Editorial

Prospects for an artificial pancreas

Professor Simon Heller of the Editorial Board

Diabetic Hypoglycemia Jun 2010, Volume 3, Issue 1: page 1-2

This editorial by Professor Heller details how technological developments supporting diabetes self-management have so far failed to lead to major improvements in glycemic control or to consistently reduced rates of severe hypoglycemia. He explains that the requirement for patients to estimate both basal and prandial insulin doses, which can be demanding, may lead to ineffective diabetes self-management, and discusses how the introduction of closed-loop systems might address this issue.

Feature Article

Reducing risk and severity of hypoglycemia with closed loop insulin delivery in type 1 diabetes: from dream to reality

Dr Roman Hovorka, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cambridge, UK

Diabetic Hypoglycemia June 2010, Volume 3, Issue 1: page 3-7

Dr Hovorka discusses developments in the field of closed-loop insulin delivery and reviews system components and challenges to the introduction of this technology into clinical practice, including the need for superfast-acting insulin analogs, dual hormone approaches to accelerate insulin absorption, and optimization of the clinical infrastructure to support the use of closed-loop systems.

Research Round Up

Research Round Up - hypoglycemia in pregnancy, fear of hypoglycemia, effects of hypoglycemia on the brain, hypoglycemia in hospitalized patients, and epidemiological analyses of hypoglycemia from the ACCORD study

Nicole Meinel of the Diabetic Hypoglycemia Editorial Team

Diabetic Hypoglycemia June 2010, Volume 3, Issue 1: page 8-11

This issue's research roundup covers new publications on hypoglycemia in pregnancy, fear of hypoglycemia, the effects of hypoglycemia on the brain, hypoglycemia in hospitalized patients, and epidemiological analyses of hypoglycemia from the Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes (ACCORD) study.

Clinical Case Study

Reduction of hypoglycemia and improved glycemic control using continuous glucose monitoring in combination with an insulin pump

Professor Eric Renard MD, PhD, Lapeyronie University Hospital, Montpellier, and the Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Nutrition, University of Montpellier, France

Diabetic Hypoglycemia June 2010, Volume 3, Issue 1: page 12-13

This issue's case study describes the use of continuous glucose monitoring and an insulin pump to manage hypoglycemia in a 56 year old patient with type 1 diabetes.

In Profile

In Profile - Professor Dorothy Becker

Nicole Meinel of the Diabetic Hypoglycemia Editorial Team

Diabetic Hypoglycemia June 2010, Volume 3, Issue 1: page 14-16

In this issue of Diabetic Hypoglycemia, we interviewed Professor Dorothy Becker, Chief of the Division of Endocrinology and Diabetes at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC and Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

Diabetes Treatment Review

Achieving and defining HbA1c targets in diabetes management

Nicole Meinel of the Diabetic Hypoglycemia Editorial Team

Diabetic Hypoglycemia June 2010, Volume 3, Issue 1: page 17-20

This issue's treatment review focuses on recent publications on HbA1c levels, including HbA1c targets, evidence for seasonal variations, survival rates as a function of HbA1c, and the effectiveness of insulin self-titration in achieving HbA1c goals.

Webwatch

Webwatch - Banting and Best Diabetes Centre

Nicole Meinel of the Diabetic Hypoglycemia Editorial Team

Diabetic Hypoglycemia June 2010, Volume 3, Issue 1: page 21

In this issue of Diabetic Hypoglycemia we review the website of the Banting and Best Diabetes Centre (BBDC), http://www.bbdc.org.