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Biomedical subjects

D J Becker

Publications and source records attributed to D J Becker.

152 records · Page 9Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Progressive retinopathy with improved control in diabetic dwarfism (Mauriac's syndrome).

We report four children aged 11-18 1/2 yr first seen 7-14 yr after the diagnosis of insulin-dependent diabetes. At presentation, all had marked short stature, two had hepatomegaly, and the older three had delayed adolescence. They had been severely underinsulinized. Initial funduscopy demonstrated only occasion microaneurysms in two children and a single intraretinal hemorrhage in another. The youngest was normal. Improved control required large increases in insulin dosage. Growth rate improved significantly and hepatomegaly regressed. Puberty progressed rapidly in two older patients with poor final height. Paradoxically, with improved control, retinopathy progressed rapidly with appearance of multiple microaneurysms, nerve fiber layer infarctions, intraretinal microangiopathic changes, hemorrhages, exudates, and macular edema in all the patients and severe proliferation changes in three. One child with proliferative retinopathy in both eyes developed vitreous hemorrhage and blindness in one eye. Two required panretinal photocoagulation with no further progression of their retinopathy. These rapidly progressive retinal changes remain unexplained. We advise caution when correcting metabolic derangements of diabetic patients who have been poorly controlled for a prolonged period.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Effects of enhanced conventional therapy on metabolic control in children with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

We implemented a three-phase, 32-wk program to improve both self-regulation of adherence behaviors and insulin delivery in children with diabetes. Twenty children, aged 8-12 yr (mean duration 3.6 yr), enrolled. Phase 1 (wk 1-12) used behavior modification to improve diet, exercise, urine testing, and insulin adjustment, targeting an increased percentage negative urines. Feedback training and parent checks were used to improve reliability; adherence was measured using Clinitest placebos. Phase 2 (wk 13-20) was a stabilization period. Phase 3 (wk 21-32) studied the effect of insulin dose adjustment, comparing once-versus twice-daily shots in 10 pairs of children matched for %GHb. GHb, fasting plasma glucose, and lipids were measured at baseline and at the end of each phase. Results revealed a significant and sustained increase in negative urine tests, but no change in % GHb or FBG. Reliability of and adherence to urine tests were 83% and 76%, respectively. During phase 3, no significant differences were noted between groups receiving once- or twice-daily insulin injections. Thus, behavior modification resulted in increased reliability and adherence to routines, associated with a reliable increase in negative urines. This did not, however, produce changes in other control measures. Furthermore, no differences between those receiving 1 or 2 daily shots were evident.

Behavior Therapy↗
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The Pittsburgh Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (IDDM) Morbidity and Mortality Study: case-control analyses of risk factors for mortality.

Although children with IDDM are at a sevenfold increased risk of dying when compared with nondiabetic individuals of the same age, the factors associated with the excess in mortality remain unclear. To investigate potential determinants of mortality among IDDM patients, a case-control study was conducted. These retrospectively obtained data indicated that shorter relative height at onset, frequent diabetes-related readmissions, the presence of diabetes complications, a family history of diabetes, premature familial mortality, no participation in school team sports, and a lower level of education were related to subsequent mortality among males. Among females, however, a shorter duration of diabetes clinic attendance and the presence of diabetes complications were the only significant associations to mortality.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The cardiovascular risk profile of adolescents with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

Cardiovascular risk factors including blood pressure, lipoprotein concentrations, physical activity, and diet were assessed in 149 diabetic adolescents and 45 nondiabetic siblings. All diabetic subjects had had insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) for a minimum of 2 yr and were currently attending the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh Diabetes Clinic. For both boys and girls, cardiovascular risk profiles were mildly disturbed among diabetic subjects compared with nondiabetic siblings. These disturbances included higher systolic (P = 0.002) and diastolic (P = 0.024) blood pressures and higher HDL3 cholesterol concentrations. The diabetic girls showed higher total cholesterol concentrations during adolescence in contrast to the usual fall seen in nondiabetic adolescents (and evidenced in the siblings studied). In addition, the diabetic girls' mean pulse rate was 12 bpm higher than that of the sibling girls, a finding not seen in the boys. Multiple linear regression analyses showed that neither glycemic control (worse in diabetic girls), diet, nor physical activity were important explanatory variables for any of the lipoprotein or blood pressure measures. These results suggest that the cardiovascular risk profile of diabetic girls may be relatively more disturbed than that of diabetic boys. This difference could not be explained by the slightly higher glycosylated hemoglobin levels in the girls. The loss of the sex differential in the risk for cardiovascular disease experienced by adults with IDDM may partly relate to these adolescent risk factor differences.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Gastroduodenal lesions in children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: There are few studies about gastrointestinal abnormalities in patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis-probably due to the fact that this association is not frequently recognized. The aim of our study was to observe the prevalence of endoscopic gastroduodenal lesions in these patients. METHODOLOGY: Fourteen patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, all of them using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs associated or not with methotrexate, were assessed clinically and by endoscopy. Gastric antrum biopsy and Helicobacter pylori search were also performed. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 10.6 years (7 boys). Abdominal pain was observed in 27% of them. Macroscopic endoscopic lesions were found in 43% and infection by Helicobacter pylori in 57%. The correlation between anemia and endoscopic abnormalities was statistically significant (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our data show that patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis have considerable susceptibility to gastroduodenal lesions, especially if they are using any drug association and present anemia.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Effects of improved glycemic control on microalbuminuria in adolescents with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

The effect of improved glycemic control on microalbuminuria was evaluated longitudinally in 13 adolescents with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) of 8.4 +/- 0.8 years duration. Glycemic control and microalbuminuria were assessed under three treatment regimens: conventional therapy (Period A); after 6 weeks of intensified conventional therapy (Period B); and at three periods during continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) (Period C = 10-14 days, Period D = 2-4 months, and Period E = 6-8 months, of CSII). Although euglycemia was not achieved, there was a decrease in mean 24-hour blood glucose concentrations measured hourly in the hospital, with values averaging 239 mg/dl in Period A, 202 mg/dl in Period B, and 156-184 mg/dl in Periods C to E. This was accompanied by significant reductions in the values for whole blood, and to a lesser extent, in stable glycosylated hemoglobin A1 (GHbA1) (p less than 0.05), but not in creatinine clearance, albumin clearance, or in albumin excretion rate. Significant correlations were found between whole blood GHbA1 levels and albumin clearance in each of Periods B to E and between albumin clearance and albumin excretion in Periods B to D (p less than 0.05) but not in Period A. Our data suggests that the degree of improvement in glycemic control obtained in our adolescent population with IDDM using either intensive conventional therapy or CSII does not reduce the microalbuminuria. If modulation of microalbuminuria is achievable it may require euglycemia or may involve other factors which have a more direct effect on the transit of albumin across the glomerular basement membrane.

Adolescent↗