Raising awareness of hyperinsulinaemia and diabetes in pregnancy
This is the last in the 2024 series of SMF hosted webinars and is designed to raise awareness of hyperinsulinaemia and diabetes in pregnancy.
Glucokinase hyperglycaemia is a form of monogenic diabetes (mono= one, genic= gene) that is commonly misdiagnosed as gestational diabetes or established diabetes. Ensuring correct diagnosis is vital to ensure pregnant women/people are offered the correct care during pregnancy and beyond. Pregnancy is an ideal time to consider testing for glucokinase hyperglycaemia as women/birthing people enter the gestational diabetes pathway, but also revaluating any existing diagnoses of established diabetes (Type 1 and Type 2) to consider if these have a monogenic cause.
Hyperinsulinism (HI) is the most common cause of persistent hypoglycemia in infants and children. It is caused by excessive insulin secretion from the pancreas, resulting in Hypoglycaemia and suppression of alternative fuels for the brain to use (fatty acids and ketone bodies). If a neonate with HI is not diagnosed and treatment is not delivered promptly this can lead to brain damage, developmental delays, and even death.
Speakers
Bethany Evans, Specialist Midwife for Monogenic Diabetes for the Genomics Medicine Service Alliance
Beth is a Specialist Midwife for Monogenic Diabetes for the Genomics Medicine Service Alliance (GMSA) and has previously worked for both the South East GMSA and the East GMSA on projects to educate maternity diabetes teams around the recognition and testing for glucokinase hyperglycaemia within the established gestational diabetes pathway. Beth is passionate about increasing knowledge and awareness of monogenic diabetes within maternity services and introducing and embedding testing for glucokinase hyperglycaemia into the existing gestational diabetes pathway. Alongside her work at the GMSA, Beth works clinically as a diabetes specialist midwife.
Clare Gilbert, Clinical Nurse Specialist in Hyperinsulinism, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust
Clare trained as an adult nurse at St Bartholomew’s hospital and qualified in 1988. She then qualified as a Paediatric nurse in 1992 at Guys hospital. She worked in neurology and neurosurgery and in addition was an Epilepsy outreach nurse.. For over 20 years Clare has been working as a clinical nurse specialist in Hypoglycaemia and assisted in setting up the first UK center for Congenital Hyperinsulinism (CHI) commissioned by NHS England at Great Ormond Street. Clare has studies at Masters level and has published in nursing journals and has been a co-author in medical journals. She has coauthored a book chapter in “Advanced Practice in Endocrinology Nursing (2018)”. She received a GEMS award for the recognition of outstanding contribution to the success of the hospital. She has presented at national and international conferences on Hyperinsulinism including at IPENS in Washington and has taught on the masters’ module in Endocrinology at London South Bank University. She is the recipient of the 2024 CHI Be My Sugar Extraordinary Nurse Award by the Congenital Hyperinsulinism International Organization
Elaine Oshea, Congenital Hyperinsulinism Nurse Specialist, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust
Elaine has worked within the endocrine team in Manchester since 2016, first as an Endocrine nurse Specialist and secondly as a Congenital Hyperinsulinism Nurse Specialist since 2016. She is an Independent Nurse Prescriber. Elaine has led nursing perspectives of research in paediatric endocrinology in Manchester and has supported the performance of three international trials of novel therapy in CHI over the last 2 years for which Manchester was chosen as the Chief Investigator site in the UK. Elaine was nominated for a nursing award for best research nurse in 2019.
Zoe Yung, Advanced Nurse Practitioner- Endocrinology, Alder Hey Children’s Hospital
Zoe has worked in Endocrinology since 2004, her interest and passion for endocrinology developed when she was a staff nurse on the endocrine / diabetes inpatient ward. Progressing then to an endocrine clinical nurse specialist and onto to her current role as an Advanced Nurse Practitioner (ANP) at Alder Hey Childrens Hospital. She is an independent nurse prescriber and has an MSc in advanced paediatric and neonatal practice from Liverpool John Moore’s University. Her special interests within endocrinology include hypoglycaemia, congenital hyperinsulinism, congenital hypothyroidism, where Zoe has been a named author on a number of clinical publications in these areas.