Extensive use of peripheral angioplasty, particularly infrapopliteal, in the treatment of ischaemic diabetic foot ulcers : clinical results of a multicentric study of 221 consecutive diabetic subjects

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the feasibility, technical effectiveness and limb salvage potential of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA), particularly infrapopliteal, in diabetic subjects with ischaemic foot ulcer. DESIGN: Intervention study with PTA in consecutive series. SETTING: Six Diabetology Foot Centres and one Cardiovascular Catheterization Laboratory in Italy. SUBJECTS: Two hundred and twenty-one consecutive diabetic subjects hospitalized for ischaemic foot ulcer. INTERVENTION: Peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD) was investigated by means of foot pulses assessment, ankle-brachial-index (ABI), transcutaneous oxygen tension (TcPO2) and duplex scanning. If non-invasive parameters suggested PAOD, angiography was performed and a PTA was carried out during the same session. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: PTA feasibility, improvement of ABI and TcPO2, limb salvage rate, clinical recurrence. RESULTS: On angiography, two patients had stenoses which were 50%, even when longer than 10 cm and/or multiple/calcified. In 11 patients (5.8%) PTA was performed in the proximal axis exclusively, in 81 (42.4%) patients in the infrapopliteal axis exclusively and in 99 (51.8%) in both the femoropopliteal and infrapopliteal axis. Both ABI and TcPO2 improved significantly after PTA (P < 0.0001). Clinical recurrence occurred in 14 subjects: 10 of whom underwent a second successful PTA. Of the 191 patients who underwent PTA, 10 (5.2%) underwent an above-the-ankle amputation. CONCLUSIONS: PTA, including infrapopliteal, is feasible in most diabetic subjects with ischaemic foot ulcer and is effective for foot revascularization. Clinical recurrence was infrequent and the procedure could successfully be repeated in most cases. In subjects treated successfully with PTA the above-the-ankle amputation rate was low. PTA should be considered as the revascularization treatment of first choice in all diabetic subjects with foot ulcer and PAOD

Association of kidney disease measures with risk of renal function worsening in patients with type 1 diabetes

Background: Albuminuria has been classically considered a marker of kidney damage progression in diabetic patients and it is routinely assessed to monitor kidney function. However, the role of a mild GFR reduction on the development of stage 653 CKD has been less explored in type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) patients. Aim of the present study was to evaluate the prognostic role of kidney disease measures, namely albuminuria and reduced GFR, on the development of stage 653 CKD in a large cohort of patients affected by T1DM. Methods: A total of 4284 patients affected by T1DM followed-up at 76 diabetes centers participating to the Italian Association of Clinical Diabetologists (Associazione Medici Diabetologi, AMD) initiative constitutes the study population. Urinary albumin excretion (ACR) and estimated GFR (eGFR) were retrieved and analyzed. The incidence of stage 653 CKD (eGFR &lt; 60 mL/min/1.73 m2) or eGFR reduction &gt; 30% from baseline was evaluated. Results: The mean estimated GFR was 98 \ub1 17 mL/min/1.73m2 and the proportion of patients with albuminuria was 15.3% (n = 654) at baseline. About 8% (n = 337) of patients developed one of the two renal endpoints during the 4-year follow-up period. Age, albuminuria (micro or macro) and baseline eGFR &lt; 90 ml/min/m2 were independent risk factors for stage 653 CKD and renal function worsening. When compared to patients with eGFR &gt; 90 ml/min/1.73m2 and normoalbuminuria, those with albuminuria at baseline had a 1.69 greater risk of reaching stage 3 CKD, while patients with mild eGFR reduction (i.e. eGFR between 90 and 60 mL/min/1.73 m2) show a 3.81 greater risk that rose to 8.24 for those patients with albuminuria and mild eGFR reduction at baseline. Conclusions: Albuminuria and eGFR reduction represent independent risk factors for incident stage 653 CKD in T1DM patients. The simultaneous occurrence of reduced eGFR and albuminuria have a synergistic effect on renal function worsening

Predictors of treatment response to liraglutide in type 2 diabetes in a real-world setting

There is an unmet need among healthcare providers to identify subgroups of patients with type 2 diabetes who are most likely to respond to treatment

Effects of medium-long term regular treatment with exenatide in type 2 diabetic patients: A lombard multicenter initiative [Effetti del trattamento persistente con exenatide a medio-lungo termine in soggetti con diabete mellito di tipo 2: Esperienza multicentrica lombarda]

Exenatide (Exe) is a GLP-1 receptor agonist that boosts \u3b2-cell insulin secretion, in order to correct hyperglycemia. Exe also suppresses glucagon release without inhibiting the response to hypoglycemia. This retrospective study examined the efficacy of regular treatment with Exe in type 2 diabetic patients, whose blood glucose was not adequately managed despite lifestyle modifications and oral antidiabetic drugs (OAD). We collected data from 238 outpatients (114 M, 124 F; aged 58.3 \ub1 9.5 years; diabetes duration 10.1 \ub1 6.7 years) from seven diabetes centers in Lombardy (Italy). In order to detect any differences in the effects of Exe in relation to baseline levels of the main metabolic and anthropometric parameters, we divided this population post-hoc on the basis of the medians for the following variables: HbA1c (up to and including 8.5%, or more), fasting plasma glucose (FPG, up to 175 mg/dl, or more), body mass index (BMI, up to 37.5 kg/m2, or more), and diabetes duration (up to 9 years, or more). This gave a good picture of metabolic and anthropometric patterns over time. We also divided patients on the basis of the OAD they were taking at study entry. Metformin was the most widely used non-secretagogue (Group Non-S: 96 patients); sulphonilureas and repaglinide were the main secretagogues (Group S: 142 patients). Group S patients were older than Group Non-S cases (p &lt; 0.01), with a longer diabetes duration, and higher HbA1c and FPG (p &lt; 0.0001). Non-S patients had heavier body weight at baseline (p = 0.001), and higher BMI (p = 0.01). Clinical and anthropometric parameters progressively and uniformly declined, most markedly HbA1c, which was higher at baseline in Group S. Exe reduced body weight more in the Non-S group, reaching statistical significance after 24 months (p = 0.01). These findings confirm the therapeutic efficacy of Exe for better glycemic control and body weight reduction after a medium-long period of treatment. Previous use of oral secretagogues did not invalidate the fa-vorable effect of Exe on some of the main cardiovascular risk factors

Intensive structured self-monitoring of blood glucose and glycemic control in noninsulin-treated type 2 diabetes: The PRISMA randomized trial

OBJECTIVE We aimed to evaluate the added value of intensive self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG), structured in timing and frequency, in noninsulin-treated patients with type 2 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODSdThe 12-month, randomized, clinical trial enrolled 1,024 patients with noninsulin-treated type 2 diabetes (median baseline HbA1c, 7.3% [IQR, 6.9-7.8%]) at 39 diabetes clinics in Italy. After standardized education, 501 patients were randomized to intensive structured monitoring (ISM) with 4-point glycemic profiles (fasting, preprandial, 2-h postprandial, and postabsorptive measurements) performed 3 days/week; 523 patients were randomized to active control (AC) with 4-point glycemic profiles performed at baseline and at 6 and 12 months. Two primary end points were tested in hierarchical order: HbA1c change at 12 months and percentage of patients at risk target for low and high blood glucose index. RESULTSdIntent-to-treat analysis showed greater HbA1c reductions over 12 months in ISM (20.39%) than in AC patients (20.27%), with a between-group difference of 20.12% (95% CI, 20.210 to 20.024; P = 0.013). In the per-protocol analysis, the between-group difference was 20.21% (20.331 to 20.089; P = 0.0007). More ISM than AC patients achieved clinically meaningful reductions in HbA1c (>0.3, >0.4, or >0.5%) at study end (P< 0.025). The proportion of patients reaching/maintaining the risk target at month 12 was similar in ISM (74.6%) and AC (70.1%) patients (P = 0.131). At visits 2, 3, and 4, diabetes medications were changed more often in ISM than in AC patients (P <0.001). CONCLUSIONSdUse of structured SMBG improves glycemic control and provides guidance in prescribing diabetes medications in patients with relatively well-controlled noninsulintreated type 2 diabetes. © 2013 by the American Diabetes Association

Intensive structured self-monitoring of blood glucose and glycemic control in noninsulin-treated type 2 diabetes: The PRISMA randomized trial

OBJECTIVE We aimed to evaluate the added value of intensive self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG), structured in timing and frequency, in noninsulin-treated patients with type 2 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODSdThe 12-month, randomized, clinical trial enrolled 1,024 patients with noninsulin-treated type 2 diabetes (median baseline HbA1c, 7.3% [IQR, 6.9-7.8%]) at 39 diabetes clinics in Italy. After standardized education, 501 patients were randomized to intensive structured monitoring (ISM) with 4-point glycemic profiles (fasting, preprandial, 2-h postprandial, and postabsorptive measurements) performed 3 days/week; 523 patients were randomized to active control (AC) with 4-point glycemic profiles performed at baseline and at 6 and 12 months. Two primary end points were tested in hierarchical order: HbA1c change at 12 months and percentage of patients at risk target for low and high blood glucose index. RESULTSdIntent-to-treat analysis showed greater HbA1c reductions over 12 months in ISM (20.39%) than in AC patients (20.27%), with a between-group difference of 20.12% (95% CI, 20.210 to 20.024; P = 0.013). In the per-protocol analysis, the between-group difference was 20.21% (20.331 to 20.089; P = 0.0007). More ISM than AC patients achieved clinically meaningful reductions in HbA1c (>0.3, >0.4, or >0.5%) at study end (P< 0.025). The proportion of patients reaching/maintaining the risk target at month 12 was similar in ISM (74.6%) and AC (70.1%) patients (P = 0.131). At visits 2, 3, and 4, diabetes medications were changed more often in ISM than in AC patients (P <0.001). CONCLUSIONSdUse of structured SMBG improves glycemic control and provides guidance in prescribing diabetes medications in patients with relatively well-controlled noninsulintreated type 2 diabetes. © 2013 by the American Diabetes Association