[Evaluation and perioperative management of patients with diabetes mellitus. A challenge for the anesthesiologist]

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is characterized by alteration in carbohydrate metabolism, leading to hyperglycemia and increased perioperative morbidity and mortality. It evolves with diverse and progressive physiological changes, and the anesthetic management requires attention regarding this disease interference in multiple organ systems and their respective complications. Patient's history, physical examination, and complementary exams are important in the preoperative management, particularly glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), which has a strong predictive value for complications associated with diabetes. The goal of surgical planning is to reduce the fasting time and maintain the patient's routine. Patients with Type 1 DM must receive insulin (even during the preoperative fast) to meet the basal physiological demands and avoid ketoacidosis. Whereas patients with Type 2 DM treated with multiple injectable and/or oral drugs are susceptible to develop a hyperglycemic hyperosmolar state (HHS). Therefore, the management of hypoglycemic agents and different types of insulin is fundamental, as well as determining the surgical schedule and, consequently, the number of lost meals for dose adjustment and drug suspension. Current evidence suggests the safe target to maintain glycemic control in surgical patients, but does not conclude whether it should be obtained with either moderate or severe glycemic control.

Insulin therapy in patients with cystic fibrosis in the pre-diabetes stage: a systematic review

OBJECTIVE

To elucidate whether insulin is effective or not in patients with cystic fibrosis before the diabetes mellitus phase.

DATA SOURCE

The study was performed according to the Prisma method between August and September 2014, using the PubMed, Embase, Lilacs and SciELO databases. Prospective studies published in English, Portuguese and Spanish from 2002 to 2014, evaluating the effect of insulin on weight parameters, body mass index and pulmonary function in patients with cystic fibrosis, with a mean age of 17.37 years before the diabetes mellitus phase were included.

DATA SYNTHESIS

Eight articles were identified that included 180 patients undergoing insulin use. Sample size ranged from 4 to 54 patients, with a mean age ranging from 12.4 to 28 years. The type of follow-up, time of insulin use, the dose and implementation schedule were very heterogeneous between studies.

CONCLUSIONS

There are theoretical reasons to believe that insulin has a beneficial effect in the studied population. The different methods and populations assessed in the studies do not allow us to state whether early insulin therapy should or should not be carried out in patients with cystic fibrosis prior to the diagnosis of diabetes. Therefore, studies with larger samples and insulin use standardization are required.

Otologic and audiologic characteristics of type 2 diabetics in a tertiary health institution in Nigeria

Introduction

This cross-sectional comparative study was carried out at the Diabetes outpatient clinic of LAUTECH Teaching Hospital (LTH) Ogbomoso, Nigeria.

Objective

This study assessed patterns of otologic diseases and auditory acuity among type 2 diabetics and determinants of these findings among diabetics.

Methods

Ninety-seven consenting patients with clinical diagnosis of diabetes mellitus (194 ears) were matched for age and sex with ninety non-diabetic patients (180 ears). These patients were screened using otoscopy and pure tone audiometry over a 6-month period.

Results

The study reported a crude prevalence rate of 21.6% hearing loss in T2DM patients. The most common type of otologic disease that showed significant association with T2DM patients was otitis media with effusion (p = 0.027). T2DM was significantly associated with abnormal audiometric findings (p = 0.022), particularly sensorineural hearing loss (p = 0.022), of the moderate grade (p = 0.057). There were no differences of the audilogical findings for any particular ear, and no differential affectation of frequency range was observed. Coexisting hypertension and poor glycaemic control were significantly associated with aggravation of the hearing of the T2DM patients (p <  0.001, and p = 0.009 respectively).

Conclusion

T2DM had appreciable effects on hearing acuity. T2DM was significantly associated with the type and the degree of the hearing loss. The need for screening of hearing acuity of T2DM patients, in order to detect early changes, and promptly offer an adequate management and remedial measures was emphasized in this study.