatment in a deal that paid Legend $350 million upfront, plus unspecified milestones and royalties. The CAR-T candidate, JNJ-4528, is now in Phase II trials in the US.

Harbour BioMed (HBM) raised $75 million in a Series B+ round to advance its clinical-stage compounds and portfolio of next-gen biotherapies for cancer and immunological diseases. The company builds its portfolio by in-licensings and via its proprietary Harbour Mice program. Harbour develops drugs for China and US markets, while it has entered partnerships to discover candidates for China companies Innovent (OTCPK:IVBIY) and BeiGene (NASDAQ:BGNE), along with other prominent global biopharmas. The company previously completed an $85 million Series B financing in August 2018. HBM is headquartered in Cambridge, MA, and it conducts R&D in Suzhou and Shanghai.

GenFleet Therapeutics (Shanghai) closed a $57 million Series B financing, co-led by CDH Investments and Shenzhen Capital Group. Founded in 2017, GenFleet is developing novel large and small therapeutic molecules for oncology and immunology targets. The company says its projects are potential first-in-class therapeutics with technical advantages and large markets. It will use the capital for ex-China development and clinical trials of its existing pipelines, plus expanding its immunology platform, working on new projects and building an industrial base.

Arctic Vision of Shanghai in-licensed greater China rights to Xipere, a treatment for macular edema associated with uveitis, from Clearside Bio (NASDAQ:CLSD) in a $35.5 million agreement. Founded last year, Arctic in-licenses breakthrough ophthalmology products for China. Xipere is its first deal. Arctic plans to acquire China rights to 3-5 products and then expand to a combination of global rights and internal discovery for additional drugs. Clearside, which is located in Alpharetta, Georgia, said Xipere is a proprietary suspension of the corticosteroid triamcinolone acetonide.

Exuma Biotech (formerly F1 Oncology), a Florida-Shanghai company developing CAR-T products for solid tumors, closed a $19 million Series B round. The financing included investments from MSD Partners and F1 BioVentures, plus conversion of notes held by individual investors. Exuma's Logic Gated CAR-T products become activated only when the target antigen and the tumor microenvironment are both present, reducing off-tumor side effects. The company has started clinical trials of two candidates. Exuma's Shanghai subsidiary oversees the company's development, manufacturing, and commercial units in Shanghai and Shenzhen.

OBiO Technology (Shanghai) completed a B+ Round of more than $15 million for its viral-based gene therapy CRO services and genetic drug CDMO/CMO services. Founded in 2013, OBiO collaborated with GE Healthcare (NYSE:GE) to establish the first domestic GMP viral production workshop in China and supply CRO/CDMO/CMO services for viral drugs. At the same time, OBiO is incubating gene therapy drugs for cancer therapy with three ADC candidates for oncotherapy that have proprietary IP. The B+ Round investors included GP Capital, Sinowisdom and Efung Capital.

Shanghai OPM Biosciences raised $14 million from China Life Medical Fund to support its CDMO service platform. The company offers serum-free media for cell cultures based on animal cells, as well as a full-range of cell culture development services. It customizes high-quality personalized animal cell culture media to optimize the cell culture process and reduce production costs. OPM has developed a variety of chemically defined CHO/HEK293 cell culture media and nutritional products. The company claims its media improve cell growth and expression.

China Immunotech Biotech of Beijing completed a $6.5 million Series A financing, led by Jianxin Capital with Grower Venture Capital and Huacheng Group participating. Founded in March 2018, China Immunotech is developing TCR-T and CAR-T products that target hematological tumors, solid tumors and virus-related diseases. It has two unique technology platforms, STAR-T and TCR-T. The STAR-T platform uses a proprietary structure of antigen receptor complexes. The company believes the platform provides multi-targeted molecules with better efficacy, fewer side effects and easier development than traditional CAR-T products.

Chengdu's HitGen has signed a licensing agreement to develop a novel class of drugs for Kaken, a Japanese (TK: 4521) specialty pharma. HitGen has already used its large library of small molecule and macrocyclic compounds to identify potential candidates. Few details were released, but Kaken is known to be concentrating its R&D on inflammation/immunology (dermatitis, rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis), pain relief and fungal infections. One year ago, the two companies formed a similar collaboration, presumably for other targets. HitGen will receive an upfront payment and be eligible to receive preclinical and clinical milestones.

Suzhou Ascentage Pharma (HK: 6855) announced approvals for three clinical studies of APG-2575, a novel Bcl-2 inhibitor, two in the US and one in China. APG-2575 is an oral drug designed to treat several hematologic malignancies by blocking Bcl-2 to restore the normal apoptosis process in cancer cells. According to Ascentage, the candidate is the first China-made Bcl-2 inhibitor to start clinical trials. In its Phase I clinical studies, APG-2575 did not exhibit any dose-limiting toxicity or tumor lysis syndrome (which is commonly associated with other Bcl-2 inhibitors).

Denovo Biopharma, a San Diego-Beijing precision medicine company, has discovered a novel genetic biomarker for depression that it intends to use with DB104, a triple dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor. The company made the discovery using its proprietary biomarker discovery platform. Denovo licensed DB104 from Albany Molecular Research. Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY) returned the candidate to Albany after two Phase IIb clinical trials in treatment-resistant depression. The biomarker is one of four DeNovo biomarkers aimed at psychiatric use.

I-Mab (NASDAQ:IMAB), a Shanghai clinical-stage biopharma, has started to develop TJM2 (TJ003234) to treat cytokine release syndrome in severe cases of COVID-19. TJM2 is an I-Mab-discovered neutralizing antibody that binds human granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), an important cytokine that plays a critical role in acute and chronic inflammation. By binding GM-CSF, TJM2 prevents downstream signaling and target cell activation, inhibiting other inflammatory responses. I-Mab intends to start clinical trials in the US and expand to countries especially hard-hit by COVID-19.

Mesoblast (NSDQ: MESO; ASX: MSB), an Australia-based regenerative medicine company, announced plans to start trials of remestemcel-L, its allogeneic mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) product candidate, in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) caused by COVID-19. The trial will be conducted in the US, Australia, China and Europe. ARDS is the principal cause of death in COVID-19 patients. In a small China trial, allogeneic MSCs cured or significantly improved all seven patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia.

Ascletis (HK: 1672), a Hangzhou biopharma, reported that an initial group of 11 COVID-19 patients all recovered after being treated with a combination Ganovo and Ritonavir therapy. Ascletis's Ganovo, the first approved direct-acting anti-viral agent developed by a China company, was launched in 2018 to treat hepatitis C. Ritonavir is a generic anti-retroviral that is used in AIDS/HIV combination therapies. The small clinical trial was led by Dr. Hongyi Chen, the director of the Ninth Hospital of Nanchang.

Disclosure: None

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Editor's Note: The summary bullets for this article were chosen by Seeking Alpha editors.

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Week In Review: Nanjing Legend Files To Stage IPO In The U.S. - Seeking Alpha

Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson have tested positive for coronavirus while working in Australia. USA TODAY

As the new coronavirus spreads and sickens more people in the USA, people with preexisting health conditions areat particular risk, public health officials say.

Actor Tom Hanks, who revealed that he was living with Type 2 diabetes in 2013, confirmed Wednesday that he and his wife tested positive for the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.

People with diabetes are among those at increased risk for complications from COVID-19, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says.

That's becausefluctuations in blood glucose levelsand possible diabetes complications can make it harder to treat a viral infection, the International Diabetes Federationsays.

The latest on coronavirus: EU rips travel ban; US stocks struggle; NBA suspends season; US death toll at 38

Though doctors are still learning what exactly puts someone at higher risk for developing a severe illness with COVID-19, early information indicates older patients and those with chronic medical conditions may be at higher risk.

According to early data frommore than 44,000 confirmed casesin China as of Feb 11, deaths among patients who had diabetes were at 7%, compared with 0.9% for those without an underlying condition, the CDC says.

According to theInternational Diabetes Federation, there may be two reasons for the complications that can arise.

"Firstly, the immune system is compromised, making it harder to fight the virus and likely leading to a longer recovery period," the group wrote in its "Diabetes Voice" publication. "Secondly, the virus may thrive in an environment of elevated blood glucose."

Q&A: You asked us tons of questions about the coronavirus. We answered them.

"Diabetes affects healing in general," said Dr.Susan Spratt, an endocrinologist at Duke University. Patients who have diabetes can have an increased risk of taking more time to heal and get a secondary infection, Spratt said.

People with diabetes can't make enough or can't as effectively usethe insulin in their bodies, according to the CDC. Insulin helps people use sugar in their bloodstreams for energy. As the food we eat breaks down into sugar, or glucose, it is released into our blood, and our pancreas releases insulin to facilitate the process.

"When there isnt enough insulin or cells stop responding to insulin, too much blood sugar stays in your bloodstream. Over time, that can cause serious health problems, such as heart disease, vision lossand kidney disease," the CDC says.

When a patient's diabetes is uncontrolled, meaning blood sugar levels are not in a recommended range, this can especially contribute to heart or kidney problems, said Dr. Maria Pea, director of endocrine services at Mount Sinai Doctors Forest Hills in New York.

Having both problems with their heart or kidney and diabetes could worsenthe prognosis for patients with COVID-19, she said.

Another potential issue for patients with diabetes amid the COVID-19 outbreak is inflammation, saidPea.

Increased blood sugar can increase inflammation, as can viral infections,Pea said. With bothincreasinginflammation, this can increase the likelihood of a more severe complication, she added.

People with diabetes, even those with the condition well managed, are at a higher risk of complications from the flu as well, the CDC says.

Patients with Type 1 diabetes, caused when a person's immune system attacks the cells in their pancreas that create insulin, are at an increased risk fordiabetic ketoacidosis. "This can make fluid and electrolyte management even trickier when trying to manage sepsis," Spratt said.

According to research published Wednesdayin the medical journal The Lancet, sepsis and septic shock are among the severe complications observed in some COVID-19 cases.

The CDC recommends people with preexisting conditions take everyday precautions to protect themselves from COVID-19. This includes avoiding contact with sick people, washing their hands regularly and not touching their face, among other measures.

Those who have a condition such as diabetes should make sure they're in contact with their doctor if they need extra medication or supplies, such astest strips or insulin.

The American Diabetes Associationrecommends gatheringsimple carbs such asregular soda, honey, jam,Jell-O, hard candies or popsicles.

"If you have diabetes and you have symptoms such as cough, high temperature and feeling short of breath, you need to monitor your blood sugar closely," Dan Howarth, head of care at Diabetes UK, said in a statement.

Follow USA TODAY's Ryan Miller on Twitter @RyanW_Miller

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Why people with diabetes, like Tom Hanks, may be at increased risk of coronavirus - USA TODAY

Bossier, La. - More than 7-million American adults have diabetes and don't know it. That's about one in four people. And with diabetes, what you don't know can kill you.

There is absolutely no way to tell who in this crowd has diabetes, "You don't just go to bed one day and wake up the next and you're diabetic," says Endocrinologist, Laura E. Kimball-Ravari, M.D.

There are symptoms that go unnoticed leaving one-third of diabetes cases undiagnosed, "Changes and differences in your body from having high blood sugars can start early on," says Ravari. She adds, the sooner a person discovers they're diabetic the better.

"Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in adults, the leading cause of kidney failure requiring hemodialysis, the leading cause of lower limb amputation," says Ravari.

Tiffany McCallister was just a toddler when her mother suspected something might be wrong, "She took me to the doctor and they said there was nothing wrong."

At that time, blood glucose tests weren't as accurate. Her mother got a second opinion, "And immediately smelled my breath and said she's a diabetic."

Tiffany has Type1. Diabetes typically considered the type that affects children, "But, they can also be diagnosed when they're much older, even 30's and 40's. But, they're usually a more slender build and are normally more fit," adds Ravari.

Still the first step is diagnosis which means knowing the symptoms. "You do have to look for the symptoms of diabetes, and some of the symptoms are being very hungry, being very tired, and maybe having some blurry vision," says Ravari.

Frequent urination is also a symptom. A person might also have cuts that don't properly heal.

Diagnosed as a toddler, to Tiffany managing diabetes is a way of life. Whether you're a Type 1 or Type 2 diabetic, going undiagnosed could be deadly, "I've had it a long time. And the best thing, take care of yourself and don't limit yourself."

If you are experiencing any of the symptoms - make an appointment with a doctor. The longer diabetes goes undiagnosed, the more damage it can cause. Prevalence of the disease is expected to increase by 54-percent in the next 10 years.

More:
Defeating Diabetes: What you don't know can kill you. Take the test - KTBS

PUNE, India, March 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Infinium Global Research has recently published a global report on "Artificial Intelligence in Diabetes Management Market(Device - Insulin Delivery Devices, Diagnostic Devices, and Glucose Monitoring Devices): Global Industry Analysis, Trends, Size, Share and Forecasts to 2024", the reported study estimated the market for artificial intelligence in diabetes management will reach up to USD 1264.7 million by 2024, with a compound annual growth rate of 47.5%, in the forecast period (2018-2024).

Digitization has made big data technologies more relevant in the healthcare environment. The propagation of smart devices has enhanced the transition to digitized healthcare. The smart apps have made self-management of diabetes by the patients affordable. Sensors are proficient in transmitting data to smart devices and diabetics can monitor their blood glucose levels on these devices. Pharmacogenetics and machine learning will help systems embedded with artificial intelligence to manage diabetes better than humans in the near future. Artificial intelligence algorithms bring about advanced glucose prediction methods that help in tackling diabetes effectively.

Furthermore, artificial intelligence is leveraging the avalanche of healthcare data and is improving patient outcomes for diabetes patients. Machine learning algorithms allow better diagnosis and monitoring resulting in enhanced patient-centric treatment. It is predicted that diabetes will extensively be managed by smart machines and artificial intelligence algorithms over the forecast period.

Download Exclusive Sample Copy of Report: https://www.infiniumglobalresearch.com/reports/sample-request/3241

Increasing Prevalence of Diabetes Globally

Diabetes is a medical condition wherein the inability of the pancreas to produce insulin causes augmented glucose levels in the body. Presently, the major part of the world is suffering from type 2 diabetes to a greater extent. Furthermore, genetics and an unhealthy lifestyle are considered as major causes of diabetes mellitus. Diabetics face various daily challenges such as dietary restrictions and regular administering of insulin. The anytime-anywhere nature of digital technology allows patients to address their health problems by connecting with the healthcare team and sharing data. This is creating a digital ecosystem of data driven tools that can associate patients and their care team for better management of diabetes.

Moreover, the government programs are running across the world in order to control diabetes. Numerous software companies come with an idea of several applications in diabetes management which would help in controlling and managing diabetes. Growing use of mobile phones permits these companies to design apps which directly or indirectly help to manage the diabetes mellitus.

Increasing Penetration of Connected Devices and other Wireless Technology Will Spur Revenue Growth

The global artificial intelligence in diabetes management market is anticipated to witness the exceptional growth during the estimated period. The growth is primarily associated with the increasing prevalence of the geriatric population across the globe. In addition, the rising prevalence of metabolic disorders together with increasing adoption of a torpid or sedentary lifestyle also contributes to boosting the growth of artificial intelligence in the diabetes management market.

However, few factors such as government regulation, a dearth of awareness, and high cost are the major restraints limiting the growth of artificial intelligence in the diabetes management market. Nevertheless, various research and technological developments are considered as better opportunities that help in bringing new growth paths for artificial intelligence in the diabetes management market over the forecast period.

Novel Solutions Offered by Several Companies and Digital Health Start-Ups Assist in Revenue Growth

The key players are investing in integrated Artificial Intelligence technology with other technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), Natural Language Processing (NLP), and Machine Learning (ML). Launch of the technologically advanced and economical system by key players in the market are projected to propel the growth of the market during the forecast period. Various companies are also providing a wide range of devices and software portfolio to offer advanced solutions to their customers.

Furthermore, mergers & acquisitions, strategic partnerships, collaboration, and agreement are some of the major strategies adopted by industry vendors to sustain competition in the market. For instance, in June 2019, Companion Medical, a leader in the development of advanced insulin delivery technology to improve diabetes care, and Glooko, a leader in diabetes data visualization and management, have declared an incorporated data partnership agreement that will permit insulin data from users of the InPen Smart Insulin Injection Pen to be integrated into the Glooko Enterprise diabetes data management system and Glooko Mobile App. This amalgamation will assist users to automatically incorporate their insulin data with the Glooko diabetes data management system for medical evaluation by their healthcare professionals.

Evolving Healthcare Infrastructure in Developing Nations Enables Market Growth in Asia Pacific

North America region is estimated to remain its dominance in artificial intelligence in the diabetes management market during the prediction period due to growing innovation in artificial intelligence-based solutions. Furthermore, North America is in the next phase of digitization of concepts like the Internet of Things, big data, robotics, and machine learning. Consequently, these digital technologies are expected to drive the regional market over the projection period. The Asia Pacific region is anticipated to witness an enormous growth in the near future owing to new product launches and a huge diabetes population base.

In addition, the Asia Pacific region is also witnessing numerous product launches. For instance, in May 2019, Roche Diabetes Care India introduced its Integrated Diabetes Management Solution (IDMS) program in India along with the introduction of the Accu-Chek Instant blood glucose monitoring (BGM) system and the My Sugar app. Moreover, the government of China is promoting the development of artificial intelligence in the healthcare sector and offering funds for smart healthcare facilities.

Need Assistance? Send an Enquiry@ https://www.infiniumglobalresearch.com/reports/enquiry/3241

Global Artificial Intelligence in Diabetes Management Industry Coverage

Chapter - 1 Preface

Chapter - 2 Executive Summary

Chapter - 3 Global Artificial Intelligence in Diabetes Management Market Overview

Chapter - 4 Artificial Intelligence in Diabetes Management Market Macro Indicator Analysis

Chapter - 5 Global Artificial Intelligence in Diabetes Management Market by Device

Chapter - 6 Global Artificial Intelligence in Diabetes Management Market by Region 2018-2024

Chapter - 7 Company Profiles and Competitive Landscape

Browsein-depth TOC on "Artificial Intelligence in Diabetes Management Market"

About Us

Infinium Global Research is a business consulting and market research firm; a group of experts that caters to fulfilling business and market research needs of leading companies in various industry verticals and business segments. The company also serves government bodies, institutes and non-profit/non-government organizations to meet their knowledge and information needs.

Through our information services and solutions, we assist our clients to improve their performance and assess the market conditions to achieve their organizational goals. Our team of experts and analysts are engaged in continuously monitoring and assessing the market conditions to provide the knowledge support to our clients. To help our clients and to stay updated with the advances and inventions in technology, business processes, regulations and environment, Infinium often conducts regular meets with industry experts and opinion leaders. Our key opinion leaders are involved in monitoring and assessing the progress in the business environment, so as to offer the best opinion to our clients.

Contact:

Mr. Shrikant AthavaleInfinium Global ResearchOffice No. 103 and 104,Suratwala Mark Plazzo,Hinjawadi, Pune,Maharashtra,Pin- 411057.USA: 1-888-500-3114Email:info@infiniumglobalresearch.com Research Insight:https://www.infiniumglobalresearch.com/healthcare-medical-devices/global-artificial-intelligence-in-diabetes-management-marketVisit Our Web Site:https://www.infiniumglobalresearch.com

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Artificial Intelligence in Diabetes Management Industry to Generate Revenues of Over $1.26 Billion by 2024 - Infinium Global Research - Benzinga

Type 2 diabetes is not a major concern in and of itself, but if left untreated, the condition can lead to a number of deadly complications, such as heart disease. This is because your blood sugar levels are more prone to fluctuating if you have diabetes, and this mechanism damages blood vessels and impairs other vital bodily functions. There is now a threat that has been added to the list of potential complications: COVID-19.

COVID-19 is a new strain of virus that belongs to the coronavirus group, a family of respiratory infections.

The virus, which first broke out in the Wuhan province in China in December, has so far caused 124,933 cases worldwide and lead to 4,585 fatalities.

Scientists gathering data on the pathogen have revealed that infected people with diabetes are more prone to developing a serious illness.

It is believed that diabetes can weaken your immune systems defences, leaving you more susceptible to illness.

READ MORE:Type 2 diabetes: How much sleep you need each night to keep blood sugar levels in check

According to official reports, older people, those with a compromised immune system and those with high blood pressure or heart problems, are at an increased risk of developing a serious illness.

People with diabetes should also heed the advice issued to the general public on how to reduce the risk of catching and spreading the virus.

Thoroughly washing your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds is the most important measure.

Take notice of areas you might miss including the back of your hands, between your fingers and around the nails, advises Diabetes.co.uk.

Originally posted here:
Type 2 diabetes and coronavirus: How to lower risk of catching virus if you have diabetes - Express

Jim Miller, The Savvy Senior Published 3:47 p.m. CT March 15, 2020

Jim Miller(Photo: File)

Dear Savvy Senior,

Do kidney problems run in families? My mother died from kidney failure 10 years ago at age 74 but didnt know she had a kidney problem until it was too late.

Just Turned 60

Dear 60,

Anyone who has a family history of kidney disease, or who has high blood pressure or diabetes is at increased risk and needs to have their kidneys tested.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, around 37 million U.S adults have chronic kidney disease (when the kidneys cant properly do their job of cleaning toxins and wastes from the blood), and millions more are at risk of developing it, yet most people dont realize it. Thats because kidney disease develops very slowly over many years before any symptoms arise. But left untreated, the disease can eventually require people to spend hours hooked up to a dialysis machine or get a kidney transplant. Even mild kidney problems can double a persons risk of heart attack and stroke, as well as cause anemia and bone disease.

The reason kidney disease has become so widespread today is because of the rise of obesity, type-2 diabetes and high blood pressure which all strain the kidneys.

Another factor is the increasing number of people who take multiple medications, which can overtax the organs. People over age 60 are especially vulnerable both because they tend to take more drugs, and because kidney function normally declines somewhat with age.

Because kidney disease has no early symptoms, the only way to catch it before it advances is to have a simple blood and urine test by your doctor. So, anyone that has diabetes, high blood pressure or heart disease, a family history of kidney disease, or is age 60 or older needs to get tested. African, Hispanic, Asian and Indian Americans along with Pacific Islanders are also at increased risk.

If youre diagnosed with kidney disease you need to know that theres no cure, but there are steps you can take to help contain the damage, including:

Control your blood pressure: If you have high blood pressure, get it under 130/80. If you need medication to do it, ACE inhibitors and ARBs are good choices because of their proven ability to protect the kidneys.

Control your diabetes: If you have diabetes, keep your blood sugar as close to normal as possible.

Change your diet: This usually means reducing the amount of protein and phosphorus you eat and cutting back on sodium and possibly potassium. Your doctor can help you determine an appropriate eating plan, or you may want to talk to a dietitian.

Watch your meds: Dozens of commonly used drugs can damage the kidneys, especially when taken in high doses over long periods most notably NSAIDs like ibuprofen and naproxen. Herbal supplements can also be very dangerous. Talk to your doctor about all the prescription, over-the-counter and herbal products you take to identify potential problems and find alternatives.

Exercise and lose weight: If youre overweight and inactive, start an aerobic fitness routine (walk, swim, cycle, etc.) that gets your heart pumping. This will help lower blood pressure, control diabetes and help you lose excess weight all of which will help your kidneys.

Quit smoking: If you smoke, quit. Heart disease becomes a much greater risk to the kidneys if your smoke. Smoking also doubles the rate of progression to end-stage renal failure.

Limit alcohol intake: Drinking too much alcohol can worsen kidney disease too, so talk to your doctor to see if its safe for you to drink, and if so, limit yourself to no more than one drink per day.

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of The Savvy Senior book.

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Prevent the silent epidemic of kidney disease - The Baxter Bulletin

SAN ANTONIO For many who develop type-2 diabetes, they become reliant on medicationand, in many cases, more than one type. But it is possible to roll back diabetes and get off the medications with diet and exercise.

"It was eight-point-something and now we are down to 5.7, which is borderline diabetic. Anything under six is where I want to stay," said Armida Oliver, a diabetes patient for the past 10 years, while discussing her A1C number. "That was about two or three years ago. I'm down to just one medication and my numbers have been great."

At one point she was taking three medications: Metformin, Januvia, and Invokana. But thanks to diet and exercise, she managed to drop two of them, along with 55 pounds.

"I join my sisters for senior water aerobics every morning. We try Monday through Friday, but we are happy if we go four times a week," Oliver said.

Some of the benefits of exercise for diabetes includes lowered blood sugar levels, improved insulin sensitivity, reduced body fat, a lowered risk of heart disease and an enhanced quality of life.

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"Miss Oliver is really a model patient. She's the perfect example of someone who, through lifestyle modifications, has been able to not only get her diabetes under control, but really throwing the diabetes into what we call remission," said Dr. Alberto Chavez, an endocrinologist with the Texas Diabetes Institute within the University Health System.

He added there has been some debate about what diabetes remission really means.

"The bottom line is that it is a reality that patients can get off of medications or many amounts of medications by making meaningful lifestyle changes," Chavez said.

That is exactly what Oliver did in cutting her medications from three to one.

"I take it faithfully and I know that I can't have two donuts in one sitting," she said. "I'm not depriving myself, but, by the same token, I just limit myself."

For more information about family health, call (210)358-3045. You can also find the rest of Wear The Gown stories, just go to WearTheGown.com.

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Wear The Gown: Rolling back diabetes with diet and exercise - KENS5.com

Type 2 diabetes is a condition whereby the pancreas does not produce enough of the hormone insulin to regulate glucose in your blood, a type of sugar that you get from food and drink. With the pancreas out of action, blood sugar levels rise uncontrollably. This process can damage blood vessels, causing a number of life-threatening complications, such as heart disease.

This internal mechanism largely goes undetected in the beginning so people with type 2 diabetes often live with the condition for years before getting diagnosed.

Over time, however, high blood sugar levels can produce a number of noticeable signs.

One major warning sign to watch out for is shortness of breath, according to Mayo Clinic.

This symptom arises when blood sugar levels cause toxic acids to build up in your blood and urine, explains the health body.

READ MORE:How to live longer: Three reasons why paprika spice may increase your life expectancy

It is important to note that becoming short of breath can also indicate kidney failure, the most severe stage of kidney disease.

As Diabetes.co.uk, kidney disease is one of the more common complications of diabetes, affecting about 40 percent of people with diabetes.

Other symptoms associated with consistently high blood sugar levels include:

If you recognise any of the above symptoms associated with type 2 diabetes, you should see a GP immediately, says the NHS.

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As the health body points out, the earlier diabetes is diagnosed and treatment started, the better.

After receiving a diabetes diagnosis, a GP will usually recommend revising your lifestyle to lower your blood sugar levels.

One key aspect of blood sugar management is to improve your diet.

One tried-and-tested way to reduce your blood sugar levels is to restrict your intake of high-carb foods.

Foods with a high-carb content are broken down into blood sugar relatively quickly and therefore has a more pronounced effect on blood sugar levels than either fat or protein.

High-carb culprits include starchy foods such as rice, pasta and flour (therefore including pastry, bread and other dough based foods).

Following the Glycemic Index (GI) can help you differentiate between low and high-carb foods.

The Glycemic Index (GI) is a relative ranking of carbohydrate in foods according to how they affect blood glucose levels.

Carbohydrates with a low GI value (55 or less) are more slowly digested, absorbed and metabolised and cause a lower and slower rise in blood glucose and, usually, insulin levels.

Carbs that rank low on the GI index include:

Many whole grain breads and cereals (like barley, whole wheat bread, rye bread, and all-bran cereal)

The other key component of blood sugar management is regular exercise.

According to the NHS, you should aim for 2.5 hours of moderate-intensity exercise a week to keep blood sugar levels in check.

Read the rest here:
Type 2 diabetes symptoms: The change in your breathing pattern to watch out for - Express

As the number of UK cases of coronavirus continues to rise, what has become clear is how many of the patients to die from the virus have underlying health conditions that make them susceptible to catching it.

The death toll in Britain is up to 22. Of the latest deaths in the UK, eight were men aged over 80. All but one had known underlying health conditions.

Its a new infection, but from our experience with dealing with flu epidemics, we know that people with various conditions will fare worse, says Fan Chung, a professor of respiratory medicine at Imperial College. A paper has just published in the New England Journal of Medicine, that looked at the first 1,001 cases in Wuhan. The figures showed those with diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, COPD, cancer and renal disease, fared worse. And I suspect the people who very unfortunately died in the UK had one or any of those conditions."

A Chinese study hasfound people with heart disease, diabetes and cancer had a 79 per cent chance of being admitted to intensive care or dying from the virus, due to their weakened immune systems.

Here are the underlying health conditions that put you at higher risk of getting the coronavirus, anda reminder of how it might initially spread.

People with diabetes face a higher risk of complications if they get the coronavirus, due to the fact their fluctuating or elevated glucose levels leave them with lowered immunity. This also means they have less protection against getting the virus. Coronavirus or COVID-19 can cause more severe symptoms and complications in people with diabetes, says Dan Howarth from Diabetes UK. If you have diabetes and you have symptoms such as a cough, high temperature and feeling short of breath you need to monitor your blood sugar closely and call the NHS 111 phone service.

People with diabetes who dont experience symptoms and have recently travelled to any of the affected areas need to follow information on the NHS and theGOV.UKwebsites, adds Howarth. "These are updated regularly and are the most up-to-date source of information available.

Its believed around 40 per cent of hospitalised coronavirus patients have heart disease. Somebody with a heart condition is more likely to have a compromised immune system, so their immune response wont be as strong if exposed to a virus. COVID-19 also targets the lungs, which could cause problems for a diseased heart that has to work harder to get oxygenated blood around the body.

Asthma is a respiratory condition that leads to inflammation of the breathing tubes that transport air to and from the lungs.Coronavirus can cause respiratory problems for anyone, but for the 5.4million people in the UK with asthma, the risk is greater, says Jessica Kirby, Head of Health Advice at Asthma UK. Respiratory viruses like thiscan triggerasthma symptoms and couldlead to anasthma attack.

Kirby says if youre a sufferer, itsessential to takeyour preventer, daily as prescribed. This helps cut the risk of an asthma attack being triggered by any virus, including coronavirus, she says. Keeping a reliever inhaler to handis vital, soyoucan use it ifyou get asthmasymptoms.

Ifyourasthma symptomsgetworse, and you havent travelled to an at-risk area or been in contact with someone who has, make an appointment to see your GP as soon as you can. If you think you might have coronavirus, use the NHS 111 online coronavirus service."

COPD is the name for certain lung conditions that cause breathing difficulties, including emphysema, which is characterised by damage to the air sacs in the lungs,and chronic bronchitis, which is a long-term condition involving inflammation of the lungs airways. People with COPD are more likely to get coronavirus if exposed to the virus because they have damage to their epithelial lining, which makes it easier for viruses to enter the body.

Cancer patients are more susceptible due to their compromised immune system. Various cancer drugs and treatments, like chemotherapy, mean your immune system may be suppressed, says Prof Chung, and this would increase your chances of catching it. And if you do get it while you havecancer, you would probably fare worse than somebody with the virus who didnt have cancer.

Not a health condition as such, but many of the thousands of deaths so far have involved elderly people with underlying health conditions. The elderly are at greater risk, and government advice for the elderly to avoid crowded areas is sound advice, says Prof Chung. The figures we have so far seem to imply the risk increases above the age of 70. However its even worse for those over 80. The chances of getting it and faring worse increase two or three times above the age the 70, but even more so above 80.

In terms of children, who appear to be less prone to getting the coronavirus and, if they do, getting a more benign version of the illness, Prof Chung says that a young person with an underlying health condition isn't at a greater risk: A young person with asthma, or heart disease, wouldnt be predisposed to get the coronavirusor suffer from it, in the same way an adult with the condition would, he says. Maybe its their immune system, and how its different from older people, but in terms of their susceptibility of getting the coronavirus, health conditions in young people dont seem to increase their chances of catching it.

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Coronavirus: how diabetes, asthma and other underlying health conditions affect how you cope - Telegraph.co.uk

Akram Ghobadi,1 Pegah Ahmadi Sarbarzeh,2 Milad Jalilian,2 Alireza Abdi,1 Sara Manouchehri3

1Nursing Department, Nursing and Midwifery School, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran; 2Nursing Department, Nursing and Midwifery School, Student Research Committee, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran; 3Biostatistics Department, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran

Correspondence: Pegah Ahmadi SarbarzehNursing Department, Nursing and Midwifery School, Student Research Committee, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, IranTel +98 930 1946547Email Ahmadi.pegah554@yahoo.com

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disease characterized by high blood sugar (BS) levels and the change in the metabolism of lipids, carbohydrates, and insulin resistance, and is one of the main causes of disability and mortality worldwide. Among the different types of complications, which have many negative effects on personal and social life, diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) is very important. This study aims to investigate the factors affecting the severity of DFU among patients with diabetes.Methods: The study participants included 190 diabetic patients with a diagnosis of DFU. Data were collected using a two-part questionnaire for self-care awareness and functions in diabetic patients and Wagners scale. The questionnaire was answered in cooperation with patients and the Wagners score was estimated bya wound supervisor in the diabetes center.Results: There was 109 women (57.4%). Twenty-six patients had other diabetic complications as well as DFU. The average score of awareness in patients was 6.99 2.76 and the function was 62.22 9.92. The results found a direct relation between the age and the durationofillness with the score of the patients awareness (P=0.008, P=0.000). There was also a direct relation between the level of education with score of awareness and the score of function in self-care (P=0.000, P=0.000), but the statistical results did not find any relation between awareness and the function in self-care of patients with the severity of DFU (P> 0.05).Discussion: There was no relation between the self-care awareness and function with severity of DFU (P> 0.05) that can be due to the more relation between DFU severity with hygiene and physical factors after the disease and the effect of awareness and function would be only in the incidence of the DFU.Conclusion: Awareness and function of patients in self-care is less than average. Increasing awareness of patients and empowering them through appropriate training can be effective in preventing diabetic foot ulcers.

Keywords: diabetes, diabetic foot ulcer, diabetes complications

This work is published and licensed by Dove Medical Press Limited. The full terms of this license are available at https://www.dovepress.com/terms.php and incorporate the Creative Commons Attribution - Non Commercial (unported, v3.0) License.By accessing the work you hereby accept the Terms. Non-commercial uses of the work are permitted without any further permission from Dove Medical Press Limited, provided the work is properly attributed. For permission for commercial use of this work, please see paragraphs 4.2 and 5 of our Terms.

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Evaluation of Factors Affecting the Severity of Diabetic Foot Ulcer in | DMSO - Dove Medical Press

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New Delhi: Coronavirus, which is now officially a pandemic, is deadly, but not for everyone. Illness due to coronavirus, also called COVID-19, is generally mild, especially for children and young adults, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

However, the early clinical profile of COVID-19 suggests severe manifestation in people suffering from diabetes, cardiovascular conditions and lung diseases like asthma and chronic pulmonary obstructive disorder (COPD).

These conditions are common among Indians for example, India ranks second in diabetes incidence, with an estimated 7.7 crore diabetics, according to the International Diabetes Foundations Diabetes Atlas.

Similarly, medical journal The Lancet found heart diseases and strokes to be one of the top reasons for deaths in India, where the number of cardiovascular disease patients reportedly increased to 5.45 crore in 2016 from 2.57 crore in 1990.

COPD was the second-strongest cause of death in India after heart disease in 2017, killing 9.58 lakh Indians that year, according to the University of Washingtons Global Burden of Disease study 2018.

Patients of these conditions need to exercise additional caution amid the spread of COVID-19, which, according to WHO, had killed over 3,500 people by 8 March.

Such patients are primarily advised to stock drugs for the long-term and take extra precautions, and ensure theyve received vaccines for influenza and pneumococcal infections, which include severe pneumonia.

Also Read:Forget coronavirus, homoeopathy cant cure anything. Its a placebo, at best

While data about COVID-19 in patients with diabetes is limited at present, the condition was present in 42.3 per cent of 26 fatalities in Wuhan, China, the epicentre of the pandemic, according to a Chinese study (which factored in data for December 2019-January 2020) published by the Switzerland-based, peer-reviewed Journal of Clinical Medicine in February.

Individuals with diabetes are at risk of infections, especially influenza and pneumonia. This risk can be reduced, though not completely eliminated, by good glycaemic control. All people with diabetes (above 2 years of age) are recommended pneumococcal and annual influenza vaccinations, said Dr Anoop Misra, chairman at Fortis, C-Doc, in a study co-authored by him.

The research, titled Diabetes & Metabolic Syndrome: Clinical Research & Reviews, was published in the latest edition (May-June) of ScienceDirect, a portal for peer-reviewed research.

Pneumococcal vaccines prevent infections caused by bacteria spread through person-to-person contact, which could lead to serious infections like pneumonia, blood infections, and bacterial meningitis.

Patients with diabetes generally contract severe infections due to respiratory viruses.

Diabetes was seen as an important risk factor for mortality in patients infected with Pandemic Influenza A 2009 (H1N1), Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) coronavirus and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome-related coronavirus (MERS-CoV), the aforementioned study said.

When people with diabetes develop a viral infection, it is often difficult to treat them due to fluctuations in their blood glucose levels and the presence of diabetes complications. Their immune system is compromised, Dr Mahesh DM, a consultant for endocrinology at Bengalurus Aster CMI Hospital.

Also, patients with Type-1 diabetes should measure blood glucose and urinary ketones frequently if fever occurs while blood glucose levels are high.

Frequent changes in dosage may be required to maintain normal sugar in the blood, Misra said.

Also Read: 10 reasons why you dont need to panic about coronavirus

While the specific impact of coronavirus infection on the cardiovascular system remains unclear, according to the American College of Cardiology, there have been reports of acute cardiac injury, arrhythmias, hypotension, tachycardia, and a high proportion of concomitant cardiovascular disease in infected individuals, particularly those who require more intensive care.

Arrhythmia means irregular heartbeats while hypotension refers to abnormally low blood pressure and tachycardia to rapid heartbeats.

Patients who have undergone angioplasty or have a stent inside their hearts are believed to be more vulnerable to severe COVID-19 infection. The virus can cause tears in a patients blood vessels and then lead to secondary infections.

Influenza virus is already known as a propellant for heart attacks. The patients who are on blood-thinning medications, their chances of bleeding from lungs become high in case of coughing, such as in the case of coronavirus infection, said Yugal Kishore Mishra, head of cardiac sciences at Manipal Hospital in Delhi.

Based on an advisory from the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), doctors recommend that cardiac patients should take flu and bacterial pneumonia vaccinations.

When the body is fighting a major pathogen like coronavirus, it becomes vulnerable to other viruses and bacterial infections. The vaccine for flu and pneumonia will reduce the chances of death in case of coronavirus infections, said Dr K.K. Aggarwal, a cardiologist and former president of the Indian Medical Association (IMA).

Doctors also recommend immunity boosters along with a nutritious diet. I prescribe regular doses of Vitamin C and B-complex along with vaccination to the susceptible category, Mishra added.

Apart from stocking their routine medicines and inhalers, patients, experts advise, should consult doctors about new dosage requirements, if any.

With the summer coming, several patients re-adjust and reduce the dosage. In the winter, they generally need higher doses. This time, I recommend all patients to check with their doctors about the required dosage, said Dr Navneet Sood, pulmonology consultant at Dharamshila Narayana Superspeciality Hospital in Delhi.

We advise flu vaccines and pneumococcal vaccines apart from wearing N-95 masks, even if you are feeling healthy.

Also Read:Funny videos, TikTok dances, serious info how social media has responded to coronavirus

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What patients of diabetes, asthma need to do to stay safe from COVID-19 - ThePrint

A woman from Chester is preparing to run her first marathon three years after being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.

Kirsten Gooderham, 26, of Huntington, will take on the Virgin Money London Marathon on Sunday, April 26.

She is well on course to raise more than 2,000 in sponsorship for Diabetes UK, a charity which she says has transformed her life since her diagnosis in April 2017.

Type 1 diabetes causes the level of glucose in the blood to become too high. It happens when the body cant produce enough of a hormone called insulin, which controls blood glucose.

Type 1 diabetes is treated by daily insulin doses taken either by injections or via an insulin pump.

People with type 1 diabetes need to check their blood glucose levels are not too low or too high by using a glucose testing device several times a day.

Diabetes UKs Fight for Flash campaign empowered Kirsten to push for a flash glucose monitor. The device sits under the skin and measures the amount of sugar in the fluid under the skin, called interstitial fluid.

It has made it much easier for the former Chester Queens School pupil to manage her diabetes and run regularly in her free time.

Kirsten said: Flash means I no longer have to prick my fingers eight times a day in order to know my glucose readings. I can scan my arm and know within seconds what my levels are, 24/7.

Its changed my life completely and I have Diabetes UK to thank for that.

As well as reducing the need for as many finger pricks, the technology makes it easier to see when sugar levels are starting to rise or drop, meaning people can take action earlier.

Kirsten finds the monitor particularly useful when she is training and also uses an insulin pump, which she says is a massive help.

She added: Running is hard enough as it is, in terms of what to eat before a run, what to eat after. Now I have diabetes, its a constant battle of making sure Ive got enough carbs on board, and not having too many.

The main thing I found is you need to get into a routine to get out there and practice. Sometimes it goes wrong and you just have to move on and learn from it.

Sometimes it goes right, and its very rewarding when that happens.

Kirsten, who works as a production planner at a Deeside car engine factory, ran her first half-marathon while she was at university.

She had to pull out of the Chester Half Marathon in 2017 as it was due to take place soon after she was diagnosed with diabetes.

However, she managed to run it the following year and this year she will be stepping up to the full 26.2 miles in London for the first time.

The big run takes place three years and two days on from Kirstens diagnosis.

Clare Howarth, head of the North of England at Diabetes UK, said: Our much-needed work wouldnt be possible without the determination and generosity of our incredible fundraisers.

We are extremely grateful to Kirsten for her hard work running a marathon is no mean feat! The money raised will help fund ground-breaking research, care services and campaigns that can change the lives of those living with diabetes.

To sponsor Kirsten, please visit: https://justgiving.com/fundraising/Kirsten-Gooderham.

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Chester woman won't let diabetes get in the way of her first London Marathon - Cheshire Live

This article was originally published here

Standardised self-management kits for children with type 1 diabetes: pragmatic randomised trial of effectiveness and cost-effectiveness.

BMJ Open. 2020 Mar 12;10(3):e032163

Authors: Noyes J, Allen D, Carter C, Edwards D, Edwards RT, Russell D, Russell IT, Spencer LH, Sylvestre Y, Whitaker R, Yeo ST, Gregory JW

AbstractOBJECTIVE: To estimate the effectiveness of standardised self-management kits for children with type 1 diabetes.DESIGN: Pragmatic trial with randomisation ratio of two intervention: one control. Qualitative process evaluation.SETTING: 11 diabetes clinics in England and Wales.PARTICIPANTS: Between February 2010 and August 2011, we validly randomised 308 children aged 6-18 years; 201 received the intervention.INTERVENTION: We designed kits to empower children to achieve glycaemic control, notably by recording blood glucose and titrating insulin. The comparator was usual treatment. OUTCOME MEASURES AT 3 AND 6 MONTHS: Primary: Diabetes Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL). Secondary: HbA1c; General PedsQL; EQ-5D; healthcare resource use.RESULTS: Of the five Diabetes PedsQL dimensions, Worry showed adjusted scores significantly favouring self-management kits at 3months (mean child-reported difference =+5.87; Standard error[SE]=2.19; 95% confidence interval [CI]) from +1.57to +10.18; p=0.008); but Treatment Adherence significantly favoured controls at 6months (mean child-reported difference=-4.68; SE=1.74; 95%CI from -8.10 to -1.25; p=0.008). Intervention children reported significantly worse changes between 3 and 6months on four of the five Diabetes PedsQL dimensions and on the total score (mean difference=-3.20; SE=1.33; 95%CI from -5.73 to -0.67; p=0.020). There was no evidence of change in HbA1c; only 18% of participants in each group achieved recommended levels at 6 months. No serious adverse reactions attributable to the intervention or its absence were reported.Use of kits was poor. Few children or parents associated blood glucose readings with better glycaemic control. The kits, costing 185, alienated many children and parents.CONCLUSIONS: Standardised kits showed no evidence of benefit, inhibited diabetes self-management and increased worry. Future research should study relationships between children and professionals, and seek new methods of helping children and parents to manage diabetes.TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ISRCTN17551624.

PMID: 32169923 [PubMed as supplied by publisher]

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Standardised self-management kits for children with type 1 diabetes: pragmatic randomised trial of effectiveness and cost-effectiveness. - DocWire...