Risk Factor Control and Cardiovascular Event Risk in People With Type 2 Diabetes in Primary and Secondary Prevention Settings

Low-grade inflammation in persons with recently diagnosed type 2 diabetes: The role of abdominal adiposity and putative mediators

AIMS

To determine the magnitude of the association between abdominal adiposity and low-grade inflammation in persons with recently diagnosed type 2 diabetes (T2D) and to determine to what extent this association is mediated by low physical activity level, hyperinsulinaemia, hyperglycaemia, dyslipidaemia, hypertension, and comorbidities.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We measured waist circumference, clinical characteristics, and inflammatory markers i.e. tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), in >9000 persons with recently diagnosed T2D. We applied multiple mediation analysis using structural equation modelling, with adjustment for age and sex.

RESULTS

Waist circumference as a proxy for abdominal adiposity was positively associated with all inflammatory markers. Hence, a one-standard deviation (SD) increase in waist circumference (SD = 15 cm) was associated with a 22%, 35%, and 46% SD increase in TNF-α (SD = 1.5 pg/mL), IL-6 (SD = 4.4 pg/mL), and hsCRP (SD = 6.9 mg/L), respectively. The level of hyperinsulinaemia assessed by fasting C-peptide was quantitatively the most important mediator, accounting for 9%-25% of the association between abdominal adiposity and low-grade inflammation, followed by low physical activity (5%-7%) and high triglyceride levels (2%-6%). Although mediation of adiposity-induced inflammation by greater comorbidity and higher glycated haemoglobin levels reached statistical significance, their impact was minor (1%-2%).

CONCLUSIONS

In persons with recently diagnosed T2D, there was a clear association between abdominal adiposity and low-grade inflammation. A considerable part (20%-40%) of this association was mediated by other factors, with hyperinsulinaemia as a potentially important driver of adiposity-induced inflammation in T2D.

Incidence of stroke, subsequent clinical outcomes and health care resource utilization in people with type 2 diabetes: a real-world database study in France: "INSIST" study

BACKGROUND

People with type 2 diabetes (T2D) are at elevated risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) including stroke, yet existing real-world evidence (RWE) on the clinical and economic burden of stroke in this population is limited. The aim of this cohort study was to evaluate the clinical and economic burden of stroke among people with T2D in France.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective RWE study using data from the nationally representative subset of the French Système National des Données de Santé (SNDS) database. We assessed the incidence of stroke requiring hospitalization between 2012 and 2018 among T2D patients. Subsequent clinical outcomes including CVD, stroke recurrence, and mortality were estimated overall and according to stroke subtype (ischemic versus hemorrhagic). We also examined the treatment patterns for glucose-lowering agents and CVD agents, health care resource utilization and medical costs.

RESULTS

Among 45,331 people with T2D without baseline history of stroke, 2090 (4.6%) had an incident stroke requiring hospitalization. The incidence of ischemic stroke per 1000 person-years was 4.9-times higher than hemorrhagic stroke (6.80 [95% confidence interval (CI) 6.47-7.15] versus 1.38 [1.24-1.54]). During a median follow-up of 2.4 years (interquartile range 0.6; 4.4) from date of index stroke, the rate of CVD, stroke recurrence and mortality per 1000 person-years was higher among hemorrhagic stroke patients than ischemic stroke patients (CVD 130.9 [107.7-159.0] versus 126.4 [117.2-136.4]; stroke recurrence: 86.7 [66.4-113.4] versus 66.5 [59.2-74.6]; mortality 291.5 [259.1-327.9] versus 144.1 [134.3-154.6]). These differences were not statistically significant, except for mortality (adjusted hazard ratio 1.95 [95% CI 1.66-2.92]). The proportion of patients prescribed glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists increased from 4.2% at baseline to 6.6% during follow-up. The proportion of patients prescribed antihypertensives and statins only increased slightly following incident stroke (antihypertensives: 70.9% pre-stroke versus 76.7% post-stroke; statins: 24.1% pre-stroke versus 30.0% post-stroke). Overall, 68.8% of patients had a subsequent hospitalization. Median total medical costs were €12,199 (6846; 22,378).

CONCLUSIONS

The high burden of stroke among people with T2D, along with the low proportion of patients receiving recommended treatments as per clinical guidelines, necessitates a strengthened and multidisciplinary approach to the CVD prevention and management in people with T2D.

Analysis of the Associations of Measurements of Body Composition and Inflammatory Factors with Cardiovascular Disease and Its Comorbidities in a Community-Based Study

The associations of cardiovascular disease (CVD) with comorbidities and biochemical and body composition measurements are repeatedly described but have not been studied simultaneously. In the present cross-sectional study, information on CVD and comorbidities [type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), hypertension (HTN), and hyperlipidemia (HDL)], body composition, levels of soluble markers, and other measures were collected from 1079 individuals. When we examined the association of each comorbidity and CVD, controlling for other comorbidities, we observed a clear pattern of the comorbidity-related specific associations with tested covariates. For example, T2DM was significantly associated with GDF-15 levels and the leptin/adiponectin (L/A) ratio independently of two other comorbidities; HTN, similarly, was independently associated with extracellular water (ECW) levels, L/A ratio, and age; and HDL was independently related to age only. CVD showed very strong independent associations with each of the comorbidities, being associated most strongly with HTN (OR = 10.89, 6.46-18.38) but also with HDL (2.49, 1.43-4.33) and T2DM (1.93, 1.12-3.33). An additive Bayesian network analysis suggests that all three comorbidities, particularly HTN, GDF-15 levels, and ECW content, likely have a main role in the risk of CVD development. Other factors, L/A ratio, lymphocyte count, and the systemic inflammation response index, are likely indirectly related to CVD, acting through the comorbidities and ECW.

Risk factor control and incident cardiovascular disease in patients with diabetes: Sex-specific relations

AIM

Women with diabetes are at higher risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) than men with diabetes; however, the sex difference in the association between the degree of risk factor control and the risk of CVD in patients with diabetes is unclear.

METHODS

In total, 17 260 participants diagnosed with diabetes from the UK Biobank were included and matched with 86 300 non-diabetes controls based on age, sex and assessment centre. The main exposure was the number of risk factors within the target range, including glycated haemoglobin level <53 mol/mol (7%), blood pressure <140/90 mm/Hg, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol <100 mg/dl, non-current smoking and absence of microalbuminuria.

RESULTS

During a median follow-up of 13.3 years, a total of 3338 incident CVD cases, including 2807 ischaemic heart disease and 793 strokes, were documented. A more stringent control of risk factors was significantly associated with a lower risk of incident CVD, and such an association was significantly stronger in women than men. Compared with non-diabetes participants, the diabetes-related risk of CVD appeared to be eliminated if more than three risk factors were well controlled among women and men with diabetes. Moreover, clinical biomarkers (e.g. glycated haemoglobin and blood pressure) showed greater relative importance than other factors in women, whereas socio-economic and psychological factors (e.g. education and depression) exhibited similar relative importance to clinical biomarkers in men with diabetes.

CONCLUSION

Our findings highlighted the importance of raising awareness of sex differences in the management of CVD risk factors among patients with diabetes.

Incident Cardiovascular Disease in Women With Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes Following a Hypertensive Disorder of Pregnancy

BACKGROUND

The extent to which a history of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy is associated with incident cardiovascular disease also among women with diabetes is unknown.

METHODS

In this nationwide register-based cohort study, parous women aged 18 to 69 years with a first delivery in the Swedish Medical Birth Register, regardless of diabetic status at that time, and a subsequent clinical visit in the Swedish National Diabetes Register were included. Time to first cardiovascular disease event (myocardial infarction, stroke, or heart failure) before age 70 years by hypertensive disorders of pregnancy history was separately analyzed by diabetes type using Cox regression models that included conventional risk factors.

RESULTS

In total, 1748 (18.9%) of 9230 women with type 1 and 5904 (10.6%) of 55 773 women with type 2 diabetes had their first delivery complicated by a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy. Median time (25-75th percentile) between first delivery and start of follow-up was 3.3 (1.4-13.0) years for women with type 1 and 29.8 (22.4-35.6) years for women with type 2 diabetes. In modeling, the risk for any cardiovascular disease event among women with a history of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy was generally 10% to 20% higher, with main models estimating hazard ratios to 1.20 (95% CI, 0.99-1.47) for women with type 1 and 1.15 (95% CI, 1.02-1.29) for women with type 2 diabetes.

CONCLUSIONS

In women with diabetes, a history of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of incident cardiovascular disease and should be considered as a risk enhancer.

Inflammatory risk of albumin combined with C-reactive protein predicts long-term cardiovascular risk in patients with diabetes

AIMS

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the predictive value of inflammatory risk as defined by the Glasgow Prognostic Score (GPS) for cardiovascular death in patients with diabetes.

METHODS

This study included 4956 patients (≥18 years old) with diabetes in the National Health and Nutrition Survey from 1999 to 2010. The mortality rate was determined by the correlation with the national death index on December 31, 2019. The GPS was composed of the serum C-reactive protein and the albumin. The primary outcome was cardiovascular death and the secondary outcome was all-cause death. The Cox proportional risk model adjusted for demographic factors and traditional cardiovascular risk factors was used to analyze the cumulative risk of outcomes.

RESULTS

Among 4956 diabetes patients with a median follow-up of 10.9 years, 601 cardiovascular deaths and 2187 all-cause deaths were recorded. After adequate model adjustment, compared with the low GPS group, the high GPS group (HR, 1.257 (1.007-1.570), P = 0.043) had a higher cardiovascular mortality. Compared with the low GPS group, the all-cause mortality of the high GPS group (HR, 1.394 (1.245-1.560), P < 0.001) was higher. The results of subgroup analyses were similar with that of the overall cohort.

CONCLUSIONS

The inflammatory risk as defined by the GPS was closely related to the increased risk of cardiovascular and all-cause death in patients with diabetes. It may be a convenient and efficient clinical practical risk assessment tool for patients with diabetes.

Assessing the impact of type 2 diabetes on mortality and life expectancy according to the number of risk factor targets achieved: an observational study

BACKGROUND

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is associated with an increased risk of premature death. Whether multifactorial risk factor modification could attenuate T2D-related excess risk of death is unclear. We aimed to examine the association of risk factor target achievement with mortality and life expectancy among patients with T2D, compared with individuals without diabetes.

METHODS

In this longitudinal cohort study, we included 316 995 participants (14 162 with T2D and 302 833 without T2D) free from cardiovascular disease (CVD) or cancer at baseline between 2006 and 2010 from the UK Biobank. Participants with T2D were categorised according to the number of risk factors within target range (non-smoking, being physically active, healthy diet, guideline-recommended levels of glycated haemoglobin, body mass index, blood pressure, and total cholesterol). Survival models were applied to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) for mortality and predict life expectancy differences.

RESULTS

Over a median follow-up of 13.8 (IQR 13.1-14.4) years, deaths occurred among 2105 (14.9%) participants with T2D and 18 505 (6.1%) participants without T2D. Compared with participants without T2D (death rate per 1000 person-years 4.51 [95% CI 4.44 to 4.57]), the risk of all-cause mortality among those with T2D decreased stepwise with an increasing number of risk factors within target range (0-1 risk factor target achieved: absolute rate difference per 1000 person-years 7.34 [4.91 to 9.78], HR 2.70 [2.25 to 3.25]; 6-7 risk factors target achieved: absolute rate difference per 1000 person-years 0.68 [-0.62 to 1.99], HR 1.16 [0.93 to 1.43]). A similar pattern was observed for CVD and cancer mortality. The association between risk factors target achievement and all-cause mortality was more prominent among participants younger than 60 years than those 60 years or older (P for interaction = 0.012). At age 50 years, participants with T2D who had 0-1 and 6-7 risk factors within target range had an average 7.67 (95% CI 6.15 to 9.19) and 0.99 (-0.59 to 2.56) reduced years of life expectancy, respectively, compared with those without T2D.

CONCLUSIONS

Individuals with T2D who achieved multiple risk factor targets had no significant excess mortality risk or reduction in life expectancy than those without diabetes. Early interventions aiming to promote risk factor modification could translate into improved long-term survival for patients with T2D.

Degree of joint risk factor control and hazard of mortality in diabetes patients: a matched cohort study in UK Biobank

BACKGROUND

Diabetes patients are at higher risk for mortality than the general population; however, little is known about whether the excess mortality risk associated with diabetes could be mitigated or nullified via controlling for risk factors.

METHODS

We included 18,535 diabetes patients and 91,745 matched individuals without diabetes without baseline cancer or cardiovascular disease (CVD), followed up from 2006 to 2021. The main exposure was the number of optimized risk factors including glycated hemoglobin < 53 mmol/mole, systolic blood pressure < 140 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure < 90 mmHg, no albuminuria, non-current smoking and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) < 2.5 mmol/L. We used Cox proportional hazards models to explore the association of the degree of risk factor control with all-cause mortality, cancer mortality, CVD mortality and other mortality.

RESULTS

Each additional risk factor control was associated with a 16, 10, 21 and 15% lower risk of all-cause mortality, cancer mortality, CVD mortality and other mortality, respectively. Optimal risk factors control (controlling 5 risk factors) was associated with a 50% (HR 0.50, 95% CI 0.41-0.62), 74% (HR 0.26, 95% CI 0.16-0.43) and 38% (HR 0.62, 95% CI 0.44-0.87) lower risk of all-cause mortality, CVD mortality and other mortality, respectively. Diabetes patients with 4, 3 and 5 or more controlled risk factors, respectively, showed no excess risk of all-cause mortality, cancer mortality and CVD mortality compared to matched non-diabetes patients.

CONCLUSIONS

The results from this study indicate that optimal risk factor control may eliminate diabetes-related excess risk of all-cause mortality, CVD mortality and other mortality.

Pathogenesis of diabetic complications: Exploring hypoxic niche formation and HIF-1α activation

Hypoxia is a common feature of diabetic tissues, which highly correlates to the progression of diabetes. The formation of hypoxic context is induced by disrupted oxygen homeostasis that is predominantly driven by vascular remodeling in diabetes. While different types of vascular impairments have been reported, the specific features and underlying mechanisms are yet to be fully understood. Under hypoxic condition, cells upregulate hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), an oxygen sensor that coordinates oxygen concentration and cell metabolism under hypoxic conditions. However, diabetic context exploits this machinery for pathogenic functions. Although HIF-1α protects cells from diabetic insult in multiple tissues, it also jeopardizes cell function in the retina. To gain a deeper understanding of hypoxia in diabetic complications, we focus on the formation of tissue hypoxia and the outcomes of HIF-1α dysregulation under diabetic context. Hopefully, this review can provide a better understanding on hypoxia biology in diabetes.

Risk factor control and cardiovascular events in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

BACKGROUND

Since patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) have an increased risk of cardiovascular events, interventions addressing risk factors reduce the incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) events. This study aimed to evaluate the difference in the incidence of CVD events according to risk factor control in patients with diabetes with and without cardio-renal disease.

METHODS

We analyzed 113,909 patients with diabetes and 290,339 without diabetes using data released by the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS).

RESULTS

Among patients with diabetes with four or five poorly controlled risk factors, hazard ratio for CVD events was 1.19 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.06-1.34) in patients with cardio-renal disease and 2.31 (95% CI, 1.95-2.74) in patients without cardio-renal disease compared to patients with diabetes without risk factors. In subjects with diabetes and cardio-renal disease, patients with four or five poorly controlled risk factors had a higher risk of CVD mortality compared to subjects without risk factors (hazard ratio, 1.64; 95% CI, 1.18-2.30).

CONCLUSION

Controlling cardiovascular risk factors reduced the incidence of CVD events in patients with diabetes, especially those without cardio-renal disease. The degree of risk control was strongly associated with CVD mortality in patients with diabetes with baseline cardio-renal disease.

To What Extent Does Cardiovascular Risk Classification of Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Differ between European Guidelines from 2023, 2021, and 2019? A Cross-Sectional Study

Background and Objectives: Type 2 Diabetes (T2DM) is intricately associated with an increased cardiovascular (CV) risk, highlighting the imperative for tailored intervention in the prevention and management of CV diseases. To assess the CV risk and subsequent interventions in patients with diabetes, the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) has been consistently developing and updating specific guidelines for risk assessment and patient management since 2019. The 2023 risk classification method has significantly changed, introducing a novel probability-based assessment through the implementation of SCORE2-Diabetes instrument. This marks a shift from the risk factor-based classification employed in the 2019 and 2021 methods, representing an innovative approach in risk assessment for individuals with T2DM. This study aims to evaluate the differences in the CV risk classification among hospitalized patients with T2DM using the three proposed methods within the Romanian population, a European population considered to be at very high cardiovascular risk. Materials and Methods: in a consecutive-case, population-based study design, 70 patients hospitalized with T2DM from a European population characterized by very high CV risk were assessed for CV risk using the three proposed methods. The differences between these classifications were subsequently analyzed. Results: In the study group, according to 2023 classification, one patient (1.4%) was classified with moderate CV risk, eight (11.4%) with high cardiovascular risk, and sixty-one (87.2%) with very high cardiovascular risk. A total of 36 patients (51.4%) were classified differently compared to 2021 criteria, the differences being statistically significant (p = 0.047), while 13 (18.6%) were different compared to 2019 criteria, the differences being statistically non-significant (p = 0.731). By comparing the 2021 to the 2019 ESC Guidelines recommendations, 40 patients had a one-step decrease in cardiovascular risk category, from very high to high risk. Conclusions: Most patients included in the analysis were classified as very high CV risk (87.2%). Within a European population characterized by very high CV risk, the SCORE2-Diabetes instrument proves to be a valuable tool, contributing to most step-ups in CV risk classes within the 2023 classification. In a very-high-risk demographic, the 2023 algorithm resulted in different classifications in contrast to the 2021 method but similar classifications observed with the 2019 method.

Novel Prediction Equations for Absolute Risk Assessment of Total Cardiovascular Disease Incorporating Cardiovascular-Kidney-Metabolic Health: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association

Cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) syndrome is a novel construct recently defined by the American Heart Association in response to the high prevalence of metabolic and kidney disease. Epidemiological data demonstrate higher absolute risk of both atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD) and heart failure as an individual progresses from CKM stage 0 to stage 3, but optimal strategies for risk assessment need to be refined. Absolute risk assessment with the goal to match type and intensity of interventions with predicted risk and expected treatment benefit remains the cornerstone of primary prevention. Given the growing number of therapies in our armamentarium that simultaneously address all 3 CKM axes, novel risk prediction equations are needed that incorporate predictors and outcomes relevant to the CKM context. This should also include social determinants of health, which are key upstream drivers of CVD, to more equitably estimate and address risk. This scientific statement summarizes the background, rationale, and clinical implications for the newly developed sex-specific, race-free risk equations: PREVENT (AHA Predicting Risk of CVD Events). The PREVENT equations enable 10- and 30-year risk estimates for total CVD (composite of atherosclerotic CVD and heart failure), include estimated glomerular filtration rate as a predictor, and adjust for competing risk of non-CVD death among adults 30 to 79 years of age. Additional models accommodate enhanced predictive utility with the addition of CKM factors when clinically indicated for measurement (urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio and hemoglobin A1c) or social determinants of health (social deprivation index) when available. Approaches to implement risk-based prevention using PREVENT across various settings are discussed.

Cardiovascular risk in diabetes mellitus: epidemiology, assessment and prevention

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Secular changes in CVD outcomes have occurred over the past few decades, mainly due to a decline in the incidence of ischaemic heart disease. The onset of T2DM at a young age (<40 years), leading to a greater number of life-years lost, has also become increasingly common. Researchers are now looking beyond established risk factors in patients with T2DM towards the role of ectopic fat and, potentially, haemodynamic abnormalities in mediating important outcomes (such as heart failure). T2DM confers a wide spectrum of risk and is not necessarily a CVD risk equivalent, indicating the importance of risk assessment strategies (such as global risk scoring, consideration of risk-enhancing factors and assessment of subclinical atherosclerosis) to inform treatment. Data from epidemiological studies and clinical trials demonstrate that successful control of multiple risk factors can reduce the risk of CVD events by ≥50%; however, only ≤20% of patients achieve targets for risk factor reduction (plasma lipid levels, blood pressure, glycaemic control, body weight and non-smoking status). Improvements in composite risk factor control with lifestyle management (including a greater emphasis on weight loss interventions) and evidence-based generic and novel pharmacological therapies are therefore needed when the risk of CVD is high.

miR-34a/SIRT1/HIF-1α axis is involved in cardiac angiogenesis of type 2 diabetic rats: The protective effect of sodium butyrate combined with treadmill exercise

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is one of the most common metabolic disorders worldwide. Recent research has indicated that sodium butyrate (NaB) affects glucose metabolism and exercise has an anti-hyperglycemic effect in diabetes. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of NaB and treadmill exercise on heart angiogenesis through the miR-34a/SIRT1/FOXO1-HIF-1α pathway. Diabetic animals received NaB (400 mg/kg daily, orally) and treadmill exercise for 6 weeks. The effect of NaB and treadmill exercise, alone or combined, on miR-34a expression, SIRT1, FOXO1, HIF-1α levels, and angiogenesis in diabetic heart tissue was measured. Diabetes caused increased miR-34a (p < 0.01) and FOXO1 (p < 0.001) expression levels. Also, SIRT1 (p < 0.001) and HIF-1α (not significant) expression levels were reduced in diabetic rats. NaB and treadmill exercise decreased miR-34a (respectively p < 0.05 and not significant) and FOXO1 (both p < 0.001) expression levels and improved SIRT1 (both not significant) and HIF-1α (respectively p < 0.01 and p < 0.001) levels. Also, NaB combined with treadmill exercise decreased miR-34a (p < 0.001) and FOXO1 (p < 0.001) expression levels, and elevated SIRT1 (p < 0.05) and HIF-1α (p < 0.001) levels in comparison with the diabetic group. NaB and treadmill exercises modulate the expression of miR-34a and the levels of SIRT1, FOXO1, and HIF-1α proteins, thus increasing angiogenesis in the heart tissue of diabetic rats. It can be concluded that NaB and treadmill exercise, alone or combined, may be useful in the treatment of diabetes through the miR-34a/SIRT1/FOXO1-HIF-1α pathway.

Increased sLRP1 and decreased atrial natriuretic peptide plasma levels in newly diagnosed T2DM patients are normalized after optimization of glycemic control

Background

Low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1 (LRP1) negatively modulates circulating atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) levels. Both molecules are involved in the regulation of cardiometabolism.

Objectives

To evaluate soluble LRP1 (sLRP1) and ANP levels in people with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and determine the effects of metabolic optimization.

Methods

This single-center longitudinal observational study recruited patients with newly diagnosed T2DM (n = 29, HbA1c > 8.5%), and 12 healthy control, age- and sex-matched volunteers. sLRP1 and ANP levels were measured by immunoassays at T2DM onset and at one year after optimization of glycemic control (HbA1c ≤ 6.5%).

Results

T2DM had higher sLRP1 levels than the control group (p = 0.014) and lower ANP levels (p =0.002). At 12 months, 23 T2DM patients reached the target of HbA1c ≤ 6.5%. These patients significantly reduced sLRP1 and increased ANP levels. Patients who did not achieve HbA1c < 6.5% failed to normalize sLRP1 and ANP levels. There was an inverse correlation in the changes in sLRP1 and ANP (p = 0.031). The extent of sLRP1 changes over 12 months of metabolic control positively correlated with those of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, TG, TG/HDLc, and apolipoprotein B.

Conclusions

Newly diagnosed T2DM patients have an increased sLRP1/ANP ratio, and increased sLRP1 and decreased ANP levels are normalized in the T2DM patients that reached an strict glycemic and metabolic control. sLRP1/ANP ratio could be a reliable marker of cardiometabolic function.

The legacy effect of hyperglycemia and early use of SGLT-2 inhibitors: a cohort study with newly-diagnosed people with type 2 diabetes

Background

A delay in reaching HbA1c targets in patients with newly-diagnosed type 2 diabetes (T2D) is associated with an increased long-term risk of developing cardiovascular diseases (CVD), a phenomenon referred to as legacy effect. Whether an early introduction of glucose-lowering drugs with proven benefit on CVD can attenuate this phenomenon is unknown.

Methods

Using data derived from a large Italian clinical registry, i.e. the AMD Annals, we identified 251,339 subjects with newly-diagnosed T2D and without CVD at baseline. Through Cox regressions adjusted for multiple risk factors, we examined the association between having a mean HbA1c between 7.1 and 8% or >8%, compared with ≤7%, for various periods of early exposure (0-1, 0-2, 0-3 years) and the development of later (mean subsequent follow-up 4.6 ± 2.9 years) CVD, evaluated as a composite of myocardial infarction, stroke, coronary or peripheral revascularization, and coronary or peripheral bypass. We performed this analysis in the overall cohort and then splitting the population in two groups of patients: those that introduced sodium-glucose transport protein 2 inhibitors (SGLT-2i) during the exposure phase and those not treated with these drugs.

Findings

Considering the whole cohort, subjects with both a mean HbA1c between 7.1 and 8% and >8%, compared with patients attaining a mean HbA1c ≤ 7%, showed an increased risk of developing the outcome in all the three early exposure periods assessed, with the highest risk observed in patients with mean HbA1c > 8% in the 3 years exposure period (hazard ratio [HR]1.33; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.063-1.365). The introduction of SGLT-2i during the exposure periods of 0-1 and 0-2 years eliminated the association between poor glycemic control and the outcome (p for interaction 0.006 and 0.003, respectively, vs. patients with the same degree of glycemic control but not treated with these drugs).

Interpretation

Among patients with newly diagnosed T2D and free of CVD at baseline, a poor glycemic control in the first three years after diagnosis is associated with an increased subsequent risk of CVD. This association is no longer evident when SGLT-2i are introduced in the first two years, suggesting that these drugs attenuate the phenomenon of legacy effect. An early treatment with these drugs might thus promote a long-lasting benefit in patients not attaining proper glycemic control after T2D diagnosis.

Funding

This work was supported, in part, by the Italian Ministry of Health (Ricerca Corrente) to IRCCS MultiMedica.

Joint association of loneliness and traditional risk factor control and incident cardiovascular disease in diabetes patients

AIMS

To investigate the prospective associations of the loneliness and social isolation scales with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in diabetes patients and compare the relative importance of loneliness and social isolation with traditional risk factors. Also, the interactions of loneliness or isolation with the degree of risk factor control in relation to CVD risk were evaluated.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A total of 18 509 participants diagnosed with diabetes from the UK Biobank were included. A two-item scale and a three-item scale were used to assess loneliness and isolation levels, respectively. The degree of risk factor control was defined as numbers of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), blood pressure (BP), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), smoking, and kidney condition controlled within the target range. During a mean follow-up of 10.7 years, 3247 total CVD incidents were documented, including 2771 coronary heart disease and 701 strokes. In the fully adjusted model, compared with participants with the lowest loneliness score (zero), hazard ratios (95% confidence interval) for CVD were 1.11 (1.02 and 1.20) and 1.26 (1.11 and 1.42) for participants with a loneliness scale of 1 and 2, respectively (P-trend < 0.001). No significant associations were observed for social isolation. Loneliness ranked higher in relative strength for predicting CVD than the lifestyle risk factors in diabetes patients. A significant additive interaction between loneliness and the degree of risk factor control on the risk of CVD was observed (P for additive interaction = 0.005).

CONCLUSION

Among diabetes patients, loneliness, but not social isolation scale, is associated with a higher risk of CVD and shows an additive interaction with the degree of risk factor control.

Predicting and preventing heart failure in type 2 diabetes

The burden of heart failure among people with type 2 diabetes is increasing globally. People with comorbid type 2 diabetes and heart failure often have worse outcomes than those with only one of these conditions-eg, higher hospitalisation and mortality rates. Therefore, it is essential to implement optimal heart failure prevention strategies for people with type 2 diabetes. A detailed understanding of the pathophysiology underlying the occurrence of heart failure in type 2 diabetes can aid clinicians in identifying relevant risk factors and lead to early interventions that can help prevent heart failure. In this Review, we discuss the pathophysiology and risk factors of heart failure in type 2 diabetes. We also review the risk assessment tools for predicting heart failure incidence in people with type 2 diabetes as well as the data from clinical trials that have assessed the efficacy of lifestyle and pharmacological interventions. Finally, we discuss the potential challenges in implementing new management approaches and offer pragmatic recommendations to help overcome these challenges.

Effect of Canagliflozin on Heart Failure Hospitalization in Diabetes According to Baseline Heart Failure Risk

BACKGROUND

In the CANVAS (Canagliflozin Cardiovascular Assessment Study) program, canagliflozin reduced the risk of heart failure (HF) hospitalization among individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to evaluate heterogeneity in absolute and relative treatment effects of canagliflozin on HF hospitalization according to baseline HF risk as assessed by diabetes-specific HF risk scores (WATCH-DM [Weight (body mass index), Age, hyperTension, Creatinine, HDL-C, Diabetes control (fasting plasma glucose) and QRS Duration, MI and CABG] and TRS-HF_DM [TIMI Risk Score for HF in Diabetes]).

METHODS

Participants in the CANVAS trial were categorized into low, medium, and high risk for HF using the WATCH-DM score (for participants without prevalent HF) and the TRS-HF_DM score (for all participants). The outcome of interest was time to first HF hospitalization. The treatment effect of canagliflozin vs placebo for HF hospitalization was compared across risk strata.

RESULTS

Among 10,137 participants with available HF data, 1,446 (14.3%) had HF at baseline. Among participants without baseline HF, WATCH-DM risk category did not modify the treatment effect of canagliflozin (vs placebo) on HF hospitalization (P interaction = 0.56). However, the absolute and relative risk reduction with canagliflozin was numerically greater in the high-risk group (cumulative incidence, canagliflozin vs placebo: 8.1% vs 12.7%; HR: 0.62 [95% CI: 0.37-0.93]; P = 0.03; number needed to treat: 22) than in the low- and intermediate-risk groups. When overall study participants were categorized according to the TRS-HF_DM score, a statistically significant difference in the treatment effect of canagliflozin across risk strata was observed (P interaction = 0.04). Canagliflozin significantly reduced the risk of HF hospitalization by 39% in the high-risk group (HR: 0.61 [95% CI: 0.48-0.78]; P < 0.001; number needed to treat: 20) but not in the intermediate- or low-risk groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Among participants with T2DM, the WATCH-DM and TRS-HF_DM can reliably identify those at high risk for HF hospitalization and most likely to benefit from canagliflozin.

Diabetes mellitus monitoring and control among adults in Australian general practice: a national retrospective cohort study

OBJECTIVES

This study investigated whether the monitoring and control of clinical parameters are better among patients with newly compared with past recorded diabetes diagnosis.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study.

SETTING

MedicineInsight, a national general practice database in Australia.

PARTICIPANTS

101 875 'regular' adults aged 18+ years with past recorded (2015-2016) and 9236 with newly recorded (2017) diabetes diagnosis.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Two different groups of outcomes were assessed in 2018. The first group of outcomes was the proportion of patients with clinical parameters (ie, glycated haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), blood pressure (BP), total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, estimated glomerular filtration rate and albumin-to-creatinine ratio) monitored at least once in 2018. The second group of outcomes were those related to diabetes control in 2018 (HbA1c ≤7.0%, (BP) ≤140/90 mm Hg, total cholesterol <4.0 mmol/L and LDL-C <2.0 mmol/L). Adjusted ORs (OR_adj) and adjusted probabilities (%) were obtained based on logistic regression models adjusted for practice variables and patients' socio-demographic and clinical characteristics.

RESULTS

The study included 111 111 patients (51.7% men; mean age 65.3±15.0 years) with recorded diabetes diagnosis (11.0% of all 1 007 714 adults in the database). HbA1c was monitored in 39.2% (95% CI 36.9% to 41.6%) of patients with newly recorded and 45.2% (95% CI 42.6% to 47.8%) with past recorded diabetes (OR_adj 0.78, 95% CI 0.73 to 0.82). HbA1c control was achieved by 78.4% (95% CI 76.7% to 80.0%) and 54.4% (95% CI 53.4% to 55.4%) of monitored patients with newly or past recorded diabetes, respectively (OR_adj 3.11, 95% CI 2.82 to 3.39). Less than 20% of patients with newly or past recorded diabetes had their HbA1c, BP and total cholesterol levels controlled (OR_adj 1.08, 95% CI 0.97 to 1.21).

CONCLUSIONS

The monitoring of clinical parameters was lower among patients with newly than past recorded diabetes. However, diabetes control was similarly low in both groups, with only one in five monitored patients achieving control of all clinical parameters.

Longitudinal changes in blood pressure and fasting plasma glucose among 5,398 primary care patients with concomitant hypertension and diabetes: An observational study and implications for community-based cardiovascular prevention

Aims

To assess longitudinal changes in blood pressure (BP) and fasting plasma glucose (FPG) in primary care patients with concomitant hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and to explore factors associated with patients' inability to improve BP and FPG at follow-up.

Methods

We constructed a closed cohort in the context of the national basic public health (BPH) service provision in an urbanised township in southern China. Primary care patients who had concomitant hypertension and T2DM were retrospectively followed up from 2016 to 2019. Data were retrieved electronically from the computerised BPH platform. Patient-level risk factors were explored using multivariable logistic regression analysis.

Results

We included 5,398 patients (mean age 66 years; range 28.9 to 96.1 years). At baseline, almost half [48.3% (2,608/5,398)] of patients had uncontrolled BP or FPG. During follow-up, more than one-fourth [27.2% (1,467/5,398)] of patients had no improvement in both BP and FPG. Among all patients, we observed significant increases in systolic BP [2.31 mmHg, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.04 to 2.59, p &lt; 0.001], diastolic BP (0.73 mmHg, 0.54 to 0.92, p &lt; 0.001), and FPG (0.12 mmol/l, 0.09 to 0.15, p &lt; 0.001) at follow-up compared to baseline. In addition to changes in body mass index [adjusted odds ratio (aOR)=1.045, 1.003 to 1.089, p = 0.037], poor adherence to lifestyle advice (aOR = 1.548, 1.356 to 1.766, p &lt; 0.001), and unwillingness to actively enrol in health-care plans managed by the family doctor team (aOR = 1.379, 1.128 to 1.685, p = 0.001) were factors associated with no improvement in BP and FPG at follow-up.

Conclusion

A suboptimal control of BP and FPG remains an ongoing challenge to primary care patients with concomitant hypertension and T2DM in real-world community settings. Tailored actions aiming to improve patients' adherence to healthy lifestyles, expand the delivery of team-based care, and encourage weight control should be incorporated into routine healthcare planning for community-based cardiovascular prevention.

Association of type 2 diabetes according to the number of risk factors within the recommended range with incidence of major depression and clinically relevant depressive symptoms: a prospective analysis

BACKGROUND

Type 2 diabetes is associated with an increased risk of depression, but the extent to which risk factor modification can mitigate this risk is unclear. We aimed to examine the association between the incidence of major depression and clinically relevant depressive symptoms among individuals with type 2 diabetes, according to the number of risk factors within the recommended target range, compared with individuals without diabetes.

METHODS

We did a prospective analysis of population-based data from the UK Biobank and the Maastricht Study. Individuals with type 2 diabetes were categorised according to the number of risk factors within the recommended target range (non-smoking, guideline-recommended levels of glycated haemoglobin (HbA_1c), blood pressure, BMI, albuminuria, physical activity, and diet). The primary outcome, based on data from the UK Biobank, was the incidence of major depression ascertained from hospital records; the secondary outcome, based on data from the UK Biobank and the Maastricht Study, was clinically relevant depressive symptoms based on a score of 10 or higher on the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9).

FINDINGS

The study population of the UK Biobank comprised 77 786 individuals (9047 with type 2 diabetes and 68 739 without diabetes; median age 59 years [IQR 51-64]; 34 136 [43·9%] women and 43 650 [56·1%] men). A median of 12·7 years (IQR 11·8-13·4) after recruitment (between March 13, 2006, and Oct 1, 2010), 493 (5·5%) of 9047 individuals with type 2 diabetes and 2574 (3·7%) of 68 739 individuals without diabetes developed major depression. Compared with individuals without diabetes, those with type 2 diabetes had a higher risk of major depression (hazard ratio [HR] 1·61 [95% CI 1·49-1·77]). Among individuals with type 2 diabetes, the excess risk of depression decreased stepwise with an increasing number of risk factors within the recommended target range (HR 2·04 [95% CI 1·65-2·52] for up to two risk factors within the recommended target range; 1·95 [1·65-2·30] for three risk factors within the recommended target range; 1·38 [1·16-1·65] for four risk factors within the recommended target range; and 1·34 [1·12-1·62] for five to seven risk factors within the recommended target range). In the UK Biobank dataset, a median of 7·5 years (IQR 6·8-8·2) after the baseline examination, 147 (7·5%) of 1953 individuals with type 2 diabetes and 954 (4·5%) of 21 413 individuals without diabetes had developed clinically relevant depressive symptoms. The study population of the Maastricht Study comprised 4530 individuals (1158 with type 2 diabetes and 3372 without diabetes; median age 60 years [IQR 53-66]; 2244 [49·5%] women and 2286 [50·1%] men). A median of 5·1 years (IQR 4·1-6·1) after recruitment (between Sept 1, 2010, and Dec 7, 2017), 170 (14·7%) of 1158 individuals with type 2 diabetes and 227 (6·7%) of 3372 individuals without diabetes developed clinically relevant depressive symptoms. Similarly, in both the UK Biobank dataset and the Maastricht Study cohort, among individuals with type 2 diabetes, the excess risk of clinically relevant depressive symptoms decreased stepwise with an increasing number of risk factors within the recommended target range.

INTERPRETATION

Among individuals with type 2 diabetes, the excess risk of major depression and clinically relevant depressive symptoms decreased stepwise with an increasing number of risk factors within the recommended target range. This study provides further evidence to promote risk factor modification strategies in individuals with type 2 diabetes and to encourage the adoption of a healthy lifestyle.

FUNDING

ZonMW, Hartstichting, and Diabetes Fonds.

Accelerometer-derived physical activity and sedentary behaviors in individuals with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes: A cross-sectional study from the Danish nationwide DD2 cohort

Introduction

Habitual physical activity behaviors of individuals with new-onset type 2 diabetes are largely unknown. We aimed to investigate accelerometer-derived physical activity behaviors in individuals with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes. We also examined sociodemographic and health-related correlates of a high-risk physical activity profile.

Methods

This cross-sectional study used data from 768 participants enrolled in an intervention study nested within the Danish Centre for Strategic Research in Type 2 diabetes (DD2) cohort. Physical activity was assessed by 24-h dual monitor accelerometry. Prevalence ratios of having a high-risk physical activity profile were estimated using Poisson regression adjusted for age and sex.

Results

Study participants spent on average 9.7 (25th and 75th percentiles, 8.3; 11.1) hours/day sitting, walked for 1.1 (0.8; 1.6) hours/day and accumulated 4,000 (2,521; 5,864) steps/day. Still, 62% met the recommendations for physical activity. Characteristics associated with a high-risk physical activity profile (observed in 24.5% of participants) included older age, higher body mass index (BMI), unemployment, retirement, comorbidities, and current smoking. Hence, participants aged 60-69, 70-79 and 80+ years had prevalence ratios of 2.12 (95% CI 1.31; 3.42), 1.99 (1.18; 3.34) and 3.09 (1.42; 6.75) for a high-risk activity profile, respectively, versus participants <50 years. BMI values of 30-39 and 40+ were associated with 1.83 (1.06; 3.15) and 3.38 (1.88; 6.05) higher prevalence ratios compared to normal-weight. Unemployment or retirement was associated with 1.62 (1.09; 2.41) and 2.15 (1.37; 3.39) times higher prevalence ratios, compared to individuals in the working force. Having a Charlson Comorbidity Index score of 1-2 or 3+ was associated with 1.36 (1.03-1.79) and 1.90 (1.27-1.84) higher prevalence ratios, while current smoking was associated with a prevalence ratio of 1.72 (1.25; 2.35) compared to never smokers.

Conclusion

This study shows that 62% of individuals with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes met the recommendations for physical activity. Still, the majority of participants were also highly sedentary and accumulated very few daily steps, emphasizing the need for focusing on both increasing physical activity and reducing sedentary behaviors in the prevention of diabetes-related complications. Individuals with a high-risk physical activity profile were characterized by more obesity, socioeconomic inequalities, advanced age and comorbidities.Trial registration number: NCT02015130.

Advances in Anti-metabolic Disease Treatments Targeting CD47

Metabolic disorders include a cluster of conditions that result from hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, insulin resistance, obesity, and hepatic steatosis, which cause the dysfunction of immune cells and innate cells, such as macrophages, natural killer cells, vascular endothelial cells, hepatocytes, and human kidney tubular epithelial cells. Besides targeting the derangements in lipid metabolism, therapeutic modulations to regulate abnormal responses in the immune system and innate cell dysfunctions may prove to be promising strategies in the management of metabolic diseases. In recent years, several targets have been explored for the CD47 molecule (CD47), a glycosylated protein, which was originally reported to transmit an anti-phagocytic signal known as "don't eat me" in the atherosclerotic environment, hindering the efferocytosis of immune cells and promoting arterial plaque accumulation. Subsequently, the role of CD47 has been explored in obesity, fatty liver, and lipotoxic nephropathy, and its utility as a therapeutic target has been investigated using anti-CD47 antibodies or inhibitors of the THBS1/CD47 axis and the CD47/SIRPα signaling pathway. This review summarizes the mechanisms of action of CD47 in different cell types during metabolic diseases and the clinical research progress to date, providing a reference for the comprehensive targeting of CD47 to treat metabolic diseases and the devising of potential improvements to possible side effects.

Development and Validation of a Lifetime Risk Model for Kidney Failure and Treatment Benefit in Type 2 Diabetes: 10-Year and Lifetime Risk Prediction Models

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Individuals with type 2 diabetes are at a higher risk of developing kidney failure. The objective of this study was to develop and validate a decision support tool for estimating 10-year and lifetime risks of kidney failure in individuals with type 2 diabetes as well as estimating individual treatment effects of preventive medication.

DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS

The prediction algorithm was developed in 707,077 individuals with prevalent and incident type 2 diabetes from the Swedish National Diabetes Register for 2002-2019. Two Cox proportional regression functions for kidney failure (first occurrence of kidney transplantation, long-term dialysis, or persistent eGFR <15 ml/min per 1.73 m2) and all-cause mortality as respective end points were developed using routinely available predictors. These functions were combined into life tables to calculate the predicted survival without kidney failure while using all-cause mortality as the competing outcome. The model was externally validated in 256,265 individuals with incident type 2 diabetes from the Scottish Care Information Diabetes database between 2004 and 2019.

RESULTS

During a median follow-up of 6.8 years (interquartile range, 3.2-10.6), 8004 (1%) individuals with type 2 diabetes in the Swedish National Diabetes Register cohort developed kidney failure, and 202,078 (29%) died. The model performed well, with c statistics for kidney failure of 0.89 (95% confidence interval, 0.88 to 0.90) for internal validation and 0.74 (95% confidence interval, 0.73 to 0.76) for external validation. Calibration plots showed good agreement in observed versus predicted 10-year risk of kidney failure for both internal and external validation.

CONCLUSIONS

This study derived and externally validated a prediction tool for estimating 10-year and lifetime risks of kidney failure as well as life years free of kidney failure gained with preventive treatment in individuals with type 2 diabetes using easily available clinical predictors.

PODCAST

This article contains a podcast at https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/www.asn-online.org/media/podcast/CJASN/2022_11_04_CJN05020422.mp3.

Optimal cardiometabolic health and risk of heart failure in type 2 diabetes: an analysis from the Look AHEAD trial

AIMS

To evaluate the contribution of baseline and longitudinal changes in cardiometabolic health (CMH) towards heart failure (HF) risk among adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D).

METHODS AND RESULTS

Participants of the Look AHEAD trial with T2D and without prevalent HF were included. Adjusted Cox models were used to create a CMH score incorporating target levels of parameters weighted based on relative risk for HF. The associations of baseline and changes in the CMH score with risk of overall HF, HF with preserved (HFpEF) and reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) were assessed using Cox models. Among the 5080 participants, 257 incident HF events occurred over 12.4 years of follow-up. The CMH score included 2 points each for target levels of waist circumference, glomerular filtration rate, urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio, and 1 point each for blood pressure and glycated haemoglobin at target. High baseline CMH score (6-8) was significantly associated with lower overall HF risk (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], ref = low score (0-3): 0.31, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.21-0.47) with similar associations observed for HFpEF and HFrEF. Improvement in CMH was significantly associated with lower risk of overall HF (adjusted HR per 1-unit increase in score at 4 years: 0.80, 95% CI 0.70-0.91). In the ACCORD validation cohort, the baseline CMH score performed well for predicting HF risk with adequate discrimination (C-index 0.70), calibration (chi-square 5.53, p = 0.70), and risk stratification (adjusted HR [high (6-8) vs. low score (0-3)]: 0.35, 95% CI 0.26-0.46). In the Look AHEAD subgroup with available biomarker data, incorporating N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide to the baseline CMH score improved model discrimination (C-index 0.79) and risk stratification (adjusted HR [high (8-10) vs. low score (0-4)]: 0.18, 95% CI 0.09-0.35).

CONCLUSIONS

Achieving target levels of more CMH parameters at baseline and sustained improvements were associated with lower HF risk in T2D.

Risk of all-cause mortality according to the European Society of Cardiology risk categories in individuals with type 2 diabetes: the Renal Insufficiency And Cardiovascular Events (RIACE) Italian Multicenter Study

AIMS

The 2019 and 2021 European Society of Cardiology (ESC) classifications stratified patients with type 2 diabetes into three categories according to the 10-year risk of death from atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). The very high-risk category included individuals with established ASCVD, target organ damage (TOD), and/or, in the 2019 classification only, ≥ 3 additional ASCVD risk factors. We assessed risk of all-cause mortality according to the two ESC classifications in the Renal Insufficiency And Cardiovascular Events cohort.

METHODS

Participants (n = 15,773) were stratified based on the presence of ASCVD, TOD, and ASCVD risk factors at baseline (2006-2008). Vital status was retrieved in 2015.

RESULTS

Less than 1% of participants fell in the moderate-risk category. According to the 2019 classification, ~ 1/3 fell in the high-risk and ~ 2/3 in the very high-risk category, whereas the opposite occurred with the 2021 classification. Mortality risk increased across categories according to both classifications. Among very high-risk patients, mortality was much lower in those with ≥ 3 additional ASCVD risk factors and almost equal in those with TOD and ASCVD ± TOD, using the 2019 classification, whereas it was much higher in those with ASCVD + TOD and, to a lesser extent, TOD only than in those with ASCVD only, using the 2021 classification.

CONCLUSIONS

The negligible number of moderate-risk patients suggests that these classifications might overestimate risk of ASCVD death. Downgrading patients with ≥ 3 additional ASCVD risk factors to the high-risk category is consistent with mortality data. Risk of death is very high in the presence of TOD irrespective of established ASCVD.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT00715481.

Pharmacogenetics of Cardiovascular Prevention in Diabetes: From Precision Medicine to Identification of Novel Targets

Pharmacogenetics—a branch of precision medicine—holds the promise of becoming a novel tool to reduce the social and healthcare burdens of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and coronary artery disease (CAD) in diabetes. The improvement in cardiovascular risk stratification resulting from adding genetic characteristics to clinical data has moved from the modest results obtained with genetic risk scores based on few genetic variants, to the progressively better performances of polygenic risk scores based on hundreds to millions of variants (CAD-PGRS). Similarly, over the past few years, the number of studies investigating the use of CAD-PGRS to identify different responses to cardio-preventive treatment has progressively increased, yielding striking results for lipid-lowering drugs such as proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors and statins. The use of CAD-PGRS to stratify patients based on their likely response to diabetes-specific interventions has been less successful, but promising results have been obtained with regard to specific genetic variants modulating the effects of interventions such as intensive glycemic control and fenofibrate. The finding of diabetes-specific CAD-loci, such as GLUL, has also led to the identification of promising new targets that might hopefully result in the development of specific therapies to reduce CVD burden in patients with diabetes. As reported in consensus statements from international diabetes societies, some of these pharmacogenetic approaches are expected to be introduced in clinical practice over the next decade. For this to happen, in addition to continuing to improve and validate these tools, it will be necessary to educate physicians and patients about the opportunities and limits of pharmacogenetics, as summarized in this review.

Digital Interventions Supporting Self-care in People With Type 2 Diabetes Across Greater Manchester (Greater Manchester Diabetes My Way): Protocol for a Mixed Methods Evaluation

BACKGROUND

Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) is common, with a prevalence of approximately 7% of the population in the United Kingdom. The quality of T2D care is inconsistent across the United Kingdom, and Greater Manchester (GM) does not currently achieve the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence treatment targets. Barriers to delivery of care include low attendance and poor engagement with local T2D interventions, which tend to consist of programs of education delivered in traditional, face-to-face clinical settings. Thus, a flexible approach to T2D management that is accessible to people from different backgrounds and communities is needed. Diabetes My Way (DMW) is a digital platform that offers a comprehensive self-management and educational program that should be accessible to a wide range of people through mobile apps and websites. Building on evidence generated by a Scotland-wide pilot study, DMW is being rolled out and tested across GM.

OBJECTIVE

The overarching objectives are to assess whether DMW improves outcomes for patients with T2D in the GM area, to explore the acceptability of the DMW intervention to stakeholders, and to assess the cost-effectiveness of the intervention.

METHODS

A mixed methods approach will be used. We will take a census approach to recruitment in that all eligible participants in GM will be invited to participate. The primary outcomes will be intervention-related changes compared with changes observed in a matched group of controls, and the secondary outcomes will be within-person intervention-related changes. The cost-effectiveness analysis will focus on obtaining reliable estimates of how each intervention affects risk factors such as HbA1c and costs across population groups. Qualitative data will be collected via semistructured interviews and focus groups and organized using template analysis.

RESULTS

As of May 10, 2021, a total of 316 participants have been recruited for the quantitative study and have successfully enrolled. A total of 278 participants attempted to register but did not have appropriate permissions set by the general practitioners to gain access to their data. In total, 10 participants have been recruited for the qualitative study (7 practitioners and 3 patients). An extension to recruitment has been granted for the quantitative element of the research, and analysis should be complete by December 2022. Recruitment and analysis for the qualitative study should be complete by December 2021.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings from this study can be used both to develop the DMW system and improve accessibility and usability in more deprived populations generally, thus improving equity in access to support for T2D self-management.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)

DERR1-10.2196/26237.

Using Multiple Statistical Methods to Derive Dietary Patterns Associated with Cardiovascular Disease in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: Results from a Multiethnic Population-Based Study

Background

There are few reports on the relationship between dietary patterns and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). This study aimed to explore relationships between dietary patterns and CVD risk in the T2D population using multiple statistical analysis methods.

Methods

A total of 2,984 patients with T2D from the Xinjiang Multi-Ethnic Cohort, 555 of whom were suffering from CVD, were enrolled in this study. Participants' dietary intake was measured by the semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Three statistical methods were used to construct dietary patterns, including principal component analysis (PCA) method, reduced-rank regressions (RRR) method, and partial least-squares regression (PLS) method. Then, the association between dietary patterns and CVD risk in T2D patients was analyzed by logistic regression. After excluding participants with CVD, the associations between dietary patterns and 10-year CVD risk scores were subsequently evaluated to reduce reverse causality.

Results

In this study, four dietary patterns were identified by three methods. Adjustment for confounding factors, subjects with the highest scores on the "high-protein and high-carbohydrate" patterns derived from PCA, RRR, and PLS had higher odds of CVD than those with the lowest scores (OR: 2.89, 95% CI: 2.11-3.96, P _trend < 0.001; OR: 2.96, 95% CI: 2.17-4.03, P _trend < 0.001; OR: 2.01, 95% CI: 1.50-2.70, P _trend < 0.001, respectively). However, the dietary pattern of PCA-prudent was not significantly related to the odds of having CVD in T2D patients (adjusted OR_Q4vsQ1: 0.93, 95% CI: 0.70-1.24, P _trend =0.474). Interestingly, we also found significant associations between "high-protein and high-carbohydrate" patterns and the elevated predicted 10-year CVD risk in T2D patients (all P _trend < 0.05).

Conclusion

The positive correlation between "high-protein and high-carbohydrate" patterns and CVD risk in T2D patients was robust across all three data-driven approaches. These findings may have public health significance, encouraging an emphasis on food choices in the usual diet and promoting nutritional interventions for patients with T2D to prevent CVD.

Validation of the WATCH-DM and TRS-HFDM Risk Scores to Predict the Risk of Incident Hospitalization for Heart Failure Among Adults With Type 2 Diabetes: A Multicohort Analysis

Background The WATCH-DM (weight [body mass index], age, hypertension, creatinine, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, diabetes control [fasting plasma glucose], ECG QRS duration, myocardial infarction, and coronary artery bypass grafting) and TRS-HF_DM (Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction [TIMI] risk score for heart failure in diabetes) risk scores were developed to predict risk of heart failure (HF) among individuals with type 2 diabetes. WATCH-DM was developed to predict incident HF, whereas TRS-HF_DM predicts HF hospitalization among patients with and without a prior HF history. We evaluated the model performance of both scores to predict incident HF events among patients with type 2 diabetes and no history of HF hospitalization across different cohorts and clinical settings with varying baseline risk. Methods and Results Incident HF risk was estimated by the integer-based WATCH-DM and TRS-HF_DM scores in participants with type 2 diabetes free of baseline HF from 2 randomized clinical trials (TECOS [Trial Evaluating Cardiovascular Outcomes With Sitagliptin], N=12 028; and Look AHEAD [Look Action for Health in Diabetes] trial, N=4867). The integer-based WATCH-DM score was also validated in electronic health record data from a single large health care system (N=7475). Model discrimination was assessed by the Harrell concordance index and calibration by the Greenwood-Nam-D'Agostino statistic. HF incidence rate was 7.5, 3.9, and 4.1 per 1000 person-years in the TECOS, Look AHEAD trial, and electronic health record cohorts, respectively. Integer-based WATCH-DM and TRS-HF_DM scores had similar discrimination and calibration for predicting 5-year HF risk in the Look AHEAD trial cohort (concordance indexes=0.70; Greenwood-Nam-D'Agostino P>0.30 for both). Both scores had lower discrimination and underpredicted HF risk in the TECOS cohort (concordance indexes=0.65 and 0.66, respectively; Greenwood-Nam-D'Agostino P<0.001 for both). In the electronic health record cohort, the integer-based WATCH-DM score demonstrated a concordance index of 0.73 with adequate calibration (Greenwood-Nam-D'Agostino P=0.96). TRS-HF_DM score could not be validated in the electronic health record because of unavailability of data on urine albumin/creatinine ratio in most patients in the contemporary clinical practice. Conclusions The WATCH-DM and TRS-HF_DM risk scores can discriminate risk of HF among intermediate-risk populations with type 2 diabetes.

Modifiers of the Risk of Diabetes for Long-Term Outcomes After Coronary Revascularization: CREDO-Kyoto PCI/CABG Registry

BACKGROUND

Diabetes is a well-known risk factor for adverse outcomes after coronary revascularization.

OBJECTIVES

This study sought to determine high-risk subgroups in whom the excess risks of diabetes relative to nondiabetes are particularly prominent and thus may benefit from more aggressive interventions.

METHODS

The study population consisted of 39,427 patients (diabetes: n = 15,561; nondiabetes: n = 23,866) who underwent first percutaneous coronary intervention (n = 33,144) or coronary artery bypass graft (n = 6,283) in the pooled CREDO-Kyoto PCI/CABG (Coronary Revascularization Demonstrating Outcome Study in Kyoto Percutaneous Coronary Intervention/Coronary Artery Bypass Graft) registry. The primary outcome measure was major adverse cardiovascular and cerebral endpoints (MACCE), which was defined as a composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction, and stroke.

RESULTS

With median follow-up of 5.6 years, diabetes was associated with significantly higher adjusted risks for MACCE. The excess adjusted risks of diabetes relative to nondiabetes for MACCE increased with younger age (≤64 years: adjusted HR: 1.30; 95% CI: 1.19-1.41; P < 0.001; 64-73 years: adjusted HR: 1.24; 95% CI: 1.16-1.33; P < 0.001; >73 years: adjusted HR: 1.17; 95% CI: 1.10-1.23; P < 0.001; P _interaction < 0.001), mainly driven by greater excess adjusted mortality risk of diabetes relative to nondiabetes in younger tertile. No significant interaction was observed between adjusted risk of diabetes relative to nondiabetes for MACCE and other subgroups such as sex, mode of revascularization, and clinical presentation of acute myocardial infarction.

CONCLUSIONS

The excess risk of diabetes relative to nondiabetes for MACCE was profound in the younger population. This observation suggests more aggressive interventions for secondary prevention in patients with diabetes might be particularly relevant in younger patients.

Using machine learning to predict COVID-19 infection and severity risk among 4510 aged adults: a UK Biobank cohort study

Many risk factors have emerged for novel 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19). It is relatively unknown how these factors collectively predict COVID-19 infection risk, as well as risk for a severe infection (i.e., hospitalization). Among aged adults (69.3 ± 8.6 years) in UK Biobank, COVID-19 data was downloaded for 4510 participants with 7539 test cases. We downloaded baseline data from 10 to 14 years ago, including demographics, biochemistry, body mass, and other factors, as well as antibody titers for 20 common to rare infectious diseases in a subset of 80 participants with 124 test cases. Permutation-based linear discriminant analysis was used to predict COVID-19 risk and hospitalization risk. Probability and threshold metrics included receiver operating characteristic curves to derive area under the curve (AUC), specificity, sensitivity, and quadratic mean. Model predictions using the full cohort were marginal. The "best-fit" model for predicting COVID-19 risk was found in the subset of participants with antibody titers, which achieved excellent discrimination (AUC 0.969, 95% CI 0.934-1.000). Factors included age, immune markers, lipids, and serology titers to common pathogens like human cytomegalovirus. The hospitalization "best-fit" model was more modest (AUC 0.803, 95% CI 0.663-0.943) and included only serology titers, again in the subset group. Accurate risk profiles can be created using standard self-report and biomedical data collected in public health and medical settings. It is also worthwhile to further investigate if prior host immunity predicts current host immunity to COVID-19.

Diabetes Fact Sheet in Korea 2021

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and management of diabetes mellitus, risk-factor control, and comorbidities among Korean adults.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to assess the prevalence, treatment, risk factors, comorbidities, and self-management behaviors of diabetes mellitus from 2019 to 2020. We also analyzed data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service to evaluate the use of antidiabetic medications in people with diabetes mellitus from 2002 through 2018.

RESULTS

Among Korean adults aged 30 years or older, the estimated prevalence of diabetes mellitus was 16.7% in 2020. From 2019 through 2020, 65.8% of adults with diabetes mellitus were aware of the disease and treated with antidiabetic medications. The percentage of adults with diabetes mellitus who achieved glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) <6.5% was 24.5% despite the increased use of new antidiabetic medications. We found that adults with diabetes mellitus who achieved all three goals of HbA1c <6.5%, blood pressure (BP) <140/85 mm Hg, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol <100 mg/dL were 9.7%. The percentage of self-management behaviors was lower in men than women. Excess energy intake was observed in 16.7% of adults with diabetes mellitus.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of diabetes mellitus among Korean adults remained high. Only 9.7% of adults with diabetes mellitus achieved all glycemic, BP, and lipid controls from 2019 to 2020. Continuous evaluation of national diabetes statistics and a national effort to increase awareness of diabetes mellitus and improve comprehensive diabetes care are needed.

Lessons from bariatric surgery: Can increased GLP-1 enhance vascular repair during cardiometabolic-based chronic disease?

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) and obesity represent entangled pandemics that accelerate the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Given the immense burden of CVD in society, non-invasive prevention and treatment strategies to promote cardiovascular health are desperately needed. During T2D and obesity, chronic dysglycemia and abnormal adiposity result in systemic oxidative stress and inflammation that deplete the vascular regenerative cell reservoir in the bone marrow that impairs blood vessel repair and exacerbates the penetrance of CVD co-morbidities. This novel translational paradigm, termed 'regenerative cell exhaustion' (RCE), can be detected as the depletion and dysfunction of hematopoietic and endothelial progenitor cell lineages in the peripheral blood of individuals with established T2D and/or obesity. The reversal of vascular RCE has been observed after administration of the sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitor (SGLT2i), empagliflozin, or after bariatric surgery for severe obesity. In this review, we explore emerging evidence that links improved dysglycemia to a reduction in systemic oxidative stress and recovery of circulating pro-vascular progenitor cell content required for blood vessel repair. Given that bariatric surgery consistently increases systemic glucagon-like-peptide 1 (GLP-1) release, we also focus on evidence that the use of GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RA) during obesity may act to inhibit the progression of systemic dysglycemia and adiposity, and indirectly reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, thereby limiting the impact of RCE. Therefore, therapeutic intervention with currently-available GLP-1RA may provide a less-invasive modality to reverse RCE, bolster vascular repair mechanisms, and improve cardiometabolic risk in individuals living with T2D and obesity.

Activation of HIF1α Rescues the Hypoxic Response and Reverses Metabolic Dysfunction in the Diabetic Heart

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) impairs hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)1α activation, a master transcription factor that drives cellular adaptation to hypoxia. Reduced activation of HIF1α contributes to the impaired post-ischemic remodeling observed following myocardial infarction in T2D. Molidustat is an HIF stabilizer currently undergoing clinical trials for the treatment of renal anemia associated with chronic kidney disease; however, it may provide a route to pharmacologically activate HIF1α in the T2D heart. In human cardiomyocytes, molidustat stabilized HIF1α and downstream HIF target genes, promoting anaerobic glucose metabolism. In hypoxia, insulin resistance blunted HIF1α activation and downstream signaling, but this was reversed by molidustat. In T2D rats, oral treatment with molidustat rescued the cardiac metabolic dysfunction caused by T2D, promoting glucose metabolism and mitochondrial function, while suppressing fatty acid oxidation and lipid accumulation. This resulted in beneficial effects on post-ischemic cardiac function, with the impaired contractile recovery in T2D heart reversed by molidustat treatment. In conclusion, pharmacological HIF1α stabilization can overcome the blunted hypoxic response induced by insulin resistance. In vivo this corrected the abnormal metabolic phenotype and impaired post-ischemic recovery of the diabetic heart. Therefore, molidustat may be an effective compound to further explore the clinical translatability of HIF1α activation in the diabetic heart.

Association of Type 2 Diabetes, According to the Number of Risk Factors Within Target Range, With Structural Brain Abnormalities, Cognitive Performance, and Risk of Dementia

OBJECTIVE

Type 2 diabetes is associated with increased risks of cognitive dysfunction and brain abnormalities. The extent to which risk factor modification can mitigate these risks is unclear. We investigated the associations between incident dementia, cognitive performance, and brain abnormalities among individuals with type 2 diabetes, according to the number of risk factors on target, compared with control subjects without diabetes.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Prospective data were from UK Biobank of 87,856 individuals (n = 10,663 diabetes, n = 77,193 control subjects; baseline 2006-2010), with dementia follow-up until February 2018. Individuals with diabetes were categorized according to the number of seven selected risk factors within the guideline-recommended target range (nonsmoking; guideline-recommended levels of glycated hemoglobin, blood pressure, BMI, albuminuria, physical activity, and diet). Outcomes were incident dementia, domain-specific cognitive performance, white matter hyperintensities, and total brain volume.

RESULTS

After a mean follow-up of 9.0 years, 147 individuals (1.4%) with diabetes and 412 control subjects (0.5%) had incident dementia. Among individuals with diabetes, excess dementia risk decreased stepwise for a higher number of risk factors on target. Compared with control subjects (incidence rate per 1,000 person-years 0.62 [95% CI 0.56; 0.68]), individuals with diabetes who had five to seven risk factors on target had no significant excess dementia risk (absolute rate difference per 1,000 person-years 0.20 [-0.11; 0.52]; hazard ratio 1.32 [0.89; 1.95]). Similarly, differences in processing speed, executive function, and brain volumes were progressively smaller for a higher number of risk factors on target. These results were replicated in the Maastricht Study.

CONCLUSIONS

Among individuals with diabetes, excess dementia risk, lower cognitive performance, and brain abnormalities decreased stepwise for a higher number of risk factors on target.

Role of newer antidiabetic drugs on cardiovascular prevention and heart failure

Beyond glucemic control there are other important goals when it comes to providing integral care to patients with diabetes mellitus. A bibliographic review was made in order to identify the role played by new antidiabetic drugs in cardiovascular prevention and heart failure. The use of SLGT2i and GLP1a leads to a significant decrease in cardiovascular events, with no difference between the two, except when it comes to hospitalizations for heart failure, where the superiority of the last ones (especially dapaglifozin and empaglifozin) is evident. The current evidence regarding the effect of dpp-4i is diverse, although an increased risk of hospitalizations for heart failure is observed with the use of some drugs of this class (saxagliptin).

GLP-1 receptor agonists vs. SGLT-2 inhibitors: the gap seems to be leveling off

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of death in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Older age, prior heart failure (HF) and CV events, peripheral artery disease, and kidney complications can identify a subgroup of patients with T2D at high risk of mortality who are likely to achieve the greatest benefit from newer glucose-lowering agents. Both glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RA) and sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors can reduce CV risk in patients with T2D, and both are recommended by the American Diabetes Association to reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events (MACE). The magnitude of the benefits of GLP-1RA and SGLT-2 inhibitors on MACE are similar, ranging from 12 to 14% reduction of risk, but only GLP-1RA may reduce the risk of stroke. The most striking difference between the two classes of drugs relates to the amelioration on hospitalization for HF, as the benefit of SGLT-2 inhibitors surpass by threefold that obtained with GLP-1RA. Despite this, GLP-1RA also exert a significant benefit on HF which suggest their use when SGLT-2 inhibitors are contraindicated or not tolerated. The difference between the two classes is less impressive for the kidney outcome. Overall, the results of CVOTs published so far seems to suggest that the gap between the cardiorenal benefits of SGLT-2 and GLP-1RA is narrowing.

Current trends in epidemiology of cardiovascular disease and cardiovascular risk management in type 2 diabetes

With the advances in diabetes care, the trend of incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has been decreasing over past decades. However, given that CVD is still a major cause of death in patients with diabetes and that the risk of CVD in patients with T2DM is more than twice that in those without DM, there are still considerable challenges to the prevention of CVD in diabetes. Accordingly, there have been several research efforts to decrease cardiovascular (CV) risk in T2DM. Large-scale genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and clinical cohort studies have investigated the effects of factors, such as genetic determinants, hypoglycaemia, and insulin resistance, on CVD and can account for the unexplained CV risk in T2DM. Lifestyle modification is a widely accepted cornerstone method to prevent CVD as the first-line strategy in T2DM. Recent reports from large CV outcome trials have proven the positive CV effects of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) in patients with high CVD risk. Overall, current practice guidelines for the management of CVD in T2DM are moving from a glucocentric strategy to a more individualised patient-centred approach. This review will discuss the current epidemiologic trends of CVD in T2DM and the risk factors linking T2DM to CVD, including genetic contribution, hypoglycaemia, and insulin resistance, and proper care strategies, including lifestyle and therapeutic approaches.

Hypertension in diabetes care: emerging roles of recent hypoglycemic agents

Patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) frequently have multiple cardiovascular, metabolic, and renal comorbidities, such as hypertension, dyslipidemia, hyperuricemia, chronic kidney disease, and heart failure. Accordingly, this patient population often requires polypharmacy, which is associated with an increased risk of drug-drug interactions, poor adherence, and even adverse outcomes. Accumulating evidence on newer hypoglycemic agents, such as glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists and sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors, has highlighted the marked improvements in cardiovascular and renal outcomes associated with the off-target benefits for relevant comorbidities, including hypertension. These classes of hypoglycemic agents are unique, as they achieve consistently modest but significant reductions in systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP), an effect that has not been targeted and observed with conventional hypoglycemic agents. In addition to this BP-lowering effect, these agents also have multifaceted beneficial impacts on other cardiometabolic and renal parameters, which appear to be helpful for providing an important comprehensive therapeutic approach to improve the prognosis in patients with T2D. The clinical advantages of these agents may reduce the dose and number of concomitant medications used to treat T2D and related comorbidities. These positive spillover effects may also enhance the clinical use of agents to achieve better diabetes care. As a consequence, the clinical significance of these hypoglycemic agents now extends beyond their hypoglycemic effects, thereby providing a new-normal strategy to use in an evidence-based, patient-centric approach to diabetes care.

Impaired Clinical Efficacy of Aspirin in Hypoalbuminemic Patients With Diabetes Mellitus

Objective: To investigate the impact of albumin levels on the aspirin efficacy, since aspirin inhibits platelet aggregation (PA) by cyclooxygenase one irreversible acetylation that is less effective in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Patients and Methods: A total of 612 aspirin (100 mg/day)-treated T2DM patients were followed-up for 54.4 ± 7.3 months. The primary endpoint, a composite of cardiovascular events (CVEs) including CV death, myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke and coronary revascularization, was analysed according to baseline values of serum albumin (≥ or < 3.5 g/dL). Serum thromboxane (Tx)B₂ was also measured.

Results: 250 (40.8%) patients had serum albumin < 3.5 g/dL; these patients were overweight and had higher values of fibrinogen (p = 0.009), high sensitivity C-reactive protein (p = 0.001) and fasting plasma glucose (p < 0.0001) compared to those with albumin ≥ 3.5 g/dL. During follow-up, 86 CVEs were recorded, 49 and 37 in patients with serum albumin < or ≥3.5 g/dL, respectively (p = 0.001). At multivariable Cox regression analysis, serum albumin < 3.5 g/dL (hazard ratio [HR] 1.887, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.136–3.135, p = 0.014), age (HR 1.552 for every 10 years, 95%CI 1.157–2.081, p = 0.003), fasting plasma glucose (HR 1.063, 95%CI 1.022–1.105, p = 0.002) and beta-blocker use (HR 0.440, 95%CI 0.270–0.717, p = 0.001) were associated to CVEs. Serum TxB₂ levels (n = 377) were 0.32 ± 0.12 and 0.24 ± 0.12 ng/ml in patients with albumin < or ≥ 3.5 g/dL, respectively (p < 0.001).

Conclusion: In T2DM patients, the efficacy of aspirin varies according to albumin levels. Hypoalbuminemia associated with impaired TxB₂ inhibition and an increased risk of long-term CVEs.

Covid-19 and diabesity: when a pandemia cross another pandemia

The Covid-19 epidemic is having a strong impact on the population with pre-existing chronic diseases. The collision between the Covid-19 pandemic and the current diabesity epidemic has highlighted that obese and diabetic patients have a worse prognosis due to the impairment of the immune response to infections and due to the mechanical limits that make the management of the hospitalized patients with severe obesity more difficult. The limitations imposed on accessibility to non-urgent care during the lockdown of "phase 1" of this pandemic have created the need to revolutionize clinical practice to meet the health demands of chronic and high-risk diseases such as obesity and diabetes. The use of technology and risk stratification to establish the priority of access to the treatments that we have been forced to undertake will be useful tools for a new phase of a more efficient and successful treatment of diabesity.

Nox2 up-regulation and hypoalbuminemia in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is associated with oxidative stress but the underlying mechanisms promoting oxidative stress as well as its relationship with cardiovascular events is still unclear. In 375 T2DM patients who were followed-up for approximately 5 years we measured the serum levels of soluble NOX2-derived peptide (sNOX2-dp), a marker of Nox2 activation, and albumin, a powerful antioxidant protein. In the entire cohort soluble Nox2 and serum albumin were significantly correlated (r = -0.348, P < 0.0001). During the follow-up 49 cardiovascular events (CVE) were registered, of which 45 were non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI); patients with non-fatal MI had significantly higher soluble NOX2/albumin ratio compared to cardiovascular events-free patients. Cox regression analysis showed a significant association between sNox2-dp/serum albumin ratio and the incidental risk of non-fatal MI (HR 1.106, CI95% 1.020-1.198, P = 0.014). The study suggests that redox status imbalance negatively influences vascular outcomes in T2DM.

The residual cardiorenal risk in type 2 diabetes

In this commentary, we introduce the concepts of removed and residual risks in conditioning thecardiorenal outlook of patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). The removed cardiorenal risk represents the risk of progression of CV events (major adverse cardiovascular events, MACE; heart failure, HF) and diabetes kidney disease (DKD) taken away by optimal glycemic control or the use of newer antihyperglycemic drugs (glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, GLP-1RA, andsodium-glucose transporter-2 inhibitors, SGLT-2i) in patients with T2D, as demonstrated by the results of intensive glucose lowering trials (IGT) and cardiovascular outcome trials (CVOT). IGT have shown that successful glycemic control has modest benefits, as the removed cardiorenal risk ranges from 9% for MACE, to 20% for progression of DKD and to 0% for HF. The removed risk of MACE is 13% for GLP-1RA and 12% for SGLT-2i. However, SGLT-2i, as compared with GLP-1RA, removed twofold more risk (39% vs 17%) for kidney outcomes and fourfold more risk (33% vs 9%) for HF. Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors have no clinically important cardiorenal benefits, as residual risk is 99% for MACE, 100% for kidney outcomes (excluding new albuminuria), and 100% for HF. Although the results of some real world, population-based cohort studies suggest the possibility that the cardiorenal protection afforded by newer antihyperglycemic drugs is additive to that of optimal glycemic control, only specific randomized controlled trials could answer this question.

Sodium-glucose transporter-2 inhibitors for prevention and treatment of cardiorenal complications of type 2 diabetes

Hospitalization for major diabetes complications, including myocardial infarction, stroke, lower-extremity amputation, and end-stage kidney disease, is on the rise and represents a great health burden for patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D), in particular for older people. Newer glucose-lowering medications have generated some optimism on the possibility to influence the natural history of cardiorenal complications of T2D. This review summarizes work in the area of sodium–glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT-2i) treatment and prevention of cardiorenal complications in patients with T2D (major adverse cardiovascular events, hospitalization for heart failure, kidney outcomes), with a particular emphasis on the effect of age, the role of primary versus secondary prevention and the possible extension of their cardiorenal benefits to the entire class of SGLT-2i.