Symmetrization of the blood glucose measurement scale and its applications.

Objective: To introduce a data transformation that enhances the power of blood glucose data analyses.

Research Design And Methods: In the standard blood glucose scale, hypoglycemia (blood glucose, < 3.9 mmol/l) and hyperglycemia (blood glucose, > 10 mmol/l) have very different ranges, and euglycemia is not central in the entire blood glucose range (1.

The psychosocial impact of severe hypoglycemic episodes on spouses of patients with IDDM.

Objective: No previous studies have examined the psychosocial impact of severe hypoglycemic episodes in IDDM patients on their spouses. This study compared spouses of IDDM patients with and without a history of recent severe hypoglycemia (SH) using traditional measures of psychosocial status and marital conflict, as well as diabetes-specific measures.

Research Design And Methods: A total of 61 nondiabetic spouses (23 wives and 38 husbands) of IDDM patients participated in the study.

Anorectal manometric examination in encopretic-constipated children.

Purpose: We have investigated the use of anorectal manometry to distinguish encopretic-constipated children (n = 88) from sibling controls (n = 16) and nonsibling controls (n = 11).

Methods: Study variables included manometrically determined resting and maximum voluntary anal sphincter pressure, depth and speed of rectoanal inhibitory reflex, minimum rectal volume sensation, critical distending volume for fecal urgency, rectal and anal pressure responses during attempted defecation, and ability to defecate a water-filled balloon.

Results: Change in anal sphincter pressure during attempted defecation (P = 0.

A biopsychobehavioral model of risk of severe hypoglycemia.

Severe hypoglycemia (SH) is a significant problem for many patients with type I diabetes and presents a major barrier to optimal diabetes control. A critical task facing diabetes research is to understand, predict, and reduce the risk of SH in insulin-treated patients. The purpose of this article is to propose a biopsychobehavioral model of SH risk that integrates and extends previously proposed models.

Frequency of severe hypoglycemia in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus can be predicted from self-monitoring blood glucose data.

Severe hypoglycemia is associated with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and may occur more frequently as metabolic control approaches normal. The goal of this study was to determine whether the frequency of severe hypoglycemia could be predicted by the following predictor variables: 1) frequency and degree of low blood glucose (BG) readings, 2) degree of BG variability during routine self-monitoring blood glucose (SMBG) readings, and 3) level of glycemic control measured by glycosylated hemoglobin-A1 (HbA1). Seventy-eight insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus subjects from 3 different sites had their glycosylated HbA1 assayed and then performed 50 SMBG recordings during the next 2-3 weeks.