Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on gestational diabetes in Castilla-La Mancha (Spain).

SUBJECT-MATTER: To assess the effect of the 2019 coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on gestational diabetes (GDM). MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this retrospective, multicentre, non-interventional study carried out in Castilla-La Mancha, Spain, we compared 663 women with GDM exposed to the pandemic (pandemic group), with 622 women with GDM seen one year earlier (pre-pandemic group). The primary endpoint was a Large for Gestational Age (LGA) newborn as an indicator of poor GDM control. Secondary endpoints included obstetric and neonatal complications. RESULTS: During the pandemic, the gestational week at diagnosis (24.2 ±â€¯7.4 vs 22.9 ±â€¯7.7, p = 0.0016) and first visit to Endocrinology (26.6 ±â€¯7.2 vs 25.3 ±â€¯7.6, p = 0.0014) were earlier. Face-to-face consultations were maintained in most cases (80.3%). The new diagnostic criteria for GDM were used in only 3% of cases. However, in the pandemic group, the final HbA1c was higher (5.2 ±â€¯0.48 vs 5.29 ±â€¯0.44%, p = 0.047) and there were more LGA newborns (8.5% vs 12.8%, p = 0.015). There were no differences in perinatal complications. CONCLUSIONS: Care for GDM in our Public Health System did not significantly deteriorate during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, this did not prevent a higher number of LGA newborns.

Effectiveness of a cognitive behavioral intervention in patients with medically unexplained symptoms: cluster randomized trial.

BACKGROUND: Medically unexplained symptoms are an important mental health problem in primary care and generate a high cost in health services.Cognitive behavioral therapy and psychodynamic therapy have proven effective in these patients. However, there are few studies on the effectiveness of psychosocial interventions by primary health care. The project aims to determine whether a cognitive-behavioral group intervention in patients with medically unexplained symptoms, is more effective than routine clinical practice to improve the quality of life measured by the SF-12 questionary at 12 month. METHODS/DESIGN: This study involves a community based cluster randomized trial in primary healthcare centres in Madrid (Spain). The number of patients required is 242 (121 in each arm), all between 18 and 65 of age with medically unexplained symptoms that had seeked medical attention in primary care at least 10 times during the previous year. The main outcome variable is the quality of life measured by the SF-12 questionnaire on Mental Healthcare. Secondary outcome variables include number of consultations, number of drug (prescriptions) and number of days of sick leave together with other prognosis and descriptive variables. Main effectiveness will be analyzed by comparing the percentage of patients that improve at least 4 points on the SF-12 questionnaire between intervention and control groups at 12 months. All statistical tests will be performed with intention to treat. Logistic regression with random effects will be used to adjust for prognostic factors. Confounding factors or factors that might alter the effect recorded will be taken into account in this analysis. DISCUSSION: This study aims to provide more insight to address medically unexplained symptoms, highly prevalent in primary care, from a quantitative methodology. It involves intervention group conducted by previously trained nursing staff to diminish the progression to the chronicity of the symptoms, improve quality of life, and reduce frequency of medical consultations. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The trial was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01484223 [http://ClinicalTrials.gov].

Improving management of severe hypoparathyroidism: a case series.

INTRODUCTION: Hypoparathyroidism is considered a rare endocrine disease. Despite being a deficiency of parathyroid hormone, the standard therapy is based on oral calcium and active vitamin D supplementation. This approach provides satisfactory management in most cases but may be inadequate for patients in the most complex spectrum of the disease. Other therapies are being explored, and among them, the use of recombinant human parathyroid hormone (PTH) has proved to decrease the requirements of calcium and active vitamin D to reach adequate therapeutic goals. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to provide information on the effectiveness of the current recombinant parathyroid hormone analogs in the clinical management of difficult to control cases of hypoparathyroidism. METHOD AND MATERIALS: We report our experience using teriparatide and PTH (1-84) through five complex cases of hypoparathyroidism of diverse etiologies. We describe each case and report the effectiveness of treatment in clinical practice. RESULTS: Four patients with postsurgical hypoparathyroidism and one patient with autoimmune hypoparathyroidism, all of them with suboptimal control under the standard treatment with calcium and calcitriol supplements or calcium gluconate infusion, are presented. They were all started on teriparatide or PTH (1-84), and all of them showed a diminishment of symptoms and were able to maintain normocalcemia without parenteral calcium despite a reduction of oral treatment. CONCLUSION: This article highlights the effectiveness and safety of hormonal replacement treatment in difficult to manage hypoparathyroidism and provides evidence which justifies its off-label prescription in the case of teriparatide. We consider that this treatment should be considered in cases in which standard treatment fails to reach adequate therapeutic goals.

Health care activity at the endocrinology and nutrition outpatient clinics of Castilla-La Mancha (the AACENCAM study).

INTRODUCTION: This study was promoted by Sociedad Castellano Manchega de Endocrinología, Nutrición y Diabetes to ascertain the characteristics of patients seen at the outpatient clinics of endocrinology and nutrition of the Castilla-La Mancha Health Authority and the case mix of diagnoses. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective, cross-sectional study of the activity of the endocrinology and nutrition outpatient clinics of public hospitals of Castile-La Mancha during 2018. All visits made on 10% of the working days were analyzed. Data collected comprised patient age and sex, whether a first or subsequent had been made, and whether this was face-to-face or not, and up to five diagnoses per visit. RESULTS: A total of 10,709 visits with a subsequent/first visit ratio of 3.4 were analyzed. Patient age was 52.1?±?18.2 years, and 67.1% were women. Type 2 diabetes mellitus, primary hypothyroidism, thyroid nodular disease, and obesity/overweight were the most common conditions recorded as first diagnosis, accounting for more than half of the total number of visits. Type 1 diabetes mellitus and thyroid cancer were the diagnoses in which the subsequent/first visit ratio was greater. Type 2 diabetes mellitus, obesity, and primary hypothyroidism accounted for almost half of the first visits. CONCLUSIONS: A wide variety of conditions were seen, some of which are among the most prevalent in the general population, while others are not so prevalent, but are complex and difficult to manage by other specialties. Improved knowledge and analysis of the data should allow for the identification of opportunities for improvement and for the implementation of specific actions.

Health care activity at the endocrinology and nutrition outpatient clinics of Castile-La Mancha (the AACENCAM study). / Actividad asistencial en las consultas de Endocrinología y Nutrición de Castilla-La Mancha (estudio AACENCAM).

INTRODUCTION: This study was promoted by Sociedad Castellano-Manchega de Endocrinología, Nutrición y Diabetes to ascertain the characteristics of patients seen at the outpatient clinics of endocrinology and nutrition of the Castilla-La Mancha Health Authority and the case mix of diagnoses. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective, cross-sectional study of the activity of the endocrinology and nutrition outpatient clinics of public hospitals of Castile-La Mancha during 2018. All visits made on 10% of the working days were analyzed. Data collected comprised patient age and sex, whether a first or subsequent had been made, and whether this was face-to-face or not, and up to five diagnoses per visit. RESULTS: A total of 10,709 visits with a subsequent/first visit ratio of 3.4 were analyzed. Patient age was 52.1 ± 18.2 years, and 67.1% were women. Type 2 diabetes mellitus, primary hypothyroidism, thyroid nodular disease, and obesity/overweight were the most common conditions recorded as first diagnosis, accounting for more than half of the total number of visits. Type 1 diabetes mellitus and thyroid cancer were the diagnoses in which the subsequent/first visit ratio was greater. Type 2 diabetes mellitus, obesity, and primary hypothyroidism accounted for almost half of the first visits. CONCLUSIONS: A wide variety of conditions were seen, some of which are among the most prevalent in the general population, while others are not so prevalent, but are complex and difficult to manage by other specialties. Improved knowledge and analysis of the data should allow for the identification of opportunities for improvement and for the implementation of specific actions.

Development of an index of complexity for outpatient endocrinology and nutrition clinics. / Desarrollo de un índice de complejidad en consultas externas de Endocrinología y Nutrición.

INTRODUCTION: The tools for analyzing the case-mix in outpatient clinics are scarce few and unsatisfactory. The objective of this study conducted by Sociedad Castellano Manchega de Endocrinología, Nutrición y Diabetes (SCAMEND) was to develop a tool that allows for analyzing the case-mix in outpatient endocrinology and nutrition clinics, considering bearing in mind the complexity of the conditions seen. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Using the Delphi method, the SCAMEND index of complexity in outpatient endocrinology and nutrition clinics (ISCCE-EyN) was developed by endocrinologists in two rounds, comparing the complexity of each condition being compared with that of a review visit of primary hypothyroidism. RESULTS: The first visits were considered more complex than the subsequent visits. Non-neoplastic thyroid disease and uncomplicated overweight/obesity were considered as the least complex diseases, while metabolic diseases, multiple endocrine neoplasia syndromes, and adrenal carcinoma were considered as the most complex. The degree of agreement was high in most of the diseases analyzed. CONCLUSIONS: This tool allows for analyzing the case-mix in outpatient endocrinology and nutrition clinics, based on the inherent complexity of the disease of the patient is reported. This tool may be used for comparisons between centers, to better allocate resources within a given service, or for self-evaluation.

Healthcare on the Endocrinology and Nutrition ward in Castille-La Mancha (the AAPENCAM study). / Actividad asistencial en planta de Endocrinología y Nutrición en Castilla-La Mancha (estudio AAPENCAM).

INTRODUCTION: The activity of an Endocrinology and Nutrition (E&N) department consists of inpatient care both by those attached to the department and through consultations with specialists from other departments. The inpatient care activity of all the E&N departments of a public health system has not been studied in Spain. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This was a retrospective study of hospital ward activity during 2018 of the E&N departments of the Castilla-La Mancha Public Health Service. It was undertaken in order to ascertain the characteristics of the patients attended to, both by those in charge of the E&N departments and through interconsultation with other departments, as well as the case-mix of the pathology of these patients. All patients admitted to E&N and a 10% sample of those treated through interconsultation were analysed. RESULTS: 261 admissions were recorded for Castilla-La Mancha Public Health Service E&N departments. 82.8% were urgent and 53.7% were due to type 1 diabetes mellitus. A total of 5955 patients were seen on an interconsultation basis, 591 of whom were analysed. The most frequent reason for interconsultation was diabetes mellitus/hyperglucemia (28.8%), requiring 6.1±6.7 days per patient. However, interconsultations for artificial nutrition required more days of attendance per patient and accounted for a higher percentage of the total number of days of interconsultation (60.4%). CONCLUSIONS: The inpatient care activity of the E&N departments of Castilla-La Mancha Public Health Service mainly consists of attending to patients with chronic pathologies of high hospital prevalence such as diabetes mellitus/hyperglucemia and, especially, clinical nutrition.