From guidelines to diagnostic and therapeutic care pathway (PDTA): pioneering diabetes management

Background: In line with the 2023 National Intersocietal Guidelines for managing diabetes or hyperglycemia in non-critical settings (SIMI-AMD-SID-FADOI-SIGG-ANIMO), the G. Giglio Hospital’s Internal Medicine Ward in Cefalù has pioneered an outpatient service for diabetic patient follow-up post-discharge, facilitating direct access within one month after discharge. This initiative reflects a strategic response to the increasing need for structured diabetes management in hospital settings. Materials and methods: We evaluated 102 patients (62.7% male, 37.3% female), with a mean age of 72 years hospitalized at Giglio Hospital between February and October 2023. Among these patients, 40.2% had been hospitalized in Cardiology or Cardiac Rehabilitation Units for a Major Adverse Cardiac Events (MACE), and 52.9% had been hospitalized in Internal Medicine for sepsis or respiratory failure (50% each). Pre-admission, 31% of the patients were not aware to be diabetics (diagnosis confirmed through HbA1c at the first day of recovery), while 69% had already a diagnosis of diabetes. Among these last ones, only 1% pre-admission was treated with GLP1RA and 10.8% with SGLT2i, while 46.1% was treated with SU and 32.4% with insulin both on BOT or BB scheme (3.7% of patients on both insulin and SU, 2.9% on both insulin and SGLT2i). Average HbA1c during hospitalization was 8.7%. Results: Our management approach during the hospital stay resulted in an increasing use of GLP1RA (Oral Sema) and SGLT2i (Cana, Dapa or Empa) treatments from 64.71% and 66.67% given during recovery (or within one month after discharge), to 74.75% and 82.18% at 6 months follow-up, respectively. This shift led to a significant progressive decrease in Insulin Requirement (IR) (in patients previously treated with insulin, average IR was 40.5 UI pre-admission and 29.68 UI at six months: an average IR reduction of 26.71%) and to an average HbA1c reduction of 2.01% (from 8.7% to 6.7%) with 38.83% of patients experiencing a significant HbA1c reduction (>2%) at 6 months follow-up. According to the 2022 National SID-AMD Guidelines for managing of type 2 diabetes, SU were deprescribed in 100% of the patients who were treated before hospital stay. Conclusions: Giglio Hospital’s dedicated pathway for diabetes management post-discharge has significantly enhanced patient outcomes and therapeutic adherence, demonstrating substantial improvements in glycemic control, steadily decreasing insulin dependence.