Diabetes self-management education on the sustainability of metabolic control in type 2 diabetes patients: Diabetes share care program in Taiwan.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes self-management education (DSME) improves glycemic and metabolic control. However, the frequency, duration and sustainability of DSME for improving metabolic control have not been well studied. METHODS: The Diabetes Share Care Program (DSCP) stage 1 provided DSME every 3 months. If participants entering DSCP stage 1 ≥ 2 years and HbA1c < 7%, they can be transferred to stage 2 (DSME frequency: once a year). Three-to-one matching between DSCP stage 1 and stage 2 groups based on the propensity score method to match the two groups in terms of HbA1c and diabetes duration. We identified 311 people living with type 2 diabetes in DSCP stage 1 and 86 in stage 2 and evaluated their metabolic control and healthy behaviors annually for 5 years. RESULTS: In the first year, HbA1c in the DSCP stage 2 group was significantly lower than that in the stage 1 group. In the first and the fifth years, the percentage of patients achieving HbA1c < 7% was significantly higher in the DSCP stage 2 group than the stage 1 group. There was no significant difference in other metabolic parameters between the two groups during the 5-year follow-up. Self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) frequency was associated with a reduced HbA1c after 5 years (95% CI: -0.0665 to -0.0004). CONCLUSION: We demonstrated sustainable effects of at least 2-year DSME on achieving better glycemic control for at least 1 year. SMBG contributed to improved glycemic control. The results may be applied to the reimbursement strategy in diabetes education.

Muscle Microcirculatory Responses to Incremental Exercises Are Correlated with Peak Oxygen Uptake in Individuals With and Without Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Background: The role of impaired oxygen extraction on peak oxygen uptake (V̇O2peak) has been extensively studied using noninvasive and indirect methods in both diabetic patients and healthy participants. Methods: A total of 22 participants with type 2 diabetes mellitus [T2DM; median (range) age: 60 (47-70) years] and 22 controls [58 (52-69) years] with no history of diabetes were recruited (reference no. 201812135RINB). Subjects performed an exhaustive incremental exercise and were evaluated using a gas analyzer and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) to determine V̇O2peak and changes in muscle oxygenation (SmO2) in the vastus lateralis, respectively. Measurements were taken at rest, warm-up, a period during exercise when SmO2 reached a minimum saturation plateau, and recovery. The microcirculatory responses of the vastus lateralis muscle during incremental exercise in patients with T2DM were compared with those in control individuals, and the correlation between changes in SmO2 and V̇O2peak was estimated. Results: The diabetic group demonstrated lower V̇O2peak, peak workload, peak heart rate, peak minute ventilation (all P < 0.05), and lower SmO2 during the rest, warm-up, and recovery phases (all P < 0.05) compared with the control group. A correlation was observed between the change in SmO2 between the warm-up and plateau value and the V̇O2peak (r = 0.608, P = 0.006). Conclusions: The results obtained in this study using NIRS support the feasibility of directly measuring changes in muscle SmO2 magnitudes to estimate the contributions of peripheral active muscle to systemic O2 uptake (V̇O2) during incremental exercise.

Hemoglobin glycation index predicts renal function deterioration in patients with type 2 diabetes and a low risk of chronic kidney disease.

AIMS: Hemoglobin glycation index (HGI) is used to describe the difference between estimated and measured glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c). We aimed to study whether HGI can predict renal function deterioration in patients with type 2 diabetes and a low risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD). METHODS: This retrospective cohort study enrolled 780 patients with type 2 diabetes and a low CKD risk according to the criteria of kidney disease: improving global outcomes. Participants were divided into two subgroups according to the baseline HGI calculated by fasting blood glucose and HbA1c. Multivariate Cox proportional hazard models were used to evaluate the hazard ratios of the study endpoints. Longitudinal data was analyzed using generalized estimating equation (GEE). RESULTS: The participants were followed for a median of 7.3 years. A high HGI predicted rapid renal function decline without or with a resultant eGFR < 60 ml/min/1.73 m2, but not onset of macroalbuminuria. The longitudinal GEE model demonstrated a negative association between HGI and the predicted eGFR changes in both the 1-year and 3-year intervals. CONCLUSIONS: HGI independently predicted renal function deterioration in patients with type 2 diabetes and a low CKD risk. Further investigations are warranted to elucidate its potential clinical impact.

Visit-to-visit variability in albuminuria predicts renal function deterioration in patients with type 2 diabetes.

AIMS/INTRODUCTION: We aimed to study the predictive ability of visit-to-visit variability in albuminuria for changes in renal function in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The cohort study was carried out in a single medical center. In the model development cohort of 1008 subjects, we developed the albuminuria variability score (AVS) to evaluate the visit-to-visit variability in albuminuria, which was the percentage of the number of changes in the urine albumin : creatinine ratio ≥3.39 mg/mmol among all visit-to-visit urine albumin : creatinine ratio differences within an individual. Multivariate logistic regression was applied to predict the influence of AVS levels on the occurrence of study end-points. In another independent validation cohort of 310 participants, survival analysis was carried out to evaluate the ability of AVS in predicting the study end-point. RESULTS: In the model development cohort, a higher AVS was associated with higher adjusted odds of having a declined or rapidly declined estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) trajectory (1.84, 95% confidence interval 1.23-2.76 and 5.70, 95% confidence interval 2.28-14.25, respectively), a resultant eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m2 (2.61, 95% confidence interval 1.63-4.16) and a >40% decline in eGFR from baseline (6.44, 95% confidence interval 2.15-19.26). In the validation cohort, a higher AVS independently predicted a 5-year decrease of >40% in eGFR to <60 mL/min/1.73 m2 (adjusted hazard ratio 3.33, 95% confidence interval 1.10-10.05). Integrated discrimination index and concordance statistics showed that AVS significantly improved the predictive ability of the models. CONCLUSIONS: Visit-to-visit variability in albuminuria can independently predict long-term renal function deterioration in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Further investigations are warranted to elucidate the potential clinical applications.

Microcirculatory Responses to Muscle and Tendon Exercises in Individuals With and Without Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and the Association Between Microcirculatory and Exercise Performance.

Background: This study aimed to measure and compare (1) the microcirculation and microcirculatory responses of the muscles and tendons at rest and during isometric muscle contractions in participants with and without diabetes mellitus (DM) and (2) to determine correlations between microcirculation and muscle strength. Methods: Sixty-three participants with type 2 DM and 42 physically matched controls were recruited. Baseline measurements of the microcirculation of the rectus femoris (RF) and medial gastrocnemius (MG) muscles and patellar (PT) and Achilles tendons (AT), as well as their microcirculatory changes during maximal isometric exercises, were performed and recorded by using near-infrared spectroscopy and a red laser. Data on various laboratory tests (including glycated hemoglobin, triglyceride, high-density cholesterol), the monofilament test, and the ankle-brachial index were also obtained. Results: The baseline measurements indicated that, compared with the controls, the diabetic participants had lower oxygen saturation (SpO2) in their RF and MG muscles (both P < 0.001), and the total hemoglobin in the diabetic PT and AT was higher (P = 0.001 and P = 0.01). The minimal SpO2 levels in the aforementioned muscles during isometric contractions were lower in the diabetes group than in the control group (P ≤ 0.001). Furthermore, there were correlations between the microcirculatory change of the RF muscle and the knee extension force. Conclusions: This study demonstrated the effects of diabetes on the microcirculation of skeletal muscles and tendons during baseline measurements and responses to maximal isometric exercises. The results support the need for preventive strategies for diabetic muscles to prevent adverse complications when performing resistance training.

Decreased glomerular filtration rate and increased albuminuria for identification of cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy in subjects with and without diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between chronic kidney disease (CKD) and cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy (CAN). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: From October 2008 to May 2011, we enrolled 218 patients with diabetes and 62 nondiabetic subjects. Heart rate variability was represented as the maximal heart rate minus the minimal heart rate (HRmax-min) during a one-minute deep breathing test. Normal, impaired cardiovascular autonomic function and CAN were defined as s HRmax-min > 15 beats/min, HRmax-min of 10-15 beats/min and HRmax-min < 10 beats/min, respectively. CKD was diagnosed if the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was <60/min/1.73 m2 or albuminuria. RESULTS: In our sample, 19.4% of nondiabetic subjects and 49.5% of diabetic subjects had CKD. The prevalence of CAN was higher among patients with diabetes than among nondiabetic subjects (26.4 vs. 4.9%). A significant association was observed between eGFR and HRmax-min. CAN was independently associated with CKD with an adjusted odds ratio of 2.77 (95% CI, 1.15-6.68) in diabetic patients. A positive linear trend was observed for the odds of CAN with increasing CKD severity in diabetes. The areas under the curve (AUCs) for the predictive ability of eGFR for the risk of impaired cardiovascular autonomic function for nondiabetic group and CAN for the diabetic group were 0.734 and 0.703, respectively. Adding age, sex, body mass index, and albuminuria to the prediction model increased the AUCs to 0.852 and 0.791, respectively. CONCLUSION: CKD is associated with the risk of CAN in both nondiabetic and diabetic subjects. eGFR and albuminuria improve the prediction of CAN.

Iron Overload Associated Endocrine Dysfunction Leading to Lower Bone Mineral Density in Thalassemia Major.

CONTEXT: Patients with thalassemia major (TM) have a lower bone mineral density (BMD) and higher risk of fracture than the general population. The possible mechanisms include anemia, iron overload, malnutrition, and hormonal deficiency, but these have not been thoroughly investigated. OBJECTIVE: To identify major mineral and hormonal factors related to BMD in adult TM patients to provide human evidence for the proposed mechanisms. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: Referral center. PATIENTS: Twenty-nine patients with ß-TM, aged 23 to 44 years who were followed-up during 2017 to 2018 were enrolled. OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Endocrine profiles, including thyroid, parathyroid, and pituitary function, glucose, vitamin D, calcium, phosphate, and fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) were obtained. The relationships among the above parameters, body height, fractures, and BMD were analyzed. RESULTS: Abnormal BMD was observed in 42.9% of women and 23.1% of men. The mean final heights of women and men were 3.7 cm and 7.3 cm lower than the mean expected values, respectively. Fracture history was recorded in 26.7% of women and 35.7% of men. BMD was negatively correlated with parathyroid hormone, FGF23, thyrotropin, and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels, and positively correlated with testosterone, IGF-1, and corticotropin levels (all P < .05). Moreover, hypothyroidism was associated with lower BMD in both the lumbar spine (P = .024) and the femoral neck (P = .004). Patients with hypothyroidism had a higher percentage of abnormal BMD (P = .016). CONCLUSION: Hypothyroidism, higher HbA1c, and lower adrenocorticotropin were predictors of abnormal BMD in patients with ß-TM. Whether the correction of these factors improves BMD warrants further research.

Development and Validation of the Norfolk Quality of Life Fatigue Tool (QOL-F): A New Measure of Perception of Fatigue.

OBJECTIVES: To design a questionnaire to evaluate and distinguish between cognitive and physical aspects of fatigue in different age groups of "nondiseased" people and guide appropriate prevention and interventions for the impact of frailty occurring in normative aging. STUDY DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS: The Norfolk QOL-Fatigue (QOL-F) with items of cognitive and physical fatigue, anxiety, and depression from validated questionnaires including items from the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measure Information System (PROMIS) databank was developed. The preliminary QOL-F was administered to 409 healthy multiethnic local participants (30-80 years old) in 5 age groups. METHODS: The authors distilled the item pool using exploratory (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). EFA identified 5 latent groups as possible factors related to problems due to fatigue, subjective fatigue, reduced activities, impaired activities of daily living (ADL), and depression. RESULTS: CFA demonstrated good overall fit [χ2(172) = 1094.23, P < .001; Tucker-Lewis index = 0.978; root mean square error of approximation = 0.049] with factor loadings >0.617 and strong interfactor correlations (0.69-0.83), suggesting that fatigue in each domain is closely related to other domains and to the overall scale except for ADL. The 5-factor solution displayed good internal consistency (Cronbach α = 0.78-0.94). Total and domain scores were fairly equivalent in all age groups except for the 40 to 49-year-old group with better overall scores. In addition, 70 to 79-year-olds had better ADL scores. In item response analysis, factor scores in different age groups were similar, so age may not be a significant driver of fatigue scores. Fatigue scores were significantly higher in females than in males (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: The developed Norfolk QOL-F tool demonstrated fatigue as a perceived cognitive phenomenon rather than an objective physical measure, suggesting mandatory inclusion of cognitive as well as physical measures in the evaluation of people as they age. QOL-F is able to distinguish QOL-F domain scores unique to different age groups, proposing clinical benefits from physical, balance, and cognitive interventions tailored to impact frailty occurring in normative aging.

Correlation of Circulating Acid-Labile Subunit Levels with Insulin Sensitivity and Serum LDL Cholesterol in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: Findings from a Prospective Study with Rosiglitazone.

Silencing of acid-labile subunit (ALS) improved glucose metabolism in animal models. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of rosiglitazone (RSG) on ALS levels in individuals with type 2 diabetes. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted. Subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus were randomly distributed to an RSG-treated (n = 30) or a placebo (n = 31) group. Patients were evaluated prior to treatment at baseline and at 12 and 24 weeks after treatment. At baseline, ALS levels were negatively associated with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLc) levels and homeostatic model assessment version 2 insulin sensitivity (HOMA2-%S). Over 24 weeks, there was a significantly greater reduction in ALS levels in the nonobese RSG-treated individuals than placebo-treated group. The effect of RSG on ALS was not significant in obese individuals. Fasting plasma glucose and hemoglobin A1c were reduced, but total cholesterol and LDLc were increased, in patients on RSG. Change in ALS levels predicted changes in total cholesterol and HOMA2-%S over time. This study suggested a BMI-dependent effect of RSG treatment on ALS levels. Reduction of ALS by RSG increases the risk of atherosclerosis in individuals with type 2 diabetes.

Falsely decreased HbA1c in a type 2 diabetic patient treated with dapsone.

Glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) is an important indicator of glycemic control. The current recommendation for glycemic control based on HbA1c values has been widely accepted. However, HbA1c values depend on the lifespan of erythrocytes and the assay methods used. Here, we report the case of a patient with type 2 diabetes with unusual falling of HbA1c due to interference from dapsone treatment for leukocytoclastic vasculitis. He was a 52-year-old man, who was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus 5 years previously and who had been treated in our hospital in the past 3 years. Glycemia was controlled by sulfonylurea and metformin. During the 3-years follow-up period, HbA1c dropped significantly during the addition of dapsone treatment, although plasma glucose levels remained stable. HbA1c levels were raised after discontinuation of dapsone. With rechallenge of dapsone usage, HbA1c decreased again. We conclude that dapsone may be the cause of artificially low HbA1c. Other measurements to monitor glycemic control should be considered when dapsone is used for the treatment of concurrent disorders, such as autoimmune disease and pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia.