[Screening for diabetes in France: data from the 2000-2001 cohort of the national medical insurance system]

The burden and treatment of diabetes in France

BACKGROUND

The objective of this review was to describe and situate the burden and treatment of diabetes within the broader context of the French health care system.

METHODS

Literature review on the burden, treatment and outcomes of diabetes in France, complemented by personal communication with with diabetes experts in the Paris public hospital system.

RESULTS

Prevalence of diabetes in the French population is estimated at 6%. Diabetes has the highest prevalence among all chronic conditions covered 100% by France's statutory health insurance (SHI), and the number of covered patients has doubled in the past 10 years. In 2010, the SHI cost for pharmacologically-treated diabetes patients amounted to €17.7 billion, including an estimated €2.5 billion directly related to diabetes treatment and prevention and €4.2 billion for treatment of diabetes-related complications. In 2007, the average annual SHI cost was €6 930 for patients with type 1 diabetes and €4 890 for patients with type 2 diabetes. Complications are associated with significantly increased costs. Diabetes is a leading cause of adult blindness, amputation and dialysis in France, which also has one of the highest rates of end-stage renal disease in Europe. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death among people with diabetes. Historically, the French health care system has been more oriented to curative acute care rather than preventive medicine and management of long-term chronic diseases. More recently, the government has focused on primary prevention as part of its national nutrition and health program, with the goal of reducing overweight and obesity in adults and children. It has also recognized the critical role of the patient in managing chronic diseases such as diabetes and has put into place a free patient support program called "sophia". Additional initiatives focus on therapeutic patient education (TPE) and the development of personalized patient pathways.

CONCLUSIONS

While France has been successful in protecting patients from the financial consequences of diabetes through its SHI coverage, improvements are necessary in the areas of prevention, monitoring and reducing the incidence of complications. Systemic changes must be made to improve the coordination and delivery of chronic care.

Missed opportunities for diagnosis and treatment of diabetes, hypertension, and hypercholesterolemia in a Mexican American population, Cameron County Hispanic Cohort, 2003-2008

Introduction

Diabetes, hypertension, and hypercholesterolemia are common chronic diseases among Hispanics, a group projected to comprise 30% of the US population by 2050. Mexican Americans are the largest ethnically distinct subgroup among Hispanics. We assessed the prevalence of and risk factors for undiagnosed and untreated diabetes, hypertension, and hypercholesterolemia among Mexican Americans in Cameron County, Texas.

Methods

We analyzed cross-sectional baseline data collected from 2003 to 2008 in the Cameron County Hispanic Cohort, a randomly selected, community-recruited cohort of 2,000 Mexican American adults aged 18 or older, to assess prevalence of diabetes, hypertension, and hypercholesterolemia; to assess the extent to which these diseases had been previously diagnosed based on self-report; and to determine whether participants who self-reported having these diseases were receiving treatment. We also assessed social and economic factors associated with prevalence, diagnosis, and treatment.

Results

Approximately 70% of participants had 1 or more of the 3 chronic diseases studied. Of these, at least half had had 1 of these 3 diagnosed, and at least half of those who had had a disease diagnosed were not being treated. Having insurance coverage was positively associated with having the 3 diseases diagnosed and treated, as were higher income and education level.

Conclusions

Although having insurance coverage is associated with receiving treatment, important social and cultural barriers remain. Failure to provide widespread preventive medicine at the primary care level will have costly consequences.

A first national prevalence estimate of diagnosed and undiagnosed diabetes in France in 18- to 74-year-old individuals: the French Nutrition and Health Survey 2006/2007

AIMS

To estimate the nationwide prevalence of diagnosed and undiagnosed diabetes and pre-diabetes in adults residing in France.

METHODS

A probability sample of a non-institutionalized civilian population residing throughout the whole of continental France was recruited from February 2006 to March 2007 for the French Nutrition and Health Survey. All individuals aged between 18 and 74 years who agreed to participate in the survey were included; thus there were 3115 participants, 2102 of whom were undergoing biochemical assessments. The prevalence of diagnosed diabetes was estimated using self-reported diabetes history and the prevalence of undiagnosed diabetes was estimated using fasting plasma glucose ≥ 7.0 mmol/l or HbA(1c) ≥ 6.5% (≥ 48 mmol/mol).

RESULTS

The prevalence of diagnosed diabetes was 4.6%, 95% CI 3.6-5.7. The prevalence of undiagnosed diabetes according to standard fasting plasma glucose criteria was 1% (95% CI 0.6-1.7) and contributed to less than 20% of all cases of diabetes. This proportion decreased with age from 30% in 30- to 54-year-olds to 12% in 55- to 74-year-olds. Based on HbA(1c) criteria, the prevalence of undiagnosed diabetes was 0.8% (95% CI 0.4-1.6).

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of diagnosed diabetes in adults in France is comparable with recent estimates from Northern Europe. The percentage of total diabetes that is undiagnosed is low in France, which may be explained by a widely practised strategy of opportunist screening. During the past years, improvements in diabetes care and increased awareness may have contributed towards decreasing the prevalence of undiagnosed diabetes more widely in Europe, and studies should further monitor such improvements.

Prevalence and predictive factors of sleep apnoea syndrome in type 2 diabetic patients

AIM

This study aimed to assess the prevalence and characteristics of sleep apnoea syndrome (SAS) in patients hospitalized for poorly controlled type 2 diabetes.

METHODS

An overnight ventilatory polygraphic study was systematically performed in 303 consecutive patients.

RESULTS

Overall, 34% of these patients had mild SAS, as defined by a respiratory disturbance index (RDI) of 5-15; 19% had moderate SAS (RDI: 16-29) and 10% had severe SAS (RDI>or=30). The SAS was obstructive in 99% of the apnoeic patients. The percentage of patients with excessive daytime sleepiness (Epworth sleepiness scale>10), fatigue or nocturia did not significantly differ among patients with severe, moderate or mild SAS versus non-apnoeic patients. The percentage of patients who snored was significantly higher in patients with severe or moderate SAS versus non-apnoeic patients. HbA(1c), duration of diabetes and the prevalences of microalbuminuria, retinopathy and peripheral neuropathy did not significantly differ among patients with severe, moderate or mild SAS versus non-apnoeic patients. However, patients with severe or moderate SAS had significantly higher values for body mass index, waist circumference and neck circumference than non-apnoeic patients.

CONCLUSION

In type 2 diabetic patients with poor diabetic control, obstructive SAS is highly prevalent and related to abdominal obesity, and should be systematically screened for, as it cannot be predicted by the clinical data.

Assessment of diabetes screening by general practitioners in France: the EPIDIA Study

AIM

To audit Type 2 diabetes screening in general practice in France and to determine the frequency of undiagnosed diabetes in patients at high risk, after systematic screening and diagnosis.

METHODS

For this study, 288 general practitioners volunteered to include all consecutive non-diabetic patients aged < 65 years who had at least two risk factors for diabetes, whatever the reason for consultation. If a plasma glucose had not been recorded in the previous 12 months, a fasting plasma glucose (FPG) was performed, with a second test if FPG >or= 7.0 mmol/l.

RESULTS

There were 5950 patients included. The most frequent diabetes risk factors were: age >or= 40 years, 92%; overweight [body mass index (BMI) >or= 27 kg/m2], 59%; treated hypertension, 48%; treated dyslipidaemia, 37%; family history of diabetes, 24%. Of these subjects at high risk for diabetes, 88% had a FPG measurement in their medical record (75% measured during the preceding 12 months). In the 1499 patients in whom FPG was measured, diabetes was diagnosed in 40 patients (2.7% 95% CI 1.9-3.5) and 22% had impaired fasting glucose (IFG). Thus, the frequency of undiagnosed diabetes in the 5950 high-risk patients was 0.67% (0.46-0.88).

CONCLUSION

Screening for diabetes by general practitioners in France appears to be adequate and undiagnosed diabetes is rare in patients with risk factors for diabetes, at least in those consulting the general practitioners studied.