Multicenter, Randomized Trial Designed to Evaluate the Applicability of the Guidelines of the Italian Society of Diabetology for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Diseases in Type 2 Diabetes

The study is multi-centric, randomized, open label, active treatment controlled, two parallel-group, pragmatical intervention trial with 5 years of follow-up, to assess superiority of an intensive treat-to-target strategy (including lifestyle and pharmacological interventions) for correction of major cardiovascular risk factors compared to usual care in decreasing incidence of first cardiovascular events in non complicated type 2 diabetic patients at high risk, as defined by presence of 2 or more cardiovascular risk factors. All high-risk patients identified during phase 1 who accepted to participated were allocated to usual or intensive treatment based on the recruiting center. Centers were randomly assigned to treatment arm before phase 2 beginning. Investigators from Intensive Care centers received centralized training to ensure the application of the intensive care program on their patients.

HbA1c values and lipid profile are assessed in peripheral laboratories (one per each study site) with an external, centralized, quality control program and the adjustment for systematic differences among study labs.

Participating investigators are left free to decide upon patient's treatments. In intensive-care centers, investigators are provided with a multi-factorial step-wise protocol to support the application of a treat-to-target approach. Intensive care strategy includes intervention on lifestyle.

Dietary intervention goals: BMI<25 or 5% reduction of body weight; dietary assumption of saturated fat <10% of total caloric intake; fibers= 15-20 g/1000 Kcal. Methods defined to reach the dietary goal: A) Patients with BMI 25-30 kg/m2: reduction of caloric intake = 300-500 Cal/d; B) Patients with BMI >30: reduction of caloric intake 500-800 Cal/d.

Physical activity intervention goal: 200-300 calories per day. Example: brisk walking for 30 min every day or biking (18-25Km/h 45-60 min). Alternatives: swimming 1h , dancing 1h, gym exercise 1h;-avoiding isometric exercise and exercise with intensity >50-60 % of maximal oxygen consumption. Frequency: everyday or at least 3 times a week; Pharmacological intervention: Blood glucose control, multi-step intervention. In obese patients: 1) Metformin (M, 500-2500mg); 2) M+Sulphonylureas (S) or S-like drugs, increasing progressively the dose; 3) M+S+Acarbose; 4) M+S+insulin bed-time; 5) insulin basal-bolus. In normal weight patients: 1) S; 2) S+acarbose; 3) S+ bed-time insulin; 4) insulin basal bolus; Blood pressure control --> 1) Ace-inhibitors or AT-II receptor antagonists; 2) add long acting calcium-channel blockers or beta-blockers or low dose diuretics; 3) add a third drug; lipid control: 1) diet + physical activity; 2) if LDL > 130 mg/dL statins (with a stepwise increase of dose if necessary); if triglycerides > 200 mg/dL fibrates; anti-platelet treatment: aspirin 100 mg/d in all patients (alternative drugs for aspirin-intolerants).