Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on behavioral changes and glycemic control and a survey of telemedicine in patients with diabetes: A multicenter retrospective observational study.

AIMS/INTRODUCTION: To investigate whether the COVID-19 pandemic affected behavioral changes and glycemic control in patients with diabetes and to conduct a survey of telemedicine during the pandemic. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this retrospective study, a total of 2,348 patients were included from 15 medical facilities. Patients were surveyed about their lifestyle changes and attitudes toward telemedicine. Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels were compared among before (from June 1 to August 31, 2019) and in the first (from June 1 to August 31, 2020) and in the second (from June 1 to August 31, 2021) year of the pandemic. A survey of physician attitudes toward telemedicine was also conducted. RESULTS: The HbA1c levels were comparable between 2019 (7.27 ± 0.97%), 2020 (7.28 ± 0.92%), and 2021 (7.25 ± 0.94%) without statistical difference between each of those 3 years. Prescriptions for diabetes medications increased during the period. The frequency of eating out was drastically reduced (51.7% in 2019; 30.1% in 2020), and physical activity decreased during the pandemic (48.1% in 2019; 41.4% in 2020; 43.3% in 2021). Both patients and physicians cited increased convenience and reduced risk of infection as their expectations for telemedicine, while the lack of physician-patient interaction and the impossibility of consultation and examination were cited as sources of concern. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that glycemic control did not deteriorate during the COVID-19 pandemic with appropriate intensification of diabetes treatment in patients with diabetes who continued to attend specialized diabetes care facilities, and that patients and physicians shared the same expectations and concerns about telemedicine.

Retrospective Study on the Effects of Glucose Abnormality on COVID-19 Outcomes in Japan.

INTRODUCTION: To investigate the effects of glucose abnormality on outcomes of hospitalized coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients in Japan. METHODS: This study retrospectively analyzed 393 COVID-19 patients admitted at Juntendo University Hospital. Patients were divided into subgroups according to history of diabetes and blood glucose (BG) levels and subsequently compared in terms of in-hospital death, invasive ventilation, or a composite of both. RESULTS: Patients with glucose abnormality demonstrated more risk factors for serious COVID-19, such as high body mass index, dyslipidemia, and hypertension, and higher biomarkers for inflammation compared to those with normal BG levels. Oxygen inhalation and steroid use were more frequent among patients with than without glucose abnormality. Invasive ventilation was more frequent in patients with diabetes (9.5% vs. 3.2%, p = 0.033) and BG ≥ 140 mg/dl (11.0% vs. 3.1%, p = 0.009) compared with those without diabetes and BG < 140 mg/dl, respectively. Logistic regression analysis showed that BG ≥ 140 mg/dl was a risk factor for invasive ventilation [odds ratio (OR) 2.87, 95% CI 1.04-7.68, p = 0.037] or the composite outcome (OR 3.03, 95% CI 1.21-7.38, p = 0.015) even after adjusting for by age and gender. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that glucose abnormality was significantly associated with invasive ventilation and that BG ≥ 140 mg/dl was a risk factor for invasive ventilation [hazard ratio (HR) 2.68, 95% CI 1.05-6.82, p = 0.039] and the composite of death and invasive ventilation (HR 2.77, 95% CI 1.21-6.37, p = 0.016) regardless of age and gender. CONCLUSIONS: Glucose abnormality, particularly BG ≥ 140 mg/dl, was associated with serious outcomes among Japanese COVID-19 patients, suggesting the need to consider high BG as a major risk factor for poor clinical course also in Japan.

Effect of Tofogliflozin on Carotid Intima-Media Thickness in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: Results from the Prospective, Randomized, Open-Label, Parallel-Group Comparative UTOPIA Trial

Background: This study aimed to investigate the preventive effects of tofogliflozin, a selective sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor, on atherosclerosis progression in type 2 diabetes (T2DM) patients without apparent cardiovascular disease (CVD) by monitoring carotid intima-media thickness (IMT). Methods: This prospective, randomized, open-label, blinded-endpoint, multicenter, parallel-group, comparative study included 340 subjects with T2DM but no history of apparent CVD recruited at 24 clinical units. Subjects were randomly allocated to either the tofogliflozin treatment group (n=169) or conventional treatment group using drugs other than SGLT2 inhibitors (n=171). Primary outcomes were changes in mean and maximum common carotid IMT measured by echography during a 104-week treatment period. Findings: Although the mean IMT of the common carotid artery (mean-IMT-CCA), along with the right and left maximum IMT of the CCA (max-IMT-CCA), statistically significantly declined in both the tofogliflozin (-0.132 mm, SE 0.007;-0.163 mm, SE 0.013;-0.170 mm, SE 0.020;respectively) and the control group (-0·140 mm, SE 0·006;-0·190 mm, SE 0·012;-0·190 mm, SE 0·020;respectively), no significant difference was observed between the two groups. Relative to the control treatment effects, tofogliflozin statistically significantly reduced the HbA1c, blood glucose level, body weight/body mass index, abdominal circumference, and systolic blood pressure, and statistically significantly increased the HDL-C. Interpretation: A tofogliflozin treatment regimen of 104 weeks was not associated with improved inhibition of carotid wall thickening in T2DM patients without apparent CVD, as compared to the effect of the control treatment. Disclosure: N. Katakami: Research Support;Self;Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp. Other Relationship;Self;Astellas Pharma Inc., AstraZeneca K.K., Daiichi Sankyo, Eli Lilly Japan K.K., Kowa Company, Ltd., Kowa Company, Ltd., Kyowa Hakko Kirin Co., Ltd., Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation, Nippon Boehringer Ingelheim Co. Ltd., Novartis Pharma K.K., Novo Nordisk Inc., Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Sanofi K.K., Shionogi & Co., Ltd., Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited. T. Mita: Research Support;Self;Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Kowa Company, Ltd., Merck & Co., Inc., Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited. Speaker's Bureau;Self;Kowa Company, Ltd., Merck & Co., Inc., Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation, Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited. H. Watada: Advisory Panel;Self;Abbott, Ajinomoto, Astellas Pharma Inc., Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Fuji Film, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Kowa Company, Ltd., Kyowa Hakko Kirin Co., Ltd., Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation, Novo Nordisk Inc., Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Sanofi-Aventis, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Terumo Medical Corporation. Research Support;Self;Astellas Pharma Inc., Bayer Yakuhin, Ltd., Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Daiichi Sankyo, Eli Lilly Japan K.K., Kissei Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Kowa Company, Ltd., Kyowa Hakko Kirin Co., Ltd., Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation, Novartis Pharma K.K., Novo Nordisk Inc., Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Pfizer Japan Inc., Sanofi-Aventis, Sanwa Kagaku Kenkyusho, Shionogi & Co., Ltd., Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Co., Ltd., Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Co., Ltd., Taisho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Teijin Pharma Limited, Yakult. Speaker's Bureau;Self;Astellas Pharma Inc., AstraZeneca, Bayer Yakuhin, Ltd., Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Daiichi Sankyo, Eli Lilly Japan K.K., Kissei Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Kowa Company, Ltd., Kyowa Hakko Kirin Co., Ltd., Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, Novo Nordisk Inc., Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Sanofi-Aventis, Sanwa Kagaku Kenkyusho, Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Co., Ltd., Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited. I. Shimomura: Advisory Panel;Self;AstraZeneca K.K., Daiichi Sankyo, Novo Nordisk Pharma Ltd., Taisho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. Consultant;Self;MSD K.K., Novo Nordisk Pharma Ltd. Research Support;Self;Astellas Pharma Inc., Daiichi Sankyo, Eli Lilly Japan K.K., Kowa Company, Ltd., Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd., Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation, MSD K.K., Novartis Pharma K.K., Novo Nordisk Pharma Ltd., Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Sanofi K.K., Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Co., Ltd., Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Teijin Pharma Limited. Speaker's Bureau;Self;Amgen Astellas BioPharma K.K., Astellas Pharma Inc., AstraZeneca K.K., Covidien Japan Inc., Daiichi Sankyo, Eli Lilly Japan K.K., KOBAYASHI Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Kowa Company, Ltd., Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd., Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation, MSD K.K., Nippon Boehringer Ingelheim Co. Ltd., Nippon Chemiphar Co., Ltd., Novo Nordisk Pharma Ltd., Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Rohto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Sanofi K.K., Sanwa Kagaku Kenkyusho, Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Co., Ltd., Taisho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Teijin Pharma Limited. 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