Four weeks SGLT2 inhibition improves beta cell function and glucose tolerance without affecting muscle free fatty acid or glucose uptake in subjects with type 2 diabetes

AIMS

Sodium glucose co-transporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibition lowers glucose levels independently of insulin, leading to reduced insulin secretion and increased lipolysis, resulting in elevated circulating free fatty acids (FFAs). While SGLT2 inhibition improves tissue insulin sensitivity, the increase in circulating FFAs could reduce insulin sensitivity in skeletal muscle and the liver. We aimed to investigate the effects of SGLT2 inhibition on substrate utilization in skeletal muscle and the liver and to measure beta-cell function and glucose tolerance.

METHODS

Thirteen metformin-treated individuals with type 2 diabetes were randomized to once-daily empagliflozin 25 mg or placebo for 4 weeks in a crossover design. Skeletal muscle glucose and FFA uptake together with hepatic tissue FFA uptake were measured using [18F]FDG positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) and [11C]palmitate PET/CT. Insulin secretion and action were estimated using the oral minimal model.

RESULTS

Empagliflozin did not affect glucose (0.73 ± 0.30 vs. 1.16 ± 0.64, μmol/g/min p = 0.11) or FFA (0.60 ± 0.30 vs. 0.56 ± 0.3, μmol/g/min p = 0.54) uptake in skeletal muscle. FFA uptake in the liver (21.2 ± 10.1 vs. 19 ± 8.8, μmol/100 ml/min p = 0.32) was unaffected. Empagliflozin increased total beta-cell responsivity (20 ± 8 vs. 14 ± 9, 10-9 min-1, p < 0.01) and glucose effectiveness (2.6 × 10-2 ± 0.3 × 10-2 vs. 2.4 × 10-2 ± 0.3 × 10-2, dL/kg/min, p = 0.02).

CONCLUSIONS

Despite improved beta-cell function and glucose tolerance, empagliflozin does not appear to affect skeletal muscle FFA or glucose uptake.

Exercise-induced increase in muscle insulin sensitivity in men is amplified when assessed using a meal test

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS

Exercise has a profound effect on insulin sensitivity in skeletal muscle. The euglycaemic-hyperinsulinaemic clamp (EHC) is the gold standard for assessment of insulin sensitivity but it does not reflect the hyperglycaemia that occurs after eating a meal. In previous EHC investigations, it has been shown that the interstitial glucose concentration in muscle is decreased to a larger extent in previously exercised muscle than in rested muscle. This suggests that previously exercised muscle may increase its glucose uptake more than rested muscle if glucose supply is increased by hyperglycaemia. Therefore, we hypothesised that the exercise-induced increase in muscle insulin sensitivity would appear greater after eating a meal than previously observed with the EHC.

METHODS

Ten recreationally active men performed dynamic one-legged knee extensor exercise for 1 h. Following this, both femoral veins and one femoral artery were cannulated. Subsequently, 4 h after exercise, a solid meal followed by two liquid meals were ingested over 1 h and glucose uptake in the two legs was measured for 3 h. Muscle biopsies from both legs were obtained before the meal test and 90 min after the meal test was initiated. Data obtained in previous studies using the EHC (n=106 participants from 13 EHC studies) were used for comparison with the meal-test data obtained in this study.

RESULTS

Plasma glucose and insulin peaked 45 min after initiation of the meal test. Following the meal test, leg glucose uptake and glucose clearance increased twice as much in the exercised leg than in the rested leg; this difference is twice as big as that observed in previous investigations using EHCs. Glucose uptake in the rested leg plateaued after 15 min, alongside elevated muscle glucose 6-phosphate levels, suggestive of compromised muscle glucose metabolism. In contrast, glucose uptake in the exercised leg plateaued 45 min after initiation of the meal test and there were no signs of compromised glucose metabolism. Phosphorylation of the TBC1 domain family member 4 (TBC1D4; p-TBC1D4Ser704) and glycogen synthase activity were greater in the exercised leg compared with the rested leg. Muscle interstitial glucose concentration increased with ingestion of meals, although it was 16% lower in the exercised leg than in the rested leg.

CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION

Hyperglycaemia after meal ingestion results in larger differences in muscle glucose uptake between rested and exercised muscle than previously observed during EHCs. These findings indicate that the ability of exercise to increase insulin-stimulated muscle glucose uptake is even greater when evaluated with a meal test than has previously been shown with EHCs.

Adherence to newer second-line oral antidiabetic drugs among people with type 2 diabetes-A systematic review

The adherence to oral antidiabetic drugs (OADs) among people with type 2 diabetes (T2D) is suboptimal. However, new OADs have been marketed within the last 10 years. As these new drugs differ in mechanism of action, treatment complexity, and side effects, they may influence adherence. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess the adherence to newer second-line OADs, defined as drugs marketed in 2012-2022, among people with T2D. A systematic review was performed in CINAHL, Cochrane Trials, Embase, PubMed, PsycINFO, and Scopus. Articles were included if they were original research of adherence to newer second-line OADs and reported objective adherence quantification. The quality of the articles was assessed using JBI's critical appraisal tools. The overall findings were reported according to the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and summarized in a narrative synthesis. All seven included articles were European retrospective cohort studies investigating alogliptin, canagliflozin, dapagliflozin, empagliflozin, and unspecified types of SGLT2i. Treatment discontinuation and medication possession ratio (MPR) were the most frequently reported adherence quantification measures. Within the first 12 months of treatment, 29%-44% of subjects on SGLT2i discontinued the treatment. In terms of MPR, 61.7%-94.9% of subjects on either alogliptin, canagliflozin, dapagliflozin, empagliflozin or an unspecified SGLT2i were adherent. The two investigated adherence quantification measures, treatment discontinuation and MPR, suggest that adherence to the newer second-line OADs may be better than that of older OADs. However, a study directly comparing older and newer OADs should be done to verify this.

Longitudinal Change in Serum Neurofilament Light Chain in Type 2 Diabetes and Early Diabetic Polyneuropathy: ADDITION-Denmark

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the longitudinal development of neurofilament light chain (NfL) levels in type 2 diabetes with and without diabetic polyneuropathy (+/-DPN) and to explore the predictive potential of NfL as a biomarker for DPN.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

We performed retrospective longitudinal case-control analysis of data from 178 participants of the Anglo-Danish-Dutch Study of Intensive Treatment in People with Screen-Detected Diabetes in Primary Care-Denmark (ADDITION-Denmark) cohort of people with screen-detected type 2 diabetes. Biobank samples acquired at the ADDITION-Denmark 5- and 10-year follow-ups were analyzed for serum NfL (s-NfL) using single-molecule array, and the results were compared with established reference material to obtain NfL z-scores. DPN was diagnosed according to Toronto criteria for confirmed DPN at the 10-year follow-up.

RESULTS

s-NfL increased over time in +DPN (N = 39) and -DPN participants (N = 139) at levels above normal age-induced s-NfL increase. Longitudinal s-NfL change was greater in +DPN than in -DPN participants (17.4% [95% CI 4.3; 32.2] or 0.31 SD [95% CI 0.03; 0.60] higher s-NfL or NfL z-score increase in +DPN compared with -DPN). s-NfL at the 5-year follow-up was positively associated with nerve conduction studies at the 10-year follow-up (P = 0.02 to <0.001), but not with DPN risk. Areas under the curve (AUCs) for s-NfL were not inferior to AUCs for the Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument questionnaire score or vibration detection thresholds. Higher yearly s-NfL increase was associated with higher DPN risk (odds ratio 1.36 [95% CI 1.08; 1.71] per 1 ng/L/year).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that preceding s-NfL trajectories differ slightly between those with and without DPN and imply a possible biomarker value of s-NfL trajectories in DPN.

Heterogeneity in glycaemic control in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes: A latent class trajectory analysis of Danish nationwide data

AIMS

Suboptimal glycaemic control in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes is prevalent and associated with increased risk of diabetes-related complications and mortality later in life. First, we aimed to identify distinct glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) trajectories in children and adolescents (2-19 years) with type 1 diabetes. Second, we examined their associations with clinical and socio-demographic factors.

METHODS

Data were obtained from the Danish Registry of Childhood and Adolescent Diabetes (DanDiabKids) comprising all Danish children and adolescents diagnosed with type 1 diabetes from 1996 to 2019. Subgroups of distinct mean trajectories of HbA1c were identified using data-driven latent class trajectory modelling.

RESULTS

A total of 5889 children (47% female) had HbA1c measured a median of 6 times (interquartile range 3-8) and contributing to 36,504 measurements. We identified four mean HbA1c trajectories, referred to as 'Stable but elevated HbA1c' (83%), 'Increasing HbA1c' (5%), 'Late HbA1c peak' (7%), and 'Early HbA1c peak' (5%). Compared to the 'Stable but elevated HbA1c' group, the three other groups presented rapidly deteriorating glycaemic control during late childhood or adolescence, had higher HbA1c at study entry, and included fewer pump users, higher frequency of inadequate blood glucose monitoring, more severe hypoglycaemic events, lower proportions with Danish origin, and worse educational status of parents. The groups also represented significant differences by healthcare region.

CONCLUSIONS

Children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes experience heterogenous trajectories with different timings and magnitudes of the deterioration of HbA1c levels, although the majority follow on average a stable, yet elevated HbA1c trajectory. The causes and long-term health implications of these heterogenous trajectories need to be addressed.

Liraglutide treatment for the prevention of glucose tolerance deterioration in women with prior gestational diabetes mellitus: A 52-week randomized controlled clinical trial

AIM

We investigated the effect of 52-week treatment with liraglutide, a glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist, on glucose tolerance and incretin effect in women with previous gestational diabetes mellitus (pGDM).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Women with overweight/obesity and pGDM were randomized to once daily subcutaneous liraglutide 1.8 mg or placebo for 52 weeks. Participants underwent oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and isoglycaemic intravenous glucose infusion at baseline and at 52 weeks, and an additional OGTT after the drug wash-out.

RESULTS

In total, 104 women [age: mean ± SD, 38 ± 5 years; fasting plasma glucose (FPG): 5.5 ± 0.4 mmol/L; glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c): 33 ± 4 mmol/mol, bodyweight: 88.2 ± 14.8 kg, body mass index: 31.1 ± 4.3 kg/m2 ] were assigned to liraglutide (n = 49) or placebo (n = 55). Estimated treatment difference (ETD) for area under curve during OGTT was -173 (95% confidence interval -250 to -97) mmol/L × min, p < .0001, but after wash-out the difference disappeared [ETD 58 (-30 to 146) mmol/L × min, p = .536]. Liraglutide reduced FPG [ETD -0.2 (-0.4 to -0.1) mmol/L, p = .018], HbA1c [-2.2 (-3.5 to -0.8) mmol/mol, p = .018] and bodyweight [-3.9 (-6.2 to -1.6) kg, p = .012]. No change in the incretin effect was observed. The number of women with prediabetes was reduced from 64% to 10% with liraglutide vs. 50% with placebo [adjusted odds ratio 0.10 (0.03-0.32), p = .002].

CONCLUSIONS

Treatment with liraglutide for 52 weeks improved glucose tolerance, FPG, HbA1c and bodyweight in women with overweight/obesity and pGDM. Progression to prediabetes while on drug was markedly reduced, but after a 1-week drug wash-out, the effect was lost.

Semaglutide reduces tumor burden in the GAN diet-induced obese and biopsy-confirmed mouse model of NASH-HCC with advanced fibrosis

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is emerging as a major cause of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), however, it is not resolved if compounds in late-stage clinical development for NASH may have additional therapeutic benefits in NASH-driven HCC (NASH-HCC). Here, we profiled monotherapy with semaglutide (glucagon-like-receptor-1 receptor agonist) and lanifibranor (pan-peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor agonist) in a diet-induced obese (DIO) mouse model of NASH-HCC. Disease progression was characterized in male C57BL/6 J mice fed the GAN (Gubra Amylin NASH) diet high in fat, fructose and cholesterol for 12-72 weeks (n = 15 per group). Other GAN DIO-NASH-HCC mice fed the GAN diet for 54 weeks and with biopsy-confirmed NASH (NAFLD Activity Score ≥ 5) and advanced fibrosis (stage F3) received vehicle (n = 16), semaglutide (30 nmol/kg, s.c., n = 15), or lanifibranor (30 mg/kg, p.o., n = 15) once daily for 14 weeks. GAN DIO-NASH-HCC mice demonstrated progressive NASH, fibrosis and HCC burden. Tumors presented with histological and molecular signatures of poor prognostic HCC. Consistent with clinical trial outcomes in NASH patients, both lanifibranor and semaglutide improved NASH while only lanifibranor reduced fibrosis in GAN DIO-NASH-HCC mice. Notably, only semaglutide reduced tumor burden in GAN DIO-NASH-HCC mice. In conclusion, the GAN DIO-NASH-HCC mouse is a clinical translational model of NASH-HCC. Semaglutide improves both NASH and tumor burden in GAN DIO-NASH-HCC mice, highlighting the suitability of this preclinical model for profiling novel drug therapies targeting NASH-HCC.

Responses to the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire predict HbA1c trajectories in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes: a population-based study

INTRODUCTION

We aimed to determine whether caregiver responses to the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) are predictive of HbA1c trajectory membership in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes, when adjusting for covariates.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

For a Danish 2009 national cohort of children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes, we analyzed yearly HbA1c follow-up data during 2010-2020 including sociodemographic data from Danish national registries. Using group-based trajectory modeling and multinomial logistic regression, we tested whether caregiver SDQ scores predicted HbA1c trajectory membership when adjusting for sex, age at diabetes diagnosis, diabetes duration, family structure, and caregiver education.

RESULTS

In total, 835 children and adolescents (52% females) with a mean (SD) age of 12.5 (3.3) years, and a mean diabetes duration of 5.2 (3.1) years, were included. Based on 7247 HbA1c observations, four HbA1c trajectories were identified: (1) 'on target, gradual decrease' (26%), (2) 'above target, mild increase then decrease' (41%), (3) 'above target, moderate increase then decrease' (24%), and (4) 'well above target, large increase then decrease' (9%). Higher SDQ total difficulties scores predicted trajectories 3 and 4 (p=0.0002 and p<0.0001, respectively). Regarding the SDQ subscale scores, emotional symptoms predicted trajectories 3 and 4, and conduct problems and hyperactivity/inattention predicted trajectories 2, 3, and 4. Single-parent family and low caregiver education level both predicted trajectories 3 and 4.

CONCLUSIONS

Caregiver SDQ responses and sociodemographic information may help detect children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes, who need intensive multidisciplinary medical and psychological interventions.

Revisiting the association between treatment with antidepressants and mania: A nationwide within-individual study of 3554 patients with bipolar disorder

INTRODUCTION

Antidepressants are commonly used "off-label" for bipolar depression, despite concerns over the risk of potential treatment-emergent mania (or "manic switch"). Treatment-emergent mania is difficult to study with adequate power in clinical trials as it requires a large group of participants and long follow-up. Therefore, naturalistic register-based studies have been applied to assess this phenomenon. Here, we aimed to replicate previous findings and address key methodological limitations that were not previously taken into account.

METHODS

We utilized data from nationwide Danish health registries to identify patients with bipolar disorder treated with an antidepressant, either with or without concomitant treatment with a mood stabilizer (drug treatment proxied via redeemed prescriptions). We plotted the incidence of manic and depressive episodes relative to the initiation of antidepressant treatment and compared the incidence of mania in the period prior to and following initiation of antidepressant treatment (within-individual design).

RESULTS

In 3554 patients with bipolar disorder initiating treatment with an antidepressant, the number of manic episodes peaked approximately 3 months prior to initiation of antidepressant treatment, and the number of depressive episodes peaked around the initiation of antidepressant prescription. This temporal pattern suggests that antidepressants were used to treat post-manic depression.

CONCLUSION

Within-individual designs do not control sufficiently for confounding by indication, when the treatment indication is time-varying. Thus, results from prior within-individual studies of antidepressant treatment in the context of bipolar disorder may be invalid due to time-varying confounding by indication.

AMPKγ3 Controls Muscle Glucose Uptake in Recovery From Exercise to Recapture Energy Stores

Exercise increases muscle glucose uptake independently of insulin signaling and represents a cornerstone for the prevention of metabolic disorders. Pharmacological activation of the exercise-responsive AMPK in skeletal muscle has been proven successful as a therapeutic approach to treat metabolic disorders by improving glucose homeostasis through the regulation of muscle glucose uptake. However, conflicting observations cloud the proposed role of AMPK as a necessary regulator of muscle glucose uptake during exercise. We show that glucose uptake increases in human skeletal muscle in the absence of AMPK activation during exercise and that exercise-stimulated AMPKγ3 activity strongly correlates to muscle glucose uptake in the postexercise period. In AMPKγ3-deficient mice, muscle glucose uptake is normally regulated during exercise and contractions but impaired in the recovery period from these stimuli. Impaired glucose uptake in recovery from exercise and contractions is associated with a lower glucose extraction, which can be explained by a diminished permeability to glucose and abundance of GLUT4 at the muscle plasma membrane. As a result, AMPKγ3 deficiency impairs muscle glycogen resynthesis following exercise. These results identify a physiological function of the AMPKγ3 complex in human and rodent skeletal muscle that regulates glucose uptake in recovery from exercise to recapture muscle energy stores.

ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS

Exercise-induced activation of AMPK in skeletal muscle has been proposed to regulate muscle glucose uptake in recovery from exercise. This study investigated whether the muscle-specific AMPKγ3-associated heterotrimeric complex was involved in regulating muscle glucose metabolism in recovery from exercise. The findings support that exercise-induced activation of the AMPKγ3 complex in human and mouse skeletal muscle enhances glucose uptake in recovery from exercise via increased translocation of GLUT4 to the plasma membrane. This work uncovers the physiological role of the AMPKγ3 complex in regulating muscle glucose uptake that favors replenishment of the muscle cellular energy stores.

Low birthweight is associated with a higher incidence of type 2 diabetes over two decades independent of adult BMI and genetic predisposition

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS

Low birthweight is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes. Most previous studies are based on cross-sectional prevalence data, not designed to study the timing of onset of type 2 diabetes in relation to birthweight. We aimed to examine associations of birthweight with age-specific incidence rate of type 2 diabetes in middle-aged to older adults over two decades.

METHODS

Adults aged 30-60 years enrolled in the Danish Inter99 cohort in 1999-2001 (baseline examination), with information on birthweight from original birth records from 1939-1971 and without diabetes at baseline, were eligible. Birth records were linked with individual-level data on age at diabetes diagnosis and key covariates. Incidence rates of type 2 diabetes as a function of age, sex and birthweight were modelled using Poisson regression, adjusting for prematurity status at birth, parity, polygenic scores for birthweight and type 2 diabetes, maternal and paternal diabetes history, socioeconomic status and adult BMI.

RESULTS

In 4590 participants there were 492 incident type 2 diabetes cases during a mean follow-up of 19 years. Type 2 diabetes incidence rate increased with age, was higher in male participants, and decreased with increasing birthweight (incidence rate ratio [95% CI per 1 kg increase in birthweight] 0.60 [0.48, 0.75]). The inverse association of birthweight with type 2 diabetes incidence was statistically significant across all models and in sensitivity analysis.

CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION

A lower birthweight was associated with increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes independent of adult BMI and genetic risk of type 2 diabetes and birthweight.