Patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D) have lower life expectancy than individuals without diabetes. Most of this reduction is due to cardiovascular disease, the major cause of death in patients with T1D. Post-prandial inflammation after high glycemic index (GI) meals may cause cardiovascular disease in adults. Differences in postprandial inflammatory responses between high and low GI foods have not been studied in children and adolescents with T1D. Twelve non-obese children and adolescents, 10-18 years old, with type 1 diabetes were recruited from the Diabetes Clinic of Nationwide Children's Hospital. A randomized cross-over design for their two subsequent visits was used. Baseline blood sample were taken (plasma glucose, triglyceride, IL-6, CRP, and TNF-α), rapid acting insulin was given to cover meal carbohydrate without glucose correction, and blood samples were repeated (30, 60, 90, and 120 minutes) after an overnight fast. Visits 1 and 2 were identical except for the GI of the given meal. Visits were rescheduled if the fasting glucose was greater than 200 mg/dl. Glucose response were significantly greater following high GI meal (Δglucose: high 52±12 vs low 6±5 mg/dl, mean±SE, repeated measures ANOVA, p<0.001), as expected. TNF-α (High 0 min: 0.86±0.08, 30 min: 1.83±0.08; Low 0 min: 0.82±0.06, 30 min 1.81±0.06 ng/ml) and IL-6 (High 0 min: 0.38±0.06, 120 min: 0.68±0.25; Low 0 min: 0.49±0.11, 120 min 0.71±0.14 ng/ml) increased following both high and low GI meals (p <0.001 and p=0.008, respectively), but there were no statistically significant differences between the two groups. CRP did not increase with either type of meal. Children and adolescent with T1D have post prandial inflammation, as indicated by increased TNFα and IL-6 levels. The post-prandial inflammation is not different between high and low GI meals in spite of higher glucose levels with the former.

Disclosure

C.P.Damilano: None. R.P.Hoffman: None.

Funding

Abigail Wexner Research Institute; University of Ohio

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