Effect of intensive glycemic lowering on health-related quality of life in type 2 diabetes: ACCORD trial

Associations between HbA1c Reduction and Change in Depressive Symptoms following Glucose-lowering Treatment in Adults: A Systematic Review of Intervention Studies

INTRODUCTION

Hyperglycemia constitutes a likely pathway linking diabetes and depressive symptoms; lowering glycemic levels may help reduce diabetes-comorbid depressive symptoms. Since randomized controlled trials can help understand temporal associations, we systematically reviewed the evidence regarding the potential association of hemoglobin HbA1c lowering interventions with depressive symptoms.

METHODS

PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and EMBASE databases were searched for randomized controlled trials evaluating HbA1c-lowering interventions and including assessment of depressive symptoms published between 01/2000-09/2020. Study quality was evaluated using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool. PROSPERO registration: CRD42020215541.

RESULTS

We retrieved 1,642 studies of which twelve met our inclusion criteria. Nine studies had high and three unclear risks of bias. Baseline depressive symptom scores suggest elevated depressive symptoms in five studies. Baseline HbA1c was <8.0% (<64 mmol/mol) in two, 8.0-9.0% (64-75 mmol/mol) in eight, and ≥10.0% (≥86 mmol/mol) in two studies. Five studies found greater HbA1c reduction in the treatment group; three of these found greater depressive symptom reduction in the treatment group. Of four studies analyzing whether the change in HbA1c was associated with the change in depressive symptoms, none found a significant association. The main limitation of these studies was relatively low levels of depressive symptoms at baseline, limiting the ability to show a lowering in depressive symptoms after HbA1c reduction.

CONCLUSIONS

We found insufficient available data to estimate the association between HbA1c reduction and depressive symptom change following glucose-lowering treatment. Our findings point to an important gap in the diabetes treatment literature. Future clinical trials testing interventions to improve glycemic outcomes might consider measuring depressive symptoms as an outcome to enable analyses of this association.

Association of type 2 diabetes according to the number of risk factors within the recommended range with incidence of major depression and clinically relevant depressive symptoms: a prospective analysis

BACKGROUND

Type 2 diabetes is associated with an increased risk of depression, but the extent to which risk factor modification can mitigate this risk is unclear. We aimed to examine the association between the incidence of major depression and clinically relevant depressive symptoms among individuals with type 2 diabetes, according to the number of risk factors within the recommended target range, compared with individuals without diabetes.

METHODS

We did a prospective analysis of population-based data from the UK Biobank and the Maastricht Study. Individuals with type 2 diabetes were categorised according to the number of risk factors within the recommended target range (non-smoking, guideline-recommended levels of glycated haemoglobin (HbA_1c), blood pressure, BMI, albuminuria, physical activity, and diet). The primary outcome, based on data from the UK Biobank, was the incidence of major depression ascertained from hospital records; the secondary outcome, based on data from the UK Biobank and the Maastricht Study, was clinically relevant depressive symptoms based on a score of 10 or higher on the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9).

FINDINGS

The study population of the UK Biobank comprised 77 786 individuals (9047 with type 2 diabetes and 68 739 without diabetes; median age 59 years [IQR 51-64]; 34 136 [43·9%] women and 43 650 [56·1%] men). A median of 12·7 years (IQR 11·8-13·4) after recruitment (between March 13, 2006, and Oct 1, 2010), 493 (5·5%) of 9047 individuals with type 2 diabetes and 2574 (3·7%) of 68 739 individuals without diabetes developed major depression. Compared with individuals without diabetes, those with type 2 diabetes had a higher risk of major depression (hazard ratio [HR] 1·61 [95% CI 1·49-1·77]). Among individuals with type 2 diabetes, the excess risk of depression decreased stepwise with an increasing number of risk factors within the recommended target range (HR 2·04 [95% CI 1·65-2·52] for up to two risk factors within the recommended target range; 1·95 [1·65-2·30] for three risk factors within the recommended target range; 1·38 [1·16-1·65] for four risk factors within the recommended target range; and 1·34 [1·12-1·62] for five to seven risk factors within the recommended target range). In the UK Biobank dataset, a median of 7·5 years (IQR 6·8-8·2) after the baseline examination, 147 (7·5%) of 1953 individuals with type 2 diabetes and 954 (4·5%) of 21 413 individuals without diabetes had developed clinically relevant depressive symptoms. The study population of the Maastricht Study comprised 4530 individuals (1158 with type 2 diabetes and 3372 without diabetes; median age 60 years [IQR 53-66]; 2244 [49·5%] women and 2286 [50·1%] men). A median of 5·1 years (IQR 4·1-6·1) after recruitment (between Sept 1, 2010, and Dec 7, 2017), 170 (14·7%) of 1158 individuals with type 2 diabetes and 227 (6·7%) of 3372 individuals without diabetes developed clinically relevant depressive symptoms. Similarly, in both the UK Biobank dataset and the Maastricht Study cohort, among individuals with type 2 diabetes, the excess risk of clinically relevant depressive symptoms decreased stepwise with an increasing number of risk factors within the recommended target range.

INTERPRETATION

Among individuals with type 2 diabetes, the excess risk of major depression and clinically relevant depressive symptoms decreased stepwise with an increasing number of risk factors within the recommended target range. This study provides further evidence to promote risk factor modification strategies in individuals with type 2 diabetes and to encourage the adoption of a healthy lifestyle.

FUNDING

ZonMW, Hartstichting, and Diabetes Fonds.

Changes in Treatment Satisfaction Over 3 Years in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes After Initiating Second-line Treatment

CONTEXT

J-DISCOVER is a prospective observational cohort study aiming to understand the current management of patients with early-stage type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in Japan, enrolling patients initiating second-line treatment.

OBJECTIVE

The current analysis examined the change in treatment satisfaction during the study period and factors affecting this change among patients in J-DISCOVER.

METHODS

We used data from the J-DISCOVER study, in which 1798 patients with T2DM aged ≥ 20 years were enrolled from 142 sites across Japan. Treatment satisfaction was assessed using the Diabetes Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire (DTSQ).

RESULTS

The mean DTSQ treatment satisfaction score increased from 25.9 points at baseline to 27.3 points at 6 months, which was maintained through 36 months. Among the baseline characteristics examined, higher baseline DTSQ treatment satisfaction scores (P < 0.0001), older age (≥ 75 vs < 65 years, P = 0.0096), living alone (P = 0.0356), and type of facility (clinics vs hospitals, P = 0.0044) had a significantly negative impact on the changes in DTSQ treatment satisfaction scores. Improvement in mean glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) from baseline (7.7%) to 36 months (7.1%) was associated with positive changes in the DTSQ treatment satisfaction score (P = 0.0003).

CONCLUSION

Changes in DTSQ treatment satisfaction scores were related to HbA1c improvement, suggesting that the management strategy was appropriately planned for each patient. The results also suggest that the availability of social support for patients with T2DM who are elderly or living alone may be an important factor affecting treatment satisfaction, adherence, and clinical outcomes.

Management of Patients with Newly Diagnosed Diabetic Mellitus: Ophthalmologic Outcomes in Intensive versus Conventional Glycemic Control

Background and Objective

Diabetic retinopathy, a microvascular complication of diabetes mellitus, is one of the most important causes of visual loss in developed countries. Our objective is to evaluate the efficacy of intensive versus conventional glycemic control of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients in terms of ophthalmologic outcome, pathogenesis of the early worsening of diabetic retinopathy, risk factors for early worsening and diabetic retinopathy progression.

Methods

A literature search on publications concerning glycaemic control in diabetic retinopathy and management of newly diagnosed diabetes mellitus by intensive versus conventional glycaemic control.

Results

A total of 22 articles were reviewed after curation by the authors for relevance. Nineteen articles are randomized control trial, 2 articles are observational studies and 1 is clinical trial. Fifteen articles investigated the glycaemic control in T1DM-related diabetic retinopathy and 8 on T2DM-related diabetic retinopathy. The level of glycemia (in terms of HbA1c level) is significantly related to the diabetic retinopathy progression in both T1DM and T2DM. Intensive glycemic control was found to reduce the development of severe diabetic retinopathy, including severe non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy, neovascularization, clinically significant macular edema and loss of vision. Early worsening of diabetic retinopathy commonly occurs during the first year of intensive treatment, especially those initially present with proliferative or severe non-proliferative retinopathy. However, most patients with early worsening can recover and their long-term ophthalmologic outcomes are better when compared to conventional glycemic control.

Conclusion

The current guideline on HbA1c level is considered sufficient for the minimization of diabetic retinopathy progression. More frequent monitoring for early worsening should be recommended for newly diagnosed diabetes cases already presenting with retinopathy.

Patient-reported outcomes after 10-year follow-up of intensive, multifactorial treatment in individuals with screen-detected type 2 diabetes: the ADDITION-Europe trial

AIMS

To present the longer-term impact of multifactorial treatment of type 2 diabetes on self-reported health status, diabetes-specific quality of life, and diabetes treatment satisfaction at 10-year follow up of the ADDITION-Europe trial.

METHODS

The ADDITION-Europe trial enrolled 3057 individuals with screen-detected type 2 diabetes from four centres [Denmark, the UK (Cambridge and Leicester) and the Netherlands], between 2001 and 2006. Participants were randomized at general practice level to intensive treatment or to routine care . The trial ended in 2009 and a 10-year follow-up was performed at the end of 2014. We measured self-reported health status (36-item Short-Form Health Survey and EQ-5D), diabetes-specific quality of life (Audit of Diabetes-Dependent Quality of Life questionnaire), and diabetes treatment satisfaction (Diabetes Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire) at different time points during the study period. A mixed-effects model was applied to estimate the effect of intensive treatment (intention-to-treat analyses) on patient-reported outcome measures for each centre. Centre-specific estimates were pooled using a fixed effects meta-analysis.

RESULTS

There was no difference in patient-reported outcome measures between the routine care and intensive treatment arms in this 10-year follow-up study [EQ-5D: -0.01 (95% CI -0.03, 0.01); Physical Composite Score (36-item Short-Form Health Survey): -0.27 (95% CI -1.11, 0.57), Audit of Diabetes-Dependent Quality of Life questionnaire: -0.01 (95% CI -0.11, 0.10); and Diabetes Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire: -0.20 (95% CI -0.70, 0.29)].

CONCLUSIONS

Intensive, multifactorial treatment of individuals with screen-detected type 2 diabetes did not affect self-reported health status, diabetes-specific quality of life, or diabetes treatment satisfaction at 10-year follow-up compared to routine care.

Cerebral microvascular complications of type 2 diabetes: stroke, cognitive dysfunction, and depression

Adults with type 2 diabetes are at an increased risk of developing certain brain or mental disorders, including stroke, dementia, and depression. Although these disorders are not usually considered classic microvascular complications of diabetes, evidence is growing that microvascular dysfunction is one of the key underlying mechanisms. Microvascular dysfunction is a widespread phenomenon in people with diabetes, including effects on the brain. Cerebral microvascular dysfunction is also apparent in adults with prediabetes, suggesting that cerebral microvascular disease processes start before the onset of diabetes. The microvasculature is involved in the regulation of many cerebral processes that when impaired predispose to lacunar and haemorrhagic stroke, cognitive dysfunction, and depression. Main drivers of diabetes-related cerebral microvascular dysfunction are hyperglycaemia, obesity and insulin resistance, and hypertension. Increasing amounts of data from observational studies suggest that diabetes-related microvascular dysfunction is associated with a higher risk of stroke, cognitive dysfunction, and depression. Cerebral outcomes in diabetes might be improved following treatments targeting the pathways through which diabetes damages the microcirculation. These treatments might include drugs that reduce dicarbonyl compounds, augment cerebral insulin signalling, or improve blood-brain barrier permeability and cerebral vasoreactivity.

Moving Targets: Recent Advances in Lipid-Lowering Therapies

Statin therapy has delivered tremendous value to society by improving the burden of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Nonetheless, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death globally. Technological advances such as in the field of genomics have revolutionized drug discovery and development and have revealed novel therapeutic targets to lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), as well as other detrimental lipids and lipoproteins. Therapeutic LDL-C lowering prevents atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease with an effect size proportional to absolute LDL-C reductions and time of exposure. This understanding supports the notion that reducing cumulative LDL-C exposure should be a key therapeutic target. PCSK9 (proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9) inhibiting monoclonal antibodies provides the possibility of reducing LDL-C to very low levels. Novel therapeutic platforms such as RNA inhibition present opportunities to combine robust lipid lowering with infrequent dosing regimens, introducing therapies with vaccine-like properties. The position of lipid-lowering therapies with targets other than LDL-C, such as Lp(a) [lipoprotein(a)], TRL (triglyceride-rich lipoproteins), and remnant cholesterol, will likely be determined by the results of ongoing clinical trials. Current evidence suggests that reducing Lp(a) or TRLs could attenuate atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk in specific categories of patients. This review provides an overview of the latest therapeutic developments, focusing on their mechanisms, efficacy, and safety.

Evaluating the impact of an international short-term medical mission through diabetic glycemic control

BACKGROUND

This prospective observational study evaluated the impact of a primary care-based, international, short-term medical mission's (STMM) impact on diabetes disease burden as represented through reductions in hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c).

METHODS

From November 2016 to May 2017, we tracked the HbA1c's of diabetic individuals in Dajabon, Dominican Republic through care provided by Waves of Health (WOH). Participants were provided counseling, glucose monitoring equipment, a 6-month supply of anti-diabetic medications, and received a 'check-in' phone call at 3 months. HbA1c's were re-measured at 6-month follow up. We hypothesized WOH diabetic care would have a modest impact of reducing mean HbA1c by 0.5%.

RESULTS

In total, 75% (n = 76) of 101 participants presented for follow-up care. Mean and median HbA1c decreased from 8.71 (SD 2.0) and 8.5% to 8.36 (SD 2.1) and 7.7%, respectively (P = 0.07). The percentage of individuals with HbA1c ≤7.5 increased by 10.4% at follow-up. The mean HbA1c decrease was 1.1%.

CONCLUSIONS

Though limited by sample size, our results suggest that medical STMM's may have a clinically meaningful impact in chronic disease management when utilizing a systematic combination of education, medical therapy, clearly documented medication instructions and regular trip intervals.

Predictors of Quality of Life and Other Patient-Reported Outcomes in the PANORAMA Multinational Study of People With Type 2 Diabetes

OBJECTIVE

PANORAMA, a nine-country cross-sectional type 2 diabetes study, investigated factors associated with quality of life (QoL), health status, and other patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs).

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Patients were randomly or consecutively selected from primary/secondary care. PROMs included the Audit of Diabetes-Dependent Quality of Life (ADDQoL) (generic QoL item and average weighted impact [AWI] scores), Diabetes Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire (DTSQ) (patient- and physician-completed), Hypoglycemia Fear Survey-II worry subscale, and the EuroQoL-5 Dimension visual analog scale (EQ-VAS) measuring patient-reported health. Multivariable linear regression analyses determined predictors of each PROM including patient characteristics, physician-reported adherence, complications, and glycosylated hemoglobin.

RESULTS

In 5,813 patients, mean PROM scores indicated that generic QoL approximated "good" (0.93); perceived impact of diabetes on QoL was negative (AWI -1.69). Treatment satisfaction exceeded physicians' estimates (patient-reported: 29.76; physician-estimated: 27.75), but so did patients' perceived frequency of hypo-/hyperglycemia. Worry about hypoglycemia (13.27) was apparent. Intensifying treatments to three oral agents or insulin regimens predicted worse QoL (AWI P < 0.01). Insulin alone use predicted worse QoL (generic P < 0.02; AWI P < 0.001) and hypoglycemia worry (P < 0.007). No treatment had significant associations with EQ-VAS health status.

CONCLUSIONS

Predictors for different PROMs differed markedly and provided insights for understanding and improving these important outcomes. Intensive treatment regimens had significant negative associations with all PROMs, except the EQ-VAS health status measure. The findings demonstrate the importance of measuring QoL alongside health status and other patient-reported outcomes when evaluating diabetes treatments with a view to protecting QoL and facilitating adherence and long-term glycemic control.

Glycemic control and health-related quality of life among older home-dwelling primary care patients with diabetes

AIMS

To evaluate the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and functional capacity in relation to glycemic control among older home-dwelling primary care patients.

METHODS

Electronic patient records were used to identify 527 people over 65 years with diabetes. Of these, 259 randomly selected subjects were invited to a health examination and 172 of them attended and provided complete data. The participants were divided into three groups based on the HbA1c: good (HbA1c<48mmol/mol (N=95)), intermediate (HbA1c 48-57mmol/mol (N=48)) and poor (HbA1c>57mmol/mol (N=29)) glycemic control. HRQoL was measured with the EuroQol EQ-5D questionnaire. Functional and cognitive capacity and mental well-being were assessed with the Lawton Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) scale, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15).

RESULTS

EQ-5D scores for good, intermediate and poor glycemic control were 0.78; 0.74 and 0.70, p=0.037. Sub-items of mobility (p=0.002) and self-care were the most affected (p=0.031). Corresponding trend was found for IADL, p=0.008. A significant correlation was found between MMSE scores and HbA1c.

CONCLUSION

Older primary care home-dwelling patients with diabetes and poorer glycemic control have lower functional capacity and HRQoL, especially in regard to mobility and self-care.

Quality of life of diabetic patients with smear positive PTB in southeastern Iran: A cross-sectional study in a poor region of Iran

BACKGROUND

The quality of life is an important indicator of quality of care in chronic diseases such as diabetes and TB. The present research is conducted with an aim to assess the Quality of Life of Diabetic Patients with Smear Positive PTB.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study was conducted on 62 diabetic patients with smear positive PTB from January to May 2016 in a diabetes clinic in Zahedan city (southeast of Iran). A simple random sampling method was used in this study. Instrument for data collection was quality of life (SF-36) questioner.

RESULTS

Total quality of life score was 48 that showed an average level of quality of life. Sixty-five patients with diabetes and affected by smear positive pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) with the average age of 51.30±10.84 years participated in this research. Four patients (0.06%) suffered from type 1 diabetes and 58 (94%) from type 2 diabetes, and all of them were smear positive PTB patients. Study of their quality of life revealed that, in general, the average scores for quality of life in the two main subgroups of physical health and mental health were lower than the average and, among the eight studied dimensions, the highest scores were those for physical activity (60±14.23) and the lowest (31.42±12.14) for general health in the subgroup of physical health.

CONCLUSION

Results indicated that the patients had a low quality of life although they received the care and treatments that are effective in patients with diabetes and suffering from smear-positive PTB.

Three approaches to glucose monitoring in non-insulin treated diabetes: a pragmatic randomized clinical trial protocol

Background

For the nearly 75% of patients living with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) that do not use insulin, decisions regarding self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) can be especially problematic. While in theory SMBG holds great promise for sparking favorable behavior change, it is a resource intensive activity without firmly established patient benefits. This study describes our study protocol to assess the impact of three different SMBG testing approaches on patient-centered outcomes in patients with non-insulin treated T2DM within a community-based, clinic setting.

Methods/Design

Using stakeholder engagement approach, we developed and implemented a pragmatic trial of patient with non-insulin treated T2DM patients from five primary care practices randomized to one of three SMBG regimens: 1) no testing; 2) once daily testing with standard feedback consisting of glucose values being immediately reported to the patient through the glucose meter; and 3) once daily testing with enhanced patient feedback consisting of glucose values being immediately reported to the patient PLUS automated, tailored feedback messaging delivered to the patient through the glucose meter following each testing. Main outcomes assessed at 52 weeks include quality of life and glycemic control.

Discussion

This pragmatic trial seeks to better understand the value of SMBG in non-insulin treated patients with T2DM. This paper outlines the protocol used to implement this study in fifteen community-based primary care practices and highlights the impact of stakeholder involvement from the earliest stages of project conception and implementation. Plans for stakeholder involvement for result dissemination are also discussed.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02033499, January 9, 2014.

Treatment of Dyslipidemias to Prevent Cardiovascular Disease in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Current preventive and treatment guidelines for type 2 diabetes have failed to decrease the incidence of comorbidities, such as dyslipidemia and ultimately heart disease. The goal of this review is to describe the physiological and metabolic lipid alterations that develop in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Questions addressed include the differences in lipid and lipoprotein metabolism that characterize the dyslipidemia of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus. We also examine the relevance of the new AHA/ADA treatment guidelines to dyslipidemic individuals.

RECENT FINDINGS

In this review, we provide an update on the pathophysiology of diabetic dyslipidemia, including the role of several apolipoproteins such as apoC-III. We also point to new studies and new agents for the treatment of individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus who need lipid therapies. Type 2 diabetes mellitus causes cardiovascular disease via several pathways, including dyslipidemia characterized by increased plasma levels of apoB-lipoproteins and triglycerides, and low plasma concentrations of HDL cholesterol. Treatments to normalize the dyslipidemia and reduce the risk for cardiovascular events include the following: lifestyle and medication, particularly statins, and if necessary, ezetimibe, to significantly lower LDL cholesterol. Other treatments, more focused on triglycerides and HDL cholesterol, are less well supported by randomized clinical trials and should be used on an individual basis. Newer agents, particularly the PCSK9 inhibitors, show a great promise for even greater lowering of LDL cholesterol, but we await the results of ongoing clinical trials.

A randomised trial of the effect and cost-effectiveness of early intensive multifactorial therapy on 5-year cardiovascular outcomes in individuals with screen-detected type 2 diabetes: the Anglo-Danish-Dutch Study of Intensive Treatment in People with Screen-Detected Diabetes in Primary Care (ADDITION-Europe) study

BACKGROUND

Intensive treatment (IT) of cardiovascular risk factors can halve mortality among people with established type 2 diabetes but the effects of treatment earlier in the disease trajectory are uncertain.

OBJECTIVE

To quantify the cost-effectiveness of intensive multifactorial treatment of screen-detected diabetes.

DESIGN

Pragmatic, multicentre, cluster-randomised, parallel-group trial.

SETTING

Three hundred and forty-three general practices in Denmark, the Netherlands, and Cambridge and Leicester, UK.

PARTICIPANTS

Individuals aged 40-69 years with screen-detected diabetes.

INTERVENTIONS

Screening plus routine care (RC) according to national guidelines or IT comprising screening and promotion of target-driven intensive management (medication and promotion of healthy lifestyles) of hyperglycaemia, blood pressure and cholesterol.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The primary end point was a composite of first cardiovascular event (cardiovascular mortality/morbidity, revascularisation and non-traumatic amputation) during a mean [standard deviation (SD)] follow-up of 5.3 (1.6) years. Secondary end points were (1) all-cause mortality; (2) microvascular outcomes (kidney function, retinopathy and peripheral neuropathy); and (3) patient-reported outcomes (health status, well-being, quality of life, treatment satisfaction). Economic analyses estimated mean costs (UK 2009/10 prices) and quality-adjusted life-years from an NHS perspective. We extrapolated data to 30 years using the UK Prospective Diabetes Study outcomes model [version 1.3; (©) Isis Innovation Ltd 2010; see www.dtu.ox.ac.uk/outcomesmodel (accessed 27 January 2016)].

RESULTS

We included 3055 (RC, n = 1377; IT, n = 1678) of the 3057 recruited patients [mean (SD) age 60.3 (6.9) years] in intention-to-treat analyses. Prescription of glucose-lowering, antihypertensive and lipid-lowering medication increased in both groups, more so in the IT group than in the RC group. There were clinically important improvements in cardiovascular risk factors in both study groups. Modest but statistically significant differences between groups in reduction in glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) levels, blood pressure and cholesterol favoured the IT group. The incidence of first cardiovascular event [IT 7.2%, 13.5 per 1000 person-years; RC 8.5%, 15.9 per 1000 person-years; hazard ratio 0.83, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.65 to 1.05] and all-cause mortality (IT 6.2%, 11.6 per 1000 person-years; RC 6.7%, 12.5 per 1000 person-years; hazard ratio 0.91, 95% CI 0.69 to 1.21) did not differ between groups. At 5 years, albuminuria was present in 22.7% and 24.4% of participants in the IT and RC groups, respectively [odds ratio (OR) 0.87, 95% CI 0.72 to 1.07), retinopathy in 10.2% and 12.1%, respectively (OR 0.84, 95% CI 0.64 to 1.10), and neuropathy in 4.9% and 5.9% (OR 0.95, 95% CI 0.68 to 1.34), respectively. The estimated glomerular filtration rate increased between baseline and follow-up in both groups (IT 4.31 ml/minute; RC 6.44 ml/minute). Health status, well-being, diabetes-specific quality of life and treatment satisfaction did not differ between the groups. The intervention cost £981 per patient and was not cost-effective at costs ≥ £631 per patient.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared with RC, IT was associated with modest increases in prescribed treatment, reduced levels of risk factors and non-significant reductions in cardiovascular events, microvascular complications and death over 5 years. IT did not adversely affect patient-reported outcomes. IT was not cost-effective but might be if delivered at a reduced cost. The lower than expected event rate, heterogeneity of intervention delivery between centres and improvements in general practice diabetes care limited the achievable differences in treatment between groups. Further follow-up to assess the legacy effects of early IT is warranted.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00237549.

FUNDING DETAILS

This project was funded by the NIHR Health Technology Assessment programme and will be published in full in Health Technology Assessment; Vol. 20, No. 64. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information.

Clinical practice guideline for the prevention, early detection, diagnosis, management and follow up of type 2 diabetes mellitus in adults

In Colombia, diabetes mellitus is a public health program for those responsible for creating and implementing strategies for prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up that are applicable at all care levels, with the objective of establishing early and sustained control of diabetes. A clinical practice guide has been developed following the broad outline of the methodological guide from the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, with the aim of systematically gathering scientific evidence and formulating recommendations using the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) methodology. The current document presents in summary form the results of this process, including the recommendations and the considerations taken into account in formulating them. In general terms, what is proposed here is a screening process using the Finnish Diabetes Risk Score questionnaire adapted to the Colombian population, which enables early diagnosis of the illness, and an algorithm for determining initial treatment that can be generalized to most patients with diabetes mellitus type 2 and that is simple to apply in a primary care context. In addition, several recommendations have been made to scale up pharmacological treatment in those patients that do not achieve the objectives or fail to maintain them during initial treatment. These recommendations also take into account the evolution of weight and the individualization of glycemic control goals for special populations. Finally, recommendations have been made for opportune detection of micro- and macrovascular complications of diabetes.

Depressive symptoms prior to and following insulin initiation in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: Prevalence, risk factors and effect on physician resource utilisation

AIMS

To study the frequency and intensity of depressive symptoms and associations with physician resource utilisation following insulin initiation in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

METHODS

SOLVE was a 24-week observational study. In this sub-analysis of data from Poland, depressive symptoms were evaluated using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ)-9.

RESULTS

PHQ-9 was completed by 942 of 1169 patients (80.6%) at baseline, and 751 (64.2%) at both baseline and final (24-week) visit. PHQ-9 scores indicated depressive symptoms in 45.6% (n=430) at baseline, and 27.2% (n=223) at final visit. Mean PHQ-9 change was -2.38 [95% CI -2.73, -2.02], p<0.001. Depressive symptoms at baseline (OR 6.32, p<0.001), microvascular disease (OR 2.45, p=0.016), number of physician contacts (OR 1.16, p=0.009), and change in HbA1c (OR 0.60, p=0.025) were independently associated with moderate/severe depressive symptoms at final visit. Patients with more severe depressive symptoms spent more time training to self-inject (p=0.0016), self-adjust (p=0.0023) and manage other aspects of insulin delivery (p<0.0001). Patients with persistent depressive symptoms had more telephone contacts and dose changes at final visit than those without (both p<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Depressive symptoms are common with type 2 diabetes and associated with increased healthcare utilisation, reinforcing the need for holistic interdisciplinary management approaches.

WITHDRAWN: Targeting intensive glycaemic control versus targeting conventional glycaemic control for type 2 diabetes mellitus

The Cochrane Metabolic and Endocrine Disorders Group withdrew this review as of Issue 7, 2015 because the involvement of two authors (C Hemmingsen and SS Lund) being employed in pharmaceutical companies. The authors of the review and the Cochrane Metabolic and Endocrine Disorders Group did not find that this was a breach of the rules of the Cochrane Collaboration at the time when it was published. However, after the publication of the review, the Cochrane Collaboration requested withdrawal of the review due to the employment of the two authors. A new protocol for a review to cover this topic will be published. This will have a new title and a markedly improved protocol fulfilling new and important developments and standards within the Cochrane Collaboration as well as an improved inclusion and search strategy making it necessary to embark on a completely new review project.

The editorial group responsible for this previously published document have withdrawn it from publication.

Change in cardio-protective medication and health-related quality of life after diagnosis of screen-detected diabetes: Results from the ADDITION-Cambridge cohort

AIMS

Establishing a balance between the benefits and harms of treatment is important among individuals with screen-detected diabetes, for whom the burden of treatment might be higher than the burden of the disease. We described the association between cardio-protective medication and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among individuals with screen-detected diabetes.

METHODS

867 participants with screen-detected diabetes underwent clinical measurements at diagnosis, one and five years. General HRQoL (EQ5D) was measured at baseline, one- and five-years, and diabetes-specific HRQoL (ADDQoL-AWI) and health status (SF-36) at one and five years. Multivariable linear regression was used to quantify the association between change in HRQoL and change in cardio-protective medication.

RESULTS

The median (IQR) number of prescribed cardio-protective agents was 2 (1 to 3) at diagnosis, 3 (2 to 4) at one year and 4 (3 to 5) at five years. Change in cardio-protective medication was not associated with change in HRQoL from diagnosis to one year. From one year to five years, change in cardio-protective agents was not associated with change in the SF-36 mental health score. One additional agent was associated with an increase in the SF-36 physical health score (2.1; 95%CI 0.4, 3.8) and an increase in the EQ-5D (0.05; 95%CI 0.02, 0.08). Conversely, one additional agent was associated with a decrease in the ADDQoL-AWI (-0.32; 95%CI -0.51, -0.13), compared to no change.

CONCLUSIONS

We found little evidence that increases in the number of cardio-protective medications impacted negatively on HRQoL among individuals with screen-detected diabetes over five years.

Prevalence of sexual desire and satisfaction among patients with screen-detected diabetes and impact of intensive multifactorial treatment: results from the ADDITION-Denmark study

OBJECTIVE

Sexual problems are common in people with diabetes. It is unknown whether early detection of diabetes and subsequent intensive multifactorial treatment (IT) are associated with sexual health. We report the prevalence of low sexual desire and low sexual satisfaction among people with screen-detected diabetes and compare the impact of intensive multifactorial treatment with the impact of routine care (RC) on these measures.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional analysis of the ADDITION-Denmark trial cohort six years post-diagnosis.

SETTING

190 general practices around Denmark.

SUBJECTS

A total of 968 patients with screen-detected type 2 diabetes.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Low sexual desire and low sexual satisfaction.

RESULTS

Mean (standard deviation, SD) age was 64.9 (6.9) years. The prevalence of low sexual desire was 53% (RC) and 54% (IT) among women, and 24% (RC) and 25% (IT) among men. The prevalence of low sexual satisfaction was 23% (RC) and 18% (IT) among women, and 27% (RC) and 37% (IT) among men. Among men, the prevalence of low sexual satisfaction was significantly higher in the IT group than in the RC group, p = 0.01.

CONCLUSION

Low sexual desire and low satisfaction are frequent among men and women with screen-detected diabetes, and IT may negatively impact men's sexual satisfaction.

Health-related quality of life in women and men with type 2 diabetes: a comparison across treatment groups

AIM

This study compares health-related quality of life (HRQL) in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) across treatment groups and explores gender differences.

METHODS

Four regional surveys (KORA, CARLA, SHIP, DHS) and a national survey (GNHIES98) were pooled at individual level. HRQL was assessed with the SF-12/-36v1. Linear regression models were used to assess the effect of T2DM by treatment type (no medication; oral; oral/insulin combination; insulin) on the physical (PCS-12) and mental summary score (MCS-12) and the SF-6D, controlling for age, sex, study and covariates. We also performed an explanatory analysis of single items.

RESULTS

PCS-12 scores and treatment type were associated (P-value 0.006), with lowest values for insulin treatment (-4.44 vs. oral; -4.41 vs. combination). MCS-12 scores were associated with treatment type and gender (P-value <0.012), with lower scores for women undergoing oral (-4.25 vs. men) and combination treatment (-6.99 vs. men). Similar results were observed for SF-6D utilities and single items, related to mental health, social functioning, vitality and role limitation (emotional). Comorbidities were predictors of lower PCS-12 and SF-6D scores.

CONCLUSIONS

T2DM treatment impacts differently on physical and mental HRQL and on women and men. Further studies of gender-specific perceptions of T2DM treatment regimens are needed.

Glycaemic control, treatment satisfaction and quality of life in type 2 diabetes patients in Greece: The PANORAMA study Greek results

AIM

To provide an update on glycaemic control in European patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). We present the Greek population data of the study.

METHODS

An observational multicenter, cross-sectional study evaluating glycaemic control and a range of other clinical and biological measures as well as quality of life (QoL) and treatment satisfaction in 375 patients with T2DM enrolled by 25 primary care sites from Greece.

RESULTS

The mean age of the patients was 63.5 years and the male/female ratio 48.9%/51.1%. 79.7% of the patients exerted none or light physical activity, 82.4% were overweight or obese and 32.9% did not meet HbA1c target of less than 7.0% (53 mmol/mol). Patients reported high satisfaction to continue with treatment, high satisfaction with administered treatment and increased willingness to recommend treatment to others (mean Diabetes Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire score 29.1 ± 5.6). However, 80% of the patients reported that their QoL would be better without diabetes. Finally, the most challenging parameter reported was the lack of freedom to eat and drink.

CONCLUSION

This analysis of the Greek Panorama study results showed that a considerable percentage of T2DM patients in Greece do not achieve glycaemic target levels, despite the favourably reported patient satisfaction from administered therapy. Additionally, the majority of primary care T2DM patients in Greece depict the negative effect of the disease in their QoL.

More satisfied, but why? A pooled patient-level analysis of treatment satisfaction following the initiation of insulin glargine vs. comparators in insulin-naïve patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

AIM

To assess patient-reported outcomes associated with initiating insulin glargine among insulin-naïve patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

METHODS

This was a pooled analysis of patient-level data from Phase 3, randomized controlled trials evaluating once-daily insulin glargine vs. comparator treatment for ≥24 weeks in previously insulin-naïve adult patients with T2DM and poor glycaemic control. Eligible studies utilized strict, predefined insulin titration algorithms with weekly dose-adjustment to achieve fasting plasma glucose (FPG) levels of ≤5.6 mmol/l. Treatment satisfaction was measured using the Diabetes Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire (DTSQ) change (c) and status (s) versions.

RESULTS

A total of 1577 patients from four studies were included; 830 patients treated with insulin glargine and 747 with comparators. At week 24, DTSQc scores improved in both groups with a significantly higher increase in treatment satisfaction for insulin glargine vs. comparators (13.5 vs. 12.1; p < 0.0001). Multivariate regression analysis revealed that significant predictors of DTSQc improvement at week 24 were insulin glargine treatment (p < 0.0001), higher baseline DTSQs (p < 0.0001), and lower baseline body weight (p = 0.0103). Greater improvement in DTSQc at week 24 was significantly associated with decrease from baseline in glycosylated haemoglobin (p < 0.001) and FPG (p = 0.0001); a numerically more positive change in weight from baseline approached significance (p = 0.07).

CONCLUSION

Initiation of insulin glargine in insulin-naïve patients with T2DM is associated with greater improvements in treatment satisfaction than alternative interventions, with perceived improvements in glycaemic control and baseline weight likely to be important factors.

Depression and quality of life in youth-onset type 2 diabetes mellitus

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) was characteristically an adult-onset illness until recently, when it became recognized as an increasing problem among youth in conjunction with escalating rates and associated risks of pediatric. Youth-onset T2DM is associated with a range of psychosocial risk factors, and research underscores the relevancy of depressive symptoms and quality of life factors in illness diagnosis, management and prognosis. This review paper summarizes available findings on depression and health-related quality of life for youth-onset T2DM, and provides recommendations for clinical practice and a conceptual framework for further studies.

Targeting intensive glycaemic control versus targeting conventional glycaemic control for type 2 diabetes mellitus

BACKGROUND

Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality compared to the background population. Observational studies report an association between reduced blood glucose and reduced risk of both micro- and macrovascular complications in patients with T2D. Our previous systematic review of intensive glycaemic control versus conventional glycaemic control was based on 20 randomised clinical trials that randomised 29 ,986 participants with T2D. We now report our updated review.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the effects of targeted intensive glycaemic control compared with conventional glycaemic control in patients with T2D.

SEARCH METHODS

Trials were obtained from searches of The Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Science Citation Index Expanded, LILACS, and CINAHL (all until December 2012).

SELECTION CRITERIA

We included randomised clinical trials that prespecified targets of intensive glycaemic control versus conventional glycaemic control targets in adults with T2D.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two authors independently assessed the risk of bias and extracted data. Dichotomous outcomes were assessed by risk ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Health-related quality of life and costs of intervention were assessed with standardized mean differences (SMD) and 95% Cl.

MAIN RESULTS

Twenty-eight trials with 34,912 T2D participants randomised 18,717 participants to intensive glycaemic control versus 16,195 participants to conventional glycaemic control. Only two trials had low risk of bias on all risk of bias domains assessed. The duration of the intervention ranged from three days to 12.5 years. The number of participants in the included trials ranged from 20 to 11,140. There were no statistically significant differences between targeting intensive versus conventional glycaemic control for all-cause mortality (RR 1.00, 95% CI 0.92 to 1.08; 34,325 participants, 24 trials) or cardiovascular mortality (RR 1.06, 95% CI 0.94 to 1.21; 34,177 participants, 22 trials). Trial sequential analysis showed that a 10% relative risk reduction could be refuted for all-cause mortality. Targeting intensive glycaemic control did not show a statistically significant effect on the risks of macrovascular complications as a composite outcome in the random-effects model, but decreased the risks in the fixed-effect model (random RR 0.91, 95% CI 0.82 to 1.02; and fixed RR 0.93, 95% CI 0.87 to 0.99; P = 0.02; 32,846 participants, 14 trials). Targeting intensive versus conventional glycaemic control seemed to reduce the risks of non-fatal myocardial infarction (RR 0.87, 95% CI 0.77 to 0.98; P = 0.02; 30,417 participants, 14 trials), amputation of a lower extremity (RR 0.65, 95% CI 0.45 to 0.94; P = 0.02; 11,200 participants, 11 trials), as well as the risk of developing a composite outcome of microvascular diseases (RR 0.88, 95% CI 0.82 to 0.95; P = 0.0008; 25,927 participants, 6 trials), nephropathy (RR 0.75, 95% CI 0.59 to 0.95; P = 0.02; 28,096 participants, 11 trials), retinopathy (RR 0.79, 95% CI 0.68 to 0.92; P = 0.002; 10,300 participants, 9 trials), and the risk of retinal photocoagulation (RR 0.77, 95% CI 0.61 to 0.97; P = 0.03; 11,212 participants, 8 trials). No statistically significant effect of targeting intensive glucose control could be shown on non-fatal stroke, cardiac revascularization, or peripheral revascularization. Trial sequential analyses did not confirm a reduction of the risk of non-fatal myocardial infarction but confirmed a 10% relative risk reduction in favour of intensive glycaemic control on the composite outcome of microvascular diseases. For the remaining microvascular outcomes, trial sequential analyses could not establish firm evidence for a 10% relative risk reduction. Targeting intensive glycaemic control significantly increased the risk of mild hypoglycaemia, but substantial heterogeneity was present; severe hypoglycaemia (RR 2.18, 95% CI 1.53 to 3.11; 28,794 participants, 12 trials); and serious adverse events (RR 1.06, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.10; P = 0.007; 24,280 participants, 11 trials). Trial sequential analysis for a 10% relative risk increase showed firm evidence for mild hypoglycaemia and serious adverse events and a 30% relative risk increase for severe hypoglycaemia when targeting intensive versus conventional glycaemic control. Overall health-related quality of life, as well as the mental and the physical components of health-related quality of life did not show any statistical significant differences.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

Although we have been able to expand the number of participants by 16% in this update, we still find paucity of data on outcomes and the bias risk of the trials was mostly considered high. Targeting intensive glycaemic control compared with conventional glycaemic control did not show significant differences for all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality. Targeting intensive glycaemic control seemed to reduce the risk of microvascular complications, if we disregard the risks of bias, but increases the risk of hypoglycaemia and serious adverse events.

Effect of early intensive multifactorial therapy compared with routine care on self-reported health status, general well-being, diabetes-specific quality of life and treatment satisfaction in screen-detected type 2 diabetes mellitus patients (ADDITION-Europe): a cluster-randomised trial

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS

The study aimed to examine the effects of intensive treatment (IT) vs routine care (RC) on patient-reported outcomes after 5 years in screen-detected diabetic patients.

METHODS

In a pragmatic, cluster-randomised, parallel-group trial, 343 general practices in Denmark, Cambridge and Leicester (UK) and the Netherlands were randomised to screening for type 2 diabetes mellitus plus IT of multiple risk factors in people 40-69 years without known diabetes (n = 1,678 patients) or screening plus RC (n = 1,379 patients). Practices were randomised in a 1:1 ratio according to a computer-generated list. Diabetes mellitus was diagnosed according to WHO criteria. Exclusions were: life expectancy <1 year, housebound, pregnant or lactating, or psychological or psychiatric problems. Treatment targets for IT were: HbA1c <7.0% (53 mmol/mol), BP ≤135/85 mmHg, cholesterol <5 mmol/l in the absence of a history of coronary heart disease and <4.5 mmol/l in patients with cardiovascular (CV) disease; prescription of aspirin to people taking antihypertensive medication and, in cases of CV disease or BP >120/80 mmHg, ACE inhibitors were recommended. After 2003, the treatment algorithm recommended statins to all patients with cholesterol of ≥3.5 mmol/l. Outcome measures were: health status (Euroqol 5 Dimensions [EQ-5D]) at baseline and at follow-up; and health status (36-item Short Form Health Survey [SF-36] and Euroquol Visual Analogue Scale [EQ-VAS]), well-being (12-item Short Form of the Well-Being Questionnaire), diabetes-specific quality of life (Audit of Diabetes-Dependent Quality of Life) and satisfaction with diabetes treatment (Diabetes Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire) at follow-up. At baseline, standardised self-report questionnaires were used to collect information. Questionnaires were completed at the same health assessment visit as the anthropometric and biochemical measurements. The patients and the staff assessing the outcomes were unaware of the group assignments. Participants were followed for a mean of 5.7 years. Outcome data were available for 1,250 participants in the intensive treatment group (74%) and 967 participants in the routine care group (70%). The estimated differences in means from the four centres were pooled using random effects meta-analysis. Baseline EQ-5D level was used as a covariate in all analyses.

RESULTS

EQ-5D values did not change between diagnosis and follow-up, with a median (interquartile range) of 0.85 (0.73-1.00) at baseline and 0.85 (0.73-1.00) at 5 year follow-up. Health status, well-being, diabetes-specific quality of life and treatment satisfaction did not differ between the intensive treatment and routine care groups. There was some heterogeneity between centres (I 2 being between 13% [SF-36 physical functioning] and 73% [EQ-VAS]).

CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION

There were no differences in health status, well-being, quality of life and treatment satisfaction between screen-detected type 2 diabetes mellitus patients receiving intensive treatment and those receiving routine care. These results suggest that intensive treatment does not adversely affect patient-reported outcomes.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00237549 FUNDING: ADDITION-Denmark was supported by the National Health Services, the Danish Council for Strategic Research, the Danish Research Foundation for General Practice, Novo Nordisk Foundation, the Danish Centre for Evaluation and Health Technology Assessment, the Diabetes Fund of the National Board of Health, the Danish Medical Research Council and the Aarhus University Research Foundation. In addition, unrestricted grants from pharmaceutical companies were received. ADDITION-Cambridge was supported by the Wellcome Trust, the Medical Research Council, the NIHR Health Technology Assessment Programme, National Health Service R&D support funding and the National Institute for Health Research. SJG received support from the Department of Health NIHR grant funding scheme. ADDITION-Leicester was supported by Department of Health, the NIHR Health Technology Assessment Programme, National Health Service R&D support funding and the National Institute for Health Research. ADDITION-Netherlands was supported by unrestricted grants from Novo Nordisk, Glaxo Smith Kline and Merck, and by the Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center, Utrecht.

Inertia on hypoglycemia: highlight from a Taiwan subgroup analysis of Real-Life Effectiveness and Care Patterns of Diabetes Management (RECAP-DM) study

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a global health issue. Patients with poor glycemic control often suffer from cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, neuropathic, and nephropathic complications as well as other chronic conditions. Therapeutic guidelines recommend that diabetic patients should maintain their HbA(1c) level below a certain target in order to minimize the risk of developing complications. However, hypoglycemia is recognized as a major impediment to the adequate control of type 2 diabetes. Hypoglycemia can manifest symptoms of varying degrees of severity. Moreover, an association between hypoglycemia and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality has been reported. Here, we present a post hoc Taiwan subgroup analysis of these data collected in the RECAP-DM study to indicate probably more emphasis and concern on hypoglycemia in type 2 diabetic patients in Taiwan. In this analysis, we found no significant difference was observed in treatment-related satisfaction between Taiwanese patients with or without hypoglycemia. Another finding of our study further shows that varying order of hypoglycemic symptoms or severity has no effect on patients' assessment of health-related quality of life scores. We need to pay more attention to this issue because of its enduring impact on compliance and concerns about hypoglycemia in type 2 diabetic patients. Nevertheless, socio-demographic characteristics are also important factors influencing glycemic control and patients' health-related quality of life. Future interventions and therapeutic algorithms should emphasize the probable patients' unawareness or neglect on hypoglycemia in diabetic patients.

Pharmacologic prevention of microvascular and macrovascular complications in diabetes mellitus: implications of the results of recent clinical trials in type 2 diabetes

Observational epidemiologic data indicate that lower blood glucose levels, blood pressure (BP), and lipid parameters are associated with a lower incidence of micro- and macrovascular complications in people with diabetes. While no threshold for this effect is discernible in these observational studies, intervention studies do not mirror this finding. The earliest glycemia target study in type 2 diabetes mellitus, UKPDS, demonstrated unequivocal benefits of tight glucose control on microvascular complications, but needed a prolonged follow-up to demonstrate a benefit on macrovascular outcomes and mortality. Recently, three major studies, ACCORD, ADVANCE, and VADT, evaluated the impact of attaining euglycemia (ACCORD) or near-euglycemia (ADVANCE, VADT) in older patients with diabetes and high cardiovascular (CV) risk. None of these studies, either individually or on pooled analysis, demonstrated any reduction in all-cause or CV mortality, although the meta-analyses revealed 15-17% reductions in the incidence of non-fatal myocardial infarction in those exposed to tight glucose control. A higher mortality was observed in the intensive glucose control arm of ACCORD, resulting in the premature termination of the glucose-lowering component of this study. Also, the occurrence of hypoglycemic episodes (total and major) was significantly higher in the intensive glucose control arm. ADVANCE and ACCORD also had BP-lowering components. While data from ADVANCE demonstrated a benefit of routine use of a combination of perindopril and indapamide, with a decline in all-cause mortality, CV mortality, and new-onset microalbuminuria, reducing systolic BP to <120 mmHg in ACCORD did not result in any incremental benefits over a systolic BP<140 mmHg. A residual CV risk observed in people with diabetes even after low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol lowering has led to trials evaluating additional therapy with fibric acid derivatives to reduce triglyceride levels. The lipid-lowering arm of ACCORD failed to demonstrate any benefit of add-on therapy with fibric acid derivatives to LDL-lowering treatment with HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins) on vascular outcomes in patients with diabetes. However, data from earlier studies, and also from the subgroup analysis of ACCORD, indicate a probable benefit of adding treatment with fibric acid derivatives to individuals with persistently elevated triglyceride levels despite statin therapy. The most compelling evidence comes from studies assessing the impact of multiple risk factors - glucose, BP, and cholesterol. Studies like the Steno study unequivocally demonstrate the benefit of aggressive control of all three parameters on vascular outcomes in patients with diabetes. In conclusion, attempts to achieve euglycemia in older patients with type 2 diabetes with co-morbidities are not associated with any survival benefit, but may reduce the occurrence of non-fatal CV events. There is a significant risk of major hypoglycemia with this approach, thereby probably limiting its utility to younger patients with new-onset disease. Similarly, lowering systolic BP below 120 mmHg in high CV risk people with diabetes is associated with significant excess adverse events, limiting the utility of such an intervention. However, a clear benefit, which is also cost effective, is observed with strategies for multiple risk-factor control, which should be universally adopted in clinical practice.

Depression predicts all-cause mortality: epidemiological evaluation from the ACCORD HRQL substudy

OBJECTIVE

Depression affects up to 20-25% of adults with type 2 diabetes and may increase all-cause mortality, but few well-designed studies have examined the effects of depression on the full range of cardiovascular disease outcomes in type 2 diabetes.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

A total of 2,053 participants in the ACCORD (Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes) Health-Related Quality of Life substudy completed the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ)-9 measure of depression symptoms at baseline and 12, 36, and 48 months. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) (95% CI) for the time-varying impact of depression on protocol-defined clinical outcomes with and without adjustment for demographic, trial-related, clinical, and behavioral variables.

RESULTS

In fully adjusted models, depression was not significantly related to the ACCORD primary composite outcome (cardiovascular death, nonfatal heart attack, or stroke) (HR 1.53 [95% CI 0.85-2.73]) or to the ACCORD microvascular composite outcome (0.93 [0.53-1.62]), but all-cause mortality was significantly increased both in those with PHQ-assessed probable major depression (2.24 [1.24-4.06]) and PHQ score of ≥ 10 (1.84 [1.17-2.89]). The effect of depression on all-cause mortality was not related to previous cardiovascular events or to assignment to intensive or standard glycemia control. Probable major depression (by PHQ-9) had a borderline impact on the ACCORD macrovascular end point (1.42 [0.99-2.04]).

CONCLUSIONS

Depression increases the risk of all-cause mortality and may increase the risk of macrovascular events among adults with type 2 diabetes at high risk for cardiovascular events.

Glycaemia and correlates of patient-reported outcomes in ACCORD trial participants

AIMS

Post-hoc evaluation of relationships between first-year change in glycaemic control (HbA(1c) ) and change in patient-reported outcomes among ACCORD health-related quality of life (HRQoL) substudy participants.

METHODS

Data from 2053 glycaemia-trial subjects were analysed. We assessed physical and mental health status (36-Item Short Form Health Survey, Version-2), symptom count and severity (Diabetes Symptoms Distress Checklist) and treatment satisfaction (Diabetes Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire). Linear mixed models were used to test relationships between 1-year changes in HbA(1c) and patient reported outcomes sequentially adjusting for correlates (baseline characteristics, baseline patient reported outcomes, treatment assignment, frequency of clinical contact and post-randomization weight change plus new complications).

RESULTS

Poorer baseline control of HbA(1c) and cardiovascular disease risk factors predicted greater one-year improvements in treatment satisfaction. Similarly, poorer baseline patient reported outcome scores all individually predicted greater 1-year improvement in that same outcome. Accounting for baseline and post-randomization characteristics and treatment arm, 1-year change in HbA(1c) was unrelated to changes in overall physical or mental health; however, every one percentage-point (10.9 mmol/mol) reduction in HbA(1c) was associated with lower symptom count (β = 0.599; P = 0.012), lower symptom distress (β = 0.051; P = 0.001), and higher treatment satisfaction (β = -2.514; P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Independent of all relevant covariates, better glycaemic control over 1 year was associated with reduced patient-reported diabetes symptoms and symptom distress, and increased treatment satisfaction, but not overall physical and mental health. Further investigation is required to understand the specific psychosocial mechanisms that affect how patients value health and treatments.

Cardioprotective role of insulin: Advantage analogues

AIM

Type II diabetes mellitus (DM) increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. Treatment with insulin substantially reduces C - reactive protein (CRP) because of its anti-atherosclerotic action. This study was designed to explore and compare the cardio protective role of regular human insulin (RHI), aspart and lispro insulin in type II DM.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A randomized, open, parallel group, comparative clinical study was conducted on 90 patients of type II DM. After baseline clinical assessment and investigations, RHI was prescribed to 30 patients, aspart insulin to 30 patients and lispro insulin to another 30 patients for 12 weeks. The efficacy variables were change in blood pressure, glycemic control, lipid profile, serum potassium, high-sensitivity CRP (hsCRP) and UKPDS 10-year CHD risk scoring over 12 weeks. At the end of the study, the patients were followed up and changes in variables from baseline were analyzed by statistical tools.

RESULTS

Systolic blood pressure decreased significantly in aspart group (P = 0.008) whereas diastolic blood pressure was decreased significantly both in aspart (P < 0.001) and lispro group (P = 0.01). Fasting, postprandial blood glucose and HbA1c were decreased in all three groups significantly but change in aspart group was superior (P = 0.01). Triglyceride was significantly better controlled by lispro (P < 0.01) whereas aspart insulin was superior to decrease total cholesterol and LDL (P < 0.05). The extent of potassium loss was significantly more with RHI (P = 0.004) than others. CRP-lowering effect (P = 0.017) and decrease in UKPDS risk scoring (P = 0.019) in aspart and lispro group was superior to RHI group.

CONCLUSION

Short acting insulin analogues, especially aspart insulin have been found to have a better cardio protective role than RHI in type II DM.

Impaired glycemia and diabetic polyneuropathy: the OC IG Survey

OBJECTIVE

To test whether diabetic polyneuropathies (DPNs), retinopathy, or nephropathy is more prevalent in subjects with impaired glycemia (IG) (abnormality of impaired fasting glucose [IFG], impaired glucose tolerance [IGT], or impaired HbA(1c) [IA1C]) than in healthy subjects (non-IG).

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Matched IG and non-IG volunteers were randomly identified from population-based diagnostic and laboratory registries, restudied, and reclassified as non-IG (n = 150), IG (n = 174), or new diabetes (n = 218).

RESULTS

Frequency (%) of DPN in non-IG, IG, and new diabetes was 3 (2.0%), 3 (1.7%), and 17 (7.8%) narrowly defined (no other cause for polyneuropathy) and 19 (12.7%), 22 (12.6%), and 38 (17.4%) broadly defined. Mean and frequency distribution of composite scores of nerve conduction and quantitative sensation tests were not significantly different between IG and non-IG but were worse in new diabetes. Frequency of retinopathy and nephropathy was significantly increased only in new diabetes. In secondary analysis, small but significant increases in retinopathy and nephropathy were found in IGT, IFG, and IGT combined groups.

CONCLUSIONS

In population studies of Olmsted County, Minnesota, inhabitants, prevalence of typical DPN, retinopathy, and nephropathy was significantly increased only in subjects with new diabetes-not in subjects with IG as defined by American Diabetes Association (ADA) criteria of abnormality of IFG, IGT, or IA1C. For atypical DPN, such an increase was not observed even in subjects with new diabetes. In medical practice, explanations other than IG should be sought for patients with atypical DPN (chronic idiopathic axonal polyneuropathy) who have IG.

Functional outcomes of multi-condition collaborative care and successful ageing: results of randomised trial

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effectiveness of integrated care for chronic physical diseases and depression in reducing disability and improving quality of life.

DESIGN

A randomised controlled trial of multi-condition collaborative care for depression and poorly controlled diabetes and/or risk factors for coronary heart disease compared with usual care among middle aged and elderly people

SETTING

Fourteen primary care clinics in Seattle, Washington.

PARTICIPANTS

Patients with diabetes or coronary heart disease, or both, and blood pressure above 140/90 mm Hg, low density lipoprotein concentration >3.37 mmol/L, or glycated haemoglobin 8.5% or higher, and PHQ-9 depression scores of ≥ 10.

INTERVENTION

A 12 month intervention to improve depression, glycaemic control, blood pressure, and lipid control by integrating a "treat to target" programme for diabetes and risk factors for coronary heart disease with collaborative care for depression. The intervention combined self management support, monitoring of disease control, and pharmacotherapy to control depression, hyperglycaemia, hypertension, and hyperlipidaemia.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Social role disability (Sheehan disability scale), global quality of life rating, and World Health Organization disability assessment schedule (WHODAS-2) scales to measure disabilities in activities of daily living (mobility, self care, household maintenance).

RESULTS

Of 214 patients enrolled (106 intervention and 108 usual care), disability and quality of life measures were obtained for 97 intervention patients at six months (92%) and 92 at 12 months (87%), and for 96 usual care patients at six months (89%) and 92 at 12 months (85%). Improvements from baseline on the Sheehan disability scale (-0.9, 95% confidence interval -1.5 to -0.2; P = 0.006) and global quality of life rating (0.7, 0.2 to 1.2; P = 0.005) were significantly greater at six and 12 months in patients in the intervention group. There was a trend toward greater improvement in disabilities in activities of daily living (-1.5, -3.3 to 0.4; P = 0.10).

CONCLUSIONS

Integrated care that covers chronic physical disease and comorbid depression can reduce social role disability and enhance global quality of life. Trial registration Clinical Trials NCT00468676.