Telephone calls and glycemic control in type 2 diabetes: A PRISMA-compliant systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.

AIMS: In-depth and updated systematic reviews evaluating telephone calls in type 2 diabetes (T2DM) management are missing. This study aimed to assess the effect of this intervention on glycemic control in T2DM patients when compared with usual care. METHODS: We systematically searched for randomized controlled trials (RCT) on T2DM using Medline, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), and LILACS, up to March 2021. The Risk of Bias 2.0 (Rob 2.0) tool and GRADE were used for the quality evaluation. The intervention effect was estimated by the change in glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c). PROSPERO registry CRD42020204519. RESULTS: 3545 references were reviewed and 32 were included (8598 patients). Telephone calls, all approaching education, improved HbA1c by 0.33% [95% CI, -0.48% to -0.18%; I2 = 78%; p < 0.0001] compared to usual care. A greater improvement was found when the intervention included pharmacologic modification (-0.82%, 95% CI, -1.42% to -0.22%; I2 = 92%) and when it was applied by nurses (-0.53%, 95% CI, -0.86% to -0.2%; I2 = 87%). Meta-regression showed no relationship between DM duration and HbA1c changes. CONCLUSION: The telephone call intervention provided a benefit regarding T2DM glycemic control, especially if provided by nurses, or if associated with patient education and pharmacological treatment modification.

Effects of nurse telesupport on transition between specialized and primary care in diabetic patients: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: According to the Global Diabetes Plan, a unified health system with preventive and educational strategies is essential to proper diabetes care and primary settings should be the main site of care. In Brazil, there is limited access to outpatient hospital diabetes services, while primary-care diabetes support is underutilized. Telemedicine can be a useful adjunct to support discharge of stable patients with type 2 diabetes to the primary care setting. In this paper, we present a randomized controlled trial (RCT) protocol designed to evaluate the effects of telehealth support for stable type 2 diabetes patients discharged from hospital outpatient diabetes clinics. METHODS: We designed a RCT. Patients with stable type 2 diabetes (glycated hemoglobin < 8%) considered eligible for discharge from specialized to primary care will be included. Those with uncontrolled ischemic heart disease, severe neuropathy, and stage IV/V nephropathy will be excluded. Enrolled patients will be randomized into two groups: follow-up supported by periodic phone calls by a nurse (intervention group) plus primary care or routine primary care only (control group). The intervention group will receive regular telephone calls (every three months for one year) and will have a toll-free number to call in case of questions about disease management. The main outcome measure is a comparison of glycemic control between groups (assessed by glycated hemoglobin) at one-year follow-up. DISCUSSION: We plan to evaluate the effectiveness of a telephone-based intervention on glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes followed by primary care teams. Telemedicine can be an important adjunct in type 2 diabetes management, improving patient education and knowledge about the disease. Furthermore, it can help the healthcare system by alleviating overload in specialized care settings and supporting the stewardship role of primary care. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinical Trials, NCT02768480 . Registered on 29 April 2016.

Primary ovarian insufficiency: different approaches in three cases and a review of literature.

UNLABELLED: Primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) is the condition of intermittent or permanent gonadal insufficiency that occurs in women before the age of 40. We describe three cases of POI referred to the outpatient endocrinology clinic of a university hospital. The three patients met diagnostic criteria for POI and were managed by specific approaches tailored to individualized goals. In the first case, the main concern was fertility and the reproductive prognosis. The second patient was a carrier of a common genetic cause of POI: premutation of the FMR1 gene. The third case was a patient diagnosed with a POI and established osteoporosis, a common complication of estrogen deprivation. This study reports the treatment and follow-up of these cases, with an emphasis on relevant aspects of individualized management, alongside a brief literature review. LEARNING POINTS: A diagnosis of POI should be considered in patients presenting with amenorrhea or irregular menses and high serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels before age 40 years.Patients with POI without an established cause, especially in familial cases, should be tested for FMR1 mutations.Estrogen/progestin replacement therapy is indicated since diagnosis until at least the estimated age of menopause, and is the cornerstone for maintaining the good health of breast and urogenital tract and for primary or secondary osteoporosis prevention in POI.Fertility should be managed through an individualized approach based on patient possibilities, such as egg or embryo donation and ovarian cryopreservation; pregnancy can occur spontaneously in a minority of cases.Women with POI should be carefully monitored for cardiovascular risk factors.