Effectiveness of a Social Networking Site Based Automatic Mobile Message Providing System on Glycemic Control in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Background@#This study investigated the effectiveness of a social networking site (SNS)-based automatic mobile message providing system on glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). @*Methods@#A 3-month, randomized, open-label, controlled, parallel-group trial was conducted. One hundred and ten participants with T2DM were randomized to a mobile message system (MMS) (n=55) or control group (n=55). The MMS group received protocolbased automated messages two times per day for 10 weeks regarding diabetes self-management through KakaoTalk SNS messenger. The primary outcome was the difference in the change in glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels (%) from baseline to week 12. @*Results@#HbA1c levels were more markedly decreased in the MMS group (8.4%±0.7% to 8.0%±1.1%) than in the control group (8.5%±0.8% to 8.4%±0.8%), resulting in a significant between-group difference (P=0.027). No differences were observed in changes in fasting glucose levels, lipid profiles, and the number of participants who experienced hypoglycemia, or in changes in lifestyle behavior between groups. However, the self-monitoring of blood glucose frequency was significantly increased in the MMS group compared to the control group (P=0.003). In addition, sleep duration was increased in the MMS group, but was not changed in the control group. @*Conclusion@#An SNS-based automatic mobile message providing system was effective in improving glycemic control in patients in T2DM. Studies which based on a more individualized protocol, and investigate longer beneficial effect and sustainability will be required in the future.

Alterations in Brain Morphometric Networks and Their Relationship with Memory Dysfunction in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Cognitive dysfunction, a significant complication of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), can potentially manifest even from the early stages of the disease. Despite evidence of global brain atrophy and related cognitive dysfunction in early-stage T2DM patients, specific regions vulnerable to these changes have not yet been identified. The study enrolled patients with T2DM of less than five years’ duration and without chronic complications (T2DM group, n=100) and demographically similar healthy controls (control group, n=50). High-resolution T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging data were subjected to independent component analysis to identify structurally significant components indicative of morphometric networks. Within these networks, the groups’ gray matter volumes were compared, and distinctions in memory performance were assessed. In the T2DM group, the relationship between changes in gray matter volume within these networks and declines in memory performance was examined. Among the identified morphometric networks, the T2DM group exhibited reduced gray matter volumes in both the precuneus (Bonferronicorrected p=0.003) and insular-opercular (Bonferroni-corrected p=0.024) networks relative to the control group. Patients with T2DM demonstrated significantly lower memory performance than the control group (p=0.001). In the T2DM group, reductions in gray matter volume in both the precuneus (r=0.316, p=0.001) and insular-opercular (r=0.199, p=0.047) networks were correlated with diminished memory performance. Our findings indicate that structural alterations in the precuneus and insular-opercular networks, along with memory dysfunction, can manifest within the first 5 years following a diagnosis of T2DM.

Effects of statin use on serum creatinine phosphokinase levels in normal thyroid function

Background/Aims@#Statins are common lipid-lowering agents used in dyslipidemia. However, they increase serum creatinine phosphokinase (CPK) levels. Currently, there are no studies on the effect of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels on CPK levels after statin administration. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate CPK level alterations after statin administration according to TSH quartiles in participants with euthyroidism. @*Methods@#This retrospective analysis included 25,047 patients with euthyroidism. CPK levels were measured before and 6 months after statin administration. Normal TSH levels were divided into four quartiles, and the CPK levels and proportions of patients with normal CPK levels after statin administration for each TSH quartile were evaluated. @*Results@#The baseline CPK level was significantly higher in the lowest TSH quartile (Q1) compared to the other quartiles but decreased after statin administration. Thus, the difference between the CPK levels and the other quartile groups was not significant. The proportion of patients with normal CPK levels was also significantly lowest in Q1 before statin administration; however, no significant difference was noted in the ratio among each group after statin administration. These findings were consistent with the findings of the analysis according to statin intensity. @*Conclusions@#In patients in the lowest TSH quartile of the normal TSH range, the CPK level decreased, and the proportion of normal CPK levels increased significantly after statin administration. However, similar changes were not observed in other TSH quartiles. Therefore, further studies are required to mechanistically confirm these conclusions.

Safety and Effectiveness of Empagliflozin in Korean Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Results from a Nationwide Post-Marketing Surveillance

Background@#To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of empagliflozin in routine clinical settings, we collected and assessed the clinical profiles of Korean patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. @*Methods@#This was a post-marketing surveillance study of empagliflozin 10 and 25 mg. Information on adverse events and adverse drug reactions (ADRs) was collected as safety data sets. Available effectiveness outcomes, including glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) level, fasting plasma glucose, body weight, and blood pressure, were assessed. @*Results@#The incidence rate of ADRs was 5.14% in the safety dataset (n=3,231). Pollakiuria, pruritis genital, and weight loss were the most common ADRs. ADRs of special interest accounted for only 1.18%, and there were no serious events that led to mortality or hospitalization. In the effectiveness data set (n=2,567), empagliflozin significantly reduced the mean HbA1c level and body weight during the study period by –0.68%±1.39% and –1.91±3.37 kg (both P<0.0001), respectively. In addition, shorter disease duration, absence of dyslipidemia, and higher baseline HbA1c levels were identified as the clinical features characteristic of a “responder” to empagliflozin therapy. @*Conclusion@#Empagliflozin is a safe and potent glucose-lowering drug in routine use among Korean patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. It is expected to have better glycemic efficacy in Korean patients with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Predicting the Risk of Insulin-Requiring Gestational Diabetes before Pregnancy: A Model Generated from a Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study in Korea

Background@#The severity of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. We aimed to generate a risk model for predicting insulin-requiring GDM before pregnancy in Korean women. @*Methods@#A total of 417,210 women who received a health examination within 52 weeks before pregnancy and delivered between 2011 and 2015 were recruited from the Korean National Health Insurance database. The risk prediction model was created using a sample of 70% of the participants, while the remaining 30% were used for internal validation. Risk scores were assigned based on the hazard ratios for each risk factor in the multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression model. Six risk variables were selected, and a risk nomogram was created to estimate the risk of insulin-requiring GDM. @*Results@#A total of 2,891 (0.69%) women developed insulin-requiring GDM. Age, body mass index (BMI), current smoking, fasting blood glucose (FBG), total cholesterol, and γ-glutamyl transferase were significant risk factors for insulin-requiring GDM and were incorporated into the risk model. Among the variables, old age, high BMI, and high FBG level were the main contributors to an increased risk of insulin-requiring GDM. The concordance index of the risk model for predicting insulin-requiring GDM was 0.783 (95% confidence interval, 0.766 to 0.799). The validation cohort’s incidence rates for insulin-requiring GDM were consistent with the risk model’s predictions. @*Conclusion@#A novel risk engine was generated to predict insulin-requiring GDM among Korean women. This model may provide helpful information for identifying high-risk women and enhancing prepregnancy care.

Long-Term Risk of Cardiovascular Disease Among Type 2 Diabetes Patients According to Average and Visit-to-Visit Variations of HbA1c Levels During the First 3 Years of Diabetes Diagnosis

Background@#It remains unclear whether a combination of glycemic variability and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) status leads to a higher incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD).Therefore, to investigate CVD risk according to the glucose control status during early diabetes, we examined visit-to-visit HbA1c variability among patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). @*Methods@#In this 9-year retrospective study, we measured HbA1c levels at each visit and tracked the change in HbA1c levels for 3 years after the first presentation (observation window) in newly diagnosed T2DM patients. We later assessed the occurrence of CVD in the last 3 years (target outcome window) of the study period after allowing a 3-year buffering window. The HbA1c variability score (HVS; divided into quartiles, HVS_Q1–4) was used to determine visit-to-visit HbA1c variability. @*Results@#Among 4,817 enrolled T2DM patients, the mean HbA1c level was < 7% for the first 3 years. The group with the lowest HVS had the lowest rate of CVD (9.4%; 104/1,109 patients).The highest incidence of CVD of 26.7% (8/30 patients) was found in HVS [≥ 9.0%]_Q3, which was significantly higher than that in HVS [6.0–6.9%]_Q1 (P = 0.006), HVS [6.0–6.9%]_Q2 (P = 0.013), HVS [6.0–6.9%]_Q3 (P = 0.018), and HVS [7.0–7.9%]_Q3 (P = 0.040). @*Conclusion@#To our knowledge, this is the first long-term study to analyze the importance of both HbA1c change and visit-to-visit HbA1c variability during outpatient visits within the first 3 years. Lowering glucose levels during early diabetes may be more critical than reducing visit-to-visit HbA1c variability.

Cumulative Exposure to High γ-Glutamyl Transferase Level and Risk of Diabetes: A Nationwide Population-Based Study

Background@#Elevated γ-glutamyl transferase (γ-GTP) level is associated with metabolic syndrome, impaired glucose tolerance, and insulin resistance, which are risk factors for type 2 diabetes. We aimed to investigate the association of cumulative exposure to high γ-GTP level with risk of diabetes. @*Methods@#Using nationally representative data from the Korean National Health Insurance system, 346,206 people who were free of diabetes and who underwent 5 consecutive health examinations from 2005 to 2009 were followed to the end of 2018. High γ-GTP level was defined as those in the highest quartile, and the number of exposures to high γ-GTP level ranged from 0 to 5. Hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for diabetes were analyzed using the multivariable Cox proportional-hazards model. @*Results@#The mean follow-up duration was 9.2±1.0 years, during which 15,183 (4.4%) patients developed diabetes. There was a linear increase in the incidence rate and the risk of diabetes with cumulative exposure to high γ-GTP level. After adjusting for possible confounders, the HR of diabetes in subjects with five consecutive high γ-GTP levels were 2.60 (95% CI, 2.47 to 2.73) in men and 3.05 (95% CI, 2.73 to 3.41) in women compared with those who never had a high γ-GTP level. Similar results were observed in various subgroup and sensitivity analyses. @*Conclusion@#There was a linear relationship between cumulative exposure to high γ-GTP level and risk of diabetes. Monitoring and lowering γ-GTP level should be considered for prevention of diabetes in the general population.

Association between Lung Function and New-Onset Diabetes Mellitus in Healthy Individuals after a 6-Year Follow-up

Background@#We analyzed hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels and various lung function test results in healthy individuals after a 6-year follow-up period to explore the influence of lung function changes on glycemic control. @*Methods@#Subjects whose HbA1c levels did not qualify as diabetes mellitus (DM) and who had at least two consecutive lung function tests were selected among the people who visited a health promotion center. Lung function parameters, including forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), FEV/FVC ratio, and forced expiratory flow 25% to 75% (FEF25%−75%), were divided into four groups based on their baseline quantiles. To evaluate future DM onset risk in relation to lung function changes, the correlation between baseline HbA1c levels and changes in lung function parameters after a 6-year follow-up period was analyzed. @*Results@#Overall, 17,568 individuals were included; 0.9% of the subjects were diagnosed with DM. The individuals included in the quartile with FEV1/FVC ratio values of 78% to 82% had lower risk of DM than those in the quartile with FEV1/FVC ratio values of ≥86% after adjusting for age, sex, and body mass index (P=0.04). Baseline percent predicted FEV1, FVC, FEV1/FVC ratio, and FEF25%−75%, and differences in the FEV1/FVC ratio or FEF25%−75%, showed negative linear correlations with baseline HbA1c levels. @*Conclusion@#Healthy subjects with FEV1/FVC ratio values between 78% and 82% had 40% lower risk for future DM. Smaller differences and lower baseline FEV1/FVC ratio or FEF25%−75% values were associated with higher baseline HbA1c levels. These findings suggest that airflow limitation affects systemic glucose control and that the FEV1/FVC ratio could be one of the factors predicting future DM risk in healthy individuals.

Heart Rate Variability in Postoperative Patients with Nonfunctioning Pituitary Adenoma

Background@#Decreased heart rate variability (HRV) has been reported to be associated with cardiac autonomic dysfunction. Hypopituitarism in nonfunctioning pituitary adenoma (NFPA) is often linked to increased cardiovascular mortality. We therefore hypothesized that postoperative NFPA patients with hormone deficiency have an elevated risk of HRV alterations indicating cardiac autonomic dysfunction. @*Methods@#A total of 22 patients with NFPA were enrolled in the study. Between 3 and 6 months after surgery, a combined pituitary function test (CPFT) was performed, and HRV was measured. The period of sleep before the CPFT was deemed the most stable period, and the hypoglycemic period that occurred during the CPFT was defined as the most unstable period. Changes in HRV parameters in stable and unstable periods were observed and compared depending on the status of hormone deficiencies. @*Results@#In patients with adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) deficiency with other pituitary hormone deficiencies, the low frequency to high frequency ratio, which represents overall autonomic function and is increased in the disease state, was higher (P=0.005). Additionally, the standard deviation of the normal-to-normal interval, which decreases in the autonomic dysfunction state, was lower (P=0.030) during the hypoglycemic period. In panhypopituitarism, the low frequency to high frequency ratio during the hypoglycemic period was increased (P=0.007). @*Conclusion@#HRV analysis during CPFT enables estimation of cardiac autonomic dysfunction in patients with NFPA who develop ACTH deficiency with other pituitary hormone deficiencies or panhypopituitarism after surgery. These patients may require a preemptive assessment of cardiovascular risk.

Heart Rate Variability in Postoperative Patients with Nonfunctioning Pituitary Adenoma

Background@#Decreased heart rate variability (HRV) has been reported to be associated with cardiac autonomic dysfunction. Hypopituitarism in nonfunctioning pituitary adenoma (NFPA) is often linked to increased cardiovascular mortality. We therefore hypothesized that postoperative NFPA patients with hormone deficiency have an elevated risk of HRV alterations indicating cardiac autonomic dysfunction. @*Methods@#A total of 22 patients with NFPA were enrolled in the study. Between 3 and 6 months after surgery, a combined pituitary function test (CPFT) was performed, and HRV was measured. The period of sleep before the CPFT was deemed the most stable period, and the hypoglycemic period that occurred during the CPFT was defined as the most unstable period. Changes in HRV parameters in stable and unstable periods were observed and compared depending on the status of hormone deficiencies. @*Results@#In patients with adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) deficiency with other pituitary hormone deficiencies, the low frequency to high frequency ratio, which represents overall autonomic function and is increased in the disease state, was higher (P=0.005). Additionally, the standard deviation of the normal-to-normal interval, which decreases in the autonomic dysfunction state, was lower (P=0.030) during the hypoglycemic period. In panhypopituitarism, the low frequency to high frequency ratio during the hypoglycemic period was increased (P=0.007). @*Conclusion@#HRV analysis during CPFT enables estimation of cardiac autonomic dysfunction in patients with NFPA who develop ACTH deficiency with other pituitary hormone deficiencies or panhypopituitarism after surgery. These patients may require a preemptive assessment of cardiovascular risk.

Clinical Effects of Remote Glucose Monitoring and Patient-Centered Education Platform for Patients with Diabetes / 임상당뇨병

With development of the internet and smartphones, various systems have been introduced to monitor patient blood sugar remotely, and their clinical effect on diabetes management has been analyzed in different patient groups. However, these systems need to be available cost-effectively to many patients for the long term. Also, there is need for a communication platform that can easily identify a patient's blood sugar pattern and provide appropriate counseling and education. In addition, relevant educational contents must be provided so that patients maintain self-care for diabetes. With the rapid increase in diabetes patients, we must continuously develop the field of digital healthcare to efficiently monitor blood sugar and provide effective face-to-face management of these patients.

Clinical Effects of Remote Glucose Monitoring and Patient-Centered Education Platform for Patients with Diabetes / 임상당뇨병

With development of the internet and smartphones, various systems have been introduced to monitor patient blood sugar remotely, and their clinical effect on diabetes management has been analyzed in different patient groups. However, these systems need to be available cost-effectively to many patients for the long term. Also, there is need for a communication platform that can easily identify a patient's blood sugar pattern and provide appropriate counseling and education. In addition, relevant educational contents must be provided so that patients maintain self-care for diabetes. With the rapid increase in diabetes patients, we must continuously develop the field of digital healthcare to efficiently monitor blood sugar and provide effective face-to-face management of these patients.

Differences in Clinical Outcomes between Patients with and without Hypoglycemia during Hospitalization: A Retrospective Study Using Real-World Evidence

BackgroundSome patients admitted to hospitals for glycemic control experience hypoglycemia despite regular meals and despite adhering to standard blood glucose control protocols. Different factors can have a negative impact on blood glucose control and prognosis after discharge. This study investigated risk factors for hypoglycemia and its effects on glycemic control during the hospitalization of patients in the general ward.MethodsThis retrospective study included patients who were admitted between 2009 and 2018. Patients were provided regular meals at fixed times according to ideal body weights during hospitalization. We categorized the patients into two groups: those with and those without hypoglycemia during hospitalization.ResultsOf the 3,031 patients, 379 experienced at least one episode of hypoglycemia during hospitalization (HYPO group). Hypoglycemia occurred more frequently particularly in cases of premixed insulin therapy. Compared with the control group, the HYPO group was older (61.0±16.8 years vs. 59.1±16.5 years, P=0.035), with more females (60.4% vs. 49.6%, P<0.001), lower body mass index (BMI) (23.5±4.2 kg/m2 vs. 25.1±4.4 kg/m2, P<0.001), and higher prevalence of type 1 diabetes mellitus (6.1% vs. 2.6%, P<0.001), They had longer hospital stay (11.1±13.5 days vs. 7.6±4.6 days, P<0.001). After discharge the HYPO group had lower glycosylated hemoglobin reduction rate (−2.0%±0.2% vs. −2.5%±0.1%, P=0.003) and tended to have more frequent cases of cardiovascular disease.ConclusionHypoglycemia occurred more frequently in older female patients with lower BMI and was associated with longer hospital stay and poorer glycemic control after discharge. Therefore, clinicians must carefully ensure that patients do not experience hypoglycemia during hospitalization.

Predicting the Development of Myocardial Infarction in Middle-Aged Adults with Type 2 Diabetes: A Risk Model Generated from a Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study in Korea

Background@#Most of the widely used prediction models for cardiovascular disease are known to overestimate the risk of this disease in Asians. We aimed to generate a risk model for predicting myocardial infarction (MI) in middle-aged Korean subjects with type 2 diabetes. @*Methods@#A total of 1,272,992 subjects with type 2 diabetes aged 40 to 64 who received health examinations from 2009 to 2012 were recruited from the Korean National Health Insurance database. Seventy percent of the subjects (n=891,095) were sampled to develop the risk prediction model, and the remaining 30% (n=381,897) were used for internal validation. A Cox proportional hazards regression model and Cox coefficients were used to derive a risk scoring system. Twelve risk variables were selected, and a risk nomogram was created to estimate the 5-year risk of MI. @*Results@#During 7.1 years of follow-up, 24,809 cases of MI (1.9%) were observed. Age, sex, smoking status, regular exercise, body mass index, chronic kidney disease, duration of diabetes, number of anti-diabetic medications, fasting blood glucose, systolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, and atrial fibrillation were significant risk factors for the development of MI and were incorporated into the risk model. The concordance index for MI prediction was 0.682 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.678 to 0.686) in the development cohort and 0.669 (95% CI, 0.663 to 0.675) in the validation cohort. @*Conclusion@#A novel risk engine was generated for predicting the development of MI among middle-aged Korean adults with type 2 diabetes. This model may provide useful information for identifying high-risk patients and improving quality of care.

Cardiovascular Autonomic Neuropathy Predicts Higher HbA1c Variability in Subjects with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the association between the presence and severity of cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy (CAN) and development of long-term glucose fluctuation in subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus who received cardiovascular autonomic reflex tests (CARTs) at baseline and at least 4-year of follow-up with ≥6 measures of glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) were included. The severity of CAN was categorized as normal, early, or severe CAN according to the CARTs score. HbA1c variability was measured as the standard deviation (SD), coefficient of variation, and adjusted SD of serial HbA1c measurements. RESULTS: A total of 681 subjects were analyzed (294 normal, 318 early, and 69 severe CAN). The HbA1c variability index values showed a positive relationship with the severity of CAN. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that CAN was significantly associated with the risk of developing higher HbA1c variability (SD) after adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, diabetes duration, mean HbA1c, heart rate, glomerular filtration rate, diabetic retinopathy, coronary artery disease, insulin use, and anti-hypertensive medication (early CAN: odds ratio [OR], 1.65; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.12 to 2.43) (severe CAN: OR, 2.86; 95% CI, 1.47 to 5.56). This association was more prominent in subjects who had a longer duration of diabetes (>10 years) and lower mean HbA1c ( < 7%). CONCLUSION: CAN is an independent risk factor for future higher HbA1c variability in subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Tailored therapy for stabilizing glucose fluctuation should be emphasized in subjects with CAN.

Endotracheal intubation using semi-rigid optical stylet in simulated difficult airways of high grade modified Cormack and Lehane laryngeal views

BACKGROUND: Endotracheal intubation in patients with compromised cervical vertebrae and limited mouth opening is challenging, however, there are still limited options available. Among devices used for managing difficult airways, the Clarus Video System (CVS) might have considerable promise due to its semi-rigid tip. We evaluated the performance of CVS in patients with simulated difficult airways. METHODS: Philadelphia cervical collars were applied to 74 patients undergoing general anesthesia. The degree of simulated difficult airway was assessed by observing laryngeal view using McCoy laryngoscope; modified Cormack and Lehane grade (MCL) ≥ 3a (high-grade group, n = 38) or ≤ 2b (low-grade group, n = 36). Subsequently, patients were intubated using CVS by a blinded practitioner. We evaluated total time to intubation, intubation success rate, and conditions of intubation. RESULTS: Intubation took significantly longer time for the high-grade group than that for the low-grade group (38.2 ± 25.9 seconds vs. 27.9 ± 6.2 seconds, time difference 10.3 seconds, 95% confidence interval: 1.4–19.2 seconds, P < 0.001). However, CVS provided similar high intubation success rates for both groups (97.4% for the high-grade and 100% for the low-grade group). During intubation, visualization of vocal cords and advancement into the glottis for the high-grade group were significantly more difficult than those for the low-grade group. CONCLUSIONS: Although intubation took longer for patients with higher MCL laryngeal view grade, CVS provided high intubation success rate for patients with severely restricted neck motion and mouth opening regardless of its MCL laryngeal view grade.

The Role of a Diabetologist in the New Era of Artificial Intelligence / 임상당뇨병

Artificial intelligence is expected to be applied to various fields in industry and is also introducing a new era in the field of medicine. Artificial intelligence, which is called machine learning or deep learning, analyzes big data, identifies patterns, and performs a task according to an analysis result or pattern. In the medical field, artificial intelligence could be used for such things as disease diagnosis, prediction of complications, or correction of user behavior using big digital data collected from many sources and populations across the world. For diabetes, various studies to predict glycemic response or diabetic complications or to calculate insulin dose are being carried out. In the new era of artificial intelligence, diabetologists need to use the new system to obtain information more actively, explain it to patients in more detail, and support them based on evidence and data.

Development of Clinical Data Mart of HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitor for Varied Clinical Research

BACKGROUND: The increasing use of electronic medical record (EMR) systems for documenting clinical medical data has led to EMR data being increasingly accessed for clinical trials. In this study, a database of patients who were prescribed statins for the first time was developed using EMR data. A clinical data mart (CDM) was developed for cohort study researchers. METHODS: Seoul St. Mary's Hospital implemented a clinical data warehouse (CDW) of data for ~2.8 million patients, 47 million prescription events, and laboratory results for 150 million cases. We developed a research database from a subset of the data on the basis of a study protocol. Data for patients who were prescribed a statin for the first time (between the period from January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2015), including personal data, laboratory data, diagnoses, and medications, were extracted. RESULTS: We extracted initial clinical data of statin from a CDW that was established to support clinical studies; the data was refined through a data quality management process. Data for 21,368 patients who were prescribed statins for the first time were extracted. We extracted data every 3 months for a period of 1 year. A total of 17 different statins were extracted. It was found that statins were first prescribed by the endocrinology department in most cases (69%, 14,865/21,368). CONCLUSION: Study researchers can use our CDM for statins. Our EMR data for statins is useful for investigating the effectiveness of treatments and exploring new information on statins. Using EMR is advantageous for compiling an adequate study cohort in a short period.

Satisfaction Survey on Information Technology-Based Glucose Monitoring System Targeting Diabetes Mellitus in Private Local Clinics in Korea

BACKGROUND: Private local clinics in Korea have little experience with information technology (IT)-based glucose monitoring (ITGM). Our aim is to examine user satisfaction and the possibility of using ITGM service practically. METHODS: Patients sent their blood glucose levels to physicians in local clinics. The physicians reviewed the blood glucose values online and provided personal consultations through text messaging or phone calls. Thereafter, a satisfaction survey on the ITGM service, the modified Morisky scale, and patient assessment of chronic illness care were administered. RESULTS: One hundred and seventy patients from seven private local clinics used the ITGM. Overall satisfaction, including that about the ITGM service, the device, and its usefulness, was rated higher than “mostly satisfied” (score 4.2±0.8 out of 5.0) and even higher among the elderly. Satisfaction was positively associated with age, especially in those older than 60 years. The main reason for intent for future use of the service was the time/place flexibility. Highly motivated patients tended to answer positively regarding information satisfaction (P=0.0377). CONCLUSION: Our study is the first to investigate ITGM satisfaction in private local clinics. The feasibility of users utilizing ITGM should be clarified, and future clinical research on the service's clinical effects and cost-benefit analysis is needed.

Physician-Directed Diabetes Education without a Medication Change and Associated Patient Outcomes

BACKGROUND: When patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) are first referred to a hospital from primary health care clinics, physicians have to decide whether to administer an oral hypoglycemic agent (OHA) immediately or postpone a medication change in favor of diabetes education regarding diet or exercise. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of diabetes education alone (without alterations in diabetes medication) on blood glucose levels. METHODS: The study was conducted between January 2009 and December 2013 and included patients with DM. The glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels were evaluated at the first visit and after 3 months. During the first medical examination, a designated doctor also conducted a diabetes education session that mainly covered dietary management. RESULTS: Patients were divided into those who received no diabetic medications (n=66) and those who received an OHA (n=124). Education resulted in a marked decrease in HbA1c levels in the OHA group among patients who had DM for 10 years showed a slightly lower HbA1c target achievement rate of <6.5% (odds ratio, 0.089; P=0.0024). CONCLUSION: For patients who had DM for more than 5 years, higher doses or changes in medication were more effective than intensive active education. Therefore, individualized and customized education are needed for these patients. For patients with a shorter duration of DM, it may be more effective to provide initial intensive education for diabetes before prescribing medicines, such as OHAs.