MDNN: Closed Loop Insulin Pumps, ADHD/Autism links, Analgesics Over Opioids, STIs and ADHD

Hi, I’m Matt Hoffman, and this is MD Magazine News Network - it’s clinical news for connected physicians.

The pilot study for Tandem Diabetes Care’s t:slim X2 Insulin Pump has been completed. The study, which analyzed the algorithm-based hybrid closed loop system for patients with type 1 diabetes, is the first of 3 funded by the National Institute of Health under the International Diabetes Closed Loop trial series. Currently, it is the only touch screen insulin pump on the market. A premarket approval submission is expected to be given to the FDA upon the completion of the trio of trials.

Children with ADHD and autism spectrum disorder are frequently diagnosed with the latter condition much later than those with only autism. Researchers from Duke University are now initiating a 5-year study to explore reasons for this, and find an answer as to how pediatric patients can be diagnosed sooner. About 11% of US children aged 4 to 17 have been diagnosed with ADHD, while about 1.5% of children have been diagnosed with autism. Half of those children with autism also have ADHD, and most of them suffer from worse outcomes.

Topical analgesics could serve as a replacement pain therapy for opioids. A recent study found that 56% of patients given analgesics after taking opioid painkillers had quit opioids within 6 months. Another 30% of patients said they were no longer taking any pain medication at all by that time. Patients also reported significant reductions in pain severity, while suffering limited adverse effects from topical analgesics. Researchers from Clarity Science expressed hope that the evidence would lead insurers and health care providers to consider the benefits of topical therapy in the era of the opioid epidemic.

A recent study suggests men with ADHD should consider seeking treatment, especially for the prevention of sexually transmitted infections. The 3 primary characteristics of ADHD, hyperactivity, inattention and impulsivity, can lead to problematic and potentially dangerous decision-making. Researchers found that patients diagnosed with ADHD were about 3 times more likely than their peers to contract an STI, and that treating the disorder with long-term use of medication attenuated the risk by 40%. Short-term use also mitigated the risk, but only by 31%. When the data was analyzed for males and females separately, investigators found no such protections for female patients, suggesting each gender responds differently to medication.

For these stories and more, visit us at mdmag.com. I’m Matt Hoffman for MDNN, thank for you watching.