Compliance of Secondary Prevention Strategies in Coronary Artery Disease Patients with and without Diabetes Mellitus - A Cross-Sectional Analytical Survey from Kerala, India.

CONTEXT: There is limited data related to compliance of secondary prevention strategies for coronary artery diseases (CAD) among patients with and without diabetes. OBJECTIVES: The objective was to compare compliance to secondary prevention strategies for CAD including smoking cessation, weight management, blood pressure (BP) control, Low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol control and adequate physical activity between patients with and without diabetes. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: This is a hospital-based cross-sectional analytical study. METHODS AND MATERIALS: The study questionnaire was used to collect data through interviews of CAD patients. Compliance to secondary prevention strategies was documented using European Society of Cardiology guidelines. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: We used modified Poisson model to estimate adjusted prevalence ratios (Adj. PR) for estimating compliance. RESULTS: Among 1,206 participants with CAD, 609 (50.5%) had diabetes. The Adj. PR s for three targets - smoking cessation (Adj. PR 1.01, 95% CI 0.97, 1.06, P 0.50), ideal BMI (Adj. PR 0.99, 95% CI 0.92, 1.09, P 0.99) and adequate physical activity (Adj. PR 1.12, 95% CI 0.97, 1.29, P 0.12) showed no significant difference between the groups. There was poor BP control in patients with diabetes compared to those without the same (Adj. PR 0.19, 95% CI 0.15, 0.23, P < 0.0001). LDL cholesterol control was better in patients with diabetes in comparison to those without the same (Adj. PR 1.19, 95% CI 1.08, 1.31, P 0.0005). CONCLUSION: The compliance for secondary prevention of CAD among patients with diabetes is similar to those without diabetes except for poor control of hypertension and better control of LDL cholesterol.

Hypophysitis in granulomatosis with polyangiitis: rare presentation of a multisystem disease.

Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) is a type of granulomatous vasculitis that can involve any organ in the body. The pituitary gland is one of the uncommon sites to be involved in this condition, with only a few cases reported in the literature. Our patient initially presented with central diabetes insipidus, epistaxis and haematuria. Diagnosis was established by antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (cANCA) positivity against a background of typical clinical features and a bulky pituitary on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. Patient was started on steroids and methotrexate which were later changed to mycophenolate mofetil due to intolerance. Due to the refractory nature of the disease the patient was treated with one course of rituximab. Since then she has not had epistaxis, joint pains or haematuria. She continues to have diabetes insipidus although the requirement of desmopressin has come down. We thus report a case of GPA with hypophysitis which is one of the rare manifestations of the disease.

Management of diabetes during fasting and COVID-19 - Challenges and solutions.

INTRODUCTION: Fasting is observed as a religious custom in various forms across the globe. Among them, the Ramadan fasting is very common and widely practiced. People with diabetes observe fasting with or without obtaining medical advice. Uncontrolled diabetes appears to be a risk factor for COVID-19 infection and its poorer outcomes. Fasting during Ramadan is challenging in people with diabetes. This year, the background of COVID-19 made it difficult for both the patients and health care workers to effectively manage diabetes and its complications during Ramadan. Because of a lack of sufficient evidence, clinicians were perplexed in handling this difficult situation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We accessed PubMed, Google Scholar, various guidelines and other evidence-based articles to review the available current literature which deals with diabetes, Ramadan, and COVID-19. RESULTS: The importance of pre-Ramadan assessment, adequate nutrition, and hydration, choosing the right therapy has been emphasized. This review tries to address the common practical challenges and relevant possible solutions for the same. Due consideration has been given to various socio-cultural practices that can influence the management of diabetes patients in the setting of Ramadan and COVID-19 pandemic. CONCLUSIONS: Diabetes is associated with increased severity and susceptibility to COVID-19. People with diabetes should go through systemic and structure-based management during fasting. Family physicians who deliver personalized care play a vital role in managing diabetes during this crisis period. Telemedicine is emerging as an effective mode of managing various needs of individuals.

Incidence of New-Onset Diabetes and PostTransplant Metabolic Syndrome after Liver Transplantation - A Prospective Study from South India.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Liver transplantation has become an effective therapy for patients with end-stage liver disease. The risk of new-onset diabetes after transplantation (NODAT) and posttransplant metabolic syndrome (PTMS) is high among patients after liver transplantation. These are thought to be associated with increased risks of graft rejection, infection, cardiovascular disease, and death. Our study aimed to document the incidence of NODAT and PTMS and analyze pre and posttransplant predictive factors for their development in patients undergoing a liver transplant. METHODS: This was a prospective comparative study on 51 patients who underwent live donor liver transplantation. They were evaluated at baseline, 3 and 6 months after transplantation with fasting glucose, lipids, serum insulin levels, C-peptide, and HbA1C. They were followed up at 5 years to document any cardiovascular events or rejection. RESULTS: The incidence of preoperative diabetes mellitus (DM) in the study group was 25/51 (49%). The incidence of NODAT was 38.5% (10/26 patients) and PTMS 29% (10/35), respectively. Age (47.7 ± 5.4 vs 41.5 ± 12.7 years), HOMA2 - IR (2.3 ± 1.8 vs 2.1 ± 1.6), serum insulin (16.1 ± 12.0 vs 17.9 ± 14.5), and C-peptide (4.6 ± 0.5 vs 4.8 ± 0.7) were similar at baseline in the NODAT group compared to those who did not develop it. Mean tacrolimus levels were higher in PTMS group (6.8 ± 2.9 vs 5.0. ± 2.0 P value = 0.042). By the end of 5 years, 7 patients expired; 6 due to rejection and one due to cardiovascular disease. Moreover, 2 of these patients had preexisting DM and 2 had NODAT. CONCLUSIONS: None of the baseline metabolic factors in patients undergoing liver transplant were predictive of the development of NODAT or PTMS. Mean tacrolimus levels were significantly higher in the PTMS group. A 5-year follow-up showed no excess risk of cardiovascular events or rejection in those with preexisting DM or in those who developed NODAT.

Cognitive Impairment and its Association with Glycemic Control in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients.

INTRODUCTION: Type 2 diabetes mellitus is one of the major causes of increasing morbidity worldwide. Effective screening is carried out routinely for diabetic retinopathy, neuropathy, and nephropathy. Of late, studies have reported that cognitive decline can occur in people with diabetes, which could go undetected for a long period, and hence routine screening could be warranted. METHODOLOGY: Our objective was to study the prevalence of previously unknown mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in type 2 diabetic patients visiting a tertiary care center with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) test and to study the correlations of HbA1c, fasting blood sugar (FBS), postprandial blood sugar (PPBS), age, and duration of diabetes with the MoCA scores. Seventy patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus were included in the study. Patients with MoCA scores ≥26 were considered to have normal cognition (NC) and those with <26 MCI. RESULTS: MCI was noted in 38 (54.29%) type 2 diabetes mellitus patients and NC in 32 (45.71%). Those with MCI had higher HbA1c (8.79 ± 1.85 vs. 7.78 ± 1.60), higher FBS (177.05 ± 62.48 vs. 149.38 ± 54.38), and PPBS (282.03 ± 85.61 vs. 214.50 ± 82.43), which were statistically significant. The cognitive domains of executive function, naming, attention, language, and memory showed a statistically significant difference between those with MCI and NC. There were no differences in the mean age, duration of diabetes, and educational status between the groups. CONCLUSION: The high prevalence of MCI in type 2 diabetic patients highlights the importance of implementing routine cognitive testing. The correlation of cognitive impairment with poor glucose control needs further studies to find out whether improving glycemic control will help improve cognition.

Emergence of Fluconazole-resistant Candida Infections in Diabetic Foot Ulcers: Implications for Public Health.

BACKGROUND: It is well documented in the literature that fungal infections are common in diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs). This has led to an overuse of antifungal agents, namely fluconazole, with a consequent risk of emergence of resistance to this drug. Previous studies have shown a 3.9% prevalence of fluconazole resistance in DFU, but limited data exist regarding the change in resistance pattern over the last decade. OBJECTIVES: Our aim was to study the prevalence of resistance to fluconazole in patients with DFU and culture-proven fungal infections. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively studied 1438 patients with type 2 diabetes and nonhealing foot ulcers who had fungal cultures performed during the course of their treatment. The data were collected for all patients who presented to our foot clinic over a period of 18 months. RESULTS: The prevalence of positive fungal culture was 17.38% (250/1438). 151/200 positive cultures belonged to Candida species. Resistance to fluconazole was observed in 9.3% (17/200). The most common organism with resistance to fluconazole was Candida auris (10/17). CONCLUSIONS: High prevalence of fluconazole resistance is a potential cause of concern, and the rational use of this drug is important in the community. The above results could have an impact on public health, as fluconazole is one of the safest and effective oral antifungal agents available. The spread of resistance could have implications for its use in other situations including systemic fungal infections.

Adrenal insufficiency in decompensated cirrhotic patients without infection: prevalence, predictors and impact on mortality.

BACKGROUND: Relative adrenal insufficiency (RAI) is common in compensated and decompensated chronic liver disease in the presence of sepsis. This study was performed to find out the prevalence of RAI in decompensated cirrhotic patients presenting with hepatic encephalopathy and variceal bleeding without any evidence of infection. METHODS: The study prospectively included 75 cirrhotic patients with signs of decompensation. The short Synacthen test (SST) was performed on all patients after ruling out infection. Patients with positive blood, urine, sputum, ascitic and pleural fluid cultures or evidence of infection on chest X-ray and those with elevated procalcitonin levels (>0.05 ng/ml) were excluded. RAI in critical illness was defined by a delta cortisol level (difference between basal and post-stimulation cortisol) of ≤9 µg/dl after SST. RESULTS: The mean age of the study population was 54 ± 11 years. Upper gastrointestinal bleed and hepatic encephalopathy were seen in 56.6% and 41.5%, respectively, and both were seen in 1.9%. Of the 75 patients, 55 (73%) were in Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) class C and the mean model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score was 21 ± 7. Forty-five patients (60%) met our criteria for RAI. Those with RAI had lower serum albumin (2.4 ± 0.5 g/dl vs 2.7 ± 0.5 g/dl, p = 0.03) and higher MELD scores (22 ± 7 vs 19 ± 6, p = 0.03). Prevalence of RAI in CTP class C was 65% (36 out of 55 patients) compared to 45% (9 out of 20 patients) in Child-Pugh stage A and B. Similarly, 82% (23 out of 28 patients) with MELD scores >25 had RAI compared to 54% with MELD scores <20. None of biochemical parameters were predictive of RAI on logistic regression analysis. Three-month mortality rate was not significantly different in patients with or without adrenal insufficiency (44% vs 28%, p = 0.11). CONCLUSION: The present study showed RAI to be common in noninfected decompensated cirrhotic patients, but did not predict 3-month mortality. There were no other predictive factors in those with RAI. Hence, in patients with cirrhosis without infection, the clinical utility of routine adrenal function testing needs further elucidation.

Significance of microalbuminuria in long-duration type 1 diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: The value of microalbuminuria (MA) in predicting renal disease and premature mortality in longer duration type 1 diabetes is unclear. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We followed 135 patients with long-standing type 1 diabetes (>30 years' duration) over a 7-year period, recording albuminuria and other clinical variables. Vital status was ascertained and cause of death was recorded. RESULTS: A total of 27 of 135 patients (20%) died during the follow-up period. Patients with MA (10 of 30, 33.3%) or proteinuria (5 of 6, 83.3%) at initial examination were more likely to die during follow-up than patients who had normal albumin excretion at baseline (12 of 99, 12%; chi(2) for trend 21.9, P < 0.0001). The presence of abnormal albumin excretion and low BMI were independent risk factors of premature death. The causes of death were similar in patients with normal and abnormal urine albumin excretion. A total of 24.4% of initially normoalbuminuric survivors developed MA, and persistent proteinuria developed in 3.5%. Progressors had significantly higher albumin excretion rate at baseline compared with those who remained normoalbuminuric: 9.0 microg/min (3.8-18) vs. 4.0 microg/min (0.4-17.5); P < 0.001. A total of 21% of patients with MA at baseline reverted to normoalbuminuria, and persistent proteinuria developed in 32%. The likelihood of progression to persistent proteinuria was significantly greater in those with baseline MA compared with those with normal albumin excretion (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Even in long-standing type 1 diabetes of >30 years' duration, MA and proteinuria predict all-cause mortality. MA is a good predictor of persistent proteinuria.