Initiation of Intermittently Scanned Continuous Glucose Monitoring Is Associated With Reduced Hospitalization for Acute Diabetes Events and Cardiovascular Complications in Adults With Type 1 Diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: We assessed the impact of intermittently scanned continuous glucose monitoring (isCGM) compared with blood glucose monitoring (BGM) on rates of hospitalization for metabolic and vascular complications of diabetes and on HbA1c levels for adults with type 1 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: This retrospective study using data from the Swedish National Diabetes Register and the Swedish National Patient Register comprised adults with type 1 diabetes and an isCGM initiation date after 1 June 2017 and matched control individuals using BGM. Hospital admission rates were calculated per 100 person-years of follow-up. RESULTS: We identified 11,822 adults with type 1 diabetes and an isCGM index date after 1 June 2017 and HbA1c baseline values 3-8 months prior to the index date. Compared with 3,007 BGM users, isCGM users had a significantly lower relative risk of hospitalization for hypoglycemia (0.32; 95% CI 0.14, 0.74), diabetic ketoacidosis (0.55; 0.35, 0.87), stroke (0.48; 0.37, 0.64), acute myocardial infarction (0.64; 0.46, 0.91), atrial fibrillation (0.59; 0.38, 0.94), heart failure (0.25; 0.16, 0.39), peripheral vascular disease (0.21; 0.07, 0.62), kidney disease (0.48; 0.35, 0.66), or hospitalization for any reason (0.32; 0.29, 0.35). Compared with BGM users, change in mean HbA1c for isCGM users was -0.30% (-3.3 mmol/mol) at 6 months and -0.24% (-2.6 mmol/mol) at 24 months (both P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that adults with type 1 diabetes in Sweden who initiate isCGM have significantly reduced hospitalization rates for acute diabetes events, kidney disease, and cardiovascular complications, along with improved glucose control, compared with BGM users.

Navigating complexity: healthcare providers' experiences with integrating physical health promotion in psychosis outpatient services in Sweden.

BACKGROUND: Individuals with psychotic disorders face an increased risk of physical health issues, leading to reduced life expectancy. Despite recommendations to integrate physical health promotion into mental healthcare, challenges persist, and mortality from somatic diseases continues to rise. Understanding healthcare providers' perspectives is crucial to overcoming these barriers. This study aims to explore the experiences of healthcare providers working in direct patient care and as unit heads regarding factors influencing health promotion in Swedish psychosis outpatient units. METHODS: A qualitative descriptive study was conducted in two specialized psychosis outpatient units. Thirteen healthcare providers, including clinical case managers and three heads of units, were individually interviewed. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. RESULTS: Three main themes were generated: (1) Health care providers' attitudes and competence. The health care provider's values and beliefs influenced the engagement in health promotion. (2) Patient-related aspects. Understanding how different patient life components shaped the physical health and need for measurements (3) Organizational prerequisites. Prioritizing resources and leadership impact the experience of health promotion. Clinical case management appeared as a promising approach to coordinate/integrate physical and mental health care, evident in themes 1 and 3. CONCLUSIONS: Beyond organizational factors, healthcare providers' skills, patient understanding, and ethical reflection influence their motivation to engage in physical health promotion. The study included only 13 participants, representing various professions, including managers who provided specific leadership perspectives. Clinical case managers appear well-suited to address physical health promotion due to their proficiency in shared decision-making and coordination.

First year national Swedish paediatric Hba1c data are at the level of several intervention studies: Results from a Swedish nationwide diabetes register study.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: To study the progression of HbA1c after diagnosis of type 1 diabetes in children and adolescents during 2010-2019 with emphasis on HbA1c nadir 3-6 months after onset. METHODS: Partial funding was secured for this study. The Swedish paediatric diabetes quality register SWEDIABKIDS has >95 % coverage of type 1 diabetes up to 18 years. A mixed model for repeated measurements was used to estimate differences in HbA1c between onset year periods. RESULTS: We followed 6,891 patients over two years from onset (48,292 HbA1c values). We found a gradual decrease in mean HbA1c 24 months after onset from 56.0 mmol/mol (7.28 %) in 2010/11 to 50.5 mmol/mol (6.77 %) in 2018/19, which is at the level of several recent intervention studies. The initial drop in HbA1c from onset until 3 and 6 months has become more pronounced in recent years. There was a significant positive correlation between HbA1c at 3 and 6 months with 12, 18 and 24 months. Percentage of severe hypoglycaemic coma was higher (5.1 % vs 3.4 %; p = 0.023) in 2010/2011 than 2018/2019, but the absolute risk of ketoacidosis was essentially unchanged, (1.5 % to 0.8 %, p = 0.110) CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: There was a continuous decrease in HbA1c over the study period 2010-2019, which coincides in time with an increased use of diabetes technology and lowering the HbA1c target to 48 mmol/mol (6.5 %). The decrease in 2-year HbA1c was preceded by a lower HbA1c nadir, which may set the trajectories for coming HbA1c and be a modifiable factor for a long-term improvement in metabolic control.

Periodontitis in patients with diabetes and its association with diabetes-related complications. A register-based cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between type 1 diabetes (T1D)/type 2 diabetes (T2D) and periodontitis and assess the influence of periodontitis on diabetes-related complications. DESIGN: Observational study; longitudinal analysis of register data. SETTING: Swedish primary care centres, hospitals and dental clinics reporting to nationwide healthcare registers (2010-2020). PARTICIPANTS: 28 801 individuals with T1D (13 022 women; mean age 42 years) and 57 839 individuals without diabetes (non-T1D; 26 271 women; mean age 43 years). 251 645 individuals with T2D (110 627 women; mean age 61 years) and 539 805 individuals without diabetes (non-T2D; 235 533 women; mean age 60 years). Diabetes and non-diabetes groups were matched for age, gender and county of residence. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Prevalent periodontitis, diabetes-related complications (retinopathy, albuminuria, stroke and ischaemic heart disease) and mortality. RESULTS: Periodontitis was more common among T2D (22%) than non-T2D (17%). Differences were larger in younger age groups (adjusted RR at age 30-39 years 1.92; 95% CI 1.81 to 2.03) and exacerbated by poor glycaemic control. Periodontitis prevalence was 13% in T1D and 11% in non-T1D; only the subgroup with poor glycaemic control was at higher risk for periodontitis. Periodontitis was associated with a higher incidence of retinopathy (T1D: HR 1.08, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.14; T2D: HR 1.08, 95% CI 1.06 to 1.10) and albuminuria (T1D: HR 1.14, 95% CI 1.06 to 1.23; T2D: HR 1.09, 95% CI 1.07 to 1.11). Periodontitis was not associated with a higher risk for stroke, cardiovascular disease or higher mortality in T1D/T2D. CONCLUSIONS: The association between T2D and periodontitis was strong and exacerbated by poor glycaemic control. For T1D, the association to periodontitis was limited to subgroups with poor glycaemic control. Periodontitis contributed to an increased risk for retinopathy and albuminuria in T1D and T2D.

Prevalence and risk factors for diabetic retinopathy at diagnosis of type 2 diabetes: an observational study of 77 681 patients from the Swedish National Diabetes Registry.

INTRODUCTION: To assess the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy (DR) in persons with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes (T2D) to understand the potential need for intensified screening for early detection of T2D. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Individuals from the Swedish National Diabetes Registry with a retinal photo <2 years after diagnosis of T2D were included. The proportion of patients with retinopathy (simplex or worse) was assessed. Patient characteristics and risk factors at diagnosis were analyzed in relation to DR with logistic regression. RESULTS: In total, 77 681 individuals with newly diagnosed T2D, mean age 62.6 years, 41.1% females were included. Of these, 13 329 (17.2%) had DR.DR was more common in older persons (adjusted OR 1.03 per 10-year increase, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.05) and men compared with women, OR 1.10 (1.05 to 1.14). Other variables associated with DR were OR (95% CI): lower education 1.08 (1.02 to 1.14); previous stroke 1.18 (1.07 to 1.30); chronic kidney disease 1.29 (1.07 to 1.56); treatment with acetylsalicylic acid 1.14 (1.07 to 1.21); ACE inhibitors 1.12 (1.05 to 1.19); and alpha blockers 1.41 (1.15 to 1.73). DR was more common in individuals born in Asia (OR 1.16, 95% CI 1.08 to 1.25) and European countries other than those born in Sweden (OR 1.11, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.18). CONCLUSIONS: Intensified focus on screening of T2D may be needed in Sweden in clinical practice since nearly one-fifth of persons have retinopathy at diagnosis of T2D. The prevalence of DR was higher in men, birthplace outside of Sweden, and those with a history of stroke, kidney disease, and hypertension.

Mapping quality of life after balloon dilatation in subglottic stenosis using Dyspnea index and Short Form Health Survey-36.

PURPOSE: An accurate diagnosis and proper treatment plan are required to restore an adequate patent airway in fibrotic subglottic stenosis (SGS). Currently, the definitive treatment entails single-stage balloon dilatation with steroid injections. The primary aim was to evaluate successful airway restoration and general quality of life in cases with SGS in northern Sweden using robust patient reported outcomes. METHODS: All participants with need of surgical treatment due to SGS that had been referred to the department of otorhinolaryngology, University Hospital of Umeå from September 2020 to August 2023 was included. Exclusion criteria included malignant, extrathoracic or cartilaginous cause, age < 18 years, or incompetent to sign consent documents. We assessed the patient-reported outcome measures pre- as well as 3 months postoperatively. RESULTS: Of the 40 cases fulfilling the eligibility criteria's, 33 cases completed the Dyspnea index (DI) and the short form health survey (SF-36) pre- as well as 3 months post-operatively. Receiver operating characteristics showed significant improvement in DI as well as in SF 36 scores post-operatively. CONCLUSIONS: Evaluation of balloon dilatation in SGS in this cohort follow-up analysis shows clear improvement in patient quality of life using robust PROM 3 months postoperatively, ensuring the use of a safe and well-tolerated procedure.

Evaluation of magnetic resonance imaging to detect cholesteatoma in clinical healthcare.

BACKGROUND: Non-Echo-Planar Diffusion Weighed Magnetic Resonance Imaging (non-EPI DW MRI) plays a role in the planning of cholesteatoma surgery. OBJECTIVES: To outline the usage of Non-EPI DW MRI in cholesteatoma diagnostics and to determine its accuracy, using otosurgery diagnostics as reference standard. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective descriptive study. All subjects operated, with suspicion of cholesteatoma as indication, that had a preceding examination with non-EPI DW MRI, between October 2010 and March 2019. Calculating sensitivity, specificity, predicative values, and likelihood ratios, using non-EPI DW MRI as index test and diagnosis from otosurgery as reference standard. RESULTS: Fifty-two subject episodes were included. Non-EPI DW MRI had a sensitivity of 0.50, specificity of 0.75, positive and negative predictive values of 0.74 and 0.52 and, positive and negative likelihood ratios of 2.0 and 0.67 respectively. CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE: There is a clear annual trend with increased numbers of executed examinations during the study period. The diagnostic accuracy of non-EPI DW MRI does not reach acceptable levels in the existing everyday routine practice conditions. The accuracy of the examination increases when interpreted by an experienced radiologist and when using the definition of cholesteatoma recommended by EAONO/JOS.

Associations Between HbA1c and Glucose Time in Range Using Continuous Glucose Monitoring in Type 1 Diabetes: Cross-Sectional Population-Based Study.

INTRODUCTION: Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) introduces novel indicators of glycemic control. METHODS: This cross-sectional study, based on the Swedish National Diabetes Register, examines 27,980 adults with type 1 diabetes. It explores the relationships between HbA1c (glycated hemoglobin) and various CGM-derived metrics, including TIR (time in range, representing the percentage of time within the range of 4-10 mmol/l for 2 weeks), TAR (time above range), TBR (time below range), mean glucose, standard deviation (SD), and coefficient of variation (CV). Pearson correlation coefficients and linear regression models were utilized for estimation. RESULTS: The analysis included 46% women, 30% on insulin pump, 7% with previous coronary heart disease and 64% with retinopathy. Mean ± SD values were age 48 ± 18 years, diabetes duration 25 ± 16 years, HbA1c 58.8 ± 12.8 mmol/mol, TIR 58.8 ± 19.0%, TAR 36.3 ± 20.0%, TBR 4.7 ± 5.4%, mean sensor glucose 9.2 ± 2.0 mmol/l, SD 3.3 ± 1.0 mmol/l, and CV 36 ± 7%. The overall association between HbA1c and TIR was - 0.71 (Pearson's r), with R2 0.51 in crude linear regression and 0.57 in an adjusted model. R2 values between HbA1c and CGM mean glucose were 0.605 (unadjusted) 0.619 (adjusted) and TAR (unadjusted 0.554 and fully adjusted 0.568, respectively), while fully adjusted R2 values were 0.458, 0.175 and 0.101 between HbA1c and CGM SD, CGM CV and TBR, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This descriptive study demonstrates that the degree of association between HbA1c and new and readily available CGM-derived metrics, i.e., time in range (TIR), time above range (TAR), and CGM mean glucose, is robust in assessing the management of individuals with type 1 diabetes in clinical settings. Metrics from CGM that pertain to variability and hypoglycemia exhibit only weak correlations with HbA1c.

Human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination is associated with reduced number of surgical treatments, an observational study on recurrent respiratory papillomatosis in Northern Sweden.

BACKGROUND: Recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP) is a wart-like lesion mainly affecting the larynx, caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) genotypes 6 and 11. The disease affects both children and adults, and there is no cure. Surgery is the current symptom-relieving treatment; however, HPV vaccination is used as an adjuvant treatment. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: The aims were to study effects of HPV vaccination in RRP cases and to compare juvenile-onset to adult-onset disease and high treatment frequency (TF) to low TF cases. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Medical records of RRP patients were studied from May 2006 to January 2023. Eighty-five RRP cases, tested for HPV genotypes with PapilloCheck®, were included. Vaccination- onset- and treatment analysis were performed. RESULTS: Twelve percent of the cases were vaccinated. The number of surgeries decreased from 2.0 to 0.8/year after HPV vaccination. Most cases had an adult-onset and less than one treatment per year. Juvenile-onset cases had a higher vaccination treatment ratio compared to adult-onset. CONCLUSIONS: HPV vaccination was associated with a lower number of treatments per year, supporting the use of vaccination as an adjuvant treatment. SIGNIFICANCE: Vaccination as adjuvant treatment to surgery may lead to increased quality of life for RRP patients and saved healthcare resources.

Standardising personalised diabetes care across European health settings: A person-centred outcome set agreed in a multinational Delphi study.

OBJECTIVE: Standardised person-reported outcomes (PRO) data can contextualise clinical outcomes enabling precision diabetes monitoring and care. Comprehensive outcome sets can guide this process, but their implementation in routine diabetes care has remained challenging and unsuccessful at international level. We aimed to address this by developing a person-centred outcome set for Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, using a methodology with prospects for increased implementability and sustainability in international health settings. METHODS: We used a three-round questionnaire-based Delphi study to reach consensus on the outcome set. We invited key stakeholders from 19 countries via purposive snowball sampling, namely people with diabetes (N = 94), healthcare professionals (N = 65), industry (N = 22) and health authorities (N = 3), to vote on the relevance and measurement frequency of 64 previously identified clinical and person-reported outcomes. Subsequent consensus meetings concluded the study. RESULTS: The list of preliminary outcomes was shortlisted via the consensus process to 46 outcomes (27 clinical outcomes and 19 PROs). Two main collection times were recommended: (1) linked to a medical visit (e.g. diabetes-specific well-being, symptoms and psychological health) and (2) annually (e.g. clinical data, general well-being and diabetes self management-related outcomes). CONCLUSIONS: PROs are often considered in a non-standardised way in routine diabetes care. We propose a person-centred outcome set for diabetes, specifically considering psychosocial and behavioural aspects, which was agreed by four international key stakeholder groups. It guides standardised collection of meaningful outcomes at scale, supporting individual and population level healthcare decision making. It will be implemented and tested in Europe as part of the H2O project.

Patient Experiences after Open Trigger Finger Release in Patients with Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes-A Retrospective Study Using Patient-reported Outcome Measures.

Trigger finger is overrepresented among patients with diabetes mellitus (DM). Whether DM affects the outcome after open trigger finger release (OTFR) in patients with DM is not known. Our aim was thus to explore outcomes after OTFR in patients with type 1 (T1D) and type 2 DM (T2D). Methods: Data included patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) from all OTFRs performed between 2010 and 2020 registered in the Swedish national registry for hand surgery in individuals over 18 years cross-linked with the Swedish National Diabetes Register (NDR). PROMs included QuickDASH and HQ8, a questionnaire designed for national registry for hand surgery, preoperative and at 3 and 12 months postoperative. HQ8 included pain on load, pain on motion without load, and stiffness. Outcome was calculated using linear-mixed models and presented as means adjusted for age and stratified by sex. Results: In total, 6242 OTFRs were included, whereof 496 had T1D (332, 67% women) and 869 had T2D (451, 52% women). Women with T1D reported more symptoms of stiffness (P < 0.001), and women with T2D reported more pain on load (P < 0.05), motion without load (P < 0.01), and worse overall result at 3 months. At 12 months, however, no differences were found in any of the HQ-8 PROMs among men or women. Women with T2D had slightly higher QuickDASH scores at 3 and 12 months. Conclusion: Patients with T1D and T2D can expect the same results after OTFR as individuals without DM, although the improvement might take longer especially among women with T2D.

Balloon dilatation versus CO2 laser surgery in subglottic stenosis, a retrospective analysis of therapeutic approaches.

BACKGROUND: Subglottic stenosis (SGS) is a narrowing of the airway just below the vocal folds. The cause of SGS and the optimal care for these patients, have remained elusive. Endoscopic surgery of SGS using either balloon or CO2 laser is associated with recurrence. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: Our aim is to compare surgery free intervals (SFI) between these two methods applied in two different timeframes. The knowledge gained from this project can support decision-making regarding surgical method choice. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Participants were retrospectively identified using medical records between 1999 - 2021. We used pre-defined broad inclusion criteria to identify cases using the International Classification of Disease (ICD-10). Primary outcome was surgery free intervals. RESULTS: 141 patients were identified, 63 met the criteria for SGS, and were included in the analysis. Results show no significant difference in SFI, comparing balloon dilatation and CO2 laser. CONCLUSION: These findings demonstrate no detected difference in treatment intervals (SFI) when comparing these two commonly used surgical alternatives for SGS. SIGNIFICANCE: The outcome of this report supports surgical freedom of choice based on the surgeon's experience and skill and ushes for further studies on patient experience regarding these two therapeutic approaches.

Real-world study of flash glucose monitoring among adults with type 2 diabetes within the Swedish National Diabetes Register.

BACKGROUND: The Swedish National Diabetes Register (NDR) initiated registration of the FreeStyle Libre® system and other continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) systems in June 2016. We investigated change in HbA1c for people with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) using FreeStyle Libre in Sweden. METHODS: We included adults with T2DM, registered in the NDR after January 1, 2014, and an index date for first use of FreeStyle Libre of June 2016 or later. Methodology was a before/after comparison of HbA1c within 6 months before the index date versus HbA1c around 6 and 12 months after the index date. RESULTS: 711 adults with T2DM using FreeStyle Libre had HbA1c measurements within the study period. Mean HbA1c was significantly reduced at 6 months (-0.50%-unit) and at 12 months (-0.52%-unit) in this group. Degree of change was negatively correlated to baseline HbA1c. Reductions in HbA1c were observed in incident users of FreeStyle Libre with T2DM who were truly naïve to CGM or had unknown prior experience of CGM, and aged 25-74 years. CONCLUSIONS: This real-world study on the Swedish NDR shows that people with T2DM using FreeStyle Libre system for 6 and 12 months significantly reduced their HbA1c.

Cardiovascular Outcomes in Patients With Both Diabetes and Phenotypic Familial Hypercholesterolemia: A Nationwide Register-Based Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVE: Patients with diabetes or familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) have an increased incidence of cardiovascular diseases compared with the population, but whether this risk is exacerbated in patients with combined traits is unknown. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: In this Swedish nationwide, register-based cohort study, patients with diabetes were included between 2002 and 2020. Adjusted Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess the risk of cardiovascular events in patients with or without phenotypic FH (≥6 points for phenotypic FH according to Dutch Lipid Clinic Network criteria) compared with general population control subjects without diabetes as reference. RESULTS: A total of 45,585 patients with type 1 diabetes (227,923 control subjects) and 655,250 patients with type 2 diabetes (655,250 control subjects) were followed for a median of 14.1 and 7.9 years, respectively. Of those, 153 and 7,197, respectively, had phenotypic FH. Compared with control subjects, patients with diabetes and phenotypic FH had higher risk of cardiovascular mortality (type 1: hazard ratio 21.3 [95% CI 14.6-31.0]; type 2: 2.40 [2.19-2.63]) and of a cardiovascular event (type 1: 15.1 [11.1-20.5]; type 2: 2.73 [2.58-2.89]). Further, patients with diabetes and phenotypic FH had higher LDL-cholesterol levels during observation (P < 0.05) and increased risk of all major cardiovascular outcomes (P < 0.0001) than patients with diabetes but without FH. The proportion receiving lipid-lowering treatment was higher in patients with phenotypic FH (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with both diabetes and phenotypic FH are more at risk for adverse cardiovascular outcomes and have higher LDL-cholesterol levels despite receiving intensified lipid-lowering therapy.

The significance of chronic kidney disease, heart failure and cardiovascular disease for mortality in type 1 diabetes: nationwide observational study.

People with type 1 diabetes have a substantially increased risk of premature death. This nationwide, register-based cohort study evaluated the significance of risk factors and previous cardiovascular disease (CVD), heart failure and chronic kidney disease (CKD), for mortality in type 1 diabetes. Nationwide, longitudinal, register-based cohort study. Patients (n = 36,303) listed in the Swedish National Diabetes Register between January 1 2015 and December 31 2017 were included and followed until December 31, 2018. Data were retrieved from national health registries through each patient's unique identifier, to capture data on clinical characteristics, outcomes, or deaths, to describe mortality rates in risk groups. The mean follow-up time was 3.3 years, with 119,800 patient years of observation and 1127 deaths, corresponding to a crude overall mortality of 0.92% deaths/year. Statistically significant increased risk in multivariate analyzes was found in older age groups, in men, and in underweight or people with normal BMI, high HbA1c or blood pressure. A history of CVD, albuminuria and advanced stages of CKD was associated with an increased risk of mortality. Each combination of these conditions further increased the risk of mortality. These results emphasize the importance of risk factors and cardiovascular and renal diabetes complications. People with a combination of CKD, CVD, and heart failure, exhibit a markedly increased risk of dying prematurely. These findings provide strong arguments for optimized and individualized treatment of these groups of people with type 1 diabetes in clinical everyday life.

Characterization of data-driven clusters in diabetes-free adults and their utility for risk stratification of type 2 diabetes.

BACKGROUND: The prevention of type 2 diabetes is challenging due to the variable effects of risk factors at an individual level. Data-driven methods could be useful to detect more homogeneous groups based on risk factor variability. The aim of this study was to derive characteristic phenotypes using cluster analysis of common risk factors and to assess their utility to stratify the risk of type 2 diabetes. METHODS: Data on 7317 diabetes-free adults from Sweden were used in the main analysis and on 2332 diabetes-free adults from Mexico for external validation. Clusters were based on sex, family history of diabetes, educational attainment, fasting blood glucose and insulin levels, estimated insulin resistance and ß-cell function, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and BMI. The risk of type 2 diabetes was assessed using Cox proportional hazards models. The predictive accuracy and long-term stability of the clusters were then compared to different definitions of prediabetes. RESULTS: Six risk phenotypes were identified independently in both cohorts: very low-risk (VLR), low-risk low ß-cell function (LRLB), low-risk high ß-cell function (LRHB), high-risk high blood pressure (HRHBP), high-risk ß-cell failure (HRBF), and high-risk insulin-resistant (HRIR). Compared to the LRHB cluster, the VLR and LRLB clusters showed a lower risk, while the HRHBP, HRBF, and HRIR clusters showed a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The high-risk clusters, as a group, had a better predictive accuracy than prediabetes and adequate stability after 20 years. CONCLUSIONS: Phenotypes derived using cluster analysis were useful in stratifying the risk of type 2 diabetes among diabetes-free adults in two independent cohorts. These results could be used to develop more precise public health interventions.

Range of Risk Factor Levels, Risk Control, and Temporal Trends for Nephropathy and End-stage Kidney Disease in Patients With Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate trends, optimal levels for cardiometabolic risk factors, and multifactorial risk control in diabetic nephropathy and end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) in patients with diabetes and matched control subjects. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: This study included 701,622 patients with diabetes from the Swedish National Diabetes Register and 2,738,137 control subjects. Trends were analyzed with standardized incidence rates. Cox regression was used to assess excess risk, optimal risk factor levels, and risk according to the number of risk factors, in diabetes. RESULTS: ESKD incidence among patients with and without diabetes initially declined until 2007 and increased thereafter, whereas diabetic nephropathy decreased throughout follow-up. In patients with diabetes, baseline values for glycated hemoglobin, systolic blood pressure (SBP), triglycerides, and BMI were associated with outcomes. Hazard ratio (HR) for ESKD for patients with type 2 diabetes who had all included risk factors at target was 1.60 (95% CI 1.49-1.71) compared with control subjects and for patients with type 1 diabetes 6.10 (95% CI 4.69-7.93). Risk for outcomes increased in a stepwise fashion for each risk factor not at target. Excess risk for ESKD in type 2 diabetes showed a HR of 2.32 (95% CI 2.30-2.35) and in type 1 diabetes 10.92 (95% CI 10.15-11.75), compared with control. CONCLUSIONS: Incidence of diabetic nephropathy has declined substantially, whereas ESKD incidence has increased. Traditional and modifiable risk factors below target levels were associated with lower risks for outcomes, particularly notable for the causal risk factors of SBP and HbA1c, with potential implications for care.

High HbA1c Levels Are Associated With Development of Trigger Finger in Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes: An Observational Register-Based Study From Sweden.

OBJECTIVE: Trigger finger (TF) is a hand disorder causing the fingers to painfully lock in flexion. Diabetes is a known risk factor; however, whether strict glycemic control effectively lowers risk of TF is unknown. Our aim was to examine whether high HbA1c was associated with increased risk of TF among individuals with diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: The Swedish National Diabetes Register (NDR) was cross-linked with the health care register of the Region of Skåne in southern Sweden. In total, 9,682 individuals with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and 85,755 individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D) aged ≥18 years were included from 2004 to 2019. Associations between HbA1c and TF were calculated with sex-stratified, multivariate logistic regression models with 95% CIs, with adjustment for age, duration of diabetes, BMI, and systolic blood pressure. RESULTS: In total, 486 women and 271 men with T1D and 1,143 women and 1,009 men with T2D were diagnosed with TF. Increased levels of HbA1c were associated with TF among individuals with T1D (women OR 1.26 [95% CI 1.1-1.4], P = 0.001, and men 1.4 [1.2-1.7], P < 0.001) and T2D (women 1.14 [95% CI 1.2-1.2], P < 0.001, and men 1.12 [95% CI 1.0-1.2], P = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: Hyperglycemia increases the risk of developing TF among individuals with T1D and T2D. Optimal treatment of diabetes seems to be of importance for prevention of diabetic hand complications such as TF.

Risk trajectories of complications in over one thousand newly diagnosed individuals with type 2 diabetes.

Although the increased risk of complications of type 2 diabetes (T2D) is well known, there is still little information about the long-term development of comorbidities in relation to risk factors. The purpose of the present study was to describe the risk trajectories of T2D complications over time in an observational cohort of newly diagnosed T2D patients, as well as to evaluate the effect of common risk factors on the development of comorbidities. This national cohort study investigated individuals with T2D in the Swedish National Diabetes Register regarding prevalence of comorbidities at the time of diagnosis, and the incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD), chronic kidney disease (CKD) and heart failure in the entire patient cohort and stratified by HbA1c levels and age at baseline. Multivariable Cox regressions were used to evaluate risk factors predicting outcomes. We included 100,878 individuals newly diagnosed with T2D between 1998 and 2012 in the study, with mean 5.5 years follow-up (max 17 years). The mean age at diagnosis was 62.6 ± SD12.5 years and 42.7% of the patients were women. Prevalent CVD was reported for 17.5% at baseline. Although the prevalence of comorbidities was generally low for individuals 50 years or younger at diagnosis, the cumulative incidence of the investigated comorbidities increased over time. Newly diagnosed CVD was the most common comorbidity. Women were shown to have a lower risk of developing comorbid conditions than men. When following the risk trajectory of comorbidities over a period of up to 15 years in individuals with type 2 diabetes, we found that all comorbidities gradually increased over time. There was no distinct time point when onset suddenly increased.

Implementing the Digital Diabetes Questionnaire as a Clinical Tool in Routine Diabetes Care: Focus Group Discussions With Patients and Health Care Professionals.

BACKGROUND: The Diabetes Questionnaire is a digital patient-reported outcome and experience measure for adults living with diabetes. The Diabetes Questionnaire is intended for use in routine clinical visits in diabetes care and to enable patient perspectives to be integrated into the Swedish National Diabetes Register. The Diabetes Questionnaire was developed on the basis of patients' perspectives, and evidence for its measurement qualities has been demonstrated. Patients receive an invitation to complete the questionnaire before clinical visits, and the patient and health care professional (HCP) can discuss the findings, which are instantly displayed during the visit. Implementation processes for new tools in routine care need to be studied to understand the influence of contextual factors, the support needed, and how patients and HCPs experience clinical use. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to describe patients' and HCPs' experiences of initiating the use of the digital Diabetes Questionnaire as a clinical tool in routine diabetes care, supported by a structured implementation strategy involving initial education, local facilitators, and regular follow-ups. METHODS: In this qualitative study, semistructured focus group discussions were conducted 12 months after the use of the Diabetes Questionnaire was initiated. Participants were diabetes specialist nurses and physicians (20 participants in 4 groups) at hospital-based outpatient clinics or primary health care clinics and adults with type 1 or type 2 diabetes (15 participants in 4 groups). The audiotaped transcripts were analyzed using inductive qualitative content analysis. RESULTS: The results revealed 2 main categories that integrated patients' and HCPs' experiences, which together formed an overarching theme: While implementation demands new approaches, the Diabetes Questionnaire provides a broader perspective. The first main category (The Diabetes Questionnaire supports person-centered clinical visits) comprised comments expressing that the digital Diabetes Questionnaire can initiate and encourage reflection in preparation for clinical visits, bring important topics to light during clinical visits, and broaden the scope of discussion by providing additional information. The second main category (The process of initiating the implementation of the Diabetes Questionnaire) comprised comments that described differences in engagement among HCPs and their managers, challenges of establishing new routines, experiences of support during implementation, thoughts about the Diabetes Questionnaire, need to change local administrative routines, and opportunities and concerns for continued use. CONCLUSIONS: The Diabetes Questionnaire can broaden the scope of health data in routine diabetes care. While implementation demands new approaches, patients and HCPs saw potential positive impacts of using the questionnaire at both the individual and group levels. Our results can inform further development of implementation strategies to support the clinical use of the questionnaire.