Neither DHEA nor low-dose testosterone replacement in elderly people has physiologically relevant beneficial effects on body composition, physical performance, insulin sensitivity, or quality of life. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00254371 [ClinicalTrials.gov].).

The Joint British Diabetes Societies guidelines for the management of diabetic ketoacidosis (these do not cover Hyperosmolar Hyperglycaemic Syndrome) are available in full at: This article summarizes the main changes from previous guidelines and discusses the rationale for the new recommendations. The key points are: Monitoring of the response to treatment (i) The method of choice for monitoring the response to treatment is bedside measurement of capillary blood ketones using a ketone meter.(ii) If blood ketone measurement is not available, venous pH and bicarbonate should be used in conjunction with bedside blood glucose monitoring to assess treatment response.(iii) Venous blood should be used rather than arterial (unless respiratory problems dictate otherwise) in blood gas analysers.(iv) Intermittent laboratory confirmation of pH, bicarbonate and electrolytes only.Insulin administration (i) Insulin should be infused intravenously at a weight-based fixed rate until the ketosis has resolved.(ii) When the blood glucose falls below 14 mmol ⁄ l, 10% glucose should be added to allow the fixed-rate insulin to be continued.(iii) If already taking, long-acting insulin analogues such as insulin glargine (Lantus Ò

These Joint British Diabetes Societies guidelines, commissioned by NHS Diabetes, for the perioperative management of the adult patient undergoing surgery are available in full in the Supporting Information. This document goes through the seven stages of the patient journey when having surgery. These are: primary care referral; surgical outpatients; preoperative assessment; hospital admission; surgery; post-operative care; discharge. Each stage is given its own considerations, outlining the roles and responsibilities of each group of healthcare professionals. The evidence base for the recommendations made at each stage, discussion of controversial areas and references are provided in the report. This document has two key recommendations. Firstly, that the management of the elective adult surgery patients should be with modification to their usual diabetes treatment if the fasting is minimized because the routine use of a variable rate intravenous insulin infusion is not recommended. Secondly, that poor preoperative glycaemic control leads to post-outcomes and thus, where appropriate, needs to be addressed prior to referral for surgery.Diabet. Med. 29, 420-433 (2012) Keywords diabetes, guidelines, perioperative management, surgery, variable rate intravenous insulin infusion Summary of key pointsOrganization and planning of care K1. Careful planning, taking into account the specific needs of the patient with diabetes, is required at all stages of the patient pathway from general practitioner referral to postoperative discharge.

Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is the most common acute hyperglycaemic emergency in people with diabetes mellitus. A diagnosis of DKA is confirmed when all of the three criteria are present-'D', either elevated blood glucose levels or a family history of diabetes mellitus; 'K', the presence of high urinary or blood ketoacids; and 'A', a high anion gap metabolic acidosis. Early diagnosis and management are paramount to improve patient outcomes. The mainstays of treatment include restoration of circulating volume, insulin therapy , electrolyte replacement and treatment of any underlying precipitating event. Without optimal treatment, DKA remains a condition with appreciable, although largely preventable, morbidity and mortality. In this Primer, we discuss the epidemiology , pathogenesis, risk factors and diagnosis of DKA and provide practical recommendations for the management of DKA in adults and children.