Renan Magalhães Montenegro Júnior

Prevalence of adults with type 1 diabetes who meet the goals of care in daily clinical practice: a nationwide multicenter study in Brazil.

OBJECTIVE To determine the prevalence of patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus who meet the glycemic and cardiovascular (CV) risk factors goals and the frequency of screening for diabetic complications in Brazil according to the American Diabetes Association guidelines. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS This was a cross-sectional, multicenter study conducted between December 2008 and December 2010 in 28 public clinics in 20 Brazilian cities. Data were obtained from 1774 adult patients (56.8% females, 57.2% Caucasians) aged 30.3 ± 9.8 years with diabetes duration of 14.3 ± 8.8 years. RESULTS Systolic blood pressure was at goal in 40.3% and diastolic blood pressure was at goal in 26.6% of hypertensive patients. LDL cholesterol and HbA1c were at the goal in 45.2% and 13.2% of the patients, respectively. Overweight was presented in 25.6% and obesity in 6.9%. Among those with more than 5 years of disease, screening for retinopathy was performed in the preceding year in 70.1%. Nephropathy and feet complications were screened in 63.1% and 65.1%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS The majority of patients did not meet metabolic control goals and a substantial proportion was not screened for diabetic complications. These issues may increase the risk of chronic complications and negatively impact public health.

Contaminantes ambientais e os interferentes endócrinos

The toxicity of various pollutants has been routinely investigated according to their teratogenic and carcinogenic effects. In the last few decades, however, many of such pollutants have been shown to adversely affect the endocrine system of human beings and other species. Currently, more than eleven million chemical substances are known in the world, and approximately 3,000 are produced on a large scale. Numerous chemical composites of domestic, industrial and agricultural use have been shown to influence hormonal activity. Examples of such chemical products with estrogenic activity are substances used in cosmetics, anabolizing substances for animal feeding, phytoestrogens and persistent organic pollutants (POPs). These agents are seen in residential, industrial and urban sewerage system effluents and represent an important source of environmental contamination. The International Programme on Chemical Safety (IPCS) defines as endocrine disruptors substances or mixtures seen in the environment capable of interfering with endocrine system functions resulting in adverse effects in an intact organism or its offspring. In this article the authors present a current literature review about the role of these pollutants in endocrine and metabolic diseases, probable mechanisms of action, and suggest paths of investigation and possible strategies for prevention and reduction of its possible damages.

Consenso brasileiro para a abordagem clínica e tratamento do hipotireoidismo subclínico em adultos: recomendações do Departamento de Tireoide da Sociedade Brasileira de Endocrinologia e Metabologia

INTRODUCTION: Subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH), defined as elevated concentrations of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) despite normal levels of thyroid hormones, is highly prevalent in Brazil, especially among women and the elderly. Although an increasing number of studies have related SCH to an increased risk of coronary artery disease and mortality, there have been no randomized clinical trials verifying the benefit of levothyroxine treatment in reducing these risks, and the treatment remains controversial. OBJECTIVE: This consensus, sponsored by the Thyroid Department of the Brazilian Society of Endocrinology and Metabolism and developed by Brazilian experts with extensive clinical experience with thyroid diseases, presents these recommendations based on evidence for the clinical management of SCH patients in Brazil. MATERIALS AND METHODS: After structuring the clinical questions, the search for evidence in the literature was initially performed in the MedLine-PubMed database and later in the Embase and SciELO - Lilacs databases. The strength of evidence was evaluated according to the Oxford classification system and established based on the experimental design used, considering the best available evidence for each question and the Brazilian experience. RESULTS: The topics covered included SCH definition and diagnosis, natural history, clinical significance, treatment and pregnancy, and the consensus issued 29 recommendations for the clinical management of adult patients with SCH. CONCLUSION: Treatment with levothyroxine was recommended for all patients with persistent SCH with serum TSH values > 10 mU/L and for certain patient subgroups.

High prevalence of arterial hypertension in a Brazilian Northeast population of low education and income level, and its association with obesity and metabolic syndrome

OBJECTIVE The objectives of this study are to estimate the prevalence of arterial hypertension (AH) in an adult population with a predominance of families with low education and income levels, in the hinterlands of Pernambuco, Brazil, and to analyze its association with other factors related to cardiovascular diseases (CVD). METHODS A cross-sectional study in 2008/2009 was conducted with a sample of 198 subjects stratified by age, and representative of the urban adult population of the Canaã district of city of Triunfo, in the hinterlands of Pernambuco, Brazil. RESULTS One hundred ninety eight individuals with average age of 57.7 years old (31 to 90 years-old), mainly women (65.6%), and with low income and education levels (81.3% with a monthly income of less than one minimum wage) were evaluated. Among these, 127 (64.1%) were identified as having AH, 54 (42.5%) of whom had no prior diagnosis. From those who were previously diagnosed, only 31.3% had good blood pressure control. Higher prevalence was observed in those individuals with lower incomes, higher body mass indexes (BMI), and those with metabolic syndrome (MS). CONCLUSION These data demonstrated that there was a high prevalence of AH in the urban, low education and income levels adult population of Triunfo, strongly associated with lower income levels, elevated BMI, and the presence of MS; and a high prevalence of bad blood pressure control among the previously diagnosed cases. These results indicate that more effective interventions for early detection and adequate control of this disease and its comorbidities are necessary.

Reproducibility of methods used for the assessment of autonomous nervous system's function.

OBJECTIVE The objective of this study is to investigate the influence of the day-to-day variability of the measures of heart rate variability (HRV) on the sample size calculation for the study of cardiac autonomic neuropathy. MATERIAL AND METHODS We analyzed HRV in the frequency domain [very low (VLF), low (LF), and high frequency (HF) bands] and in the time domain [the root mean squared of successive RR intervals differences (RMSSD); the mean RR intervals (RRNN); the standard deviation of RR intervals (SDNN) and the coefficient of variation (CV)] during a 5-min electrocardiogram record. We also analyzed the heart rate response to deep breathing [expiration:inspiration ratio], to the Valsalva maneuver and to standing [maximum:minimum ratio] and the blood pressure response to standing. The day-to-day variability was assessed by calculating the within-subject standard deviations (WSSD), limits of agreement, typical errors and the ratio of the WSSD to the mean values obtained on days 1 and 2 (WSSD/GM). RESULTS Sixty-seven healthy subjects (45 females), aged 27 (19-39) years, were recruited. The RMSSD, CV, VLF, LF, HF and blood pressure response to standing showed marked variability (WSDD/GM (%)=237.7, 455.1, 69.9, 126.5, 81.3 and 380.5, respectively), while the RRNN, SDNN, Valsalva, expiration:inspiration and maximum:minimum ratio showed less variability (WSSD/GM (%)=6.4, 24.5, 18.6, 11.0 and 14.1, respectively). The minimum differences expected to be statistically significant for the autonomic measurements were calculated. CONCLUSION Some tests that assess HRV showed adequate reproducibility. This study allows the determination of a sample size calculation for longitudinal or drug-testing studies.

Excessive daytime sleepiness in type 2 diabetes

OBJECTIVE To examine excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) in type 2 diabetes. SUBJECTS AND METHODS Patients (N = 110) were evaluated regarding Epworth Sleepiness Scale (EDS), sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index), depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory), Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS), risk of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) (Berlin questionnaire), and comorbidity severity (Charlson Comorbidity Index). Patients were compared with individuals with arterial hypertension and without diabetes. RESULTS Diabetic patients had more EDS, depressive symptoms, and higher comorbidity severity than hypertensive patients (p < 0.005). In diabetic patients, poor quality sleep (53.3%), and high risk of OSA (40.9%) and RLS (14.5%) were found; EDS (55.5%) was associated with depressive symptoms present in 44.5% individuals (OR = 1.08; 95% CI: 1.01-1.15), and remained so after data were controlled for age, gender, body mass index, and glycated hemoglobin (OR = 2.27; 95% CI 1.03-5.03). CONCLUSIONS Sleep abnormalities are frequent. EDS affects most of the patients and is independently associated with depressive symptoms. Adequate antidepressant therapy should be tested for the effects on EDS.

Insulin analogues in the treatment of diabetes in pregnancy

Pregnancy affects both maternal and fetal metabolism, and even in non-diabetic women, it exerts a diabetogenic effect. Among pregnant women, 2% to 14% develop gestational diabetes. Pregnancy can also occur in women with preexisting diabetes, which may predispose the fetus to many alterations in organogenesis, restrict growth, and the mother, to some diabetes-related complications, such as retinopathy and nephropathy, or to acceleration of the course of these complications, if they are already present. Women with gestational diabetes generally start their treatment with diet and lifestyle changes; when these changes are not enough for optimal glycemic control, insulin therapy must then be considered. Women with type 2 diabetes using oral hypoglycemic agents are advised to change to insulin therapy. Those with preexisting type 1 diabetes should start intensive glycemic control. As basal insulin analogues have frequently been used off-label in pregnant women, there is a need to evaluate their safety and efficacy. The aim of this review is to report the use of both short- and long-acting insulin analogues during pregnancy and to enable clinicians, obstetricians, and endocrinologists to choose the best insulin treatment for their patients.

Freqüência e atividade enzimática de Candida spp. na cavidade oral de pacientes diabéticos do serviço de endocrinologia de um hospital de Fortaleza-CE

Diabetes mellitus, a endocrine-metabolic disease, of high and increasing prevalence, is cited as responsible by the occurrence of oral candidiasis. Candidiasis constitutes a specter of infections caused by fungi of genera Candida; the most common agent is Candida albicans, but other species have also been identified (Candida tropicalis, Candida guillermondii, Candida glabrata, Candida krusei). The objective of this work was to evaluate frequency and enzymatic activity of Candida spp. in the oral cavity of diabetic patients taken care in the service of endocrinology of the University Hospital Walter Cantidio of the Federal University of the Ceara. Samples had been collected of 48 diabetic patients, men and women, with various situations of glicemic control. Clinical materials had been collected with aid of swab and harvested in plates of Petri contend Sabouraud agar dextrose with cloranfenicol and incubated to 37°C. The grown were identified by the used classic tests in mycology. In the following, these Candida strains were submitted to tests to detect phospholipase and proteinase enzymes. Of these, 15 samples (31,35%) presented positive culture for the genera Candida. The species more frequent was C. albicans with 80%, followed by C. tropicalis (13.3%) and C. guilliermondii (6.7%). Asfor the research on the enzymatic activity of Candida sp. it was observed that 86.6% presented activity of proteinase and 80% of phospholipase. It was concluded with these results that C. albicans is more frequent and that Candida spp. isolated species have strong enzymatic activity.

Estudo da freqüência de diabetes mellitus e intolerância à glicose em pacientes com fibrose cística

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the frequency of diabetes mellitus and glucose intolerance in patients with cystic fibrosis treated at the Pediatric Gastroenterology Service of HC-FMRP-USP. METHODS: A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted on a group of 25 patients with mucoviscidosis who were followed up at HC-FMRP-USP. Oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT) were performed, with simultaneous determination of glycemia and insulinemia. Areas under the curve were obtained for glycemia (G) and insulinemia (I) and the I/G ratio was calculated and correlated with the duration of clinical manifestation and pancreatic exocrine function. RESULTS: Five patients presented alterations: one was diabetic and four had glucose intolerance and/or hyperinsulinemia. There was a direct correlation between the area under the curve for insulinemia and the duration of mucoviscidosis. A significant inverse correlation was also observed between the area under the curve for insulinemia and I/G ratio, and number of enzyme capsules/kg/day. CONCLUSIONS: The frequency of alterations in glucose homeostasis observed in patients with mucoviscidosis was higher than in the population at large (20% of the total sample and 33% of the group of patients with glycemia and insulinemia on OGTT). Therefore, it is important that glucose tolerance tests be performed systematically in patients with mucoviscidosis so that metabolic abnormalities can be early detected, and proper treatment can be initiated.

Estudo comparativo do conhecimento e prática de atividade física de idosos diabéticos tipo 2 e não diabéticos

Objetivo: caracterizar o conhecimento e a pratica de atividades fisicas em idosos diabeticos tipo 2, assistidos em um ambulatorio de referencia da cidade de Fortaleza, comparando-os com idosos nao-diabeticos. Metodos : O estudo, do tipo transversal, envolveu 44 idosos com Diabetes Mellitus tipo 2 (DM2) e 44 sem DM2, avaliados por meio de um questionario sobre pratica, recomendacoes, orientacoes e conhecimentos de atividades fisicas. Os dados foram analisados por meio do teste Qui-quadrado. O nivel de significância foi de p<0,05. Resultados: Em relacao a pratica e a frequencia semanal de alguma atividade fisica, verificou-se que aproximadamente metade dos participantes dos dois grupos nao praticava nenhuma atividade fisica. Dentre as recomendacoes recebidas de profissionais da saude sobre a pratica de atividades fisicas, 84,1% (N=37) dos idosos diabeticos responderam que as tinham recebido, enquanto que entre os idosos nao-diabeticos apenas 58,7% (N=27) afirmaram que essas recomendacoes foram dadas. As orientacoes verbais predominaram em ambos os grupos. Em relacao a opiniao dos individuos a respeito dos beneficios da atividade fisica para os portadores de diabetes, a maioria dos idosos DM2 afirmou que a atividade fisica pode beneficia-los. Conclusao: Os idosos DM2 mostraram melhor conhecimento e pratica regular de atividade fisica do que os idosos nao-diabeticos. E necessaria a elaboracao de acoes em que o idoso adquira conhecimentos para a descoberta de seus limites fisicos e motores.