Patients with hypercortisolism may experience cutaneous atrophy, weakened cutaneous barrier function, decreased immunity, opportunistic bacteria or fungal infections, which hinder the healing of cutaneous wounds, and even the ulcers will not heal for a long time, and may progress to chronic ulcers, which are difficult and expensive to treat. It affects the quality of life of patients, and can lead to the spread of infection and life-threatening in severe cases. The pathological mechanism of cutaneous ulcers and delayed healing caused by hypercortisolism is complicated, which is a clinical problem that needs to be solved urgently. This article explains the possible mechanism of hypercortisolism hindering the healing of cutaneous ulcers from the aspects of leading to cutaneous atrophy, pathophysiological abnormalities affecting wound healing, hyperglycemia inhibiting wound healing, and infection and hypercoagulable state, and discusses the possible mechanisms of hypercortisolism hindering the healing of cutaneous ulcers, and its treatment methods, aiming to provide a basis for more in-depth mechanism research and clinical prevention and treatment.
Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of diabetic patient education on glycemic control for diabeties. Methods Fifty cases of type 2 diabetic patients with educational interventions from the Diabetic Educational Center of West China Hospital and 50 type 2 diabetic patients without educational intervention were selected randomly. All the patients completed the same questionnaire. The data were analyzed by SPSS 10.0. Results The age of patients in educational group was older and the duration of sickness was longer than those in the control group, but their blood glucoses were better controlled. Conclusions Diabetic patient education is important to improve their glycemic control and decrease the risks and deterioration of diabetic chronic complications.
Diabetic foot ulcer is the most serious complication of diabetes. In addition to diabetic peripheral neuropathy and lower extremity vascular disease, diabetic foot pressure abnormality is an independent risk factor for diabetic foot ulcers. This review summarizes the relationship between plantar pressure and diabetes, including the concept of the plantar pressure and its measurement methods, as well as the abnormal changes in the plantar pressure of diabetic patients. In addition, through the explanation of the mechanism of diabetic patients’ plantar pressure changes, the methods of releasing the abnormal plantar pressure are discussed, so as to prevent and treat the diabetic foot ulcers, and improve our understanding of it.
ObjectiveTo review the regulatory effect of microRNA (miRNA) in wound heal ing, which abnormal expression associates with diabetes.
MethodsThe literature on miRNA associating with wound heal ing was reviewed and summarized.
ResultsmiRNA plays a key role in wound heal ing, including regulating inflammation, angiogenesis, granulation tissue formation, and re-epithel ization.
ConclusionAbnormal expression of miRNA may be related to delayed healing of the diabetic wound, but further research is needed to confirm it.
ObjectiveTo investigate the clinical heterogeneity and auto-immunologic state in patients with diabetic ketosis (DK) or diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA).
MethodsDiabetic patients who presented with DK/DKA were recruited from West China Hospital of Sichuan University from January 1, 2000, to December 31, 2008. We analyzed the clinical classification, biochemical profiles, and auto-immunologic state of the patients.
ResultsAmong them, 257 (15.0%) patients had type 1 diabetes, while 883 (51.6%) with type 2 diabetes, and 515 (30.1%) could be typed as "atypical diabetes" or "untying diabetes". The average age of hospitalized patients with type 1 diabetes was (31.1±13.5) years, which was significantly lower than that of the type 2 diabetes patients [(58.1±13.2) years] (P＜0.001). The most common contributing factor for DK/DKA was infection, followed by noncompliance with therapy. Glutamic acid decarboxylase antibody positive rate was 4.37% in patients with "atypical diabetes", which was similar with type 2 diabetes group (2.69%, P=0.79), but lower than that of the patients with type 1 diabetes (13.79%, P＜0.001).
ConclusionsWe conclude that DK or DKA can occur not only in type 1 diabetic patients but also in patients with type 2 diabetes under infection or stress condition. DK/DKA patients have a high clinical heterogeneity. The auto-immunologic state and β-cell function have significant implications for the diagnosis and classification of diabetes.
Objective To identify the best therapy regimen for a patient with rare hypoglycemia due to insulin autoantibody (IAA). Methods We searched The Cochrane Library (Issue 3, 2008), PubMed (1966-July 2009), EMbase (1974-July 2009) and CBM (1978-July 2009) to identify relevant evidence. The quality of the retrieved studies was critically assessed. Results A total of 291 records were retrieved. No clinical guidelines, systematic reviews or clinical randomized studies were identified. Thirty treatment-related studies involving 6 interventions showed that insulin combined with Prednisone was relatively more effective and safer than conventional therapies. Conclusion The steroid treatment might be useful for the improvement of glycamic control in patients with high IAA levels and severe hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia due to insulin antibodies raised against subcutaneously-injected human insulin.
To investigate the surgical strategy of diabetic foot (DF) and analyze the therapeutic efficacy. Methods From July 2004 to July 2007, 36 patients (22 males and 14 females) with DF were treated, with an average age of 57 years(43-82 years). The disease course of diabetes was 3 months to 27 years(12 years on average) and the disease course of DF was 1 month to 2 years (7 months on average). According to Wagner classification of DF, there were 3 cases of grade 1, 12 cases of grade 2, 10 cases of grade 3, 7 cases of grade 4 and 4 cases of grade 5. The locations of ulcer were ankle and heel in 9 cases, medial part of foot in 14 cases, in lateral part of foot in 8 cases and sinus formation in 5 cases. The ulcer sizes ranged from 4 cm × 2 cm-18 cm × 9 cm. Initial management of these patients included control of blood sugar level, proper hydration, administration of antibiotics, treatment of coexisting diseases, and repeated debridements of wounds when necessary. Ulcers were treated with debridement and spl it skin transplantation in 3 cases of grade 1, with debridement and drainage of abcesses and spl it skin transplantation in 12 of grade 2, with debridement and transplantation of flap in 17 of grade 3 and grade 4, and with transplantation of fascial flap in 5 cases of sinus; ulcers were treated firstly with artery bypass of lower extremity, and then treated with local amputation of foot to avoid high-level amputation and to save more function of foot in 4 of grade 5. Results In 36 cases, wound in 31 cases (86.1%) cured primaryly, wound did not heal in 1 patient (2.1%) and received re-amputation, there were 2 deaths because of infection with multiple organ failure postoperatively. Twenty-nine cases were followed up 8 months (range, 6 -15 months). Eight patients developed new ulcers, with 3 lesions in situ and 5 lesions in new site. Conclusion Surgicalregimen could play an important role in treatment of diabetic foot. According to different grades of DF, there were differentstrategies in deal ing with the accompanied inflammation and ulcer. An active and comprehensive surgical treatment of DF could save the foot, avoid the high-level amputation and result in more functional extremity.
