Keeping you up to date with reliable diabetes research, policy & guidance
This review was motivated by the need to understand the barriers to achieving and maintaining good metabolic control among children and adolescents. From insulin pump (CSII) therapy to carbohydrate counting, technology has advanced rapidly since the Diabetes Control & Complications Trial. However, this has not been matched with efforts to understand the impact of human [read the full story...]
Foot care is a cornerstone of diabetes care. However, there is very little evidence about the impact of specialist foot care by podiatrists or chiropodists on the risk of amputation. Current guidance recommends that podiatrists should be part of the multidisciplinary foot care team. However, this recommendation is based on observational studies. For this reason, [read the full story...]
Radix astragali is a traditional Chinese medicine made from dried roots of that has been widely used for the treatment of diabetes. This systematic review set out to establish if there is any clinical evidence to support its use in treating diabetic retinopathy. Clinical question In people with diabetic retinopathy (DR), does radix astragali, compared [read the full story...]
This Cochrane systematic review looked at whether adenosine-diphosphate (ADP) receptor antagonists such as clopidogrel and ticlopidine, can prevent cardiovascular disease (CVD) in type 2 diabetes mellitus. These drugs have been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular outcomes in non-diabetic patients. However, few studies have looked at the diabetic population. As people with type 2 [read the full story...]
Today the Mental Elf reports on a systematic review and meta-analysis looking at whether depression in people with diabetes is associated withan increased risk of mortality. The reviewers combined the results of sixteen longitudinal studies comprising 109,046 individuals with diabetes. They found a statistically significant increase in the risk of mortality amongst people with depression [read the full story...]
Previous research has shown that pharmacist involvement in the management of type 2 diabetes can improve HbA1c as well as blood pressure and cholesterol. These models of care may be more costly to deliver, however, compared with conventional primary care. This economic evaluation looked at the cost-effectiveness of pharmacist management in preventing cardiovascular disease in [read the full story...]
Maternal diabetes can be a cause of congenital malformations and death in infants. Diabetic mothers planning pregnancy need to be able to minimise these risks through good information, advice and care. What forms of care are most effective? This systematic review set out to examine the evidence on giving specific pre-pregnancy care (PPC) in preventing [read the full story...]
People with diabetes often experience stigma in association with the disease. However, this is an under-researched area compared with stigma associated with other conditions. Therefore this narrative review is particularly welcome. The review encompasses stigma enacted by others, stigma that is perceived by people with diabetes, and internalized stigma or “self-stigma”. Causes of stigma Often, [read the full story...]
Existing recommendations for exercise in diabetes are based largely on evidence from the general population or from people with type 2 diabetes. This systematic review set out to look specifically at the effect of exercise on glycaemic control among people with type 1 diabetes. Clinical question In people with type 1 diabetes, does exercise improve [read the full story...]
The oft-cited “Mediterranean diet” – rich in olive oil, fruit and vegetables, enlivened with dairy, fish and, of course, a little wine – is held up as a paragon of virtue. But there is no lack of dietary advice out there. Low-GI, low-carb, high-protein? American Diabetes Association (ADA) or European Association for the Study of Diabetes [read the full story...]
