Glycemic control and its correlates in patients with diabetes in Venezuela: results from a nationwide survey.

AIMS: To determine the prevalence of inadequate glycemic control and its correlates in a large multicenter survey of Venezuelan patients with diabetes. METHODS: A cross-sectional study in a sample of adult patients with diabetes, attending health centers in Venezuela. Information about diabetes, current medications, complications, and diet were obtained by trained interviewers, using a standardized questionnaire. HbA(1c) was measured by high-performance liquid chromatography in a central laboratory. Patients with HbA(1c) >or=7% were considered to have inadequate glycemic control. RESULTS: Overall 4075 patients were surveyed, 349(8.6%) with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and 3726(91.4%) with type 2 diabetes(T2D). Subjects' mean age was 58 years, and 65% were female. The prevalence of inadequate glycemic control was 76%. Poor glycemic control was more common in T1D patients (87%) than in those with T2D(75%), p<10(-4). Satisfaction with current diabetes treatment was associated with improved glycemic control among non-insulin-treated patients with T2D, but gender, multi-professional care, and participation in a diabetes education program were not. CONCLUSIONS: Despite clinical evidence supporting tight control of diabetes, few diabetic patients in Venezuela met recommended glycemic control targets. This may contribute to increased rates of diabetic complications. Our findings support the public health message of implementation of early, aggressive management of diabetes.

Prevalence and correlates of inadequate glycaemic control: results from a nationwide survey in 6,671 adults with diabetes in Brazil.

Diabetes is a significant public health burden on the basis of its increased incidence, morbidity, and mortality. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of inadequate glycaemic control and its correlates in a large multicentre survey of Brazilian patients with diabetes. A cross-sectional study was conducted in a consecutive sample of patients aged 18 years or older with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes, attending health centres located in ten large cities in Brazil (response rate = 84%). Information about diabetes, current medications, complications, diet, and satisfaction with treatment were obtained by trained interviewers, using a standardized questionnaire. Glycated haemoglobin (HbA(1c)) was measured by high-performance liquid chromatography in a central laboratory. Patients with HbA(1c) > or = 7 were considered to have inadequate glycaemic control. Overall 6,701 patients were surveyed, 979 (15%) with type 1 and 5,692 (85%) with type 2 diabetes. The prevalence of inadequate glycaemic control was 76%. Poor glycaemic control was more common in patients with type 1 diabetes (90%) than in those with type 2 (73%), P < 0.001. Characteristics significantly associated with improved glycaemic control included: fewer years of diabetes duration, multi professional care, participation in a diabetes health education program, and satisfaction with current diabetes treatment. Despite increased awareness of the benefits of tight glycaemic control, we found that few diabetic patients in Brazil met recommended glycaemic control targets. This may contribute to increased rates of diabetic complications, which may impact health care costs. Our data support the public health message of implementation of early, aggressive management of diabetes.

Estudos multicêntricos da ziprasidona oral no tratamento de pacientes com esquizofrenia ou transtorno esquizoafetivo / Multicenter studies of oral ziprazidone for the treatment of patients with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder

Introdução: Através de dois estudos seqüenciais a eficácia, segurança e a tolerabilidade da ziprasidona oral foram avaliadas em pacientes brasileiros portadores de transtorno esquizofrênico ou esquizoafetivo. Métodos: Estudos prospectivos e abertos. No primeiro estudo os pacientes receberam entre 80 e 160 mg/dia de ziprasidona durante seis semanas e foram avaliados através da Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS), Impressão Clinica Global para Gravidade da doença (CGI-S), Questionário de Intensidade de Cuidados (ICQ) e Preferência do Paciente (PPS). A segurança e tolerabilidade foram avaliadas por análises clínica, eletrocardiográfica e laboratoriais, escala de Avaliação dos Sintomas Extrapiramidais (ESRS) e Avaliação de Acatisia de Barnes (BAS). Os pacientes com resposta ao tratamento poderiam ser incluídos no segundo estudo, com duração de até 12 meses. Resultados: No primeiro estudo 162 pacientes foram avaliados quanto à eficácia e 164 quanto à segurança e tolerabilidade. O tratamento reduziu o escore na escala PANSS a partir do início de 94,3 para 76,2 (P<0,0001). Também houve reduções significativas dos escores nas escalas CGI-S e ICQ. Através da PPS 64,8 dos pacientes preferiram a ziprasidona ao medicamento anterior. Não houve sintomas extrapiramidais significativos avaliados pela ESRS e BAS nem alterações eletrocardiográficas. Dos 106 pacientes incluídos no segundo estudo, 86 foram analisados quanto à eficácia. A duração mediana do tratamento foi de 5,6 meses e o escore médio na escala PANSS foi mantido. O perfil de eventos adversos ao longo dos dois estudos foi semelhante. Conclusão: A ziprasidona oral é eficaz e segura no tratamento crônico de pacientes portadores de esquizofrenia e distúrbio esquizoafetivo.