Effects of a Digital Patient Empowerment and Communication Tool on Metabolic Control in People With Type 2 Diabetes: The DeMpower Multicenter Ambispective Study.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes is a major health care problem, reaching epidemic numbers worldwide. Reducing hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels to recommended targets is associated with a marked decrease in the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM)-related complications. The implementation of new technologies, particularly telemedicine, may be helpful to facilitate self-care and empower people with T2DM, leading to improved metabolic control of the disease. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to analyze the effect of a home digital patient empowerment and communication tool (DeMpower App) on metabolic control in people with inadequately controlled T2DM. METHODS: The DeMpower study was multicenter with a retrospective (observational: 52 weeks of follow-up) and prospective (interventional: 52 weeks of follow-up) design that included people with T2DM, aged ≥18 and ≤80 years, with HbA1c levels ≥7.5% to ≤9.5%, receiving treatment with noninsulin antihyperglycemic agents, and able to use a smartphone app. Individuals were randomly assigned (2:1) to the DeMpower app-empowered group or control group. We describe the effect of empowerment on the proportion of patients achieving the study glycemic target, defined as HbA1c≤7.5% with a ≥0.5% reduction in HbA1c at week 24. RESULTS: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the study was stopped prematurely, and 50 patients (33 in the DeMpower app-empowered group and 17 in the control group) were analyzed. There was a trend toward a higher proportion of patients achieving the study glycemic target (46% vs 18%; P=.07) in the DeMpower app group that was statistically significant when the target was HbA1c≤7.5% (64% vs 24%; P=.02) or HbA1c≤8% (85% vs 53%; P=.02). The mean HbA1c was significantly reduced at week 24 (-0.81, SD 0.89 vs -0.15, SD 1.03; P=.03); trends for improvement in other cardiovascular risk factors, medication adherence, and satisfaction were observed. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that patient empowerment through home digital tools has a potential effect on metabolic control, which might be even more relevant during the COVID-19 pandemic and in a digital health scenario.

Renal function and attributable risk of death and cardiovascular hospitalization in participants with diabetes from a registry-based cohort.

AIMS: To estimate the attributable risk of renal function on all-cause mortality and cardiovascular hospitalization in patients with diabetes. METHODS: A prospective cohort study in 19,469 adults with diabetes, free of cardiovascular disease, attending primary care in Spain (2008-2011). The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and other variables were collected and patients were followed to the first hospitalization for coronary or stroke event, or death, until the end of 2012. The cumulative incidence of the study endpoints by eGFR categories was graphically displayed and adjusted population attributable risks (PARs) for low eGFR was calculated. RESULTS: Mean follow-up was 3.2 years and 506 deaths and 1720 hospitalizations were recorded. The cumulative risk for the individual events increased as eGFR levels decreased. The PAR associated with having an eGFR of 60mL/min/1.73m2 or less was 11.4% (95% CI 4.8-18.3) for all-cause mortality, 9.2% (95% CI 5.3-13.4) for coronary heart disease, and 2.6% (95% CI -1.8 to 7.4) for stroke. CONCLUSIONS: Reduced eGFR levels were associated with a larger proportion of avoidable deaths and cardiovascular hospitalizations in people with diabetes compared to previously reported results in people with other cardiovascular risk factors.

Clinical and epidemiological characteristics of pyogenic liver abscess in people 65 years or older versus people under 65: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: To analyse the clinical, epidemiological, microbiological and prognostic differences of pyogenic liver abscess (PLA) in older (≥ 65 years of age) versus younger patients (< 65 years). METHODS: Multicentre, retrospective cohort study in all patients with PLA admitted to two Spanish hospitals from January 2000 to January 2014. Cases were divided into two age groups (< 65 years and ≥65 years) for comparison of clinical, epidemiological and microbiological characteristics as well as treatment. RESULTS: Of 98 patients analysed, 40 patients were younger than 65, and 58 were aged 65 or older. Significant associations in the older group were found with female sex (adjusted odds ratio [ORa] 9.0; 95% CI 1.4, 56), non-cryptogenic origin (ORa 14.5; 95% CI 1.6, 129), absence of chronic liver disease (ORa 14; 95% CI 1.3, 155), Escherichia coli infection (ORa 7.7; 95% CI 1.03, 58), and incidence of complications (ORa 2.3; 95% CI 1.04, 5.4). Mortality was 8.2% overall, although all deaths occurred in the older group (8/58; 13.8%) (p = 0.02). DISCUSSION: Our results are in consonance with other published studies. Older patients with PLA tend to present more anomalies in the biliary tract (Kai et. al, World J Gastroenterol 18: 2948-295, 2012, Rahimian et. al, Clin Infect Dis 39:1654-9, 2004, Seeto, Medicine (Baltimore) 75:99-113, 1996, Kao et.al, Aliment Pharmacol Ther 36:467-76, 2012, Lai et. al, Gastroenterology 146:129-37, 2014), while younger patients are more often male and present more commonly with previous liver disease (especially related to alcohol) and cryptogenic PLA. CONCLUSION: In patients aged 65 or older, PLA was more common in women and in those with a history of biliary disease, and E. coli was the most frequent bacterium. Mortality was also higher in the older group.