Health-related quality of life and utility values associated to hypoglycemia in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus treated in the Brazilian Public Health System: a multicenter study.

BACKGROUND: Hypoglycemia is a critical and limiting factor of a good metabolic control and can adversely affect the quality of life of diabetic patients. The aim of the study was to evaluate the health-related quality of life and calculate utilities values associated with hypoglycemia in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). METHODS: A multicenter, cross-sectional and observational study with T1DM patients from reference centers of the Brazilian public health system was conducted in three cities. Demographic and clinical data were collected, besides details on the frequency and severity of hypoglycemia. Health-related quality of life was assessed using EQ-5D instrument and utility values generated. RESULTS: 221 patients (107 women, 114 men), aged 29.8 ± 11.6 and disease duration of 14.2 ± 9.1 years were included. Most patients (n = 214, 96.8%) reported at least one symptomatic hypoglycemia in the last three months, 68% (n = 150) reported nocturnal episodes and 34.8% (n = 77) reported severe episodes. High frequency (daily or weekly) was observed in 38.6 and 26% of those reporting nocturnal or severe hypoglycemia, respectively. The median visual analog scale was 70 [60-85] for all patients, with differences between those with and without severe hypoglycemia (70 [60-80] vs 80 [61-90]; p = 0.006) and those with high and low frequency (62.5 [50-72.25] vs 70 [60-80]; p = 0.007). The median utility values was 0.801 [0.756-1.000] for all patients, with difference between those with high and low frequency of severe episodes (0.737 [0.628-1.000] vs 0.801 [0.756-1.000]; p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: This study shows the high frequency of hypoglycemia in a sample of T1DM patients treated in three reference centers of the Brazilian public health system and the impact of severe episodes on health-related quality of life. Utility values were generated and can be used in economic analysis for treatments that could decrease hypoglycemia and consequently improve quality of life.

Sagittal Abdominal Diameter as a Surrogate Marker of Insulin Resistance in an Admixtured Population--Brazilian Metabolic Syndrome Study (BRAMS).

BACKGROUND: Sagittal abdominal diameter (SAD) has been proposed as a surrogate marker of insulin resistance (IR). However, the utilization of SAD requires specific validation for each ethnicity. We aimed to investigate the potential use of SAD, compared with classical anthropometrical parameters, as a surrogate marker of IR and to establish the cutoff values of SAD for screening for IR. METHODS: A multicenter population survey on metabolic disorders was conducted. A race-admixtured sample of 824 adult women was assessed. The anthropometric parameters included: BMI, waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio and SAD. IR was determined by a hyperglycemic clamp and the HOMA-IR index. RESULTS: After adjustments for age and total body fat mass, SAD (r = 0.23 and r = -0.70) and BMI (r = 0.20 and r = -0.71) were strongly correlated with the IR measured by the HOMA-IR index and the clamp, respectively (p < 0.001). In the ROC analysis, the optimal cutoff for SAD in women was 21.0 cm. The women with an increased SAD presented 3.2 (CI 95%: 2.1-5.0) more likelihood of having IR, assessed by the HOMA-IR index compared with those with normal SAD (p < 0.001); whereas women with elevated BMI and WC were 2.1 (95% CI: 1.4-3.3) and 2.8 (95% CI: 1.7-4.5) more likely to have IR (p < 0.001), respectively. No statistically significant results were found for waist-to-hip ratio. CONCLUSIONS: SAD can be a suitable surrogate marker of IR. Understanding and applying routine and simplified methods is essential because IR is associated with an increased risk of obesity-related diseases even in the presence of normal weight, slight overweight, as well as in obesity. Further prospective analysis will need to verify SAD as a determinant of clinical outcomes, such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular events, in the Brazilian population.

The costs of type 2 diabetes mellitus outpatient care in the Brazilian public health system.

OBJECTIVE: The prevalence of type 2 diabetes has shown a significant increase in parallel with health care costs. The objective of the Brazilian Study on Diabetes Costs (ESCUDI study) was to estimate direct and indirect costs of type 2 diabetes outpatient care in the Brazilian Public Health Care System. METHODS: Data were collected from different levels of health care in eight Brazilian cities in 2007. A total of 1000 outpatients were interviewed and had their medical records data analyzed. Direct medical costs included expenses with medications, diagnostic tests, procedures, blood glucose test strips, and office visits. Nonmedical direct costs included expenses with diet products, transportation, and caregivers. Absenteeism, sick leave, and early retirement were classified as indirect costs. RESULTS: Total annual cost for outpatient care was US$2108 per patient, out of which US$1335 per patient of direct costs (63.3%) and US$773 per patient of indirect costs (36.7%). Costs escalated as duration of diabetes and level of health care increased. Patients with both microvascular and macrovascular complications had higher costs (US$3199 per patient) compared to those with either microvascular (US$2062 per patient) or macrovascular (US$2517 per patient) complications only. The greatest portion of direct costs was attributed to medication (48.2%). CONCLUSIONS: Diabetes treatment leads to elevated costs both to Brazilian Public Health Care System and society. Costs increased along with duration of disease, level of care and presence of chronic complications, which suggested a need to reallocate health resources focusing on primary prevention of diabetes and its complications.

C-reactive protein and features of metabolic syndrome in Brazilian women with previous gestational diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: C-reactive protein (CRP), an inflammatory biomarker, has been associated with the development of diabetes. Gestational diabetes (GDM) predicts type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and may be part of the metabolic syndrome (MS). Few studies have examined the association of CRP, MS and diabetes in women with previous GDM. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Women with previous GDM (n=70) and randomly sampled women without previous GDM (n=108) from the one center of the Brazilian Study of Gestational Diabetes participated in the study after 6 years of index pregnancy. Oral glucose tolerance test and anthropometry were performed. CRP levels were measured by the nephelometry. The MS was defined by the ATPIII criteria. RESULTS: There was significant positive linear correlation between CRP levels, fasting insulin (R=0.053) and HOMA IR (0.048) in previous GDM. Mean CRP levels were significantly higher in previous GDM group with abdominal obesity (1.227 95% CI 0.871-1.584 versus 0.597, 95% CI 0.378-0.817; p=0.001) and abnormal glucose tolerance (1.168 95% CI 0.784-1.552 versus 0.657 95% CI 0.455-0.859, p=0.012). There were differences when considering the presence of different MS features, once the previous GDM group reported a significantly higher number of women with low HDL (74.3% versus 55.6%, p=0.016) and abnormal glucose tolerance (45.7% versus 25%, p=0.005) than the group without GDM. On average, the CRP levels were significantly higher in women with previous GDM and MS (0.918 95% CI 0.569; 1.268 versus 0.524 95% CI 0.373; 0.675, p=0.044) than the control group. CONCLUSIONS: The data suggests that the presence of MS in women with previous GDM is associated with high levels of CRP.

Pé diabético: análise bacteriológica de 141 casos / Diabetic foot infection: bacteriologic analysis of 141 patients

Diabetes mellitus (DM) é uma doença progressiva que apresenta complicações freqüentes, em especial a infecção nos pés. Realizamos um estudo prospectivo com 141 pacientes com DM e úlceras infectadas nos pés, conduzido no Centro Integrado de Diabetes e Hipertensão da UFC no período de março/2000 a novembro/2001. A maioria apresentava infecção avaliada como graus I e II da classificação de Wagner. As amostras foram cultivadas utilizando-se meios seletivos, e a identificação bacteriana e os antibiogramas foram realizados através de metodologia convencional e automatizados. Os patógenos mais freqüentemente isolados foram as enterobactérias (83,7 por cento), Staphylococcus aureus (43,3 por cento) e bactérias anaeróbias (17 por cento). Cepas de Streptococcus pyogenes foram isoladas de 7,8 por cento dos pacientes. Cepas produtoras de beta-lactamase de espectro ampliado e cepas de Staphylococcus aureus resistentes à oxacilina foram isoladas de 6 por cento e 11,6 por cento dos pacientes, respectivamente. A resistência aos antimicrobianos vem se tornando cada vez mais comum, mesmo em pacientes com infecção adquirida na comunidade. Investimentos em diagnóstico etiológico das infecções e estratégias racionais no uso de antimicrobianos fazem-se necessários na tentativa de evitar tratamentos inadequados e suas já conhecidas conseqüências.

[Diabetic foot infection. Bacteriologic analysis of 141 patients]. / Pé diabético: análise bacteriológica de 141 casos.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a progressive disease with chronic complications. Feet problems represent one of the most important complications. In a prospective study, we analyzed 298 species of bacteria isolated from 141 patients with community-acquired diabetic foot ulcers. The study was undertaken at a diabetic center and at the Federal University of Ceará, Brazil, from March/2000 to November/2001. The majority of patients had mild to moderate infections and was classified as Wagner's grades I and II. The samples were cultured using selective media. The identification and the susceptibility tests were done by conventional and automated methods. The most frequently occurring pathogens were Enterobacteriaceae (83.7%), Staphylococcus aureus (43.3%) and anaerobic bacteria (17%). Streptococcus pyogenes was recovered from 7.8% of the patients. ESBL producing strains were detected in 6% and methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains were recovered from 11.6% of the patients. Resistance among bacteria has increased largely, and became common even in community-acquired infections. Improvements in the routine etiologic diagnostics and antibiotic use strategies are required to avoid inadequate treatment and its well known dramatic consequences.

Menor incidência de hipoglicemia noturna com o uso de insulina lispro comparada à insulina humana regular no tratamento de pacientes com diabetes do tipo 1 / Smaller incidency of nocturnal hypoglycemia with the use of insulin lispro comparated to the regular human insulin in the treatment of diabetes mellitus type 1 patients

Insulina lispro é um análogo da insulina humana de ação e duração rápida, que mimetiza o perfil fisiológico da insulina após uma refeição. Avaliamos a segurança e eficácia da insulina lispro em comparação com a insulina humana regular em um estudo multicêntrico, randomizado e cruzado em 27 diabéticos tipo 1 em uso de insulina humana NPH e regular (idade mediana = 16 anos). Após uso de insulina lispro ou regular por 2 meses, fez-se a transferência para a outra insulina por mais 2 meses mantendo-se a insulina NPH basal. Não houve diferença em relação à excursão prandial da glicemia da hemoglobina glicosilada A1C, comparando-se os 2 grupos (lispro e regular). O decréscimo percentual relativo da glicemia foi significantemente maior com insulina lispro no período do almoço, na primeira fase do estudo (p<0,02). O número total de episódios hipoglicêmicos não foi diferente, comparando os 2 grupos. Houve, porém, uma redução significante na incidência de hipoglicemia noturna e na madrugada com o uso inicial de lispro (p<0,05). Com o uso inicial de insulina regular, houve incremento na incidência de hipoglicemia noturna (p=0,038), com redução posterior na incidência da hipoglicemia com insulina lispro (p=0,04). Ao final do estudo, 68% dos pacientes referiram preferência e maior comodidade com insulina lispro em relação à insulina regular. A insulina lispro se mostrou uma opção segura e eficaz, com menor incidência de hipoglicemia noturna em diabéticos tipo 1. Uma otimização do regime de insulina basal é necessária para melhora do controle glicêmico, quando em uso de uma insulina de ação rápida.