Greater effect of enhanced pharmacist care on cholesterol management in patients with diabetes mellitus: a planned subgroup analysis of the Study of Cardiovascular Risk Intervention by Pharmacists (SCRIP).
OBJECTIVE
To determine the effect of enhanced pharmacist care on cholesterol management in patients with and without diabetes mellitus.


METHODS
We conducted a planned subgroup analysis of the Study of Cardiovascular Risk Intervention by Pharmacists (SCRIP), a 54-center randomized trial of pharmacist intervention compared with usual care in patients at high risk for cardiovascular events. The patients involved had atherosclerotic disease or diabetes. We compared the effect of pharmacist intervention in patients with and without diabetes. The primary end point was a composite of performing a fasting cholesterol profile, or adding or increasing the dosage of a cholesterol-lowering drug. Secondary end points were individual components of the primary end point and change in 10-year risk for cardiovascular events, using the Framingham risk equation.


RESULTS
Of the 675 patients enrolled in the SCRIP study, 294 (44%) had diabetes. Enhanced pharmacist care had a more beneficial effect on cholesterol management in those with diabetes (odds ratio [OR] 4.8) than without diabetes (OR 2.1), p=0.01. Secondary end points showed similar trends, and reduction in Framingham risk was greater in patients with diabetes than without.


CONCLUSIONS
Pharmacist intervention for dyslipidemia appears to have a greater impact in patients with diabetes. Results of this substudy suggest that pharmacists should target this patient group for interventions in cholesterol risk management.
Simpson
Scot H
SH
Institute of Health Economics, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
Johnson
Jeffrey A
JA
Biggs
Rosemarie S
RS
Tsuyuki
Ross T
RT
D000368:Aged; D000416:Alberta / Q000453:epidemiology; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000503:physiopathology; D005215:Fasting / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017146:Models, Organizational; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010593:Pharmaceutical Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D024382:Professional Role; D012107:Research Design; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012525:Saskatchewan / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors
D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D001786:Blood Glucose