ADA 2022: Hot Topics to Watch

Across the nation and through international ports of entry, thousands with an interest in diabetes care and education are traveling to or have already arrived in New Orleans, Louisiana for the American Diabetes Association’s (ADA) 82nd Scientific Sessions.

Their first conference with an in-person component since ADA 2019, the association’s annual meeting is set to showcase the latest advancements and updates in diabetes diagnosis and management, which the ADA kicked off ahead of the conference start with updates to their Standard of Medical Care in Diabetes.

“The American Diabetes Association is thrilled to bring together attendees in person and virtually to present, learn, and discuss the most recent findings in what we consider the Super Bowl of diabetes care,” said Robert Gabbay, MD, PhD, chief scientific and medical officer for the ADA. “Out of the breadth of science being showcased at this year’s meeting, these themes demonstrate key trends being seen across stakeholders from every aspect of diabetes care. We believe the science being presented at this year’s meeting will transform the field and help to further improve patient outcomes.”

A hybrid meeting featuring both in-person and virtual offerings, ADA 2022 is scheduled to commence on June 3 and conclude on June 7, with nearly 900 live presentations and more than 1200 published posters expected to be presented at the meeting. With the in-person portion of the meeting taking place at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, the meeting represents the world’s largest scientific meeting focused on diabetes research, prevention, and care.

Topics to Watch:

COVID-19:

Although the pandemic is no longer preventing the ADA from hosting an in-person components with their annual meeting, COVID-19 remains a topic of discussion and will likely remain as one for the foreseeable future. At ADA 2022, discussions around COVID-19 are set to take place in 70 sessions, with more than 90 posters or oral presentations specifically related to COVID-19 and diabetes. Additionally, the ADA called attention to new research being presented in a special session examining long-COVID-19 and diabetes titled, “Diabetes as a Risk Factor for Long-COVID-19—A Scoping Review”.

Tirzepatide:

Tirzepatide, fresh off its FDA approval for use as an adjunct to diet and exercise for lowering blood sugar in patients with type 2 diabetes, will be among the most popular topics of discussion, with data from the SURMOUNT-1 trial scheduled to be presented on June 4. Eli Lilly and Company announced topline results of the trial on April 28, which demonstrated the 15 mg dose of the dual GIP/GLP-1 receptor agonist was associated with a 22.5% reduction in body weight during the 72-week trial and have added to the excitement surrounding the first-in-class therapy as a potential agent to aid in the fights against obesity and type 2 diabetes.

New Approaches for Lowering Renal Risk:

As mentioned above, the ADA released new updates to their Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes—2022, with an emphasis placed on the role of finerenone and SGLT2 inhibitors. Specifically, the ADA amended Section 11 of the document to include evidence from thenEMPEROR-Preserved, FIDELIO-DKD, and FIGARO-DKD trials, as well as including new recommendations on reassessing the inclusion of race in diagnosing CKD from the National Kidney Foundation-American Society of Nephrology Task Force.

Further highlighting this emphasis on lowering risk and impact of chronic kidney disease in patients with diabetes, the ADA is also hosting a joint symposium with the American Society of Nephrology titled “Turning the Tides—Diagnosing, Preventing, and Treating Diabetic Kidney Disease Early,” on Monday, June 6.

Emerging Technology in Diabetes:

The US FDA’s clearance of the FreeStyle Libre 3 System from Abbott just days before ADA 2022 kicked off is representative of the constant strides being made in diabetes technology. Even with this landmark approval, the attention of many will quickly turn to research being presented at the meeting, including sessions featuring data from the CREATE Trial, data from iLet Bionic Pancreas’s pivotal trial in adults and children, and discussions around the real-world applicability of time in range as a glucose control metric.

As part of our coverage of ADA 2022, Diabetes Dialogue: Therapeutics, Technology, & Real-World Perspectives, hosted by Diana Isaacs, PharmD, and Natalie Bellini, DNP, will be recording a special edition episode on-site at the conference. As part of their experience at ADA 2022, Isaacs is serving as the chair of a session featuring oral presentations on insulin delivery systems and Bellini is participating in a symposium centered around implantation of time in range efficiently into clinical practice.

For more from ADA 2022, check out our conference coverage page.