Association between physical activity advice only or structured exercise training with blood pressure levels in patients with type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes is associated with marked cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. However, the association between different types of exercise training and blood pressure (BP) changes is not fully clear in type 2 diabetes. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs) was to determine the effects of structured exercise training (aerobic [AER], resistance [RES], or combined [COMB]) and physical activity (PA) advice only on BP changes in patients with type 2 diabetes. METHODS: Searches in five electronic databases were conducted to retrieve studies published from 1980 to 2013. Eligible studies were RCTs consisting of structured exercise training or PA advice versus no intervention in patients with type 2 diabetes. We used random effect models to derive weighted mean differences (WMDs) of exercises on absolute changes in systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP). RESULTS: A total of 30 RCTs of structured training (2,217 patients) and 21 of PA advice (7,323 patients) were included. Data were extracted independently in duplicate. Structured exercise was associated with reductions in SBP (WMD -4.22 mmHg; 95% confidence interval [CI] -5.89 to -2.56) and DBP (WMD -2.07 mmHg; 95% CI -3.03 to -1.11) versus controls. In structured exercise interventions, AER and RES were associated with declines in BP, and COMB was not associated with BP changes. However, in sensitivity analysis, a high-intensity protocol within COMB was associated with declines in SBP (WMD -3.30 mmHg; 95% CI -4.71 to -1.89). Structured exercise longer than 150 min/week was associated with greater BP reductions. PA advice only was associated with reduction in SBP (WMD -2.97 mmHg; 95% CI -4.52 to -1.43) and DBP (WMD -1.41 mmHg; 95% CI -1.94 to -0.88) versus controls. CONCLUSIONS: AER, RES, and high-intensity combined training are associated with BP reduction in patients with type 2 diabetes, especially in exercise programs lasting more than 150 min/week. PA advice only is also associated with lower BP levels.

Determinants of intensive insulin therapeutic regimens in patients with type 1 diabetes: data from a nationwide multicenter survey in Brazil.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the determinants of intensive insulin regimens (ITs) in patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D). METHODS: This multicenter study was conducted between December 2008 and December 2010 in 28 public clinics in 20 Brazilian cities. Data were obtained from 3,591 patients (56.0% female, 57.1% Caucasian). Insulin regimens were classified as follows: group 1, conventional therapy (CT) (intermediate human insulin, one to two injections daily); group 2 (three or more insulin injections of intermediate plus regular human insulin); group 3 (three or more insulin injections of intermediate human insulin plus short-acting insulin analogues); group 4, basal-bolus (one or two insulin injections of long-acting plus short-acting insulin analogues or regular insulin); and group 5, basal-bolus with continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII). Groups 2 to 5 were considered IT groups. RESULTS: We obtained complete data from 2,961 patients. Combined intermediate plus regular human insulin was the most used therapeutic regimen. CSII was used by 37 (1.2%) patients and IT by 2,669 (90.2%) patients. More patients on IT performed self-monitoring of blood glucose and were treated at the tertiary care level compared to CT patients (p < 0.001). The majority of patients from all groups had HbA1c levels above the target. Overweight or obesity was not associated with insulin regimen. Logistic regression analysis showed that economic status, age, ethnicity, and level of care were associated with IT (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Given the prevalence of intensive treatment for T1D in Brazil, more effective therapeutic strategies are needed for long term-health benefits.

Relationship between adherence to diet, glycemic control and cardiovascular risk factors in patients with type 1 diabetes: a nationwide survey in Brazil.

BACKGROUND: To determine the relationship between adherence to the diet reported by patients with type 1 diabetes under routine clinical care in Brazil, and demographic, socioeconomic status, glycemic control and cardiovascular risk factors. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional, multicenter study conducted between December 2008 and December 2010 in 28 public clinics in 20 Brazilian cities. The data was obtained from 3,180 patients, aged 22 ± 11.8 years (56.3% females, 57.4% Caucasians and 43.6% non-Caucasians). The mean time since diabetes diagnosis was 11.7 ± 8.1 years. RESULTS: Overall, 1,722 (54.2%) of the patients reported to be adherent to the diet without difference in gender, duration of diabetes and socioeconomic status. Patients who reported adherence to the diet had lower BMI, HbA1c, triglycerides, LDL-cholesterol, non HDL-cholesterol and diastolic blood pressure and had more HbA1c at goal, performed more frequently self-monitoring of blood glucose (p < 0.001), and reported less difficulties to follow specific schedules of diet plans (p < 0.001). Less patients who reported to be adherent were obese or overweight (p = 0.005). The quantity of food and time schedule of the meals were the most frequent complaints. Logistic regression analysis showed that ethnicity, (Caucasians, (OR 1.26 [1.09-1.47]), number of medical clinical visits in the last year (OR 1.10 [1.06-1.15]), carbohydrate counting, (OR 2.22 [1.49-3.30]) and diets recommended by diabetes societies', (OR 1.57 [1.02-2.41]) were related to greater patients' adherence (p < 0.05) and age, [adolescents (OR 0.60 [0.50-0.72]), high BMI (OR 0.58 [0.94-0.98]) and smoking (OR 0.58 [0.41-0.84]) with poor patients' adherence (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that it is necessary to rethink medical nutrition therapy in order to help patients to overcome barriers that impair an optimized adherence to the diet.

Poor glycaemic control in Brazilian patients with type 2 diabetes attending the public healthcare system: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the clinical profile of Brazilian patients with type 2 diabetes attending the public healthcare system and identify factors associated with poor glycaemic control. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: 14 centres in five regions of Brazil, including primary care units and outpatient clinics of University Hospitals. PARTICIPANTS: Patients with type 2 diabetes attending outpatient clinics of public healthcare system. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURED: Glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), centrally measured by high-performance liquid chromatography (National Glycohemoglobin Standardization Program certified). RESULTS: A total of 5750 patients aged 61±10 years, with 11±8 years of diabetes duration (66% women, 56% non-white, body mass index: 28.0±5.3 kg/m(2)) were analysed. Mean HbA1c was 8.6±2.2%, and median HbA1c was 8.1% (6.9% to 9.9%). HbA1c <7% was observed in only 26% of patients. Mean HbA1c was higher (p < 0.01) in the North (9.0±2.6%) and Northeast (8.9±2.4%) than in the Midwest (8.1±2%), Southeast (8.4±2.1%) and South regions (8.3±1.9%). Using the cut-off value of HbA1c above the median, age (0.986 (0.983 to 0.989)), white ethnicity (0.931 (0.883 to 0.981)) and being from Midwest region (0.858 (0.745 to 0.989)) were protective factors, while diabetes duration (1.015 (1.012 to 1.018)), use of insulin (1.710 (1.624 to 1.802)) and living in the Northeast region (1.197 (1.085 to 1.321)) were associated with HbA1c >8%. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of Brazilian patients with type 2 diabetes attending the public healthcare system had HbA1c levels above recommended targets. The recognition of Northeast residents and non-white patients as vulnerable populations should guide future policies and actions to prevent and control diabetes.

Regional differences in clinical care among patients with type 1 diabetes in Brazil: Brazilian Type 1 Diabetes Study Group.

BACKGROUND: To determine the characteristics of clinical care offered to type 1 diabetic patients across the four distinct regions of Brazil, with geographic and contrasting socioeconomic differences. Glycemic control, prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors, screening for chronic complications and the frequency that the recommended treatment goals were met using the American Diabetes Association guidelines were evaluated. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional, multicenter study conducted from December 2008 to December 2010 in 28 secondary and tertiary care public clinics in 20 Brazilian cities in north/northeast, mid-west, southeast and south regions. The data were obtained from 3,591 patients (56.0% females and 57.1% Caucasians) aged 21.2 ± 11.7 years with a disease duration of 9.6 ± 8.1 years (<1 to 50 years). RESULTS: Overall, 18.4% patients had HbA1c levels <7.0%, and 47.5% patients had HbA1c levels ≥ 9%. HbA1c levels were associated with lower economic status, female gender, age and the daily frequency of self-blood glucose monitoring (SBGM) but not with insulin regimen and geographic region. Hypertension was more frequent in the mid-west (32%) and north/northeast (25%) than in the southeast (19%) and south (17%) regions (p<0.001). More patients from the southeast region achieved LDL cholesterol goals and were treated with statins (p<0.001). Fewer patients from the north/northeast and mid-west regions were screened for retinopathy and nephropathy, compared with patients from the south and southeast. Patients from the south/southeast regions had more intensive insulin regimens than patients from the north/northeast and mid-west regions (p<0.001). The most common insulin therapy combination was intermediate-acting with regular human insulin, mainly in the north/northeast region (p<0.001). The combination of insulin glargine with lispro and glulisine was more frequently used in the mid-west region (p<0.001). Patients from the north/northeast region were younger, non-Caucasian, from lower economic status, used less continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion, performed less SBGM and were less overweight/obese (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: A majority of patients, mainly in the north/northeast and mid-west regions, did not meet metabolic control goals and were not screened for diabetes-related chronic complications. These results should guide governmental health policy decisions, specific to each geographic region, to improve diabetes care and decrease the negative impact diabetes has on the public health system.

Physical activity advice only or structured exercise training and association with HbA1c levels in type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

CONTEXT: Regular exercise improves glucose control in diabetes, but the association of different exercise training interventions on glucose control is unclear. OBJECTIVE: To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs) assessing associations of structured exercise training regimens (aerobic, resistance, or both) and physical activity advice with or without dietary cointervention on change in hemoglobin A(1c) (HbA(1c)) in type 2 diabetes patients. DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE, Cochrane-CENTRAL, EMBASE, ClinicalTrials.gov, LILACS, and SPORTDiscus databases were searched from January 1980 through February 2011. STUDY SELECTION: RCTs of at least 12 weeks' duration that evaluated the ability of structured exercise training or physical activity advice to lower HbA(1c) levels as compared with a control group in patients with type 2 diabetes. DATA EXTRACTION: Two independent reviewers extracted data and assessed quality of the included studies. DATA SYNTHESIS: Of 4191 articles retrieved, 47 RCTs (8538 patients) were included. Pooled mean differences in HbA(1c) levels between intervention and control groups were calculated using a random-effects model. Overall, structured exercise training (23 studies) was associated with a decline in HbA(1c) level (-0.67%; 95% confidence interval [CI], -0.84% to -0.49%; I(2), 91.3%) compared with control participants. In addition, structured aerobic exercise (-0.73%; 95% CI, -1.06% to -0.40%; I(2), 92.8%), structured resistance training (-0.57%; 95% CI, -1.14% to -0.01%; I(2), 92.5%), and both combined (-0.51%; 95% CI, -0.79% to -0.23%; I(2), 67.5%) were each associated with declines in HbA(1C) levels compared with control participants. Structured exercise durations of more than 150 minutes per week were associated with HbA(1c) reductions of 0.89%, while structured exercise durations of 150 minutes or less per week were associated with HbA(1C) reductions of 0.36%. Overall, interventions of physical activity advice (24 studies) were associated with lower HbA(1c) levels (-0.43%; 95% CI, -0.59% to -0.28%; I(2), 62.9%) compared with control participants. Combined physical activity advice and dietary advice was associated with decreased HbA(1c) (-0.58%; 95% CI, -0.74% to -0.43%; I(2), 57.5%) as compared with control participants. Physical activity advice alone was not associated with HbA(1c) changes. CONCLUSIONS: Structured exercise training that consists of aerobic exercise, resistance training, or both combined is associated with HbA(1c) reduction in patients with type 2 diabetes. Structured exercise training of more than 150 minutes per week is associated with greater HbA(1c) declines than that of 150 minutes or less per week. Physical activity advice is associated with lower HbA(1c), but only when combined with dietary advice.