Dr. Maia Khelashvili

Georgian   Diabetes Center

5, Ljubjiana str.

380059

Tbilisi

Georgia  

Tel: 995 32 527010

Fax: 995 32 940081

diabet@access.sanet.ge

The Georgian   Diabetes Center is an organization that deals with prevention, diagnoses and treatment of DM and its late complications. Besides, the Center carries out educational activities, and translates and publishes relevant information on the mentioned above pathologies for HCP, GPs and patients.

Unfortunately due to known situation in our region we are not related to creating information and communication technologies, as well as knowledge management or web technologies but of course the Center is equipped with computers, that are widely use. The GDC is very active in scientific and research work, the results are regularly presented at the EASD, IDF, EFES, ASH, European Cardiology and other Meetings and Congresses. If you look through the list of works presented at the World, European and American Congresses you could evaluate the wide spectrum of our interests and abilities.

The aim of the GDC staff is not any achieving good diabetes control, but early revealing and proper management of all diabetes complications in our patients. For this the Center has and is equipped with:

• Cardiological group: ECG, echocardiography and tests for cardial autonomic neuropathy are performed for each patient. In case of necessity Holter monitoring and stress-tests are also performed. The Center participates in two double-blinded, multi-center, randomized trials - CARISA-3033 and CARISA-3034, and in a survey carried out by the European Heart House

• Peripheral neuropathy group

•  Diabetic foot room

• Eyes and diabetes room: fundus and ophthalmoscopic examination and follow-up are performed

• Consultants - ophthalmologists ( National Ophthalmologic Center ), angiologists ( Angiology Center ), neurologist (Neurology Department of the State Medical University )

• Patient therapeutic education group. For the first time in the former USSR education courses were founded at the GDC in 1987.

Besides, the Center translates, publishes and implements European Guidelines for physicians, healthcare providers, general practitioners, patients and general public (see the list of publications).

The Center is well-equipped, it performs a wide spectrum of clinical and laboratory tests, and the staff is well-trained and experienced.

The GDC is well-aware that macrovascular complications of DM, are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in diabetic population; and that in the future the pathologies will become a world pandemic.

It is now recognized that Type 2 DM is not a distinct clinical entity but rather a complex of risk factor for CVD.

As many people with diabetes mellitus, who experience a first coronary event, die prior to getting to hospital, they cannot benefit from secondary prevention strategies. In view of this, together with the increased overall risk associated with diabetes, the management of risk factors in people with diabetes should precede the onset of heart or other vascular diseases and should be pursued as aggressively as it would be in individuals with established vascular disease.

The lack of knowledge and information on Diabetes Mellitus and high level of ignorance in the Society creates a lot of problems. Implementation of up-to-date knowledge and information among healthcare providers, GPs, patients and general public is not less important than timely diagnosis and prevention of the diseases. Based on stated above the Georgian Diabetes Center expresses great interest in the following programs for jointly executed activities: A1; A2; A3; S1; S2.  

It is very important if serious attention is paid to Cardiac Autonomic Neuropathy and endothelial damage, as it is one of the most serious problems in Diabetes Mellitus, resulting in very high level of morbidity and mortality in diabetic patients.

It is of utmost importance for all developing cocentries and newborn states of Eastern Europe .

The GDC and Georgian Diabetes Federation (GDF) are co-operating with leading Cardiologic, Angiologic, Neurologic, Ophthalmologic etc. Centers of Georgia and mainly Tbilisi - the capital of Georgia . So data collection and patient monitoring could be organized on quite a large scale. This is of great importance, as there is very little data on the state of the problem in the most Eastern European countries and, especially, Trans Caucasus region. Our participation in the program will somehow help to collect statistical data for the region.

Besides, there is still little information on DM and its late complications that can be implemented in the public health system of Georgia . The GDC takes active part in translation, publication and implementation of the up-to-date information.

FOLLOWING PROGRAMS ARE DESIGNED TO HELP PEOPLE WITH DIABETES - WE ARE LOOKING FOR SUPPORT AND PARTNERS:

• Implementation of Diabetes Education System for Teachers and School Staff in Georgia ;

• Organization of the Specialized Care for Pregnant Women with Diabetes Mellitus from the Needy Group of Society;

• Organization of Post-graduate Courses on Diabetes in Pregnancy for Medical Doctors from 12 CIS countries;

• Organization of the Specialized Care for Screening and Treatment of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus;

• Increasing Quality of Life of People with Diabetes Mellitus through Education and Training of Health Care Providers;

• Evaluation of Troglitazone Effectiveness in the Treatment of Secondary Failure to Sulphonylurea in Type 2 DM Patients;

• Education and Screening of General Population in Order to Prevent Diabetes, and In hence Quality of Life of People with Diabetes Mellitus;

• Organization of Specialized Foot Care System in Georgia by the Georgian Diabetes Center ;

• Screening for Diabetic Retinopathy and 5-day Educational Courses at the Georgian Diabetes Center ;

• Organization and Educational Methods at the Diabetes School ;

• Increasing General Practitioners' Knowledge in Order to Prevent Diabetes and its Late Complications.  

MEMBERSHIP OF THE GDC/GDF (GEORGIAN DIABETES FEDERATION) AND CO-WORKERS IN:

1. IDF - International Diabetes Federation, full member since 1994;

2. EASD - European Association for the Study of Diabetes;

3. DESG of the EASD - Diabetes Education Study Group, members since 1996;

4. PCD-Europe - Primary Care in Diabetes Group of St.-Vincent Declaration, since 1997;

5. Neurodiab of the EASD - since 2002;

6. TFI - Thyroid Federation International, since 2000;

7. ICDM - International Committee of Diabetes Magazines of  the IDF, since 1997;

8. European Forum of Prevention of Coronary Heart Disease in Clinical Practice, Regional Group/European Heart House, since 2002;

9. Working Group on Diabetes and Pregnancy of the EAPM (European Association of Perinatal Medicine).

FOLLOWING PROGRAMS FULFILLED BY THE GDC ARE THE PRACTICAL STEPS TO REDUCE THE BURDEN OF THE CONDITION:

• The Royal Netherlands Embassy Grant (1995) - Program "Diabetes Education for People with Diabetes Mellitus from the Needy Groups of Society

• The Georgian Public Health Ministry Grant (1997) - Program "Organization and Education Methods for the Diabetes School"; for this the first Manual for Endocrinologists and GPs in Georgian was written and published by the GDC

• The Open Society - Georgia (Soros) Grant (1998) - Program " Increasing General Practitioners Knowledge in Order to Prevent DM and Its Late Complications". The DESG Teaching Letters were translated into Georgian for endocrinologists and GPs. To implement the Letters a course of lectures and seminars is planned.

• The Israel-Georgian Twinning Program - Diabetes in Pregnancy - Pregestational Diabetes (1996-2003) and Screening for Gestational Diabetes (1999 an on)

• The latter programs are still in progress

• The GDC participates in 3 large-scale international trials, 1 European Survey.

WE CONDUCT:

1. Diabetes Training for Medical Students; Medical University "Tbilisi". Two training courses :1) Diabetes Mellitus, its prevention, diagnosis & treatment. 2) Diabetes Mellitus and Cardio Vascular Disease;

2. Continuous Medical Education for GPs, internists and all physicians, interested in prevention and treatment of diabetes and its late complications;

3. Education Courses for Therapeutic Patients with diabetes and their relatives.

FOLLOWING MATERIALS WERE TRANSLATED AND PUBLISHED IN GEORGIAN FOR PEOPLE WITH DIABETES AND PHYSICIANS:

1. V. Jorgens, M. Grusser, M. Berger, R. Kurashvili - My Book on DM; A Book for Type 1 Diabetes (1996);

2. V. Jorgens, M. Grusser, P. Kronsbein, R. Kurashvili - How I Treat My DM; A Book on Type 2 DM (1996);

3. The DESG "The 5-minute Survival Kit", by J.-Ph. Assal, et. al (1996);

4. Guidance for Teachers and School Staff. Children with Diabetes; BDA (1997);

5. Multilingual Guide for "Diabetes Traveling" - in English, Germany , Spanish, Italian, French, Dutch, Russian, Turkish, Georgian languages (1997);

6. The DESG Patient Education Basics (NN 1-15);

7. The DESG Teaching Letters (N 1-17), (1998-2002); (NN 18-26 will be out in late spring);

8. A Desktop Guide to Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus; Guidelines for Diabetes Care (IDF-EU, 2002);

9. A Desktop Guide to Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Guidelines for Diabetes Care (IDF-EU, 2001);

10. Definition, Diagnosis and Classification of Diabetes Mellitus and its Complications (WHO, 2000);

11. Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease: Time to Act (the IDF publication, 2002);

12. Hypertension in Type 2 Diabetes: Knowledge - Based Diabetes - Specific Guidelines (2002);

13. International Consensus on Diabetic Foot, EASD Study Group - 2000 (to be out in summer);

14. Diabetic Neuropathy (Practical Recommendations 2001);

15. What is Type 2 DM? A Booklet for People with Type 2 DM (2002);

16. How to manage my Type 2 DM? A Booklet for People with Type 2 DM (2002);

17. Type 2 DM. Recommendation for Diagnoses and Treatment (A Booklet for GPs, 2002);

18. Recommendation for OHA-prescriptions - How to prescribe Diabeton MR (Practical Recommendations for GPs and outpatient endocrinologists, 2002);

19. Diabetes and Pregnancy Update and Guidelines (EAPM-2002), (will be out in summer);

20. A Quarterly magazine for people with diabetes.

Besides, series of TV programs on DM, its late complications prevention, diagnosis and treatment are carried out since 2001.

PARTICIPATION IN THE EUROPEAN AND INTERNATIONAL CONGRESES

• The IDF 15th Congress, Kobe , Japan , November 1994, 1 oral presentation;

• The 32nd EASD Annual Meeting, Austria , Vienna , September 1996, 1 poster presentation;

• The "Together We Are Stronger" Meeting, Tampere , July, 1997, 2 poster presentations;

• The IDF 16/EASD-97, 33rd Annual Meeting, Helsinki , July, 1997, 3 poster presentations;

• The MGSD-EASD, Turkey , Istanbul , September, 1997, 1 oral presentation, 1 poster presentation;

• The BlackSeaDiab Meeting, October, 1997, 7 poster presentation;

• Odense Agora IV Conference, Denmark , October, 1997, 1 oral presentation, 1 poster presentation;

• The 1st Meeting of the SVD Conveyors Working Group, Malta , March, 1998, 1 oral presentation;

• The 2nd International Conference of SVDPCDG, Belgium, Brussels, May, 1998, 2 poster presentations, 2 oral presentations;

• The 8th International Congress on Obesity, France , Paris , August, 1998, 1 poster presentation;

• The EASD-98, 34th Annual Meeting, Spain, Barcelona, September, 1998, 3 poster presentations, 1 oral presentation;

• Together We Are Stronger Meeting, Italy , Assisi , November, 1998, 2 poster presentations;

• DESG-Capri Workshop, Italy , Capri , April, 1999, 1 oral presentation;

• The 14th Scientific Meeting of the ASH, USA, New York, May, 1999, 3 poster presentations;

• The EASD-99, 35th Annual Meeting, Belgium, Brussels, September, 1999, 1 poster presentation, 1 oral presentation;

• The 3rd International Conference of SVDPCDG, Turkey , Istanbul , October, 1999, 3 poster presentations;

• The 5th Meeting for the Implementation of the SVD Action Program , Turkey . Istanbul , October, 1999, 8 poster presentations, 1 oral presentation;

• The 5th International Symposium on Multiple Risk Factors in Cardiovascular Disease, Italy, Venice, October, 1999, 2 poster presentations;

• The 2nd World Congress on Prevention of DM and its Complications, Italy , Fuggi (Roma), November, 1999, 2 poster presentations;

• The 4th Immunology of Diabetes Society Congress, November, 1999, 1 poster presentation;

• The 22nd Congress of the European Society of Cardiology, The Netherlands, Amsterdam, August, 2000, 1 poster presentation;

• The 16th FIGO World Congress of Gynecology and Obstetrics , USA , Washington, September, 2000, 3 poster presentations;

• The EASD-2000, 36th Annual Meeting, Israel , Jerusalem , September, 2000, 4 poster presentation;

• The 32 Annual DPSG-Meeting, Israel , Galilee , September, 2000, 1 oral presentation;

• European Conference of Young Scientists and Students, Georgia , Tbilisi , September, 2000, Workshop "Diabetes in Pregnancy";

• The 4th International Conference of the SVDPCDG "Diabetes in the New Millennium", Czech Republic , Prague , October, 2000, 4 poster presentations;

• The 12th International Thyroid Congress, Japan , Kyoto , October, 2000, 1 poster presentation;

• The 5th ICDM World Meeting, Mexico , Cuernavaca , November, 2000, Newspaper presentation;

• The 16th IDF Congress, Mexico, Mexico city, November, 2000, 4 poster presentations, 1 IDF Global poster, 1 IDF-EU poster;

• The 5th European Congress of Endocrinology, Turin , Italy , June 2001, 2 poster presentations;

• The EASD- 2001, 37th Annual Meeting, Glasgow , UK , September 2001, 2 poster presentations;

• The EASD-2002 38th Annual Meeting, Budapest, Hungary, September 2002, 3 poster presentation, 1 oral presentation;

• 5th NEURODIAB Symposium, Ballaton , Hungary , September 2002, 1 poster presentation;

• The IDF-EU Annual Meeting, Cyprus , 2002, 1 poster presentation;

• The 6th European Congress of Endocrinology, Lyon , France , April 2003, 5 poster presentations;

• Around 30 symposia and workshops were need for HCP, GPs, Healthcare decision makers in 2000-2002.

FOLLOWING MEMBERS OF THE GDC STAFF WILL PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAMME:

Prof. Ramaz Kurashvili [M] – President, GDF, Director, GDC;

Dr. Maia Khelashvili [F] – Head of Cardiology Department of the GDC;

Dr. Liana Tsutskiridze [F] – Endocrinologist the GDC

Ms. Elena Shelestova [F] – CDE, nurse, Managerial Secretary, GDC/GDF

Ms. Mzia Dundua [F] – Vice-director, GDC, Head of Laboratory Department of GDC;

Dr. Givi Kurashvili [M] – Endocrinologist the GDC;

Mr. Zaza Nozadze [M] – Computer & Technical Service

Post-Doctroral Students:

Olga Karchava [F]

Lela Dzneladze [F]

Name: Kurashvili Ramaz; Date and place of birth: January 17, 1942, Tbilisi, Georgia; Professional education: Tbilisi State Medical Institute (1959-1972); Post graduate training: Postgraduate training at the Moscow Endocrinology Center, Moscow, 1974-1975; Training at the National Institute of Heart, Blood and Lung, Bethesda, LA, USA, 1976-1977; Training Course at the Academy of Postgraduate Medicine, Moscow, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993; Position: Director of the Georgian Diabetes Center, President of the Georgian Diabetes Federation; Professional experience: Experience in DM treatment, study of metabolic and hormonal disorders in DM associated with ischemic heart disease, MI, hypertension, obesity; use of extra corporal methods of DM therapy, diabetes education. Field of Interest: Central/peripheral and Autonomic Nervous System Damage and DM. Have more than 250 published works, carries out regular TV programs on DM. In 2000-2002 was key-speaker at more than 20 symposia, organized in Georgia . Participated in several programs, such as: 1) “A Double-Blind Randomized, Stratified, Placebo-Controlled, Parallel Study of Ranolazine SR at Doses of 750 mg Twice a Day and 1000 mg Twice a Day in Combination with Other Antianginal Medications in Patients with Chronic Stable Angina Pectoris” (The CARISA Trial CVT 3033);  2) “An Open-Label, Long-term, Safety Study of Ranolazine SR for Chronic Stable Angina Pectoris at Doses of 500 mg and 1000 mg Twice a Day Administered in Combination with Background Anti-Anginal Therapy”, (CVT 3034); 3) Survey (European Heart House), etc.

Name: Khelashvili   Maia; Date and place of birth:  24.09. 1961, Tbilisi, Georgia; Professional education: Tbilisi State Medical Institute (1978-1984); Post graduate training:  1990-Post-Graduate training on “In-vitro Methods in Clinical Practice”, Moscow COLIUV (Certificate No 248642);1992 – courses on “Heart Echoscope”, Republican Center of Ultrasound Examinations (Certificate No 106/2); Position: Cardiologist, Georgian Diabetes Center; Member of the Georgian Implementation Group of the 2^nd Joint Task Force of European and other Societies on Coronary Prevention (since 2002). Field of Interest: CVD, Hypertension, Cardioneuropathy. Activities: participated in European Forum of Prevention of Coronary Heart Disease in Clinical Practice. Regional Follow-up Meeting Bucharest, Romania, March 23, 2002; participation in the international multi-center clinical studies: 1) “ A Double-Blind Randomized, Stratified, Placebo-Controlled, Parallel Study of Ranolazine SR at Doses of 750 mg Twice a Day and 1000 mg Twice a Day in Combination with Other Antianginal Medications in Patients with Chronic Stable Angina Pectoris” (The CARISA Trial CVT 3033);  2) “An Open-Label, Long-term, Safety Study of Ranolazine SR for Chronic Stable Angina Pectoris at Doses of 500 mg and 1000 mg Twice a Day Administered in Combination with Background Anti-Anginal Therapy”,  (CVT 3034); 3) Survey carried out by the European Heart House.

Name: Tsutskiridze Liana; Date and place of birth: February 5, 1971 , Tbilisi , Georgia ; Professional education: Tbilisi State Medical Institute (1991-1996); Postgraduate training: Steno Postgraduate Course, Moscow , 2002.  Position: Endocrinologist, Georgian Diabetes Center ; Professional experience: Experience in DM and diabetic complications treatment. Field of Interest: Eyes and DM, Obesity. Activities:  participation in programs: 1) Israel-Georgian Twinning Program; 2) "A Double-Blind Randomized, Stratified, Placebo-Controlled, Parallel Study of Ranolazine SR at Doses of 750 mg Twice a Day and 1000 mg Twice a Day in Combination with Other Antianginal Medications in Patients with Chronic Stable Angina Pectoris” (The CARISA Trial CVT 3033);  2) “An Open-Label, Long-term, Safety Study of Ranolazine SR for Chronic Stable Angina Pectoris at Doses of 500 mg and 1000 mg Twice a Day Administered in Combination with Background Anti-Anginal Therapy”, (CVT 3034).

Name: Shelestova Elena; Date and place of birth: May 22, 1954 , Tbilisi , Georgia ; Professional education: Tbilisi medical collage, nurse; Tbilisi State Institute of Foreign Languages, philologist; Post-graduate Training: Steno Postgraduate Training Course, Moscow , April 2002. Speciality: Diabetes Nurse, Certified Diabetes-educator, interpreter; Field of Interest: Diabetes Education, Diet therapy. Professional experience: Experience in diabetes nurse activities. As the member of the IDF Georgian-Israel training program take part in the treatment of women-with diabetes before and post-conception. Experience in training of Type I and Type II diabetic patients (self-blood glucose monitoring, insulin injection techniques, classes in 5-day patient education courses).

Name: Dundua Mzia; Date and place of birth: December 5, 1941 , Tbilisi , Georgia ; Professional education: Tbilisi State University (1978-1984); Position: Vice-director, GDC, Head of Laboratory Department of GDC; Field of Interest: Laboratory assays/control. Activities: participation in programs: Israel-Georgia Twinning Programs. Professional experience: was one of the first who implemented a large number of new analytical methods: RIA, IFA, DELFIA, etc.

Name: Kurashvili Givi; Date and place of birth: June 27, Tbilisi, Georgia; Professional education: Tbilisi, State Medical Institute (1982-1988), Training courses on ECG, Schiller Comp. Switzerland, (1991), Courses on Echocardiography, Republican Ultrasound Center, Tbilisi, Georgia (1992); Courses on Endocrinology, The post- Graduate Medicine Institute, Moscow, Russia, (1995); Courses on “in vitro” Methods in Clinical Practice, Postgraduate Training Institute, Moscow, Russia (1990); Position: Endocrinologist, Dept. of Functional Diagnosis; Field of Interest: Neuropathies; Activities: Participated in three International Trials; Professional experience: Experience in Type I and Type II DM and its late complications prevention and treatment.

Name: Nozadze Zaza; Date and place of birth: February, 14, 1971 , Tbilisi , Georgia ; Professional education: Georgian Technical University (1988-1993); Training courses on Project management and marketing, Koblenz , Germany . Position: Administrative assistance and computer services Field of Interest: CAMS for diagnoses and treatment of DM and its complications; Professional experience: Project management, market research, advertisement, sales;