The rising incidence and prevalence of diabetes along with its complications have become a global concern. The necessity for a comprehensive model-targeting primary, secondary and tertiary prevention as well as all levels of care has become apparent. Staged Diabetes Management (SDM) was developed over a decade ago by the International Diabetes Centers, Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.A.. SDM was founded on the principle that a detailed understanding of the natural history of diabetes and the underlying defects responsible for the development of hyperglycemia and its associated complications should be the basis of sound clinical decision-making. It relies on clinical pathways to guide the clinicians though the detection, treatment and follow up of each type. Unique to SMD is that each pathway is customized for utilization in collaboration with local physicians and allied heath professionals. Thus far clinicians from 22 countries, using 11 translated versions of SDM, have participated in this process. In Korea, SDM was introduced in 1999 with the foundation of the committee in Korean Diabetes Association (KDA). Taking into account the regional difference in medical practice, resource allocation, availability of pharmacological agents and access to care, this Korean version of SDM was developed to reduce variation in practice, improve screening and detection, tighten glycemic control and to increase surveillance of complications. It has been noted that diabetes contributes to the cost of medical services. One way of reducing the financial burden is to find cost-effective approaches to prevention, detection and treatment of diabetes and its complications. The SDM model directly addresses this issue by seeking ways to optimize the limited resources available for diabetes care, prioritizing treatment, reducing medical error and expanding the role of allied health professionals. As SDM moves into the 21st century, its mission has expanded to encompass the principles of primary and secondary prevention.
Cooperative Behavior ; Critical Pathways ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Follow-Up Studies ; Health Occupations ; Humans ; Hyperglycemia ; Incidence ; Korea ; Mass Screening ; Medical Errors ; Minnesota ; Missions and Missionaries ; Natural History ; Prevalence ; Primary Health Care ; Resource Allocation ; Secondary Prevention ; Tertiary Prevention

Type 2 diabetes is rapidly increasing worldwide, and there have been many advances in the care of diabetic patients. Nevertheless, less than half of the patients are achieving the glycemic goal of HbA1c < 7%. This shows that current therapeutic modalities have limitations, and the need for continued development of new antidiabetic drugs is clear. In 2007, a meta-analysis focusing on the thiazolidinedione drug rosiglitazone suggested an unacceptably high cardiovascular risk for this newly approved drug, prompting changes in regulations for antidiabetic drug development. The FDA guidance for Diabetes Mellitus-Evaluation of Cardiovascular Risk in New Antidiabetic Therapies to Treat Type 2 Diabetes was released as a draft in Feb 2008, and the final form was published in December 2008. The guidance, though not a regulation, requires developers to demonstrate that all new antidiabetic agents have an acceptable cardiovascular risk. The European Medicine Agency (EMA) also published a draft guideline in January 2010 on the clinical investigation of medicinal products for the treatment of diabetes mellitus which included a cardiovascular safety assessment component. Considering the increased CV risk in type 2 diabetic patients, antidiabetic drugs should not result in an unacceptable increase in cardiovascular risk. The FDA has offered guidelines for the assessment of cardiovascular safety for antidiabetic drugs. Careful prospective planning of clinical trials (choice of study type, subject selection, and meta-analysis) and thorough preclinical safety assessment (choice of cardiovascular endpoints: MACE, endpoint adjudication) are needed to assess possible cardiovascular risk.
Diabetes Mellitus ; Humans ; Hypoglycemic Agents ; Social Control, Formal ; Thiazolidinediones

Soft tissue infections are common, generally of mild to moderate severity. The most common causative organisms of soft tissue infections are group A beta-hemolytic streptococci and Staphylococcus aureus. As the antimicrobial resistance pattern of these causative organisms has not been changed recently, the present recommendations for the treatment of soft tissue infections remain the same. In this review, we have presented extensive information on the clinical characteristics, diagnosis, and treatment of skin and soft tissue infections. We focused on two issues concerning antibiotic resistance; macrolide resistance of group A beta-hemolytic streptococci and the emergence of community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus ; Skin ; Soft Tissue Infections ; Staphylococcus aureus

Soft tissue infections are common, generally of mild to moderate severity. The most common causative organisms of soft tissue infections are group A beta-hemolytic streptococci and Staphylococcus aureus. As the antimicrobial resistance pattern of these causative organisms has not been changed recently, the present recommendations for the treatment of soft tissue infections remain the same. In this review, we have presented extensive information on the clinical characteristics, diagnosis, and treatment of skin and soft tissue infections. We focused on two issues concerning antibiotic resistance; macrolide resistance of group A beta-hemolytic streptococci and the emergence of community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus ; Skin ; Soft Tissue Infections ; Staphylococcus aureus

Background: Recent studies have demonstrated that the levels of adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein (A-FABP) are closely associated with diabetic kidney disease (DKD) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This study aimed to examine the association between serum A-FABP level and rapid renal function decline in patients with T2DM and preserved renal function. Methods: This was a prospective observational study of 452 patients with T2DM and preserved renal function who had serial measurements of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Rapid renal function decline was defined as an eGFR decline of >4% per year. The association between baseline serum A-FABP level and rapid renal function decline was investigated. Results: Over a median follow-up of 7 years, 82 participants (18.1%) experienced rapid renal function decline. Median A-FABP levels were significantly higher in patients with rapid renal function decline, compared to non-decliners (20.2 ng/mL vs. 17.2 ng/ mL, P=0.005). A higher baseline level of A-FABP was associated with a greater risk of developing rapid renal function decline, independent of age, sex, duration of diabetes, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, history of cardiovascular disease, baseline eGFR, urine albumin creatinine ratio, total cholesterol, glycosylated hemoglobin, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and use of thiazolidinedione, insulin, angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin II-receptor blockers and statin (odds ratio, 3.10; 95% confidence interval, 1.53 to 6.29; P=0.002). Conclusion A high level of serum A-FABP is associated with an increased risk of rapid renal function decline in patients with T2DM and preserved renal function. This suggests that A-FABP could play a role in the progression of DKD in the early stages.

Recent studies have demonstrated that the levels of adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein (A-FABP) are closely associated with diabetic kidney disease (DKD) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This study aimed to examine the association between serum A-FABP level and rapid renal function decline in patients with T2DM and preserved renal function.

Ischemic necrosis of the pituitary gland, known as Sheehan's syndrome, can develop after massive postpartum bleeding. This condition is rarely accompanied by diabetes insipidus. An empty sella is a constant feature of Sheehan's syndrome in the later phase, but very few observations of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features in the acute phase are available. We report a case of Sheehan's syndrome presenting with diabetes insipidus leading to severe hypernatremia, showing hemorrhagic postpartum pituitary apoplexy on acute MRI.
Diabetes Insipidus ; Diabetes Insipidus, Neurogenic ; Hemorrhage ; Hypernatremia ; Hypopituitarism ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Necrosis ; Pituitary Apoplexy ; Pituitary Gland ; Postpartum Period

Apoptosis/*drug effects/physiology ; BH3 Interacting Domain Death Agonist Protein/physiology ; Drug Design ; Genes, bcl-2 ; Humans ; Mitochondria/physiology/ultrastructure ; Mitochondrial Membranes/*metabolism/physiology ; Multigene Family ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2/*antagonists & inhibitors ; Signal Transduction

Cushing's syndrome is characterized by central obesity, fatigability, weakness, amenorrhea, hirsutism, edema, hypertension, impaired glucose tolerance, and osteoporosis due to excessive production of steroids. Cushing's syndrome is an important cause of secondary osteoporosis. Patients with Cushing's syndrome have a high incidence of osteoporotic fractures. At least, 30-50% of patients with Cushing's syndrome experience fractures, particularly in the vertebral body. And it is consistent with the 50% prevalence of osteoporosis in patients with Cushing's syndrome. However, reports of multiple pathological fractures in young patients with Cushing's syndrome are rare. Thus, we describe the case of a 26-year-old woman with Cushing's syndrome accompanied with recurrent multiple osteoporotic fractures and being treated by parathyroid hormone. Careful consideration for the possibility of Cushing's syndrome will be necessary in case of young patients with a spontaneous multiple compression fractures in spine.
Adult ; Amenorrhea ; Cushing Syndrome ; Edema ; Female ; Fractures, Compression ; Fractures, Spontaneous ; Glucose ; Hirsutism ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Incidence ; Obesity, Abdominal ; Osteoporosis ; Osteoporotic Fractures ; Parathyroid Hormone ; Prevalence ; Spine ; Steroids