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Background: In type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) management, enhancing health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is as important as good metabolic control and prevention of secondary complications. This study aims to evaluate possible regional differences in HRQoL, demographic features and clinical characteristics of patients with T1DM in Brazil, a country of continental proportions, as well as investigate which variables could influence the HRQoL of these individuals and contribute to these regional disparities. Methods: This was a retrospective, cross-sectional, multicenter study performed by the Brazilian Type 1 Diabetes Study Group (BrazDiab1SG), by analyzing EuroQol scores from 3005 participants with T1DM, in 28 public clinics, among all geographical regions of Brazil. Data on demography, economic status, chronic complications, glycemic control and lipid profile were also collected. Results: We have found that the North-Northeast region presents a higher index in the assessment of the overall health status (EQ-VAS) compared to the Southeast (74.6 ± 30 and 70.4 ± 19, respectively; p < 0.05). In addition, North- Northeast presented a lower frequency of self-reported anxiety-depression compared to all regions of the country (North-Northeast: 1.53 ± 0.6; Southeast: 1.65 ± 0.7; South: 1.72 ± 0.7; Midwest: 1.67 ± 0.7; p < 0.05). These findings could not be entirely explained by the HbA1c levels or the other variables examined. Conclusions: Our study points to the existence of additional factors not yet evaluated that could be determinant in the HRQoL of people with T1DM and contribute to these regional disparities.

Background: To evaluate the determinants of intensive insulin regimens (ITs) in patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D). Methods: This multicenter study was conducted between December 2008 and December 2010 in 28 public clinics in 20 Brazilian cities. Data were obtained from 3,591 patients (56.0% female, 57.1% Caucasian). Insulin regimens were classified as follows: group 1, conventional therapy (CT) (intermediate human insulin, one to two injections daily); group 2 (three or more insulin injections of intermediate plus regular human insulin); group 3 (three or more insulin injections of intermediate human insulin plus short-acting insulin analogues); group 4, basal-bolus (one or two insulin injections of long-acting plus short-acting insulin analogues or regular insulin); and group 5, basal-bolus with continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII). Groups 2 to 5 were considered IT groups. Results: We obtained complete data from 2,961 patients. Combined intermediate plus regular human insulin was the most used therapeutic regimen. CSII was used by 37 (1.2%) patients and IT by 2,669 (90.2%) patients. More patients on IT performed self-monitoring of blood glucose and were treated at the tertiary care level compared to CT patients (p < 0.001). The majority of patients from all groups had HbA1c levels above the target. Overweight or obesity was not associated with insulin regimen. Logistic regression analysis showed that economic status, age, ethnicity, and level of care were associated with IT (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Given the prevalence of intensive treatment for T1D in Brazil, more effective therapeutic strategies are needed for long term-health benefits.

Background Cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF) may cluster in type 1 diabetes, analogously to the metabolic syndrome described in type 2 diabetes. The threshold of HbA1c above which lipid variables start changing behavior is unclear. This study aims to 1) assess the behavior of dyslipidemia according to HbA1c values; 2) detect a threshold of HbA1c beyond which lipids start to change and 3) compare the clustering of lipids and other non-lipid CVRF among strata of HbA1c individuals with type 1 diabetes. Methods Effects of HbA1c quintiles (1st: ≤7.4%; 2nd: 7.5-8.5%; 3rd: 8.6-9.6%; 4th: 9.7-11.3%; and 5th: >11.5%) and covariates (gender, BMI, blood pressure, insulin daily dose, lipids, statin use, diabetes duration) on dyslipidemia were studied in 1275 individuals from the Brazilian multi-centre type 1 diabetes study and 171 normal controls. Results Body size and blood pressure were not correlated to lipids and glycemic control. OR (99% CI) for high-LDL were 2.07 (1.21-3.54) and 2.51 (1.46-4.31), in the 4th and 5th HbA1c quintiles, respectively. Hypertriglyceridemia increased in the 5th quintile of HbA1c, OR 2.76 (1.20-6.37). OR of low-HDL-cholesterol were 0.48 (0.24-0.98) and 0.41 (0.19-0.85) in the 3rd and 4th HbA1c quintiles, respectively. HDL-cholesterol correlated positively (0.437) with HbA1c in the 3rd quintile. HDL-cholesterol and insulin dose correlated inversely in all levels of glycemic control. Conclusions Correlation of serum lipids with HbA1c is heterogeneous across the spectrum of glycemic control in type 1 diabetes individuals. LDL-cholesterol and triglycerides worsened alongside HbA1c with distinct thresholds. Association of lower HDL-cholesterol with higher daily insulin dose is consistent and it points out to a role of exogenous hyperinsulinemia in the pathophysiology of the CVRF clustering. These data suggest diverse pathophysiological processes depending on HbA1c, refuting a unified explanation for cardiovascular risk in type 1 diabetes.

Background To determine the characteristics of clinical care offered to type 1 diabetic patients across the four distinct regions of Brazil, with geographic and contrasting socioeconomic differences. Glycemic control, prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors, screening for chronic complications and the frequency that the recommended treatment goals were met using the American Diabetes Association guidelines were evaluated. Methods This was a cross-sectional, multicenter study conducted from December 2008 to December 2010 in 28 secondary and tertiary care public clinics in 20 Brazilian cities in north/northeast, mid-west, southeast and south regions. The data were obtained from 3,591 patients (56.0% females and 57.1% Caucasians) aged 21.2 ± 11.7 years with a disease duration of 9.6 ± 8.1 years ( Results Overall, 18.4% patients had HbA1c levels Conclusions A majority of patients, mainly in the north/northeast and mid-west regions, did not meet metabolic control goals and were not screened for diabetes-related chronic complications. These results should guide governmental health policy decisions, specific to each geographic region, to improve diabetes care and decrease the negative impact diabetes has on the public health system.

Endometriosis has been suggested to be an autoimmune disease and recently, an allelic variation of the PTPN22 (C1858T) gene was revealed to be associated with the development of autoimmunity. The aim of the study was to determine the frequency of the PTPN22 (C1858T) polymorphism in Brazilian women with endometriosis as compared with controls.Case-control study included 140 women with endometriosis and a control group consisting of 180 healthy fertile women without a history of endometriosis and/or autoimmune diseases from the ABC School of Medicine. The PTPN22 (C1858T) polymorphism was studied by restriction fragment length polymorphism polymerase chain reaction (RFLP-PCR).Genotypes CC, CT and TT of PTPN22 polymorphism presented frequencies of 67.9, 30.0 and 2.1% in the women with endometriosis (P = 0.008); 76.2, 19.0 and 4.8% in women with minimal/mild endometriosis (P = 0.173); 61.0, 39.0 and 0.0% in women with moderate/severe endometriosis (Por = 0.001) and 82.8, 16.1 and 1.1% in control group. Allele C and T were present in 82.9 and 17.1%; 85.7 and 14.3%; 80.5 and 19.5%; and 90.8 and 9.2% respectively, in women with endometriosis (P = 0.004), women with minimal/mild endometriosis (P = 0.148), women with moderate/severe endometriosis (P = 0.002) and control group.The data suggest that in Brazilian women polymorphism PTPN22 (C1858T) may be an important genetic predisposing factor for endometriosis, especially, in advanced disease.

Paucity of data on childhood obesity and cardiovascular risk in Brazil.To determine the prevalence of hypertension, dyslipidemia, obesity and their correlations in a sample of school children in Itapetininga, State of Sao Paulo, Brazil.Cross-sectional study with systematic collection of anthropometric data (weight, height, waist circumference, BMI and blood pressure levels) and determination of glucose, total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, uric acid, and apolipoproteins A and B in a random sample representative of school children from the public education system in Itapetininga, State of Sao Paulo. For data analysis, we used population parameters from the NCHS curves (2000), blood pressure categories from NHBPEP (2004), and the serum cholesterol levels proposed by the AHA for children and adolescents (2003).A total of 494 children and adolescents participated in the study. Of these, 11.7% had HBP, 51% increased total cholesterol, 40.5% increased LDL-cholesterol, 8.5% increased triglycerides, and 6.1% low HDL-cholesterol levels. Mean (+/- standard deviation) TC, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and triglycerides were 172.1(27.9), 48.1(10.0), 105.7(23.1) and 90.9(43.8), respectively. Obesity and overweight were detected in 12.8% and 9.7% of the sample, respectively. Individuals of the obese group had a greater chance of presenting with dyslipidemia and hypertension in comparison with those of the other groups.This study supports the hypothesis of different prevalences of excess weight among school children from the public education system of the northeastern and southeastern regions of Brazil, with higher rates in the latter. Additionally, it demonstrates an association of obesity with dyslipidemia and hypertension in that group. In light of the paucity of Brazilian data on this issue, our study provides important data for further comparisons.

Short stature is the major characteristic of Turner syndrome. The statural appeal is premature and become evident in the puberty. Haploinsufficiency of SHOX gene has been related as main factor on final height of these patients. Despite the majority of the patients are not growth hormone deficient, the GHr therapy improves the final height. Recently, a great number of publications have described the association between GH and cancer. The cancer risk, in these patients, is mainly associated with the presence of Y chromosome sequences that can lead to the gonadoblastoma development. In conclusion, the GHr therapy in ST patients deserves caution. The investigation of Y chromosome sequences should be performed as well as the prophylactic gonadectomy in the positive cases conferring confidence to the treatment.

Background To determine the relationship between adherence to the diet reported by patients with type 1 diabetes under routine clinical care in Brazil, and demographic, socioeconomic status, glycemic control and cardiovascular risk factors. Methods This was a cross-sectional, multicenter study conducted between December 2008 and December 2010 in 28 public clinics in 20 Brazilian cities. The data was obtained from 3,180 patients, aged 22 ± 11.8 years (56.3% females, 57.4% Caucasians and 43.6% non-Caucasians). The mean time since diabetes diagnosis was 11.7 ± 8.1 years. Results Overall, 1,722 (54.2%) of the patients reported to be adherent to the diet without difference in gender, duration of diabetes and socioeconomic status. Patients who reported adherence to the diet had lower BMI, HbA1c, triglycerides, LDL-cholesterol, non HDL-cholesterol and diastolic blood pressure and had more HbA1c at goal, performed more frequently self-monitoring of blood glucose (p