Multi-level Analysis of HbA1c in Diagnosis and Prognosis of Diabetic Patients

Nutritional risk and HbA1c as critical risk factors and predictors of opportunistic infections in HIV-DM comorbid patients: a retrospective cross-sectional study

Background

The clinical characteristics and risk factors for opportunistic infections in HIV patients with concomitant diabetes mellitus are unclear and worth studying. Explore the risk factors and construct a predictive model for opportunistic infections in HIV-DM patients.

Methods

Clinical data were retrospectively collected from 1,669 HIV-DM admitted to the Public Health Clinical Center of Chengdu from December 2018 to November 2023.Based on the occurrence of opportunistic infections, the patients were divided into two groups. Comparative analyses were conducted to assess nutritional status, plasma glucose levels, comorbidities of chronic noncommunicable diseases, and immune status. We applied univariate logistic regression and LASSO regression to screen independent variables. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to identify risk factors and establish a prediction model for opportunistic infections.

Results

In our study population of 1,669 patients (median age was 59 years, 83.22% male), 868 developed opportunistic infections, while the remaining 801 patients did not develop opportunistic infections. Additionally, 1,598 patients survived, and 71 patients died. The opportunistic infection group had a greater median age, lower median BMI, longer median length of hospital stay and greater number of deaths. Logistic regression analysis identified nutritional risk, duration of HIV infection, HbA1c, albumin, and CD4+ T cell counts as significant risk factors and predictors of opportunistic infections. Nutritional risk (OR=2.888) and HbA1c showed positive associations (P<0.001), while duration of HIV infection, albumin, and CD4+ T cell counts demonstrated negative associations with infection risk (P<0.05). The comprehensive model evaluation, based on receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, calibration curve, and decision curve analysis (DCA), validated the acceptable predictive performance of our model.

Conclusion

This study identified nutritional risk, duration of HIV infection, HbA1c and albumin as significant risk factors and predictors of opportunistic infections in HIV-DM patients, further highlighting the importance of nutritional screening and good glucose control.

An evaluation of the quality care for type 2 diabetes patients in the primary healthcare using the lot quality assurance sampling technique

BACKGROUND

Diabetes is the most prevalent metabolic disease globally. Correct and effective healthcare management requires up-to-date and accurate information at the local level. This level of information allows managers to determine whether the health system has achieved its desired goals in this area. This study aimed to evaluate the adequacy and quality of care for Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients using the Lot quality assurance sampling (LQAS) technique to provide evidence for decision-making at the local level, prioritizing and allocating resources.

METHODS

A descriptive-analytical study was conducted in 12 supervision areas (SAs)/health facilities in northwestern Iran involving 240 patients with T2DM in primary health care. The selection of patients and determination of SAs were done randomly using the LQAS technique. Glycated Hemoglobin (HbA1c) was used to evaluate patients' blood sugar control in each SA. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to estimate predictors of HbA1c in T2DM.

RESULTS

The overall average of HbA1c value was 7.84%. The HbA1c level was > 7% in 148 (61.6%) of the patients. Among the 12 SAs, the LQAS identified unacceptable quality of care in 5 SAs. In the final analysis, each unit increase in fasting blood sugar (FBS), High-density lipoprotein (HDL), Low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and Thyroglobulin (TG) values resulted in an increased in HbA1c levels by 0.43, 0.183, 0.124, and 0.182 times, respectively. However, with a one-unit increase in the care of a family physician and nutritionist, along with regular physical activity, HbA1c levels decreased by - 0.162, -0.74, and - 0.11 times, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The quality of care for diabetic patients needs improvement in some SAs. Findings indicated that the LQAS technique effectively identifies centers/areas with substandard diabetes care quality and efficiently allocates resources to those in need. It is recommended to implement corrective measures in areas with inadequate care quality.

Determination of SRPA and adiposity measures and its association with glycemic status in type 2 diabetics having high mean HbA1c in a private clinic of a city in west India

Introduction

Indian type 2 diabetics (T2D) is known for poor disease control on which self-reported physical activity (SRPA) and optimum body composition have positive impact. We determined prevalence of SRPA and general/visceral obesity and its impact on HbA1c-based glycemia.

Methodology

By a cross-sectional study conducted on 200 T2Ds in a private clinic, HbA1c-based glycemic status, WHO questionnaire-based SRPA, BMI-based general obesity, and bipolar bioelectrical impedance-based visceral obesity were evaluated. SRPA and obesity were compared and associated with glycaemic status keeping mean HbA1c as cutoff.

Result

Mean age, male%, mean duration of T2D, mean BMI, mean HbA1c, and SRPA prevalence were 54 years, 42.5%, 4.82 years, 25.49, 8.69%, and 61.5%, respectively. Comparison of groups based on either SRPA or BMI (cutoff 25) showed better HbA1c with the presence of SRPA and BMI <25. Physical inactivity imposed odds risk of 3.44 for visceral fat (VF) ≥10% and odds risk of 2.6 for more than mean HbA1c with statistical significances. VF ≥10% imposed odds risk of 4 for higher than mean HbA1c. Physical inactivity and visceral obesity together imposed ⅓rd prevalence of better glycaemic value, while physical activity and controlled visceral obesity yielded ¾th prevalence of good glycaemic value.

Conclusion

In T2D with poor glycaemic status and moderately prevalent physical activity, we found strongly significant association of SRPA and controlled body adiposity with HbA1c-based glycaemic status. It reaffirms physical activity and control of central obesity as forerunners of better glycaemic status and calls for further studies having vertical follow-up.

Advanced Glycation End-Products in Blood Serum-Novel Ischemic Stroke Risk Factors? Implication for Diabetic Patients

New predictors of ischemic incidents are constantly sought since they raise the awareness of patients and their doctors of stroke occurrence. The goal was to verify whether Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs), in particular AGE10, could be one of them. The AGE10 measurement was conducted using a non-commercial ELISA assay in the blood serum of neurological patients without cerebrovascular event (n = 24), those with transient brain attack (TIA) (n = 17), and severe ischemic stroke (n = 35). Twice as many of the people with TIA or severe stroke presented high AGE10 serum concentrations compared to the patients with other neurological conditions (χ2 = 8.2, p = 0.004; χ2 = 8.0, p = 0.005, respectively). The risk of ischemic incident was significantly risen in people with higher levels of AGE10 (OR = 6.5, CI95%: 1.7-24.8; OR = 4.7, CI95%: 1.5-14.5 for TIA and stroke subjects, respectively). We observed a positive correlation (r = 0.40) between high AGE10 levels and diabetes. Moreover, all the diabetic patients that had a high AGE10 content experienced either a severe ischemic stroke or TIA. The patients with high levels of AGE10 exhibited higher grades of disability assessed by the NIHSS scale (r = 0.35). AGE10 can be considered a new biomarker of ischemic stroke risk. Patients with diabetes presenting high AGE10 levels are particularly prone to the occurrence of cerebrovascular incidents.