A systematic review of trends in all-cause mortality among people with diabetes

Insights into the effect of glucose on the binding between human serum albumin and the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug nimesulide

Glucose interacts with human serum albumin (HSA, the main protein responsible for the biodistribution of drugs in the bloodstream) and consequently affects the binding capacity of exogenous compounds. Thus, in this work, the interactive profile between HSA and the anti-inflammatory drug nimesulide (NMD, used mainly by patients with diabetic neuropathy to relieve acute or chronic pains) was characterized in nonglycemic, normoglycemic (80 mg/dL), and hyperglycemic (320 mg/dL) conditions by biophysics techniques. There is a spontaneous and ground-state association HSA:NMD under physiological conditions. Therefore, the Stern-Volmer constant (Ksv) can also be used to estimate the binding affinity. The Ksv values for nonglycemic, normoglycemic, and hyperglycemic conditions are around 104 M-1, indicating a moderate affinity of NMD to albumin that was slightly improved by glucose levels. Additionally, the binding is enthalpically and entropically driven mainly into subdomains IIA or IIIA. The binding perturbs weakly the α-helix content of albumin, however, glucose potentially stabilizes the tertiary structure, decreasing the structural perturbation upon NMD binding and improves the complex HSA:NMD stability. Overall, the biophysical characterization indicated that glucose levels might slightly positively impact the pharmacokinetic profile of NMD, allowing NMD to achieve its therapeutical potential without affecting drastically its effective dosages.

Quality assessment of glucose measurement with regard to epidemiology and clinical management of diabetes mellitus in Germany

Background

During the last decade, Germany has seen an increased prevalence and a redistribution from undetected to diagnosed diabetes mellitus. Due to this substantial epidemiological development, the number of people with documented type 2 diabetes was 8.7 million in 2022. An estimated two million undiagnosed subjects are to be added. Beyond that, the life expectancy of diabetic subjects is increasing due to more responsive health systems in terms of care. Possible reasons include improved screening of at-risk individuals, the introduction of HbA1c for diagnosis in 2010, and the higher use of risk scores. Additionally, quality aspects of the laboratory methodology should be taken into consideration.

Methods

Epidemiology and clinical management of diabetes in Germany are presented in the light of publications retrieved by a selective search of the PubMed database. Additionally, the data from German external quality assessment (EQA) surveys for the measurands glucose in plasma and HbA1c in whole blood, reviewed from 2010 until 2022, were evaluated. Above this, data concerning the analytical performance of near-patient glucometer devices, according to the ISO norm 15197:2013, were analyzed.

Results

Two laboratory aspects are in good accordance with the observation of an increase in the diabetes mellitus prevalence when retrospectively reviewing the period 2010 to 2022: First, the analytical performance according to the ISO norm 15197:2013 of the glucometer devices widely used by patients with diabetes for the glucose self-testing, has improved during this period. Secondly, concerning the EQA program of INSTAND, the number of participating laboratories raised significantly in Germany. The spreads of variations of the specified results for plasma glucose remained unchanged between 2010 and 2022, whereas for HbA1c a significant decrease of the result scattering could be observed.

Conclusion

These retrospectively established findings testify to an excellent analytical quality of laboratory diagnostics for glucose and HbA1c throughout Germany which may be involved in a better diagnosis and therapy of previously undetected diabetes mellitus.

Relationship between trajectories of dietary iron intake and risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus: evidence from a prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

The association between dietary iron intake and the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) remains inconsistent. In this study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between trajectories of dietary iron intake and risk of T2DM.

METHODS

This study comprised a total of 61,115 participants without a prior T2DM from the UK Biobank database. We used the group-based trajectory model (GBTM) to identify different dietary iron intake trajectories. Cox proportional hazards models were used to evaluate the relationship between trajectories of dietary iron intake and risk of T2DM.

RESULTS

During a mean follow-up of 4.8 years, a total of 677 T2DM events were observed. Four trajectory groups of dietary iron intake were characterized by the GBTM: trajectory group 1 (with a mean dietary iron intake of 10.9 mg/day), 2 (12.3 mg/day), 3 (14.1 mg/day) and 4 (17.6 mg/day). Trajectory group 3 was significantly associated with a 38% decreased risk of T2DM when compared with trajectory group 1 (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.62, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.49-0.79), while group 4 was significantly related with a 30% risk reduction (HR = 0.70, 95% CI: 0.54-0.91). Significant effect modifications by obesity (p = 0.04) and history of cardiovascular disease (p < 0.01) were found to the relationship between trajectories of dietary iron intake and the risk of T2DM.

CONCLUSIONS

We found that trajectories of dietary iron intake were significantly associated with the risk of T2DM, where the lowest T2DM risk was observed in trajectory group 3 with a mean iron intake of 14.1 mg/day. These findings may highlight the importance of adequate dietary iron intake to the T2DM prevention from a public health perspective. Further studies to assess the relationship between dietary iron intake and risk of T2DM are needed, as well as intervention studies to mitigate the risks of T2DM associated with dietary iron changes.

Diabetes mortality: trends and multi-country analysis of the Americas from 2000 to 2019

BACKGROUND

Diabetes has been increasing worldwide and is now among the 10 leading causes of death globally. Diabetic kidney disease (DKD), a complication of poorly managed diabetes, is related to high mortality risk. To better understand the situation in the Americas region, we evaluated diabetes and DKD mortality trends over the past 20 years.

METHODS

We analysed diabetes and DKD mortality for 33 countries in the Americas from 2000 to 2019. Data were extracted from the World Health Organization (WHO) Global Health Estimates and the World Population Prospects, 2019 Revision, estimating annual age-standardized mortality rates (ASMR) and gaps in the distribution of diabetes and DKD mortality by sex and country. Trend analyses were based on the annual average percentage of change (AAPC).

RESULTS

From 2000 to 2019, the overall mortality trend from diabetes in the Americas remained stable [AAPC: -0.2% (95% CI: -0.4%-0.0%]; however, it showed important differences by sex and by country over time. By contrast, DKD mortality increased 1.5% (1.3%-1.6%) per year, rising faster in men than women, with differences between countries. Central America, Mexico and the Latin Caribbean showed significant increases in mortality for both diseases, especially DKD. In contrast in North America, diabetes mortality decreased whereas DKD mortality increased.

CONCLUSIONS

The increase in DKD mortality is evidence of poorly controlled diabetes in the region. The lack of programmes on prevention of complications, self-care management and gaps in quality health care may explain this trend and highlight the urgent need to build more robust health systems based on primary care, prioritizing diabetes prevention and control.

Global trend analysis of diabetes mellitus incidence, mortality, and mortality-to-incidence ratio from 1990 to 2019

Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a common chronic disease and a public health challenge worldwide. The present study aimed to analyze the trend in DM incidence, mortality, and mortality-to-incidence ratio (MIR) world over 30 years. The age-standardized DM incidence and mortality rates for both genders and different countries of the world from 1990 to 2019 were extracted from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study and the Human Development Index (HDI) was obtained for all countries from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) database. The mean trends for the indicators for developing countries, developed countries, and all countries were evaluated using Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) and the spline model. The estimates showed that the global mean trend of DM incidence from 1990 to 2019 followed an upward trend with an annual increase of 3.73 cases per 100,000 people. The global mean of DM mortality followed an upward trend with an annual increase of 0.43 cases until 2005 followed by a downward trend after this year with an annual decrease of 0.14 and the global mean MIR followed a downward trend during the same period with an annual decrease of 0.001 per 100,000 people. Besides, the mean incidence of DM in developing countries followed an upward trend similar to the trend in developed countries. Additionally, the mean mortality rate due to DM in developing countries increased with a slope of 0.62 until 2005 and then decreased with a slope of 0.02, and the mean MIR trend in the developed and developing countries showed a downward trend. Thus, developed countries followed a relatively faster decrease in MIR than developing countries.The data from the present study show the increased incidence of DM has made it one of the most important health concerns in the world, and if this issue is not addressed, this disease can cause more concerns for communities in the coming years. This being so, more DM prevention and control programs need to be put into practice.

Water-stable hydrophilic metal organic framework composite for the recognition of N-glycopeptides during diabetes progression by mass spectrometry

A hydrophilic Al-MOFs composite was prepared using cheap and available reagents in water via a suitable large-scale production, an economical and environment-friendly method for capturing N-glycopeptides. The prepared Al-MOFs composite with high hydrolytically stable and hydrophilic 1D channels exhibits an ultralow detection limit (0.5 fmol/μL), and excellent reusability (at least 10 cycles) in the capture of N-glycopeptides from standard bio-samples. Interestingly, the Al-MOFs composite also shows remarkable performance in practical applications, where 300 N-glycopeptides ascribed to 124 glycoproteins were identified in 1 µL human serum and were successfully applied in profiling the differences of N-glycopeptides during diabetes progression. Moreover, 12 specific glycoproteins used as biomarkers to accurately distinguish the progression of diabetes are identified. The present work provides a potential commercial method for large-scale glycoproteomics research in complex clinical samples while offering new guidance for the precise diagnosis of diabetes progression.

Trends in the Incidence of End-Stage Kidney Disease in Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes in Australia, 2010-2019

RATIONALE & OBJECTIVE

Trends in end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) among people with diabetes may inform clinical management and public health strategies. We estimated trends in the incidence of ESKD among people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes in Australia from 2010-2019 and evaluated their associated factors.

STUDY DESIGN

Cohort study.

SETTING & PARTICIPANTS

71,700 people with type 1 and 1,112,690 people with type 2 diabetes registered on the Australian National Diabetes Services Scheme (NDSS). We estimated the incidence of kidney replacement therapy (KRT) via linkage to the Australia and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant Registry (ANZDATA) and the incidence of KRT or death from ESKD by linking the NDSS to the ANZDATA and the National Death Index for Australia.

PREDICTORS

Calendar time, sex, age, and duration of diabetes.

OUTCOME

Incidence of KRT and KRT or death from ESKD.

ANALYTICAL APPROACH

Incidence of ESKD, trends over time, and associations with factors related to these trends were modeled using Poisson regression stratified by diabetes type and sex.

RESULTS

The median duration of diabetes increased from 15.3 to 16.8 years in type 1 diabetes, and from 7.6 to 10.2 years in type 2 diabetes between 2010 and 2019. The incidence of KRT and KRT or death from ESKD did not significantly change over this time interval among people with type 1 diabetes. Conversely, the age-adjusted incidence of KRT and KRT or death from ESKD increased among males with type 2 diabetes (annual percent changes [APCs]: 2.52% [95% CI, 1.54 to -3.52] and 1.27% [95% CI, 0.53 2.03], respectively), with no significant change among females (0.67% [95% CI, -0.68 to 2.04] and 0.07% [95% CI, -0.81 to 0.96], respectively). After further adjustment for duration of diabetes, the incidence of ESKD fell between 2010 and 2019, with APCs of-0.09% (95% CI, -1.06 to 0.89) and-2.63% (95% CI, -3.96 to-1.27) for KRT and-0.97% (95% CI, -1.71 to-0.23) and-2.75% (95% CI, -3.62 to-1.87) for KRT or death from ESKD among males and females, respectively.

LIMITATIONS

NDSS only captures 80%-90% of people with diabetes; lack of clinical covariates limits understanding of trends.

CONCLUSIONS

While the age-adjusted incidence of ESKD increased for males and was stable for females over the last decade, after adjusting for increases in duration of diabetes the risk of developing ESKD has decreased for both males and females.

PLAIN-LANGUAGE SUMMARY

Previous studies showed an increase in new cases of kidney failure among people with type 2 diabetes, but more recent data have not been available. Here, we report trends in the rate of kidney failure for people with type 2 diabetes from 2010 to 2019 and showed that while more people with type 2 diabetes are developing kidney failure, accounting for the fact that they are also surviving longer (and therefore have a higher chance of kidney failure) the growth in this population is not caused by a higher risk of kidney failure. Nevertheless, more people are getting kidney failure than before, which will impact health care systems for years to come.

Trends in all-cause mortality among adults with diagnosed type 2 diabetes in West Malaysia: 2010 - 2019

AIMS

We determined 10-year all-cause mortality trends in diagnosed type 2 diabetes (T2D) population in West Malaysia, a middle-income country in the Western-Pacific region.

METHODS

One million T2D people aged 40-79 registered in the National Diabetes Registry (2009-2018) were linked to death records (censored on 31 December 2019). Standardized absolute mortality rates and standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) were estimated relative to the Malaysian general population, and standardized to the 2019 registry population with respect to sex, age group, and disease duration.

RESULTS

Overall all-cause standardized mortality rates were unchanged in both sexes. Rates increased in males aged 40-49 (annual average percent change [AAPC]: 2.46 % [95 % CI 0.42 %, 4.55 %]) and 50-59 (AAPC: 1.91 % [95 % CI 0.73 %, 3.10 %]), and females aged 40-49 (AAPC: 3.39 % [95 % CI 1.32 %, 5.50 %]). In both sexes, rates increased among those with 1) > 15 years disease duration, 2) prior cardiovascular disease, and 3) Bumiputera (Malay/native) ethnicity. The overall SMR was 1.83 (95 % CI 1.80, 1.86) for males and 1.85 (95 % CI 1.82, 1.89) for females, being higher in younger age groups and showed an increasing trend in those with either > 15 years disease duration or prior cardiovascular disease.

CONCLUSIONS

Mortality trends worsened in certain T2D population in Malaysia.

Diabetes-Related Mortality in a Developing Country: An Exploration of Tertiary Hospital Data

(1) Background: Given the growing global diabetes crisis, this study examined the causes of mortality in diabetic patients at a Mongolian tertiary care hospital. (2) Between 2017 and 2021, data from 100 individuals with diabetes (53% male, mean age 58.5 years, duration of diabetes, 9.6 years, HbA1c level, 9.7%, 11.1% type 1 diabetes) were reviewed. (3) Results: The predominant cause of mortality was sepsis, accounting for 65.0% of cases and emerging as a contributing factor in 75.0% of instances. Renal failure constituted the second leading cause of death, accounting for 19.0% of mortalities. Other contributing factors included chronic liver disease (6.0%) and ARDS (3.0%). Regarding sepsis, the individuals affected were relatively younger (57.5 ± 11.2 vs. 61.7 ± 11.2, p = 0.988), with a slightly higher prevalence among female patients (77.4%) and those with T1DM (81.8%), though these differences were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Patients with sepsis exhibited lower BMI values (26.7 ± 4.1 vs. 28.5 ± 6.2, p = 0.014) and poorer glycemic control (9.8 ± 3.1 vs. 9.6 ± 5.1, p = 0.008); (4) Conclusions: This hospital-based data analysis in Mongolia highlights sepsis as the primary cause of mortality among diabetes patients in tertiary hospitals regardless of age, gender, or diabetes type while also indicating a potential association between a lower BMI, poor glycemic control, smoking, and the risk of sepsis.

Temporal trends in chronic complications of diabetes by sex in community-based people with type 2 diabetes: the Fremantle Diabetes Study

BACKGROUND

Whether recent reductions in cardiovascular disease (CVD) events and mortality in type 2 diabetes apply equally to both sexes is largely unknown. The aim of this study was to characterize temporal changes in CVD events and related outcomes in community-based male and female Australian adults with type 2 diabetes or without known diabetes.

METHODS

Participants from the longitudinal observational Fremantle Diabetes Study Phases I (FDS1; n = 1291 recruited 1993-1996) and II (FDS2; n = 1509 recruited 2008-2011) and four age-, sex- and postcode-matched individuals without diabetes (FDS1 n = 5159; FDS2 n = 6036) were followed for first myocardial infarction, stroke, heart failure hospitalization, lower extremity amputation, CVD death and all-cause mortality. Five-year incidence rates (IRs) for males versus females in FDS1 and FDS2 were calculated, and IR ratios (IRRs) derived.

RESULTS

The FD1 and FDS2 participants were of mean age 64.0 and 65.4 years, respectively, and 48.7% and 51.8% were males. For type 2 diabetes, IRRs for all endpoints were 11-62% lower in FDS2 than FDS1 for both sexes. For participants without diabetes, IRRs were 8-56% lower in FDS2 versus FDS1 apart from stroke in females (non-significantly 41% higher). IRRs for males versus females across FDS phases were not significantly different for participants with type 2 diabetes or those without diabetes (P-values for male * FDS2 interaction ≥ 0.0.083 adjusted for age). For risk factors in participants with type 2 diabetes, greater improvements between FDS1 and FDS2 in smoking rates in males were offset by a greater reduction in systolic blood pressure in females.

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence of chronic complications in Australians with type 2 diabetes and without diabetes has fallen similarly in both sexes over recent decades, consistent with comparably improved overall CVD risk factor management.

Rates and Correlates of Uptake of Continuous Glucose Monitors Among Adults with Type 2 Diabetes in Primary Care and Endocrinology Settings

BACKGROUND

Clinical trials indicate continuous glucose monitor (CGM) use may benefit adults with type 2 diabetes, but CGM rates and correlates in real-world care settings are unknown.

OBJECTIVE

We sought to ascertain prevalence and correlates of CGM use and to examine rates of new CGM prescriptions across clinic types and medication regimens.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort using electronic health records in a large academic medical center in the Southeastern US.

PARTICIPANTS

Adults with type 2 diabetes and a primary care or endocrinology visit during 2021.

MAIN MEASURES

Age, gender, race, ethnicity, insurance, clinic type, insulin regimen, hemoglobin A1c values, CGM prescriptions, and prescribing clinic type.

KEY RESULTS

Among 30,585 adults with type 2 diabetes, 13% had used a CGM. CGM users were younger and more had private health insurance (p < .05) as compared to non-users; 72% of CGM users had an intensive insulin regimen, but 12% were not taking insulin. CGM users had higher hemoglobin A1c values (both most recent and most proximal to the first CGM prescription) than non-users. CGM users were more likely to receive endocrinology care than non-users, but 23% had only primary care visits in 2021. For each month in 2021, a mean of 90.5 (SD 12.5) people started using CGM. From 2020 to 2021, monthly rates of CGM prescriptions to new users grew 36% overall, but 125% in primary care. Most starting CGM in endocrinology had an intensive insulin regimen (82% vs. 49% starting in primary care), whereas 28% starting CGM in primary care were not using insulin (vs. 5% in endocrinology).

CONCLUSION

CGM uptake for type 2 diabetes is increasing rapidly, with most growth in primary care. These trends present opportunities for healthcare system adaptations to support CGM use and related workflows in primary care to support growth in uptake.

Use of Real-World Data in Population Science to Improve the Prevention and Care of Diabetes-Related Outcomes

The past decade of population research for diabetes has seen a dramatic proliferation of the use of real-world data (RWD) and real-world evidence (RWE) generation from non-research settings, including both health and non-health sources, to influence decisions related to optimal diabetes care. A common attribute of these new data is that they were not collected for research purposes yet have the potential to enrich the information around the characteristics of individuals, risk factors, interventions, and health effects. This has expanded the role of subdisciplines like comparative effectiveness research and precision medicine, new quasi-experimental study designs, new research platforms like distributed data networks, and new analytic approaches for clinical prediction of prognosis or treatment response. The result of these developments is a greater potential to progress diabetes treatment and prevention through the increasing range of populations, interventions, outcomes, and settings that can be efficiently examined. However, this proliferation also carries an increased threat of bias and misleading findings. The level of evidence that may be derived from RWD is ultimately a function of the data quality and the rigorous application of study design and analysis. This report reviews the current landscape and applications of RWD in clinical effectiveness and population health research for diabetes and summarizes opportunities and best practices in the conduct, reporting, and dissemination of RWD to optimize its value and limit its drawbacks.

Improving health outcomes of people with diabetes: target setting for the WHO Global Diabetes Compact

The Global Diabetes Compact is a WHO-driven initiative uniting stakeholders around goals of reducing diabetes risk and ensuring that people with diabetes have equitable access to comprehensive, affordable care and prevention. In this report we describe the development and scientific basis for key health metrics, coverage, and treatment targets accompanying the Compact. We considered metrics across four domains: factors at a structural, system, or policy level; processes of care; behaviours and biomarkers such as glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c); and health events and outcomes; and three risk tiers (diagnosed diabetes, high risk, or whole population), and reviewed and prioritised them according to their health importance, modifiability, data availability, and global inequality. We reviewed the global distribution of each metric to set targets for future attainment. This process led to five core national metrics and target levels for UN member states: (1) of all people with diabetes, at least 80% have been clinically diagnosed; and, for people with diagnosed diabetes, (2) 80% have HbA1c concentrations below 8·0% (63·9 mmol/mol); (3) 80% have blood pressure lower than 140/90 mm Hg; (4) at least 60% of people 40 years or older are receiving therapy with statins; and (5) each person with type 1 diabetes has continuous access to insulin, blood glucose meters, and test strips. We also propose several complementary metrics that currently have limited global coverage, but warrant scale-up in population-based surveillance systems. These include estimation of cause-specific mortality, and incidence of end-stage kidney disease, lower-extremity amputations, and incidence of diabetes. Primary prevention of diabetes and integrated care to prevent long-term complications remain important areas for the development of new metrics and targets. These metrics and targets are intended to drive multisectoral action applied to individuals, health systems, policies, and national health-care access to achieve the goals of the Global Diabetes Compact. Although ambitious, their achievement can result in broad health benefits for people with diabetes.

Improvement of Left Ventricular Global Longitudinal Strain after 6-Month Therapy with GLP-1RAs Semaglutide and Dulaglutide in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Pilot Study

(1) Background: Glucagone-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists (GLP-1 RAs) (GLP-1 RAs) are incretine-based medications recommended in the treatment of type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (DM2) with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) or high or very high cardiovascular (CV) risk. However, knowledge of the direct mechanism of GLP-1 RAs on cardiac function is modest and not yet fully elucidated. Left ventricular (LV) Global Longitudinal Strain (GLS) with Speckle Tracking Echocardiography (STE) represents an innovative technique for the evaluation of myocardial contractility. (2) Methods: an observational, perspective, monocentric study was conducted in a cohort of 22 consecutive patients with DM2 and ASCVD or high/very high CV risk, enrolled between December 2019 and March 2020 and treated with GLP-1 RAs dulaglutide or semaglutide. The echocardiographic parameters of diastolic and systolic function were recorded at baseline and after six months of treatment. (3) Results: the mean age of the sample was 65 ± 10 years with a prevalence of the male sex (64%). A significant improvement in the LV GLS (mean difference: -1.4 ± 1.1%; p value < 0.001) was observed after six months of treatment with GLP-1 RAs dulaglutide or semaglutide. No relevant changes were seen in the other echocardiographic parameters. (4) Conclusions: six months of treatment with GLP-1 RAs dulaglutide or semaglutide leads to an improvement in the LV GLS in subjects with DM2 with and high/very high risk for ASCVD or with ASCVD. Further studies on larger populations and with a longer follow-up are warranted to confirm these preliminary results.

Age-specific population attributable risk factors for all-cause and cause-specific mortality in type 2 diabetes: An analysis of a 6-year prospective cohort study of over 360,000 people in Hong Kong

BACKGROUND

The prevalence of type 2 diabetes has increased in both young and old people. We examined age-specific associations and population attributable fractions (PAFs) of risk factors for all-cause and cause-specific mortality in people with type 2 diabetes.

METHODS AND FINDINGS

We analysed data from 360,202 Chinese with type 2 diabetes who participated in a territory-wide diabetes complication screening programme in Hong Kong between January 2000 and December 2019. We compared the hazard ratios and PAFs of eight risk factors, including three major comorbidities (cardiovascular disease [CVD], chronic kidney disease [CKD], all-site cancer) and five modifiable risk factors (suboptimal HbA1c, suboptimal blood pressure, suboptimal low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, smoking, and suboptimal weight), for mortality across four age groups (18 to 54, 55 to 64, 65 to 74, and ≥75 years). During a median 6.0 years of follow-up, 44,396 people died, with cancer, CVD, and pneumonia being the leading causes of death. Despite a higher absolute mortality risk in older people (crude all-cause mortality rate: 59.7 versus 596.2 per 10,000 person-years in people aged 18 to 54 years versus those aged ≥75 years), the relative risk of all-cause and cause-specific mortality associated with most risk factors was higher in younger than older people, after mutually adjusting for the eight risk factors and other potential confounders including sex, diabetes duration, lipid profile, and medication use. The eight risk factors explained a larger proportion of mortality events in the youngest (PAF: 51.6%, 95% confidence interval [CI] [39.1%, 64.0%], p < 0.001) than the oldest (PAF: 35.3%, 95% CI [27.2%, 43.4%], p < 0.001) age group. Suboptimal blood pressure (PAF: 16.9%, 95% CI [14.7%, 19.1%], p < 0.001) was the leading attributable risk factor for all-cause mortality in the youngest age group, while CKD (PAF: 15.2%, 95% CI [14.0%, 16.4%], p < 0.001) and CVD (PAF: 9.2%, 95% CI [8.3%, 10.1%], p < 0.001) were the leading attributable risk factors in the oldest age group. The analysis was restricted to Chinese, which might affect the generalisability to the global population with differences in risk profiles. Furthermore, PAFs were estimated under the assumption of a causal relationship between risk factors and mortality. However, reliable causality was difficult to establish in the observational study.

CONCLUSIONS

Major comorbidities and modifiable risk factors were associated with a greater relative risk for mortality in younger than older people with type 2 diabetes and their associations with population mortality burden varied substantially by age. These findings highlight the importance of early control of blood pressure, which could reduce premature mortality in young people with type 2 diabetes and prevent the onset of later CKD and related mortality at older ages.

The association of attained age, age at diagnosis, and duration of type 2 diabetes with the long-term risk for major diabetes-related complications

AIM

We evaluated the associations of age and duration of type 2 diabetes with major diabetes-related complications.

METHODS

We included 1.1 million people with type 2 diabetes from the Australian diabetes registry, followed from 2010 to 2019. We estimated the incidence of hospitalization or death from myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, and heart failure (HF), and hospitalisation for lower extremity amputation (LEA); end-stage kidney disease (ESKD; kidney replacement therapy or death from ESKD); and all-cause mortality. Poisson regression was used to model incidence by attained age, age at diabetes diagnosis, and duration of diabetes.

RESULTS

Risk for complications increased exponentially with diabetes duration. Effects of attained age differed for each complication: age was a strong risk factor for MI, stroke, HF, and mortality, while diabetes duration, not age, was the predominant determinant of LEA and ESKD. At a given age, a 10-year longer diabetes duration was associated with a 1.1-1.5-fold increased risk of stroke and mortality, a 1.5-2.0-fold increased risk of MI and HF, and a 2-4-fold increased risk of LEA and ESKD.

CONCLUSIONS

Duration of diabetes is a stronger risk factor for ESKD and LEA than it is for cardiovascular disease or mortality.

Treatment of diabetes mellitus has borne much fruit in the prevention of cardiovascular disease

Cardiovascular (CV) disease is the most alarming complication of diabetes mellitus (DM), and a strategy aiming at cardiovascular event prevention in diabetes mellitus has long been debated. Large landmark clinical trials have shown cardiovascular benefits of intensive glycemic control as a ‘legacy effect’ in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus. In contrast, we have learned that excessive intervention aimed at strong glycemic control could cause unexpected cardiovascular death in patients who are resistant to treatments against hyperglycemia. It has also been shown that the comprehensive multifactorial intervention for cardiovascular risk factors that was advocated in the current guideline provided substantial cardiovascular event reduction. The impact of classical antidiabetic agents launched before 1990s on cardiovascular events is controversial. Although there are many clinical or observational studies assessing the impact of those agents on cardiovascular events, the conclusions are inconsistent owing to variable patient backgrounds and concomitant antidiabetic agents among the studies. Moreover, most of them were not large‐scale, randomized, cardiovascular outcome trials. In contrast, GLP‐1RA (glucagon‐like peptide‐1 receptor agonist) and SGLT2 (sodium‐glucose cotransporter 2) inhibitors have demonstrated undeniable cardiovascular benefits in large‐scale, randomized, controlled trials. Whereas GLP‐1RAs decrease atherosclerotic disease, especially stroke, SGLT2 inhibitors mainly prevent heart failure. SGLT2 inhibitors are superior to GLP‐1RAs with respect to hard renal outcomes. Therefore, it can be said that drugs such as GLP‐1RAs and SGLT2 inhibitors that prevent cardiovascular events, in addition to their glucose‐lowering effect, are incredible novel tools that we have gained for use in diabetic treatment.

Acute Coronary Syndrome in Patients with Diabetes mellitus: Features of the Course and Manifestations of Pain Syndrome

Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) remains a common cause of hospitalization for patients with diabetes mellitus (DM). Due to development of diabetic neuropathy, it is believed that this category of patients is characterized by a high frequency of atypical acute coronary syndrome, but data on this are quite contradictory. The objective: to determine the features of the pain syndrome and its severity in patients with acute coronary syndrome and concomitant diabetes. Materials and methods. The study involved 36 patients with diabetes (22 men and 14 women) aged 44–86 years, hospitalized urgently for ACS. Pain syndrome was assessed at the time of hospitalization and immediately after coronary artery revascularization according to the following criteria: visual analog scale (VAS), Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), clinical data, and biochemical markers. Results. The majority of patients (91.67%) at the time of hospitalization complained of chest pain, the rest were not bothered by any pain. During the survey, patients described pain as «burning» (30.56%), «squeezing» (30.56%), «squeezing» (25.0%), «tingling» (5.56%). There were also complaints of difficulty breathing (13.89%), shortness of breath (11.1%), palpitations (41.67%). The appearance of excessive sweating was noticed by 16.67% of patients. There was no statistically significant difference between the results of pain assessment by VAS and NRS (p>0.1). The average value of glycemia at the time of hospitalization was 8.19±3.45 mmol/l (men – 8.17±3.61 mmol/l, women – 8.28±3.13 mmol/l). Glycemia greater than 10.0 mmol/l was detected in 8 patients, which was 22.22% of all patients. This category of patients was dominated by patients with severe pain (62.5%). Conclusions. In patients with ACS and diabetes, the typical clinical picture of ACS prevailed (91.67% of patients) over the painless form. Prior to revascularization, moderate and severe pain occurred with equal frequency; there is no statistical difference between blood pressure, heart rate and glycemia (p>0.1) in patients with severe and moderate pain. Hyperglycemia (≥10.0 mmol/l) was found in 22.22%, among this category of patients was dominated by patients with severe pain.

[Physical and psychological long-term consequences of diabetes mellitus]

Trotz Verbesserungen in der Therapie des Diabetes und besseren Versorgungbedingungen weisen die Betroffenen aktuell im Vergleich zur Allgemeinbevölkerung noch immer ein deutlich erhöhtes Risiko für physische wie psychische Folgeerkrankungen sowie eine reduzierte Lebensqualität auf. Etwa 21 % aller Todesfälle sind in Deutschland auf Diabetes und seine Folgeerkrankungen zurückzuführen, das Mortalitätsrisiko ist für Menschen mit Diabetes um mehr als das 1,5-Fache gegenüber Menschen ohne Diabetes erhöht. In dieser Übersicht werden die Verbreitung und die Risikofaktoren für die häufigsten körperlichen und psychischen Folgen des Diabetes beschrieben sowie deren Einflüsse auf die Lebensqualität der Patienten. Zusammenhänge zwischen den Folgeerkrankungen und einer erhöhten Mortalität werden aufgezeigt.

In großen Interventionsstudien konnte die Bedeutung einer guten Glukoseeinstellung – vor allem zu Beginn der Erkrankung – in Hinblick auf eine Senkung der Mortalitätsrate gezeigt werden, weitere wichtige Einflussfaktoren sind z. B. Blutdruck, Blutfette und Rauchen. Weltweite Studienergebnisse deuten auf einen stabilen Trend hinsichtlich einer verbesserten Lebenserwartung von Menschen mit Diabetes in den letzten Jahren hin. Zukünftig könnte der positive Trend durch bessere Versorgungsstrukturen und neue Technologien sowie digitale Anwendungen in der Forschung und Therapie fortgesetzt werden. Mithilfe der Präzisionsmedizin könnten individuelle Risikofaktoren und protektive Faktoren erkannt werden, um der Entstehung von Folgekomplikationen noch besser vorzubeugen.

Trends in all-cause mortality among people with diagnosed diabetes in high-income settings: a multicountry analysis of aggregate data

BACKGROUND

Population-level trends in mortality among people with diabetes are inadequately described. We aimed to examine the magnitude and trends in excess all-cause mortality in people with diabetes.

METHODS

In this retrospective, multicountry analysis, we collected aggregate data from 19 data sources in 16 high-income countries or jurisdictions (in six data sources in Asia, eight in Europe, one from Australia, and four from North America) for the period from Jan 1, 1995, to Dec 31, 2016, (or a subset of this period) on all-cause mortality in people with diagnosed total or type 2 diabetes. We collected data from administrative sources, health insurance records, registries, and a health survey. We estimated excess mortality using the standardised mortality ratio (SMR).

FINDINGS

In our dataset, there were approximately 21 million deaths during 0·5 billion person-years of follow-up among people with diagnosed diabetes. 17 of 19 data sources showed decreases in the age-standardised and sex-standardised mortality in people with diabetes, among which the annual percentage change in mortality ranged from -0·5% (95% CI -0·7 to -0·3) in Hungary to -4·2% (-4·3 to -4·1) in Hong Kong. The largest decreases in mortality were observed in east and southeast Asia, with a change of -4·2% (95% CI -4·3 to -4·1) in Hong Kong, -4·0% (-4·8 to -3·2) in South Korea, -3·5% (-4·0 to -3·0) in Taiwan, and -3·6% (-4·2 to -2·9) in Singapore. The annual estimated change in SMR between people with and without diabetes ranged from -3·0% (95% CI -3·0 to -2·9; US Medicare) to 1·6% (1·4 to 1·7; Lombardy, Italy). Among the 17 data sources with decreasing mortality among people with diabetes, we found a significant SMR increase in five data sources, no significant SMR change in four data sources, and a significant SMR decrease in eight data sources.

INTERPRETATION

All-cause mortality in diabetes has decreased in most of the high-income countries we assessed. In eight of 19 data sources analysed, mortality decreased more rapidly in people with diabetes than in those without diabetes. Further longevity gains will require continued improvement in prevention and management of diabetes.

FUNDING

US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Diabetes Australia Research Program, and Victoria State Government Operational Infrastructure Support Program.

Type 2 Diabetes Increases Risk of Unfavorable Survival Outcome for Postoperative Ischemic Stroke in Patients Who Underwent Non-cardiac Surgery: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Objective: Diabetes mellitus (DM) has been critically associated with unfavorable outcomes in the general population. We aimed to investigate the association between type 2 DM and long-term survival outcomes for postoperative ischemic stroke in patients who underwent non-cardiac surgery. Research Design and Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of patients with non-cardiac surgery who had suffered from postoperative ischemic stroke between January 2008 and August 2019. Diabetic individuals were included in postoperative ischemic stroke patients with the DM group. The outcome of interest was long-term overall survival (OS). We conducted propensity score matching (PSM) and inverse probability treatment weighting (IPTW) to adjust for baseline characteristic differences between groups. Multivariate Cox regression analysis with stepwise selection was used to calculate the adjusted hazard ratio (HR) of OS and type 2 DM. Results: During a median follow-up of 46.2 month [interquartile range (IQR), 21.1, 84.2], 200 of 408 patients (49.0%) died. The OS rates at 3, 5, and 10 years were significantly lower for postoperative ischemic stroke patients with DM than those without DM (3 years OS: 52.2 vs. 69.5%, p < 0.001; 5 years OS: 41.6 vs. 62.4%, p < 0.001; 10 years OS: 37.2 vs. 56.6%, p < 0.001). All covariates were between-group balanced after using PSM or IPTW. The postoperative ischemic stroke patients with type 2 DM had a shortened OS in primary analysis (HR: 1.947; 95% CI: 1.397-2.713; p < 0.001), PSM analysis (HR: 2.190; 95% CI: 1.354-3.540; p = 0.001), and IPTW analysis (HR: 2.551; 95% CI: 1.769-3.679; p < 0.001). Conclusion: Type 2 DM was associated with an unfavorable survival outcome for postoperative ischemic stroke in patients who underwent non-cardiac surgery. When postoperative ischemic stroke co-occurred with type 2 DM, the potential synergies would have multiplicative mortality risk. Further research to assess the adverse effects of type 2 DM on long-term survival may be warranted.

Trends in all-cause mortality and major causes of death between 2007 and 2018 among patients with diabetes in Taiwan

Optimal control of diabetes and relevant risk factors substantially reduce the risks of chronic complications and mortality. We investigated all-cause mortality rate and major causes of death between 2007 and 2018 in patients with diabetes in Taiwan. This study was conducted using data from Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. We selected patients with diabetes diagnosed between 2007 and 2017 (grouped according to the year of diabetes diagnosis 2007-2010 vs. 2011-2017). Information on mortality and causes of death by the end of 2018 was confirmed through linking to the National Death Registry. Standardized mortality rate (SMR) were calculated by weighting the World Health Organization (WHO) standard population (WHO 2000-2025). More than 2.7 million of patients with diabetes were analyzed and a total of 566121 deaths were identified. Overall, the SMR was 11.72 per 1000 person-years. Patients with diabetes diagnosed in 2011-2017 had a lower SMR (8.42 vs. 12.92 per 1000 person-years) than those diagnosed in 2007-2010. Similar finding were noted regarding the major causes of death (cancer, diabetes, heart disease, hypertensive disease, and cerebrovascular disease). Compared with patients who were diagnosed in 2008-2010, those who were diagnosed in 2011-2014 and 2015-2018 had a higher 3-year survival rate (0.9356 vs. 0.9438 vs. 0.946, log-rank test p<0.001) after the diagnosis of diabetes. Patients who were diagnosed with diabetes after 2011 had a lower rate of all-cause mortality and major causes of death, compared with those who were diagnosed before 2010 in Taiwan.

Efficacy and Safety of the Chinese Patent Medicine Yuquan Pill on Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background

Yuquan Pill (YQP), a Chinese patent medicine for the treatment of diabetes, is widely used in the treatment of diabetes and its complications in China. However, the efficacy of YQP on type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has not been completely assessed. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of YQP in the treatment of T2DM.

Materials and Methods

We systematically searched 9 databases for specific keywords from inception to Oct 2021. We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving YQP in the treatment of T2DM without language limitation. The study conformed to the Cochrane Handbook and Review Manager software was used for data analysis. The weighted mean differences (WMDs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to measure treatment effects.

Results

The final analysis included 10 publications. Analysis showed that the combination of YQP and conventional treatment was more effective than conventional treatment alone with regard to the levels of fasting blood glucose (WMD = −0.83; 95% CI [−1.01,−0.66]; p < 0.00001), two-hour postprandial glucose (WMD = −1.40; 95% CI [−1.49,−1.31]; p < 0.00001), glycosylated hemoglobin (WMD = −0.87; 95% CI [−1.26, −0.49]; p < 0.00001), total cholesterol (WMD = −0.50; 95% CI [−0.61, −0.39]; p < 0.00001), c-reactive protein (WMD = −0.58; 95%CI [−0.88, −0.28]; p=0.0002), and overall effective rate (RR = 1.21; 95% CI [1.12, 1.31]; p < 0.00001).

Conclusion

Evidence suggested that YQP might improve glucose and lipid metabolism and inflammation in patients with T2DM. Serious adverse events were not reported. The quality of the evidence analyzed was low and therefore our results should be interpreted with caution. More high-quality RCTs are now needed to verify these findings.

Diabetes free life expectancy and years of life lost associated with type 2 diabetes: projected trends in Germany between 2015 and 2040

BACKGROUND

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) causes substantial disease burden and is projected to affect an increasing number of people in coming decades. This study provides projected estimates of life years free of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and years of life lost ([Formula: see text]) associated with T2D for Germany in the years 2015 and 2040.

METHODS

Based on an illness-death model and the associated mathematical relation between prevalence, incidence and mortality, we projected the prevalence of diagnosed T2D using currently available data on the incidence rate of diagnosed T2D and mortality rates of people with and without diagnosed T2D. Projection of prevalence was achieved by integration of a partial differential equation, which governs the illness-death model. These projected parameters were used as input values to calculate life years free of T2D and [Formula: see text] associated with T2D for the German population aged 40 to 100 years in the years 2015 and 2040, while accounting for different assumptions on future trends in T2D incidence and mortality.

RESULTS

Assuming a constant incidence rate, women and men at age 40 years in 2015 will live approximately 38 years and 33 years free of T2D, respectively. Up to the year 2040, these numbers are projected to increase by 1.0 years and 1.3 years. Assuming a decrease in T2D-associated excess mortality of 2% per year, women and men aged 40 years with T2D in 2015 will be expected to lose 1.6 and 2.7 years of life, respectively, compared to a same aged person without T2D. In 2040, these numbers would reduce by approximately 0.9 years and 1.6 years. This translates to 10.8 million and 6.4 million [Formula: see text] in the German population aged 40-100 years with prevalent T2D in 2015 and 2040, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Given expected trends in mortality and no increase in T2D incidence, the burden due to premature mortality associated with T2D will decrease on the individual as well as on the population level. In addition, the expected lifetime without T2D is likely to increase. However, these trends strongly depend on future improvements of excess mortality associated with T2D and future incidence of T2D, which should motivate increased efforts of primary and tertiary prevention.

Eye disorders other than diabetic retinopathy in patients with diabetes

AIM

While diabetic retinopathy is the most specific complication of chronic hyperglycaemia, numerous other ocular conditions also can involve the eyes of people with diabetes. Cataract, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, retinal vascular occlusion, and acute ischaemic optic neuropathy combine to impair vision in people with diabetes, especially when they are old. This report provides a critical analysis and an overview of the current knowledge of the main ocular disorders (excluding diabetic retinopathy) and their association in patients with diabetes.

METHODS

A literature search strategy was conducted for all English-language literature with a systematic review of key references until 2021.

RESULTS

Patients with diabetes have a high-to-moderate increased risk for most of the usual ocular disorders we reviewed with the exception of age-related macular degeneration. Exposure to chronic hyperglycaemia promotes the development of many eye disorders while acute glucose changes are involved in refractive disorders, diabetic papillopathy and acute cataract.

CONCLUSION

Diabetes, beyond diabetic retinopathy, increases the risk of numerous eye disorders leading to low vision with implications for daily diabetes management. Even in the absence of clearly demonstrated benefit from glucose control in all eye conditions, achieving good glycaemic control and adherence to diabetes treatment will likely help avoid an additional risk of visual impairment in people with diabetes. In perspective, interesting findings suggesting a preventive effect of metformin use on age-related macular degeneration occurrence justify further studies.

High glucose represses the proliferation of tendon fibroblasts by inhibiting autophagy activation in tendon injury

Diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) is a kind of common and disabling complication of Diabetes Mellitus (DM). Emerging studies have demonstrated that tendon fibroblasts play a crucial role in remodeling phase of wound healing. However, little is known about the mechanism underlying high glucose (HG)-induced decrease in tendon fibroblasts viability. In the present study, the rat models of DFU were established, and collagen deposition, autophagy activation and cell apoptosis in tendon tissues were assessed using Hematoxylin–Eosin (HE) staining, immunohistochemistry (IHC), and TdT-mediated dUTP Nick-End Labeling (TUNEL) assay, respectively. Tendon fibroblasts were isolated from Achilles tendon of the both limbs, and the effect of HG on autophagy activation in tendon fibroblasts was assessed using Western blot analysis, Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, and flow cytometry. We found that cell apoptosis was increased significantly and autophagy activation was decreased in foot tendon tissues of DFU rats compared with normal tissues. The role of HG in regulating tendon fibroblasts viability was then investigated in vitro, and data showed that HG repressed cell viability and increased cell apoptosis. Furthermore, HG treatment reduced LC3-II expression and increased p62 expression, indicating that HG repressed autophagy activation of tendon fibroblasts. The autophagy activator rapamycin reversed the effect. More importantly, rapamycin alleviated the suppressive role of HG in tendon fibroblasts viability. Taken together, our data demonstrate that HG represses tendon fibroblasts proliferation by inhibiting autophagy activation in tendon injury.

Trends in type 2 diabetes mellitus disease burden in European Union countries between 1990 and 2019

This observational study aimed to assess trends in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) disease burden in European Union countries for the years 1990–2019. Sex specific T2DM age-standardised prevalence (ASPRs), mortality (ASMRs) and disability-adjusted life-year rates (DALYs) per 100,000 population were extracted from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study online results tool for each EU country (inclusive of the United Kingdom), for the years 1990–2019. Trends were analysed using Joinpoint regression analysis. Between 1990 and 2019, increases in T2DM ASPRs were observed for all EU countries. The highest relative increases in ASPRs were observed in Luxembourg (males + 269.1%, females + 219.2%), Ireland (males + 191.9%, females + 165.7%) and the UK (males + 128.6%, females + 114.6%). Mortality trends were less uniform across EU countries, however a general trend towards reducing T2DM mortality was observed, with ASMRs decreasing over the 30-year period studied in 16/28 countries for males and in 24/28 countries for females. The UK observed the highest relative decrease in ASMRs for males (− 46.9%). For females, the largest relative decrease in ASMRs was in Cyprus (− 67.6%). DALYs increased in 25/28 countries for males and in 17/28 countries for females between 1990 and 2019. DALYs were higher in males than females in all EU countries in 2019. T2DM prevalence rates have increased across EU countries over the last 30 years. Mortality from T2DM has generally decreased in EU countries, however trends were more variable than those observed for prevalence. Primary prevention strategies should continue to be a focus for preventing T2DM in at risk groups in EU countries.

Cardiovascular Disease in Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus: Epidemiology and Management of Cardiovascular Risk

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major cause of mortality in type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) patients, and cardiovascular risk (CVR) remains high even in T1DM patients with good metabolic control. The underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood and known risk factors seem to operate differently in T1DM and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. However, evidence of cardiovascular risk assessment and management in T1DM patients often is extrapolated from studies on T2DM patients or the general population. In this review, we examine the existing literature about the prevalence of clinical and subclinical CVD, as well as current knowledge about potential risk factors involved in the development and progression of atherosclerosis in T1DM patients. We also discuss current approaches to the stratification and therapeutic management of CVR in T1DM patients. Chronic hyperglycemia plays an important role, but it is likely that other potential factors are involved in increased atherosclerosis and CVD in T1DM patients. Evidence on the estimation of 10-year and lifetime risk of CVD, as well as the efficiency and age at which current cardiovascular medications should be initiated in young T1DM patients, is very limited and clearly insufficient to establish evidence-based therapeutic approaches to CVD management.

A Journey in Diabetes: From Clinical Physiology to Novel Therapeutics: The 2020 Banting Medal for Scientific Achievement Lecture

Insulin resistance and β-cell dysfunction are the core pathophysiological mechanisms of all hyperglycemic syndromes. Advances in in vivo investigative techniques have made it possible to quantify insulin resistance in multiple sites (skeletal and myocardial muscle, subcutaneous and visceral fat depots, liver, kidney, vascular tissues, brain and intestine), to clarify its consequences for tissue substrate selection, and to establish its relation to tissue perfusion. Physiological modeling of β-cell function has provided a uniform tool to measure β-cell glucose sensitivity and potentiation in response to a variety of secretory stimuli, thereby allowing us to establish feedbacks with insulin resistance, to delineate the biphasic time course of conversion to diabetes, to gauge incretin effects, and to identify primary insulin hypersecretion. As insulin resistance also characterizes several of the comorbidities of diabetes (e.g., obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia), with shared genetic and acquired influences, the concept is put forward that diabetes is a systemic disease from the outset, actually from the prediabetic stage. In fact, early multifactorial therapy, particularly with newer antihyperglycemic agents, has shown that the burden of micro- and macrovascular complications can be favorably modified despite the rising pressure imposed by protracted obesity.