This Week in Diabetes & Endocrinology: Pregnancy Complications and Acupuncture

A study published in PloS one examined the prevalence of adverse outcomes in African women with hyperglycaemia during pregnancy. Findings suggest a high rate of caesarean section, preterm delivery, and neonatal intensive care unit admission among this population ^[1].

The authors describe significant heterogeneity across outcomes and emphasize the need for more research to improve maternal and child health. Meanwhile, elsewhere this week, a Lancet meta-analysis examined acupuncture therapies in type 2 diabetes. Researchers found that various acupuncture treatments may be associated with reductions in fasting blood glucose, HbA1c, and postprandial glucose ^[2].

However, these findings are based on low-quality studies, requiring cautious interpretation and further verification.

In JAMA internal medicine, a randomized clinical trial of 2,155 patients with diabetes at risk for food insecurity found that a produce prescription program did not improve HbA1c, emergency department visits, blood pressure, or body mass index compared to usual care ^[3].

The adjusted HbA1c difference actually favored usual care. These findings suggest that financial subsidies for healthy foods alone may be insufficient to improve clinical outcomes in this population.

Finally, a study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that higher blood pressure variability and baseline pulse pressure were associated with increased odds of cognitive decline or dementia over a mean 3.5-year follow-up among patients with type 2 diabetes ^[4].

This secondary analysis of 9,586 patients from the ADVANCE trial suggests that BP parameters beyond simple averages may be relevant markers for brain health in this population.