Understanding the diabetes self-care behaviour in rural areas: Perspective of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and healthcare professionals.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes self-care behaviour plays a crucial role in managing the diabetes effectively and preventing complications. Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and health care professionals (HCPs) of rural areas often face unique challenges when it comes to diabetes self-care practices (SCPs). Therefore, this study aim to explore the perspectives of patients with T2DM and HCPs on diabetes SCPs. METHODS: Eight focus group discussions (FGDs) among individuals with T2DM and In-depth interviews (IDIs) with 15 HCPs were conducted in rural areas of Punjab, North India. Capability, Opportunity, Motivation, and Behaviour model (COM-B) was employed for thematic framework analyses. RESULTS: The study participants perceived that a limited understanding of diabetes mellitus (DM), beliefs in alternative therapies, drug side effects, attitudes towards DM (psychological capability), comorbidities (physical capability), family support (social opportunity), financial and time constraints, and weather conditions (physical opportunity) contributed to lack of DM SCPs. Physicians' guidance and support were motivating them to adhere to SCPs, especially when aligned with their sense of self-efficacy (reflective motivation). HCPs constraints in providing patient-centred care are due to training limitations (psychological capability) and a lack of essential resources (physical opportunities). Participants expressed need for comprehensive diabetes care (automatic motivation) through structured diabetes education intervention to improve diabetes SCPs. CONCLUSIONS: The study findings indicate that various factors influence diabetes SCPs from the perspectives of both patients with T2DM and HCPs and emphasizes the need for a multi-faceted approach to improve diabetes SCPs in rural areas. Implementing a structured diabetes self-care intervention strategy in rural areas may help for preventing and mitigating the impact of diabetes-related complications in rural areas.

Therapeutic high-dose vitamin D for vitamin D-deficient severe COVID-19 disease: randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study (SHADE-S).

BACKGROUND: efficacy of therapeutic cholecalciferol supplementation for severe COVID-19 is sparingly studied. OBJECTIVE: effect of single high-dose cholecalciferol supplementation on sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score in moderate-to-severe COVID-19. METHODS: participants with moderate to severe COVID-19 with PaO2/FiO2 ratio < 200 were randomized to 0.6 million IU cholecalciferol oral (intervention) or placebo. OUTCOMES: primary outcome was change in Day 7 SOFA score and pre-specified secondary outcomes were SOFA and 28-day all-cause mortality. RESULTS: in all, 90 patients (45 each group) were included for intention-to-treat analysis. 25(OH)D3 levels were 12 (10-16) and 13 (12-18) ng/ml (P = 0.06) at baseline; and 60 (55-65) ng/ml and 4 (1-7) ng/ml by Day 7 in vitamin D and placebo groups, respectively. The SOFA score on Day 7 was better in the vitamin D group [3 (95% CI, 2-5) versus 5 (95% CI, 3-7), P = 0.01, intergroup difference - 2 (95% CI, -4 to -0.01); r = 0.4]. A lower all-cause 28-day mortality [24% compared to 44% (P = 0.046)] was observed with vitamin D. CONCLUSIONS: single high-dose oral cholecalciferol supplementation on ICU admission can improve SOFA score at Day 7 and reduce in-hospital mortality in vitamin D-deficient COVID-19. ClinicalTrials.gov  id: NCT04952857 registered dated 7 July 2021. What is already known on this topic-vitamin D has immunomodulatory role. Observational and isolated intervention studies show some benefit in COVID-19. Targeted therapeutic vitamin D supplementation improve outcomes in severe COVID-19 is not studied in RCTs. What this study adds-high-dose vitamin D supplementation (0.6 Million IU) to increase 25(OH)D > 50 ng/ml is safe and reduces sequential organ failure assessment score, in-hospital mortality in moderate to severe COVID-19. How this study might affect research, practice or policy-vitamin D supplementation in vitamin D-deficient patients with severe COVID-19 is useful may be practiced.

Short term, high-dose vitamin D supplementation for COVID-19 disease: a randomised, placebo-controlled, study (SHADE study).

BACKGROUND: Vitamin D has an immunomodulatory role but the effect of therapeutic vitamin D supplementation in SARS-CoV-2 infection is not known. AIM: Effect of high dose, oral cholecalciferol supplementation on SARS-CoV-2 viral clearance. DESIGN: Randomised, placebo-controlled. PARTICIPANTS: Asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 RNA positive vitamin D deficient (25(OH)D<20 ng/ml) individuals. INTERVENTION: Participants were randomised to receive daily 60 000 IU of cholecalciferol (oral nano-liquid droplets) for 7 days with therapeutic target 25(OH)D>50 ng/ml (intervention group) or placebo (control group). Patients requiring invasive ventilation or with significant comorbidities were excluded. 25(OH)D levels were assessed at day 7, and cholecalciferol supplementation was continued for those with 25(OH)D <50 ng/ml in the intervention arm. SARS-CoV-2 RNA and inflammatory markers fibrinogen, D-dimer, procalcitonin and (CRP), ferritin were measured periodically. OUTCOME MEASURE: Proportion of patients with SARS-CoV-2 RNA negative before day-21 and change in inflammatory markers. RESULTS: Forty SARS-CoV-2 RNA positive individuals were randomised to intervention (n=16) or control (n=24) group. Baseline serum 25(OH)D was 8.6 (7.1 to 13.1) and 9.54 (8.1 to 12.5) ng/ml (p=0.730), in the intervention and control group, respectively. 10 out of 16 patients could achieve 25(OH)D>50 ng/ml by day-7 and another two by day-14 [day-14 25(OH)D levels 51.7 (48.9 to 59.5) ng/ml and 15.2 (12.7 to 19.5) ng/ml (p<0.001) in intervention and control group, respectively]. 10 (62.5%) participants in the intervention group and 5 (20.8%) participants in the control arm (p<0.018) became SARS-CoV-2 RNA negative. Fibrinogen levels significantly decreased with cholecalciferol supplementation (intergroup difference 0.70 ng/ml; P=0.007) unlike other inflammatory biomarkers. CONCLUSION: Greater proportion of vitamin D-deficient individuals with SARS-CoV-2 infection turned SARS-CoV-2 RNA negative with a significant decrease in fibrinogen on high-dose cholecalciferol supplementation. TRIAL REGISTER NUMBER: NCT04459247.

Vitamin D supplementation improves simvastatin-mediated decline in exercise performance: A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of vitamin D supplementation on simvastatin-mediated changes in cardiorespiratory fitness and skeletal muscle mitochondrial content after exercise in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). METHODS: Vitamin D-deficient T2DM patients aged 25-50 years performed moderate intensity aerobic exercise for 12 weeks and were randomized to receive simvastatin 40 mg daily, simvastatin 40 mg daily plus vitamin D 60 000 units once weekly, or vitamin D 60 000 units once weekly. The primary outcomes were cardiorespiratory fitness (peak oxygen consumption) and skeletal muscle mitochondrial content (citrate synthase activity in the vastus lateralis) following simvastatin and/or vitamin D replacement therapy. RESULTS: Twenty-eight patients completed the study. Cardiorespiratory fitness decreased by 8.4% (P < 0.05) following 12 weeks of simvastatin therapy. Vitamin D supplementation blunted the decline in cardiorespiratory fitness to 0.6% (P < 0.05 for between-group difference in change from baseline). Similarly, skeletal muscle mitochondrial content decreased by 3.6% with simvastatin, but improved by 12.1% on supplementation with vitamin D, although the between-group difference was not significant. Vitamin D alone increased cardiorespiratory fitness and mitochondrial content by 7.1% (P < 0.05) and 16.7%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Simvastatin tends to cause deterioration in exercise-associated cardiorespiratory fitness and skeletal muscle mitochondrial content in adults with T2DM, which is blunted by vitamin D supplementation.

The microbiology of diabetic foot infections in patients recently treated with antibiotic therapy: A prospective study from India.

AIM: Clinicians often treat clinically infected diabetic foot ulcers without information from cultures of the wound. The results of wound cultures may also be affected by previous antibiotic therapy. Thus, we aimed to study the microbial isolates, and antimicrobial sensitivity of previously treated patients with a clinically infected DFU. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: 293 consecutive patients with clinically infected DFU on prior antimicrobial treatment within the immediate past few days for a duration greater than one week were evaluated for microbial etiology, antibiotic sensitivity and final outcomes. Appropriate tissue samples i.e. purulent drainage, soft-tissue and/ or bone were obtained for aerobic/anaerobic cultures and antimicrobial sensitivities. 71 patients with missing prior antibiotic data were excluded. RESULTS: 313 tissue samples obtained from 222 patients isolated 317 causative organisms. Most of the culture results from tissue specimens were mono-microbial (93.2%) compared to 37% in our previous cohort of 60 patients. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the most common organism isolated on culture of bone (26.9%) or soft tissue (23.2%) specimen, respectively. Only 23% and 64% of P. aeruginosa isolates and 5.6% and 44% of Acinetobacter sp. were sensitive to quinolones and cephalosporins, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Clinically infected DFU recently treated with antibiotics have predominant monomicrobial and multi drug-resistant infection. Quinolones as an empirical antibiotic choice may not be appropriate in this setting.

Celiac disease: A missed cause of metabolic bone disease.

INTRODUCTION: Celiac disease (CD) is a highly prevalent autoimmune disease. The symptoms of CD are varied and atypical, with many patients having no gastrointestinal symptoms. Metabolic bone disease (MBD) is a less recognized manifestation of CD associated with spectrum of musculoskeletal signs and symptoms, viz. bone pains, proximal muscle weakness, osteopenia, osteoporosis, and fracture. We here report five patients who presented with severe MBD as the only manifestation of CD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Records of 825 patients of CD diagnosed during 2002-2010 were retrospectively analyzed for clinical features, risk factors, signs, biochemical, and radiological parameters. RESULTS: We were able to identify five patients (0.6%) of CD who had monosymptomatic presentation with musculoskeletal symptoms and signs in the form of bone pains, proximal myopathy, and fragility fractures without any gastrointestinal manifestation. All the five patients had severe MBD in the form of osteopenia, osteoporosis, and fragility fractures. Four of the five patients had additional risk factors such as antiepileptic drugs, chronic alcohol consumption, malnutrition, and associated vitamin D deficiency which might have contributed to the severity of MBD. CONCLUSION: Severe metabolic disease as the only presentation of CD is rare. Patients show significant improvement in clinical, biochemical, and radiological parameters with gluten-free diet, calcium, and vitamin D supplementation. CD should be looked for routinely in patients presenting with unexplained MBD.