Background/aimsTo determine the incidence of any diabetic retinopathy (any-DR), sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy (STDR) and diabetic macular oedema (DMO) and their risk factors in type 1 ...diabetes mellitus (T1DM) over a screening programme.MethodsNine-year follow-up, prospective population-based study of 366 patients with T1DM and 15 030 with T2DM. Epidemiological risk factors were as follows: current age, age at DM diagnosis, sex, type of DM, duration of DM, arterial hypertension, levels of glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c), triglycerides, cholesterol fractions, serum creatinine, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and urine albumin to creatinine ratio (UACR).ResultsSum incidence of any-DR was 47.26% with annual incidence 15.16±2.19% in T1DM, and 26.49% with annual incidence 8.13% in T2DM. Sum incidence of STDR was 18.03% with annual incidence 5.77±1.21% in T1DM, and 7.59% with annual incidence 2.64±0.15% in T2DM. Sum incidence of DMO was 8.46% with annual incidence 2.68±038% in patients with T1DM and 6.36% with annual incidence 2.19±0.18% in T2DM. Cox's survival analysis showed that current age and age at diagnosis were risk factors at p<0.001, as high HbA1c levels at p<0.001, LDL cholesterol was significant at p<0.001, eGFR was significant at p<0.001 and UACR at p=0.017.ConclusionsThe incidence of any-DR and STDR was higher in patients with T1DM than those with T2DM. Also, the 47.26% sum incidence of any-DR in patients with T1DM was higher than in a previous study (35.9%), which can be linked to poor metabolic control of DM. Our results suggest that physicians should be encouraged to pay greater attention to treatment protocols for T1DM in patients.
Background/aimsTo determine the changes in the incidence of diabetic retinopathy (DR), diabetic macular oedema (DMO) and their risk factors in a population-based study of patients with diabetes ...mellitus (DM) referred to our 16 Primary Health Care Areas (HCAs).MethodsProspective population-based study of a total of 15 396 Caucasian patients with DM, who represent 86.53% of the total patients with DM in our HCAs, were studied over an 8-year follow-up period. All patients were screened with a mean follow-up of 3.18±1.11 times for each patient over the 8 years.ResultsThe yearly mean value of any DR was 8.37±2.19% (8.09%–8.99%); of advanced DR yearly mean value of 0.46±0.22% (0.03–0.78); and of DMO a yearly mean value of 2.19±0.18% (2%–2.49%). A clear increase was observed in the last 3 years, any DR increased from 8.09% in 2007 to 8.99% in 2014, and DMO from 2% in 2007 to 2.49% in 2014. These increases were more evident in some age groups. For patients with any DR aged 41–50 and 51–60 and for patients with advanced DR aged 41–50, 51–60 and 61–70, the increase was more marked, related to an increase in HbA1c values or to patients treated with insulin.ConclusionsAn increase in the incidence of DR and DMO was observed, especially in the younger patients aged between 31 and 70 years. This is linked to bad metabolic control of DM. Our results suggest a greater number of ocular complications in the near future, such as neovascular glaucoma, if these current findings are not addressed.
(1) Background: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) remains the leading cause of low vision and blindness in young adults of working age. Although the most important risk factors—such as the duration of ...diabetes mellitus (DM) and glycemic control measured by HbA1c—are known, the effects of lipids are not as clear. The aim of the present study is to analyze the effects of lipids on the development of DR. (2) Methods: This is a retrospective study of a population of 175,645 DM2 patients, during the period 2010 to 2020, in which the effects of different lipid factors are studied. (3) Results: The variables that most influenced the development of DR in our study, based on significance and cumulative hazard (CH), were arterial hypertension (CH 1.217, p < 0.001), HbA1c levels (CH 1.162, p = 0.001), microalbuminuria (CH 1.012, p < 0.001), LDL-C cholesterol (CH 1.007, p = 0.012), TC/HDL-C index (CH 1.092, p < 0.001), No-HDL-C/HDL-C index (CH 1.065, p = 0.002), the use of statins (CH 1.001, p = 0.005), and body mass index (CH 1.007, p < 0.001). (4) Conclusions: LDL-cholesterol, TC/HDL-C, and No-HDL-C/HDL-C indices are related to the development of DR, and there is a protective effect of HDL-cholesterol and the use of fibrates.
(1) Background: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a complication of diabetes mellitus (DM), screening programs of which have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of the present study was to ...determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the screening of diabetes patients in our healthcare area (HCA). (2) Methods: We carried out a retrospective study of patients with DM who had attended the DR screening program between January 2015 and June 2022. We studied attendance, DM metabolic control and DR incidence. (3) Results: Screening for DR decreased in the first few months of the pandemic. The incidence of mild and moderate DR remained stable throughout the study, and we observed little increase in severe DR, proliferative DR and neovascular glaucoma during 2021 and 2022. (4) Conclusions: The current study shows that during the COVID-19 pandemic, screening program attendance decreased during the year 2020, which then recovered in 2021. Regarding the most severe forms of DR, a slight increase in cases was observed, beginning in the year 2021. Nevertheless, we aimed to improve the telemedicine systems, since the conditions of a significant proportion of the studied patients worsened during the pandemic; these patients are likely those who were already poorly monitored.
Aims. To determine the relationship between diabetic nephropathy and diabetic retinopathy on a population of type 2 diabetes mellitus patients. Methods. A prospective ten-year follow-up ...population-based study. We determined differences between estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) using the chronic kidney disease epidemiology collaboration equation and urine albumin to creatinine ratio. Results. Annual incidence of any-DR was 8.21 ± 0.60% (7.06%–8.92%), sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy (STDR) was 2.65 ± 0.14% (2.48%–2.88%), and diabetic macular edema (DME) was 2.21 ± 0.18% (2%–2.49%). Renal study results were as follows: UACR > 30 mg/g had an annual incidence of 7.02 ± 0.05% (6.97%–7.09%), eGFR < 60 ml/min/1.73 m2 incidence was 5.89 ± 0.12% (5.70%–6.13%). Cox’s proportional regression analysis of DR incidence shows that renal function studied by eGFR < 60 ml/min/1.73 m2 was less significant (p=0.04, HR 1.223, 1.098–1.201) than UACR ≥ 300 mg/g (p<0.001, HR 1.485, 1.103–1.548). The study of STDR shows that eGFR < 60 ml/min/1.73 m2 was significant (p=0.02, HR 1.890, 1.267–2.820), UACR ≥ 300 mg/g (p<0.001, HR 2.448, 1.595–3.757), and DME shows that eGFR < 60 ml/min/1.73 m2 was significant (p=0.02, HR 1.920, 1.287–2.864) and UACR ≥ 300 mg/g (p<0.001, HR 2.432, 1.584–3.732). Conclusions. The UACR has a better association with diabetic retinopathy than the eGFR, although both are important risk factors for diabetic retinopathy.
Purpose: To determine the prevalence of microangiopathy, and its risk factors in a population-based study of diabetes mellitus patients in the north-eastern area of Spain.
Methods: A population-based ...transversal study of 8,187 type 2 (83.37% of the diagnosed patients) and 488 type 1 (85.76% of the diagnosed patients) underwent a detailed medical history that included: diagnoses of diabetic retinopathy, macular edema, microalbuminuria or overt nephropathy. A study of its risk factors, and the relationship between diabetic retinopathy and renal lesion was performed.
Results: In type 1 diabetes patients we observed a prevalence of 36.47% of diabetic retinopathy and 5.73% with macular edema; in type 2 diabetes patients the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy was 26.11% and 6.44% with macular edema. Microalbuminuria prevalence was 25.61% in type 1 and 17.78% in type 2 patients, and overt nephropathy prevalence was 8.60% in type 1 and 6.74% in type 2 diabetic patients. The risk factors for diabetic retinopathy were: diabetes duration, high glycosylated level, and arterial hypertension, and insulin treatment in type 2. The Total-cholesterol/High Density-cholesterol (TC/HDL) ratio and triglycerides were significant for diabetic macular edema (DME). Microalbuminuria and overt nephropathy were well correlated to diabetes duration, arterial hypertension and glycosylated haemoglobin.
Conclusions: Prevalence and risk factors for microangiopathy are similar to other studies, and the important finding is that the TC/HDL ratio was significant for DME. Microalbuminuria is a risk factor for diabetic retinopathy in type 1 diabetes mellitus patients but not for type 2. Overt nephropathy is well correlated with diabetic retinopathy.
There is current controversy about the efficacy of smoking cessation interventions that are based on information obtained by spirometry. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness ...in the primary care setting of structured motivational intervention to achieve smoking cessation, compared with usual clinical practice.
Multicentre randomized clinical trial with an intervention and a control group.
12 primary care centres in the province of Tarragona (Spain).
600 current smokers aged between 35 and 70 years with a cumulative habit of more than 10 packs of cigarettes per year, attended in primary care for any reason and who did not meet any of the exclusion criteria for the study, randomly assigned to structured intervention or standard clinical attention.
Usual advice to quit smoking by a general practitioner as well as a 20-minute personalized visit to provide detailed information about spirometry results, during which FEV1, FVC, FEF 25-75% and PEF measurements were discussed and interpreted in terms of theoretical values. Additional information included the lung age index (defined as the average age of a non-smoker with the same FEV1 as the study participant), comparing this with the chronological age to illustrate the pulmonary deterioration that results from smoking.
Spirometry during the initial visit. Structured interview questionnaire administered at the primary care centre at the initial visit and at 12-month follow-up. Telephone follow-up interview at 6 months. At 12-month follow-up, expired CO was measured in patients who claimed to have quit smoking.
Smoking cessation at 12 months.
Data will be analyzed on the basis of "intention to treat" and the unit of analysis will be the individual smoker.
Among active smokers treated in primary care we anticipate significantly higher smoking cessation in the intervention group than in the control group.
Application of a motivational intervention based on structured information about spirometry results, improved abstinence rates among smokers seen in actual clinical practice conditions in primary care.
ClinicalTrial.gov, number NCT01194596.
The aim of present study was to evaluate our clinical decision support system (CDSS) for predicting risk of diabetic retinopathy (DR). We selected randomly a real population of patients with type 2 ...diabetes (T2DM) who were attending our screening programme.
The sample size was 602 patients with T2DM randomly selected from those who attended the DR screening programme. The algorithm developed uses nine risk factors: current age, sex, body mass index (BMI), duration and treatment of diabetes mellitus (DM), arterial hypertension, Glicated hemoglobine (HbA1c), urine-albumin ratio and glomerular filtration.
The mean current age of 67.03±10.91, and 272 were male (53.2%), and DM duration was 10.12±6.4 years, 222 had DR (35.8%). The CDSS was employed for 1 year. The prediction algorithm that the CDSS uses included nine risk factors: current age, sex, BMI, DM duration and treatment, arterial hypertension, HbA1c, urine-albumin ratio and glomerular filtration. The area under the curve (AUC) for predicting the presence of any DR achieved a value of 0.9884, the sensitivity of 98.21%, specificity of 99.21%, positive predictive value of 98.65%, negative predictive value of 98.95%, α error of 0.0079 and β error of 0.0179.
Our CDSS for predicting DR was successful when applied to a real population.
Type 2 diabetes is an important preventable disease and a growing public health problem. Based on information provided by clinical trials, we know that Type 2 diabetes can be prevented or delayed by ...lifestyle intervention. In view of translating the findings of diabetes prevention research into real-life it is necessary to carry out community-based evaluations so as to learn about the feasibility and effectiveness of locally designed and implemented programmes. The aim of this project was to assess the effectiveness of an active real-life primary care strategy in high-risk individuals for developing diabetes, and then evaluate its efficiency.
Cost-Effectiveness analysis of the DE-PLAN (Diabetes in Europe - Prevention using Lifestyle, physical Activity and Nutritional intervention) project when applied to a Mediterranean population in Catalonia (DE-PLAN-CAT). Multicenter, longitudinal cohort assessment (4 years) conducted in 18 primary health-care centres (Catalan Health Institute). Individuals without diabetes aged 45-75 years were screened using the Finnish Diabetes Risk Score - FINDRISC - questionnaire and a 2-h oral glucose tolerance test. All high risk tested individuals were invited to participate in either a usual care intervention (information on diet and cardiovascular health without individualized programme), or the intensive DE-PLAN educational program (individualized or group) periodically reinforced. Oral glucose tolerance test was repeated yearly to determine diabetes incidence. Besides measuring the accumulated incidence of diabetes, information was collected on economic impact of the interventions in both cohorts (using direct and indirect cost questionnaires) and information on utility measures (Quality Adjusted Life Years). A cost-utility and a cost-effectiveness analysis will be performed and data will be modelled to predict long-term cost-effectiveness.
The project was intended to evidence that a substantial reduction in Type 2 diabetes incidence can be obtained at a reasonable cost-effectiveness ratio in real-life primary health care setting by an intensive lifestyle intervention. As far as we know, the DE-PLAN-CAT/PREDICE project represents the first assessment of long-term effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a public healthcare strategy to prevent diabetes within a European primary care setting.
To estimate the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MS) in a population receiving attention in primary care centers (PCC) we selected a random cohort of ostensibly normal subjects from the registers of ...5 basic-health area (BHA) PCC. Diagnosis of MS was with the WHO, NCEP and IDF criteria. Variables recorded were: socio-demographic data, CVD risk factors including lipids, obesity, diabetes, blood pressure and smoking habit and a glucose tolerance test outcome. Of the 720 individuals selected (age 60.3 +/- 11.5 years), 431 were female, 352 hypertensive, 142 diabetic, 233 pre-diabetic, 285 obese, 209 dyslipemic and 106 smokers. CVD risk according to the Framingham and REGICOR calculation was 13.8 +/- 10% and 8.8 +/- 9.8%, respectively. Using the WHO, NCEP and IDF criteria, MS was diagnosed in 166, 210 and 252 subjects, respectively and the relative risk of CVD complications in MS subjects was 2.56. Logistic regression analysis indicated that the MS components (WHO set), the MS components (IDF set) and the female gender had an increased odds ratio for CVD of 3.48 (95CI%: 2.26-5.37), 2.28 (95%CI: 1.84-4.90) and 2.26 (95%CI: 1.48-3.47), respectively. We conclude that MS and concomitant CVD risk is high in ostensibly normal population attending primary care clinics, and this would necessarily impinge on resource allocation in primary care.
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