A cluster randomized controlled non-inferiority trial of 5-day Dose Adjustment for Normal Eating (DAFNE) training delivered over 1 week versus 5-day DAFNE training delivered over 5 weeks: the DAFNE 5 × 1-day trial

Effectiveness of educational and behavioural interventions for reducing fear of hypoglycaemia among adults with type 1 diabetes: Systematic review and meta-analyses

AIMS

To summarize and critically appraise evidence regarding the effectiveness of educational and/or behavioural interventions in reducing fear of hypoglycaemia among adults with type 1 diabetes.

METHODS

Systematic searches of medical and psychology databases were conducted. Risk-of-bias was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Tools. Data were synthesized using random-effects meta-analyses for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and narrative synthesis for observational studies.

RESULTS

Five RCTs (N = 682) and seven observational studies (N = 1519) met the inclusion criteria, reporting on behavioural, structured education and cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) interventions. Most studies assessed fear of hypoglycaemia using the Hypoglycaemia Fear Survey Worry (HFS-W) and Behaviour (HFS-B) subscales. Mean fear of hypoglycaemia at baseline was relatively low across studies. Meta-analyses showed a significant effect of interventions on HFS-W (SMD = -0.17, p = 0.032) but not on HFS-B scores (SMD = -0.34, p = 0.113). Across RCTs, Blood Glucose Awareness Training (BGAT) had the largest effect on HFS-W and HFS-B scores, and one CBT-based program was as effective as BGAT in reducing HFS-B scores. Observational studies showed that Dose Adjustment for Normal Eating (DAFNE) was associated with significant fear of hypoglycaemia reductions.

CONCLUSIONS

Current evidence suggests that educational and behavioural interventions can reduce fear of hypoglycaemia. However, no study to date has examined these interventions among people with high fear of hypoglycaemia.

Management of Individuals With Diabetes at High Risk for Hypoglycemia: An Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guideline

CONTEXT

Hypoglycemia in people with diabetes is common, especially in those taking medications such as insulin and sulfonylureas (SU) that place them at higher risk. Hypoglycemia is associated with distress in those with diabetes and their families, medication nonadherence, and disruption of life and work, and it leads to costly emergency department visits and hospitalizations, morbidity, and mortality.

OBJECTIVE

To review and update the diabetes-specific parts of the 2009 Evaluation and Management of Adult Hypoglycemic Disorders: Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guideline and to address developing issues surrounding hypoglycemia in both adults and children living with diabetes. The overriding objectives are to reduce and prevent hypoglycemia.

METHODS

A multidisciplinary panel of clinician experts, together with a patient representative, and methodologists with expertise in evidence synthesis and guideline development, identified and prioritized 10 clinical questions related to hypoglycemia in people living with diabetes. Systematic reviews were conducted to address all the questions. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) methodology was used to assess the certainty of evidence and make recommendations.

RESULTS

The panel agreed on 10 questions specific to hypoglycemia risk and prevention in people with diabetes for which 10 recommendations were made. The guideline includes conditional recommendations for use of real-time continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) and algorithm-driven insulin pumps in people with type 1 diabetes (T1D), use of CGM for outpatients with type 2 diabetes at high risk for hypoglycemia, use of long-acting and rapid-acting insulin analogs, and initiation of and continuation of CGM for select inpatient populations at high risk for hypoglycemia. Strong recommendations were made for structured diabetes education programs for those at high risk for hypoglycemia, use of glucagon preparations that do not require reconstitution vs those that do for managing severe outpatient hypoglycemia for adults and children, use of real-time CGM for individuals with T1D receiving multiple daily injections, and the use of inpatient glycemic management programs leveraging electronic health record data to reduce the risk of hypoglycemia.

CONCLUSION

The recommendations are based on the consideration of critical outcomes as well as implementation factors such as feasibility and values and preferences of people with diabetes. These recommendations can be used to inform clinical practice and health care system improvement for this important complication for people living with diabetes.

Simulation Platform Development for Diabetes and Technology Self-Management

BACKGROUND

Specialized education is critical for optimal insulin pump use but is not widely utilized or accessible. We aimed to (1) test the usability and acceptability of A1Control, a simulation platform supporting insulin pump education, and (2) determine predictors of performance.

METHOD

Rural adult insulin pump users with type 1 diabetes (T1D) participated in a mixed methods usability study in 2 separate rounds. Participants navigated 3 simulations (ie, infusion site occlusion, hypoglycemia, exercise). Net Promoter Score (NPS) and Systems Usability Scale (SUS) were administered. Semi-structured interviews and direct observation were used to assess perceived usability, acceptability and performance. Synthetic Minority Oversampling Technique was used to fit predictive models for visualization of patterns leading to good or poor A1Control performance.

RESULTS

Participants (N = 13) were 28-70 years old, 10 used automated insulin delivery and 12 used continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). Mean NPS was 9.5 (range 9-10) and positive sentiment during interviews indicated very high acceptability. SUS (mean 88.5, range 70-100) indicted a high perceived usability. CGM percent wear ≥ 94%, time spent in hypoglycemia ≤ 54 mg/dl of <0.01%, and <70 mg/dl of 0.5% predicted successful site-occlusion scenario performance with 100% accuracy. BOLUS score ≥ 2, TDD ≥ 34, and technology brand predicted exercise scenario success with 100% accuracy. There were an insufficient number of failed hypoglycemia scenarios to assess predictors.

CONCLUSION

A1Control shows potential to increase access and frequency of self-management and technology education. Additional study is needed to determine sustained engagement and benefit.

Design of therapeutic education workshops for home haemodialysis in a patient-centered chronic kidney diseases research: a qualitative study

Rationale & Objective

A quarter of patients do not receive any information on the modalities of renal remplacement therapy (RRT) before its initiation. In our facility, we provide therapeutic education workshops for all RRT except for home hemodialysis (HHD). The objectives of this study were to identify and describe the needs of CKD patients and caregivers for RRT with HHD and design therapeutic education workshops.

Setting & participants

Two sequential methods of qualitative data collection were conducted. Interviews with patients treated with HHD and doctors specialized in HHD were performed to define the interview guide followed by semi-structured interviews with the help of HHD patients from our center.

Analytic approach

Thematic analysis was conducted and were rooted in the principles of qualitative analysis for social scientists. Data were analyzed by two investigators. Transcribed interviews were entered into RQDA 3.6.1 software for data organization and coding purposes (Version 3.6.1).

Results

In total, five interviews were performed. We identified six themes related to the barriers, facilitators, and potential solutions to home dialysis therapy: (1) HHD allows autonomy and freedom with constraints, (2) safety of the care environment, (3) the caregiver and family environment, (4) patient’s experience and experiential knowledge, (5) self-care experience and impact on life, and (6) factors that impact the choice of treatment with HHD. We designed therapeutic education workshops in a group of patients and caregivers.

Conclusions

Our study confirmed previous results obtained in literature on the major barriers, facilitators, and potential solutions to HHD including the impact of HHD on the caregiver, the experiences of patients already treated with HHD, and the role of nurses and nephrologists in informing and educating patients. A program to develop patient-to-patient peer mentorship allowing patients to discuss their dialysis experience may be relevant.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12882-022-02683-0.

The DAFNEplus programme for sustained type 1 diabetes self management: Intervention development using the Behaviour Change Wheel

AIMS

Self-management programmes for type 1 diabetes, such as the UK's Dose Adjustment for Normal Eating (DAFNE), improve short-term clinical outcomes but difficulties maintaining behavioural changes attenuate long-term impact. This study used the Behaviour Change Wheel (BCW) framework to revise the DAFNE intervention to support sustained behaviour change.

METHODS

A four-step method was based on the BCW intervention development approach: (1) Identifying self-management behaviours and barriers/enablers to maintain them via stakeholder consultation and evidence synthesis, and mapping barriers/enablers to the Capability, Opportunity, Motivation-Behaviour (COM-B) model. (2) Specifying behaviour change techniques (BCTs) in the existing DAFNE intervention using the Behaviour Change Techniques Taxonomy (BCTTv1). (3) Identifying additional BCTs to target the barriers/enablers using the BCW and BCTTv1. (4) Parallel stakeholder consultation to generate recommendations for intervention revision. Revised materials were co-designed by stakeholders (diabetologists, psychologists, specialist nurses and dieticians).

RESULTS

In all, 34 barriers and 5 enablers to sustaining self-management post-DAFNE were identified. The existing DAFNE intervention contained 24 BCTs, which partially addressed the enablers. In all, 27 BCTs were added, including 'Habit formation', 'Credible source' and 'Conserving mental resources'. In total, 15 stakeholder-agreed recommendations for content and delivery were incorporated into the final DAFNEplus intervention, comprising three co-designed components: (1) face-to-face group learning course, (2) individual structured follow-up sessions and (3) technological support, including blood glucose data management.

CONCLUSIONS

This method provided a systematic approach to specifying and revising a behaviour change intervention incorporating stakeholder input. The revised DAFNEplus intervention aims to support the maintenance of behavioural changes by targeting barriers and enablers to sustaining self-management behaviours.

Sustained type 1 diabetes self-management: Specifying the behaviours involved and their influences

AIMS

Sustained engagement in type 1 diabetes self-management behaviours is a critical element in achieving improvements in glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) and minimising risk of complications. Evaluations of self-management programmes, such as Dose Adjustment for Normal Eating (DAFNE), typically find that initial improvements are rarely sustained beyond 12 months. This study identified behaviours involved in sustained type 1 diabetes self-management, their influences and relationships to each other.

METHODS

A mixed-methods study was conducted following the first two steps of the Behaviour Change Wheel framework. First, an expert stakeholder consultation identified behaviours involved in self-management of type 1 diabetes. Second, three evidence sources (systematic review, healthcare provider-generated 'red flags' and participant-generated 'frequently asked questions') were analysed to identify and synthesise modifiable barriers and enablers to sustained self-management. These were characterised according to the Capability-Opportunity-Motivation-Behaviour (COM-B) model.

RESULTS

150 distinct behaviours were identified and organised into three self-regulatory behavioural cycles, reflecting different temporal and situational aspects of diabetes self-management: Routine (e.g. checking blood glucose), Reactive (e.g. treating hypoglycaemia) and Reflective (e.g. reviewing blood glucose data to identify patterns). Thirty-four barriers and five enablers were identified: 10 relating to Capability, 20 to Opportunity and nine to Motivation.

CONCLUSIONS

Multiple behaviours within three self-management cycles are involved in sustained type 1 diabetes self-management. There are a wide range of barriers and enablers that should be addressed to support self-management behaviours and improve clinical outcomes. The present study provides an evidence base for refining and developing type 1 diabetes self-management programmes.

Evaluating Feasibility of Personal Diabetes Device Data Collection for Research

BACKGROUND

Diabetes devices, like insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), capture and store patient adherence and utilization data that can be retrieved or downloaded providing objective information on self-management behaviors; yet, diabetes device data remain underutilized in research.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study was to examine the usability and feasibility of personal diabetes device data collected using a clinical download platform retooled for research purposes.

METHODS

Investigators evaluated the feasibility of raw diabetes device data collection. One hundred eight preteens and adolescents with Type 1 diabetes and their parents provided consent/assent.

RESULTS

Data were successfully collected from the diabetes devices (insulin pumps and CGM) of 97 youth using a clinical download software adapted for research, including data from all three commercially available CGM systems and insulin pumps brands, which contained all current and previous models of each insulin pump brand. The time required to download, mode of connection, and process varied significantly between brands. Despite the use of an agnostic download software, some outdated device brands and cloud-based CGM data were unsupported during data collection. Within the download software, dummy clinical accounts were created for each study participant, which were then linked back to a master study account for data retrieval. Raw device data were extracted into seven to eight Excel files per participant, which were then used to develop aggregate daily measures.

DISCUSSION

Our analysis is the first of its kind to examine the feasibility of raw diabetes device data using a clinical download software. The investigators highlight issues encountered throughout the research process, along with mitigating strategies to inform future inquiry.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrates the feasibility of raw data collection, from a wide variety of insulin pump and CGM brands, through the retooling of a clinical download software. Data from these personal devices provide a unique opportunity to study self-management behavior and the glycemic response of individuals in their everyday environments.

What are the characteristics of the best type 1 diabetes patient education programmes (from diagnosis to long-term care), do they improve outcomes and what is required to make them more effective?

The last 20 years have witnessed a marked change in approaches to the management of type 1 diabetes in the UK. This is exemplified by National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance which acknowledges that reaching and maintaining target glucose depends on people with type 1 diabetes effectively implementing flexible intensive insulin therapy. The guidance emphasizes that successful self-management requires the acquisition of complex skills and is best achieved by participation in high-quality structured education. Controlled trials and other research have shown that programmes teaching self-management can lower glucose levels while reducing hypoglycaemia, improve psychological outcomes and are highly cost-effective. An important principle of successful programmes is therapeutic education in which learning becomes a partnership between the professional and the person with diabetes who learns to fit diabetes into his/her everyday life. Other recommended elements of programmes include a written curriculum, group teaching by a professional multidisciplinary team and quality assurance. Yet many participants struggle post-course to implement and maintain skills, and overall HbA_1c levels, particularly in the UK, remain far from target. Recent studies have identified the barriers to sustained effective self-management and concluded that even high-quality programmes generally lack critical components. These include incorporating evidence from behaviour change research, exploiting the promise of new technologies in reducing the burden of self-management, and providing structured professional support once people have completed the training. Studies are currently underway to evaluate structured training courses which have added these elements and examine whether they can lower glucose to levels closer to target without impairing quality of life.

Establishment of a type 1 diabetes structured education programme suitable for Chinese patients: type 1 diabetes education in lifestyle and self adjustment (TELSA)

BACKGROUND

Various guidelines recommend that all adults diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D) should be offered an evidence based, structured education programme (SEP) to optimize self-management care. China has a 13,000 annual increase in newly diagnosed T1D cases, of which 65% are adults. However, there is yet no validated SEP targeted to T1D patients in China. The purpose of this study is to establish a structured T1D self-management education programme-'Type 1 Diabetes Education in Lifestyle and Self Adjustment' (TELSA) that is adapted to medical and cultural practices in China.

METHODS

TELSA programme was developed based on the ADDIE model, following three steps: i) Semi-structured interviews were administered to 10 healthcare professionals (HCPs) and 13 T1D patients. Different topic guides, focusing on 4 dimensions including goals, contents, format of delivery, and quality assurance, were designed for either HCPs or patients. The interviews were recorded and analysed with thematic analysis. ii) Extracted themes were modified according to Delphi consultation. iii) Preliminary courses were conducted as pilot study to evaluate the effects of TELSA and optimization of the curriculum was finalized accordingly.

RESULTS

A total of 18 themes in 4 dimensions of the programme design were identified in the final version: i) goals: 'behaviour modification' and 'outcome improvement'; ii) contents: 'living with T1D', 'self-monitoring of blood glucose', 'knowing insulin', 'insulin dose adjustment', 'carbohydrates and carbohydrate counting', 'hypoglycaemia', 'complications of diabetes', 'managing psychological issues', 'physical activity', and 'question-and-answer'; iii) format: 'multidisciplinary team combined with peer support', 'face-to-face education followed by remote learning', and '2-day programme held on weekends'; and iv) quality assurance: 'after-class quiz', 'patients' feedback', and 'long-term evaluation on effectiveness'.

CONCLUSIONS

A type 1 diabetes structured education programme in China was set up and shown to be applicable under local medical, social, and cultural environment.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

NCT03610984. Date of registration: August 2, 2018.

Renal Association Clinical Practice Guideline on Haemodialysis

This guideline is written primarily for doctors and nurses working in dialysis units and related areas of medicine in the UK, and is an update of a previous version written in 2009. It aims to provide guidance on how to look after patients and how to run dialysis units, and provides standards which units should in general aim to achieve. We would not advise patients to interpret the guideline as a rulebook, but perhaps to answer the question: "what does good quality haemodialysis look like?"The guideline is split into sections: each begins with a few statements which are graded by strength (1 is a firm recommendation, 2 is more like a sensible suggestion), and the type of research available to back up the statement, ranging from A (good quality trials so we are pretty sure this is right) to D (more like the opinion of experts than known for sure). After the statements there is a short summary explaining why we think this, often including a discussion of some of the most helpful research. There is then a list of the most important medical articles so that you can read further if you want to - most of this is freely available online, at least in summary form.A few notes on the individual sections: 1. This section is about how much dialysis a patient should have. The effectiveness of dialysis varies between patients because of differences in body size and age etc., so different people need different amounts, and this section gives guidance on what defines "enough" dialysis and how to make sure each person is getting that. Quite a bit of this section is very technical, for example, the term "eKt/V" is often used: this is a calculation based on blood tests before and after dialysis, which measures the effectiveness of a single dialysis session in a particular patient. 2. This section deals with "non-standard" dialysis, which basically means anything other than 3 times per week. For example, a few people need 4 or more sessions per week to keep healthy, and some people are fine with only 2 sessions per week - this is usually people who are older, or those who have only just started dialysis. Special considerations for children and pregnant patients are also covered here. 3. This section deals with membranes (the type of "filter" used in the dialysis machine) and "HDF" (haemodiafiltration) which is a more complex kind of dialysis which some doctors think is better. Studies are still being done, but at the moment we think it's as good as but not better than regular dialysis. 4. This section deals with fluid removal during dialysis sessions: how to remove enough fluid without causing cramps and low blood pressure. Amongst other recommendations we advise close collaboration with patients over this. 5. This section deals with dialysate, which is the fluid used to "pull" toxins out of the blood (it is sometimes called the "bath"). The level of things like potassium in the dialysate is important, otherwise too much or too little may be removed. There is a section on dialysate buffer (bicarbonate) and also a section on phosphate, which occasionally needs to be added into the dialysate. 6. This section is about anticoagulation (blood thinning) which is needed to stop the circuit from clotting, but sometimes causes side effects. 7. This section is about certain safety aspects of dialysis, not seeking to replace well-established local protocols, but focussing on just a few where we thought some national-level guidance would be useful. 8. This section draws together a few aspects of dialysis which don't easily fit elsewhere, and which impact on how dialysis feels to patients, rather than the medical outcome, though of course these are linked. This is where home haemodialysis and exercise are covered. There is an appendix at the end which covers a few aspects in more detail, especially the mathematical ideas. Several aspects of dialysis are not included in this guideline since they are covered elsewhere, often because they are aspects which affect non-dialysis patients too. This includes: anaemia, calcium and bone health, high blood pressure, nutrition, infection control, vascular access, transplant planning, and when dialysis should be started.

Assessment of Alimentación Normal con Ajuste de Insulina (ANAIS), a Spanish version of the DAFNE programme, in people with Type 1 diabetes: a randomized controlled parallel trial

AIM

To evaluate the effects of Alimentación Normal con Ajuste de Insulina (ANAIS), a group-based, therapeutic education programme for Type 1 diabetes based on a flexible insulin regimen adjusted to the individual's food intake.

METHODS

Participants with Type 1 diabetes and HbA_1c levels of 53-86 mmol/mol (7-10%) were recruited from outpatient clinics at a tertiary care centre. They were randomized (using opaque, sealed envelopes, with a 2:1 treatment allocation ratio) to attend the training course immediately (immediate ANAIS; intervention group) or a year later (delayed ANAIS; control group). The main outcome was HbA_1c level at 1 year. Secondary outcomes included lipid levels, weight, hypoglycaemic events, insulin dose, treatment satisfaction, self-perceived dietary freedom, quality of life and participant-defined goals.

RESULTS

A total of 48 participants were assigned to the intervention group and 32 to the control group. Twelve months after completing the training, adjusted HbA_1c was not significantly different in the intervention group [64 ± 1.3 vs 68 ± 1.6 mmol/mol (8.0 ±0.1% vs 8.4 ±0.1%); P=0.081]. Treatment satisfaction was significantly higher in the intervention group, but no differences were found in hypoglycaemic events, weight, insulin dose or changes in dietary freedom. At 1 year after the intervention, 72% of the participants (vs 33% in the control group; P=0.046) reported exceeding their expectations regarding achievement of their main personal goal.

CONCLUSION

Promoting dietary freedom and empowering people with Type 1 diabetes through structured education programmes, such as ANAIS, improves treatment satisfaction and self-defined goals. No significant improvement in HbA_1c level was achieved.

A cluster randomised trial, cost-effectiveness analysis and psychosocial evaluation of insulin pump therapy compared with multiple injections during flexible intensive insulin therapy for type 1 diabetes: the REPOSE Trial

BACKGROUND

Insulin is generally administered to people with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) using multiple daily injections (MDIs), but can also be delivered using infusion pumps. In the UK, pumps are recommended for patients with the greatest need and adult use is less than in comparable countries. Previous trials have been small, of short duration and have failed to control for training in insulin adjustment.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of pump therapy compared with MDI for adults with T1DM, with both groups receiving equivalent structured training in flexible insulin therapy.

DESIGN

Pragmatic, multicentre, open-label, parallel-group cluster randomised controlled trial, including economic and psychosocial evaluations. After participants were assigned a group training course, courses were randomly allocated in pairs to either pump or MDI.

SETTING

Eight secondary care diabetes centres in the UK.

PARTICIPANTS

Adults with T1DM for > 12 months, willing to undertake intensive insulin therapy, with no preference for pump or MDI, or a clinical indication for pumps.

INTERVENTIONS

Pump or MDI structured training in flexible insulin therapy, followed up for 2 years. MDI participants used insulin analogues. Pump participants used a Medtronic Paradigm^® Veo^TM (Medtronic, Watford, UK) with insulin aspart (NovoRapid, Novo Nordisk, Gatwick, UK).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Primary outcome - change in glycated haemoglobin (HbA_1c) at 2 years in participants whose baseline HbA_1c was ≥ 7.5% (58 mmol/mol). Key secondary outcome - proportion of participants with HbA_1c ≤ 7.5% at 2 years. Other outcomes at 6, 12 and 24 months - moderate and severe hypoglycaemia; insulin dose; body weight; proteinuria; diabetic ketoacidosis; quality of life (QoL); fear of hypoglycaemia; treatment satisfaction; emotional well-being; qualitative interviews with participants and staff (2 weeks), and participants (6 months); and ICERs in trial and modelled estimates of cost-effectiveness.

RESULTS

We randomised 46 courses comprising 317 participants: 267 attended a Dose Adjustment For Normal Eating course (132 pump; 135 MDI); 260 were included in the intention-to-treat analysis, of which 235 (119 pump; 116 MDI) had baseline HbA_1c of ≥ 7.5%. HbA_1c and severe hypoglycaemia improved in both groups. The drop in HbA_1c% at 2 years was 0.85 on pump and 0.42 on MDI. The mean difference (MD) in HbA_1c change at 2 years, at which the baseline HbA_1c was ≥ 7.5%, was -0.24% [95% confidence interval (CI) -0.53% to 0.05%] in favour of the pump (p = 0.098). The per-protocol analysis showed a MD in change of -0.36% (95% CI -0.64% to -0.07%) favouring pumps (p = 0.015). Pumps were not cost-effective in the base case and all of the sensitivity analyses. The pump group had greater improvement in diabetes-specific QoL diet restrictions, daily hassle plus treatment satisfaction, statistically significant at 12 and 24 months and supported by qualitative interviews.

LIMITATION

Blinding of pump therapy was not possible, although an objective primary outcome was used.

CONCLUSION

Adding pump therapy to structured training in flexible insulin therapy did not significantly enhance glycaemic control or psychosocial outcomes in adults with T1DM.

RESEARCH PRIORITY

To understand why few patients achieve a HbA_1c of < 7.5%, particularly as glycaemic control is worse in the UK than in other European countries.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN61215213.

FUNDING

This project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment programme and will be published in full in Health Technology Assessment; Vol. 21, No. 20. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information.

Rationale and design for SHAREHD: a quality improvement collaborative to scale up Shared Haemodialysis Care for patients on centre based haemodialysis

Background

The study objective is to assess the effectiveness and economic impact of a structured programme to support patient involvement in centre-based haemodialysis and to understand what works for whom in what circumstances and why. It implements a program of Shared Haemodialysis Care (SHC) that aims to improve experience and outcomes for those who are treated with centre-based haemodialysis, and give more patients the confidence to dialyse independently both at centres and at home.

Methods/Design

The 24 month mixed methods cohort evaluation of 600 prevalent centre based HD patients is nested within a 30 month quality improvement program that aims to scale up SHC at 12 dialysis centres across England. SHC describes an intervention where patients who receive centre-based haemodialysis are given the opportunity to learn, engage with and undertake tasks associated with their treatment.

Following a 6-month set up period, a phased implementation programme is initiated across 12 dialysis units using a randomised stepped wedge design with 6 centres participating in each of 2 steps, each lasting 6 months. The intervention utilises quality improvement methodologies involving rapid tests of change to determine the most appropriate mechanisms for implementation in the context of a learning collaborative. Running parallel with the stepped wedge intervention is a mixed methods cohort evaluation that employs patient questionnaires and interviews, and will link with routinely collected data at the end of the study period. The primary outcome measure is the number of patients performing at least 5 dialysis-related tasks collected using 3 monthly questionnaires. Secondary outcomes measures include: the number of people choosing to perform home haemodialysis or dialyse independently in-centre by the end of the study period; end-user recommendation; home dialysis establishment delay; staff impact and confidence; hospitalisation; infection and health economics.

Discussion

The results from this study will provide evidence of impact of SHC, barriers to patient and centre level adoption and inform development of future interventions to support its implementation.

Trial registration

ISRCTN Number: 93999549, (retrospectively registered 1^st May 2017); NIHR Research Portfolio: 31566

Development and Validation of a Tool to Identify Patients With Type 2 Diabetes at High Risk of Hypoglycemia-Related Emergency Department or Hospital Use

IMPORTANCE

Hypoglycemia-related emergency department (ED) or hospital use among patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) is clinically significant and possibly preventable.

OBJECTIVE

To develop and validate a tool to categorize risk of hypoglycemic-related utilization in patients with T2D.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

Using recursive partitioning with a split-sample design, we created a classification tree based on potential predictors of hypoglycemia-related ED or hospital use. The resulting model was transcribed into a tool for practical application and tested in 1 internal and 2 fully independent, external samples. Development and internal testing was conducted in a split sample of 206 435 patients with T2D from Kaiser Permanente Northern California (KPNC), an integrated health care system. The tool was externally tested in 1 335 966 Veterans Health Administration and 14 972 Group Health Cooperative patients with T2D.

EXPOSURES

Based on a literature review, we identified 156 candidate predictor variables (prebaseline exposures) using data collected from electronic medical records.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Hypoglycemia-related ED or hospital use during 12 months of follow-up.

RESULTS

The derivation sample (n = 165 148) had a mean (SD) age of 63.9 (13.0) years and included 78 576 (47.6%) women. The crude annual rate of at least 1 hypoglycemia-related ED or hospital encounter in the KPNC derivation sample was 0.49%. The resulting hypoglycemia risk stratification tool required 6 patient-specific inputs: number of prior episodes of hypoglycemia-related utilization, insulin use, sulfonylurea use, prior year ED use, chronic kidney disease stage, and age. We categorized the predicted 12-month risk of any hypoglycemia-related utilization as high (>5%), intermediate (1%-5%), or low (<1%). In the internal validation sample, 2.0%, 10.7%, and 87.3% were categorized as high, intermediate, and low risk, respectively, with observed 12-month hypoglycemia-related utilization rates of 6.7%, 1.4%, and 0.2%, respectively. There was good discrimination in the internal validation KPNC sample (C statistic = 0.83) and both external validation samples (Veterans Health Administration: C statistic = 0.81; Group Health Cooperative: C statistic = 0.79).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

This hypoglycemia risk stratification tool categorizes the 12-month risk of hypoglycemia-related utilization in patients with T2D using only 6 inputs. This tool could facilitate targeted population management interventions, potentially reducing hypoglycemia risk and improving patient safety and quality of life.

Staff experiences of closing out a clinical trial involving withdrawal of treatment: qualitative study

Background

The ending of a clinical trial may be challenging, particularly if staff are required to withdraw the investigated treatment(s); however, this aspect of trial work is surprisingly under-researched. To address this gap, we explored the experiences of staff involved in closing out a trial that entailed withdrawal of treatment (insulin pumps) from some patients.

Methods

Interviews were conducted with n = 22 staff, recruited from seven trial sites. Data were analysed thematically.

Results

Staff described a myriad of ethical and emotional challenges at closeout, many of which had been unforeseen when the trial began. A key challenge for staff was that, while patients gave their agreement to participate on the understanding that pump treatment could be withdrawn, they often found themselves benefitting from this regimen in ways they could not have foreseen. Hence, as the trial progressed, patients became increasingly anxious about withdrawal of treatment. This situation forced staff to consider whether the consent patients had given at the outset remained valid; it also presented them with a dilemma at closeout because many of those who had wanted to remain on a pump did not meet the clinical criteria required for post-trial funding. When deciding whether to withdraw treatment, staff not only had to take funding pressures and patient distress into account, but they also found themselves caught between an ethic of Hippocratic individualism and one of utilitarianism. These conflicting pressures and ethical considerations resulted in staff decision-making varying across the sites, an issue that some described as a further source of ethical unease. Staff concluded that, had there been more advanced planning and discussion, and greater accountability to an ethics committee, some of the challenges they had confronted at closeout could have been lessened or even prevented.

Conclusions

The same kinds of ethical issues that may vex staff at the beginning of a trial (e.g. patients having unrealistic expectations of trial participation; staff experiencing conflicts between research and clinical roles) may re-present themselves at the end. To safeguard the wellbeing of staff and patients, greater planning, coordination and ethical oversight should go into the closeout of trials involving withdrawal of treatment(s).

Trial registration

International Standard Randomised Controlled Trials Number (ISRCTN) Registry, ISRCTN61215213. Registered on 11 May 2011

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13063-017-1813-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Structured type 1 diabetes education delivered in routine care in Australia reduces diabetes-related emergencies and severe diabetes-related distress: The OzDAFNE program

AIMS

To evaluate structured type 1 diabetes education delivered in routine practice throughout Australia.

METHODS

Participants attended a five-day training program in insulin dose adjustment and carbohydrate counting between April 2007 and February 2012. Using an uncontrolled before-and-after study design, we investigated: HbA1c (% and mmol/mol); severe hypoglycaemia; diabetes ketoacidosis (DKA) requiring hospitalisation, and diabetes-related distress (Problem Areas in Diabetes scale; PAID), weight (kg); body mass index. Data were collected pre-training and 6-18 months post-training. Change in outcome scores were examined overall as well as between groups stratified by baseline HbA1c quartiles. Data are mean ± SD or % (n).

RESULTS

506 participants had data eligible for analysis. From baseline to follow-up, significant reductions were observed in the proportion of participants reporting at least one severe hypoglycaemic event (24.7% (n=123) vs 12.1% (n=59), p<0.001); and severe diabetes-related distress (29.3% (n=145) vs 12.6% (n=60), p<0.001). DKA requiring hospitalisation in the past year reduced from 4.1% (n=20) to 1.2% (n=6). For those with above target baseline HbA1c there was a small, statistically significant improvement (n=418, 8.4 ± 1.1% (69 ± 12 mmol/mol) to 8.2 ± 1.1% (66 ± 12 mmol/mol). HbA1c improvement was clinically significant among those in the highest baseline quartile (n=122, 9.7 ± 1.1% (82 ± 11 mmol/mol) to 9.0 ± 1.2% (75 ± 13 mmol/mol), p<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The proportion of participants reporting severe hypoglycaemia, DKA and severe diabetes-related distress was at least halved, and HbA1c reduced by 0.7% (7 mmol/mol) among those with highest baseline levels. Structured type 1 diabetes education delivered in routine practice offers clinically important benefits for those with greatest clinical need.