title: Sulfonylurea treatment before genetic testing in neonatal diabetes: pros and cons.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Diabetes in neonates nearly always has a monogenic etiology. Earlier sulfonylurea therapy can improve glycemic control and potential neurodevelopmental outcomes in children with KCNJ11 or ABCC8 mutations, the most common gene causes.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Assess the risks and benefits of initiating sulfonylurea therapy before genetic testing results become available.
  
  
  METHODS
  Observational retrospective study of subjects with neonatal diabetes within the University of Chicago Monogenic Diabetes Registry.
  
  
  METHODS
  Response to sulfonylurea (determined by whether insulin could be discontinued) and treatment side effects in those treated empirically.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 154 subjects were diagnosed with diabetes before 6 months of age. A genetic diagnosis had been determined in 118 (77%), with 73 (47%) having a mutation in KCNJ11 or ABCC8. The median time from clinical diagnosis to genetic diagnosis was 10.4 weeks (range, 1.6 to 58.2 wk). In nine probands, an empiric sulfonylurea trial was initiated within 28 days of diabetes diagnosis. A genetic cause was subsequently found in eight cases, and insulin was discontinued within 14 days of sulfonylurea initiation in all of these cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sulfonylurea therapy appears to be safe and often successful in neonatal diabetes patients before genetic testing results are available; however, larger numbers of cases must be studied. Given the potential beneficial effect on neurodevelopmental outcome, glycemic control, and the current barriers to expeditious acquisition of genetic testing, an empiric inpatient trial of sulfonylurea can be considered. However, obtaining a genetic diagnosis remains imperative to inform long-term management and prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Medicine and Pediatrics (D.C., C.D.B., J.L.H., J.T.D., R.N.N., L.H.P., S.A.W.G., Section of Adult and Pediatric Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637; Department of Pediatric Endocrinology (D.I.S.), Albany Medical Center Hospital, Albany, New York 12208; Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes (D.L.F.), Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center and Children's Hospital, New Orleans, Louisiana 70112; Academic Endocrinology and Edward Hospital (C.A.Z.), Naperville, Illinois 60540; Department of Pediatrics (A.O.D.), Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, MetroHealth Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio 44109; and Nunnelee Pediatric Specialty Clinic (K.K.), Betty H. Cameron Women's and Children's Hospital, New Hanover Regional Medical Center, Wilmington, North Carolina 28401.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Carmody
authors.forename: Charles D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Bell
authors.forename: Jessica L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: Jazzmyne T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Dickens
authors.forename: Daniela I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Sima
authors.forename: Dania L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Felipe
authors.forename: Carrie A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Zimmer
authors.forename: Ajuah O
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Kateryna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kotlyarevska
authors.forename: Rochelle N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Naylor
authors.forename: Louis H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Philipson
authors.forename: Siri Atma W
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Greeley
mesh_terms: D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000151:congenital / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D005820:Genetic Testing / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D024661:Potassium Channels, Inwardly Rectifying / Q000235:genetics; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013453:Sulfonylurea Compounds / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D064233:Sulfonylurea Receptors / Q000235:genetics; D000099161:Kcnj11 Channel
chemical_list: D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D024661:Potassium Channels, Inwardly Rectifying; D013453:Sulfonylurea Compounds; D064233:Sulfonylurea Receptors; D000099161:Kcnj11 Channel; C577507:ABCC8 protein, human