Top stories in endocrinology: Iron level may predict type 2 diabetes risk, generic insulin hits pharmacies

Among the top stories in endocrinology last week were a meta-analysis of 15 prospective studies that found elevated levels of ferritin may predict development of type 2 diabetes and Eli Lilly’s announcement that generic insulin lispro injection was available to order in pharmacies.

Other top stories included a study that found adults with type 1 diabetes were willing to use adjunct therapies as daily treatment for type 1 diabetes, a study that found patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma did not benefit from early radioactive iodine therapy compared to delayed therapy after thyroidectomy and a study that found indigenous people in New Zealand were more than twice as likely to have hypothyroidism and three times as likely to have persistent thyrotoxicosis at 1 year after radioactive iodine compared with people of European descent. – by Erin Michael

Elevated iron level may predict type 2 diabetes risk

A meta-analysis of 15 prospective studies suggests that elevated levels of circulating ferritin may predict the development of type 2 diabetes, with a stronger association observed for women vs. men, according to findings published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. Read more.

Lilly’s generic rapid-acting insulin hits pharmacy shelves

Eli Lilly’s generic insulin lispro injection offering can now be ordered in pharmacies, reducing costs for patients, according to a press release from the company. Read more.

Adjunct therapies desired to reduce ‘constant daily burden’ of type 1 diabetes

Adults with type 1 diabetes prioritize HbA1c time-in-target-range, weight loss and simple treatment procedures when evaluating their diabetes care, and there may be a substantial willingness to use adjunct therapies to achieve these goals, according to findings published in Diabetes Technology & Therapeutics. Read more.

No survival benefit with early radioactive iodine in high-risk thyroid cancer

Patients with intermediate- or high-risk papillary thyroid carcinoma saw no increased overall or disease-free survival benefit when undergoing early vs. delayed radioactive iodine therapy after thyroidectomy, according to findings published in Clinical Endocrinology. Read more.

Inequitable outcomes after Graves’ disease treatment for indigenous population, Europeans

Indigenous people of New Zealand are more than twice as likely as adults of European descent to have hypothyroidism after definitive treatment for Graves’ disease and three times more likely to have persistent thyrotoxicosis at 1 year after radioactive iodine therapy vs. white patients, according to findings published in the Journal of the Endocrine Society. Read more