Retinopathy, nephropathy, peripheral neuropathy and geriatric scale scores in elderly people with Type 2 diabetes.

AIMS: To analyse the relationships between retinopathy, nephropathy, peripheral neuropathy and geriatric scale scores in elderly people with Type 2 diabetes. METHODS: GERODIAB is the first French multi-centre, prospective, observational study designed to assess the influence of glycaemic control on mortality and morbidity through a 5-year follow-up study in people with Type 2 diabetes aged 70 years and older. In this report the relationships at baseline between retinopathy, nephropathy and peripheral neuropathy, and five geriatric scale scores in 987 people, using bivariate and multivariate analyses are analysed. RESULTS: Retinopathy (26%) was significantly associated with impaired scores on the Mini Geriatric Depression Scale, the Mini Nutritional Assessment and the Instrumental Activities of Daily Living scale. Logistic regression showed that the duration of diabetes, BMI, Mini Geriatric Depression Scale, hypoglycaemia and HbA1c were associated with retinopathy (concordance 69.1%; P < 0.001). Nephropathy (47.4%, including 34.8% with Modification of Diet in Renal Disease < 60 ml/min) was significantly associated with impaired Activities of Daily Living and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living scale scores. Using the logistic model, the most significant factors were age, duration of diabetes, triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, hypoglycaemia, hypertension and BMI (concordance 66.3%; P < 0.001). Peripheral neuropathy (28.2%) was associated with impaired scores on the Mini Mental State Examination, Activities of Daily Living, Instrumental Activities of Daily Living and Mini Geriatric Depression Scales. In the logistic model, diastolic blood pressure, duration of diabetes and the Instrumental Activities of Daily Living, Mini Geriatric Depression Scale and Mini Mental State Examination scales were included (concordance 69.8%; P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: In this specific sample, classical microvascular complications of diabetes were found to be associated with impaired geriatric scale scores. This highlights the benefits of systematic assessment in elderly people with Type 2 diabetes.

[Diabetes mellitus in the elderly: from the epidemiological challenge to a personalized approach]. / Le diabète du sujet âgé: du défi épidémiologique á une approche personnalisée.

Diabetes mellitus is a common chronic disease in the elderly, being either a known disease with a long history (type 1 or even more often type 2 diabetes) and then frequently associated with various diabetic complications, or a recently diagnosed diabetes that may, however, have been ignored for a rather long time. In this latter case, diabetes may present as the occurrence or aggravation of one or several geriatric syndromes that overall result in a loss of autonomy. The global geriatric assessment, the estimation of life expectancy and the justification of glucose-lowering treatments should be performed at regular intervals in elderly diabetic people as they determine the right choice of glucose target levels and the best selection of glucose-lowering agents. Medications that can induce hypoglycaemia should ideally be avoided, especially in the frailty older population. The benefit-risk ratio of the proposed therapies should be analyzed first, and then regularly reassessed because of a potentially rapidly progressing condition. The recommended approach is a tailored management of diabetes that should integrate the clinical, functional and psycho-social aspects of elderly individuals.

Evolution in geriatric syndromes and association with survival over 5 years in the GERODIAB cohort of older French diabetic patients.

PURPOSE: Although one in three patients with diabetes in Western countries is over 70 years-old, geriatric syndromes and their relationship with survival remain seldom studied. The present aim of the GERODIAB study was to examine the evolution of geriatric disorders and their relationship with survival in older type 2 patients with diabetes with initial sufficient autonomy. METHODS: We performed a prospective, observational study over 5 years in patients with diabetes aged 70 years or above. A total of 987 consecutive type 2 patients with diabetes (mean age 77 years, range 70-94 years, 65.2% were 75 years and above, 52.1% women) were included from 56 French diabetic centres. Individual characteristics, diabetes parameters and geriatric parameters (autonomy, nutrition, cognitive alteration, depression, orthostatic hypotension, falls) were annually recorded. Survival was analysed using the Kaplan-Meier method and proportional hazards regression models. RESULTS: Institutional living, impaired activity and difficulties in instrumental daily activity, cognitive disorders, malnutrition, depression, orthostatic hypotension and hypoglycaemia strongly increased during the follow-up. Institutional living, impaired activity and difficulties in instrumental daily activity, cognitive disorders and hypoglycaemia were strongly associated with reduced survival, but not falls. In hazard ratio models, living in an institution (HR = 2.39; CI = 1.77-3.24; p < 0.0001) and impaired Activity of Daily Living scale score were the most significant and independent predictors of death (HR = 1.59; CI = 1.19-2.13; p = 0.0016), associated with HbA1c ≥ 70 mmol/mol (HR = 1.62; CI = 1.12-2.36; p = 0.011). CONCLUSION: Our findings show the considerable alteration of geriatric parameters and their relationship with decreased survival after a 5-year follow-up in type 2 patients with diabetes, independent of HbA1c and age. They, therefore, confirm the prognostic interest of using yearly geriatric markers in older diabetic patient management, especially the ADL, IADL and MMSE scales. Taking into account these prognostic parameters should contribute to target appropriate HbA1c goals. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Registered at clinicaltrials.gov (21/01/2011): NCT01282060.

A call to incorporate the prevention and treatment of geriatric disorders in the management of diabetes in the elderly.

The prevalence of type 2 diabetes increases with age. However, the management of diabetes in the elderly has received surprisingly little attention. Diabetes in the elderly is associated with a high risk of geriatric syndromes including malnutrition and sarcopenia, functional impairments, falls and fractures, incontinence, depression and dementia. Tight glycaemic control for the prevention of vascular complications is often of limited value in the elderly. However, glycaemic control and non-pharmacological therapy may prevent diabetes symptoms and delay geriatric syndromes. The prevention, screening and treatment of both conventional diabetic complications and geriatric syndromes should be integrated in a management plan to optimize the patients' overall health status and quality of life.

[Seizure and Bourneville tuberous sclerosis: think about insulinoma]. / Crise comitiale et sclérose tubéreuse de Bourneville: penser à l'insulinome.

Bourneville tuberous sclerosis is a phacomatosis characterized by skin, neurological and ophthalmological lesions. At first, seizure can reveal cerebral lesions, but other causes may be suspected. We report a case of a Bourneville tuberous sclerosis in a 41-year-old-man with hypoglycemia leading to seizures, resulting from an insulinoma.

Glycaemic control and cardiovascular morbi-mortality: the contribution of the 2008 studies.

The year 2008 was rich in teachings and suspense in diabetology. Past studies, i.e. United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study (UKPDS) in type 2 diabetic patients and Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT) in type 1 diabetic patients, have shown that in the short term, intensive treatment reduces the incidence of microvascular complications linked to diabetes and in the long term that of both microvascular and macrovascular ones. The in-the-raw conclusions of the recent Action to Control Cardiovascular risk in Diabetes (ACCORD) study note an increase in mortality in type 2 diabetic patients treated intensively, while the Action in Diabetes and Vascular disease, Perindopril and Indapamide Controlled Evaluation (ADVANCE) study evidences a reduction in microvascular complications and the Veterans Affairs Diabetes Trial (VADT) study shows that intensive treatment has no significant effect. A well thought-out analysis of the studies published in 2008 (ACCORD, STENO 2 post-trial, ADVANCE, VADT, UKPDS post-trial, Epidemiology of Diabetes Interventions and Complications [EDIC]) is particularly instructive and highlights the existence of glycaemic memory, the non-existence of blood pressure memory, the need to control all cardiovascular risk factors and to treat diabetes early while avoiding hypoglycaemic incidents. The glycaemic target based on HbA1c must take into account the patient's age and the duration of his diabetes, as well as his cardiovascular risk factors and previous glycaemic control. All in all, the intensive treatment of type 2 diabetes must begin early; it must not be too rapid and must avoid hypoglycaemic incidents and be combined with a strict control of other cardiovascular risk factors.

[Acromegaly in the elderly]. / L'acromégalie du sujet âgé.

UNLABELLED: Multicentric registers such as The French Acromegaly Register provide data on rare disorders that are otherwise difficult to obtain, so avoiding extrapolation from limited data sets. This study focuses on clinical, hormonal and therapy characteristics of acromegaly in people over 70 years old. The objective was to compare this population with the youngest to disclose if the medical management was similar. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The data were obtained from the 30 centres that have registered patients in the Acromegaly Register since 1999. RESULTS: The register listed 644 acromegaly patients on 1st January 2005, of whom 68 (22 men and 46 women) were over 70 years old, independently of the diagnosis date of their disease. Their average age was 76.8 + or - 5 years (range: 70-95) and they had suffered from acromegaly for 11 + or - 6 years (compared to 7 years in those aged less than 70). Their BMI were similar. Diabetes and hypertension were more frequent than in younger acromegalic patients and in the general French population matched for age. Circulating GH and IGF-1 concentrations were lower than in the younger acromegalic patients on inclusion and 1 year after treatment. There was no significant difference in the tumor size. Only 44% of the patients over 70 underwent surgery, against 90% of patients under 70 years. However, the fractions of young and elderly patients with a controlled disease 1 year after inclusion were the same (51%). CONCLUSION: In the limits of the use of register, these data reveal a high prevalence of diabetes and hypertension in the eldest acromegalic patients. Despite much less frequent surgical intervention, patients' disease under control is equivalent to the younger population 1 year after the initial interview, confirming the effectiveness of the choices of treatment.

Glucocentric risk factors for macrovascular complications in diabetes: Glucose 'legacy' and 'variability'-what we see, know and try to comprehend.

Recognizing the role of dysglycaemia, 'ambient' hyperglycaemia, 'metabolic memory' and glycaemic variability as risk factors for macrovascular diseases is mandatory for effective diabetes management. Chronic hyperglycaemia, also referred to as 'ambient hyperglycaemia', was only fully acknowledged as a risk factor for adverse cardiovascular events when the beneficial effects of intensive glucose-lowering strategies were consolidated in the extended follow-up (> 10 years) of patients included in the United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study (UKPDS) and Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT)/Epidemiology of Diabetes Interventions and Complications (EDIC) Study. These studies led to the concept of the glucose-lowering 'legacy effect' (metabolic memory), which depends on the duration and magnitude of glucose-lowering, and is not a 'forever' phenomenon, as demonstrated in the 15-year follow-up of the Veterans Affairs Diabetes Trial (VADT). The relatively weak evidence for linking long- and short-term glycaemic variability to vascular complications in patients with diabetes is mainly due to a reliance on observational and retrospective studies, and the lack of randomized interventional trials. However, hypoglycaemia may play an intermediary role in accentuating the link between glycaemic variability and vascular events.

What is the role of computed tomographic coronary angiography in diabetic patients?

UNLABELLED: All diabetes specialists are aware of the frequency and severity of coronary disease in diabetics. Non-invasive diagnostic tests perform well, but they could be better. AIM: To assess the role of computed tomographic coronary angiography in diabetics. New cardiac imaging techniques such as CT coronary angiography are promising tools for the selection of patients for conventional X-ray coronary angiography, which remains the key for diagnosis and angioplasty. The limitations of CT coronary angiography, even using the most advanced machines with a 64-slice capacity, are its resolution, the need for an iodine contrast agent and the cumulative radiation from repeated examinations. CONCLUSION: CT coronary angiography appears to have great potential for patients at risk where non-invasive tests cannot absolutely exclude coronary disease and for the follow-up of coronary bypass surgery.

Haemoglobin A1c and 5-year all-cause mortality in French type 2 diabetic patients aged 70 years and older: The GERODIAB observational cohort.

AIM: The role of glycaemic control in the mortality of elderly diabetic patients remains uncertain. GERODIAB is the first multi-centre, prospective, observational study that aims to describe the link between HbA1c and 5-year mortality in French, type 2 diabetic patients aged ≥70 years. METHODS: Consecutive patients (n=987; mean age 77 years) were included from 56 diabetes centres and followed for five years. Individual histories, risk factors, standard diabetes parameters and geriatric evaluations were regularly recorded. Survival was studied using the Kaplan-Meier method. Multivariable analyses used Cox regression. RESULTS: Twenty-one percent of the patients died, 13% were lost during follow-up. Patients with a 5-year mean HbA1c in the range [40-50) mmol/mol ([5.8-6.7) %) had the highest survival (84%); those in the range [50-70) mmol/mol ([6.7-8.6) %) or <40mmol/mol (<5.8%) an intermediary survival rate (79%); patients with HbA1c ≥70mmol/mol (≥8.6%) the worst survival (71%). Patients with mean HbA1c ≥70mmol/mol (≥8.6%) had a significantly higher mortality than those with lower HbA1c (P=0.011), and HbA1c remained a significant predictor of mortality after adjusting for individual, diabetic and geriatric factors (hazards ratio [95%CI]: 1.76 [1.21 to 2.57], P=0.0033). Survival was also significantly associated with both HbA1c variability and with the frequency of HbA1c determinations. CONCLUSION: In this large sample of elderly French type 2 diabetic patients, an HbA1c level <70mmol/mol (<8.6%) was associated with lower mortality. The range [40-50) mmol/mol ([5.8-6.7) %) could be an acceptable target provided patients are not exposed to hypoglycaemia.

Contribution of genetic polymorphism in the renin-angiotensin system to the development of renal complications in insulin-dependent diabetes: Genetique de la Nephropathie Diabetique (GENEDIAB) study group.

Diabetic nephropathy is a glomerular disease due to uncontrolled diabetes and genetic factors. It can be caused by glomerular hypertension produced by capillary vasodilation, due to diabetes, against constitutional glomerular resistance. As angiotensin II increases glomerular pressure, we studied the relationship between genetic polymorphisms in the renin-angiotensin system-angiotensin I converting enzyme (ACE), angiotensinogen (AGT), and angiotensin II, subtype 1, receptor-and the renal involvement of insulin-dependent diabetic subjects with proliferative retinopathy: those exposed to the risk of nephropathy due to diabetes. Of 494 subjects recruited in 17 centers in France and Belgium (GENEDIAB Study), 157 (32%) had no nephropathy, 104 (21%) incipient (microalbuminuria), 126 (25 %) established (proteinuria), and 107 (22%) advanced (plasma creatinine > or = 150 micromol/liter or renal replacement therapy) nephropathy. The severity of renal involvement was associated with ACE insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism: chi2 for trend 5.135, P = 0.023; adjusted odds ratio attributable to the D allele 1.889 (95% CI 1.209-2.952, P = 0.0052). Renal involvement was not directly linked to other polymorphisms. However, ACE I-D and AGT M235T polymorphisms interacted significantly (P = 0.0166): in subjects with ACE ID and DD genotypes, renal involvement increased from the AGT MM to TT genotypes. Thus, genetic determinants that affect renal angiotensin II and kinin productions are risk factors for the progression of glomerular disease in uncontrolled insulin-dependent diabetic patients.

Coronary heart disease and cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy in the elderly diabetic.

Diabetes and old age come together to increase the frequency and severity of coronary heart disease. Often clinically nearly silent, symptoms frequently manifest dramatically, to such an extent that the question of screening should be raised, as in younger subjects. Preventing these manifestations relies on better management of the cardiovascular risk factors and obtaining good blood glucose control, but here progress remains necessary, which also requires adapting to the older patient's clinical and psychological condition. Cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy is a frequent degenerative complication in diabetics, particularly in the oldest subjects. The most severe types have serious clinical consequences, thus a higher mortality factor, but the mechanisms remain poorly understood. As for coronary heart disease, the therapeutic tools have expanded these last few years and should be thought out in relation to the geriatric evaluation, with the objective of improving these patients' quality of life. Therefore, a necessary distinction should be made between subjects who have aged successfully, whose management, ultimately, differs little from younger subjects, and frail elderly individuals for whom exploratory techniques and treatment should be adapted.

Should we have more definitions of metabolic syndrome or simply take waist measurement?

The disorder now known as metabolic syndrome has been recognized for 50 years, but its multiple definitions have led to some confusion and even doubt about its very nature. Metabolic syndrome is directly linked to the presence of android obesity, which indicates insulin resistance and lies at the root of all risk factors and early indications of type 2 diabetes. It is diagnosed by systematic measurements of waist size and its direct interpretation taking ethnic origin into account. This pragmatic approach avoids the uncertainties generated by differing definitions and is subtler than the presence or absence of metabolic syndrome in a given patient. Drug-free treatment of an android obese patient is inexpensive and effective, but this apparently simple approach masks difficulties of application. However, these are sociological problems.

[Hypertension and acromegaly in the elderly: French Registry Data]. / Hypertension artérielle et acromégalie du sujet âgé: données du registre français.

UNLABELLED: Multi centre registries such as the French Acromegaly Registry created in 1999 provide data on rare disorders that are otherwise difficult to obtain. This study focuses on the characteristics of high blood pressure in people aged of over 70 years old. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The data were obtained from the thirty centres where patients had been recorded on the Acromegaly Registry since 1999. RESULTS: The Register listed a total of 644 patients with acromegaly at January 1st 2005, of whom 68 (22 men and 46 women) were aged over 70 years old (10.6%). Their mean age was 76.8 +/- 5 years (range 70 - 95) and they had been presenting acromegaly for 11 +/- 6 years (compared to 7 years in those aged less than 70). Their BMI were 27.9 +/- 4 kg/m2 for men, 27.7 +/- 4 for women (respectively 28.4 +/- 4.3 and 26.7 +/- 4.4 in those aged less than 70 years). Hypertension was particularly frequent in this population, reaching 80% vs. 27% under 70 years (p=0.0001). Prevalence was then higher than in general population (referring to FLAHS study). Mean blood pressure was 143 +/- 12 / 84 +/- 15 mmHg for men and 141 +/- 17 / 79 +/- 9 for women. 46% of men and 30% of women treated or not, had blood pressure over 140 / 90 mmHg. Data showed 12% of arrhythmic cardiopathy, 8% of cardiac insufficiency, 12% of ischemic cardiopathy and 12% of patients suffering from arteritis or stroke. Although various therapeutic strategies had been applied for young and elderly patients, 51% in each group were in remission one year after inclusion. DISCUSSION: More than 10% of patients are aged over 70 years in the French Acromegaly Registry and hypertension is very frequently observed in this population. The increasing life expectancy due to currently available treatments justifies a strict management of patients in order to reduce cardiovascular risks, which stay the main cause of morbidity and mortality.

[Recommendations of the French National Health Authority for management of high blood pressure in clinical practice]. / Les recommandations de la Haute Autorité de Santé sur la prise en charge de l'HTA à l'épreuve des faits.

UNLABELLED: The new recommendations of the French national authority for health (or Haute Autorité de Santé: HAS) concerning management of high blood pressure (HBP) deserve to be compared with real clinical practices in a large population. MATERIAL AND METHODS: [corrected] EPIMIL is a prospective epidemiological study designed to assess the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome and the risk factors in a 2045 French male military personnel coming from Paris area. The different recommendations of the HAS have been applied to these subjects, and the aim of this work is to compare these theoretical objectives to what is done in real practice. RESULTS: Among these 2045 subjects aged of mean 38,6 +/- 8,8 years, 78 (4%) are known and treated for HPB. Although half of them present more than two associated risk factors, the means of systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure stay at high levels. The blood pressure (BP) targets established at 140/90 mmHg are only reached by 33 patients (42%). Among the 1967 subjects considered to have normal BP, the BP considered as optimal (120/80 mmHg) is only found in 695 subjects (35.3%) and 428 (21.7%) do present ignored or neglected HBP, in spite of the presence of important associated risk factors. Then, the cardiovascular risk stratification into levels, as recommended by the HAS, shows that for these subjects considered to have normal BP, risk is finally low for 6%, moderate for 12%, and high for 3.5%. COMMENTS: In a selected and in theory regularly followed population, the recommendations of the HAS are insufficiently applied, as well for detection or treatment of HBP. Then, information of both medical personnel and also the interested parties should be necessary, in order to see these recommendations applied in real practice.

[Role of nocturnal blood pressure in the onset of diabetic nephropathy]. / Responsabilité de la pression artérielle nocturne dans l'apparition d'une néphropathie chez les diabétiques.

UNLABELLED: The aim of this study was to assess the responsibility of night-time blood pressure in the onset of nephropathy in diabetic patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study included 98 diabetic patients (mean age: 54 +/- 15 years, diabetes duration: 15 +/- 10 years). An evaluation of diabetes and a 24-h ambulatory blood pressure were performed at the initial evaluation (Y0) and about five years later (Y5). At Y0, all patients had normal urinary albumin excretion (UAE) (<30 mg/24h). They were separated into two groups according to urinary albumin excretion at Y5: group (N +): UAE>30 mg/24h and group (N-): UAE<30 mg/24h. Twenty four hours ambulatory blood pressure, clinical and biological parameters recorded at Y0 were compared in both. RESULTS: At Y5, there was 18 patients in group (N +) and 78 in group (N-). Patients of group (N +) were older than those of group (N-): 62.9 +/- 9.5 vs. 52.6 +/- 15.7 years, p<0.01, and their BMI was higher (28 +/- 5 vs. 25 +/- 4 kg/m2, p<0.03). Diabetes duration and Hb A1c levels did not differ from significant manner in both. At Y0, UAE was significantly higher in group (N +) than in group (N-): 13 +/- 7 vs. 8 +/- 6 mg/24h, p<0.01. At the initial evaluation, daytime systolic and diastolic blood pressures did not differ from significant manner in both. Systolic and diastolic BP night-time were higher in diabetic patients who developed microalbuminuria (SBP: 122 +/- 19 vs. 113 +/- 13 mmHg, p<0.05 and DBP: 70 +/- 6 vs. 65 +/- 10 mmHg, p<0.03). UAE collected at Y5 was correlated to night-time BP recorded at Y0 (SBP: r=0.381, p=0.001 and PAD: r=0.294, p=0.004) and night-time systolic BP explained 12.3% of the UAE variance. Progression of UAE between the two evaluations was found to be correlated to the night-time systolic BP recorded at Y0 (r=0.335, p=0.0008) and night-time systolic BP explained 11.7% of the progression variance. There was a negative correlation between UAE at A5 and the difference between daytime and night-time BP recorded during the same evaluation (r=- 0.230, p=0.024 with SBP and r=- 0.243, p=0.017 with DBP). CONCLUSION: The results underlign the resposability of night-time blood pressure, and more especially of nighttime systolic blood pressure, for the onset of nephropathy in diabetic patients.

[Modifications of 24-h blood pressure profile associated with reduction of the heart rate variability in type 1 diabetic patients]. / Modifications du profil tensionnel nycthéméral associées à la réduction de la variabilité de la fréquence cardiaque chez le diabétique de type 1.

UNLABELLED: The purpose of this study was to assess the blood pressure modifications in type 1 diabetic patients who present reduction of heart rate variability. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study included 70 type 1 diabetic patients (mean age: 42 +/- 13 years, diabetes duration: 13.2 +/- 9 years. They were free for complications and did not receive other treatment than insulin. Heart rate variability was evaluated using 24-h continuous ECG record spectral analysis. Patients were divided into two groups according to whether log high frequency power was lower (group 1, N=36) or higher (group 2, N=3 4) than 70 patients'mean. Clinical and biological features and 24-h ambulatory blood pressure measurement were compared in both groups. RESULTS: Patients of group 1 were older than group 2 (47.8 +/- 11.2 vs. 35.7 +/- 12.2 years, p<0.0001) and diabetes duration was higher (16.9 +/- 8.4 vs. 9.4 +/- 8 years, p<0.001). BMI and Hb A1c did not differ from significant in both. Night-time blood pressure was upper in group 1 (SBP: 112 +/- 13 vs. 103 +/- 11 mmHg, p<0.01 and DBP: 66 +/- 8 vs. 60 +/- 7 mmHg, p<0.001). The difference between blood pressures during day and night (DeltaBP) were lower in group 1 than in group 2 (DeltaSBP: 10 +/- 9 vs. 15 +/- 7 mmHg, p<0.02 and DeltaDeltaBP: 9 +/- 7 vs. 12 +/- 5 mmHg, p<0.04). DSBP and DDBP were found to be correlated with log HF power (r=0.356, p<0.003), which could explain 11.8% and 12% of their variance. Urinary albumin excretion rate was higher in group 1 (8 +/- 4 vs. 5 +/- 3 mg/24h, p<0.01). CONCLUSION: In type 1 diabetic patients free for complications, reduction in heart rate variability linked to age and diabetes duration is associated with a reduction in nighttime BP fall. These two parameters of autonomic neuropathy could have a pathogenic role in the development of incipient nephropathy.

[Silent thyroiditis in a patient under lithium therapy]. / Thyroïdite silencieuse chez un patient traité par lithium.

While hypothyroidism secondary to treatments by lithium are well known, cases of hyperthyroidism are less common. A 48 years old patient under lithium carbonate from about 10 years ago presents hyperthyroidism without any auto-immunity biological markers, associated with a very low thyroid tracer uptake on scintigraphy. Treatments by anti thyroid agents will be necessary during months in order to normalize the hormone level, whereas lithium is maintained. Only few tens of cases of hyperthyroidism related to lithium have been reported in the literature. This observation shows the importance of the thyroid hormonal follow up for patients under lithium, in order to treat them before the outbreak of a thyroid dysfunction. The causal toxic mechanism is still unclear, and may be related with a direct damage of lithium to follicular cells.

[Nelson's syndrome management: current knowledge]. / Prise en charge du syndrome de Nelson: données actuelles.

PURPOSE: Nelson's syndrome is a severe complication of bilateral adrenalectomy performed in the treatment of some Cushing's diseases, and its management remains difficult. Trough the observation of a patient suffering from a severe form of Nelson's syndrome for more than 10 years, the authors review the literature and discuss the main current therapeutic possibilities. CURRENT KNOWLEDGE AND KEY POINTS: Many molecules have been used with variable results. In our observation cabergoline at 2 mg per week seems to be efficient after a 3 and a half years follow-up, in accordance with some recent publications. More than bromocriptine, this dopamine agonist provides interesting prospects for this disease's management. Moreover, if the conventional treatments as valproic acid or cyproheptadine are not very efficient, somatostatin analogs seem to be of some therapeutic interest. FUTURE PROSPECTS AND PROJECTS: New molecules are currently evaluated, but studies are difficult to conduct because of the low disease prevalence. Tumour receptors analysis undoubtedly constitutes an attractive way to find new therapeutic targets.

Relationship between achieved personalized glycaemic targets and monitoring of clinical events in elderly diabetic patients.

AIM: Recent guidelines for the management of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) in the elderly recommend adjusting the therapeutic target (HbA1c) according to the patient's health. Our study aimed to explore the association between achieving the recommended personalized HbA1c target and the occurrence of major clinical events under real-life conditions. METHODS: The T2DM S.AGES cohort was a prospective multicentre study into which 213 general practitioners recruited 983 non-institutionalized T2DM patients aged>65 years. The recommended personalized HbA1c targets were<7%, <8% and <9% for healthy, ill and very ill patients, respectively. Major clinical events (death from any cause, major vascular events and/or hospitalization) were recorded during the 3-year follow-up. Mixed-effects logistic regression models were used for the analyses. RESULTS: Of the 747 patients analyzed at baseline, 551 (76.8%) were at their recommended personalized HbA1c target. During follow-up, 391 patients (52.3%) experienced a major clinical event. Of the patients who did not achieve their personalized HbA1c target (compared with those who did), the risk (OR) of a major clinical event was 0.95 (95% CI: 0.69-1.31; P=0.76). The risk of death, major vascular event and hospitalization were 0.88 (95% CI: 0.40-1.94; P=0.75), 1.14 (95% CI: 0.7-1.83; P=0.59) and 0.84 (95% CI: 0.60-1.18; P=0.32), respectively. CONCLUSION: Over a 3-year follow-up period, our results showed no difference in risk of a major clinical event among patients, regardless of whether or not they achieved their personalized recommended HbA1c target. These results need to be confirmed before implementing a more permissive strategy for treating T2DM in elderly patients.