Circadian characteristics of the rest-activity rhythm, executive function, and glucose fluctuations in young adults with type 1 diabetes

Abstract

Circadian alignment is an important element in individual health, and one behavioral marker, rest-activity rhythm, could influence self-management in young adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D). Little is known about the rest-activity rhythms, executive function, and glycemia among young adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D). The purpose of this study was to evaluate parametric and nonparametric circadian characteristics of the rest-activity rhythm and the associations between these variables, sleep-wake behavior, executive function, and glycemia among young adults with T1D. Young adults with T1D, recruited from diabetes clinics, wore wrist actigraphs and a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) concurrently for 6-14 days. Participants completed a 3-minute Trail Making Test on paper and electronic questionnaires - 8-item PROMIS v1.0 Emotional Distress Scale, 17-item Diabetes Distress Scale, including twice-daily Pittsburgh sleep diaries. Cosinor and nonparametric analyses were used to compute the rest-activity rhythm parameters, and linear regression modeling procedures were performed to determine the associations among the study variables. The sample included 46 young adults (mean age 22.3 ± 3.2; 32.6% male; 84.8% non-Hispanic White, HbA1c mean 7.2 ± 1.1%, BMI mean 27.0 ± 4.4 kg/m²). A number of parametric associations were observed between a stronger rhythm, better objective sleep-wake characteristics, and less daytime sleepiness. Nonparametric circadian parameters were significantly associated with several outcomes: a stronger rhythm adherence (higher inter-daily stability) with better objective sleep-wake characteristics, better executive function, lower diabetes distress, less hyperglycemia risk, and more time spent in hypoglycemia/hypoglycemia risk; and a more robust rhythm (higher relative amplitude) with better objective sleep-wake characteristics and more time spent in hypoglycemia/higher hypoglycemia risk. Future work should be directed at designs that test causality, such as interventions directed at the strength and stability of rest-activity rhythms, for the potential to improve glucoregulation and other diabetes outcomes.

Keywords: Circadian rest-activity rhythm; actigraphy; cosinor analysis; diabetes self-management; sleep; type 1 diabetes; young adult.

Figure 1.

Samples of Rest-activity Patterns with Circadian Rhythm and Glucose Characteristics. Note: Time in range was 70–180mg/dL measured via continuous glucose monitor

Figure 1.

Samples of Rest-activity Patterns with Circadian Rhythm and Glucose Characteristics. Note: Time in range was 70–180mg/dL measured via continuous glucose monitor

Figure 2.

Scatterplot of Interdaily Stability and Glucose Variability (GRADE Hyperglycemia)