Malignant External Otitis: What the Diabetes Specialist Should Know-A Narrative Review.

AIMS: Malignant external otitis (MEO) is a special type of external otitis associated with extensive inflammation and osteomyelitis. It is believed to originate from the external auditory meatus and advance regionally to the soft tissues and the bone, eventually involving the skull base. Pseudomonas aeruginosa and diabetes mellitus are factors commonly involved in the pathogenesis of MEO. Although its treatment has changed considerably during the last decades, morbidity and mortality of the disease remain high. Our aim was to review basic aspects of MEO, a disease unknown until 1968, which attracts great interest among Ears, Nose and Throat (ENT), diabetes and infectious diseases specialists. METHODS AND RESULTS: In this narrative review we mainly include relevant papers written in English or with an English abstract. We searched PubMed and Google Scholar, using the keywords malignant external otitis, malignant otitis externa, necrotizing external otitis, skull base osteomyelitis, diabetes mellitus and surgery up to July 2022. Some of the most recent articles, with specific references to earlier articles and a book reference regarding the pathophysiology, diagnosis and treatment of MEO and its relationship to diabetes mellitus, were included. CONCLUSION: MEO is not an uncommon disease and is principally treated by ENT surgeons. Nevertheless, diabetes specialists should be aware of the disease presentation and management, since they will often encounter patients with undiagnosed MEO or will need to manage glucose levels in patients hospitalized with the disease.

Utilizing the New Glucometrics: A Practical Guide to Ambulatory Glucose Profile Interpretation.

Traditional continuous glucose monitoring and flash glucose monitoring systems are proven to lower glycated haemoglobin levels, decrease the time and impact of hypoglycaemia or hyperglycaemia and, consequently, improve the quality of life for children and adults with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). These glucose-sensing devices can generate large amounts of glucose data that can be used to define a detailed glycaemic profile for each user, which can be compared with targets for glucose control set by an International Consensus Panel of diabetes experts. Targets have been agreed upon for adults, children and adolescents with T1DM and adults with T2DM; separate targets have been agreed upon for older adults with diabetes, who are at higher risk of hypoglycaemia, and women with pregestational T1DM during pregnancy. Along with the objective measures and targets identified by the International Consensus Panel, the dense glucose data delivered by traditional continuous glucose monitoring and flash glucose monitoring systems is used to generate an ambulatory glucose profile, which summarizes the data in a visually impactful format that can be used to identify patterns and trends in daily glucose control, including those that raise clinical concerns. In this article, we provide a practical guide on how to interpret these new glucometrics using a straightforward algorithm, and clear visual examples that demystify the process of reviewing the glycaemic health of people with T1DM or T2DM such that forward-looking goals for diabetes management can be agreed.

Cryotherapy Treatment of Cutaneous Kaposi Sarcoma in a Patient With B-Cell Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: A Case Report and Short Review of the Literature.

INTRODUCTION: Kaposi sarcoma (KS) is a low-grade mesenchymal tumor involving the blood and the lymphatic vessels that primarily effaces the skin and is mediated by human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8) in more than 90% of patients. There are 4 distinct types of KS. Compared with the classic and AIDS-related variants, chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) associated with KS is a relatively rare clinical condition; thus, only a few cases have been reported. CASE REPORT: This report presents a case study of an 87-year-old patient with B-cell CLL and cutaneous KS managed with cryotherapy, along with a short review of the literature. CONCLUSIONS: Considering that the method is relatively simple and with few adverse effects, cryotherapy may represent a simple and safe treatment method for cutaneous KS. However, more studies should be conducted to further evaluate the effectiveness of cryotherapy as a promising treatment for cutaneous KS.

Tirzepatide versus insulin glargine in type 2 diabetes and increased cardiovascular risk (SURPASS-4): a randomised, open-label, parallel-group, multicentre, phase 3 trial.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to assess efficacy and safety, with a special focus on cardiovascular safety, of the novel dual GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonist tirzepatide versus insulin glargine in adults with type 2 diabetes and high cardiovascular risk inadequately controlled on oral glucose-lowering medications. METHODS: This open-label, parallel-group, phase 3 study was done in 187 sites in 14 countries on five continents. Eligible participants, aged 18 years or older, had type 2 diabetes treated with any combination of metformin, sulfonylurea, or sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitor, a baseline glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) of 7·5-10·5% (58-91 mmol/mol), body-mass index of 25 kg/m2 or greater, and established cardiovascular disease or a high risk of cardiovascular events. Participants were randomly assigned (1:1:1:3) via an interactive web-response system to subcutaneous injection of either once-per-week tirzepatide (5 mg, 10 mg, or 15 mg) or glargine (100 U/mL), titrated to reach fasting blood glucose of less than 100 mg/dL. The primary endpoint was non-inferiority (0·3% non-inferiority boundary) of tirzepatide 10 mg or 15 mg, or both, versus glargine in HbA1c change from baseline to 52 weeks. All participants were treated for at least 52 weeks, with treatment continued for a maximum of 104 weeks or until study completion to collect and adjudicate major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). Safety measures were assessed over the full study period. This study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03730662. FINDINGS: Patients were recruited between Nov 20, 2018, and Dec 30, 2019. 3045 participants were screened, with 2002 participants randomly assigned to tirzepatide or glargine. 1995 received at least one dose of tirzepatide 5 mg (n=329, 17%), 10 mg (n=328, 16%), or 15 mg (n=338, 17%), or glargine (n=1000, 50%), and were included in the modified intention-to-treat population. At 52 weeks, mean HbA1c changes with tirzepatide were -2·43% (SD 0·05) with 10 mg and -2·58% (0·05) with 15 mg, versus -1·44% (0·03) with glargine. The estimated treatment difference versus glargine was -0·99% (multiplicity adjusted 97·5% CI -1·13 to -0·86) for tirzepatide 10 mg and -1·14% (-1·28 to -1·00) for 15 mg, and the non-inferiority margin of 0·3% was met for both doses. Nausea (12-23%), diarrhoea (13-22%), decreased appetite (9-11%), and vomiting (5-9%) were more frequent with tirzepatide than glargine (nausea 2%, diarrhoea 4%, decreased appetite <1%, and vomiting 2%, respectively); most cases were mild to moderate and occurred during the dose-escalation phase. The percentage of participants with hypoglycaemia (glucose <54 mg/dL or severe) was lower with tirzepatide (6-9%) versus glargine (19%), particularly in participants not on sulfonylureas (tirzepatide 1-3% vs glargine 16%). Adjudicated MACE-4 events (cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, stroke, hospitalisation for unstable angina) occurred in 109 participants and were not increased on tirzepatide compared with glargine (hazard ratio 0·74, 95% CI 0·51-1·08). 60 deaths (n=25 [3%] tirzepatide; n=35 [4%] glargine) occurred during the study. INTERPRETATION: In people with type 2 diabetes and elevated cardiovascular risk, tirzepatide, compared with glargine, demonstrated greater and clinically meaningful HbA1c reduction with a lower incidence of hypoglycaemia at week 52. Tirzepatide treatment was not associated with excess cardiovascular risk. FUNDING: Eli Lilly and Company.

The Role of Pediatric BCG Vaccine in Type 1 Diabetes Onset.

INTRODUCTION: Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination has shown promising therapeutic effects for type 1 diabetes (T1D). According to recent studies, immunometabolism modification and regulation of T lymphocytes constitute the proposed mechanisms by which BCG vaccination may delay T1D onset. Clinical trial evidence from Turkey supports that two to three doses of the BCG vaccine in childhood, with the first dose administered in the first year of life, may prevent T1D. In the same study, one or zero vaccinations appeared to have no effect in T1D onset prevention. In Greece, the BCG vaccine was administered in a single dose at the age of 9 years in elementary school. BCG vaccination was not performed on a mandatory basis, creating one BCG vaccinated and one non-vaccinated population. The aim of our study was to investigate the possible effect of a single dose of BCG vaccine, at the age of 9 years, on the time of T1D onset, in a population of BCG vaccinated and non-vaccinated patients with diagnosed T1D. METHODS: To test this hypothesis, a survey through the Pan-Hellenic Federation of People with Diabetes (PFPD) was performed. In this observational, retrospective study, participating patients provided information regarding age, gender, time of diagnosis, and BCG vaccination status. Patients diagnosed with T1D before the age of 9 years were excluded from the analysis. RESULTS: The final sample included 196 patients (73 male and 123 female) with a mean age of 42.2 ± 14.3 years and a mean duration of diabetes of 16.8 ± 12.9 years. Mean age of T1D diagnosis in the BCG vaccinated group was 24.0 ± 19.0 years, while the mean age of T1D diagnosis in the BCG non-vaccinated group was 21.5 ± 14.3 years (p = 0.03). No interaction was found between gender and the age of diagnosis for BCG vaccinated and unvaccinated patients (p = 0.86). CONCLUSION: The results of our study suggest that a single dose of BCG vaccine, performed at the age of 9 years, may delay the onset of T1D by 2.5 years. Additional studies of children receiving multiple doses of BCG should be conducted to possibly prove prolongation of the disease-free interval.

Efficacy and Safety of Adjunctive Cilostazol to Clopidogrel-Treated Diabetic Patients With Symptomatic Lower Extremity Artery Disease in the Prevention of Ischemic Vascular Events.

Background Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a risk factor for lower extremity arterial disease. Cilostazol expresses antiplatelet, anti-inflammatory, and vasodilator actions and improves the claudication intermittent symptoms. We investigated the efficacy and safety of adjunctive cilostazol to clopidogrel-treated patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus exhibiting symptomatic lower extremity arterial disease, in the prevention of ischemic vascular events and improvement of the claudication intermittent symptoms. Methods and Results In a prospective 2-arm, multicenter, open-label, phase 4 trial, patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus with intermittent claudication receiving clopidogrel (75 mg/d) for at least 6 months, were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio, either to continue to clopidogrel monotherapy, without receiving placebo cilostazol (391 patients), or to additionally receive cilostazol, 100 mg twice/day (403 patients). The median duration of follow-up was 27 months. The primary efficacy end point, the composite of acute ischemic stroke/transient ischemic attack, acute myocardial infarction, and death from vascular causes, was significantly reduced in patients receiving adjunctive cilostazol compared with the clopidogrel monotherapy group (sex-adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 0.468; 95% CI, 0.252-0.870; P=0.016). Adjunctive cilostazol also significantly reduced the stroke/transient ischemic attack events (sex-adjusted HR, 0.38; 95% CI, 0.15-0.98; P=0.046) and improved the ankle-brachial index and pain-free walking distance values (P=0.001 for both comparisons). No significant difference in the bleeding events, as defined by Bleeding Academic Research Consortium criteria, was found between the 2 groups (sex-adjusted HR, 1.080; 95% CI, 0.579-2.015; P=0.809). Conclusions Adjunctive cilostazol to clopidogrel-treated patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus with symptomatic lower extremity arterial disease may lower the risk of ischemic events and improve intermittent claudication symptoms, without increasing the bleeding risk, compared with clopidogrel monotherapy. Registration URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT02983214.

The Role of Individualized Exercise Prescription in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Management.

The adoption and the maintenance of a proper training routine are critical elements for optimal blood glucose management and overall health improvement in individuals with diabetes. Physical activity reduces cardiovascular risk, contributes to weight loss and improves overall wellbeing. A combination of aerobic and resistance exercise maximizes the benefit of daily training. The risk of exercise-induced complications varies depending on the activity type and the presence of diabetes-related complications. Prescribing a personalized exercise programme may reduce the risk and maximize the benefit of physical activity in patients with diabetes.

Imeglimin: A New Promising and Effective Weapon in the Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes.

Imeglimin is a novel molecule currently under development for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus, and is the first agent of the 'glimin' class of glucose-lowering medication. It has a unique mechanism of action that targets the three main pathophysiologic components of type 2 diabetes: impaired glucose uptake by muscle tissue, excess hepatic gluconeogenesis and increased ß-cell apoptosis. To date, imeglimin has been evaluated in many preclinical and clinical trials and has shown to have notable antihyperglycaemic effects, such as statistically significant reductions in glycated haemoglobin, fasting plasma glucose and other glycaemic parameters. The encouraging tolerability profile, combined with its efficacy, could make it suitable as a monotherapy or in combination with other classes of antidiabetic agents, hopefully in the near future.

Changing the Concept: From the Traditional Glucose-centric to the New Cardiorenal-metabolic Approach for the Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic disease with a constantly increasing prevalence worldwide. It is well established that T2DM affects both the macro- and microvasculature, and its presence is associated with a high risk of acute and chronic cardiovascular events. Traditionally, the management of T2DM has been mainly focused on the optimization of blood glucose levels with the use of antidiabetic medications. During recent years, however, an impressive accumulation of evidence has arisen from studies designed to explore the plausible effects of new antidiabetic drugs on cardiovascular outcomes in patients with diabetes. This review article aims to emphasize the findings of these studies and to highlight the substantial role of the newer classes of antidiabetic drugs in treating T2DM in a holistic, cardiorenal-metabolic approach, thus shifting the paradigm from the traditional, simplistic, glucose-lowering approach.

Adherence to the National Guidelines for Follow-Up Protocol in Subjects with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Greece: The GLANCE Study.

INTRODUCTION: Physician adherence, or lack therefore, to diabetes care and follow-up guidelines may be linked to the rates of achieving suboptimal glycaemic, blood pressure and lipid targets in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). In this cross-sectional study we evaluated physician adherence to the patient follow-up protocol (PFP) of the 2017 Hellenic Diabetes Association (HDA) guidelines and also assessed glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), blood pressure and lipid control achievement rates in the routine care setting in Greece. METHODS: Eligible subjects were adults with T2DM receiving oral hypoglycaemic agents (OHAs) for ≥ 1 year who had ≥ 2 HbA1c measurements in the previous year and an HbA1c target < 7%. Overall adherence at the subject level was defined as the percentage of the 62 HDA PFP items that had been met during the past year. RESULTS: Between June and December 2018, 601 eligible subjects (54.6% men; mean age 65.2 years; median T2DM duration 5.9 years, of whom 96.5% had ≥ 1 medical condition/comorbidity), were enrolled into the study by 53 hospital- and office-based endocrinologists, internists and general practitioners. The main OHAs prescribed at enrolment were metformin (91.0%), dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (60.7%), sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitors (23.5%) and sulphonylureas (16.3%). Mean overall physician adherence to the PFP was 43.6%. Predictors of greater higher physicans' adherence were female sex (p = 0.026), > 3 medical conditions/comorbidities (p = 0.043) and diabetic complications (p < 0.001). HbA1c, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, systolic/diastolic blood pressure and composite metabolic targets were achieved by 82.1, 57.0, 42.6 and 21.6% of subjects, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In Greek routine care, physician adherence to the PFP of the 2017 HDA guidelines is suboptimal. Future efforts should focus on identifying the barriers to an adequate adherence by physicians to the full PFP, with the aim to provide optimal patient care.

Managing Diabetes During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected almost every country in the world and has changed the way we access healthcare. People with pre-existing conditions, such as diabetes, are at high risk of a severe disease course and it is essential that, as well as good hygiene and social distancing measures, blood glucose is carefully monitored, as chronic hyperglycaemia can lead to immune dysfunction. People with diabetes should be encouraged to continue medication prescribed for hypertension, diabetes or dyslipidaemia. Furthermore, patients with diabetes and COVID-19 infection should follow their usual antidiabetic treatment with the exception of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors. As the current pandemic situation has rendered some patients unable to access routine healthcare, telehealth may help those with travel restrictions.

The Consumption of Fast Food Favors Weight Increase in Young Hellenic Navy Personnel: A 10-Year Follow-Up Study.

Introduction: Dietary habits and physical exercise have independently been recognized as important contributors to weight loss. However, the relative effect of diet and exercise on body weight is still unclear and warrants further investigation. We investigated the causes related to changes in body mass index (BMI) in a sample of young adult Greek Navy recruits over 10 years. Materials and Methods: We conducted a single-center prospective observational study, including consecutive healthy young adult officers and sailors (>18 years) at the Salamis Naval Base, Salamis, Attiki, Greece. BMI was calculated at the baseline visit. A questionnaire was selected to gather data regarding daily food consumption and daily physical exercise. The participants were followed up for 10 years (2005-2014). Results: Two hundred eighty-four young adults [mean age 31.1 ± 3.1 years; 25 (8.8%) females and 259 (91.2%) males] were included. Baseline median BMI was 24.1 kg/m2, while 10 years later, median BMI was 24.8 kg/m2 (P < 0.001). Physical activity was not significantly related to BMI change (P = 0.153). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed a significant correlation between BMI increase and frequent fast food consumption (P = 0.044). Conclusions: Frequent fast food consumption is linked with a significant BMI increase, irrespective of physical activity. This has obvious dietary implications and needs to be examined in the general population.

Smartphone-Based Technology in Diabetes Management.

Diabetes is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by elevated levels of blood glucose which leads over time to serious complications and significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Self-management tasks in diabetes may be quite challenging because of lack of training, difficulties in sustaining lifestyle modifications, and limited access to specialized healthcare. Nowadays, the evolution of mobile technology provides a large number of health-related smartphone applications (apps), aiming to increase the self-management skills of the patient in chronic diseases, to facilitate the communication between the patient and healthcare providers, and to increase also the patient's compliance with the treatment. In the field of diabetes there are also many diabetes-related mobile apps mainly focusing on self-management of diabetes, lifestyle modification, and medication adherence motivation. The aim of this paper is to review the most important diabetes-related mobile smartphone applications, including only those supported by prospective randomized controlled trials.

Prevalence of diabetes mellitus as well as cardiac and other main comorbidities in a representative sample of the adult Greek population in comparison with the general population.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is the most common metabolic disorder that increases the risk of cardiovascular disease by two to four times compared with the general population. There are limited data on the prevalence of heart diseases in subjects with DM in Greece. In this study, we examined the prevalence of self-reported DM as well as cardiac and other main comorbidities in a representative sample of the adult Greek population. METHODS: The target study population included 30,843 participants stratified by gender, age, and district, and this was a representative sample of the adult Greek population in 2010. A structured questionnaire was built to report the prevalence of self-reported DM and the main comorbidities in participants with and without DM. Collection of data was performed through telephone interviews. RESULTS: The prevalence of self-reported DM was 6.6%. The prevalence of the main comorbidities in participants with DM vs. those without DM was as follows: heart diseases 24.0% vs. 8.9%, p<0.001; lung diseases 11.3% vs. 5.3%, p<0.001; kidney diseases 3.4% vs. 1.2%, p=0.001; liver diseases 1.4% vs. 0.7%, p=0.001; benign blood diseases 1.6% vs. 0.9%, p=0.005; and solid organ and/or blood malignancies 2.9% vs. 1.5%, p<0.001. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of self-reported DM in a representative sample of the adult Greek population in 2010 was 6.6%. The prevalence of heart diseases in subjects with DM was 2.7-fold higher than the prevalence in those without DM. Diseases of the lung, kidney, liver, and blood as well as malignancies were significantly more common among participants with DM.

Influence of Supervised Disease Understanding and Diabetes Self-Management on Adherence to Oral Glucose-Lowering Treatment in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes.

INTRODUCTION: Systematic patient education has been reported to improve adherence to treatment, leading to better clinical outcomes. This cluster randomized real-world study investigated the effect of a systematic education program and telephone support on self-reported adherence to oral glucose-lowering treatment in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). METHODS: Centers were randomized (1:1) to provide either standard-of-care (control group) or standard-of-care along with the education program and telephone support (empowerment group). Adherence to treatment and satisfaction with treatment were assessed using the four-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-4) and the Diabetes Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire (DTSQ). The study population included 457 patients (258/199 male/female) with T2DM and non-optimal glycemic control, on oral antidiabetic treatment (age 62.7 [11.4]; disease duration 8.5 [6.5] years). RESULTS: MMAS-4 high adherence rates for the control and empowerment groups were increased by 3.8% and 16.8% at 4 months (Breslow-Day test p = 0.04) and by 8.5% and 18.8% at 8 months of follow-up, respectively (Breslow-Day test p = 0.09), compared to baseline. Intense physical activity was increased in both control and empowerment groups by 2.3% and 13.9% at 4 months (Breslow-Day test p = 0.082) and by 4.0% and 22.5% at 8 months of follow-up (Breslow-Day test p < 0.001). Baseline mean (SD) HbA1c was significantly lower in the control group compared with the empowerment group [7.7% versus 8.0%, p = 0.001] and decreased in both groups at 4 months by 0.7% and 0.9%, respectively. The change from baseline in the mean DTSQ status score at 4 months was greater in the empowerment group, and the effect was sustained at 8 months (control group: 29.1, 30.5, and 30.9; empowerment group: 25.0, 28.7, and 29.4 at baseline, 4 and 8 months, respectively, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Systematic education combined with telephone support delivered by physicians might be associated with improvement in treatment adherence and treatment satisfaction in patients with T2DM. FUNDING: MSD, Greece.

Gestational diabetes from A to Z.

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is defined as any degree of hyperglycaemia that is recognized for the first time during pregnancy. This definition includes cases of undiagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) identified early in pregnancy and true GDM which develops later. GDM constitutes a greater impact on diabetes epidemic as it carries a major risk of developing T2DM to the mother and foetus later in life. In addition, GDM has also been linked with cardiometabolic risk factors such as lipid abnormalities, hypertensive disorders and hyperinsulinemia. These might result in later development of cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome. The understanding of the different risk factors, the pathophysiological mechanisms and the genetic factors of GDM, will help us to identify the women at risk, to develop effective preventive measures and to provide adequate management of the disease. Clinical trials have shown that T2DM can be prevented in women with prior GDM, by intensive lifestyle modification and by using pioglitazone and metformin. However, a matter of controversy surrounding both screening and management of GDM continues to emerge, despite several recent well-designed clinical trials tackling these issues. The aim of this manuscript is to critically review GDM in a detailed and comprehensive manner, in order to provide a scientific analysis and updated write-up of different related aspects.

Pulse Wave Analysis by Applanation Tonometry for the Measurement of Arterial Stiffness.

The aim of our study was to investigate the association between pulse wave velocity (PWV) and pulse wave analysis (PWA)-derived measurements for the evaluation of arterial stiffness. A total of 20 (7 male and 13 female) healthy, non-smoking individuals, with mean age 31 ± 12years were included. PWV and PWA measurements were performed using a SphygmoCor apparatus (Atcor Medical Blood Pressure Analysis System, Sydney Australia). PWV significantly correlated with all central aortic haemodynamic parameters, especially with pulse pressure (PP) (p < 0.0001), augmentation index corrected for 75 pulses/min (AI75) (p = 0.035) and augmentation pressure (AP) (p = 0.005). Male subjects presented significantly higher PWV compared with females (p = 0.03), while there were no differences in PP, AP and AI75. In conclusion, PWA is strongly correlated with PWV as a method for the evaluation of arterial stiffness.

Diabetic foot disease: From the evaluation of the "foot at risk" to the novel diabetic ulcer treatment modalities.

The burden of diabetic foot disease (DFD) is expected to increase in the future. The incidence of DFD is still rising due to the high prevalence of DFD predisposing factors. DFD is multifactorial in nature; however most of the diabetic foot amputations are preceded by foot ulceration. Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is a major risk factor for foot ulceration. DPN leads to loss of protective sensation resulting in continuous unconscious traumas. Patient education and detection of high risk foot are essential for the prevention of foot ulceration and amputation. Proper assessment of the diabetic foot ulceration and appropriate management ensure better prognosis. Management is based on revascularization procedures, wound debridement, treatment of infection and ulcer offloading. Management and type of dressing applied are tailored according to the type of wound and the foot condition. The scope of this review paper is to describe the diabetic foot syndrome starting from the evaluation of the foot at risk for ulceration, up to the new treatment modalities.

Validation of the Greek Version of the Diabetes Management Self-Efficacy Scale (GR-DMSES).

INTRODUCTION: Self-efficacy has been found to have a direct relation with self-care in diabetes. Several tools have been developed and used for evaluating self-efficacy of diabetic patients, the most widely used being the Diabetes Management Self-Efficacy Scale (DMSES). The aim of the present study was to translate, culturally adapt, and validate the Greek DMSES (GR-DMSES) in order for it to be used in the ATTICA pilot study of the SmartCare EU-funded project. METHODS: Using standard procedures, the original version of DMSES was translated and culturally adapted into Greek. Content validity was assessed by an expert panel with the calculation of a content validity index of the overall scale. Α convenient sample was recruited to complete the questionnaire. Psychometric testing of the produced instrument included internal consistency test (Cronbach's alpha), construct validity (factor analysis), and stability (intraclass correlation coefficient). RESULTS: One hundred and sixteen patients, aged 36-86 years, with type 2 diabetes (T2D) participated in the study. There were no items excluded from the original scale after the content validity procedure. The coefficient Cronbach's alpha for the internal consistency was 0.93 and the intraclass correlation coefficient for the stability with a 5-week time interval was 0.87 (P < 0.001). Factor analysis yielded four factors related to diet, medical therapy, medication and feet check, and physical activity. CONCLUSION: The findings supported that the GR-DMSES was reliable and valid in measuring self-efficacy related to diabetes self-management, thus providing a quick and easy-to-use tool for health professionals dealing with Greek adults with T2D.

The renal effects of SGLT2 inhibitors and a mini-review of the literature.

Sodium-glucose linked transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors are a new and promising class of antidiabetic agents which target renal tubular glucose reabsorption. Their action is based on the blockage of SGLT2 sodium-glucose cotransporters that are located at the luminal membrane of tubular cells of the proximal convoluted tubule, inducing glucosuria. It has been proven that they significantly reduce glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), along with fasting and postprandial plasma glucose in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The glucosuria-induced caloric loss as well as the osmotic diuresis significantly decrease body weight and blood pressure, respectively. Given that SGLT2 inhibitors do not interfere with insulin action and secretion, their efficacy is sustained despite the progressive ß-cell failure in T2DM. They are well tolerated, with a low risk of hypoglycemia. Their most frequent adverse events are minor: genital and urinal tract infections. Recently, it was demonstrated that empagliflozin presents a significant cardioprotective effect. Although the SGLT2 inhibitors' efficacy is affected by renal function, new data have been presented that some SGLT2 inhibitors, even in mild and moderate renal impairment, induce significant HbA1c reduction. Moreover, recent data indicate that SGLT2 inhibition has a beneficial renoprotective effect. The role of this review paper is to explore the current evidence on the renal effects of SGLT2 inhibitors.