Relatively young T1D adults using fixed doses of insulin have higher diabetes distress levels in a sample of patients from a Brazilian tertiary hospital.

BACKGROUND: Elevated rates of anxiety and depressive symptoms in Type 1 Diabetes patients (T1D) and high rates of diabetes-specific distress (DD) have been shown. Several factors may be responsible for increase the DD levels such as age, life changes, lack of familiar support, education, insulin regimens (IRs) and chronic complications. The goals of this study were: 1-to compare DD levels, anxiety and depressive symptoms according to age (< and ≥ 25 years old), 2-to evaluate the association between DD levels, anxiety and depressive symptoms and IRs, and 3-to evaluate the association between DD levels, anxiety and depressive symptoms and chronic complications. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, T1D patients receiving outpatient care at Unicamp tertiary hospital were included. Inclusion criteria were age at least 18 years old and diagnosis of T1D for 6 months. Exclusion criteria were cognitive impairment, major psychiatric disorders, severe diabetes-related complications, and pregnancy. Depressive symptoms were evaluated by the depression subscale of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAD-D) and the anxiety symptoms by the anxiety subscale of the same instrument (HAD-A). DDS scale assessed DD. Glycemic control was evaluated by HbA1C. The latest lipid panel results were recorded and IRs and chronic complications were obtained through chart review. RESULTS: Of all 70 patients, 70% were younger than 25 years old. No differences were found between two groups according to gender, education, and income (p = 0.39, p = 0.87, and p = 0.52, respectively). HbA1c mean was 10% in both groups (p = 0.15). Older patients had higher levels of total DD and physician DD than younger (p = 0.0048 and p = 0.0413; respectively).Total DD and DD on subscales 1 and 2 were higher in patients using fixed doses of insulin compared to variable doses according to carbohydrates count (p = 0.0392, p = 0.0383 and p = 0.0043, respectively). No differences were found between anxiety and depressive symptoms and age and IRs. Similarly, no differences were found among DD levels, anxiety and depressive symptoms in patients with and without chronic complications. CONCLUSIONS: When providing education and care for T1D patients, health providers should consider age, patient's developmental stage, with its related demands and the burden of insulin regimen.

Clinical Profile of Patients With Diabetes Mellitus and Liver Transplantation: Results After a Multidisciplinary Team Intervention.

BACKGROUND: Over the years, survival after liver transplantation has increased and metabolic complications are becoming more common, contributing to patients' morbidity and mortality. The objectives of this study were to describe a population of patients with hepatic transplantation and diabetes mellitus (DM), evaluate the frequency of metabolic complications, and assess the impact of a multidisciplinary team on DM management. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective study involving interview and medical record analysis of 46 consecutive patients followed at the diabetes mellitus and liver transplantation unit of a tertiary university hospital, all evaluated by a multidisciplinary team. RESULTS: Of all patients, 76.1% were men, with a median age 60 years old (interquartile range: 56 to 65 years) and liver transplantation time of 5 years (interquartile range: 0.6-9 years). Hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia, alcoholism, and smoking were present in 47.8%, 34.8%, 23.9%, 34.8%, and 30.4% of the patients, respectively. The most frequent immunosuppressant in use was tacrolimus (71.1%). Regarding nutritional status, 37.9% of patients were classified as overweight according to body mass index, and 41.2% were considered overweight according to the triceps skin fold. The median glycosylated hemoglobin and weight before and after intervention of the multidisciplinary team in all 46 patients were, respectively, 7.6% (5.7% to 8.8%) versus 6.5% (5.7% to 7.7%); P = .022 and 70.5 kg (64.7 to 82.0 kg) versus 71.6 kg (65.0 to 85.0 kg); P = .18. CONCLUSIONS: Hypertension and dyslipidemia were common in transplanted patients with DM. Intervention of the multidisciplinary team resulted in a significant improvement in glycosylated hemoglobin without significant weight gain.

Frequency of Thyroid Dysfunction in Patients With Diabetes Mellitus Before and After Liver Transplantation.

BACKGROUND: There is mutual influence between the liver and thyroid hormone metabolism. Patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) also have an increased prevalence of thyroid disorders (TDs). The objectives of this study were to evaluate the frequency of TD before and after liver transplantation (LT) in a population of patients with DM as a whole and when categorized by sex. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective study involving interview and medical record analysis of 46 consecutive patients followed at the diabetes mellitus and liver transplantation unit of a tertiary university hospital. RESULTS: Of all patients, 76.1% were men with a median age of 60 years old (interquartile range: 56 to 65 years) and time since LT of 5 years (range, 0.6 to 9 years). Hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia, alcoholism, and smoking were present in 47.8%, 34.8%, 23.9%, 34.8%, and 30.4% of the patients, respectively. The most frequent immunosuppressant in use was tacrolimus (71.1%). TD was present in 4.3% and 13% before and after LT, respectively (P = .058). In women and men, these frequencies were 9.1% and 18.2% (P = .563), and 2.9% and 11.8% (P = .045), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Frequency of TD was high both before and after LT. After transplantation, prevalence of TD increased in men and differences between males and females almost disappeared. Further studies are needed to assess if screening for TD before and after LT in patients with DM might be beneficial, especially in men.

Translation and cultural adaptation into Brazilian culture of type 1 diabetes distress scale.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes related distress is common in type 1 diabetes patients (T1D). High levels of diabetes distress are related to poor metabolic control. An instrument to evaluate diabetes distress in T1D patients is "type 1 diabetes scale-T1DDS". The aim of this study was to translate and culturally adapt the T1DDS into Brazilian culture. METHODS: T1DDS scale was translated into Portuguese. Back translation was performed and evaluated by a specialists committee. Pre-test was performed with 40 T1D outpatients at State University of Campinas hospital. Internal consistency, external consistency and re-test were performed. RESULTS: 72% women, mean age: 32, 1 ± 9, 7 years, mean diabetes duration: 15, 8 ± 9, 1 years, mean scholarity: 11, 5 ± 3, 6, glycosylated hemoglobin mean: 9 ± 2%. Internal consistency: Cronbach alpha of T1DDS Brazilian version was 0.93. External consistency: Spearman's coefficient between T1DDS and PAID, Brazilian version, was 0.7781; (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: The T1DDS Brazilian version is a reliable tool to evaluate diabetes distress in T1D patients in the Brazilian Population. This tool can be useful in clinical care and to identify patiens at risk and in need for psychosocial intervention.

Efficacy of pregabalin in a case of stiff-person syndrome: clinical and neurophysiological evidence.

Symptomatic treatment of stiff-person syndrome (SPS) might be challenging and a significant improvement of stiffness and rigidity is generally reached with high doses of benzodiazepines or baclofen causing side effects. A 71-year old woman diagnosed with SPS complained of marked stiffness of trunk and lower limb muscles with sudden painful spasms. She was unable to walk and she could not lean on her right leg. Cortical silent period (CSP) duration evaluated from right abductor pollicis brevis (APB) with transcranial magnetic stimulation was shortened. Polygraphic electromyographic (EMG) evaluation from paraspinal and leg muscles disclosed continuous motor unit activity at rest with interference muscular pattern. Symptomatic treatment with diazepam was withdrawn because of excessive sedation. In order to relieve the intense lumbar pain, she was prescribed pregabalin; since the day after, rigidity and painful spasms dramatically improved and she could walk without assistance. The clinical benefit persisted at 3 months follow-up and was paralleled by almost complete disappearance of EMG activity at rest and prolongation of CSP. The clinical and electrophysiological data in this SPS patient suggest the possible efficacy of pregabalin as symptomatic treatment without any significant side effects, which needs to be replicated in larger case series.