Diabetes in urban African Americans. III. Management of type II diabetes in a municipal hospital setting.

OBJECTIVE: Management of type II diabetes is difficult, particularly in urban populations with limited resources and access to care. To evaluate the effectiveness of structured care delivered by non-physician providers, patients were studied prospectively for 6 months in a municipal hospital diabetes clinic. DESIGN AND METHODS: The population was approximately 90% African American and had median known diabetes duration of approximately 1 year, 54% had incomes below the Federal Poverty Guideline. Primary management was provided by nurse-practitioners and dietitians, and primary outcome measures were hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), fasting plasma glucose, and changes in body weight. RESULTS: Responses were analyzed in 325 new patients returning for visits at 2, 4, 6, and 12 months; metabolic profiles at presentation were similar to those of subjects who missed intervening visits. Lean patients largely continued on pharmacologic therapy and improved HbA1c from 9.4% to 7.4% at 2 months (P < 0.001), remained stable through 6 months, then rose to 7.9% at 1 year. Obese patients (71%) received dietary instruction. Weaning of pharmacologic therapy was attempted for the first 2 months, resulting in a decline of HbA1c from 9.6% to 8.0% (P < 0.001), with 70% treated with diet alone. In the obese, HbA1c continued to decrease through 6 months (7.7%). Thereafter, providers saw patients at their own discretion and intensified therapy as needed. Although by 1 year, HbA1c had risen to only 8.2%, some patients required reinstitution of pharmacologic therapy; 59% were on diet alone. While 52% lost 4 lb or more (mean 9.3) by 2 months, little additional weight was lost. Interestingly, glycemic control was improved both in those who lost > or = 8.5 lb in the first 2 months (HbA1c 9.6% to 8.1% at 12 months), and in those who gained weight (HbA1c 10.2% to 8.2%). In the obese patients using pharmacologic agents at presentation, 35% were able to discontinue oral agents or insulin by 1 year, with good glycemic control (HbA1c < 8%). For patients who were initially on diet alone, a fasting plasma glucose > 177 mg/dL predicted the need for pharmacologic therapy with 97% certainty. CONCLUSIONS: In urban African American patients, nonpharmacologic management of type II diabetes substantially improves metabolic control; decreases in HbA1c are comparable in those who do and do not lose weight. Therapy managed by nonphysician providers can be an effective cornerstone of diabetes care in this socioeconomically disadvantaged population.

Diabetes in urban African-Americans. II. High prevalence of microalbuminuria and nephropathy in African-Americans with diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: African-Americans with diabetes have an increased risk of endstage renal disease, but underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. We undertook this study to evaluate prevalence and risk factors for renal disease in an African-American population with diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We measured urine albumin excretion in 578 consecutive patients presenting for the first time to the Grady Memorial Hospital Diabetes Unit in Atlanta, GA. The unit serves an urban population that is predominantly African-American; 85% of patients have non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). Subjects provided 24-h and/or approximately 3-h urine collections for measurement of albumin and creatinine. RESULTS: Correlation of the albumin/creatinine ratio (micrograms/mg) with the 24-h albumin excretion rate was 0.89 (P < 0.001, n = 123). Although the median duration of diabetes was only 1 year, among all subjects, the estimated prevalence of microalbuminuria (30-300 mg albumin/24 h) was 25% and that of nephropathy ( > 300 mg albumin/24 h) was 11%. Among African-Americans with NIDDM (n = 466), the estimated prevalence of microalbuminuria was 24% and that of nephropathy was 12%; prevalence remained high (25 and 5%, respectively) among 219 patients with < 1 year known duration of diabetes. Metabolic control was not associated with disease. However, among all subjects with NIDDM, the odds ratio for nephropathy among subjects with disease duration > 5 years compared with those with disease duration < 1 year was 4.65 (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.24-9.79), and the odds ratio for nephropathy among subjects with hypertension compared with those without hypertension was 2.64 (CI 1.42-4.93). Odds ratios were comparable among African-Americans with NIDDM. Trends were similar but less significant for subjects with microalbuminuria. CONCLUSIONS: Albuminuria can be identified reliably and conveniently by the albumin/creatinine ratio in brief urine collections. In our patients, clinically significant albuminuria occurred in 36% of persons at first presentation. Since increased risk was associated with hypertension and control of hypertension can slow progression of renal disease, screening for albuminuria and treatment of hypertension should be aggressive in urban populations of African-Americans with diabetes.

Transcriptional activation of the lipoprotein lipase gene in macrophages by dexamethasone.

The effect of dexamethasone on lipoprotein lipase (LPL) gene expression during macrophage differentiation was investigated by using the human monocytic leukemia cell line THP-1 and human monocyte-derived macrophages. Addition of dexamethasone to THP-1 cells increased steady-state levels of LPL mRNA and LPL mass accumulation in the medium during PMA-induced differentiation by 4-fold. Studies with human monocyte-derived macrophages showed a similar effect of dexamethasone on LPL expression. Peak LPL mRNA levels were achieved 24-h post-dexamethasone addition to THP-1 cells. Optimal stimulation of LPL mRNA occurred when dexamethasone was added 24 h after induction with PMA. Thereafter, there was rapid decline in responsiveness to dexamethasone. Induction of LPL mRNA in THP-1 cells was completely blocked by actinomycin D, suggesting that induction was transcription dependent. The stability of LPL mRNA was not influenced by dexamethasone. Treatment of THP-1 cells with PMA led to a 2-fold increase in specific binding of dexamethasone and a 4-fold increase in glucocorticoid receptor mRNA within 12 h. Thus, dexamethasone stimulates LPL gene expression during differentiation of human macrophages, a process that involves induction of glucocorticoid receptor synthesis and activation.