Top stories in endocrinology: nutritional deficiencies prevalent before, after bariatric surgery, switch from analogue to human insulin safe, cost-effective

Among the top endocrinology stories last week were study results that found many patients had nutritional deficiencies both before and after bariatric surgery and findings that concluded it was safe and cost-effective for adults with type 2 diabetes to switch from analogue to human insulin.

Other highlights included data that indicated most children and adults did not meet American Diabetes Association guidelines for the management of type 1 diabetes, a study that found endocrinologists were more likely to prescribe brand-name thyroid hormone drugs than general practitioners and a study that suggested ipragliflozin caused a reduction of fat but not muscle in Japanese adults with type 2 diabetes on insulin therapy.

Nutritional deficiencies common before and after bariatric surgery

For adults undergoing bariatric surgery, lifelong nutritional support is a critical factor in successful outcomes. After surgery, patients are at increased risk for micronutrient deficiencies, which can result in anemia or osteoporosis, among other conditions. For many patients, nutritional challenges are present even before surgery, according to experts. Read more.

Switch from analogue to human insulin safe, cost-effective in older adults with type 2 diabetes

Older adults with type 2 diabetes who switched from analogue to human insulin as part of a managed care intervention experienced a small increase in HbA1c over 12 months but no increase in serious hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia when compared with baseline outcomes, according to findings published in JAMA. Read more.

Most children, adults not meeting American Diabetes Association goals for type 1 diabetes management

Only 17% of children and 21% of adults with type 1 diabetes are meeting HbA1c targets outlined in American Diabetes Association guidelines, with glycemic control worsening over 8 years of follow-up among adolescents in particular, according to an analysis of registry data published in Diabetes Technology & Therapeutics. Read more.

Endocrinologists more likely to prescribe brand-name thyroid hormone drugs

Endocrinologists are more likely to prescribe brand-name thyroid hormone drugs vs. general practitioners, despite an overall increase in the dispensing of generic thyroid hormone therapies over 10 years, according to findings published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. Read more.

Ipragliflozin yields loss of fat, not muscle in type 2 diabetes

The lower body weight associated with the SGLT2 inhibitor ipragliflozin is the result of fat mass reduction with muscle mass and bone mineral content largely unchanged, according to results of a study of Japanese adults with type 2 diabetes on insulin therapy. Read more.