Lou Philipson, MD, PhD of the Kovler Diabetes Center

Friends and Colleagues:

I am pleased to introduce the newest member of the American Diabetes Association Legal Advocacy Subcommittee (LAS), Louis H. Philipson, MD, PhD, FACP.

Dr. Philipson, is Director of the Kovler Diabetes Center and Professor of Medicine at the University of Chicago . He is an endocrinologist and a leading world authority on diabetes mellitus. In 2011, he was chosen one of America ’s Top Doctors by U.S. News & World Report Magazine. His research focuses on the biophysical, molecular and genetic aspects of insulin secretion, and the genetics of diabetes.

Dr. Philipson was a co-discoverer of insulin gene mutations causing neonatal diabetes, a novel class of mutations causing diabetes through beta cell ER stress. These mutations are now known to be the second most common cause of permanent neonatal diabetes as well as rare causes of later onset diabetes. Dr. Philipson is also co-director of the Human Islet Transplantation project at the University of Chicago . He has served as principal investigator on numerous research projects and has been widely published in biomedical journals including the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Science, Nature, Diabetes, American Journal of Physiology and the Journal of Biological Chemistry. Clinically he focuses on type 1 diabetes and complicated type 2 diabetes, monogenic diabetes and hypoglycemia.

Currently President of the Chicago/Northern Illinois board of the American Diabetes Association and also a recent member of the National Board, he has been an invited speaker and presenter at scientific research conferences and symposia worldwide. Dr. Philipson also is the recipient of numerous awards including ADA Research Awards and the National Disease Research Interchange (NDRI) Outstanding Scientist Award. Most recently he was named the 2011 recipient of the Samuel Eichold II Memorial Award for Contributions in Diabetes by the American College of Physicians.

In addition, Dr. Philipson has also been involved in diabetes advocacy efforts, serving as an expert witness in cases involving persons with diabetes in custody, along with involvement in issues concerning persons with diabetes in driving, education, employment and pilot certification. In 2010 Dr. Philipson testified in support of the Illinois Safe at School Legislation.

Please join me in welcoming Lou Philipson to the LAS.

Alan L. Yatvin

The team at the Kovler Diabetes Center congratulates Dr. Philipson on his most recent appointment!

But Valentine’s Day has the potential to be more than just a “Hallmark Holiday.”  Why not use the occasion of expressing our love for other people to show love for yourself?  I found a couple of online resources that can help you make healthy choices…not only on February 14, but throughout the year!

If you click here, you can learn more about the CDC’s recommendations for a healthy Valentine’s Day, along with some other really great resources.

Medical News Today also explains why, if you’re going to indulge in any chocolate for the holiday, dark chocolate is the way to go.

So whether or not you have a special someone with whom to celebrate this holiday, please take the opportunity to take care of your own health!

Amy Hess-Fischl
Registered Dietitian, Certified Diabetes Educator, Program Coordinator of InTransit Program
The University of Chicago Kovler Diabetes Center

Please visit our newly enhanced website for additional resources on managing your diabetes and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Eve Van Cauter, PhD

I’m collaborating on the study with Eve Van Cauter, PhD, and David Ehrmann, MD, internationally recognized researchers from the University of Chicago. Ehrmann is known for his studies on polycystic ovary syndrome, while Van Cauter conducted a range of widely published research that revealed an association between sleep deprivation and higher levels of body fat.

Normally, when insulin is released into the body, it releases a chemical that signals body cells – primarily in muscle, liver and fat tissue – to absorb glucose from the bloodstream. This process is known as insulin signaling. We’ve found that in sleep-deprived individuals, the insulin signaling process somehow goes awry, specifically at the site of fat cells.

Fat is actually your friend, but this fact gets lost sometimes in the literature. The adipose (fat) tissues are here to help you out. They’re a repository for long-term energy storage in the body. When adipose tissues can’t “do their job” and absorb blood glucose, the body senses that its own fat cells are starved for energy. It begins to resist weight loss, slowing its metabolism to conserve energy. The brain then produces chemicals leading to cravings for high-calorie foods.

David A. Ehrmann, MD

Over time, insulin resistance also progresses into diabetes and heart disease, and it’s a known risk factor for breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, lymphoma, dementia, kidney disease, nerve damage and heart attack. Why sleep deprivation causes a “short” in insulin signaling remains a mystery. While the immediate solution may be obvious – get more sleep – some individuals struggle with chronic sleep disturbances, such as periodic limb movement disorder, which leads to wakefulness throughout the night. The problems can last for years despite attempts at treatment.

I’m studying the effects of various medications on insulin-resistant individuals, in hopes of finding a drug that restores the normal insulin signaling process. We’re also looking at the effects of bariatric surgery on insulin signaling. The procedure is a drastic intervention, and somewhat of a ‘last resort’ in morbidly obese people. But we know that one to two weeks after the surgery, there’s a marked improvement in the patient’s metabolic health. A lot of patients will go off their diabetes medications, including insulin, because their own insulin levels have returned to normal. The question is, how does insulin signaling change after the surgery? At this time, that’s completely unknown.

But the studies promise to shed new light on insulin signaling at the molecular level. The insulin signaling study crosses traditional boundaries of what we think of as sleep science or clinical science. It’s an exciting new frontier, and it’s been a privilege to collaborate with Dr. Van Cauter and Dr. Ehrmann.

Matthew Brady, PhD

Matthew Brady, PhD
Associate Professor of Medicine in the Section of Adult and Pediatric Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
The University of Chicago Medicine

Dr. Brady is a published researcher widely known for his studies on metabolism, insulin and obesity. If you’re interested in being involved in a sleep study, have type 2 diabetes and are 18 years of age or older, please call the University of Chicago at 773-795-0141 for more information.  This article originally appeared in the fall issue of Kovler Connection.  Click here to read the newsletter in its entirity.

Dr. Arshiya Baig

A University of Chicago Medicine physician is taking special steps to help the Latino population in Chicago fight back against diabetes. Little Village is a predominantly Mexican-American neighborhood in Chicago that has a diabetes-related mortality rate higher than the national average and the average in Chicago. Arshiya Baig, MD, General Internist and Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Chicago Department of Medicine, has established a unique program to involve local churches in educating Latino Americans about diabetes.

“Since the church has an important role in many Latino cultures and families, working with churches to address diabetes is one method of tailoring diabetes programs to this community,” Dr. Baig said.

With community members and two partner churches — St. Agnes of Bohemia and Our Lady of Tepeyac — she launched Picture Good Health/Imagínate una Buena Salud, a bilingual, eight-week educational program. The curriculum uses an innovative technique called “photovoice” where participants receive disposable digital cameras to document their lives with diabetes. These photos are then used to guide classes in problem solving.

Participants also have access to exercise groups within the churches. The program also includes a patient navigator service that assists participants in finding a local primary care physician.

“We motivate our participants to live a healthy lifestyle and provide them with tools to do that in a fun, creative, and supportive atmosphere,” Dr. Baig said.

Louis H. Philipson , MD, PhD, Director of the Kovler Diabetes Center was a mentor to Dr. Baig. He noted that her work reaches a population that sometimes faces obstacles in receiving health care.

“Dr. Baig is doing important work to better understand the impact of diabetes in the community and to help devise ways to improve the lives of people with limited access,” he said.

In reality, much of diabetes care and management happens outside of the clinic, Dr. Baig noted. Additionally, an important aspect of the Latino culture is its emphasis on family and community. With this program, the participants can invite family members for a graduation party on the last day of class.

Participants in the "Picture Good Health" program

“The family gets to celebrate the participant’s achievements and see how much they have learned,” she said. Monica Peek, MD, General Internist and Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Chicago Medicine, said the project holds great promise.

“Dr. Baig’s work uses innovative, culturally-tailored approaches to address a much-needed health issue in the Mexican-American community,” Peek said. “We’re excited about her work and its ability to improve the lives of people with diabetes here in Chicago, as well as serve as a model for others throughout the country.”

The program is currently being piloted at the two partner churches to assess its impact on diabetes control. “It gives me great pride to know that my colleagues and I are working with the Hispanic community, specifically within Chicago, to improve diabetes management and awareness,” Dr. Baig said.

This article appeared in the latest edition of Kovler Connection.  For more information on Picture Good Health, please contact the study team at 773-702-0770 or read these earlier blog posts about this program.

Recently, we asked friends, families, colleagues and co-workers to analyze our website and identify where and how we could make improvements. We also asked them to help us create another website that’s dedicated solely to  genetic forms of diabetes–Monogenic Diabetes.

After several months of digging in to each and every page of our website and collaberating with various specialists on staff to develop our genetics website, we are proud to announce our newly enhanced websites…

KovlerDiabetesCenter.org and MonogenicDiabetes.org

On our websites, you’ll find:

• Easy-to-use navigation
• Information on Kovler’s unique clinical programs, Kovler for Kids and InTransit
• Resources and an online registry for rare genetic forms of diabetes
• The latest in clinical trials for children and adults
• Kovler’s event calendar and online event registration

….and more!

Our hope is that these websites will prove to be a valuable online tool for those living with diabetes or those effected by diabetes. We realize the the virtual world is one that is constantly evolving, so our promise is to stay informed with the latest in social media, online education, and innovative uses of the internet that can help you, your families, friends, co-workers and communities. That said, we always welcome your feedback and would love to hear your comments!

All the best,
Lou Philipson, MD, PhD
Professor of Medicine and Pediatric
Director of the Kovler Diabetes Center

Please feel free to connect with us through our website, Facebook page or Twitter handle. You can also tweet Dr. Philipson personally at @lphilipson.

A team of specialists at the Kovler Diabetes Center has been working hard over the last few months to create an enhanced online experience for our patients and for the diabetes community.  We are updating kovlerdiabetescenter.org and turning it into a more user-friendly, informative and interactive website.

The new and improved Kovler Diabetes Center website

Some highlights include:

• Information, programs and resources for infant, teen and adult patients
• The latest on our clinical trials
• Easy online registration for events
• A cleaner, more attractive layout and look

We are also pleased to announce the launch monogenicdiabetes.org.  This website will be dedicated to forms of diabetes that result from mutations in a single gene, called Monogenic Diabetes. These forms of diabetes account for about 1% – 2% of all cases in young people, and the Kovler Diabetes Center’s website is the only place where you can find comprehensive information about Monogenic Diabetes.

The new and improved Monogenic Diabetes website

Some highlights include:

• Information and resources for all types of Monogenic Diabetes
• The latest on Monogenic Diabetes clinical trials
• Easy access to the Monogenic Diabetes online registry

We will be going live with these two websites on Tuesday, January 17, 2012.  We hope you’ll enjoy our new online resources and that your experience will be a pleasant one…whether you or your loved one has diabetes, or if you want to learn more about the disease.  Please visit kovlerdiabetescenter.org and monogenicdiabetes.org and send us your feedback once you’ve had an opportunity to explore our new websites, because we will always be striving to improve and enhance the online experience to best serve the diabetes community.

Sincerely,

The University of Chicago Kovler Diabetes Center Team

We would like to know…where do you currently go online to find information and resources about type 1 and type 2 diabetes?  What do you like best about these websites?

Consider those who will benefit from seeing you as an example of health and wellness this holiday season. Take a holiday stroll around the block with family, friends and loved ones after that fabulous meal, skip the second piece of pie, take pride in having the glass of water over the soda when offered a beverage, and thank those around you who have set an example for you over the last weeks, months or years of your life.

The holiday season is about joy, celebration and fulfillment. At the University of Chicago Kovler Diabetes Center, our wish is for ALL of us–as friends, parents, sisters, brothers, health care professionals and neighbors–to live a happy, healthy life full of peace and joy.

All the best to you and yours this holiday season!

Peggy Hasenauer, MS, RN
Executive Director
The University of Chicago Kovler Diabetes Center

What have you been doing this holiday season to maintain your health and manage your diabetes?  Do you have any tips that help you make the right decisions?

Susan McLaughlin, Registered Nurse and Certified Diabetes Educator at Kovler

When Susan McLaughlin’s son was 8 years old, he was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, and her life changed forever.  She, like many other parents of children with diabetes, didn’t sleep well that diagnosis…for what felt like years.  She explained that, “You always have one ear out for a low blood sugar episode.”

Two years after her son’s condition was confirmed, McLaughlin – at the time, a critical care nurse – went back to school and earned her certification as a diabetes educator. Today, McLaughlin, RN, BSN, CDE, helps outpatients at the University of Chicago Kovler Diabetes Center, as well as inpatients at the University of Chicago Medical Center and at Comer Children’s Hospital.

Today, McLaughlin’s son is grown, healthy and about to enter college. But because of his diagnosis, understanding and compassion are all part of a day’s work for her.

“Parents can be overwhelmed,” she said. “It can seem like their child’s diabetes just fell out of the sky. Parents ask questions like, ‘Is my son or daughter going to be OK, and can they live a normal life?’ I can relate to their fear.”

McLaughlin also sees adults admitted to the hospital with diabetes who are often frightened.  Their diabetes has been out of control for some time, and they’re stressed, feeling sick, and maybe a little panicked.

Whether young or old, McLaughlin treats her patients with sensitivity and compassion, as well as information that can restore a sense of hope. She has extensive knowledge about medications and treatments, and works as part of the medical team to create an optimal individualized care plan during hospitalization, and when patients return as an outpatient. Before each child or adult is discharged, McLaughlin makes sure they understand the prescribed medical plan and obtain the right prescriptions. Patients are also are trained in glucometer use, insulin injection and given a nutrition and exercise plan, developed in partnership with experienced dietitians.

Kovler's Team of Certified Diabetes Educators

For McLaughlin it’s important that her patients are safe and confident when they’re treating their diabetes at home.  That’s why the Certified Diabetes Educators and/or Endocrinologists are available 24 hours a day. When newly diagnosed children go home, their parents are encouraged to call every night to speak with a Pediatric Endocrinologist until they’re comfortable managing their child’s disease.

McLaughlin explains that, “The team at the Kovler Diabetes Center is very proactive with our kids. Parents often need to ask a lot of questions, and we’re sensitive to the newness of it all and to their emotional needs. I can say, ‘I know you’re overwhelmed, and I understand your fear.’  I just want all of our Kovler patients to feel comfortable managing their diabetes and live a life that’s fulfilling.”

To learn more about our team of Certified Diabetes Educators, which includes Susan McLaughlin, Amy Hess-Fischl and Donna Prost, please visit our website or contact us.  To read this article and others, please check out our most recent edition of Kovler Connection!

Peggy Hasenauer, MS, RN
Executive Director
The University of Chicago Kovler Diabetes Center

Peyton and Shayle Arenson with their family

Their father said, “They chose to raise funds for the University of Chicago Kovler Diabetes Center. I have wonderful daughters who care enough about their father, and others, to try and make a difference.”

The girls learned a lot about diabetes in the process. Shayle said, “It was important to us. We wanted to support my dad, and other people with diabetes.”

Peyton went on to explain that, “We found out that a few of our classmates had diabetes. They were happy that we took on the cause as well.”

After doing some research about diabetes, the girls visited with me to learn more about our clinic and then wrote a letter to about 300 relatives and friends.

Their letter began:
“Approximately 26 million adults and children, or 8.3 percent of the American population, have diabetes. This number is not shrinking, in fact it has grown just under 10 percent in the last five years. Diabetes research and treatment are at the forefront of the Kovler Diabetes Center at the University of Chicago and we hope that you will join us in making a donation to help further their great work for the cause.”

ADA's "Camp Confidence"

We soon started receiving donations by mail. The girls also sold keychains bearing our logo, with proceeds benefiting Kovler. But they didn’t stop there! Peyton and Shayle volunteered to spend an afternoon staffing the Kovler booth during the annual American Diabetes Association Diabetes (ADA) Expo at Navy Pier. Later, the girls volunteered at the ADA’s Camp Confidence, a summer camp for children with diabetes.

During the bat mitzvah last June, the girls spoke about their service project during their dvar Torah – the public address at the end of the service. Shayle explained how they “talked about donating to the Kovler Diabetes Center. It’s important to help Kovler so they can continue to help people with diabetes, both those who can afford to pay and those who can’t.”

Looking back, Arenson said his diagnosis was “like a whirlwind” but gave him the kick-start he needed to move back into a healthier lifestyle. After being diagnosed by his personal physician, he was referred to the Kovler Diabetes Center by his friend, Sally Kovler.  Glad to have their father under our world-class care, Peyton and Shayle noted that diabetes runs in their family, that they’ll need to be on guard for it in their own lives and that type 2 diabetes can come around if they don’t take care of themselves. After taking on this special bat mitzvah project, the twins are far more knowledgeable about diabetes and plan on staying involved in the fight to end diabetes for a long time.

Peggy Hasenauer, MS, RN
Executive Director
The University of Chicago Kovler Diabetes Center

If you’d like to help support the University of Chicago Kovler Diabetes Center, we invite you to participate in our Make it Better campaign! For a limited time, Make it Better Magazine will donate $5 for each new e-newsletter subscription. It’s easy…and it’s free…so please sign up now!  We appreciate your support.

This article was featured in the Kovler Diabetes Center’s fall newsletter, Kovler Connection.  Click here to read the newsletter in its entirety.

Spencer M., a Kovler Diabetes Center patient

Today, Spencer M. is a healthy 12-year-old boy. He likes sports, games and gadgets, like anyone his age. But just last summer, he was rushed to the hospital with a blood glucose level of 776 mg/dL, compared to a normal range of 70 to 120 mg/DL for a child his age.

“He was having migraines, so we took him to a neurologist,” said his mother, Jennifer. “But his uncle has diabetes, so I asked them to do a blood sugar test. When the results came back, the doctor said, ‘He absolutely has to go to the hospital right now.’”

While Spencer was treated at an emergency room in the Illinois suburbs, his parents called his uncle, as well as others they knew with diabetes. “After talking with our most trusted and knowledgeable friends, it became clear that the University of Chicago is where we needed to be,’” said Spencer’s father, Patrick.

Within a few hours, Comer Children’s Hospital at the University of Chicago Medical Center was ready to take Spencer. “The transfer was amazingly smooth,” Jennifer said. “The nurses were so at ease with all of us, and I think they respected the emotional rollercoaster we were on.”

For Spencer, the experience was unsettling, but not completely a shock. He knew about diabetes because of his uncle and a family friend with the condition. “At first, it was a little frustrating, because I didn’t really understand what was going on,” the seventh-grader remembered. “But over time, I understood, and it got easier.”

At Comer, physicians gave the family a full medical report, and diabetes educators from the Kovler Diabetes Center helped the family come up with a game plan. “The educators really brought it down to an understandable level for us,” Jennifer said. “And they included Spencer as much as possible. At times, he was just playing computer games, and they would say, ‘OK, Spencer! Quick quiz!’ And they would make it a game. He learned really fast. They would tell him, ‘You’re doing an awesome job.’”

Patrick said he was impressed by the level of preparedness. “Everybody knew exactly what role they were playing, and it was all very well thought out,” he said. “We got a ‘diabetes backpack’ from the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, full of materials we could take home. We also received a diabetes management book. The resources were very helpful.”

The physicians, nurses, staff and educators “had a knack with the kids,” Jennifer added. Spencer also made new friends at Comer in the activity room for teenagers, where he liked to play pool. At one point, he told his parents, “This isn’t a scary place. I kind of like it here. Everyone is so nice.”

The family went home armed with a glucometer, insulin, nutrition and exercise plan, reading material and the telephone numbers of endocrinologists and other staff.  Spencer’s friends from school had a surprise waiting for him: a sign in his front yard listing hundreds of famous athletes who had diabetes. “The last name on it was, ‘Spencer M., famous lacrosse player.’ It was pretty awesome,” said Spencer, who plays football and lacrosse.

The family also hosted a ‘welcome home’ party where Spencer had a chance to explain diabetes to his friends. “At first, they were kind of freaked out by the glucometer and the lancet,” he said. “But now, it’s like nothing to them.”

Patrick has created a spreadsheet program in which Spencer enters his carbohydrate intake and blood sugar levels every evening. The family is far more knowledgeable about diabetes now, and they credit the staff at Kovler Diabetes Center and Comer Children’s Hospital.

“Everybody was extremely attentive,” Jennifer said. “They took a negative experience and turned it into something very positive.”

This story was featured in the most recent edition of the Kovler Connection newsletter. Click here to read the newsletter in its entirety.

To learn more about the Kovler Diabetes Center and its resources and support for children with diabetes, please visit our website or contact us.