Despite the bidirectional relationship between diabetes and periodontal disease, dental hygienists' (DHs') engagement in diabetes screening remains underexplored in Japan. This study examined associations between attitudes and diabetes screening practices among Japanese DHs. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 234 DHs in the Kanto region between December 2023 and February 2024. After excluding invalid responses, 75 (response rate: 32.1 %) were analyzed. Attitudes and practices were assessed using a self-administered questionnaire. Exploratory factor analysis identified underlying constructs, and multiple regression analyses examined associations between attitudes and screening practices. Only 36 % had received diabetes management training. Factor analysis identified two attitude factors—willingness to manage diabetes and lack of knowledge and confidence—and two practice factors—checking diabetes management status and checking diabetes therapeutic management status. Willingness to manage diabetes was positively associated with all screening practices: checking diabetes management status (β = 0.34, 95 % CI 0.28–1.41), checking diabetes therapeutic management status (β = 0.39, 95 % CI 0.22–0.84), and symptom checking (β = 0.30, 95 % CI 0.12–0.72), indicating substantial effects. Lack of knowledge and confidence was negatively associated with checking diabetes management status (β = -0.33, 95 % CI -0.94 to -0.17), reflecting a moderate effect. Clinical experience and diabetes education experience also predicted symptom checking, highlighting the importance of structured training. Educational interventions targeting knowledge, confidence, and willingness are essential to promote diabetes screening practices among DHs. These findings provide evidence for developing targeted training programs to enhance medical-dental collaboration in diabetes care.

• SGLT2i associated with stable graft function in transplant diabetes. • Weight, BP, and lipid reductions observed. • Renal safety profile favorable: eGFR stable, no proteinuria rise. • UTI most common adverse event; no euglycemic ketoacidosis. • Real-world data suggest safe use post-transplant. Sodium–glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) are key cardiorenal agents, yet their safety and efficacy in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) with post-transplant diabetes mellitus (PTDM) remain insufficiently characterized. To evaluate the renal safety, tolerability, and cardiometabolic profile associated with SGLT2 inhibitor use in this population. This single-center retrospective cohort screened 183 KTRs prescribed GLP-1 receptor agonists and/or SGLT2i (August 2013–April 2024). After applying prespecified exclusion criteria, 65 kidney transplant recipients with PTDM receiving SGLT2i for >3 months were included (mean treatment duration 2.56 ± 1.37 years). Primary outcomes were renal safety (annualized eGFR slope and uPCR/uACR). Secondary outcomes included cardiometabolic/hemodynamic measures and adverse events. Allograft function was stable, with an annualized eGFR slope of +1.35 mL/min/1.73 m²/year (95% CI: –0.49 to +3.19; p = 0.148). Proteinuria markers (uPCR, uACR) showed no significant increase. Serum urea rose (70.00 ± 25.80 to 75.30 ± 33.86 mg/dL, p = 0.003), while serum creatinine and cystatin C were unchanged. Body weight decreased by 3.02 kg (p = 0.001) and BMI by 1.24 kg/m² (p < 0.001). Systolic and diastolic blood pressure were lower by 7.0 and 4.9 mmHg, respectively (both p < 0.001). Reductions were observed in total cholesterol (172.60 ± 33.60 to 158.90 ± 37.70 mg/dL, p = 0.001) and LDL-cholesterol (87.60 ± 36.20 to 75.80 ± 33.60 mg/dL, p = 0.001). Serum uric acid decreased from 6.56 ± 1.56 to 6.24 ± 1.65 mg/dL (p = 0.021). Electrolytes were stable. Urinary tract infections occurred in 15.4% (predominantly asymptomatic). No cases of euglycemic diabetic ketoacidosis, allograft rejection, or genital infections were observed. In KTRs with PTDM, intermediate-term SGLT2i therapy was associated with preserved allograft function, cardiometabolic benefits, and a favorable safety profile. These real-world data describe a clinical profile supporting further investigation and provide rationale for prospective trials.

The burden of diabetes in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is rising faster than in any other region of the world, with affected individuals at a substantially higher risk of developing microvascular and macrovascular complications. Existing evidence indicates that sub-Saharan Africans with diabetes living in SSA experience higher rates of vascular complications compared with their counterparts in high-income settings; studies exploring the biological basis of this remain very limited, as the majority of diabetes research in SSA is limited to descriptive epidemiology. There is minimal incorporation of recommended vascular phenotyping tools, including assessments of arterial stiffness, arterial occlusion, endothelial function, and microvascular function. This limits mechanistic understanding, undermines vascular risk stratification, and constrains translation into effective patient management strategies. This viewpoint advocates for the prioritization of vascular phenotyping within sub-Saharan African diabetes research. Sequentially, the article outlines the differential burden of diabetes-related vascular complications in sub-Saharan Africans living on the continent, current epidemiological gaps, the potential role of vascular phenotyping in improving clinical outcomes and health systems and proposes pragmatic steps in integrating vascular phenotyping into existing research in SSA. Many tools for vascular phenotyping are increasingly becoming affordable, portable, and automated. Given its feasibility, integrating vascular phenotyping into diabetes research in SSA should therefore be treated as an urgent priority rather than a future aspiration, given its clear benefits, including deeper insight into disease mechanisms, more precise targeting of care, and findings with global relevance. What is required now is a deliberate shift in priorities.