Studying the Hurdles of Insulin Prescription (SHIP): development, scoring and initial validation of a new self-administered questionnaire.

Background: Although insulin therapy is well-accepted by symptomatic diabetic patients, it is still often delayed in less severe patients, in whom injectable insulin remains under-used. A better understanding of patients' perception of insulin would eventually help physicians to adopt the most appropriate dialogue when having to motivate patients to initiate or to intensify insulin injection.

Methods: The 'Studying the Hurdles of Insulin Prescription' (SHIP) questionnaire was developed based on a list of concepts derived from three diabetic patients' focus groups, and was included into two cross-sectional studies with similar design: SHIP Oral study and SHIP Premix study.

Chronic, programmed polypeptide delivery from an implanted, multireservoir microchip device.

Implanted drug delivery systems are being increasingly used to realize the therapeutic potential of peptides and proteins. Here we describe the controlled pulsatile release of the polypeptide leuprolide from microchip implants over 6 months in dogs. Each microchip contains an array of discrete reservoirs from which dose delivery can be controlled by telemetry.

Implantable atrial defibrillator with a single-pass dual-electrode lead.

Objectives: We examined the feasibility and efficacy of using a single-pass, dual-electrode (Solo) lead for atrial fibrillation (AF) detection and defibrillation.

Background: The efficacy and safety of an implantable atrial defibrillator (IAD) has been extensively studied; however, separate right atrial (RA) and coronary sinus (CS) defibrillation leads are used for the present system.

Methods: We studied the use of the Solo lead for AF detection and defibrillation in 17 patients who underwent cardioversion of chronic AF.

Reproducibility of glucose and insulin responses to mixed meal in type II diabetic patients.

Objective: The reproducibility of glucose and insulin responses to a mixed meal were studied in 24 consecutive non-insulin-dependent (type II) diabetic patients, the diet of which matched the tested diet. Patients received their usual treatment throughout the study.

Research Design And Methods: A standardized diet was followed for 3 days, and responses were measured on the 2nd and 3rd days.

[Study of blood glucose regulation in 103 cases of adult acquired hypothyroïdism (author's transl)].

Systematic studies of blood glucose regulation have been performed in 103 cases of adult acquired hypothyroïdism. The results were the following: 11 cases of overt diabetes were discovered. The diagnostic was made when fasting blood glucose was superior to 120 mg/100 ml and glucosuria was present.