RF28 | PSUN184 New American Diabetes Association Definition of Diabetes Remission Does not Correlate with Time in Remission in Ketosis-Prone Diabetes

INTRODUCTION: Approximately 50% of obese Black patients presenting with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) at new-onset of diabetes have immunologic and metabolic features of type 2 diabetes, also called ketosis-prone diabetes (KPDM). With intensive insulin treatment, ∼70% have improvements in beta-cell function and insulin sensitivity and achieve diabetes remission. The definition of remission in KPDM has been heterogeneous with our group defining remission as HbA1c < 7%, fasting blood glucose (BG) < 130 mg/dl and random BG < 180 mg/dl while off insulin injections for at least 1 week. In 2021, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) consensus recommended that the definition of diabetes remission as HbA1c < 6.5% or a fasting BG < 126 mg/dl while off medications for > 3 months. We hypothesized that patients who achieved the more intensive ADA definition of remission (HbA1c < 6.5%) will have longer time in remission compared to our previous non-intensive definition of remission (HbA1c 6.5-7%). METHODS: Forty obese Black patients (BMI ≥ 28 kg/m(2)) with newly diagnosed diabetes and unprovoked DKA had intensive insulin therapy until HbA1c < 7% without insulin therapy for at least one week. Patients were followed until hyperglycemia relapse (HbA1c > 6.5% or fasting BG > 126 mg/dl and/or requiring antidiabetic medications). Baseline characteristics and clinical time to hyperglycemia relapse-free survival were compared between patients with HbA1c < 6.5 (n= 24) and HbA1c 6.5-7% (n=16). RESULTS: Age, sex, family history of type 2 diabetes, BMI, HbA1C, weight change and insulin doses received between the two groups (HbA1c < 6.5 vs 6.5-7%) did not differ significantly. Median follow-up overall was 404 days with a range of 7-1099 days. In patients that experienced a hyperglycemia relapse, bivariate analysis shows that median days to hyperglycemia relapse was longer in HbA1c < 6.5% (411 days, range (17-804) vs HbA1c 6.5-7% (126 days, range (7-391), p= 0.05) but without a statistical difference. Survival analysis showed that time in remission did not statistically differ between the two groups (log rank, p=0.6853). CONCLUSION: In obese Black patients with KPDM, HbA1c < 6.5% at time of insulin discontinuation does not prolong diabetes compared to patients that achieved HbA1c 6.5-7%, suggesting that predictors of prolonged remission may differ among diverse populations with diabetes. Presentation: Sunday, June 12, 2022 12:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m., Monday, June 13, 2022 12:44 p.m. - 12:49 p.m.