[Non-insulin treated diabetes: relationship between disease management and quality of care. The Entred study, 2001]. / Diabète non insulino-traité: lien entre l'existence d'une prise en charge pour affection de longue durée et la qualité du suivi médical. Données entred 2001.

INTRODUCTION: We studied the relationship between 100% medical fee coverage for chronic disease and quality of care in people with type 2 diabetes treated with oral hypoglycaemic agents (OHA) only, in France. METHODS: For the Entred study, 10,000 adults who received reimbursements for a delivery of OHA or insulin were randomly sampled from the database of the major national medical insurance system in 2001. For these 10,000 people, we extracted all medical consumption from the 2001 database and mailed a medical questionnaire; another questionnaire was mailed to their medical provider. We restricted the analysis to people with type 2 diabetes, treated with OHA only, with no annual visit to an endocrinologist (n = 1167), and to a sub-group with no complication reported by their medical provider (n = 525). RESULTS: 71% of people benefited from a waiver of co-payment due to a chronic disease (100% medical fee coverage for a list of 30 diseases including diabetes). People with 100% coverage were more likely to be women, older, with a longer duration of the disease, more often on several OHA and a drug for cardiovascular disease, and had a higher level of HbA1c. In multivariate analyses, 100% fee coverage was linked with a higher frequency of three HbA1c measurements (OR = 2,5 [1,6-4,0]), one electrocardiogram (1,9 [1,2-3,1]) and one podiatric visit (2,2 [1,1-4,3]) in 2001 in people without complications. No association was found with one measurement of albuminuria, creatininemia, lipids, and ophtalmological, dental or dietitian visit. CONCLUSIONS: In 2001, a significant relationship was found between 100% medical fee coverage on a better quality of care for people with diabetes on OHA at an early stage of the disease. Several explanations are further discussed.

Trends in the quality of care for elderly people with type 2 diabetes: the need for improvements in safety and quality (the 2001 and 2007 ENTRED Surveys).

AIM: This study aimed to characterize the sociodemographic data, health status, quality of care and 6-year trends in elderly people with type 2 diabetes. METHODS: This study used two French cross-sectional representative surveys of adults of all ages with all types of diabetes (Entred 2001 and 2007), which combined medical claims, and patient and medical provider questionnaires. The 2007 data in patients with type 2 diabetes aged 65 years or over (n=1766) were described and compared with the 2001 data (n=1801). RESULTS: Since 2001, obesity has increased (35% in 2007; +7 points since 2001) while written nutritional advice was less often provided (59%; -6 points). Mean HbA(1c) (7.1%; -0.2%), blood pressure (135/76 mmHg; -4/-3 mmHg) and LDL cholesterol (1.04 g/L; -0.21 g/L) declined, while the use of medication increased: at least two OHAs, 34% (+4 points); OHA(s) and insulin combined, 10% (+4 points); antihypertensive treatment, 83% (+4 points); and statins 48% (+26 points). Severe hypoglycaemia remained frequent (10% had an event at least once a year). The overall prevalence of complications increased. Renal complications were not monitored carefully enough (missing value for albuminuria: 42%; -4.5 points), and 46% of those with a glomerular filtration rate less than 60 mL/min/1.73 m² were taking metformin. CONCLUSION: Elderly people with type 2 diabetes are receiving better quality of care and have better control of cardiovascular risk factors than before. However, improvement is still required, in particular by performing better screening for complications. In this patient population, it is important to carefully monitor the risks for hypoglycaemia, hypotension, malnutrition and contraindications related to renal function.

The burden of diabetes-related mortality in France in 2002: an analysis using both underlying and multiple causes of death.

AIM: To describe the burden of diabetes-related mortality in France. METHODS: Underlying and multiple causes (all causes listed) of death were extracted from the 2002 French national mortality registry. Death rates were standardized on the age structure of the European population. RESULTS: Diabetes was reported as the underlying cause of death in 11,177 certificates (2.1%), and as multiple causes in 29,357 certificates (5.3%), giving a ratio (multiple/underlying causes) of 2.6. When diabetes was a multiple cause, the mean age at death was 75 years in men, 81 years in women. The age-standardized mortality rates were 41.0/100,000 in men, 24.6/100,000 in women. The excess mortality observed in men (men/women ratio = 1.7) decreased with age. Geographic differences were observed: higher rates in the North-East, lower rates in the West of the country. In certificates mentioning diabetes, the most frequent cause of death was diseases of the circulatory system (76%). Coronary heart diseases, foot ulcers and renal diseases were more likely to be mentioned in certificates referring to diabetes than in those that did not. DISCUSSION: The use of multiple rather than underlying causes of death more than doubled diabetes-related mortality rates. While probably still under-estimated, the burden of diabetes-related mortality corresponds to a high proportion of the total mortality, especially in men. Geographic differences partially reflect disparities in diabetes prevalence. Causes more frequently associated with diabetes include coronary heart disease and complications related to neuropathy and nephropathy.