715 REDUCING OVERTREATMENT OF TYPE 2 DIABETES IN OLDER PEOPLE LIVING IN CARE HOMES

Introduction

Older people in care homes living with frailty are less likely to benefit from tight glycaemic control in the management of type 2 diabetes with increased risk of adverse effects for example hypoglycaemia, falls and hospital admission. We wished to ascertain the scale of the problem and reduce overtreatment. We defined overtreatment based on American Diabetes Association guidelines as being on an agent that can cause hypoglycaemia and having an HBA1C of ≤53 mmol/mol or, an HbA1c 53–64 mmol/mol with either three or more co-morbidities.

Methods

In 2016, we audited the management of type 2 diabetes in older people discharged from LTHT to care homes. We discussed our concerns with diabetes and geriatric medicine colleagues across medical, nursing and pharmacy disciplines. We engaged the support of the citywide diabetes network which comprises secondary care colleagues, general practitioners and pharmacists. We presented the findings of our initial audit to colleagues within primary and secondary care through departmental meetings and citywide network meetings. We wrote a new guideline, specifically for frail older people that was disseminated citywide through these networks. We re-audited in 2020.

Results

In total, 113 cases were reviewed in 2016 and 105 cases in 2020. In 2020, only 6% (6 patients) were overtreated compared to 38% (43 patients) in 2016.

Conclusions

There has been a marked reduction in overtreatment which should result in less adverse events. We believe the reasons for success lie in wide engagement of relevant stakeholder groups around an issue that is important, large in scale and meaningful to both patient and clinician. There are potential cost savings from reducing medications and reducing harm.

Vitamin D Supplementation Improves Fasting Insulin Levels and HDL Cholesterol in Infertile Men

CONTEXT

Vitamin D has been linked with glucose and lipid metabolism. Men with impaired gonadal function have a higher risk of metabolic syndrome and mortality, and vitamin D status may be a reversible modulator.

OBJECTIVE

This work aimed to determine the effect of daily vitamin D and calcium supplementation for 150 days on glucose and lipid homeostasis in infertile men.

METHODS

A single-center, double-blinded, randomized clinical trial (NCT01304927) was conducted. A total of 307 infertile men were randomly assigned (1:1) to a single dose of 300 000 IU cholecalciferol followed by 1400 IU cholecalciferol + 500 mg of calcium daily (n = 151) or placebo (n = 156) for 150 days. Reported metabolic parameters including fasting plasma glucose, glycated hemoglobin A1c, fasting serum insulin, homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), fasting plasma cholesterols, and triglycerides were secondary end points. The primary end point semen quality has previously been reported.

RESULTS

Men receiving vitamin D supplementation improved their vitamin D status, whereas vitamin D status was aggravated in the placebo group characterized by higher serum parathyroid hormone. At the end of the trial, men receiving vitamin D supplementation had 13% lower fasting serum insulin concentrations compared with the placebo-treated group (65 vs 74 pmol/L, P = .018) and 19% lower HOMA-IR (2.2 vs 2.7, P = .025). Moreover, men in the vitamin D group had higher high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels (1.38 vs 1.32 mmol/L, P = .008) compared with the placebo group.

CONCLUSION

High-dose vitamin D supplementation has beneficial effects on glucose homeostasis and HDL cholesterol levels in infertile men.

Communication between primary and secondary care: deficits and danger

BACKGROUND

Timely and accurate communication between primary and secondary care is essential for delivering high-quality patient care.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to evaluate the content contained in both referral and response letters between primary and secondary care and measure this against the recommended national guidelines.

METHODS

Using an observational design, senior medical students and their general practice supervisors applied practice management software to identify 100 randomly selected adults, aged greater than 50 years, from a generated list of consults over a 2-year period (2013-2015). All data included in referral and response letters for these adults were examined and compared with the gold standard templates that were informed by international guidelines.

RESULTS

Data from 3293 referral letters and 2468 response letters from 68 general practices and 17 hospitals were analysed. The median time that had elapsed between a patient being referred and receiving a response letter was 4 weeks, ranging from 1 week for Emergency Department referral letters to 7 weeks for orthopaedic surgery referral letters. Referral letters included the reason for referral (98%), history of complaint (90%) and current medications (82%). Less commonly included were management prior to referral (65%) and medication allergies (57%). The majority of response letters included information on investigations (73%), results (70%) and follow-up plan (85%). Less commonly, response letters included medication changes (30%), medication lists (33%) and secondary diagnoses (13%).

CONCLUSIONS

Future research should be aimed at developing robust strategies to addressing communication gaps reported in this study.

Low birthweight, gestational age, need for surgical intervention and gram-negative bacteraemia predict intestinal failure following necrotising enterocolitis

AIM

Necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) is associated with high morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to identify predictors of intestinal failure (IF), morbidity and mortality following NEC.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective study of all neonates treated for NEC stage II or greater at a tertiary referral NICU between 2000 and 2009. Demographic data, need for surgery, residual bowel length and rates of bacteraemia, cholestasis, IF and mortality were analysed.

RESULTS

During the 10-year period, 301 patients were referred with NEC and 152 had surgical intervention. Overall mortality was 32%. Of the 230 infants who survived >42 days, 97 (42%) had IF at 42 days, decreasing to 15% at >90 days. The rate of IF was significantly higher in the surgical group than the medical group (OR 2.04, 95% CI, 1.25-3.35, p < 0.004), but 23% of the medically treated infants with NEC also developed IF. There was a significant relationship between IF and gram-negative bacteraemia, the need for surgery, cholestasis, liver failure and mortality.

CONCLUSION

Intestinal failure occurred in a significant proportion of infants with NEC. Predictors for IF among infants with NEC were low birthweight, low gestational age, need for surgical intervention and gram-negative bacteraemia.

A monoclonal antibody to the murine teratoma, F9: an immunocytochemical demonstration of tissue specificity

The normal tissue distribution of the antigens recognized by a monoclonal antibody (LICR LON 28/22/23) reacting with a murine teratocarcinoma cell line and the preimplantation mouse embryo is described. The antigen(s) was found to be present in tissues derived from all the germ layers of the embryo, and to be found in the membrane and cytoplasm of cells of different tissues. In stratified and pseudostratified epithelia, of mouse and rat tissues, it was expressed only by the basal cells and it was also found on the myoepithelial cells of the lactating rat breast. In these tissues it could provide a useful marker for carcinogenesis studies.