Hidden barriers: obesity bias in hypertension treatment.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Individuals with obesity often face obesity bias, which may influence the delivery of appropriate medical care. Our aim is to evaluate the adequacy of therapeutic decisions regarding the pharmacological treatment for hypertension in patients with diabetes, both with and without obesity. METHODS: This is a multicentric cross-sectional study of patients with type 2 diabetes and arterial hypertension who received outpatient care in Southern Brazil. Participants were stratified into two groups according to their body mass index (BMI): lower weight (BMI < 25.0 kg/m2) and with obesity (BMI ≥ 30.0 kg/m2). The primary outcome evaluated was the difference in pharmacological treatment decisions for hypertension between groups, considering individualized hypertension targets from American Diabetes Association (ADA), European Society of Hypertension (ESH), and European Society of Cardiology (ESC) guidelines. Data were analyzed as a binary endpoint (failure to receive treatment intensification vs. receiving treatment intensification when necessary) and groups were compared using multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: This study included 204 participants, of which 53 were at a lower weight and 151 had obesity. Patients with obesity more frequently failed to receive appropriate treatment intensification when compared to individuals with lower weight. The differences between the study groups were observed when considering the blood pressure target of three societies: ESH (adjusted OR 2.28 [95% CI 1.12-4.63], p = 0.022), ESC (adjusted OR 2.13 [95% CI 1.05-4.31], p = 0.035), and ADA (adjusted OR 2.33 [95% CI 1.13-4.77], p = 0.021). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that patients with obesity may face potential disparities in hypertension management, and obesity status may be related to therapeutic inertia in the management of arterial hypertension in this group.

Quality indicators in prolonged hemodialysis with regional citrate anticoagulation with the genius system: retrospective cohort of critical patients with acute kidney injury.

BACKGROUND: Prolonged hemodialysis (HD) is performed from 6 to 12 h and can last up to 24 h. To prevent system clotting some studies suggest that Regional Citrate Anticoagulation (RCA) use reduces bleeding rates relative to systemic heparin. However, there may be difficulties in the patient's clinical management and completing the prescribed HD with Genius system using RCA. OBJECTIVE: To analyze safety Quality Indicators (IQs) and follow up on prolonged HD with 4% sodium citrate solution in a Genius® hybrid system. METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort conducted in an intensive care unit. RESULTS: 53 random sessions of prolonged HD with 4% sodium citrate solution of critically ill patients with AKI assessed. Evaluated safety indicators were dysnatremia and metabolic alkalosis, observed in 15% and 9.4% of the sessions, respectively. Indicators of effectiveness were system clotting which occurred in 17.3%, and the minimum completion of the prescribed HD time, which was 75.5%. CONCLUSION: The assessment of the indicators showed that the use of RCA with a 4% sodium citrate solution in prolonged HD with the Genius system in critically ill patients with AKI can be performed in a simple, safe, and effective way.

Interactive virtual assistance for mental health promotion and self-care management in elderly with type 2 diabetes (IVAM-ED): study protocol and statistical analysis plan for a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: With one in five individuals aged 65 or older living with type 2 diabetes worldwide, it is crucial to acknowledge and address the challenges faced by this population. In this context, our study aims to evaluate the efficacy of a behavioral intervention model delivered through a smart speaker on mental health and diabetes self-care in the elderly with diabetes. METHODS: This is a single-center, pragmatic, parallel two-arm open randomized clinical trial involving elderly patients with type 2 diabetes. We plan to enroll a total of 112 individuals who will be randomized 1:1 to receive the Smart Speaker EchoDot 3rd Gen device (Amazon Echo®) for home use (intervention arm) or to maintain usual care (control arm). The primary outcome is mental distress, assessed using the 20-item Self Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20) after a 12-week intervention period. Secondary outcomes include quality of life, adherence to diabetes self-care behaviors, perception of stress, glycemic control, blood pressure, and lipid profile. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) will be used to evaluate the effects of the intervention on the outcomes. DISCUSSION: This study assesses the effectiveness of an interactive virtual assistance system for enhancing mental health and glycemic control among elderly individuals with type 2 diabetes. The findings may introduce smart speakers as a valuable tool for promoting diabetes-related self-care in this population. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05329376. Registered on 15 April 2022. Enrollment began on 20 June 2023 and the last update of protocol was on 13 December 2023.