Mortality rates and the causes of death related to diabetes mellitus in Shanghai Songjiang District: an 11-year retrospective analysis of death certificates

Blood pressure and the risk of diabetes: A longitudinal observational study based on Chinese individuals

BACKGROUND

With lifestyle changes, the incidence of diabetes has been steadily increasing, and hypertension remains a significant risk factor impacting cardiovascular health. Understanding the potential effects of blood pressure on diabetes risk is, therefore, crucial. This study aims to comprehensively explore the relationship between blood pressure and diabetes risk.

METHODS

A total of 211,809 individuals undergoing health check-ups were included in this analysis. Participants were divided into four groups based on the quartiles of systolic and diastolic blood pressure, with the primary outcome being the incidence of new-onset diabetes.

RESULTS

Over an average follow-up period of 3.1 years (±0.94 years), 3,000 men (1.42%) and 1,173 women (0.55%) were newly diagnosed with diabetes. Multivariable Cox regression analysis demonstrated that blood pressure is an independent predictor of new-onset diabetes (systolic blood pressure HR 1.07 per SD increase, 95% CI: 1.01-1.12, P for trend <0.001; diastolic blood pressure HR 1.11 per SD increase, 95% CI: 1.06-1.17, P for trend 0.001). The optimal cutoff for systolic blood pressure in predicting new-onset diabetes was found to be 123 mmHg (area under the curve 0.7014, sensitivity 0.65, specificity 0.64), which was superior to the predictive efficacy of diastolic blood pressure (area under the curve 0.6645, sensitivity 0.63, specificity 0.62). Subgroup analyses indicated that the risk of blood pressure-related diabetes was significantly higher in middle-aged individuals compared to older adults (P for interaction <0.05). Additionally, women showed a higher risk of systolic blood pressure-related diabetes than men, and normal-weight individuals exhibited a higher risk than those with obesity (P for interaction <0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

This cohort study within a Chinese population highlights that, after adjusting for other confounding factors, blood pressure is an independent risk factor for diabetes. This association is particularly pronounced among middle-aged individuals, women, and those of normal weight. Moreover, systolic blood pressure demonstrates superior predictive efficacy for diabetes compared to diastolic blood pressure.

Artificial intelligence for diabetes care: current and future prospects

Artificial intelligence (AI) use in diabetes care is increasingly being explored to personalise care for people with diabetes and adapt treatments for complex presentations. However, the rapid advancement of AI also introduces challenges such as potential biases, ethical considerations, and implementation challenges in ensuring that its deployment is equitable. Ensuring inclusive and ethical developments of AI technology can empower both health-care providers and people with diabetes in managing the condition. In this Review, we explore and summarise the current and future prospects of AI across the diabetes care continuum, from enhancing screening and diagnosis to optimising treatment and predicting and managing complications.

Hypertension in diabetes

Diabetes mellitus, a disease that affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide, is increasing in prevalence in all age groups, including children and adolescents. Much of the morbidity and mortality associated with diabetes is closely related to hypertension, often coincident with diabetes. Comorbid hypertension and diabetes often worsen the outcomes of each other, likely rooted in some overlapping pathogenic mechanisms. In this educational review, we will discuss the shared pathophysiology of diabetes and hypertension, particularly in regard to inflammation and oxidative stress, the sympathetic nervous system, vascular remodeling, and the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS). We will also review current hypertension diagnosis and management guidelines from many international jurisdictions for both adult and paediatric populations in the setting of diabetes. Many of these guidelines highlight the use and utility of RAAS blockers in this clinical scenario; however, on review of the evidence for their use, several meta-analyses and systematic reviews fail to demonstrate superiority of RAAS blockers over other anti-hypertensive medications. Finally, we discuss several new anti-hypertensive medications, review their mechanisms of action, and highlight some of the evidence for their use in the setting of hypertension and diabetes.

Leisure-time physical activity and mortality risk in type 2 diabetes: A nationwide cohort study

AIM

Physical activity improves insulin resistance, inhibits inflammation, and decreases the incidence of cardiovascular disease. These are major causes of death in patients with diabetes.

METHODS

The Taiwan National Health Interview Survey collected baseline characteristics of socioeconomic level, education, marriage, and health behaviour, including leisure time physical activity in 2001, 2005, 2009, and 2013. The National Health Insurance research dataset 2000-2016 contained detailed information on medical conditions, including all comorbidities. All-cause and cardiovascular deaths were confirmed by the National Death Registry.

RESULTS

A total of 4859 adults with type 2 diabetes were included in the analysis; 2389 (49 %) were men and the mean±SD age was 60±13 years. Kaplan-Meier curve of all-cause (log-rank P<0.001) and cardiovascular death (log-rank P=0.038) categorized by leisure-time physical activity showed a significant difference. The multivariable Cox regression model showed that those who had more leisure time physical activity had a significantly lower risk of all-cause death than those with no physical activity (physical activity of 1-800 MET-min/week HR = 0.66, 95% CI: 0.54-0.81, physical activity of >800 MET-min/week HR = 0.67, 95% CI: 0.56-0.81). A significant trend was also observed (P <0.001). Similar results were also observed for cardiovascular mortality (physical activity of 1-800 MET-min/week HR = 0.54, 95% CI: 0.36-0.84, physical activity of >800 MET-min/week HR = 0.78, 95% CI: 0.55-1.13).

CONCLUSION

For those with diabetes, increased leisure-time physical activity significantly reduced risk of all-cause and cardiovascular death. Further research is warranted to determine the proper prescription for physical activity to prolong healthy life.

Electrospun PCL/collagen hybrid nanofibrous tubular graft based on post-network bond processing for vascular substitute

Inhibiting thrombus formation and intimal hyperplasia is essential for orthotopic tissue-engineered vascular grafts. The matching mechanical properties of autologous blood vessels and inhibition of platelet aggregation are considered as two points to improve the success rate of transplantation. The poly(ε-caprolactone)/collagen/heparin composite vascular graft (PCLHC) with three-dimensional network structure were constructed by electrospinning, which can mimic natural vascular biomechanics and enhance the viability of cells viability in vitro. The hybrid collagen matrix network nanofibers formed by electrospinning exhibited uniform and smooth morphology. The results of mechanical experiments showed that PCLHC had similar mechanical properties to natural blood vessels. And the addition of heparin enhanced the anticoagulation of PCLHC. Simultaneous three-component hybrid nanofibers showed a potentially reliable ability to promote the proliferation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). In summary, all the results showed that the three-dimensional network structure of PCLHC presented the potential to heal injured vessels.

Diabetes Detection and Management through Photoplethysmographic and Electrocardiographic Signals Analysis: A Systematic Review

(1) Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic, metabolic disease characterized by elevated levels of blood glucose. Recently, some studies approached the diabetes care domain through the analysis of the modifications of cardiovascular system parameters. In fact, cardiovascular diseases are the first leading cause of death in diabetic subjects. Thanks to their cost effectiveness and their ease of use, electrocardiographic (ECG) and photoplethysmographic (PPG) signals have recently been used in diabetes detection, blood glucose estimation and diabetes-related complication detection. This review's aim is to provide a detailed overview of all the published methods, from the traditional (non machine learning) to the deep learning approaches, to detect and manage diabetes using PPG and ECG signals. This review will allow researchers to compare and understand the differences, in terms of results, amount of data and complexity that each type of approach provides and requires. (2) Method: We performed a systematic review based on articles that focus on the use of ECG and PPG signals in diabetes care. The search was focused on keywords related to the topic, such as "Diabetes", "ECG", "PPG", "Machine Learning", etc. This was performed using databases, such as PubMed, Google Scholar, Semantic Scholar and IEEE Xplore. This review's aim is to provide a detailed overview of all the published methods, from the traditional (non machine learning) to the deep learning approaches, to detect and manage diabetes using PPG and ECG signals. This review will allow researchers to compare and understand the differences, in terms of results, amount of data and complexity that each type of approach provides and requires. (3) Results: A total of 78 studies were included. The majority of the selected studies focused on blood glucose estimation (41) and diabetes detection (31). Only 7 studies focused on diabetes complications detection. We present these studies by approach: traditional, machine learning and deep learning approaches. (4) Conclusions: ECG and PPG analysis in diabetes care showed to be very promising. Clinical validation and data processing standardization need to be improved in order to employ these techniques in a clinical environment.

Antidepressants and the risk of myocardial infarction among patients with diabetes: A population-based cohort study

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the impact of antidepressants (ATDs) on the risk of myocardial infarction (MI) among patients with diabetes mellitus (DM).

METHODS

This was a retrospective population-based cohort study that used data obtained from the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan. The study cohort included diabetic patients who were older than 50 years from 1997 to 2010. We then randomly assigned individuals to the matched cohort at a 1:1 ratio according to their demographic data. Both study and matched cohorts were followed up to compare the risk of MI between patients with and without ATD use from 2000 until the end of 2013. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were used to evaluate the relationship between ATD treatment and the occurrence of MI.

RESULTS

After adjustment for confounders, patients with ATD use of more than 180 days had a lower risk of MI than those without ATD use in the matched cohort (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] = 0.68, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.66-0.71). The adjusted HRs of MI were 0.77 (95% CI, 0.73-0.81) and 0.56 (95% CI, 052.-0.60) in patients with DM and ATD use of 180 > cDDD ≥ 28 and cDDD ≥ 180, respectively. When the duration of ATD treatment was 180 days or longer, MI risk was significantly reduced (after adjustment) for all classes of ATD except bupropion.

CONCLUSIONS

Most ATDs, but not bupropion, were associated with significantly reduced risk of MI among the DM population.

Predictors of mortality among patients with type 2 diabetes in Jordan

BACKGROUND

Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a common metabolic disease associated with increased risk of mortality.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to examine predictors of mortality among patients with type 2 diabetes in the north of Jordan.

METHODS

Electronic data files for diabetes patients admitted between the period of 2014-2018 at a tertiary center in the north of Jordan were reviewed. Patient's characteristics, clinical and laboratory data, use of medications and mortality rate were collected.

RESULTS

Mean age of patients (n = 957) was 60.99 ± 0.37 (mean ± sem). Most of patients had multiple risk factors and underlying cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Mortality rate was 10.1%. Univariate predictors of mortality included age, chronic kidney disease (CKD), acute kidney injury, hypertension, heart failure (HF), coronary artery disease, venous thromboembolism (VTE), stroke, atrial fibrillation (AF), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). As the number of CVDs increases, mortality rate also increases (Odd ratio 2.0, p < 0.0001). Use of insulin, aspirin, ACEi/ARBS, beta blockers, and diuretics were also associated with mortality. Fasting glucose and percentage of glycated hemoglobin were not associated with mortality. By multivariable logistic regression analysis adjusting for confounders and collinearity; age, HF, AF, COPD, VTE, and CKD were associated with mortality.

CONCLUSION

Key risk factors of mortality are CVDs and CKD indicating that the primary step of management should focus on optimizing risk factors to prevent diabetes complications and death.

Is 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Associated with Glycosylated Hemoglobin in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Saudi Arabia? A Population Based Study

BACKGROUND

Saudi Arabia has a high burden of diabetes mellitus and vitamin D deficiency. The objective of this study was to explore the association between glycosylated hemoglobin and 25-hydroxyvitamin D in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

METHODS

An interview based cross-sectional study was conducted on 606 patients with type 2 diabetes, aged 30-75 years, visiting primary health care centers. Blood samples were collected for measuring HbA1c, 25(OH)D and bone and lipid markers. Multivariable linear regression analysis was conducted to explore the association between HbA1c and 25(OH)D.

RESULTS

The mean (±SD) levels for HbA1c and 25(OH) D were 7.69 (±1.77) and 44.28 (±23.06), respectively. Around 55% of patients had uncontrolled HbA1c (>7.0), whereas vitamin D deficiency (<50 nmol/L) was found in 52.3% (=317). Multiple linear regression analysis found that a unit increase in vitamin D levels and parathyroid hormone levels was associated with -0.17 (-0.02, -0.01, p < 0.001) and -0.20 (-2.66, -1.18, p < 0.001) unit decrease in levels of HbA1c, respectively. Similarly, increasing age was associated with -0.15 (-0.01, -0.04, p = 0.002) unit decrease in HbA1c levels, whereas unit increases in serum alkaline phosphatase, calcium and diabetes duration were associated with 0.22 (0.01, 0.02, p < 0.001), 0.14 (1.03, 3.88, p = 0.001) and 0.26 (0.42, 0.78, p < 0.001) unit increase in HbA1c levels, respectively.

CONCLUSION

HbA1c levels are associated with 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels. For better control of HbA1c levels, it is important to maintain 25-hydroxyvitamin D level and bone markers within normal range.

Evaluation of Dental Health in Terminally Ill Patients

Dental health plays an imperative role in the general health and well-being of an individual. Terminally ill patients due to a compromised immune response are susceptible to a wide array of oral complications, which may affect their ability to speak and chew, leading to malnutrition. The present study was conducted to evaluate dental health and various oral manifestations in terminally ill patients. One hundred twenty terminally ill patients hospitalized with diseases of the respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract, circulatory system, liver, and endocrinal disorders were included in the study. The evaluation of oral manifestations and their prevalence was done by a single examiner. The oral health was evaluated according to symptoms exhibited by the patients and clinical presentation. Of the patients included in the study, 78 were male, and 42 were female. All the individuals were adults between 25 to 55 years of age. Out of 120 admitted terminally ill patients, 27 subjects had respiratory diseases, 17 had gastrointestinal disorders, 5 had disorders of the circulatory system, 39 had liver disorders, and 32 had endocrine disorders. A need for added comprehension is mandatory to link the inter-relationships between dentistry and medicine to further perk up the management of the overall health of patients, which will further reinforce the partnership between dental and medical communities.

Smoking Is a Risk Factor of Coronary Heart Disease through HDL-C in Chinese T2DM Patients: A Mediation Analysis

Objective

To investigate associations between smoking and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular complications in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients.

Methods

This is a cross-sectional study. Of 971 T2DM patients aged 14–93 years old in this study, 182 had ever smoked and 789 never smoked. Propensity score matching (PSM) reduced the confounding bias between groups. Logistic regression analysis was performed on matched data to evaluate coronary heart disease (CHD) and stroke risk. In addition, the mediation analysis was conducted among smoking exposure, HDL-C, and CHD.

Results

A total of 139 pairs of patients who had never and ever smoked were matched. Logistic regression analysis showed that compared with patients who never smoked, those who smoked > 20 cigarettes per day (CPD) had a higher risk of CHD (odds ratio [OR]: 3.09, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.21–7.89). Additionally, after adjusting for age, sex, origin, occupation, smoking status, body mass index, waist circumference, and diabetes duration, the OR for CHD with >20 years of cumulative smoking (pack-years) was 2.21 (95% CI: 1.05–4.65). Furthermore, we observed a significant dose-response relationship between CPD and lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (P < 0.001). Moreover, the mediation analysis showed that the indirect effect mediated by HDL-C accounted for 86% (effect = 0.0187, 95% CI: 0.0100–0.0316).

Conclusions

Smoking may be a risk factor for CHD in T2DM patients. T2DM patients should stop smoking or reduce the CPD to prevent the onset of CHD. Moreover, to prevent CHD complications, monitoring HDL-C levels in T2DM patients who smoke may be necessary.

Examining health disparities and characteristics in general practice utilization: based on outpatient data from 2014 - 2018 in Shanghai

BACKGROUND

Since 2000, China has been developing primary care institutions to serve as the gateway to the healthcare system. However, the investment of resources in primary care institutions is not based on the actual medical demands of the public. This study analysed primary care utilization to provide targeted guidance for the improvement of primary healthcare delivery in China.

METHODS

We extracted outpatient visit data from all community healthcare centres in Shanghai from 2014 to 2018. Diseases were then classified according to ICD-10 codes. The disease spectrum (frequency, proportion, rank) was stratified by sex, age, and region.

RESULTS

Most primary care outpatients were female (58.20%), 60-79 years old (57.91%), and in suburban regions (62.18%). Chronic diseases accounted for the majority (91.41%). Hypertension, chronic ischaemic heart disease, diabetes, and acute upper respiratory tract infections were the top four disorders for primary care visits regardless of sex. In the group aged 0-18 years, symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings not elsewhere classified accounted for 37.96% of the top 20 reasons. Acute upper respiratory tract infections were the most common diseases in the groups aged 0-18 (11.20%) and 19-39 (11.14%) years. However, hypertension was the most common disease in the group aged > 39 years old (> 20%). There were more outpatients with respiratory and digestive diseases in suburban areas than in urban areas. In addition, problems associated with medical equipment and other healthcare deficiencies were relatively more common in suburban areas (suburban: 4.13%, rank 5; urban: 2.29%, rank 10).

CONCLUSIONS

To meet the patients' needs and to develop the primary care system, the Shanghai government should focus on diseases with regionally high proportions. Disease diagnosis and treatment should be improved in the younger and suburban populations.

Muscle Strength and Glycaemic Control among Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

Poor glycaemic control is associated with chronic life-threatening complications. This cross-sectional study examined whether there is an association between handgrip strength and glycaemic control among patients with diabetes. Data on 1058 participants aged 40 and older were collected from the National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (NHANES). Muscle strength was assessed using a handgrip dynamometer, and glycaemic control was assessed using HbA1c. Handgrip strength was presented as age- and gender-specific quartiles, with participants in quartile 1 having the lowest handgrip strength and participants in quartile 4 having the highest handgrip strength. Logistic regression analyses were used to assess the association between handgrip strength and poor glycaemic control among participants with diabetes. Three models, each adjusted to include different variables, were employed. Odds ratio (OR) values revealed no association between handgrip strength and glycaemic control after adjusting for age, gender, and race in model 1. With further adjustment for sedentary activity, income-to-poverty ratio, education, and smoking, patients in quartile 4 of handgrip strength had 0.51 odds of poor glycaemic control (95% CI: 0.27-0.99). However, the reported association above vanished when further adjusted for insulin use (OR = 0.67; 95% CI: 0.35-1.28). In conclusion, findings may indicate an association between glycaemic control and muscle strength. This association may be altered by insulin use; further investigations are required.

The Play of Genes and Non-genetic Factors on Type 2 Diabetes

Diabetes has been a disease of public health concern for a number of decades. It was in the 1930s when scientists made an interesting discovery that the disease is actually divided into two types as some patients were insensitive to insulin treatment then. Type 2 Diabetes which happens to be the non-insulin dependent one is the most common form of the disease and is caused by the interaction between genetic and non-genetic factors. Despite conflicting results, numerous studies have identified genetic and non-genetic factors associated with this common type of diabetes. This review has summarized literature on some genes and non-genetic factors which have been identified to be associated with Type 2 diabetes. It has sourced literature from PubMed, Web of Science and Medline without any limitation to regions, publication types, or languages. The paper has started with the introduction, the play of non-genetic factors, the impact of genes in general, and ended with the interaction between some genes and environmental factors.

Antidepressants Reduced Risk of Mortality in Patients With Diabetes Mellitus: A Population-Based Cohort Study in Taiwan

CONTEXT

The effect of antidepressant (ATD) use on mortality in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) has not yet been sufficiently studied, although comorbid depression is common in this population.

OBJECTIVE

To explore the impact of ATDs on mortality among DM patients.

DESIGN

A retrospective cohort study in a national database.

SETTING

This population-based study used the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan. Since 2000, we identified 53,412 cases of newly diagnosed patients with DM and depression. Patient cases were followed for assessing mortality until 2013.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

The association between mortality and ATD use was explored adjusting for cumulative dosing.

RESULTS

Using the time-dependent Cox regression model, ATD use was associated with significantly reduced mortality among patients with DM [in the highest dose group: hazard ratio (HR), 0.65; 95% CI, 0.59 to 0.71]. Further analysis showed that differences in mortality existed across ATD categories: selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (HR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.56 to 0.71), serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (HR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.44 to 0.78), norepinephrine-dopamine reuptake inhibitors (HR, 0.20; 95% CI, 0.07 to 0.63), mirtazapine (HR, 0.60; 95% CI, 0.45 to 0.82), tricyclic/tetracyclic antidepressants (HR, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.54 to 0.97), and trazodone (HR, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.29 to 0.91). However, reversible inhibitor of monoamine oxidase A (RIMA) was found to be associated with an increase, rather than a decrease, in total mortality (HR, 1.48; 95% CI, 1.09 to 1.99).

CONCLUSION

Most ATDs, but not RIMA, were associated with significantly reduced mortality among a population with comorbid DM and depression.

Predictors of loss to follow up among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus attending a private not for profit urban diabetes clinic in Uganda - a descriptive retrospective study

Background

Although the prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus is increasing in Uganda, data on loss to follow up (LTFU) of patients in care is scanty. We aimed to estimate proportions of patients LTFU and document associated factors among patients attending a private not for profit urban diabetes clinic in Uganda.

Methods

We conducted a descriptive retrospective study between March and May 2017. We reviewed 1818 out-patient medical records of adults diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus registered between July 2003 and September 2016 at St. Francis Hospital - Nsambya Diabetes clinic in Uganda. Data was extracted on: patients’ registration dates, demographics, socioeconomic status, smoking, glycaemic control, type of treatment, diabetes mellitus complications and last follow-up clinic visit. LTFU was defined as missing collecting medication for six months or more from the date of last clinic visit, excluding situations of death or referral to another clinic. We used Kaplan-Meier technique to estimate time to defaulting medical care after initial registration, log-rank test to test the significance of observed differences between groups. Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to determine predictors of patients’ LTFU rates in hazard ratios (HRs).

Results

Between July 2003 and September 2016, one thousand eight hundred eighteen patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus were followed for 4847.1 person-years. Majority of patients were female 1066/1818 (59%) and 1317/1818 (72%) had poor glycaemic control. Over the 13 years, 1690/1818 (93%) patients were LTFU, giving a LTFU rate of 34.9 patients per 100 person-years (95%CI: 33.2–36.6). LTFU was significantly higher among males, younger patients (< 45 years), smokers, patients on dual therapy, lower socioeconomic status, and those with diabetes complications like neuropathy and nephropathy.

Conclusion

We found high proportions of patients LTFU in this diabetes clinic which warrants intervention studies targeting the identified risk factors and strengthening follow up of patients.

Cardiac Versus Non-Cardiac Related Mortality Following Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Patients with Insulin-Treated Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Meta-Analysis

INTRODUCTION

Cardiovascular mortality is a major concern for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Insulin therapy significantly contributes to a high rate of death in these patients. We have performed a meta-analysis comparing cardiac and non-cardiac-related mortality following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in a sample of patients with insulin-treated type 2 diabetes mellitus (ITDM).

METHODS

Studies were included in the meta-analysis if: (1) they were trials or cohort studies involving patients with T2DM post-PCI; (2) the outcomes in ITDM were separately reported; and (3) they reported cardiac death and non-cardiac death among their clinical endpoints. ITDM patients with any degree of coronary artery disease were included. The analysis was carried out using RevMan version 5.3 software, and data were reported with odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) as the main parameters.

RESULTS

A total of 4072 participants with ITDM were included, of whom 1658 participants and 2414 participants were extracted from randomized controlled trials and observational cohorts, respectively. Analysis of all data showed that death due to cardiac causes was significantly higher in patients with ITDM (OR 2.16, 95% CI 1.79-2.59; P = 0.00001). At 1 year of follow-up, cardiac death was still significantly higher compared to non-cardiac death (OR 2.39, 95% CI 1.47-3.88; P = 0.0004), and this result did not change with a longer follow-up period (3-5 years) (OR 2.09, 95% CI 1.70-2.56; P = 0.00001). Death due to cardiac causes was still significantly higher in the subpopulations of patients with everolimus-eluting stents (OR 2.31, 95% CI 1.26-4.26; P = 0.007), paclitaxel-eluting stents (OR 2.36, 95% CI 1.63-3.39; P = 0.00001), sirolimus-eluting stents (OR 2.11, 95% CI 1.67-2.67; P = 0.00001), and zotarolimus-eluting stents (OR 2.12, 95% CI 1.11-4.05; P = 0.02), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Mortality due to cardiac causes was significantly higher than that due to non-cardiac causes in patients with ITDM who had undergone PCI. The same conclusion could be drawn from analyses focused on different follow-up periods, types of coronary stents, and type of study data used.

Predicting diabetes mellitus using SMOTE and ensemble machine learning approach: The Henry Ford ExercIse Testing (FIT) project

Machine learning is becoming a popular and important approach in the field of medical research. In this study, we investigate the relative performance of various machine learning methods such as Decision Tree, Naïve Bayes, Logistic Regression, Logistic Model Tree and Random Forests for predicting incident diabetes using medical records of cardiorespiratory fitness. In addition, we apply different techniques to uncover potential predictors of diabetes. This FIT project study used data of 32,555 patients who are free of any known coronary artery disease or heart failure who underwent clinician-referred exercise treadmill stress testing at Henry Ford Health Systems between 1991 and 2009 and had a complete 5-year follow-up. At the completion of the fifth year, 5,099 of those patients have developed diabetes. The dataset contained 62 attributes classified into four categories: demographic characteristics, disease history, medication use history, and stress test vital signs. We developed an Ensembling-based predictive model using 13 attributes that were selected based on their clinical importance, Multiple Linear Regression, and Information Gain Ranking methods. The negative effect of the imbalance class of the constructed model was handled by Synthetic Minority Oversampling Technique (SMOTE). The overall performance of the predictive model classifier was improved by the Ensemble machine learning approach using the Vote method with three Decision Trees (Naïve Bayes Tree, Random Forest, and Logistic Model Tree) and achieved high accuracy of prediction (AUC = 0.92). The study shows the potential of ensembling and SMOTE approaches for predicting incident diabetes using cardiorespiratory fitness data.

[Time-trend analysis of diabetes mellitus mortality in Argentina, 1990-2013]

OBJECTIVES

To describe the time trend of mortality attributable to diabetes mellitus (DM) in Argentina in the years 1990-2013, by age and sex.

METHODS

Crude, age-specific, and age-adjusted rates of DM mortality in Argentina were calculated for the period 1990-2013. Mortality data were obtained from the Statistical Report on Deaths issued by the Department of Statistics and Health Information. An analysis of this trend was carried out through joinpoint regression models.

RESULTS

Analysis of the trend of crude and age-adjusted DM mortality rates yielded a statistically significant model in which mortality increased between 1990 and 2001 and declined thereafter. Furthermore, for age-adjusted rates, there was a significant downward trend of mortality in women (AAPC -1.10, 95%CI -1.70 to -0.50). Age-specific mortality rates multiplied with every 10-year increment in age. All age groups older than 50 years showed a growing mortality trend between 1990 and 2001.

CONCLUSIONS

DM mortality mainly affects people over the age of 50 and men. A significant downward trend in age-adjusted DM mortality rates was observed for women. These findings highlight the importance of developing policies for prevention and early detection, as well as of proper coding of multiple causes of death.

Análisis de la tendencia temporal de la mortalidad por diabetes mellitus en Argentina, 1990-2013

Objetivos

El objetivo de este trabajo es describir la tendencia temporal de la mortalidad por Diabetes Mellitus (DM) en la Argentina en el período comprendido entre 1990 y 2013, por edad y sexo.

Métodos

Se calcularon las tasas brutas, específicas por edad y ajustadas por edad de mortalidad por DM en la Argentina para el período 1990-2013. Los datos de mortalidad se obtuvieron del Informe Estadístico de Defunción de la Dirección de Estadísticas e Información de Salud. Se realizó un análisis de la tendencia mediante modelos de regresión joinpoint.

Resultados

El análisis de la tendencia de las tasas brutas y ajustadas por edad de mortalidad por DM muestra un modelo estadísticamente significativo en el que se produce un incremento en la mortalidad entre 1990 y 2001, momento a partir del cual puede observarse un descenso. Asimismo, para las tasas ajustadas por edad se encuentra una tendencia significativa de descenso de la mortalidad para mujeres (AAPC: -1,10, IC 95%: -1,70; -0,50). Las tasas de mortalidad específicas por edad se multiplican cada 10 años de edad. Todos los grupos de edad mayores de 50 años muestran una tendencia creciente entre 1990 y 2001.

Conclusiones

La mortalidad por DM afecta principalmente a personas mayores de 50 años y a hombres. Es significativa la tendencia decreciente en las tasas ajustadas de mortalidad por DM para mujeres. Se subraya la importancia de desarrollar políticas de prevención y de detección temprana, como así también la codificación de la muerte por múltiples causas.

Association of impaired fasting glucose, diabetes and dietary patterns with mortality: a 10-year follow-up cohort in Eastern China

AIMS

To examine the association between impaired fasting glucose (IFG)/type 2 diabetes and mortality as well as to explore any interactions with dietary intake patterns in a Chinese population.

METHODS

We followed 2849 Chinese adults aged 20 years and older for 10 years. Fasting plasma glucose was measured at baseline in 2002. Dietary patterns were constructed using factor analysis. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95 % confidence interval (CI) were calculated by Cox proportional hazards analysis (all-cause mortality) and competing risks regression [cardiovascular disease (CVD)].

RESULTS

Of the 2849 participants, 102 had diabetes and 178 had impaired fasting glucose (IFG) at baseline. We documented 184 deaths (70 CVD deaths) during 27,914 person-years of follow-up. Diabetes was associated with death from all causes (HR 2.69, 95 % CI 1.62-4.49) after adjusting for sociodemographic and lifestyle factors. Diabetes had a HR of 1.97 (95 % CI 0.84-4.60) for CVD death. IFG had 83 % increased risk of all-cause mortality. Among those with low and high intake of a vegetable-rich dietary pattern, the HR of IFG/diabetes for all-cause mortality was 3.25 (95 %CI 1.95-5.44) and 1.38 (95 % CI 0.75-2.55) (p for interaction 0.019), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Diabetes and IFG are associated with a substantial increased risk of death in Chinese adults. Dietary patterns associated with a high intake of vegetable were associated with a decrease in the risk of mortality for those with IFG/diabetes.

The prognostic value of the plasma N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide level on all-cause death and major cardiovascular events in a community-based population

BACKGROUND

Despite growing evidence that N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) has an important prognostic value for patients with cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, etc, the prognostic significance of NT-proBNP levels in the general population has not been established. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical significance of NT-proBNP in a community population.

METHODS

This is a community-based prospective survey of residents from two communities in Beijing conducted for a routine health status checkup. Out of 1,860 individuals who were eligible for inclusion from 2007 to 2009, 1,499 completed a follow-up and were assessed for the prognostic value of NT-proBNP in 2013. A questionnaire was used for end point events. Anthropometry and blood pressure were measured. Plasma NT-proBNP, creatinine, lipids, and glucose were determined.

RESULTS

A total of 1,499 subjects with complete data were included in the analysis. Participants were divided into four groups according to baseline NT-proBNP levels (quartile 1, <19.8 pg/mL; quartile 2, 19.8-41.6 pg/mL; quartile 3, 41.7-81.8 pg/mL; quartile 4, ≥81.9 pg/mL). During a median 4.8-year follow-up period, the all-cause mortality rate rose from 0.8% in the lowest concentration NT-proBNP group (<19.8 pg/mL) to 7.8% in the highest NT-proBNP group (≥81.9 pg/mL; P<0.001). The incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) increased from 3.1% in the lowest NT-proBNP group to 18.9% in the highest group (P<0.001). Individuals in the highest NT-proBNP group (≥81.9 pg/mL) were associated with higher risk of all-cause death and MACEs compared with the lowest NT-proBNP group using Kaplan-Meier survival curves and the Cox proportional hazard model after adjusting for age, sex, and traditional risk factors.

CONCLUSION

The plasma NT-proBNP level is a strong and independent prognosis factor for all-cause death and MACEs in the community population. The NT-proBNP cut-point for the prognostic value remains to be further studied. NT-proBNP is a strong and independent prognostic factor for all-cause death and MACEs in individuals older than 65 years and MACEs in individuals younger than 65 years.

Gender Differences in Risks of Coronary Heart Disease and Stroke in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Their Association with Metabolic Syndrome in China

Coronary heart disease (CHD) and stroke are common complications of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). We aimed to explore the differences in the risks of CHD and stroke between Chinese women and men with T2DM and their association with metabolic syndrome (MS). This study included 1514 patients with T2DM. The Asian Guidelines of ATPIII (2005) were used for MS diagnosis, and the UKPDS risk engine was used to evaluate the 10-year CHD and stroke risks. Women had lower CHD risk (15.3% versus 26.3%), fatal CHD risk (11.8% versus 19.0%), stroke risk (8.4% versus 10.3%), and fatal stroke risk (1.4% versus 1.6%) compared with men with T2DM (p < 0.05-0.001). The CHD risk (28.4% versus 22.6%, p < 0.001) was significantly higher in men with MS than in those without MS. The CHD (16.2% versus 11.0%, p < 0.001) and stroke risks (8.9% versus 5.8%, p < 0.001) were higher in women with MS than in those without MS. In conclusion, our findings indicated that Chinese women with T2DM are less susceptible to CHD and stroke than men. Further, MS increases the risk of both these events, highlighting the need for comprehensive metabolic control in T2DM.