Use of Glycated Hemoglobin (A1c) as a Biomarker for Vascular Risk in Type 2 Diabetes: Its Relationship with Matrix Metalloproteinases-2, -9 and the Metabolism of Collagen IV and Elastin

Association of Helicobacter pylori infection with complications of diabetes: a single-center retrospective study

BACKGROUND

Previous studies examined the association of Helicobacter pylori infection (H. pylori) with complications of diabetes, but the results have been inconsistent. The aim of this study of patients with type-2 diabetes (T2D) was to determine the association of H. pylori infection with the major complications of diabetes.

METHODS

This single-center retrospective study examined patients with T2D who received H. pylori testing between January 2016 and December 2021. Logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate the association of H. pylori infection with four major complications of diabetes.

RESULTS

We examined 960 patients with T2D, and 481 of them (50.1%) were positive for H. pylori. H. pylori infection was significantly associated with diabetic nephropathy (odds ratio [OR] = 1.462; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.006,2.126; P = 0.046). In addition, the co-occurrence of H. pylori positivity with hypertension (OR = 4.451; 95% CI: 2.351,8.427; P < 0.001), with glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) of at least 8% (OR = 2.925; 95% CI: 1.544,5.541; P = 0.001), and with diabetes duration of at least 9 years (OR = 3.305; 95% CI:1.823,5.993; P < 0.001) further increased the risk of diabetic nephropathy. There was no evidence of an association of H. pylori infection with retinopathy, neuropathy, or peripheral vascular disease.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study of T2D patients indicated that those with H. pylori infections had an increased risk of nephropathy, and this risk was greater in patients who also had hypertension, an HbA1c level of 8% or more, and diabetes duration of 9 years or more.

Primordial and Primary Prevention of Ischemic Stroke in Saudi Arabia: A Combination Approach and Evolving Concepts

Ischemic stroke is a considerable public health hazard and a significant cause of disability and mortality in Saudi Arabia. Primary prevention strategies in the country are currently limited. With the health sector transformation program that depends on the principles of value-based care and applying the new model of care in disease prevention, aggressive and serious steps for primary stroke prevention are expected to be implemented. This article reviews primordial and primary prevention of ischemic stroke in Saudi Arabia and suggests a combination approach and framework for implementation. We provide a pragmatic solution to implement primordial and primary stroke prevention in Saudi Arabia and specify the roles of the government, health professionals, policymakers, and the entire population. Currently, there are several key priorities for primordial and primary stroke prevention in Saudi Arabia that should target people at different levels of risk. These include an emphasis on a comprehensive approach that includes both individual and population-based strategies and establishing partnerships across health-care providers to share responsibility for developing and implementing both strategies. This is an urgent call for action to initiate different strategies suggested by experts for primary stroke prevention in Saudi Arabia.

Effects of edaravone on oxidative protein modification and activity of gelatinases after intracerebral hemorrhage in rats with nicotinamide-streptozotocin induced diabetes

Stroke, especially hemorrhagic form, is one of the most serious comorbidity disease of diabetes mellitus, often associated with high mortality, particularly in type 2 DM (T2DM). Therefore, it is relevant the search for drugs with a metabolically justified protective effect. Edaravone (Eda) is widely used for treating ischemic stroke but its biochemical effects in intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) associated with T2DM is not still confirmed. The aim of the study was to assess the impact of Eda on the markers of oxidative modification of proteins (OMP), such as advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP), neutral and basic carbonyls (PC370 and PC430), advanced glycation end products (AGE) and ischemia modified albumin (IMA) as well as on the activity of matrix metalloproteinases MMP2/MMP9 (gelatinases) in rats with experimental T2DM after collagenase-induced ICH. Metformin was used as a comparative drug. The data obtained indicate that ICH in diabetic rats is accompanied by an increase in AOPP, PC370, AGE, and mature forms of both gelatinases. On the contrary, IMA and proMMP9 were below normal level after ICH. Both studied drugs decreased the OMP markers to the levels of intact rats or lower, and Eda show a more potent effect. Besides, Eda significantly decreased the activity of MMP9 and changed progelatinases activity. We conclude that Eda has a perspective to be useful in the treatment of comorbid brain hemorrhage in T2DM due to inhibiting of oxidative stress and modulation of gelatinases activity.

Elevated IgG and IgM Autoantibodies to Advanced Glycation End Products of Vascular Elastin in Hypertensive Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: Relevance to Disease Initiation and Progression

The increased glycation of elastin is an important factor in vascular changes in diabetes. Using the ELISA method, we determined serum levels of IgM and IgG autoantibodies to advanced glycation end products of vascular elastin (anti-AGE EL IgM and anti-AGE EL IgG) in 59 hypertensive patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and 20 healthy controls. Serum levels of matrix metalloproteinases-2 and -9 (MMP-2 and MMP-9) and the C-reactive protein (CRP) were also determined. The levels of anti-AGE EL IgM antibodies in the T2D group were similar to those in the control group, while those of anti-AGE EL IgG antibodies were significantly higher (p = 0.017). Significant positive correlations were found between the levels of anti-AGE EL IgM antibodies and MMP-2 (r = 0.322; p = 0.013) and between the levels of anti-AGE EL IgG antibodies and CRP (r = 0.265; p = 0.042). Our study showed that elevated anti-AGE EL IgG antibody levels may be an indicator of the enhanced AGE-modification and inflammatory-mediated destruction of vascular elastin in hypertensive patients with T2D. Anti-AGE EL IgM antibodies may reflect changes in vascular MMP-2 activity, and their elevated levels may be a sign of early vascular damage.

Does Aerobic plus Machine-Assisted Resistance Training Improve Vascular Function in Type 2 Diabetes? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials with Trial Sequential Analysis

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic disease characterized by hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, and pancreatic B cell dysfunction. Hyperglycemia can cause several complications, including nephrological, neurological, ophthalmological, and vascular complications. Many modalities, such as medication, physical therapies, and exercise, are developed against vascular disorders. Among all exercise forms, aerobic plus machine-assisted resistance training is widely applied. However, whether this intervention can significantly improve vascular conditions remains controversial. In this study, an electronic search was processed for the Pubmed, Embase, and Cochrane libraries for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the efficacy of aerobic plus machine-assisted resistance training with no exercise (control) on patients with T2DM. Pulse wave velocity (PWV), the index of arterial stiffness, was chosen as primary outcome. The reliability of the pooled outcome was tested by trial sequential analysis (TSA). Secondary outcomes included systolic blood pressure (SBP) and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c). Finally, five RCTs with a total of 328 patients were included. Compared with control, aerobic plus machine-assisted resistance training failed to provide significant improvement on PWV (MD −0.54 m/s, 95% CI [−1.69, 0.60], p = 0.35). On the other hand, TSA indicated that this results till needs more verifications. Additionally, this training protocol did not significantly decrease SBP (MD −1.05 mmHg, 95% CI [−3.71, 1.61], p = 0.44), but significantly reduced the level of HbA1c (MD −0.55%, 95% CI [−0.88, −0.22], p = 0.001). In conclusion, this meta-analysis failed to detect a direct benefit of aerobic plus machine-assisted resistance training on vascular condition in T2DM population. Yet the improvement in HbA1c implied a potential of this training method in mitigating vascular damage. More studies are needed to verify the benefit.

Cervical Joint Position Sense in Individuals With Type 2 Diabetes and Its Correlations With Glycated Hemoglobin Levels: A Cross-Sectional Study

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to compare cervical joint position sense (JPS) between individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and healthy individuals and to assess the correlation between glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) values and cervical JPS in individuals with T2D.

METHODS

Ninety-seven individuals with T2D (mean age: 59.0 ± 6.8 years; men = 63 [67.02%], women = 34 [32.98%], and 117 healthy individuals without T2D (mean age: 57.3 ± 6.9 years; men = 70 [79.80%], women = 44 [20.20%]) were recruited into this study. Cervical JPS was evaluated using a cervical range of motion device in cervical flexion, extension, and rotation in left and right directions. Participants were required to relocate their heads actively to a predefined target position with eyes closed, and their reposition accuracy was measured in degrees as joint reposition error (JRE). The HbA1c test was performed on all participants with T2D to determine their average blood sugar level over the previous 2 to 3 months. Cervical JREs were compared and correlated with HbA1c values.

RESULTS

The participants with T2D showed significantly larger cervical JREs in all directions compared with the healthy group (flexion: d = 1.23, P < .001; extension: d = 1.85, P < .001; left rotation: d = 1.70, P < .001; right rotation: d = 2.60, P < .001). Pearson correlation coefficient (r) showed significant moderate positive association between HbA1c and cervical JREs in flexion (r = 0.41, P = .001), extension (r = 0.48, P < .001), left rotation (r = 0.38, P < .001), and right rotation (r = 0.37, P < .001) in participants with T2D.

CONCLUSION

The magnitude of cervical JPS impairment was significant in individuals with T2D. In addition, HbA1c levels showed a significant negative correlation with cervical JPS.

Independent case-control study in KCNJ11 gene polymorphism with Type 2 diabetes Mellitus

Background

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) is the most common form of diabetes in the aging population. This chronic metabolic disorder has discovered many candidate genes, and KCNJ11 was one of the genes associated with insulin secretion pathways mediated by potassium channels. There have been limited studies on the rs5210 polymorphism in T2DM patients, and none of them have been conducted in Saudi Arabia.

Aim

The aim of this study is to investigate at genotyping levels of rs5210 polymorphism in the KCNJ11 gene in older population with T2DM in the Saudi Population.

Methods

Based on the sample size design, this case-control study included 102 T2DM cases and 102 controls. Using the PCR-RFLP assay, 204 patients extracted DNA was genotyped for the rs5210 polymorphism. SPSS software was used for statistical analysis, including t-tests, HWE, genotyping, and multiple logistic regression analysis.

Results

The t-tests performed on T2DM cases and controls revealed a significant association in age, weight, BMI, FBG, Hb1Ac, SBP, DBP, HDLC, TC, and TG parameters (p < 0.05). HWE analysis found to be in consistent with rs5210 polymorphism. Allelic association was found in the rs5210 polymorphism (OR-1.64 [95 %CI: 1.08-2.49]; p = 0.01); however, no association (p > 0.05) was observed in the multivariate logistic regression assessment performed in this study.

Conclusion

These results indicate that the rs5210 polymorphism was primarily associated with allele frequencies, which could be attributable to the small sample size. Large sample size studies will be required to determine whether KCNJ11 gene polymorphisms may be required as a risk marker for T2DM in the Saudi population.

Association of Novel Advanced Glycation End-Product (AGE10) with Complications of Diabetes as Measured by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay

Advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) contribute to vascular complications and organ damage in diabetes. The unique AGE epitope (AGE10) has recently been identified in human serum using synthetic melibiose-derived AGE (MAGE). We aimed at developing ELISA for AGE10 quantification, determining whether AGE10 is present in diabetic patients (n = 82), and evaluating its association with diabetic complications. In a competitive ELISA developed, the reaction of synthetic MAGE with anti-MAGE was inhibited by physiological AGE10 present in serum. In this assay, new murine IgE anti-MAGE monoclonal antibodies, which do not recognize conventional AGEs, a synthetic MAGE used to coat the plate, and LMW-MAGE (low molecular mass MAGE) necessary to plot a standard curve were used. AGE10 was significantly higher in patients with microangiopathy, in whom it depended on treatment, being lower in patients treated with aspirin. AGE10 levels were positively correlated with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and negatively with creatinine. As a marker of stage ≥3 chronic kidney disease or microangiopathy, AGE10 displayed moderate overall accuracy (respectively, 69% and 71%) and good sensitivity (82.6% and 83.3%) but poor specificity (58.1% and 57.8%). In conclusion, newly developed immunoassay allows for AGE10 quantification. AGE10 elevation is associated with microangiopathy while its decrease accompanies stage ≥3 chronic kidney disease.

Cellular protein markers, therapeutics, and drug delivery strategies in the treatment of diabetes-associated liver fibrosis

Liver fibrosis is the excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix due to chronic injuries, such as viral infection, alcohol abuse, high-fat diet, and toxins. Liver fibrosis is reversible before it progresses to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Type 2 diabetes significantly increases the risk of developing various complications including liver diseases. Abundant evidence suggests that type 2 diabetes and liver diseases are bidirectionally associated. Patients with type 2 diabetes experience more severe symptoms and accelerated progression of live diseases. Obesity and insulin resistance resulting from hyperlipidemia and hyperglycemia are regarded as the two major risk factors that link type 2 diabetes and liver fibrosis. This review summarizes possible mechanisms of the association between type 2 diabetes and liver fibrosis. The cellular protein markers that can be used for diagnosis and therapy of type 2 diabetes-associated liver fibrosis are discussed. We also highlight the potential therapeutic agents and their delivery systems that have been investigated for type 2 diabetes-associated liver fibrosis.

Serum Anti-Collagen IV IgM and IgG Antibodies as Indicators of Low Vascular Turnover of Collagen IV in Patients with Long-Term Complications of Type 2 Diabetes

Thickening of the vascular basement membrane (BM) is a fundamental structural change in the small blood vessels in diabetes. Collagen type IV (CIV) is a major component of the BMs, and monitoring the turnover of this protein in type 2 diabetes (T2D) can provide important information about the mechanisms of vascular damage. The aim of the study was through the use of non-invasive biomarkers of CIV (autoantibodies, derivative peptides, and immune complexes) to investigate vascular turnover of CIV in patients with long-term complications of T2D. We measured serum levels of these biomarkers in 59 T2D patients with micro- and/or macrovascular complications and 20 healthy controls using an ELISA. Matrix metalloproteinases-2 and -9 (MMP-2 and MMP-9) were also tested. In the T2D group, significantly lower levels of CIV markers and significantly higher levels of MMP-2 and MMP-9 were found compared to controls. A significant positive correlation was found between IgM antibody levels against CIV and MMP-2. These findings suggest that vascular metabolism of CIV is decreased in T2D with long-term complications and show that a positive linear relationship exists between MMP-2 levels and CIV turnover in the vascular wall.