Brief Article
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World J Diabetes. Feb 15, 2014; 5(1): 76-83
Published online Feb 15, 2014. doi: 10.4239/wjd.v5.i1.76
Rationale, design and baseline patient characteristics of the optimal type 2 diabetes management including benchmarking and standard treatment study in Greece
Michael S Kostapanos, Vasilis Tsimihodimos, Moses S Elisaf, Emmanouil Tzouvelekis, Nikos Nikas
Michael S Kostapanos, Vasilis Tsimihodimos, Moses S Elisaf, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece
Emmanouil Tzouvelekis, Nikos Nikas, Medical Department, AstraZeneca SA, 15773 Athens, Greece
Author contributions: All the authors contributed to this paper equally.
Supported by AstraZeneca
Correspondence to: Moses S Elisaf, MD, FRSPH, FASA, Professor of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Ioannina, St. Niarchou Avenue, 45110 Ioannina, Greece. egepi@cc.uoi.gr
Telephone: +30-265-1007509 Fax: +30-265-1007509
Received: July 4, 2013
Revised: December 2, 2013
Accepted: January 13, 2014
Published online: February 15, 2014
Core Tip

Core tip: This is an epidemiological study assessing the prevalence of comorbidities as well as treatment control in a Greek population of patients with type 2 diabetes. “Benchmarking” is the process of receiving feedback and comparing one’s performance to that of others. The optimal type 2 diabetes management including benchmarking and standard treatment (OPTIMISE) study is a multinational, multicenter study comparing the efficacy of two follow-up strategies in the management of type 2 diabetic outpatients: “benchmarking”vs“non-benchmarking”. This paper describes the rationale and the design of the OPTIMISE study as well as the baseline characteristics of patients included in the Greek region.