Caring for People with Diabetes at the End of Life

Part Five: The Role of Deprescribing and Adjusting Glycemic Targets in Older People With Diabetes

The prevalence of diabetes continues to increase across the general population, including older people. Because of the changing needs of older people, glycemic targets are often relaxed. Deintensification of therapy or deprescribing becomes important to reduce risk of adverse effects and ensure optimal quality of life. The use of continuous glucose monitoring can be highly effective in determining areas for concern and potential opportunities for deprescribing.

Characterizing palliative care needs in people with or at risk of developing diabetic foot ulcers

AIMS

Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) have a significant impact on a patient's quality of life and life expectancy, with mortality rates comparable with malignant diseases. However, there is a lack of data regarding palliative care needs in this population. We aimed to characterize palliative care needs in people under diabetic foot surveillance using the Integrated Palliative care Outcome Scale (IPOS) and EuroQol-5D three-level version (EQ-5D-3L) and to assess differences between those with and without a DFU.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional study with consecutive sampling inclusion of patients followed in a tertiary hospital's Diabetic Foot Clinic between February and October 2019 with (n = 20) and without (n = 42) active DFU.

RESULTS

The most frequent symptoms encountered were pain, weakness or lack of energy, sore or dry mouth and drowsiness. Patients with an active DFU were significantly more likely to report feeling anxious or worried in comparison with those without (95% versus 55%, p = 0.002). Only 10% of the participants with an active DFU said that they were always able to share how they felt with family and friends as much as they wanted in comparison with 45% of those without (p = 0.006).

CONCLUSION

Our study identified palliative care needs in patients under diabetic foot surveillance with and without DFU, including a significant presence of physical symptoms. Patients in both groups showed signs of emotional/psychological distress, with a higher manifestation in patients with DFU. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study addressing and characterizing palliative care needs in this population.

Integrating Traditional and Complementary Medicine Recommendations into Clinical Practice Guidelines for People with Diabetes in Need of Palliative and End-of-Life Care: A Scoping Review

Objectives: This study was conducted before an evidence review on Traditional and Complementary Medicine (TCM) to update the clinical practice guidelines (CPGs): "Deciding palliative and end-of-life (P/EoL) care for people with diabetes." The aim was to frame the PICO (population/problems, interventions/comparisons, and outcomes), ascertain their importance, and identify other modifying factors for grading recommendations. Design: A systematic scoping review mapped information about diabetes P/EoL problems and outcomes, TCM use, provision, benefits and risks, and stakeholder preferences and values. Thirteen electronic databases were searched in 2017/18 until no new information was identified. Relevant data were extracted, rated for quality, directness, and relevance, and synthesized using triangulation methods. Excluded was diabetes prevention or treatment, as this is not an important P/EoL problem. Results: Of the 228 included articles, except for diabetes P/EoL problems, insufficient direct evidence led to data being extrapolated from either adults with diabetes or any P/EoL diagnosis. The findings affirmed that caring for people with diabetes in need of P/EoL care is complex due to multiple fluctuating needs that are influenced by the P/EoL trajectories (stable, unstable, deteriorating, terminal, or bereaved), multimorbidity, and difficult-to-manage chronic and acute problems. The only problem specific to diabetes P/EoL care, was unstable glycemia. Over 50 TCM interventions commonly used by patients and/or provided by services were identified, of which, many might simultaneously address multiple problems and 18 had been appraised in systematic reviews. Physical and psychologic symptom reliefs were most often evaluated; however, these were only one aspect of a "good death." Other important outcomes were the quality and location of care, personal agency, relationships, preparations for the dying process, spirituality, and affirmation of the whole person. Other important modifying factors included opportunity costs, affordability, availability, preferences, cultural appropriateness, and alignment with beliefs about the meaning of illness and death. Conclusions: There is a role for TCM in the multidisciplinary holistic P/EoL care of people with diabetes. Due to the paucity of evidence specific to this population, the generalizability of some of these results is broader and the updated CPG will also need to consider indirect evidence from other patient groups. Along with recommendations about indications for TCM use, the CGP should provide guidance on ceasing unnecessary interventions, reducing polypharmacy and managing unstable glycemia is required. Before ceasing a TCM, a broader risk-benefit analysis is recommended, as unlike many conventional therapies, there may be multiple benefits warranting its continuation.

Prevalence of diabetes mellitus at the end of life: An investigation using individually linked cause-of-death and medical register data

AIMS

Although diabetes mellitus at the end of life is associated with complex care, its end-of-life prevalence is uncertain. Our aim is to estimate diabetes prevalence in the end-of-life population, to evaluate which medical register has the largest added value to cause-of-death data in detecting diabetes cases, and to assess the extent to which reporting of diabetes as a cause of death is associated with disease severity.

METHODS

Our study population consisted of deaths in the Netherlands (2015-2016) included in Nivel Primary Care Database (Nivel-PCD; N = 18,162). The proportion of deaths with diabetes (Type 1 or 2) within the last two years of life was calculated using individually linked cause-of-death, general practice, medication, and hospital discharge data. Severity status of diabetes was defined with dispensed medicines.

RESULTS

According to all data sources combined, 28.7% of the study population had diabetes at the end of life. The estimated end-of-life prevalence of diabetes was 7.7% using multiple cause-of-death data only. Addition of general practice data increased this estimate the most (19.7%-points). Of the cases added by primary care data, 76.3% had a severe or intermediate status.

CONCLUSIONS

More than one fourth of the Dutch end-of-life population has diabetes. Cause-of-death data are insufficient to monitor this prevalence, even of severe cases of diabetes, but could be enriched particularly with general practice data.

Managing people with diabetes during the cancer palliation in the era of simultaneous care

Managing people with diabetes and cancer during palliation constitutes a daunting challenge. Cancer, diabetes and treatment toxicity could be seen as a "Bermuda Triangle" for physician and health care professionals in general. Based on literature review, the present paper stresses the distinctive aspects that diabetes and cancer together involve and bring out. Considering the simultaneous care approach as the basement of our perspective, we explore the areas of palliative intervention for which the specific features of persons with diabetes and cancer emerge: pain manifestation and treatment, response to opioids, psychosocial and communication aspects, infection-related susceptibility and complications. The overall impact of suffering that these two diseases in association involve requires new awareness and a cultural attitude towards new network based approaches in order to strengthen the person-centered health care in this field.