Diabetes care in Camerino hospital after the central Italy earthquake

Introduction Between August 2016 and October 2016, a series of earthquakes hit Central Italy causing important damages and over 11.000 people evacuees. Previous reports have shown that, after natural disasters, glycemic control of diabetic patients deteriorates. After a disaster, in absence of guidelines, there could be an access to medical facilities, medications limited, leading to a worsening of diabetes and its comorbidities. With our study, based on 73 diabetic patients followed between 2016 and 2018, we wanted to evaluate how they, after a training by the Diabetes Centre of Camerino Hospital, responded to these events, and how their condition was affected. Methods We analyzed the glycosylated hemoglobin, triglycerides, total cholesterol, HDL and LDL cholesterol parameters before the earthquake, after 3-6 months and after two years. Being the diabetic therapy an important factor influencing our results, we decided to analyze how each patient’s therapy changed during the study period, if it was modified in any way (increase/decrease of the dose) or if it remained the same. Results Many of 73 diabetic patients had to evacuate their houses because of the damages and find another accommodation (hotels and camping along the coast). The 75% are males and the remaining 25% females, 11% of them are aged between 38 and 59, 58% are aged between 60 and 79 and 28% are aged between 80 and 92. Even if a significant statistical association with the paired Student’s t-test (at P < 0.05) has not be showed for all parameters before and after earthquake, the 45% of patients had their therapy changed with an increase in the dose, the 44% had their therapy unvaried and the 11% had their therapy changed with a decrease of the dose. Conclusions Considering all the results, we can see that there is maintenance of the values. Observing that also the Glycosylated Hemoglobin is not worsened in a group of diabetic patients following a life-changing event such as a serious earthquake, means that they were followed and treated with alacrity and professionalism by the hospital. We know that diet and physical exercise are fundamental for diabetes, but the therapy is, of course, the most important support for these patients. Given the results of our study, and in collaboration with the Hospital of Camerino, we tried to elaborate a guideline on how to support and instruct diabetic patients in these delicate and difficult situations, to avoid a degeneration of their state.