Diabetes and higher HbA1c levels are independently associated with adverse renal outcomes in inpatients following multiple hospital admissions.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the association between glycaemic status prior to the first hospital presentation with developing adverse renal outcomes overtime in patients with multiple hospital re-admissions. DESIGN: A prospective observational cohort study. PARTICIPANTS: All inpatients aged ≥54 years admitted between 2013 and 16 to a tertiary hospital. MAIN OUTCOMES: We prospectively measured HbA1c levels in all inpatients aged ≥54 years admitted between 2013 and 16. Diabetes was defined as prior documented diagnosis of diabetes and/or HbA1c ≥6.5% (47·5 mmol/L). Included patients had ≥ two admissions (at least 90 days apart), baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) >30 ml/min/1·73m2 and no history of renal replacement therapy. We assessed several renal outcomes: (a) 50% decline in eGFR; (b) rapid decline in renal function (eGFR decline >5 mL/min/1·73m2/year) and (c) final eGFR<30 ml/min/1·73m2. RESULTS: Of 4126 inpatients with a median follow-up of 465 days (254, 740), 26% had diabetes. The presence of diabetes was associated with higher odds of (a) 50% decline in eGFR (OR = 1·42;95% CI:1·18-1·70;p < 0·001); (b) rapid decline in renal function (OR = 1·40;95%CI:1·20-1·63;p < 0·001), and (c) reaching eGFR<30 ml/min/1.73m2 (OR = 1·25;95%CI:1·03-1·53;p < 0·05). Every 1% (11 mmol/L) increase in baseline HbA1c was associated with significantly greater odds of (a) >50% decline in eGFR (OR = 1·07;95% CI:1·01-1·4;p < 0·05) and (b) rapid decline in renal function (OR = 1·11;95% CI:1·05-1·18;p < 0·001). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with ≥two admissions, the presence of diabetes and higher HbA1c levels were strongly and independently associated with adverse renal outcomes at follow up. Such patients are at high risk of relatively rapid deterioration in renal function and a logical target for structured preventive interventions.

Evaluation of agreement between intraocular pressure measurements using Goldmann applanation tonometry and Goldmann correlated intraocular pressure by Reichert's ocular response analyser.

PURPOSE: To compare agreement of intraocular pressure (IOP) measurements using Goldmann applanation tonometry (GAT) and Goldmann correlated intraocular pressure generated (IOPg) by the Reichert ocular response analyser (ORA). METHODS: Consecutive patients presenting for glaucoma evaluation underwent ORA assessment followed by examination including GAT. For each ORA assessment, measurements were taken until a waveform score (WS) of 6.5 was obtained or until five measurements were obtained per eye. The relationship between GAT and IOPg and the influence of the WS upon this relationship was evaluated. A Bland-Altman plot and linear regression were used to determine agreement between GAT and IOPg. RESULTS: A total of 518 eyes of 260 patients were included in the final analysis. Increasing WS was found to predict a smaller difference between GAT and IOPg (ß=-0.2, P≤0.001). Selecting the highest WS among ORA assessments of each eye, WS continued to predict concordance between GAT and IOPg (ß=-0.2, P=0.006). The mean IOP difference between methods was 0.1 mm Hg (±0.3), which was found to be statistically insignificant (P=0.391). This relationship between GAT and IOPg was successfully validated using a second distinct data set of 100 eyes. GAT and IOPg measurements varied by 2 mm Hg or less in 53.9% of eyes and 5 mm Hg or less in 92.3% of eyes. CONCLUSION: In clinical practice IOPg is strongly related to GAT. Although higher WS is indicative of greater IOPg/GAT concordance, its influence is minimal. This study does not support the use of a specific WS cutoff to determine quality of an IOPg measurement.