Nicole R. Pinelli

Serum 25-Hydroxy Vitamin D and Insulin Resistance, Metabolic Syndrome, and Glucose Intolerance among Arab Americans

OBJECTIVE To describe 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25-OH-D) levels and examine associations between 25-OH-D levels and insulin resistance (IR), metabolic syndrome (MS), and glucose intolerance in Arab Americans. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Serum 25-OH-D levels were measured in a representative, cross-sectional sample of 542 Arab Americans with IR (46%), MS (33%), and glucose intolerance (42%). RESULTS Vitamin D insufficiency (5 to <20 ng/ml) was present in 75% and hypovitaminosis D (20 to <40 ng/ml) in 24% of participants. In men, 25-OH-D levels were lower in those with glucose intolerance than normoglycemia (P = 0.01). No such difference was found in women. In men, 25-OH-D was negatively correlated with homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (r = −0.19; P = 0.0043), triglycerides (r = −0.18; P = 0.0069), fasting plasma glucose (r = −0.15; P = 0.027), and A1C (r = −0.14; P = 0.038). In women, 25-OH-D was positively correlated with HDL (r = 0.19; P = 0.0008). CONCLUSIONS Vitamin D insufficiency and hypovitaminosis D are extremely common among Arab Americans, and they are associated with IR, components of the MS, and glucose intolerance in men.

Feasibility of group lifestyle intervention for diabetes prevention in Arab Americans

AIMS To assess the feasibility and acceptability of a community-based, culturally-specific, Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP)-adapted, group lifestyle intervention in Arab-Americans. METHODS Overweight (BMI ≥ 27 kg/m(2)) Arab-Americans aged ≥ 30 years and without a history of diabetes were recruited to participate in a 24-week group lifestyle intervention. The DPP core-curriculum was culturally rewritten, translated into Arabic, and delivered in weekly sessions over a 12-week period. Follow-up was performed at week-24. The primary goals were to achieve ≥ 7% weight loss and ≥ 150 min/week of physical activity. An intent-to-treat analysis was performed. RESULTS Of the 71 participants (mean age ± SD 47 ± 10 years, 38% males), 44% achieved ≥ 7% weight loss, 59% achieved ≥ 5% reduction in weight, and 78% reached the physical activity goal of ≥ 150-min/week. The mean ± SD weight loss was 5.2 ± 4.4 kg at week-24 (p<0.0001), Marked reduction in body measurements, daily energy and fat intake were noted. Retention was high with 86% completing the intervention. CONCLUSIONS This trial demonstrates that a culturally-specific, DPP-adapted, group lifestyle intervention implemented in a community setting is feasible and effective in Arab-Americans.

Sensitivity and Specificity of Glycated Hemoglobin as a Diagnostic Test for Diabetes and Prediabetes in Arabs

CONTEXT Glycated hemoglobin (A1C) has been recommended by the American Diabetes Association for the diagnosis of diabetes and prediabetes. The diagnostic utility of A1C has not been evaluated in Arabs, a population at increased risk for developing diabetes. OBJECTIVE Our objective was to examine the sensitivity and specificity of A1C for the diagnosis of diabetes and prediabetes in Arabs. DESIGN & SETTING In this cross-sectional study, glucose tolerance was classified by the American Diabetes Association diagnostic criteria specified for A1C, fasting plasma glucose, and 75-g oral glucose tolerance test. PARTICIPANTS A population-based representative sample of 482 randomly selected adult Arabs without known diabetes was studied. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Sensitivity, specificity, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of A1C diagnostic cutpoints for diabetes and prediabetes were calculated. κ Coefficients were used to test for agreement between A1C categorization and glucose-based diagnoses. RESULTS A1C testing correctly identified 5% of individuals diagnosed with diabetes by oral glucose tolerance test, 13% by fasting plasma glucose, and 41% by both criteria. A1C alone identified 14% of individuals diagnosed with impaired glucose tolerance, 9% with impaired fasting glucose, and 33% with both abnormalities. Sensitivity, specificity, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve were 19% (16-23%), 100% (99-100%), and 77% (69-85%) for diabetes A1C cutpoint and 14% (11-17%), 91% (89-94%), and 57% (52-62%) for prediabetes A1C range. A1C cutpoint of 6.2% for diabetes and 5.1% for prediabetes yielded the highest accuracy but still missed 73% of those with diabetes and 31% with prediabetes. Agreement between A1C and diabetes (κ = 0.2835) or prediabetes (κ = 0.0530) was low. CONCLUSIONS A1C-based criteria yield a high proportion of false-negative tests for diabetes and prediabetes in Arabs. SUMMARY Racial/ethnic differences in A1C performance for diagnosis and prediction of diabetes exist. This paper examines its utility against glucose measurements in an at-risk Arab population.

Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists as add-on therapy to basal insulin in patients with type 2 diabetes: A systematic review

The prevalence of obesity and diabetes continues to rise in the US. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA) is an effective treatment option for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) that promotes weight loss. Common and effective treatment options added to metformin therapy (basal insulin, sulfonylureas, and pioglitazone) contribute to weight gain, which makes the addition of GLP-1RAs advantageous. Exenatide was the first agent in this class and has recently been approved for use in combination with insulin glargine by the US Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency. Until recently, there was a lack of data examining basal insulin combined with these agents. The main purpose of this article is to review the prospective interventional data on the safety and efficacy of GLP-1RAs (exenatide, liraglutide, albiglutide, lixisenatide) combined with basal insulin therapy in nonpregnant adults with T2DM. Databases searched were PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and the Database of Systematic Reviews (inception to January 2012). Abstracts presented at relevant diabetes and endocrine meetings from 2009 to 2011 were also reviewed, as were reference lists of identified publications. A total of five studies met the criteria and were included in the review. Data from these studies demonstrated that this combination therapy offers advantages for the treatment of diabetes, such as additional lowering of A1c without major risk for hypoglycemia, lower basal insulin requirements, decreased postprandial glucose levels (with or without fasting plasma glucose decreases), and weight loss, or at the very least, less weight gain. However, the gastrointestinal side effects and high cost of these agents may limit their use. This review demonstrates that adding a GLP-1RA to an existing basal insulin regimen is a reasonable treatment strategy in nonpregnant adult patients with T2DM.

Coadministration of Liraglutide With Tacrolimus in Kidney Transplant Recipients: A Case Series

Glucocorticoids commonly used in the posttransplant period have been demonstrated to reduce insulin sensitivity, impair α-cell function, and more recently, impair β-cell function and the incretin effect (1). Liraglutide is an incretin mimetic approved for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. One major concern about the use of liraglutide after transplantation is that it delays gastric emptying, which could potentially affect absorption of coadministered oral medications, such as tacrolimus, which has a narrow therapeutic index (2). This case series is the first to report on the safety of this drug combination in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs). Nonpregnant, adult (≥18 years of age), and clinically stable (estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR] ≥60 mL/min/1.73 m2 and not experiencing allograft rejection or two serum creatinine values >30% of each other obtained at least 1 week apart within 4 weeks prior to enrollment) KTRs receiving unchanged tacrolimus doses for ≥4 weeks (goal trough concentration 5–15 …

Practices of Arab American Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus During Ramadan

Aims: To examine practices and complications among Arab Americans observing fasting during Ramadan. Methods: Adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus, of native Arab ancestry, and observing fasting were invited to complete an interview. Changes made to behavioral characteristics or diabetes management during Ramadan and consequences of fasting were assessed. Results: Twenty-seven patients (60.1 ± 9.8 years, 51.9% male) participated. Majority reported exercising less frequently during Ramadan. Modifications in home blood glucose monitoring (HBGM) were observed in 48% of patients, of these 25% and 17% decreased frequency or had not tested at all, respectively. Consultation with providers prior to Ramadan was reported by 67%. Education regarding medications, risks of fasting, indications to break fasting, meal plans, and exercise were not provided in the majority. Therapeutic changes were made in 50% and 46% of insulin and oral medication users, respectively. Excessive thirst was the most commonly reported symptom. The overall frequency of hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia was low. One patient stopped fasting during Ramadan due to uncontrolled hyperglycemia. Hospitalization or emergency room visits were not reported. Conclusions: Lack of patient education prior to Ramadan may contribute to the suboptimal practices reported. Pharmacists may be able to ensure safe fasting practices among Arab Americans by providing patient-specific education.

Perceived risk and the willingness to enroll in a diabetes prevention lifestyle intervention in Arab-Americans

The purpose was to examine whether self-reported perceived risk predicts willingness to enroll in DPP-adapted lifestyle intervention in Arab-Americans. Results document a positive relationship between perceived risk and willingness to engage in diabetes prevention activities. These findings imply that educational interventions communicating risk may improve adoption of diabetes preventative efforts.

Impact of Pharmacy Residency Research Training on Residents’ Actual Versus Perceived Ability and Interest to Identify and Solve Practice-Related Problems

Purpose: The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) requires that accredited residency programs provide pharmacy residents the opportunity to perform a practice-based project. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of pharmacy residency research training on residents’ actual versus perceived ability to solve practice-related problems in their professional careers. Methods: This cross-sectional study surveyed postgraduate year 1 (PGY1) pharmacy practice residents who completed training at a large academic medical center between 2007 and 2013. The survey consisted of 3 areas of assessment, that is, (1) general demographics, (2) perceived research abilities, and (3) self-reported research productivity. Results: A total of 39 residents were eligible; of those, 27 completed the survey (69.2% response rate). Participants reported low perceived ability for conductance of some research activities including study design development, implementation, and publication. No association between perceived research ability and self-reported research productivity was found. Research experience prior to residency training strongly predicted for subsequent publication after completion of PGY1 residency training (P < .0001). Conclusions: New training mechanisms may be needed to optimize research training that will provide residents with greater emphasis on areas of perceived deficiency.

Improved Organizational Outcomes Associated With Incorporation of Early Clinical Experiences for Second-Year Student Pharmacists at an Academic Medical Center

Purpose: To assess the feasibility of engaging second professional year student pharmacists in the medication reconciliation process on hospital and health system pharmacy practice outcomes. Methods: Student pharmacists in their second professional year in the Doctor of Pharmacy degree program at our institution were randomly selected from volunteers to participate. Each participant completed training prior to completing three 5-hour evening shifts. Organizational metrics, student pharmacist perception regarding quality of interactions with health care professionals, and pharmacist perceptions were collected. Results: A total of 83 medication histories were performed on complex medical patients (57.0 ± 19.2 years, 51% female, 65% Caucasian, 12 ± 6 medications); of those, 93% were completed within 24 hours of hospital admission. Second professional student pharmacists completed on average 1.9 ± 0.6 medication histories per shift (range 1-3). Student pharmacists identified 0.9 medication-related problems per patient in collaboration with a pharmacist preceptor. Student pharmacists believed the quality of their interactions with health care professionals in the Student Medication and Reconciliation Team (SMART) program was good or excellent. The program has been well received by clinical pharmacists involved in its design and implementation. Conclusion: This study provides evidence that second professional year student pharmacists can assist pharmacy departments in the care of medically complex patients upon hospital admission.

Early Clinical Experiences for Second-Year Student Pharmacists at an Academic Medical Center

Objective. To examine student outcomes associated with the Student Medication and Reconciliation Team (SMART) program, which was designed to provide second-year student pharmacists at the University of North Carolina (UNC) Eshelman School of Pharmacy direct patient care experience at UNC Medical Center. Design. Twenty-two second-year student pharmacists were randomly selected from volunteers, given program training, and scheduled for three 5-hour evening shifts in 2013-2014. Pre/post surveys and reflection statements were collected from 19 students. Data were analyzed with a mixed methods approach. Assessment. Survey results revealed an increase in student self-efficacy (p<0.05) and positive perceptions of SMART. Qualitative findings suggest the program provided opportunities for students to develop strategies for practice, promoted an appreciation for the various roles pharmacists play in health care, and fostered an appreciation for the complexity of real-world practice. Conclusion. Early clinical experiences can enhance student learning and development while fostering an appreciation for pharmacy practice.