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Top five pediatric endocrinology stories
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Endocrine Today has compiled a list of the top five pediatric endocrinology stories posted in the last month.
Healio.com/Endocrinology readers were interested in diabetes self-care in adolescents, bone structure in girls with anorexia nervosa, vitamin D recommendations for children, and more.
Pet ownership may improve diabetes self-care in adolescents
Pet ownership can have a beneficial effect on adolescents with type 1 diabetes, with younger children in particular having improved glycemic control after several months spent caring for a pet fish, according to research in The Diabetes Educator.
In a pilot program designed to test behavioral intervention in adolescents with type 1 diabetes, researchers found the structured care of a pet fish helped to improve HbA1c levels by providing activity-based cues to better perform diabetes self-care behaviors. Read more.
Trabecular bone scores reveal weaker bone structure in girls with anorexia nervosa
Trabecular bone score derived from DXA measurements revealed evidence of degraded bone structure in adolescent girls with anorexia nervosa, according to research in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
In a study evaluating bone health among adolescent girls with anorexia nervosa participating in an eating disorders program, researchers found a significant number of participants showed evidence of degraded or partially degraded bone microarchitecture, as well as a correlation between lumbar spine trabecular bone score (TBS) and bone mineral density at the lumbar spine, hip and whole body BMD, as well as accompanying z scores at all sites. Read more.
Current vitamin D recommendations for children may be inadequate
Most children with vitamin D deficiency who received daily supplements still failed to reach the recommended concentration of 30 ng/mL after 6 months, according to research in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
In a randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled trial of vitamin D in otherwise healthy children from Pennsylvania, researchers also found that the effects of vitamin D supplementation varied by race and that supplementation was more effective and significant only in black children. Read more.
Boys with idiopathic short stature more likely to receive GH than girls
Boys with idiopathic short stature are two to three times more likely to receive growth hormone treatment than girls, despite sex not playing a role in the condition, according to research in Scientific Reports.
In a retrospective analysis of medical records from more than two dozen primary care practices in the greater Philadelphia region, researchers found a persistent sex bias in human GH treatment for children with idiopathic short stature (ISS), with young boys outnumbering young girls at every year of age except the first year, and a sharp sex difference peaking during the prepubertal period. Read more.
Diabetes therapy via videoconference viable method for adolescents
Adolescents with poorly controlled type 1 diabetes can reap the benefits of behavioral family systems therapy whether conducted in-person or via videoconference, according to research in Diabetes Care.
In a study comparing two methods of delivering behavioral family systems therapy for diabetes (BFST-D) — completed in-person or via videoconference, such as Skype — researchers found similar improvements in adherence to the diabetes treatment regimen and glycemic control. Read more.