Concomitant Peripheral Neuropathy and Type 2 Diabetes Impairs Postexercise Cutaneous Perfusion and Flowmotion.

CONTEXT: Type 2 diabetes and peripheral neuropathy exhibit microvascular dysfunction at rest. However, data regarding their microvascular perfusion during exercise remain scarce. OBJECTIVE: This study investigated changes in microvascular perfusion during postexercise recovery in those with type 2 diabetes, with or without peripheral neuropathy, as well as in healthy controls and those with obesity. METHODS: Skin blood perfusion was assessed in each group using laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) and laser speckle contrast imaging before and immediately after a 6-minute walking test. LDF recordings underwent wavelet transformation to allow specific control mechanisms of blood perfusion to be studied (eg, endothelial nitric oxide-independent and -dependent, neurogenic, myogenic, respiratory, and cardiac mechanisms). RESULTS: Skin blood perfusion increased after exercise in all groups (22.3 ±â€…28.1% with laser speckle contrast imaging and 22.1 ±â€…52.5% with LDF). Throughout postexercise recovery, the decrease was blunted in those with subclinical peripheral neuropathy and confirmed peripheral neuropathy when compared to the other 3 groups. After exercise, total spectral power increased in all groups. The relative contributions of each endothelial band was lower in those with confirmed peripheral neuropathy than in the healthy controls and those with obesity (nitric oxide-dependent function: 23.6 ±â€…8.9% vs 35.5 ±â€…5.8% and 29.3 ±â€…8.8%, respectively; nitric oxide-independent function: 49.1 ±â€…23.7% vs 53.3 ±â€…10.4% and 64.6 ±â€…11.4%, respectively). The neurogenic contribution decreased less in those with confirmed peripheral neuropathy and in those with type 2 diabetes alone, compared to those with subclinical peripheral neuropathy and those with obesity (-14.5 ±â€…9.9% and -12.2 ±â€…6.1% vs -26.5 ±â€…4.7% and -21.7 ±â€…9.4%, respectively). CONCLUSION: Peripheral neuropathy, whatever the stage, altered the microvascular response to exercise via impaired endothelial and neurogenic mechanisms.

Specific information about the WHO guidelines for gestational diabetes screening improves clinical practices.

RATIONALE, AIMS AND OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of specific information on World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) screening on clinical practices and to estimate its acceptance by women. METHODS: A non-randomized interventional study, comparing two periods, that is, before (period I) and after (period II) the implementation of the WHO guidelines during year 2000 in three obstetrical units, using reminders, meetings and pre-printed prescription sheets. Women were interviewed on GDM screening acceptance. RESULTS: A total of 333 pregnant women were included in period I and 345 in period II. The proportion of women who were screened significantly increased between period I and period II (0.9% in period I, 59.1% in period II, P < 10(-3)). The screening test was realized in accordance with guidelines for 80% of women in period II. The acceptability of the test by women was estimated at 98%. Furthermore, 90% of them would accept to be screened again during another pregnancy. DISCUSSION: Specific information about WHO screening guidelines improves doctor practices. Moreover, the high rate of acceptance by women is an argument to promote more widespread WHO screening for GDM during pregnancy.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of gestational diabetes mellitus screening in France.

OBJECTIVE: To compare three strategies for gestational diabetes screening (i) screening of high-risk pregnant women with the 50 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT); (ii) screening of all pregnant women with the 50 g OGTT; (iii) screening of all pregnant women according to the 75 g OGTT. STUDY DESIGN: Cost-effectiveness analysis. The outcome measures, i.e. macrosomia, prematurity, perinatal mortality, hypertensive disorders rates were estimated from published studies and the costs from a prospective study involving 120 pregnant women. RESULTS: Compared to the first strategy, the cost to obtain one unit of additional effectiveness with the second screening strategy, was up to 1.1 times more expensive, and with the third strategy was up to 3.7 times more expensive. CONCLUSION: The costs per case prevented reflect a favourable cost-effectiveness ratio (CER) for screening of high-risk pregnant women by 50 g oral glucose test.