Verona, Patricia M

Abstract Coccidioidomycosis is an endemic fungal infection caused by the soil-dwelling Coccidioides. One prior study showed that persons with diabetes mellitus (DM) with elevated glucose at the time of coccidioidomycosis had poorer coccidioidal outcomes compared to persons without DM. We aimed to assess the association between hemoglobin A1C (A1C) and outcomes among persons with coccidioidomycosis and coexisting DM. We conducted a retrospective case-control study of patients with DM (cases) and without DM (controls) with coccidioidomycosis to assess the effect of glycemic control on outcomes in patients with DM. From January 1, 2017, to October 13, 2022, we identified 138 DM patients with coccidioidomycosis and compared them with 283 non-DM control patients with coccidioidomycosis. Compared with controls, cases were more likely to require hospitalization (OR 1.20, P < .001), have a lung cavity (OR 1.36, P < .001) and cavitary complications (OR 1.09, P = .001), require surgical management (OR 1.07, P = .016), and experience relapsed infection (OR 1.09, P = .041). Among the cases, when baseline A1C was assessed as a continuous variable, each 1-unit increase of A1C had a significant effect on coccidioidomycosis-related hospitalizations (A1C OR 1.59, P = .005) and the presence of cavities (OR 1.42, P = .01). Controlling for Charlson Comorbidity Index did not change the significance of A1C influence on outcomes of hospitalization and lung cavities. DM patients with A1C levels ≤8.0 at presentation did not have increased adverse coccidioidomycosis outcomes. In summary, glycemic control profoundly impacts the outcomes of diabetic patients with coccidioidomycosis.

Abstract Background: Unlike with solid organ cancers, little data is available on how diabetes mellitus (DM) and hematologic malignancies interact to affect survival and glycemic control. We examined the impact of DM on survival in patients with leukemia and the effect of leukemia on glycemic control. Materials and Methods: Patients with leukemia with and without DM were matched 1:1 (2007–2017), 70 matched pairs (total N=140 pts) were included in the analysis. We compared characteristics between cases and controls and assessed survival with the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazards model. Mixed models compared hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and glucose levels over time. Results: The median age of patients at diagnosis was 56 (18–94); 60% were male and 89% had acute leukemia. Among those with DM, HbA1c was only recorded in 25 of 70 patients during the year following cancer diagnosis and was 6.8%. There was no change in HbA1c values over time in these DM patients. Mean glucose was significantly different between DM and non-DM patients (p<0.001). Time (days since leukemia diagnosis) was significant (p<0.001) and there was a significant interaction effect (p=0.01). Glucose values increased in the DM patients during the year following diagnosis, while remaining stable in those without DM. Median follow-up time was 23.2 months. Three-year survival was estimated at 46% for DM patients versus 45% in non-DM pts by Kaplan Meier method (p=0.79). Hazard ratio (stratification for matched pairs) was 1.05 (95% CI: 0.57 - 1.94; p=0.88). Three-year relapse-free survival was estimated at 34% for DM patients versus 43% for non-DM patients (p=0.58). Hazard ratio (stratification for matched pairs) = 1.10 (95% CI: 0.61–1.98; p=0.76). Conclusions: DM did not adversely impact survival in patients with leukemia. Leukemia and its treatment did not affect glycemic control. This should be reassuring to hematologists and endocrinologists who treat patients with leukemia and diabetes.

Abstract Background: We have previously examined the link between diabetes mellitus (DM) and malignancy with respect to mortality, but little is known about how the cancer affects glycemic control. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate metabolic parameters in patients with cancer with and without DM. Methods: We selected 1404 patients with newly diagnosed prostate, breast, lung, colorectal, and pancreatic cancer from the institutional cancer registry from 2010–2015. Records were selected and matched 2:1 cancer without DM (n=936) and cancer and concurrent DM patients (n=468). Patients were matched by year of diagnosis, age, gender, and cancer type. Metabolic parameters during the year after cancer diagnosis were examined using linear mixed models with fixed effects for time, cancer type, DM status and individual-specific random effect allowing each patient to have a different intercept. Results: Prostate cancer accounted for the majority of cases (n=199), followed by lung cancer (n=91), breast cancer (n=71), colorectal cancer (n=54), and pancreas cancer (n=53). Mean overall hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) was 6.9 (1.2)%. Pancreas cancer patients had higher HbA1c overall (p=0.02). There was no change in HbA1c one year post cancer diagnosis (p=0.28). Mean glucose in non-DM was 108(18) mg/dL and 146 (45) mg/dL in DM pts. Lung and pancreas cancer patients had higher glucose values overall (p<0.001). Time (p<0.001), DM (p<0.001) and time * DM (p=0.02) were significant in a mixed model. A decrease in glucose over the year was observed in DM patients across all cancer types. Conclusions: A diagnosis of malignancy does not worsen glycemic control within the first year of cancer diagnosis. This should be reassuring to endocrinologists and oncologists who treat patients with DM and cancer. Longer term studies, and analysis in larger and more diverse patients groups are needed.