Amelia Cooper (see above) age 16, a type 1 diabetic and a student at Pembroke School in Kansas City, is shown with educational posters at the annual meeting of the American Association of Diabetic Educators. She presented three posters highlighting original research done by her, other non-diabetic student collaborators, and her father Blake Cooper, MD, a retina specialist.
One poster was entitled, “The Effects of Stress on Glycemic Control in a Type 1 Diabetic Compared to Age-Matched Control Group.” In this study, Amelia and non-diabetic friends measured blood sugars by continuous glucose monitors (CGM). They measured their salivary cortisol levels and completed a Perceived Stress Scale survey to determine their stress levels. Measurements were taken during the week of midterm exams and later during winter break when they went skiing. They concluded that diabetic blood sugars were negativity affected by the stress of finals while non-diabetic blood sugars were not.
“Comparative Use of Smart Watches with Continuous Glucose Monitoring During Alpine Skiing” was the second reported study. Skiing is an excellent form of exercise. It comes with challenges especially for a person with diabetes.
The ability to check blood sugar when cold, vasoconstricted, and fatigued is difficult. A CGM makes this task easier. Coupling a GCM and smart watch makes blood sugar available at a glance. The high school students compared the usefulness and reliability of the Pebble and Apple Watch to the Dexcom receiver. They found both smart watches gave accurate results. This was their most popular poster.
The last poster featured research done with her ophthalmologist father. It was titled, “Knowledge Base of a Typical Diabetic Patient Seeking Care in a Vitreoretinal Surgeons Office.” They surveyed 100 consecutive type 1 diabetic patients evaluating their level of diabetic knowledge, then compared their results to their levels of diabetic retinopathy. The results identified the highest level of diabetic knowledge among type 1 diabetics who had the disease for less than five years, showed no active signs of diabetic retinopathy, and exercised daily. Higher scores were found in patients with a recent HgA1c between 7–9 than in those who had an HgA1c below 7 or above 9. The survey was also used to direct educational efforts and correct incorrect knowledge in the diabetic survey takers.