Thesis (M. Pharm) -- University of Limpopo, 2019 / Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a major public health problem, challenging patients, healthcare professionals, health planners and policy makers worldwide. Its prevalence has been on the rise for the past four decades, with this trend expected to continue. With this challenge, the management of DM should be done following evidence-based guidelines to prevent or slow down the development of DM-related complications. According to the Society of Endocrinology Metabolism and Diabetes South Africa (SEMDSA) guidelines, it has been shown that strict glycaemic control and proper clinical monitoring can help with prevention and slowing down development of complications. If left untreated or poorly controlled, DM progresses into an array of complications which may increase morbidity and mortality. The prevalence and management of DM complications was investigated. Objectives: • To determine the prevalence of DM complications at Mankweng Hospital. • To evaluate the management of patients with DM complications at Mankweng Hospital. • To determine the factors contributing to the development of complications. • To determine preventive measures taken on non-complicated patients to prevent them from complicating. Method: A retrospective longitudinal review of 134 randomly selected patient records was conducted for a five-year period spanning from June 2012 to May 2017. A pretested DM complications checklist was used to collect data from the patient records. A cross-sectional study was conducted amongst healthcare professionals caring for patients with DM. A total of 41 healthcare professionals were included in the study where a self-administered questionnaire was used to obtain the data. Both sets of data obtained were analysed using IBM SPSS version 25. xiii Results: Retrospective study The study sample population was entirely consisted of African patients with 70.1% (n=94) females and 29.9% (n=44) males. In the sample, 17.2% were suffering from T1DM while 82.8% were suffering from T2DM. The complications with the highest prevalence were diabetic nephropathy, peripheral neuropathy and diabetic retinopathy with prevalence of 35.8%, 32.1% and 22.4% respectively. Vascular diseases, autonomic neuropathy and diabetic foot ulcer had prevalence of 9.7%, 9% and 6% respectively. The overall prevalence of complications in general was 67.2% which was very high. Cross-sectional study A self-administered questionnaire was distributed amongst 41 healthcare professionals (14 males and 27 females). This sample consisted of 9.8% doctors, 41.5% pharmacists, 17.1% professional nurses, 17.1% physiotherapists, 2.4% podiatrists and 12.2% optometrists. It was discovered that only 92.6% and 84.6% of the participants were compliant with the guidelines in terms of random blood glucose tests and blood pressure (BP) per every visit. Only 50% of the HCPs revealed that HbA1c tests should be done according to the guidelines. Merely 5.6%, 8.3%, 5.3% and 22.7% of the HCPs correctly indicated the frequency of foot examinations, eye examinations, renal function tests and lipogram tests respectively, as per the guidelines. Patient related factors were rated as the most contributory factors (56.4%) to the development of complications. Socio-economic and medication related factors had most of the HCPs (36.1% and 29% respectively) rating them as moderate in terms of how much they contribute to the development of complications. The factors rated the least were healthcare team (32.4%) and health system (33.3%) related factors. Conclusion: There was a high prevalence of overall complications in general, with diabetic nephropathy, peripheral neuropathy and diabetic retinopathy being the three highest individual complications. There was poor monitoring of patients with complications as the compliance with the SEMDSA guidelines was very low. Patient related factors xiv were rated the most contributory factors to the development of complications in patients with DM. Recommendations: There is need to implement patient-centred DM care which makes sure that the patient is involved in decision making so that they take responsibility of their own health. There is need for the development and implementation of institutional quality improvement programs where regular audits of the processes of DM care and outcomes are monitored. Limitations: • The limitations of the study are that the researcher completely relied on patient records. • The sample size for HCPs was very small and therefore the study results cannot be generalised. / HWSETA

Introdução: Nos indivíduos diabéticos com sintomas do trato urinário inferior e aumento prostático, é imprescindível distinguir se os sintomas provêm de obstrução infravesical provocada pelo aumento da próstata, ou de alterações funcionais da bexiga, decorrentes de distúrbios neurogênicos, uma vez que estas doenças podem apresentar os mesmos sintomas. A importância do diagnóstico baseia-se no fato de que ambas possuem modalidades de tratamentos diferentes e específicos, considerando-se que nem todos os pacientes com estes sintomas apresentam melhora após o tratamento cirúrgico. Objetivos: O presente estudo tem por objetivos: determinar a prevalência da obstrução infravesical em pacientes diabéticos, com sintomas do trato urinário inferior e hiperplasia prostática benigna, e analisar o valor preditivo para obstrução infravesical dos métodos de avaliação menos invasivos, como: o escore internacional de sintomas prostáticos, fluxometria, resíduo pós-miccional e volume prostático nesses indivíduos. Casuística e Métodos: Cinqüenta pacientes foram selecionados e avaliados clinicamente, submetendo-se ao escore internacional de sintomas prostáticos, exames laboratoriais de imagens e estudo urodinâmico. Realizou-se avaliação urodinâmica para diagnóstico de obstrução infravesical, fundamentando-se nos critérios da Sociedade Internacional de Continência. Nos casos duvidosos, utilizou-se o nomograma de Schäfer para classificar os pacientes como obstruídos ou não. Resultados: O diagnóstico de obstrução infravesical foi realizado através do estudo pressão/fluxo, o qual classificou 24 pacientes (48%) como obstruídos e 26 (52%) como não obstruídos, onde os sintomas poderiam decorrer de cistopatia diabética. O escore internacional dos sintomas prostáticos não se correlacionou com obstrução infravesical documentada pela urodinâmica, demonstrando não ser bom parâmetro para o seu diagnóstico. O volume prostático foi maior nos pacientes obstruídos. O resíduo pós-miccional foi semelhante em ambos os grupos. A fluxometria nessa população teve baixo valor preditivo, pois o índice de hipocontratilidade vesical teve alta prevalência nesses indivíduos. Conclusão: A avaliação urodinâmica justifica-se como obrigatória em pacientes com sintomas do trato urinário inferior, aumento prostático e Diabetes mellitus, uma vez que medidas menos invasivas - como: o escore internacional de sintomas prostáticos, fluxometria, mensuração do resíduo urinário e do volume prostático -, não têm sensibilidade nem especificidade adequadas para o diagnóstico de obstrução infravesical. A indicação de cirurgia de forma aleatória, neste grupo, pode levar a um alto índice de insucesso. Somente o estudo urodinâmico apresenta sensibilidade e especificidade adequadas para o diagnóstico de obstrução infravesical nesta população. Seu custo, grau de invasibilidade e morbidade são pequenos quando comparados aos de uma cirurgia desnecessária, justificando sua indicação nestes casos. / Introduction: In diabetics with lower urinary tract symptoms and prostatic hypertrophy it is extremely important to distinguish whether these symptoms come from bladder outlet obstruction due to the increasing of the prostate or from bladder dysfunctions due to the neurogenic disturbs, because these pathologies can present the same symptoms. The importance of the diagnosis is due to the fact that both have different and specific form of treatments, believing that not all patients with these symptoms present improvement after surgery. Aims: This study presents the scope to know the bladder outlet obstruction prevalence in the diabetic patients with lower urinary tract symptoms and benign prostatic enlargement and the analysis of the predictive value to bladder outlet obstruction in relationship to the less invasive methods such as: international score of prostatic symptoms, uroflowmetry, residual urine and prostatic volume in these patients. Methods: Fifty patients have been selected and clinically evaluated using the international score of prostatic symptoms, laboratory exams, images and urodynamic study. Urodynamic evaluation was done to the diagnosis of bladder outlet obstruction, following the criteria of the International Continence Society. In doubtful cases, the Shaffer nomogram was used to classify the patients with obstruction or not. Results: The bladder outlet obstruction diagnose was done by the pressure/flow study, which 24 (48%) of the obstructed patients and 26 (52%) no obstructed have been classified, and the symptoms were probably due to the diabetic cistopathy. The international score of prostatic symptoms were not correlated with bladder outlet obstruction showed by urodynamic. The prostatic volume was greater in the obstructed patients. The residual urine was almost the same in both groups. The flowmetry in these cases had the predictive value lower, because the detrusor underactivity had high prevalence in these patients. Conclusions: The urodynamic evaluation is mandatory in the patients with lower urinary tract symptoms, prostatic enlargement and diabetes mellitus once the less invasive measurements as: international score of prostatic symptoms, uroflowmetry, residual urine measurement and prostatic volume, have not the adequate sensitivity and specificity for the bladder outlet obstruction diagnose. The indication for surgery without criteria in this group of patients can lead to a high level of bad results. Only the urodynamic study can present adequate sensitivity and specificity for the bladder outlet obstruction diagnose in such cases. Its cost, invasion degree and morbidity are smaller if you compare it to the unnecessary surgery. So, it is worthwhile to do the urodynamic study in these cases.

A polineuropatia é uma complicação freqüente do diabetes melito, sendo causa de alta morbidade entre pacientes diabéticos. Atualmente o tratamento da polineuropatia diabética consiste na prevenção, através do controle glicêmico, e no tratamento sintomático. O estresse oxidativo assume importante papel na patogenia da polineuropatia diabética, justificando-se o uso de anti-oxidantes no seu tratamento. O ácido tiótico é um co-fator essencial no metabolismo dos carboidratos com propriedades anti-oxidantes. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a eficácia do uso de ácido tiótico para o tratamento da polineuropatia diabética em pacientes com diabetes melito tipo II, através de exame neurológico e estudo eletroneurográfico comparativo antes e após o uso da medicação. Foi realizado um estudo duplo-cego, cruzado, comparado com placebo, com duração de 24 meses, configurando-se a formação de quatro grupos de pacientes, os quais receberam: 1) placebo durante todo o estudo; 2) ácido tiótico durante todo o estudo; 3) ácido tiótico por um ano, e depois placebo; e 4) placebo por um ano, e ácido tiótico a seguir, por mais um ano. Foram incluídos doentes com glicemia entre 140 e 260 mg/dl, hemoglobina glicosilada menor ou igual a 10% e polineuropatia periférica diabética em graus leve e moderado. O protocolo constou da avaliação de sintomas neuropáticos, como dor, hipoestesia e parestesias; força muscular em segmentos distais dos membros inferiores; reflexos bicipital, patelar e aquileu bilateralmente, teste de sensibilidade dolorosa, tátil, e vibratória, e condução nervosa. As velocidades e amplitudes dos potenciais evocados foram obtidas através de estimulação bilateral dos seguintes nervos: condução motora dos nervos mediano e tibial posterior; condução sensitiva dos nervos mediano, ulnar e sural. Estas variáveis foram quantificadas segundo uma escala pré-estabelecida, diretamente proporcional à gravidade da neuropatia. O acompanhamento clínico foi realizado trimestralmente, com registro dos níveis glicêmicos e hemoglobina glicosilada. Os pacientes foram submetidos a avaliação neurofisiológica após 12 e 24 meses do início do estudo. De 43 doentes diabéticos incluídos aleatoriamente, 25 apresentavam polineuropatia periférica ao exame eletroneuromiográfico. Destes, 18 adequavam-se aos critérios de inclusão e exclusão. Cinco pacientes foram excluídos ao longo do estudo, sendo 4 por abandono do protocolo, e 1 por efeitos colaterais. O tratamento foi administrado por via oral a 13 pacientes, na dose de 600 mg/dia. A idade dos doentes variou entre 48 e 65 anos, sendo 5 do sexo feminino, e 8 do masculino. Não houve diferença significativa entre a média do controle glicêmico do grupo placebo e do grupo droga. Somente as variáveis exame neurológico e eletroneurográfico adequaram-se à distribuição normal. A análise univariada realizada com sintomas, exame neurológico e eletroneurográfico não demonstrou diferença estatisticamente significante entre os grupos, assumindo-se p>0,05. A análise de co-variância realizada com as variáveis exame neurológico e eletroneurografia demonstrou que o ácido tiótico foi capaz de influenciar favoravelmente a evolução da neuropatia nestes doentes. Não foram observados efeitos colaterais no grupo que fez uso de ácido tiótico / Polyneuropathy is a frequent complication of diabetes mellitus, being a major cause of morbidity among diabetic patients. Besides prevention through glicemic control, treatment of diabetic polyneuropathy is nowadays just symptomatic. Oxidative stress plays an important role in diabetic polyneuropathy pathogeny, justifying the use of antioxidant drugs in its treatment. Thioctic acid is an essential cofactor in carbohydrate metabolism with anti-oxidant properties. The aim of this study was to evaluate thioctic acid efficacy in the treatment of diabetic neuropathy in type II diabetes, through comparative neurological examination and electroneurographic studies before and after drug use. It was a double-blind, crossed, placebo-controlled study, lasting 24-months. Four groups were studied:1) placebo and placebo; 2) thioctic acid and thioctic acid; 3) thioctic acid and placebo, and 4) placebo and thioctic acid. Only patients with glicaemia between 140 and 260 mg/dl, glicosilated hemoglobin under 10% and mild or moderate diabetic peripheral polyneuropathy were included. The protocol consisted of evaluation of neuropathic symptoms, like pain, hipoesthesia and paresthesias; distal lower limbs muscle strength, bicipital, patelar and aquilean reflexes, examination of pain, tactile and vibratory sensibility, and nerve conduction studies. Nerve conduction velocities and amplitudes were obtained though bilateral stimulation of the following nerves: motor conduction of median and posterior tibial; sensitive conduction of median, ulnar and sural nerves. These variables were quantified according to a pre-established scale, directly proportional to neuropathy severity. Clinical follow-up was trimestral, with register of glicemic levels and glicosilated haemoglobin. Patients were submitted to neurophysiologic evaluation after 12 and 24 months. Of 43 diabetic patients randomly assigned, 25 presented peripheral polyneuropathy on electroneurography. 18 fit inclusion and exclusion criteria. Five patients were excluded throughout the study, 4 lost follow-up, and one for side effects. The treatment was administered orally to 13 patients, 600 mg daily. The age of these patients ranged from 48 to 65 years, being 5 female, and 8 male. There was no significant difference in glicaemic control between groups. Only neurological examination and electroneurography had normal distribution. Univariated analysis with symptoms, neurological examination, and electroneurography demonstrated there was no statistically significant difference between placebo and drug groups, assuming p>0,05. Co-variance analysis was done with neurological examination and electroneurography variables, showing that thioctic acid favourably influenced the neuropathy outcome of these patients. No adverse effects were observed in the thioctic acid group

Introdução: Nos indivíduos diabéticos com sintomas do trato urinário inferior e aumento prostático, é imprescindível distinguir se os sintomas provêm de obstrução infravesical provocada pelo aumento da próstata, ou de alterações funcionais da bexiga, decorrentes de distúrbios neurogênicos, uma vez que estas doenças podem apresentar os mesmos sintomas. A importância do diagnóstico baseia-se no fato de que ambas possuem modalidades de tratamentos diferentes e específicos, considerando-se que nem todos os pacientes com estes sintomas apresentam melhora após o tratamento cirúrgico. Objetivos: O presente estudo tem por objetivos: determinar a prevalência da obstrução infravesical em pacientes diabéticos, com sintomas do trato urinário inferior e hiperplasia prostática benigna, e analisar o valor preditivo para obstrução infravesical dos métodos de avaliação menos invasivos, como: o escore internacional de sintomas prostáticos, fluxometria, resíduo pós-miccional e volume prostático nesses indivíduos. Casuística e Métodos: Cinqüenta pacientes foram selecionados e avaliados clinicamente, submetendo-se ao escore internacional de sintomas prostáticos, exames laboratoriais de imagens e estudo urodinâmico. Realizou-se avaliação urodinâmica para diagnóstico de obstrução infravesical, fundamentando-se nos critérios da Sociedade Internacional de Continência. Nos casos duvidosos, utilizou-se o nomograma de Schäfer para classificar os pacientes como obstruídos ou não. Resultados: O diagnóstico de obstrução infravesical foi realizado através do estudo pressão/fluxo, o qual classificou 24 pacientes (48%) como obstruídos e 26 (52%) como não obstruídos, onde os sintomas poderiam decorrer de cistopatia diabética. O escore internacional dos sintomas prostáticos não se correlacionou com obstrução infravesical documentada pela urodinâmica, demonstrando não ser bom parâmetro para o seu diagnóstico. O volume prostático foi maior nos pacientes obstruídos. O resíduo pós-miccional foi semelhante em ambos os grupos. A fluxometria nessa população teve baixo valor preditivo, pois o índice de hipocontratilidade vesical teve alta prevalência nesses indivíduos. Conclusão: A avaliação urodinâmica justifica-se como obrigatória em pacientes com sintomas do trato urinário inferior, aumento prostático e Diabetes mellitus, uma vez que medidas menos invasivas - como: o escore internacional de sintomas prostáticos, fluxometria, mensuração do resíduo urinário e do volume prostático -, não têm sensibilidade nem especificidade adequadas para o diagnóstico de obstrução infravesical. A indicação de cirurgia de forma aleatória, neste grupo, pode levar a um alto índice de insucesso. Somente o estudo urodinâmico apresenta sensibilidade e especificidade adequadas para o diagnóstico de obstrução infravesical nesta população. Seu custo, grau de invasibilidade e morbidade são pequenos quando comparados aos de uma cirurgia desnecessária, justificando sua indicação nestes casos. / Introduction: In diabetics with lower urinary tract symptoms and prostatic hypertrophy it is extremely important to distinguish whether these symptoms come from bladder outlet obstruction due to the increasing of the prostate or from bladder dysfunctions due to the neurogenic disturbs, because these pathologies can present the same symptoms. The importance of the diagnosis is due to the fact that both have different and specific form of treatments, believing that not all patients with these symptoms present improvement after surgery. Aims: This study presents the scope to know the bladder outlet obstruction prevalence in the diabetic patients with lower urinary tract symptoms and benign prostatic enlargement and the analysis of the predictive value to bladder outlet obstruction in relationship to the less invasive methods such as: international score of prostatic symptoms, uroflowmetry, residual urine and prostatic volume in these patients. Methods: Fifty patients have been selected and clinically evaluated using the international score of prostatic symptoms, laboratory exams, images and urodynamic study. Urodynamic evaluation was done to the diagnosis of bladder outlet obstruction, following the criteria of the International Continence Society. In doubtful cases, the Shaffer nomogram was used to classify the patients with obstruction or not. Results: The bladder outlet obstruction diagnose was done by the pressure/flow study, which 24 (48%) of the obstructed patients and 26 (52%) no obstructed have been classified, and the symptoms were probably due to the diabetic cistopathy. The international score of prostatic symptoms were not correlated with bladder outlet obstruction showed by urodynamic. The prostatic volume was greater in the obstructed patients. The residual urine was almost the same in both groups. The flowmetry in these cases had the predictive value lower, because the detrusor underactivity had high prevalence in these patients. Conclusions: The urodynamic evaluation is mandatory in the patients with lower urinary tract symptoms, prostatic enlargement and diabetes mellitus once the less invasive measurements as: international score of prostatic symptoms, uroflowmetry, residual urine measurement and prostatic volume, have not the adequate sensitivity and specificity for the bladder outlet obstruction diagnose. The indication for surgery without criteria in this group of patients can lead to a high level of bad results. Only the urodynamic study can present adequate sensitivity and specificity for the bladder outlet obstruction diagnose in such cases. Its cost, invasion degree and morbidity are smaller if you compare it to the unnecessary surgery. So, it is worthwhile to do the urodynamic study in these cases.

A polineuropatia é uma complicação freqüente do diabetes melito, sendo causa de alta morbidade entre pacientes diabéticos. Atualmente o tratamento da polineuropatia diabética consiste na prevenção, através do controle glicêmico, e no tratamento sintomático. O estresse oxidativo assume importante papel na patogenia da polineuropatia diabética, justificando-se o uso de anti-oxidantes no seu tratamento. O ácido tiótico é um co-fator essencial no metabolismo dos carboidratos com propriedades anti-oxidantes. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a eficácia do uso de ácido tiótico para o tratamento da polineuropatia diabética em pacientes com diabetes melito tipo II, através de exame neurológico e estudo eletroneurográfico comparativo antes e após o uso da medicação. Foi realizado um estudo duplo-cego, cruzado, comparado com placebo, com duração de 24 meses, configurando-se a formação de quatro grupos de pacientes, os quais receberam: 1) placebo durante todo o estudo; 2) ácido tiótico durante todo o estudo; 3) ácido tiótico por um ano, e depois placebo; e 4) placebo por um ano, e ácido tiótico a seguir, por mais um ano. Foram incluídos doentes com glicemia entre 140 e 260 mg/dl, hemoglobina glicosilada menor ou igual a 10% e polineuropatia periférica diabética em graus leve e moderado. O protocolo constou da avaliação de sintomas neuropáticos, como dor, hipoestesia e parestesias; força muscular em segmentos distais dos membros inferiores; reflexos bicipital, patelar e aquileu bilateralmente, teste de sensibilidade dolorosa, tátil, e vibratória, e condução nervosa. As velocidades e amplitudes dos potenciais evocados foram obtidas através de estimulação bilateral dos seguintes nervos: condução motora dos nervos mediano e tibial posterior; condução sensitiva dos nervos mediano, ulnar e sural. Estas variáveis foram quantificadas segundo uma escala pré-estabelecida, diretamente proporcional à gravidade da neuropatia. O acompanhamento clínico foi realizado trimestralmente, com registro dos níveis glicêmicos e hemoglobina glicosilada. Os pacientes foram submetidos a avaliação neurofisiológica após 12 e 24 meses do início do estudo. De 43 doentes diabéticos incluídos aleatoriamente, 25 apresentavam polineuropatia periférica ao exame eletroneuromiográfico. Destes, 18 adequavam-se aos critérios de inclusão e exclusão. Cinco pacientes foram excluídos ao longo do estudo, sendo 4 por abandono do protocolo, e 1 por efeitos colaterais. O tratamento foi administrado por via oral a 13 pacientes, na dose de 600 mg/dia. A idade dos doentes variou entre 48 e 65 anos, sendo 5 do sexo feminino, e 8 do masculino. Não houve diferença significativa entre a média do controle glicêmico do grupo placebo e do grupo droga. Somente as variáveis exame neurológico e eletroneurográfico adequaram-se à distribuição normal. A análise univariada realizada com sintomas, exame neurológico e eletroneurográfico não demonstrou diferença estatisticamente significante entre os grupos, assumindo-se p>0,05. A análise de co-variância realizada com as variáveis exame neurológico e eletroneurografia demonstrou que o ácido tiótico foi capaz de influenciar favoravelmente a evolução da neuropatia nestes doentes. Não foram observados efeitos colaterais no grupo que fez uso de ácido tiótico / Polyneuropathy is a frequent complication of diabetes mellitus, being a major cause of morbidity among diabetic patients. Besides prevention through glicemic control, treatment of diabetic polyneuropathy is nowadays just symptomatic. Oxidative stress plays an important role in diabetic polyneuropathy pathogeny, justifying the use of antioxidant drugs in its treatment. Thioctic acid is an essential cofactor in carbohydrate metabolism with anti-oxidant properties. The aim of this study was to evaluate thioctic acid efficacy in the treatment of diabetic neuropathy in type II diabetes, through comparative neurological examination and electroneurographic studies before and after drug use. It was a double-blind, crossed, placebo-controlled study, lasting 24-months. Four groups were studied:1) placebo and placebo; 2) thioctic acid and thioctic acid; 3) thioctic acid and placebo, and 4) placebo and thioctic acid. Only patients with glicaemia between 140 and 260 mg/dl, glicosilated hemoglobin under 10% and mild or moderate diabetic peripheral polyneuropathy were included. The protocol consisted of evaluation of neuropathic symptoms, like pain, hipoesthesia and paresthesias; distal lower limbs muscle strength, bicipital, patelar and aquilean reflexes, examination of pain, tactile and vibratory sensibility, and nerve conduction studies. Nerve conduction velocities and amplitudes were obtained though bilateral stimulation of the following nerves: motor conduction of median and posterior tibial; sensitive conduction of median, ulnar and sural nerves. These variables were quantified according to a pre-established scale, directly proportional to neuropathy severity. Clinical follow-up was trimestral, with register of glicemic levels and glicosilated haemoglobin. Patients were submitted to neurophysiologic evaluation after 12 and 24 months. Of 43 diabetic patients randomly assigned, 25 presented peripheral polyneuropathy on electroneurography. 18 fit inclusion and exclusion criteria. Five patients were excluded throughout the study, 4 lost follow-up, and one for side effects. The treatment was administered orally to 13 patients, 600 mg daily. The age of these patients ranged from 48 to 65 years, being 5 female, and 8 male. There was no significant difference in glicaemic control between groups. Only neurological examination and electroneurography had normal distribution. Univariated analysis with symptoms, neurological examination, and electroneurography demonstrated there was no statistically significant difference between placebo and drug groups, assuming p>0,05. Co-variance analysis was done with neurological examination and electroneurography variables, showing that thioctic acid favourably influenced the neuropathy outcome of these patients. No adverse effects were observed in the thioctic acid group

Hintergrund und Ziel: Der hausärztliche Bereich ist von zentraler Bedeutung für die Betreuung von Patienten mit Diabetes mellitus. Die Autoren untersuchten a) die Prävalenz von Diabetes mellitus Typ 1 und Typ 2, b) die Art und Häufigkeit von nichtmedikamentösen und medikamentösen Behandlungen und deren Zusammenhang mit dem Vorliegen von diabetestypischen Komplikationen sowie c) die Qualität der Stoffwechseleinstellung anhand des HbA1c. Methodik: Auf der Grundlage einer bundesweiten Zufallsstichprobe von 3 188 Arztpraxen („response rate“ [RR] 50,6%) wurden 55 518 Patienten (RR 93,5%) im September 2003 in einer prospektiven Querschnittsstudie standardisiert mit Fragebögen, Arztgespräch und Labormessungen untersucht. Neben Diabetes mellitus wurden 28 weitere Erkrankungen explizit erfasst, darunter auch die typischen makrovaskulären (koronare Herzkrankheit, zerebrovaskuläre Erkrankungen, periphere arterielle Verschlusskrankheit) und mikrovaskulären Komplikationen (Neuropathie, Nephropathie, Retinopathie, diabetischer Fuß). Ergebnisse: Es wurde eine Prävalenz des Diabetes mellitus von 0,5% (Typ 1) bzw. 14,7% (Typ 2) dokumentiert. 49,5% (Typ 1) bzw. 50,2% (Typ 2) der Patienten hatten bereits mikro- oder makrovaskuläre Folge- bzw. Begleiterkrankungen. 6,8% der Patienten erhielten keine Therapie, 13,5% wurden nur mit Diät/Bewegung behandelt, und 75,3% erhielten orale Antidiabetika und/oder Insulin, davon 26,6% eine Kombinationstherapie mit verschiedenen Antidiabetika. Die Behandlungsintensität war im Vergleich zu Diabetikern ohne Komplikationen bei Patienten mit mikrovaskulären Kom- plikationen deutlich höher (Odds-Ratio [OR] 3,02) als bei denen mit makrovaskulären Komplikationen (OR 0,98). Ein HbA1c-Wert ≥ 7,0% fand sich bei 39,6% der Patienten. Schlussfolgerung: Im Vergleich zu früheren Untersuchungen im hausärztlichen Bereich hat die Rate der medikamentös behandelten Diabetiker zugenommen. Eine Kombinationstherapie wird häufiger eingesetzt. Die Qualität der Einstellung scheint sich ebenfalls verbessert zu haben. / Background and Purpose: The primary care sector is of key importance for the management of patients with diabetes mellitus. The authors investigated (a) the prevalence of diabetes mellitus type 1 and type 2, (b) the type and frequency of non-drug and drug treatment and its association with the presence of diabetic complications, and (c) the quality of metabolic control by HbA1c. Method: Using a nationwide probability sample of 3,188 general practices (response rate [RR] 50.6%), a total of 55,518 (RR 93.5%) patients were assessed in a prospective cross-sectional study by their physicians in September 2003 in a standardized manner using questionnaires, physician interview, and laboratory assessments. In addition to diabetes mellitus, 28 diseases were explicitly screened for, among them typical macrovascular (coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, peripheral arterial disease) and microvascular disease (neuropathy, nephropathy, retinopathy, diabetic foot) complications. Results: The prevalence of diabetes mellitus was 0.5% (type 1) and 14.7% (type 2), respectively. 49.5% (type 1) and 50.2% (type 2) of patients had micro- or macrovascular complications. 6.8% did not receive any treatment, 13.5% received non-drug treatment, and 75.3% received oral antidiabetic drugs and/or insulin (26.6% a combination of two or more). Compared to diabetics without any complications, treatment intensity was significantly higher in patients with microvascular complications (odds ratio [OR] 3.02), but not in those with macrovascular complications only (OR 0.98). An HbA1c value ≥ 7.0% was recorded in 39.6% of patients. Conclusion: Compared to previous studies in this setting, the proportion of diabetics with drug treatment has increased. More patients receive antidiabetic drug combinations. Quality of blood sugar control appears to have improved as well.