Cooperation between general practitioners and diabetologists and clinical audit improve the management of type 2 diabetic patients

A programme was set up in the Essonne (France) between 1994 and 1998 to improve the quality of care for Type 2 diabetic patients. A consensus panel of general practitioners and diabetes specialists established guidelines based on the French St. Vincent recommendations. An audit involving 73 volunteer general practitioners (out of 965 in the Essonne) then evaluated compliance with these guidelines. Care and outcome were assessed in 505 (1995) and 604 (1996) Type 2 diabetic patients. The first audit cycle showed that defined standards were not met for several criteria and also revealed a lack of standardisation of HbA1c measurements and delayed intervention when blood glucose control was inadequate. Corrective measures were adopted: cooperative protocols for foot care, prevention of nephropathy and retinopathy, standardisation of HbA1c, and an educational programme at the primary health care level. The second audit cycle showed improvement in foot care (+33.6%), quality (+39.9%), prescription of HbA1c (+11.9%), and control of blood pressure (+11.9%) and blood lipids (+12.8%). The proportion of early interventions in case of inadequate glucose control increased significantly (+10.5%). However, some gaps persisted, mainly regarding screening for complications, diet counselling and patient education. This study shows that cooperation between general practitioners and diabetes specialists is feasible and effective in the context of a district-wide approach, and that it facilitates the adoption of international guidelines by local physicians. A project has been developed to provide structured diabetes care in general practice and better access to specialist services in order to improve the outcome of Type 2 diabetic patients.

Creatinine clearance evaluation in routine diabetes practice

Creatinine clearance measurement based on timed urine collection is not reliable in routine practice. Methods for creatinine clearance estimation have already been established and validated in non diabetic patients. In order to ascertain their validity in diabetic patients, creatinine clearance values were determined in 33 diabetic patients (16 men, 17 women) on two consecutive days by direct measurement and by estimation according to the methods of Kampmann et al., Bjornsson et al. and Cockcroft and Gault. A good correlation (r = 0.73-0.75, p less than 0.001) was observed between measured and estimated creatinine clearance values. The correlation coefficients were stronger in men than in women. The day to day coefficient of variation was poor for creatinine clearance direct measurements (28%) and better for creatinine clearance estimation values (about 17%). These results suggest that methods for creatinine clearance estimation are suitable in diabetic patients for routine clinical practice.

The effect of subcutaneous infusion versus subcutaneous injections of a somatostatin analogue (SMS 201-995) on the diurnal GH profile in acromegaly

Multiple sc injections of a long-acting somatostatin analogue (SMS 201-995) are currently used in the treatment of acromegaly. However, plasma GH concentration often reaches a pathological level (less than 5 micrograms/l) between two injections. In seven patients with active acromegaly we compared, in a short-term trial, the effect of SMS 201-995 administered by continuous sc infusion (50 micrograms and 100 micrograms a day) and by three sc injections (100 micrograms each). In six patients, plasma GH levels were significantly reduced regardless of the mode and dose of treatment (P less than 0.05). However, comparing diurnal profiles, 100 micrograms continuous sc infusion was more effective than discontinuous administration in reducing the number of GH levels above 5 micrograms/l (P less than 0.01). In two patients, continuous infusion was the only way to decrease all plasma GH values below 5 micrograms/l during the diurnal profile determination. Moreover, even when, in a long-term study, the dose of multiple injections was progressively increased to 500 micrograms three times a day, GH levels remained consistently elevated in one of these patients. Thus, in some acromegalic patients continuous sc injection seems currently the most efficient way of treatment with SMS 201-995.