Journal Update

Periodically, the National Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention will post abstracts on relevant research and clinical topics in the health promotion and disease prevention arena.*

October 2008

• NEJM -- 10-Year Follow-up of Intensive Glucose Control in Type 2 Diabetes *
  New England Journal of Medicine.  October 9, 2008. Volume 259:1577-1589.
  
  
  
• NEJM -- Long-Term Follow-up after Tight Control of Blood Pressure in Type 2 Diabetes *
  New England Journal of Medicine.  October 9, 2008.  Volume 359:1565-1576.
  
  These two related studies report findings from post-trial monitoring of patients in the United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study (UKPDS).  These studies evaluated whether risk reductions for microvascular and macrovascular disease, achieved with the use of intensive blood-pressure and glucose control during the UKPDS trial, would be sustained. The benefits of previously improved blood-pressure control were not sustained when between-group differences in blood pressure were lost, so it appears that good blood-pressure control must be continued if the benefits are to be maintained. In contrast, patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who received intensive glucose therapy had a lower risk of microvascular complications than did those receiving conventional dietary therapy, despite an early loss of glycemic differences after the intensive management period associated with the active study intervention ended. This group experienced a continued reduction in microvascular risk and emergent risk reductions for myocardial infarction and death from any cause during 10 years of post-trial follow-up.
  
  
• Ann Inter Med -- Colorectal Cancer Screening: A Targeted, Updated Systematic Review *
  Annals of Internal Medicine.  November 4, 2008.  Volume 149, Issue 9.
  
  
  
• Ann Intern Med -- Colorectal Cancer Screening: Evaluating Test Strategies *
  Annals of Internal Medicine.  November 4, 2008.  Volume 149, Issue 9.
  
  These two related studies provide the evidence support for the newly updated United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendation on screening for colorectal cancer.  The first study is the updated systematic review of the evidence in support of the newly updated recommendation and the second was a decision analysis to assess life-years gained and identify a set of recommendable screening strategies for colorectal cancer screening.  Both studies support the newly updated USPSTF recommendation, which recommends using fecal occult blood testing, sigmoidoscopy, or colonoscopy in adults, beginning at age 50 years and continuing until age 75 years.
  
  

Journal Update Archive

*These links take you to the PubMed and AHRQ websites and you leave the Department of Veterans Affairs website.
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