Practical steps to improving the management of type 1 diabetes: recommendations from the Global Partnership for Effective Diabetes Management

The Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT) led to considerable improvements in the management of type 1 diabetes, with the wider adoption of intensive insulin therapy to reduce the risk of complications. However, a large gap between evidence and practice remains, as recently shown by the Pittsburgh Epidemiology of Diabetes Complications (EDC) study, in which 30-year rates of microvascular complications in the ‘real world’ EDC patients were twice that of DCCT patients who received intensive insulin therapy. This gap may be attributed to the many challenges that patients and practitioners face in the day-to-day management of the disease. These barriers include reaching glycaemic goals, overcoming the reality and fear of hypoglycaemia, and appropriate insulin therapy and dose adjustment. As practitioners, the question remains: how do we help patients with type 1 diabetes manage glycaemia while overcoming barriers? In this article, the Global Partnership for Effective Diabetes Management provides practical recommendations to help improve the care of patients with type 1 diabetes

A randomized controlled pilot study of continuous glucose monitoring and flash glucose monitoring in people with Type 1 diabetes and impaired awareness of hypoglycaemia

AIM: Hypoglycaemia in Type 1 diabetes is associated with mortality and morbidity, especially where awareness of hypoglycaemia is impaired. Clinical pathways for access to continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) and flash glucose monitoring technologies are unclear. We assessed the impact of CGM and flash glucose monitoring in a high-risk group of people with Type 1 diabetes. METHODS: A randomized, non-masked parallel group study was undertaken. Adults with Type 1 diabetes using a multiple-dose insulin-injection regimen with a Gold score of ≥ 4 or recent severe hypoglycaemia were recruited. Following 2 weeks of blinded CGM, they were randomly assigned to CGM (Dexcom G5) or flash glucose monitoring (Abbott Freestyle Libre) for 8 weeks. The primary outcome was the difference in time spent in hypoglycaemia (below 3.3 mmol/l) from baseline to endpoint with CGM versus flash glucose monitoring. RESULTS: Some 40 participants were randomized to CGM (n = 20) or flash glucose monitoring (n = 20). The participants (24 men, 16 women) had a median (IQR) age of 49.6 (37.5-63.5) years, duration of diabetes of 30.0 (21.0-36.5) years and HbA1c of 56 (48-63) mmol/mol [7.3 (6.5-7.8)%]. The baseline median percentage time < 3.3 mmol/l was 4.5% in the CGM group and 6.7% in the flash glucose monitoring. At the end-point the percentage time < 3.3 mmol/l was 2.4%, and 6.8% respectively (median between group difference -4.3%, P = 0.006). Time spent in hypoglycaemia at all thresholds, and hypoglycaemia fear, were different between groups, favouring CGM. CONCLUSION: CGM more effectively reduces time spent in hypoglycaemia in people with Type 1 diabetes and impaired awareness of hypoglycaemia compared with flash glucose monitoring. (Clinical Trial Registry No: NCT03028220)

HbA_1c variability is associated with increased mortality and earlier hospital admission in people with Type 1 diabetes

Aim: Despite evidence of morbidity, no evidence exists on the relationship between HbA1c variability and mortality in Type 1 diabetes. We performed an observational study to investigate whether the association between HbA1c variability and mortality exists in a population of people with Type 1 diabetes. As a secondary outcome, we compared onset of first hospital admission between groups. Methods: People with Type 1 diabetes were identified for inclusion from the Scottish Care Information – Diabetes data set. This database includes data of all people known to have diabetes who live within Scotland. A survival analysis was carried out over a 47‐month period comparing two groups; group 1 with a HbA1c coefficient of variation (CV) above the median CV value, and group 2 with a CV below the median value. Time to death or first admission was also analysed. A Cox proportional hazard model was used to compare time to death, adjusting for appropriate covariables. Results: Some 6048 individuals with Type 1 diabetes were included in the analysis. Median HbA1c CV was 7.9. The hazard ratio (HR) for mortality for those with an HbA1c CV above the median value is 1.5 over 47 months of follow‐up (P &lt; 0.001). HR for survival to either the first admission to hospital or death for those with an HbA1c CV above the median value was 1.35 (95% confidence interval 1.25–1.45) over 730 days of follow‐up (P &lt; 0.001). Conclusion: Our results show that people with greater HbA1c variability have a higher rate of mortality and earlier hospital admission in Type 1 diabetes

Metformin in adults with type 1 diabetes:Design and methods of REducing with MetfOrmin Vascular Adverse Lesions (REMOVAL): An international multicentre trial

Introduction: Cardiovascular (CV) disease is a major cause of reduced life expectancy in type 1 diabetes (T1D). Intensive insulin therapy prevents CV complications but is constrained by hypoglycaemia and weight gain. Adjunct metformin reduces insulin dose requirement and stabilises weight but there are no data on its cardiovascular effects. Aims: We have initiated an international double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial (REMOVAL: REducing with MetfOrmin Vascular Adverse Lesions in type 1 diabetes) to examine whether metformin reduces progression of atherosclerosis in adults with T1D. Individuals ≥40 years of age with T1D for ≥5 years are eligible if they have ≥3 of 10 specified CV risk factors. The enrolment target is 500 participants in 17 international centres. Materials and Methods: After 12 weeks single-blind placebo-controlled run-in, participants with ≥70 % adherence are randomized to metformin or matching placebo for three years with insulin titrated towards HbA1c 7.0% (53 mmol/mol)]. The primary endpoint is progression of averaged mean far wall common carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) measured by ultrasonography at baseline, 12, 24 and 36 months. This design provides 90% power to detect a mean difference of 0.0167 mm in cIMT progression between treatment arms (α = 0.05), assuming up to 20% withdraw or discontinue treatment. Other endpoints include HbA1c, weight, LDL cholesterol, insulin requirement, progression of retinopathy, endothelial function and frequency of hypoglycaemia. Results and Conclusions: REMOVAL is the largest clinical trial of adjunct metformin therapy in T1D to date and will provide clinically meaningful information on its potential to impact CV disease and other complications

Prevalence of Underweight, Overweight, and Obesity in Children and Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes: Data From the International SWEET Registry

Objective: To assess the prevalence of underweight (UW), overweight (OW), and obesity in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1D). Methods: An international cross-sectional study including 23 026 T1D children (2-18 years, duration of diabetes ≥1 year) participating in the SWEET prospective, multicenter diabetes registry. Body mass index SD score (BMI-SDS) was calculated using the World Health Organization BMI charts. Children were categorized as UW (BMI-SDS +2SD). Hierarchic regression models were applied with adjustment for sex, age, and duration of diabetes. Results: The prevalence of UW, OW, and obesity was: 1.4%, 22.3%, and 7.3% in males and 0.6%, 27.2%, and 6.8% in females. Adjusted BMI-SDS was significantly higher in females than in males (mean ± SEM: 0.54 ± 0.05 vs 0.40 ± 0.05, P < 0.0001). In males, BMI-SDS significantly decreased by age (P < 0.0001) in the first three age categories 0.61 ± 0.06 (2 to <10 years), 0.47 ± 0.06 (10 to <13 years), 0.34 ± 0.05 (13 to <16 years). In females, BMI-SDS showed a U-shaped distribution by age (P < 0.0001): 0.54 ± 0.04 (2 to <10 years), 0.39 ± 0.04 (10 to <13 years), 0.55 ± 0.04 (13 to <16 years). BMI-SDS increased by diabetes duration (<2 years: 0.38 ± 0.05, 2 to <5 years: 0.44 ± 0.05, and ≥5 years: 0.50 ± 0.05, P < 0.0001). Treatment modality did not affect BMI-SDS. Adjusted HbA1c was significantly higher in females than in males (8.20% ± 0.10% vs 8.06% ± 0.10%, P < 0.0001). In both genders, the association between HbA1c and BMI-SDS was U-shaped with the highest HbA1c in the UW and obesity groups. Conclusions: The high rate of OW and obesity (31.8%) emphasize the need for developing further strategies to prevent and treat excess fat accumulation in T1D.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Day-to-day fasting self-monitored blood glucose variability is associated with risk of hypoglycaemia in insulin-treated patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes: a post hoc analysis of the SWITCH trials

AIMS: To investigate the association between day-to-day fasting self-monitored blood glucose (SMBG) variability and risk of hypoglycaemia in type 1 (T1D) and type 2 diabetes (T2D), and compare day-to-day fasting SMBG variability between treatments with insulin degludec (degludec) and insulin glargine 100 units/mL (glargine U100). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data were retrieved from two double-blind, randomised, treat-to-target, two-period (32 weeks each) crossover trials of degludec versus glargine U100 in T1D (SWITCH 1, n=501) and T2D (SWITCH 2, n=720). Available fasting SMBGs were used to determine the standard deviation (SD) of day-to-day fasting SMBG variability for each patient and treatment combination. The association between day-to-day fasting SMBG variability and overall symptomatic, nocturnal symptomatic and severe hypoglycaemia was analysed for the pooled population using linear regression, and with fasting SMBG variability included as a three-level factor defined by population tertiles. Finally, day-to-day fasting SMBG variability was compared between treatments. RESULTS: Linear regression showed that day-to-day fasting SMBG variability was significantly associated with overall symptomatic, nocturnal symptomatic, and severe hypoglycaemia risk in T1D and T2D (p<0.05). Day-to-day fasting SMBG variability was significantly associated (p<0.01) with all categories of hypoglycaemia risk, except for severe hypoglycaemia in T2D when analysed within tertiles. Degludec was associated with 4% lower day-to-day fasting SMBG variability than glargine U100 in T1D (p=0.0082) and 10% lower in T2D (p<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Higher day-to-day fasting SMBG variability is associated with an increased risk of overall symptomatic, nocturnal symptomatic and severe hypoglycaemia. Degludec has significantly lower day-to-day fasting SMBG variability versus glargine U100. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved

Low-carbohydrate diet in type 2 diabetes. Stable improvement of bodyweight and glycemic control during 22 months follow-up

BACKGROUND: Low-carbohydrate diets in the management of obese patients with type 2 diabetes seem intuitively attractive due to their potent antihyperglycemic effect. We previously reported that a 20 % carbohydrate diet was significantly superior to a 55–60 % carbohydrate diet with regard to bodyweight and glycemic control in 2 non-randomised groups of obese diabetes patients observed closely over 6 months. The effect beyond 6 months of reduced carbohydrate has not been previously reported. The objective of the present study, therefore, was to determine to what degree the changes among the 16 patients in the low-carbohydrate diet group at 6-months were preserved or changed 22 months after start, even without close follow-up. In addition, we report that, after the 6 month observation period, two thirds of the patients in the high-carbohydrate changed their diet. This group also showed improvement in bodyweight and glycemic control. METHOD: Retrospective follow-up of previously studied subjects on a low carbohydrate diet. RESULTS: The mean bodyweight at the start of the initial study was 100.6 ± 14.7 kg. At six months it was 89.2 ± 14.3 kg. From 6 to 22 months, mean bodyweight had increased by 2.7 ± 4.2 kg to an average of 92.0 ± 14.0 kg. Seven of the 16 patients (44%) retained the same bodyweight from 6 to 22 months or reduced it further; all but one had lower weight at 22 months than at the beginning. Initial mean HbA1c was 8.0 ± 1.5 %. After 6 and 12 months it was 6.6 ± 1.0 % and 7.0 ± 1.3 %, respectively. At 22 months, it was still 6.9 ± 1.1 %. CONCLUSION: Advice on a 20 % carbohydrate diet with some caloric restriction to obese patients with type 2 diabetes has lasting effect on bodyweight and glycemic control

Estimación del riesgo cardiovascular en pacientes con diabetes mellitus tipo 2 en un consultorio médico

Introduction: traumatic injuries are the leading cause of death in young people, ages under 45, and brain injuries have a high incidence of death in more than half of those suffering from these injuries.Objective: to characterize patients with severe cranioencephalic trauma in the Intensive Care Unit at Arnaldo Milián Castro General Teaching Hospital during the year 2018.Methods: an observational, descriptive and retrospective study was conducted in 38 patients with the diagnosis of severe head trauma from January 1, 2018 to January 1, 2019. Medical records were reviewed; variables such as age, cause of trauma, type of injury, complications and hospital staying were collected. Results: male patients predominated (92,11%), ages between 36 and 64 years (50 %); 50 % of traumas were due to traffic accidents. Subdural hematoma represented 52,63 % of lesions and pneumonia the most common complication (65,79 %). Patients admitted for more than 9 days predominated (44,74%); 73,68 % of patients were admitted alive; 65.79 % of patients underwent surgery. Severe cerebral edema was found among the causes of death (70 %).Conclusions: male patients after the third decade of life are prone to severe cranioencephalic trauma. Intervention on primary lesions avoids complications, where ventilation and prolonged hospital staying can trigger sepsis and act as factors affecting survival.Introducción: la diabetes mellitus es una enfermedad crónica no transmisible en aumento, y que, a la vez, representa un factor de riesgo para el desarrollo de enfermedades cardiovasculares. Objetivo: determinar el riesgo cardiovascular existente en los pacientes con diabetes mellitus tipo 2 pertenecientes al Consultorio Médico 15 del Policlínico Universitario “Federico Capdevila”.Método: Se realizó un estudio observacional, descriptivo, longitudinal con carácter retrospectivo, en el periodo comprendido entre septiembre de 2018 y febrero de 2019. La población estuvo constituida por los 87 pacientes con diagnóstico de diabetes mellitus tipo 2, trabajándose con la totalidad. Los datos fueron obtenidos mediante la entrevista, las historias clínicas individuales, y de salud familiar. Se cumplieron los principios de bioética.Resultados: se identificó riesgo cardiovascular en el sexo femenino (58,62 %), y en el grupo etario de 70 a 79 años de edad (28,73 %); así como en pacientes con obesidad (65,51 %); donde el 68,97 % de los pacientes sufrió de alguna enfermedad cardiovascular; entre ellas la hipertensión arterial (67,82 %). Predominó el riesgo cardiovascular leve (25,30 %). Se encontró relación entre la presencia de hipertensión arterial descompensada y un riesgo cardiovascular alto/muy alto (p<0,05).Conclusiones: las féminas que sufrían de diabetes mellitus tipo 2, que sobrepasaban la séptima década de vida y que sufrían de obesidad he hipertensión arterial presentaron riesgo cardiovascular, en su mayoría con riesgo leve. La hipertensión arterial descompensada se relacionó a un mayor riesgo cardiovascula

Low-carbohydrate diet in type 2 diabetes: stable improvement of bodyweight and glycemic control during 44 months follow-up

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Low-carbohydrate diets, due to their potent antihyperglycemic effect, are an intuitively attractive approach to the management of obese patients with type 2 diabetes. We previously reported that a 20% carbohydrate diet was significantly superior to a 55–60% carbohydrate diet with regard to bodyweight and glycemic control in 2 groups of obese diabetes patients observed closely over 6 months (intervention group, n = 16; controls, n = 15) and we reported maintenance of these gains after 22 months. The present study documents the degree to which these changes were preserved in the low-carbohydrate group after 44 months observation time, without close follow-up. In addition, we assessed the performance of the two thirds of control patients from the high-carbohydrate diet group that had changed to a low-carbohydrate diet after the initial 6 month observation period. We report cardiovascular outcome for the low-carbohydrate group as well as the control patients who did not change to a low-carbohydrate diet.</p> <p>Method</p> <p>Retrospective follow-up of previously studied subjects on a low carbohydrate diet.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The mean bodyweight at the start of the initial study was 100.6 ± 14.7 kg. At six months it was 89.2 ± 14.3 kg. From 6 to 22 months, mean bodyweight had increased by 2.7 ± 4.2 kg to an average of 92.0 ± 14.0 kg. At 44 months average weight has increased from baseline g to 93.1 ± 14.5 kg. Of the sixteen patients, five have retained or reduced bodyweight since the 22 month point and all but one have lower weight at 44 months than at start. The initial mean HbA1c was 8.0 ± 1.5%. After 6, 12 and 22 months, HbA1c was 6.1 ± 1.0%, 7.0 ± 1.3% and 6.9 ± 1.1% respectively. After 44 months mean HbA1c is 6.8 ± 1.3%.</p> <p>Of the 23 patients who have used a low-carbohydrate diet and for whom we have long-term data, two have suffered a cardiovascular event while four of the six controls who never changed diet have suffered several cardiovascular events.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Advice to obese patients with type 2 diabetes to follow a 20% carbohydrate diet with some caloric restriction has lasting effects on bodyweight and glycemic control.</p

Modifiable risk factors remain significant causes of medium term mortality after first time Coronary artery bypass grafting

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Whilst there is much current data on early outcomes after Coronary artery bypass grafting(CABG), there is relatively little data on medium term outcomes in the current era. The purpose of this study is to present a single surgeon series comprising of all first time CABG patients operated on with the technique of cross clamp fibrillation from Feb-1996 to through to Jan-2003, and to seek risk factors for medium term mortality in these patients.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Data was collected from Hospital Episode Statistics and departmental patient administration and tracking systems and cross checked using database techniques. Patient outcomes were searched using the National Health Service strategic tracing service.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Mean follow up was 5.3 years(0–9.4 years) and was complete for all patients. 30-day survival was 98.4%, 1-year survival 95% and 8-year survival 79%. Cox-regression analysis revealed that several modifiable pre-operative risk factors remain significant predictors of medium term mortality, including Diabetes(Hazard Ratio(HR) 1.73, 95%CI 1.21–2.45), Chromic obstructive pulmonary disease(HR 2.02, 95%CI 1.09–3.72), Peripheral vascular disease(HR 1.68, 95%CI 1.13–2.5), Body mass index>30(HR 1.54, 95%CI 1.08–2.20) and current smoker at operation(HR 1.67, 95%CI 1.03–2.72). However hypertension(HR 1.31, 95%CI 0.95–1.82) and Hypercholestrolaemia(HR 0.81, 95%CI 0.58–1.13) were not predictive which may reflect adequate post-operative control.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Coronary artery bypass surgery using cross clamp fibrillation is associated with a very low operative mortality. Medium term survival is also good but risk factors such as smoking at operation, Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, obesity and diabetes negatively impact this survival and should be aggressively treated in the years post-surgery.</p