Syringe Recall
Nipro Medical Corporation has voluntarily issued a nationwide recall of all GlucoPro insulin syringes due to the possibility of the needles detaching from the syringes. Were such detachment to occur while a syringe was being used, it could cause the needle to become stuck in an insulin vial, to push back into the syringe barrel, or to remain in the skin after an injection. The recall affects all product codes and lot numbers with expiration dates prior to 2011-11 (November 1, 2011).
People with GlucoPro Insulin Syringes are advised to stop using the syringes and return them to the place of sale for reimbursement. To learn more, see the press release on the Web site of the Food and Drug Administration.
Depression Raises Severe Complications Risk
In other news, a study out of western Washington state indicates that depression in people with diabetes raises the risk of severe diabetes complications.
The study authors followed roughly 3,700 people with Type 2 diabetes, enrolled in the Pathways Epidemiological Follow-up Study between 2000 and 2002, through 2005–2007. The researchers looked at information including medical records, lists of prescribed medicines, and death certificates to determine what had happened to each person over the course of roughly five years.
At the end of the study period, the data showed that major depression was associated with a 36% higher risk of developing advanced microvascular complications, such as end-stage kidney disease, and a 25% higher risk of developing advanced macrovascular complications, such as heart attack or stroke, compared to people with diabetes who were not depressed. The elevated risks remained even after the researchers adjusted for HbA1c level and self-management routines.
The authors note that further research is needed to clarify what underlying mechanism causes this association between depression and severe complications and to determine what types of treatment might be helpful for lowering the risk of complications in people with both diabetes and depression.
To learn more about the research, see “Severe Complications of Diabetes Higher in Depressed Patients” or read the study’s abstract in Diabetes Care. And if you think you may have depression, be sure to bring up your concerns with your health-care provider.
