A survey of clinical physician's perceptions of stigma and advocacy in patients with type 2 diabetes in Kanagawa, Japan.

AIMS/INTRODUCTION: To investigate the recognition status of stigma/advocacy in patients with type 2 diabetes in clinical practice settings. METHOD: A questionnaire survey on stigma/advocacy of patients with diabetes was carried out for members of the Kanagawa Physicians Association in July 2021. RESULTS: The respondents consisted of 33 (16.6%) physicians specializing in diabetes (the D group) and 166 (83.4%) non-specialists (the ND group). 100% of the D group and 48.8% of the ND group knew that patients may be prejudiced or discriminated against because of diabetes. In the question of whether they know the terms 'stigma' and 'advocacy', 'know' was 97.0% and 94.0% in the D group, compared with 45.8% and 36.7% in the ND group, respectively. 97.0% of the D group and 19.9% of the ND group know the advocacy activities of the Japanese Diabetes Society (JDS) and the Japan Association for Diabetes Education (JADEC). The specific contents of the stigma were often unknown or never experienced in the ND group. A free description of the strategy for reducing or eliminating stigma was analyzed by text mining. 'Giving consideration to the patients' feelings', 'Commitment to the problem', and 'Dialogue' were frequent, and there was no significant difference between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: The clinician's understanding of stigma/advocacy associated with having diabetes was insufficient, and activities that alert clinicians to stigma/advocacy, especially those in the ND group, was a theme to be addressed. More awareness-raising activities for stigma/advocacy will lead to better treatment and a better quality of life for patients with diabetes.

Retrospective Analysis of the Renoprotective Effects of Long-Term Use of Six Types of Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter 2 Inhibitors in Japanese Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Chronic Kidney Disease.

Aim: Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2is) provide renal protection in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The aim of this study was to elucidate the renal effects of long-term use of six types of SGLT2is in Japanese patients with T2DM and chronic kidney disease (CKD). Materials and Methods: The Kanagawa Physicians Association maintains a registry of patients who visit their 31 clinics. We retrieved clinical data of patients with T2DM and CKD who were prescribed with SGLT2is for >1 year. Results: A total of 763 patients with a median treatment duration of 33 months were included. The logarithmic value of urine albumin-creatinine ratio (LNACR) decreased significantly from 1.60 ± 0.65 to 1.51 ± 0.67. The multiple linear regression analysis revealed that the LNACR at the initiation of treatment, change in (Δ) diastolic blood pressure, and Δ hemoglobin A1c were independently correlated with ΔLNACR (P < 0.001). The decrease in the LNACR was significantly smaller in the patients with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) [mL/(min ·1.73 m2)] of <60 (P < 0.05). The eGFR decreased from 77.4 ± 22.3 to 72.7 ± 22.5 mL/(min ·1.73 m2) (P < 0.001). The multiple linear regression analysis showed that the LNACR at the initiation of treatment, Δbody weight at the previous survey, ΔeGFR at the previous survey, and the eGFR at the initiation of treatment correlated independently with ΔeGFR during the maintenance period (P < 0.001). Greater changes in the eGFR during the maintenance period were observed in the patients with macroalbuminuria or eGFR of <60 (P < 0.01). Conclusions: The study confirmed that the long-term use of six types of SGLT2i improved the albumin-creatinine ratio (ACR), although the eGFR gradually decreased during the treatment. The change in the ACR was significantly smaller in the patients with eGFR of <60 mL/(min ·1.73 m2) than in those with eGFR of >60 mL/(min ·1.73 m2). However, this was a retrospective observational study; further studies are needed to formulate final conclusions.

Blood pressure after treatment with sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors influences renal composite outcome: Analysis using propensity score-matched models.

AIMS/INTRODUCTION: Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) improve renal outcome in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, but the mechanism is not fully understood. The aim of this retrospective study was to assess the association of achieved blood pressure with renal outcomes in Japanese type 2 diabetes mellitus patients with chronic kidney disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We assessed 624 Japanese type 2 diabetes mellitus patients with chronic kidney disease taking SGLT2i for >1 year. The patients were classified as those with post-treatment mean arterial pressure (MAP) of ≥92 mmHg (n = 344) and those with MAP of <92 mmHg (n = 280) for propensity score matching (1:1 nearest neighbor match with 0.04 of caliper value and no replacement). The end-point was a composite of progression of albuminuria or a decrease in the estimated glomerular filtration rate by ≥15% per year. RESULTS: By propensity score matching, a matched cohort model was constructed, including 201 patients in each group. The incidence of renal composite outcome was significantly lower among patients with MAP of <92 mmHg than among patients with MAP of ≥92 mmHg (n = 11 [6%] vs n = 26 [13%], respectively, P = 0.001). The change in estimated glomerular filtration rate was similar in the two groups; however, the change in the albumin-to-creatinine ratio was significantly larger in patients with MAP of <92 mmHg. CONCLUSIONS: In Japanese type 2 diabetes mellitus patients with chronic kidney disease, blood pressure after SGLT2i administration influences the renal composite outcome. Blood pressure management is important, even during treatment with SGLT2i.

Intraoperative massive pulmonary tumor embolism from clear cell sarcoma in the retroperitoneum: successful treatment using cardiopulmonary bypass.

Malignant neoplasms rarely extend into the inferior vena cava and up to the right side of the heart. Although massive pulmonary tumor embolism occurs relatively rarely, it can be a catastrophic problem. Intraoperative pulmonary tumor embolism and cardiac arrest occurred in a 68-year-old woman while dissecting the inferior vena cava to resect a pararenal tumor extending into the retrohepatic inferior vena cava. Abrupt arterial hypotension, tachycardia, and increased central venous pressure lead to the diagnosis of massive pulmonary tumor embolism. Emergency cardiopulmonary bypass was commenced under profound hypothermia and cardiac arrest. The tumors in the main pulmonary artery were extracted, and fragments of remnant tumor were retrieved by a vascular endoscope, a Fogarty catheter, and milking of the lung. Following embolectomy, the tumor in the retrohepatic to infrarenal inferior vena cava was removed and the primary tumor together with the infrarenal inferior vena cava was resected under hepatic vascular exclusion and partial cardiopulmonary bypass. The inferior vena cava below the renal veins was not reconstructed. The patient recovered with slight retrograde amnesia. A postoperative pulmonary perfusion scintigram showed no defect in the pulmonary circulation. She is well now 8 months after surgery. Safe prevention measures should be accomplished as a part of the perioperative management of patients with inferior vena cava tumor thrombus that may be fragile, and cardiopulmonary bypass should always be stand-by on surgery.