Serum uric acid is associated with chronic kidney disease in elderly Chinese patients with diabetes

BACKGROUND

The relationship between hyperuricemia and chronic kidney disease (CKD) has been investigated extensively. However, studies on elderly individuals are still limited. Moreover, there is no consensus on whether hyperuricemia or elevated serum uric acid (SUA) within the normal range is correlated with the new onset of CKD and whether there are differences between males and females.

METHODS

We included 39039 elderly diabetic patients without CKD at baseline from a community-based cohort in Wuhan, China. The outcome event was the new onset of CKD (defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate < 60 mL/min/1.73 m2). Multivariate Cox models were used to assess the adjusted hazard ratio (HR).

RESULTS

During the 2-year follow-up period, 3162 (8.10%) patients with diabetes developed new-onset CKD. The optimal cutoff value of SUA for incident CKD was 347.4 μmol/L. The adjusted HRs of hyperuricemia for new-onset CKD were 1.925 (1.724-2.150) and 1.676 (1.520-1.848) for males and females, respectively. The risk of developing CKD increased across the Q4 group up to 2.242 times for their counterparts in the lowest SUA quartile, independent of age, sex, diabetes duration, obesity, hypertension, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, smoking, drinking, dyslipidemia, triglyceride, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and fasting plasma glucose.

CONCLUSIONS

Hyperuricemia is an independent predictor of incident CKD. Elevated SUA was linearly correlated with CKD in elderly patients with diabetes, showing a relatively higher intensity among males compared with that among females. The optimal cutoff value of SUA for the risk of new-onset CKD in elderly patients with diabetes was 347.4 μmol/L.

Serum cystatin C for risk stratification of prediabetes and diabetes populations

BACKGROUND

The association between serum cystatin C level and vascular outcomes has not been fully elucidated in diabetes and is unclear in prediabetes. We aim to evaluate whether cystatin C level predicts future risk for mortality and vascular outcomes in prediabetes and diabetes.

METHODS

A total of 85,371 participants with prediabetes and diabetes, and available baseline cystatin C in the UK biobank were included with a 14-year follow-up. Cox hazards models were used to calculate the associations between cystatin C level, mortality (all-cause, cause-specfic mortality) and vascular outcomes (myocardial infarction [MI], stroke, end-stage renal disease [ESRD] and diabetic retinopathy [DR]). The 1136 diabetes subjects in Guangzhou Diabetic Eye Study (GDES) were included for examing the impact of cystatin C on in vivo retinal degeneration and microvascular changes by using SS-OCT and OCTA.

RESULTS

The highest cystatin C quartile had increased risks of all-cause (hazard ratio [HR], 2.02; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.86-2.19), cardiovascular (HR, 2.29; 95% CI 1.97-2.67), cancer (HR, 1.86; 95% CI 1.65-2.10) and other-cause mortality (HR, 2.24; 95% CI 1.90-2.64), MI (HR, 1.40; 95% CI 1.26-1.55), stroke (HR, 1.88; 95% CI, 1.57-2.26), ESRD (HR, 7.33; 95% CI, 5.02-10.71), DR (HR, 1.17; 95% CI 1.03-1.32) than those in the lowest quartile. Adding cystatin C to the conventional model improved C-statistic for all-cause (0.699-0.724), cardiovascular (0.762-0.789), cancer (0.661-0.674) and other-cause mortality (0.675-0.715), MI (0.748-0.750), stroke (0.712-0.718), and ESRD (0.808-0.827). The GDES analysis identified a strong association between increased cystatin C levels and diminished retinal neural layers, as well as microvascular rarefaction in both macular and optic disc regions (all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Serum cystatin C refines the risk stratification for mortality and vascular outcomes among patients with prediabetes or diabetes.

Serum uric acid to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio is a promising marker for identifying metabolic syndrome in nondiabetic Chinese men

OBJECTIVES

To explore the relationship between serum uric acid (UA) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) ratio (UHR) and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in nondiabetic individuals.

METHODS

A total of 15,760 nondiabetic participants were screened from the China National Diabetes and Metabolic Disorders Study. Pearson correlation was used to determine the correlation between the components of MetS and UHR, HDL-C, and UA. Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to evaluate the ability of UHR, HDL-C, and UA to identify MetS in the nondiabetic population.

RESULTS

A total of 6,386 men and 9,374 women were enrolled in this study. There were 1,480 (23.2%) men and 1,828 (19.5%) women with MetS. UHR significantly correlated with the components of MetS in men and women, especially with waist circumference  and triglyceride. In men, although HDL-C showed a higher specificity index, UHR presented higher sensitivity index and area under the curve (AUC) than HDL-C (P = 0.0001) and UA (P < 0.0001), with AUC (95% CI) of 0.762 (0.752-0.773). Higher AUCs of UHR relative to HDL-C and UA were also observed in the age groups <40 and 40-59 years. There was no significant difference in AUC between UHR and HDL-C in the age group ≥60 years (P = 0.370). However, similar results were not observed in women.

CONCLUSION

UHR significantly correlated with the components of MetS and could serve as a novel and reliable marker for identifying the population at a high risk of MetS in nondiabetic men, especially in younger adults.

Association between serum ALT levels and incidence of new-onset diabetes in general population of Japanese: a longitudinal observational study (ISSA-CKD)

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to clarify the relationship between serum alanine transaminase (ALT) levels and incidence of new-onset diabetes in a Japanese general population.

SETTING

Population-based retrospective cohort study using annual health check-up data for residents of Iki City, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 5330 Japanese individuals (≥30 years old) without diabetes at baseline were analysed.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES

Serum ALT levels were determined using an enzymatic method and were classified into gender-specific quartile groups as follows: group 1 (3-16 U/L in men and 3-13 U/L in women), group 2 (17-21 U/L in men and 14-16 U/L in women), group 3 (22-29 U/L in men and 17-22 U/L in women) and group 4 (30-428 U/L in men and 23-268 U/L in women). The study outcome was the incidence of diabetes (fasting glucose ≥7.0 mmol/L, non-fasting glucose ≥11.1 mmol/L, glycated haemoglobin ≥6.5% or use of glucose-lowering therapies).

RESULTS

After an average follow-up period of 5.0 years, 279 individuals developed diabetes. The incidence rate of diabetes increased with elevation of serum ALT levels (0.7% per 100 person-years in group 1, 0.9% in group 2, 0.9% in group 3 and 1.7% in group 4) (p<0.001 for trend). This association was significant after adjustment for other risk factors including age, sex, obesity, hypertension, dyslipidaemia, smoking, current daily alcohol intake and regular exercise (p<0.001 for trend). Comparable associations were observed between men and women (p=0.459 for interaction).

CONCLUSION

Serum ALT levels were associated with future development of diabetes in the general Japanese population.

Comparison of vitamin D levels in diabetes mellitus patients with and without diabetic foot ulcers: An analytical observational study in Jakarta, Indonesia

Diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) is a form of chronic wound which becomes a serious complication in diabetes mellitus (DM). Recently, the role of vitamin D on T cell-mediated immunity, pancreatic insulin secretion, and its mechanism on cell growth and healing processes have been reported. This study aims to compare the vitamin D level of DM patients with DFU and without DFU to assess the duration and severity of DFU and its correlation with vitamin D levels. The sociodemographic characteristics and DFU duration were documented. The severity was examined in accordance with PEDIS classification. 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) was analysed using in-vitro chemiluminescent immunoassay (CLIA). Statistical analysis was performed and the P-value <.05 was considered as statistically significant. The vitamin D levels in DM patients with and without DFU were 8.90 ng/mL (6.52-10.90) and 16.25 ng/mL (13-19.59), respectively, with P < .001. There was no correlation between the duration of DFU and DFU severity by PEDIS score with vitamin D levels. Vitamin D levels in DM patients with DFU are lower than those in patients without DFU. However, there was insufficient evidence to conclude that there is no correlation between the DFU duration and DFU severity by PEDIS score with vitamin D levels.

Is HbA1c an Indicator of Diabetic Ketoacidosis Severity in the Pediatric Population?

ABSTRACT

Glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) reflects how well blood glucose is controlled and is one of the strongest predictors of chronic complications of diabetes mellitus. The degree of acidosis helps determine the severity of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) (mild: pH 7.2-7.3; moderate: pH 7.1-7.2; severe: pH <7.1) and guides the level of care and predicts outcome. Many studies have implicated that higher HbA1c levels lead to recurrent DKA. However, there is no description of the association of higher HbA1c with the severity of DKA. One hundred thirty-eight electronic medical records of patients aged 1 to 21 years admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit with DKA between 2011 and 2015 were analyzed. We excluded 50 patients because the HbA1c level was not available. Spearman correlation analyzed the data for 88 patients included in the study. The mean HbA1c was 13.3, with female patients having more admissions compared with male patients (58% vs 42%). The age group from 13 to 21 years accounted for 77.3% of the patients. The duration of type 1 diabetes mellitus did not affect the HbA1c level. Likewise, the blood glucose and serum creatinine level did not show a statistical correlation with blood pH levels. Mean HbA1c for mild, moderate, and severe DKA groups were 11.4%, 12.2%, and 14.8%, respectively. Blood pH and HbA1c returned a negative correlation (correlation coefficient, -0.557; P = 0.005). The HbA1c level correlated positively with the 3 groups of DKA (correlation coefficient, 0.595; P = 0.01). A higher A 1c was associated with more severe DKA.

Metabolomics analysis reveals serum biomarkers in patients with diabetic sarcopenia

INTRODUCTION

Diabetic sarcopenia (DS) is characterized by muscle atrophy, slower nerve conduction, reduced maximum tension generated by skeletal muscle contraction, and slower contraction rate. Hence, DS can cause limb movement degeneration, slow movement, reduced balance, reduced metabolic rate, falls, fractures, etc. Moreover, the relevant early biological metabolites and their pathophysiological mechanism have yet to be characterized.

METHOD

The current cross-sectional study employed serum metabolomics analysis to screen potential noninvasive biomarkers in patients with diabetic sarcopenia. A total of 280 diabetic patients were enrolled in the study (n = 39 sarcopenia [DS], n = 241 without sarcopenia [DM]). Ten patients were randomly selected from both groups. Non-targeted metabolomic analysis was performed by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry.

RESULTS

A total of 632 differential metabolites were identified, including 82 that were significantly differentially abundant (P < 0.05, VIP > 1, FC > 1.2 or FC < 0.8). Compared with the DM group, the contents of pentadecanoic acid, 5'-methylthioadenosine (5'-MTA), N,N-dimethylarginine (asymmetric dimethylarginine, ADMA), and glutamine in the DS group were significantly increased, while that of isoxanthohumol was decreased.

DISCUSSION

Based on receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, pentadecanoic acid, 5'-MTA, ADMA, and glutamine may serve as potential biomarkers of DS. Moreover, ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters and the mammalian target of the rapamycin signaling pathway were found to potentially have important regulatory roles in the occurrence and development of DS (P < 0.05). Collectively, the differential metabolites identified in this study provide new insights into the underlying pathophysiology of DS and serve as a basis for therapeutic interventions.

Continuous Glucose Monitoring to Optimize Management of Diabetes in Patients with Advanced CKD

Treatment of patients with diabetes and CKD includes optimizing glycemic control using lifestyle modifications and drugs that safely control glycemia and improve clinical kidney and cardiovascular disease outcomes. However, patients with advanced CKD, defined as eGFR <30 ml/min per 1.73 m2 or kidney disease treated with dialysis, have limitations to the use of some preferred glucose-lowering medications, are often treated with insulin, and experience high rates of severe hypoglycemia. Moreover, hemoglobin A1c accuracy decreases as GFR deteriorates. Hence, there is a need for better glycemic monitoring tools. Continuous glucose monitoring allows for 24-hour glycemic monitoring to understand patterns and the effects of lifestyle and medications. Real-time continuous glucose monitoring can be used to guide the administration of insulin and noninsulin therapies. Continuous glucose monitoring can overcome the limitations of self-monitored capillary glucose testing and hemoglobin A1c and has been shown to prevent hypoglycemic excursions in some populations. More data are needed to understand whether similar benefits can be obtained for patients with diabetes and advanced CKD. This review provides an updated approach to management of glycemia in advanced CKD, focusing on the role of continuous glucose monitoring in this high-risk population.

Adipose and Plasma microRNAs miR-221 and 222 Associate with Obesity, Insulin Resistance, and New Onset Diabetes after Peritoneal Dialysis

BACKGROUND

The correlation between microRNA, obesity, and glycemic intolerance in patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD) is unknown. We aimed to measure the adipose and plasma miR-221 and -222 levels, and to evaluate their association with adiposity, glucose intolerance, and new onset diabetes mellitus (NODM) after the commencement of PD.

METHODS

We prospectively recruited incident adult PD patients. miR-221 and -222 were measured from adipose tissue and plasma obtained during PD catheter insertion. These patients were followed for 24 months, and the outcomes were changes in adiposity, insulin resistance, and NODM after PD.

RESULTS

One hundred and sixty-five patients were recruited. Patients with pre-existing DM had higher adipose miR-221 (1.1 ± 1.2 vs. 0.7 ± 0.9-fold, p = 0.02) and -222 (1.9 ± 2.0 vs. 1.2 ± 1.3-fold, p = 0.01). High adipose miR-221 and -222 levels were associated with a greater increase in waist circumference (miR-221: beta 1.82, 95% CI 0.57-3.07, p = 0.005; miR-222: beta 1.35, 95% CI 0.08-2.63, p = 0.038), Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance (HOMA) index (miR-221: beta 8.16, 95% CI 2.80-13.53, p = 0.003; miR-222: beta 6.59, 95% CI 1.13-12.05, p = 0.018), and insulin requirements (miR-221: beta 0.05, 95% CI 0.006-0.09, p = 0.02; miR-222: beta 0.06, 95% CI 0.02-0.11, p = 0.002) after PD. The plasma miR-222 level predicted the onset of NODM (OR 8.25, 95% CI 1.35-50.5, p = 0.02).

CONCLUSION

miR-221 and -222 are associated with the progression of obesity, insulin resistance, and NODM after PD.

Is hemoglobin A1c valuable for predicting concurrent endometrial cancer in diabetic women with endometrial intraepithelial neoplasia?

AIM

The purpose of this study was to determine the predictive value of preoperative hemoglobin A1c (HgA1c) level for endometrial cancer in diabetic women with endometrial intraepithelial neoplasia (EIN).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Six hundred patients with EIN were retrospectively studied in a tertiary referral center in Turkey between January 2014 and December 2021. One hundred and thirteen diabetic patients with EIN who met the inclusion criteria were enrolled in the study and divided into three groups according to the final pathological results: Group 1 with benign findings (n = 29), Group 2 with EIN (n = 34) and Group 3 with endometrial cancer (n = 50). Demographic, clinical and biochemical characteristics were compared among the three groups. Receiver operating characteristic analysis (ROC) was used to evaluate the predictive value of HgA1c for concurrent endometrial cancer in EIN.

RESULTS

Mean preoperative HgA1c levels were different among three groups (5.41 ± 0.64, 6.01 ± 0.72, 6.65 ± 1.15, p < 0.001, respectively). The highest value of HgA1c level was found in cancer group and difference within pairs was statistically significant (p < 0.001). Age and duration of menopause were also different among groups (p < 0.005). After adjustment of HgA1c level for age and duration of menopause differences were maintained (p < 0.001), the cutoff value was detected as ≥6.05% for HgA1c and sensitivity, specificity was 60%, 70%, respectively (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

HgA1c could be used in prediction of endometrial cancer. The optimal cutoff value determined in our study could be considered in predicting endometrial cancer in diabetic women with EIN.

Comparative study of CNR1 and CNR2 cannabinoid receptors expression levels in COVID-19 patients with and without diabetes mellitus: Recommendations for future research targets

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted researchers to look for effective therapeutic targets. The effect of endocannabinoid system against infectious diseases is investigated for several years. In this study, we evaluated the expression level of CNR1 and CNR2 genes in patients with COVID-19 with and without diabetes to provide new insights regarding these receptors and their potential effect in COVID-19 disease.

METHODS

In this study, peripheral blood monocytes cells (PBMCs) were isolated from eight different groups including COVID-19 patients, diabetic patients, and healthy individuals. RNA were extracted to evaluate the expression level of CNR1 and CNR2 genes using real-time PCR. The correlation between the expression levels of these genes in different groups were assessed.

RESULTS

A total of 80 samples were divided into 8 groups, with each group consisting of ten samples. When comparing severe and moderate COVID-19 groups to healthy control group, the expression levels of the CNR1 and CNR2 genes were significantly higher in the severe and moderate COVID-19 groups. There were no significant differences between the mild COVID-19 group and the healthy control group. It was found that the expression levels of these genes in patients with diabetes who were infected with SARS-COV-2 did not differ across COVID-19 groups with varying severity, but they were significantly higher when compared to healthy controls.

CONCLUSION

Our study suggests the possible role of endocannabinoid system during SARS-COV-2 pathogenicity as the expression of CNR1 and CNR2 were elevated during the disease.

HbA1c combined with glycated albumin or 1,5-anhydroglucitol improves the efficiency of diabetes screening in a Chinese population

AIMS

This study aimed to evaluate the ability of HbA_1c combined with glycated albumin (GA) or 1,5-anhydroglucitol (1,5-AG) to detect diabetes in residents of Jiangsu, China.

METHODS

The oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was performed on 2184 people in Jiangsu. HbA_1c , GA, 1,5-AG and other serum biochemical parameters were measured. Receiver operating characteristic curves were plotted to determine the optimal thresholds of HbA_1c , GA and 1,5-AG according to the Youden index.

RESULTS

(1) The optimal thresholds of HbA_1c , GA and 1,5-AG for the screening of diabetes were ≥45 mmol/mol (6.3%), ≥13.0% and ≤23.0 μg/ml, respectively. (2) The sensitivities of HbA_1c combined with GA and 1,5-AG were both 85%, higher than that of HbA_1c (70%, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

This study is suitable for cases where plasma glucose is unavailable. Among the residents of Jiangsu, HbA_1c combined with GA or 1,5-AG can improve the sensitivity of diabetes screening, reduce the miss rate and save the use of OGTT. GA and 1,5-AG are superior in individuals with mild glucose metabolism disorder. GA enhances the detection of diabetes in the nonobese, and 1,5-AG enhances the detection in those with hyperuricaemia.

Detecting dysglycaemia in compensated liver cirrhosis: Comparison of oral glucose tolerance test and glycated haemoglobin, with continuous glucose monitoring

AIMS

Liver cirrhosis increases the risk of developing dysglycaemia (pre-diabetes and diabetes), thus people with cirrhosis should undergo regular screening for dysglycaemia. The utility of screening using the laboratory glycated haemoglobin (HbA_1c ) test has been questioned in this setting. This study examines the relationship between different potential screening modalities: 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and HbA_1c , using continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) as a comparator.

METHODS

Participants ≥18 years with no known diabetes, were recruited from a gastroenterology cirrhosis surveillance register. Study measurements included a 75 g OGTT, laboratory HbA_1c and two weeks of 'blinded' CGM (Freestyle Libre Pro). The possibility of intravascular haemolysis affecting HbA_1c interpretation was also assessed.

RESULTS

All 20 participants had compensated cirrhosis. OGTT tended to diagnose more dysglycaemia (N = 7) than did HbA_1c (N = 4). Bland-Altman analysis showed laboratory and CGM-estimated HbA_1c were broadly comparable, with a difference of 4mmol/mol (95% CI -3 to 12), or 0.4% (95% CI -0.3 to 1.1). Laboratory HbA_1c tended to be higher than the CGM-estimated HbA_1c , perhaps reflecting positive lifestyle changes in participants during their two weeks of wearing 'blinded' CGM (Hawthorne effect). In the population studied, there was no evidence that haemolysis affected interpretation of HbA_1c results.

CONCLUSIONS

In the setting of compensated cirrhosis, the OGTT and HbA_1c remain standard screening test for diabetes, but multiple studies show the OGTT diagnoses more people with dysglycaemia than does the HbA_1c . Blinded CGM in an ambulatory, real world setting provides additional insights into glycaemic excursions but cannot be used to diagnose dysglycaemia.

Serum levels of novel anti-inflammatory cytokine Interleukin-38 in diabetes patients infected with latent tuberculosis (DM-LTB-3)

IL-38 is a recently discovered, novel anti-inflammatory cytokine, which belongs to the IL-1β family. The role played by this cytokine in diabetes-tuberculosis nexus is not known. Serum levels of IL-38, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β in Normal Glucose Tolerance (NGT) and chronic Diabetes (DM) subjects, both with and without latent tuberculosis (LTB) (n = 256) were quantified by ELISA. While, serum levels of IL-38 were significantly reduced, the levels of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β were not altered, in LTB infected diabetes patients. While no significant secretion of IL-38 was detected in the quantiferon supernatant, secretion of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β was significantly reduced in LTB infected diabetes patients. The decreased systemic levels of IL-38 and reduced in vitro secretion of other pro-inflammatory cytokines might represent a crucial pathway associated with diabetes-tuberculosis nexus.

Managing hyperglycaemia during antenatal steroid administration, labour and birth in pregnant women with diabetes - an updated guideline from the Joint British Diabetes Society for Inpatient Care

This article summarises the Joint British Diabetes Societies for Inpatient Care guidelines on the management of glycaemia in pregnant women with diabetes on obstetric wards and delivery units, Joint British Diabetes Societies (JBDS) for Inpatient Care Group, ABCD (Diabetes Care) Ltd. The updated guideline offers two approaches - the traditional approach with tight glycaemic targets (4.0-7.0 mmol/L) and an updated pragmatic approach (5.0-8.0 mmol/L) to reduce the risk of maternal hypoglycaemia whilst maintaining safe glycaemia. This is particularly relevant for women with type 1 diabetes who are increasingly using Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) and Continuous Subcutaneous Insulin Infusion (CSII) during pregnancy. All women with diabetes should have a documented delivery plan agreed during antenatal clinic appointments. Hyperglycaemia following steroid administration can be managed either by increasing basal and prandial insulin doses, typically by 50% to 80%, or by adding a variable rate of intravenous insulin infusion (VRIII). Glucose levels, either capillary blood glucose or CGM glucose levels, should be measured at least hourly from the onset of established labour, artificial rupture of membranes or admission for elective caesarean section. If intrapartum glucose levels are higher than 7.0 or 8.0 mmol/L on two consecutive occasions, VRIII is recommended. Hourly capillary blood glucose rather than CGM glucose measurements should be used to adjust VRIII. The recommended substrate fluid to be administered alongside a VRIII is 0.9% sodium chloride solution with 5% glucose and 0.15% potassium chloride (KCl) (20 mmol/L) or 0.3% KCl (40 mmol/L) at 50 ml/hr. Both the VRIII and CSII rates should be reduced by at least 50% after delivery.

Performance of Serum-Based Scores for Identification of Mild Hepatic Steatosis in HBV Mono-infected and HBV-HIV Co-infected Adults

BACKGROUND

There are limited data on noninvasive methods to identify hepatic steatosis in coexisting hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection.

AIMS

To evaluate the diagnostic performance of noninvasive serum-based scores to detect steatosis using two distinct chronic HBV cohorts with liver histology evaluation.

METHODS

Chronic HBV cohorts with untreated HBV mono-infection (N = 302) and with treated HBV-HIV (N = 92) were included. Liver histology was scored centrally. Four serum-based scores were calculated: hepatic steatosis index (HSI), nonalcoholic fatty liver disease Liver Fat Score (NAFLD-LFS), visceral adiposity index (VAI), and triglyceride glucose (TyG) index. Optimal cutoffs (highest sensitivity + specificity) to detect ≥ 5% HS, stratified by cohort, were evaluated.

RESULTS

HBV-HIV (vs. HBV mono-infected) patients were older (median 50 vs. 43 years), and a higher proportion were male (92% vs. 60%), were black (51% vs. 8%), had the metabolic syndrome (41% vs. 25%), and suppressed HBV DNA (< 1000 IU/mL; 82% vs. 9%). Applying optimal cutoffs, the area under the receiver operator curve for detecting ≥ 5% steatosis in HBV-only and HBV-HIV, respectively, was 0.69 and 0.61 for HSI, 0.70 and 0.76 for NAFLD-LFS, 0.68 and 0.64 for TyG, and 0.68 and 0.69 for VAI. The accuracy of optimal cutoffs ranged from 61% (NAFLD-LFS) to 67% (TyG) among HBV-only and 56% (HSI) to 76% (NAFLD-LFS) among HBV-HIV. Negative predictive values were higher than positive predictive values for all scores in both groups.

CONCLUSION

The relative utility of scores to identify steatosis in chronic HBV differs by co-infection/anti-HBV medication status. However, even with population-specific cutoffs, several common serum-based scores have only moderate utility. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01924455.

Associations of plasma glycerophospholipid profile with modifiable lifestyles and incident diabetes in middle-aged and older Chinese

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS

Glycerophospholipid (GPL) perturbance was linked to the pathogenesis of diabetes in animal studies but prospective studies in humans are rare, particularly in Asians. We aimed to investigate the associations between plasma GPLs and incident diabetes and to explore effects of lifestyle on the associations in a Chinese population.

METHODS

The study included 1877 community-dwelling Chinese individuals aged 50-70 years (751 men and 1126 women), free of diabetes at baseline and followed for 6 years. A total of 160 GPL species were quantified in plasma at baseline by using high-throughput targeted lipidomics. Log-Poisson regression was used to assess the associations between GPLs and incidence of diabetes.

RESULTS

Over the 6 years of follow-up, 499 participants (26.6%) developed diabetes. After multivariable adjustment, eight GPLs were positively associated with incident diabetes (RR_{per SD} 1.13-1.25; all false-discovery rate [FDR]-corrected p < 0.05), including five novel GLPs, namely phosphatidylcholines (PCs; 16:0/18:1, 18:0/16:1, 18:1/20:3), lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC; 20:3) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE; 16:0/16:1), and three reported GPLs (PCs 16:0/16:1, 16:0/20:3 and 18:0/20:3). In network analysis, a PC-containing module was positively associated with incident diabetes (RR_{per SD} 1.16 [95% CI 1.06, 1.26]; FDR-corrected p < 0.05). Notably, three of the diabetes-associated PCs (16:0/16:1, 16:0/18:1 and 18:0/16:1) and PE (16:0/16:1) were associated not only with fatty acids in the de novo lipogenesis (DNL) pathway, especially 16:1n-7 (Spearman correlation coefficients = 0.35-0.62, p < 0.001), but also with an unhealthy dietary pattern high in refined grains and low in fish, dairy and soy products (|factor loadings| ≥0.2). When stratified by physical activity levels, the associations of the eight GPLs and the PC module with incident diabetes were stronger in participants with lower physical activity (RR_{per SD} 1.24-1.49, FDR-corrected p < 0.05) than in those with the median and higher physical activity levels (RR_{per SD} 1.03-1.12, FDR-corrected p ≥ 0.05; FDR-corrected p_interaction < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION

Eight GPLs, especially PCs associated with the DNL pathway, were positively associated with incident diabetes in a cohort of Chinese men and women. The associations were most prominent in participants with a low level of physical activity.

Hypermethylation of miRNA-17-92 cluster in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in diabetic retinopathy

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is the most common complication of diabetes. The inflammatory milieu of diabetes results in changes throughout the body. This study asked whether epigenetic changes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) reflect DR severity.

METHODS

PBMCs were separated from the whole blood of DR individuals using density gradient centrifugation. DNA was isolated, and methylation of micro-RNA (miR)-17-92 cluster was evaluated.

RESULTS

We observed that the miR-17-92 cluster was hypermethylated in DR individuals; specifically, this change was most remarkable with proliferative-DR (PDR).

CONCLUSIONS

miR-17-92 methylation in PBMCs could help understand DR's pathogenesis and identify individuals at the risk of severe DR for early intervention.

Effect of COVID 19 pneumonia on hyperglycemia: Is it different from non COVID pneumonia?

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Glycemic control in critical illness has been linked to outcomes. We sought to investigate if COVID pneumonia was causing disrupted glycemic control compared to historically similar diseases.

METHODS

At Intermountain Healthcare, a 23-hospital healthcare system in the intermountain west, we performed a multicenter, retrospective cohort observational study. We compared 13,268 hospitalized patients with COVID pneumonia to 6673 patients with non -COVID-pneumonia.

RESULTS

Patients with COVID-19 were younger had fewer comorbidities, had lower mortality and greater length of hospital stay. Our regression models demonstrated that daily insulin dose, indexed for weight, was associated with COVID-19, age, diabetic status, HgbA1c, admission SOFA, ICU length of stay and receipt of corticosteroids. There was significant interaction between a diagnosis of diabetes and having COVID-19. Time in range for our IV insulin protocol was not correlated with having COVID after adjustment. It was correlated with ICU length of stay, diabetic control (HgbA1C) and prior history of diabetes. Among patients with subcutaneous (SQ) insulin only percent of glucose checks in range was correlated with diabetic status, having Covid-19, HgbA1c, total steroids given and Elixhauser comorbidity score even when controlled for other factors.

CONCLUSIONS

Hospitalized patients with COVID-19 pneumonia who receive insulin for glycemic control require both more SQ and IV insulin than the non-COVID-19 pneumonia counterparts. Patients with COVID-19 who received SQ insulin only had a lower percent of glucose checks in range.

Long-term glycemic variability and the risk of mortality in diabetic patients receiving peritoneal dialysis

Background

The large amount of glucose in the dialysate used in peritoneal dialysis (PD) likely affects the glycemic control. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between HbA1c variability, as a measure of long-term glycemic variability, and the risk of all-cause mortality in diabetic patients with PD.

Methods

325 patients with diabetes and ESRD were followed (2008–2018) in the Swedish Renal Registry. Patients were separated in seven groups according to level of HbA1c variability. The group with the lowest variability was denoted the reference. The ratio of the standard deviation (SD) to the mean of HbA1c, HbA1c (SD)/HbA1c (mean), i.e. the coefficient of variation (CV), was defined as HbA1c variability. Hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were examined using Cox regression analyses.

Results

During follow-up, 170 (52%) deaths occurred. The highest mortality was among patients with the second highest HbA1c variability, CV≥2.83 [n = 44 of which 68% patients died]. In the multivariate analyses where lowest HbA1c variability (CV≤0.51) was used as the reference group, HbA1c CV 2.83–4.60 (HR 3.15, 95% CI 1.78–5.55; p<0.001) and CV> 4.6 (HR 2.48, 95% CI 1.21–5.11; p = 0.014) were associated with increased risk of death.

Conclusion

The high risk of all-cause mortality in patients with diabetes and PD increased significantly with elevated HbA1c variability, as measure of long-term glycemic control. This indicates that stable glycemia is associated with an improvement of survival; whereas more severe glycemic fluctuations, possibly caused by radical changes in dialysis regimes or peritonitis, are associated with a higher risk of mortality in diabetic patients with PD.

The Relationship Between Continuous Glucose Monitoring and OGTT in Youth and Young Adults With Cystic Fibrosis

CONTEXT

Early glucose abnormalities in people with cystic fibrosis (PwCF) are commonly detected by continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). Relationships between these CGM abnormalities and oral glucose tolerance testing (OGTT) in PwCF have not been fully characterized.

OBJECTIVE

This work aimed to determine the relationship between CGM and common OGTT-derived estimates of β-cell function, including C-peptide index and oral disposition index (oDI) and to explore whether CGM can be used to screen for OGTT-defined prediabetes and cystic fibrosis-related diabetes (CFRD).

METHODS

PwCF not on insulin and healthy controls aged 6 to 25 years were enrolled in a prospective study collecting OGTT and CGM. A subset underwent frequently sampled OGTTs (fsOGTT) with 7-point glucose, insulin, and C-peptide measurements. Pearson correlation coefficient was used to test the association between select CGM and fsOGTT measures. Receiver operating curve (ROC) analysis was applied to CGM variables to determine the cutoff optimizing sensitivity and specificity for detecting prediabetes and CFRD.

RESULTS

A total of 120 participants (controls = 35, CF = 85), including 69 with fsOGTTs, were included. CGM coefficient of variation correlated inversely with C-peptide index (Cpeptide30-Cpeptide0/Glucose30-Glucose0) (r = -0.45, P < .001) and oDIcpeptide (C-peptide index)(1/cpep0) (r = -0.48, P < .0001). In PwCF, CGM variables had ROC - areas under the curve ranging from 0.43 to 0.57 for prediabetes and 0.47 to 0.6 for CFRD.

CONCLUSION

Greater glycemic variability on CGM correlated with reduced β-cell function. However, CGM performed poorly at discriminating individuals with and without OGTT-defined CFRD and prediabetes. Prospective studies are now needed to determine how well the different tests predict clinically relevant nonglycemic outcomes in PwCF.

Can Overnutrition Lead to Wasting?-The Paradox of Diabetes Mellitus in End-Stage Renal Disease Treated with Maintenance Hemodialysis

Background: The population of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) may be at increased risk of protein energy wasting (PEW). The aim of the study was to investigate the impact of DM on selected indicators of PEW in the ESRD population that was undergoing maintenance hemodialysis (MHD). Methods: A total of 515 MHD patients were divided into two subgroups with and without DM. The evaluation of diet composition, Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), SGA, and laboratory and BIS analyses were performed. All-cause and cardiovascular mortality was recorded. Results: DM patients had lower albumin (3.93 (3.61–4.20) vs. 4.10 (3.80–4.30) g/dL, p < 0.01), total cholesterol (158 (133–196) vs. 180 (148–206) mg/dL, p < 0.01), and creatinine (6.34 (5.08–7.33) vs. 7.12 (5.70–8.51) mg/dL, p < 0.05). SGA score (12.0 (10.0–15.0) vs. 11.0 (9.0–13.0) points, p < 0.001), BMI (27.9 (24.4–31.8) vs. 25.6 (22.9–28.8) kg/m², p < 0.001), fat tissue index (15.0 (11.4–19.6) vs. 12.8 (9.6–16.0) %, p < 0.001), and overhydration (2.1 (1.2–4.1) vs. 1.8 (0.7, 2.7) L, p < 0.001) were higher in the DM group. Increased morbidity, reflected in the CCI and mortality—both all-cause and cardiovascular—were observed in DM patients. Conclusions: Hemodialysis recipients with DM experience overnutrition with a paradoxically higher predisposition to PEW, expressed by a higher SGA score and lower serum markers of nutrition. This population is also more comorbid and is at higher risk of death, including from cardiovascular causes.

Prevalence and Treatment of Diabetes in China, 2013-2018

IMPORTANCE

Recent data on prevalence, awareness, treatment, and risk factors of diabetes in China is necessary for interventional efforts.

OBJECTIVE

To estimate trends in prevalence, awareness, treatment, and risk factors of diabetes in China based on national data.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

Cross-sectional nationally representative survey data collected in adults aged 18 years or older in mainland China from 170 287 participants in the 2013-2014 years and 173 642 participants in the 2018-2019 years.

EXPOSURES

Fasting plasma glucose and hemoglobin A1c levels were measured for all participants. A 2-hour oral glucose tolerance test was conducted for all participants without diagnosed diabetes.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Primary outcomes were diabetes and prediabetes defined according to American Diabetes Association criteria. Secondary outcomes were awareness, treatment, and control of diabetes and prevalence of risk factors. A hemoglobin A1c level of less than 7.0% (53 mmol/mol) among treated patients with diabetes was considered adequate glycemic control.

RESULTS

In 2013, the median age was 55.8 years (IQR, 46.4-65.2 years) and the weighted proportion of women was 50.0%; in 2018, the median age was 51.3 years (IQR, 42.1-61.6 years), and the weighted proportion of women was 49.5%. The estimated prevalence of diabetes increased from 10.9% (95% CI, 10.4%-11.5%) in 2013 to 12.4% (95% CI, 11.8%-13.0%) in 2018 (P < .001). The estimated prevalence of prediabetes was 35.7% (95% CI, 34.2%-37.3%) in 2013 and 38.1% (95% CI, 36.4%-39.7%) in 2018 (P = .07). In 2018, among adults with diabetes, 36.7% (95% CI, 34.7%-38.6%) reported being aware of their condition, and 32.9% (95% CI, 30.9%-34.8%) reported being treated; 50.1% (95% CI, 47.5%-52.6%) of patients receiving treatment were controlled adequately. These rates did not change significantly from 2013. From 2013 to 2018, low physical activity, high intake of red meat, overweight, and obesity significantly increased in prevalence.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

In this survey study, the estimated diabetes prevalence was high and increased from 2013 to 2018. There was no significant improvement in the estimated prevalence of adequate treatment.

Effect of combined G6PD deficiency and diabetes on protein oxidation and lipid peroxidation

BACKGROUND

Oxidative Stress, an imbalance in the pro-oxidant/antioxidant homeostasis, occurs in many physiological and non-physiological processes and several human diseases, including diabetes mellitus (DM) and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency. Since the incidence of G6PD deficiency in Jordan and many parts of the world is high, this study aimed to measure the effect of G6PD deficiency on the oxidative markers and the antioxidant glutathione (GSH) in diabetic and non-diabetic individuals.

METHODS

Whole blood G6PD deficiency was screened by the fluorescent spot method, and erythrocyte G6PD activity was determined using a quantitative assay. Since protein carbonyl (PC) and malondialdehyde (MDA) are the most widely measured markers for protein and lipid oxidation, respectively, plasma PC and MDA, in addition to blood GSH were determined by spectrophotometric assays, as biomarkers of oxidative stress.

RESULTS

The incidence of G6PD deficiency among the diabetic subjects was 15%. PC level in patients with diabetes and in G6PD-deficient subjects was 5.5 to 6-fold higher than in non-diabetic subjects with sufficient G6PD levels (p<0.001). This fold increase was doubled in diabetic patients with G6PD deficiency (p<0.001). Furthermore, the MDA level was significantly increased by 28-41% in G6PD-deficient, diabetics with sufficient G6PD, and diabetics with G6PD deficiency compared to MDA level in non-diabetic with sufficient G6PD. On the other hand, GSH was significantly reduced to half in G6PD-deficient subjects and in diabetics with G6PD-deficiency.

CONCLUSIONS

The results showed that diabetes and G6PD deficiency increased protein oxidation and lipid peroxidation. However, the combination of both disorders has an additive effect only on protein oxidation. On the other hand, GSH level is only reduced in G6PD deficiency. In addition, diabetes and G6PD deficiency appear to be genetically linked since the incidence of G6PD deficiency among people with diabetes is more than the general population.

Two-hit mechanism of cardiac arrhythmias in diabetic hyperglycaemia: reduced repolarization reserve, neurohormonal stimulation, and heart failure exacerbate susceptibility

AIMS

Diabetic hyperglycaemia is associated with increased arrhythmia risk. We aimed to investigate whether hyperglycaemia alone can be accountable for arrhythmias or whether it requires the presence of additional pathological factors.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Action potentials (APs) and arrhythmogenic spontaneous diastolic activities were measured in isolated murine ventricular, rabbit atrial, and ventricular myocytes acutely exposed to high glucose. Acute hyperglycaemia increased the short-term variability (STV) of action potential duration (APD), enhanced delayed afterdepolarizations, and the inducibility of APD alternans during tachypacing in both murine and rabbit atrial and ventricular myocytes. Hyperglycaemia also prolonged APD in mice and rabbit atrial cells but not in rabbit ventricular myocytes. However, rabbit ventricular APD was more strongly depressed by block of late Na+ current (INaL) during hyperglycaemia, consistent with elevated INaL in hyperglycaemia. All the above proarrhythmic glucose effects were Ca2+-dependent and abolished by CaMKII inhibition. Importantly, when the repolarization reserve was reduced by pharmacological inhibition of K+ channels (either Ito, IKr, IKs, or IK1) or hypokalaemia, acute hyperglycaemia further prolonged APD and further increased STV and alternans in rabbit ventricular myocytes. Likewise, when rabbit ventricular myocytes were pretreated with isoproterenol or angiotensin II, hyperglycaemia significantly prolonged APD, increased STV and promoted alternans. Moreover, acute hyperglycaemia markedly prolonged APD and further enhanced STV in failing rabbit ventricular myocytes.

CONCLUSION

We conclude that even though hyperglycaemia alone can enhance cellular proarrhythmic mechanisms, a second hit which reduces the repolarization reserve or stimulates G protein-coupled receptor signalling greatly exacerbates cardiac arrhythmogenesis in diabetic hyperglycaemia.

Changes in creatinine-to-cystatin C ratio over 4 years, risk of diabetes, and cardiometabolic control: The China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study

BACKGROUND

Creatinine-to-cystatin C ratio has attracted substantial interest as a measure to reflect health well-being, but no studies have assessed whether its longitudinal changes are associated with risk of diabetes. We aimed to examine their association, along with the exploration of the relationship of such changes with cardiometabolic control in middle-aged and older adults.

METHODS

We included a total of 3278 participants aged ≥45 years who provided measurements of creatinine and cystatin C at baseline and 4 years later from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. Diabetes was diagnosed based on glucose, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), medical history, or use of antidiabetic mediations. Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were obtained using logistic regression analyses.

RESULTS

After 4-year follow-up, 272 participants developed diabetes. Larger increases in creatinine-to-cystatin C ratio were associated with lower risk of diabetes. The multivariable-adjusted OR for diabetes per 1 SD increase in creatinine-to-cystatin C ratio was 0.84 (95% CI 0.72-0.98). Compared with participants showing decreases in creatinine-to-cystatin C ratio but increases in body mass index (BMI), those experiencing increases in creatinine-to-cystatin C ratio and decreases in BMI had the largest risk reduction (multivariable-adjusted OR 0.52). Changes in creatinine-to-cystatin C ratio showed inverse correlation with blood pressure, HbA1c, lipids, and C-reactive protein at the 4-year follow-up. Moreover, they also correlated inversely with changes in HbA1c and C-reactive protein (all P ≤ 0.004).

CONCLUSIONS

Increases in creatinine-to-cystatin C ratio led to reduced risk of diabetes and may benefit cardiometabolic control.

The use of mice in diabetes research: The impact of experimental protocols

Mice are used extensively in preclinical diabetes research to model various aspects of blood glucose homeostasis. Careful experimental design is vital for maximising welfare and improving reproducibility of data. Alongside decisions regarding physiological characteristics of the animal cohort (e.g., sex, strain and age), experimental protocols must also be carefully considered. This includes choosing relevant end points of interest and understanding what information they can provide and what their limitations are. Details of experimental protocols must, therefore, be carefully planned during the experimental design stage, especially considering the impact of researcher interventions on preclinical end points. Indeed, in line with the 3Rs of animal research, experiments should be refined where possible to maximise welfare. The role of welfare may be particularly pertinent in preclinical diabetes research as blood glucose concentrations are directly altered by physiological stress responses. Despite the potential impact of variations in experimental protocols, there is distinct lack of standardisation and consistency throughout the literature with regards to several experimental procedures including fasting, cage changing and glucose tolerance test protocol. This review firstly highlights practical considerations with regard to the choice of end points in preclinical diabetes research and the potential for novel technologies such as continuous glucose monitoring and glucose clamping techniques to improve data resolution. The potential influence of differing experimental protocols and in vivo procedures on both welfare and experimental outcomes is then discussed with focus on standardisation, consistency and full disclosure of methods.

Effect of glycemic gap upon mortality in critically ill patients with diabetes

AIMS/INTRODUCTION

Hyperglycemia, hypoglycemia, and blood glucose fluctuation are associated with the outcome in critically ill patients, but the target of blood glucose control is debatable especially in patients with diabetes regarding the status of blood glucose control before admission to ICU. This study aimed to investigate the association between the glycemic gap which is calculated as the mean blood glucose level during the first 7 days after admission to ICU minus the A1C-derived average glucose and the outcome of critically ill patients with diabetes.

METHOD

This study was undertaken in two intensive care units (ICUs) with a total of 30 beds. Patients with diabetes who were expected to stay for more than 24 h were enrolled, the HbA1c was tested within 3 days after admission and converted to the A1C-derived average glucose (ADAG) by the equation: ADAG = [(HbA1c * 28.7) - 46.7 ] * 18-1 , arterial blood glucose measurements were four per day routinely during the first 7 days after admission, the APACHE II score within the first 24 h, the mean blood glucose level (MGL), standard deviation (SD), and coefficient of variation (CV) during the first 7 days were calculated for each person, the GAPadm and GAPmean were calculated as the admission blood glucose and MGL minus the ADAG, respectively, the incidence of moderate hypoglycemia (MH) and severe hypoglycemia (SH), the total dosage of glucocorticoids and average daily dosage of insulin within 7 days, the duration of renal replacement therapy (RRT), ventilator-free hours, and non-ICU stay days within 28 days were also collected. The enrolled patients were divided into a survival group and a nonsurvival group according to survival or not at 28 days and 1 year after admission, and the relationship between parameters derived from blood glucose and mortality in the enrolled critically ill patients was explored.

RESULTS

Five hundred and two patients were enrolled and divided into a survival group (n = 310) and a nonsurvival group (n = 192). It was shown that the two groups had a comparable level of HbA1c, the nonsurvivors had a greater APACHE II, MGL, SD, CV, GAPadm , GAPmean , and a higher incidence of hypoglycemia. A lesser duration of ventilator-free, non-ICU stay, and a longer duration of RRT were recorded in the nonsurvival group, who received a lower carbohydrate intake, a higher daily dosage of insulin and glucocorticoid. GAPmean had the greatest predictive power with an AUC of 0.820 (95%CI: 0.781-0.850), the cut-off value was 3.60 mmol/L (sensitivity 78.2% and specificity 77.3%). Patients with a low GAPmean tended to survive longer than the high GAPmean group 1 year after admission.

CONCLUSIONS

Glycemic GAP between the mean level of blood glucose within the first 7 days after admission to ICU and the A1C-derived average glucose was independently associated with a 28 day mortality of critically ill patients with diabetes, the predictive power extended to 1 year. The incidence of hypoglycemia was associated with mortality either.

Pitfalls of intermittent continuous glucose monitoring in patients with steroid diabetes

Only a few studies of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) in patients with steroid diabetes have been published. Therefore, we investigated all patients with type 2 diabetes (n = 121) and steroid diabetes (n = 40) who used the FreeStyle Libre Pro^® device (Abbott Japan) at Gunma University Hospital between 2017 and 2019. Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), mean sensor glucose (SG), and glucose management indicator values were similar in both groups. However, the indices for glycemic variabilities, expressed as standard deviations and percent coefficients of variation, were higher in patients with steroid diabetes than in those with type 2 diabetes. The associations between HbA1c, mean SG, and time in range (TIR) when glucose values were 70-180, <70, or >180 mg/dL were assessed using Pearson's product-moment correlation coefficient, which demonstrated good correlations in both patient groups. However, patients with steroid diabetes had a higher SG and lower TIR than did counterparts with type 2 diabetes who had similar HbA1c levels. To examine the effect of prednisolone on CGM data, we divided patients with steroid diabetes into 2 subgroups according to prednisolone dose (≤5 and >5 mg), and found that the dose of this steroid impacted the associations between HbA1c and CGM data, mean SG, and TIR. In summary, our data highlight the importance of cautiously interpreting CGM data and the optimal HbA1c level in patients with steroid diabetes to prevent diabetes-related complications. Further analyses using other CGM devices are necessary to further validate our findings.

Vitamin D Deficiency in Patients with Diabetes in French Guiana: Epidemiology and Relation with Microvascular and Macrovascular Complications

Vitamin D (VD) insufficiency is common among patients with diabetes in French Guiana. The study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of VD deficiency in the different type of diabetes encountered and to analyze the relationship between VD deficiency and diabetes complications. Methods: An observational study was conducted between May 2019 and May 2020 in French Guiana, based on data from the CODIAM study (Diabetes Cohort in French Amazonia), describing the characteristics of patients with diabetes mellitus. Among 600 patients enrolled with diabetes, 361 had an available VD assay. Results: The mean 25(OH)VD (hydroxycalciferol) level was 27.9 ng/mL. The level of VD was inversely proportional to the HbA1c (glycated hemoglobin) level. Patients with angina pectoris had a greater proportion of deficiencies VD < 20 ng/mL than those without angina. By contrast, patients with retinopathy had higher vitamin D concentrations than those without retinopathy. There was no association between vitamin D and arteriopathy, stroke, nephropathy and polyneuropathy. VD deficiency was more frequent in women, and in patients with a high school education. Conclusion: The prevalence of VD deficiency was high in patients with diabetes in French Guiana, emphasizing the importance of VD supplementation.

Implementation of a multi-level community-clinical linkage intervention to improve glycemic control among south Asian patients with uncontrolled diabetes: study protocol of the DREAM initiative

BACKGROUND

A number of studies have identified patient-, provider-, and community-level barriers to effective diabetes management among South Asian Americans, who have a high prevalence of type 2 diabetes. However, no multi-level, integrated community health worker (CHW) models leveraging health information technology (HIT) have been developed to mitigate disease among this population. This paper describes the protocol for a multi-level, community-clinical linkage intervention to improve glycemic control among South Asians with uncontrolled diabetes.

METHODS

The study includes three components: 1) building the capacity of primary care practices (PCPs) to utilize electronic health record (EHR) registries to identify patients with uncontrolled diabetes; 2) delivery of a culturally- and linguistically-adapted CHW intervention to improve diabetes self-management; and 3) HIT-enabled linkage to culturally-relevant community resources. The CHW intervention component includes a randomized controlled trial consisting of group education sessions on diabetes management, physical activity, and diet/nutrition. South Asian individuals with type 2 diabetes are recruited from 20 PCPs throughout NYC and randomized at the individual level within each PCP site. A total of 886 individuals will be randomized into treatment or control groups; EHR data collection occurs at screening, 6-, 12-, and 18-month. We hypothesize that individuals receiving the multi-level diabetes management intervention will be 15% more likely than the control group to achieve ≥0.5% point reduction in hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) at 6-months. Secondary outcomes include change in weight, body mass index, and LDL cholesterol; the increased use of community and social services; and increased health self-efficacy. Additionally, a cost-effectiveness analysis will focus on implementation and healthcare utilization costs to determine the incremental cost per person achieving an HbA1c change of ≥0.5%.

DISCUSSION

Final outcomes will provide evidence regarding the effectiveness of a multi-level, integrated EHR-CHW intervention, implemented in small PCP settings to promote diabetes control among an underserved South Asian population. The study leverages multisectoral partnerships, including the local health department, a healthcare payer, and EHR vendors. Study findings will have important implications for the translation of integrated evidence-based strategies to other minority communities and in under-resourced primary care settings.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

This study was registered with clinicaltrials.gov: NCT03333044 on November 6, 2017.

Differentiating transient from persistent diabetic range hyperglycemia in a cohort of people completing tuberculosis treatment in Dhaka, Bangladesh

BACKGROUND

In recent non-pandemic periods, tuberculosis (TB) has been the leading killer worldwide from a single infectious disease. Patients with DM are three times more likely to develop active TB and poor treatment outcomes. Single glycemic measurements at TB diagnosis may inaccurately diagnose or mischaracterize DM severity. Data are limited regarding glycemic dynamics from TB diagnosis through treatment.

METHODS

Prospective study of glycemia dynamics in response to TB treatment measured glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) in patients presenting to TB screening centres in Bangladesh to determine the prevalence and risk factors of hyperglycemia before and at TB treatment completion.

RESULTS

429 adults with active TB disease were enrolled and divided into groups based on history of DM and initial HbA1c range: normoglycemia, prediabetes, and DM. DM was diagnosed in 37%. At treatment completion,14(6%) patients from the normoglycemia and prediabetes groups had HbA1c>6.5%, thus increasing the prevalence of DM to 39%. The number needed to screen to diagnose one new case of DM at TB diagnosis was 5.7 and 16 at treatment completion in the groups without DM. Weight gain>5% at treatment completion significantly increased the risk of hyperglycemia in the groups without DM at TB diagnosis (95% CI 1.23-26.04, p<0.05).

CONCLUSION

HbA1c testing prior to and at TB treatment completion found a high prevalence of prediabetes and DM, including a proportion found at treatment completion and commonly in people with a higher percentage of weight gain. Further longitudinal research is needed to understand the effects of TB disease and treatment on insulin resistance and DM complications.

Associations of Body Mass Index and Waist Circumference in Young Adulthood with Later Life Incident Diabetes

CONTEXT

The independent contribution of young adult exposure to overweight and obesity to later-life incident diabetes is not well studied.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the associations of exposures to elevated body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) in young adulthood (ages 18-39 years) with incident diabetes later in life (≥40 years).

DESIGN

Pooled data from 6 US prospective cohorts (Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study, Cardiovascular Risk Development in Young Adults Study, Cardiovascular Health Study, (4) Framingham Heart Study Offspring Cohort, (5) Health, Aging and Body Composition Study, and (6) Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis.

SETTING

Population-based cohort studies.

PARTICIPANTS

30 780 participants (56.1% female, 69.8% non-Hispanic white) without a diagnosis of diabetes by age 40.

INTERVENTIONS

We imputed BMI and WC trajectories from age 18 for every participant and estimated time-weighted average exposures to BMI or WC during young adulthood and later life.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S)

Incident diabetes defined as fasting glucose ≥126 mg/dL, nonfasting glucose ≥200 mg/dL, or use of diabetes medications.

RESULTS

During a 9-year median follow-up, 4323 participants developed incident diabetes. Young adult BMI and WC were associated with later-life incident diabetes after controlling for later-life exposures [hazard ratios (HR) 1.99 for BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 and 2.13 for WC > 88cm (women)/>102cm (men) compared to normal ranges]. Young adult homeostatic model of insulin resistance mediated 49% and 44% of the association between BMI and WC with later-life incident diabetes. High-density lipoproteins and triglycerides mediated a smaller proportion of these associations.

CONCLUSIONS

Elevated BMI and WC during young adulthood were independently associated with later-life incident diabetes. Insulin resistance may be a key mediator.

Oral Magnesium Supplementation for Treating Glucose Metabolism Parameters in People with or at Risk of Diabetes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trials

There is a large and growing body of literature focusing on the use of oral magnesium (Mg) supplementation for improving glucose metabolism in people with or at risk of diabetes. We therefore aimed to investigate the effect of oral Mg supplementation on glucose and insulin-sensitivity parameters in participants with diabetes or at high risk of diabetes, compared with a placebo. Several databases were searched investigating the effect of oral Mg supplementation vs placebo in patients with diabetes or conditions at high risk of diabetes. Data were reported as standardized mean differences (SMDs) with their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using follow-up data of glucose and insulin-sensitivity parameters. Compared with placebo, Mg supplementation reduced fasting plasma glucose in people with diabetes. In people at high risk of diabetes, Mg supplementation significantly improved plasma glucose per se, and after a 2 h oral glucose tolerance test. Furthermore, Mg supplementation demonstrated an improvement in insulin sensitivity markers. In conclusion, Mg supplementation appears to have a beneficial role and improves glucose parameters in people with diabetes. Moreover, our work indicates that Mg supplementation may improve insulin-sensitivity parameters in those at high risk of diabetes.

Association of glycated hemoglobin A1c levels with cardiovascular outcomes in the general population: results from the BiomarCaRE (Biomarker for Cardiovascular Risk Assessment in Europe) consortium

BACKGROUND

Biomarkers may contribute to improved cardiovascular risk estimation. Glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) is used to monitor the quality of diabetes treatment. Its strength of association with cardiovascular outcomes in the general population remains uncertain. This study aims to assess the association of HbA1c with cardiovascular outcomes in the general population.

METHODS

Data from six prospective population-based cohort studies across Europe comprising 36,180 participants were analyzed. HbA1c was evaluated in conjunction with classical cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs) for association with cardiovascular mortality, cardiovascular disease (CVD) incidence, and overall mortality in subjects without diabetes (N = 32,496) and with diabetes (N = 3684).

RESULTS

Kaplan-Meier curves showed higher event rates with increasing HbA1c levels (log-rank-test: p < 0.001). Cox regression analysis revealed significant associations between HbA1c (in mmol/mol) in the total study population and the examined outcomes. Thus, a hazard ratio (HR) of 1.16 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.02-1.31, p = 0.02) for cardiovascular mortality, 1.13 (95% CI 1.03-1.24, p = 0.01) for CVD incidence, and 1.09 (95% CI 1.02-1.17, p = 0.01) for overall mortality was observed per 10 mmol/mol increase in HbA1c. The association with CVD incidence and overall mortality was also observed in study participants without diabetes with increased HbA1c levels (HR 1.12; 95% CI 1.01-1.25, p = 0.04) and HR 1.10; 95% CI 1.01-1.20, p = 0.02) respectively. HbA1c cut-off values of 39.9 mmol/mol (5.8%), 36.6 mmol/mol (5.5%), and 38.8 mmol/mol (5.7%) for cardiovascular mortality, CVD incidence, and overall mortality, showed also an increased risk.

CONCLUSIONS

HbA1c is independently associated with cardiovascular mortality, overall mortality and cardiovascular disease in the general European population. A mostly monotonically increasing relationship was observed between HbA1c levels and outcomes. Elevated HbA1c levels were associated with cardiovascular disease incidence and overall mortality in participants without diabetes underlining the importance of HbA1c levels in the overall population.

Antiglycoxidative Properties of Extracts and Fractions from Reynoutria Rhizomes

Hyperglycemia, when sustained over a long time in diabetes mellitus (DM), leads to biochemical and cellular abnormalities, primarily through the formation of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs). In the treatment of diabetes, beside blood-sugar-lowering medications, a consumption of herbal products that can inhibit the AGEs’ formation is recommended. This study investigated the in vitro antiglycoxidative potential of extracts and fractions from the rhizomes of Japanese, Giant, and Bohemian knotweeds (Reynoutria japonica (Houtt.), R. sachalinensis (F. Schmidt) Nakai, and R.× bohemica Chrtek et Chrtkova). Their effects on glycooxidation of bovine and human serum albumin were evaluated by incubation of the proteins with a mixture of glucose and fructose (0.5 M) and 150 µg/mL of extract for 28 days at 37 °C, followed by measuring early and late glycation products, albumin oxidation (carbonyl and free thiol groups), and amyloid-β aggregation (thioflavin T and Congo red assays). The highest antiglycoxidative activity, comparable or stronger than the reference drug (aminoguanidine), was observed for ethyl acetate and diethyl ether fractions, enriched in polyphenols (stilbenes, phenylpropanoid disaccharide esters, and free and oligomeric flavan-3-ols). In conclusion, the antiglycoxidative compounds from these three species should be further studied for potential use in the prevention and complementary treatment of DM.

Association between the Plasma-Glycosylated Hemoglobin A1c/High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Ratio and Carotid Atherosclerosis: A Retrospective Study

BACKGROUND

Diabetes mellitus (DM) and dyslipidemia are the main risk factors for atherosclerosis. Elevated glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and reduced high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) are associated with the progression of atherosclerosis. The aim of this study is at exploring the relationship between the HbA1c/HDL-C ratio and atherosclerosis evaluated using carotid artery intima-media thickness (cIMT) and carotid artery plaque.

METHODS

In this retrospective study, we enrolled 1304 patients who had multiple cardiovascular risk factors or symptoms of suspected coronary artery disease. cIMT and carotid artery plaque were measured using ultrasonography. Logistic regression was used to explore the correlation between the HbA1c/HDL-C ratio and cIMT or carotid artery plaque. We used restricted cubic spline curves to assess nonlinear relationships between the HbA1c/HDL-C ratio and cIMT or carotid artery plaque.

RESULTS

With increased quartiles of HbA1c/HDL-C, patients had higher cIMT and a greater carotid plaque burden. After adjusting for other relevant clinical covariates, patients with the highest HbA1c/HDL-C ratio (quartile 4 (Q4)) had a 2.88 times (95% confidence interval (CI): 2.02-4.10, P < 0.001) more abnormal mean cIMT, 3.72 times (95% CI: 2.55-5.44, P < 0.001) more abnormal maximum cIMT, and 2.58 times (95% CI: 1.70-3.91, P < 0.001) greater carotid artery plaque burden compared with patients who had the lowest HbA1c/HDL-C ratio (Q1). Moreover, the association of HbA1c/HDL-C with atherosclerosis remained significant in a subsample of patients with and without DM.

CONCLUSION

As a novel compound indicator for evaluating blood glucose homeostasis and dyslipidemia, the HbA1c/HDL-C ratio was positively correlated with carotid atherosclerosis evaluated using the mean and maximum cIMT as well as the carotid artery plaque burden.

Future directions in insulin therapy

Insulin therapy has a long history at the cutting edge of technological development through purification, extended-action, molecular chemistry, and devices, and in support technologies including self-measurement and patient education. But unmet needs remain large. Today's therapy cannot deliver minute-to-minute control of glucose levels, and cannot imitate the reflex/incretin driven physiological insulin delivery at mealtimes. Further it depends on a raft of devices for administration several times a day, devices liked for their functionality, but disliked as an intrusive reminder of the condition, several times a day. Approaches to overcoming these barriers include closed-loop systems and further modification of insulin formulations, but are limited by fundamental underlying difficulties. While clinical studies of oral insulin are in progress, the barriers to success look daunting. Development of small-molecule approaches (insulin-mimetic tablets) appears to have stalled, while concepts for glucose-responsive insulin as yet fail to deliver the necessary insulin-to-glucose gradient. Gene therapy, feasible in animals in preliminary studies, is not capable of providing feedback control. Transplantation of cultured islets and islet B-cells from stem cells thus looks to the be the best long-term prospect for insulin delivery in terms of overcoming the above barriers, but is a true biotechnological tour-de-force which will take time to mature.

Bilirubin is inversely related to diabetic peripheral neuropathy assessed by sural nerve conduction study

AIMS/INTRODUCTION

Diagnosis of diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) depends on subjective findings, certain investigations for DPN risks have not been performed enough. Bilirubin protects against vascular complications by reducing oxidative stress in diabetes, but is not fully tested for DPN. This study aimed to evaluate sural nerve conduction impairments (SNCI) as an objective DPN marker and the contribution of bilirubin to SNCI.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Using DPN-Check® , SNCI was defined as a decline of amplitude potential or conduction velocity below the normal limit in 150 inpatients with diabetes. The correlations between SNCI and conventional DPN diagnosis criteria, the incidence of diabetic retinopathy/nephropathy, biomarkers for atherosclerosis, cardiac function by ultrasonic cardiogram, and bilirubin were statistically tested, followed by the comparison of logistic regression models for SNCI to find confounders with bilirubin.

RESULTS

The incidence of SNCI was 72.0%. The sensitivity and specificity of SNCI for DPN prediagnosis by simplified criteria were 54.6 and 90.5%, respectively, and similarly corresponded with diabetic retinopathy and nephropathy (sensitivity 57.4 and 50.0%, respectively). SNCI significantly related to diabetes duration, declined estimated glomerular filtration rate, albuminuria and total bilirubin. SNCI incidence was attenuated in the higher bilirubin tertiles (89.8/65.3/54.8%, P < 0.001). Bilirubin was an independent inverse risk factor for SNCI, even after adjustment by known risk factors for DPN and markers for microvascular complications.

CONCLUSIONS

SNCI is a comprehensive marker for diabetic complications. We first showed the independent inverse relationship between bilirubin and SNCI through the independent pathway with other complications, provably reducing oxidative stress, as previously reported.

Statins Are Associated With Increased Insulin Resistance and Secretion

Objective

Statin treatment reduces the risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease but is associated with a modest increased risk of type 2 diabetes, especially in those with insulin resistance or prediabetes. Our objective was to determine the physiological mechanism for the increased type 2 diabetes risk.

Approach and Results

We conducted an open-label clinical trial of atorvastatin 40 mg daily in adults without known atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease or type 2 diabetes at baseline. The co-primary outcomes were changes at 10 weeks versus baseline in insulin resistance as assessed by steady-state plasma glucose during the insulin suppression test and insulin secretion as assessed by insulin secretion rate area under the curve (ISRAUC) during the graded-glucose infusion test. Secondary outcomes included glucose and insulin, both fasting and during oral glucose tolerance test. Of 75 participants who enrolled, 71 completed the study (median age 61 years, 37% women, 65% non-Hispanic White, median body mass index, 27.8 kg/m2). Atorvastatin reduced LDL (low-density lipoprotein)-cholesterol (median decrease 53%, P<0.001) but did not change body weight. Compared with baseline, atorvastatin increased insulin resistance (steady-state plasma glucose) by a median of 8% (P=0.01) and insulin secretion (ISRAUC) by a median of 9% (P<0.001). There were small increases in oral glucose tolerance test glucoseAUC (median increase, 0.05%; P=0.03) and fasting insulin (median increase, 7%; P=0.01).

Conclusions

In individuals without type 2 diabetes, high-intensity atorvastatin for 10 weeks increases insulin resistance and insulin secretion. Over time, the risk of new-onset diabetes with statin use may increase in individuals who become more insulin resistant but are unable to maintain compensatory increases in insulin secretion.

Serum Urate Trajectory in Young Adulthood and Incident Cardiovascular Disease Events by Middle Age: CARDIA Study

[Figure: see text].

HIV infection and anaemia do not affect HbA1c for the detection of diabetes in black South Africans: Evidence from the Durban Diabetes Study

OBJECTIVE

South Africa has a high burden of HIV infection and anaemia. These conditions may cause HbA_1c to over- or underestimate glycaemia; however, this has not been comprehensively investigated in African populations. We assessed the association of anaemia, HIV infection and antiretroviral therapy (ART) with HbA_1c , and implications for the detection and diagnosis of diabetes, in a black South African population.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

In this population-based cross-sectional study in eThekwini municipality (Durban), South Africa, we assessed HbA_1c and conducted oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTTs), HIV diagnostic tests and full blood count measurements among 1067 participants without a history of diabetes diagnosis. Linear regression was used to examine differences in HbA_1c by anaemia (comparator: no anaemia), or HIV and ART (comparator: no HIV) status. HbA_1c -based diabetes prevalence was compared with OGTT-based prevalence among individuals with anaemia and with untreated and ART-treated HIV.

RESULTS

In adjusted analyses, normocytic and microcytic anaemia were associated with higher HbA_1c compared with no anaemia, whereas macrocytic anaemia and ART-treated HIV were associated with lower HbA_1c compared with no anaemia and no HIV, respectively. However, magnitudes of association were small (range: β  = -3.4 mmol/mol or -0.31%, p < 0.001 [macrocytic anaemia] to β = 2.1 mmol/mol or 0.19%, p < 0.001 [microcytic anaemia]). There was no significant difference in diabetes prevalence based on HbA_1c or OGTT among individuals with anaemia (2.9% vs. 3.3%, p = 0.69), untreated HIV (1.6% vs. 1.6% p = 1.00) or ART-treated HIV (2.9% vs. 1.2%, p = 0.08).

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that anaemia and HIV status appear unlikely to materially affect the utility of HbA_1c for diabetes detection and diagnosis in this population. Further studies are needed to examine these associations in sub-Saharan African populations.

Association between glycemic control and cardiovascular events in older Japanese adults with diabetes mellitus: An analysis of the Japanese medical administrative database

AIMS/INTRODUCTION

The relationship between glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and cardiovascular events in older adults was investigated using a Japanese administrative medical database.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Anonymized medical data on patients with diabetes mellitus aged ≥65 years for the period from January 2010 to December 2019 were extracted from the EBM Provider database. The primary end-point was a composite of cardiovascular events, whereas the other end-points included severe hypoglycemia and fracture. The association between cardiovascular events and HbA1c at the index date (i.e., approximately 10 months after initial diabetes mellitus diagnosis) was evaluated using the Cox proportional hazards model.

RESULTS

Among the 3,186,751 patients in the database, 3,946 older adults with diabetes mellitus were eligible for inclusion and were subsequently grouped according to HbA1c quartiles at the index date. Cardiovascular events occurred in 142 patients. Patients with HbA1c in the highest quartile had significantly higher risk of hospitalization for cardiovascular disease than those with HbA1c in the lowest quartile (hazard ratio 1.948; 95% confidence interval 1.252-3.031, P = 0.003). However, the events risk was similar across subgroups with HbA1c <7.2%. The incidence of hypoglycemia and fracture was not significantly associated with the level of glycemic control.

CONCLUSIONS

Among older adults with diabetes mellitus, those with poor glycemic control were at higher risk for cardiovascular events compared with those with better glycemic control. However, strict glycemic control had no effect on cardiovascular risk in patients with HbA1c <7.2%.

Artificial intelligence and diabetes technology: A review

Artificial intelligence (AI) is widely discussed in the popular literature and is portrayed as impacting many aspects of human life, both in and out of the workplace. The potential for revolutionizing healthcare is significant because of the availability of increasingly powerful computational platforms and methods, along with increasingly informative sources of patient data, both in and out of clinical settings. This review aims to provide a realistic assessment of the potential for AI in understanding and managing diabetes, accounting for the state of the art in the methodology and medical devices that collect data, process data, and act accordingly. Acknowledging that many conflicting definitions of AI have been put forth, this article attempts to characterize the main elements of the field as they relate to diabetes, identifying the main perspectives and methods that can (i) affect basic understanding of the disease, (ii) affect understanding of risk factors (genetic, clinical, and behavioral) of diabetes development, (iii) improve diagnosis, (iv) improve understanding of the arc of disease (progression and personal/societal impact), and finally (v) improve treatment.

Metabolic characteristics in patients with COVID-19 and no-COVID-19 interstitial pneumonia with mild-to-moderate symptoms and similar radiological severity

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

It is known that the highest COVID-19 mortality rates are among patients who develop severe COVID-19 pneumonia. However, despite the high sensitivity of chest CT scans for diagnosing COVID-19 in a screening population, the appearance of a chest CT is thought to have low diagnostic specificity. The aim of this retrospective case-control study is based on evaluation of clinical and radiological characteristics in patients with COVID-19 (n = 41) and no-COVID-19 interstitial pneumonia (n = 48) with mild-to-moderate symptoms.

METHODS AND RESULTS

To this purpose we compared radiological, clinical, biochemical, inflammatory, and metabolic characteristics, as well as clinical outcomes, between the two groups. Notably, we found similar radiological severity of pneumonia, which we quantified using a disease score based on a high-resolution computed tomography scan (COVID-19 = 18.6 ± 14.5 vs n-COVID-19 = 23.2 ± 15.2, p = 0.289), and comparable biochemical and inflammatory characteristics. However, among patients without diabetes, we observed that COVID-19 patients had significantly higher levels of HbA1c than n-COVID-19 patients (COVID-19 = 41.5 ± 2.6 vs n-COVID-19 = 38.4 ± 5.1, p = 0.012). After adjusting for age, sex, and BMI, we found that HbA1c levels were significantly associated with the risk of COVID-19 pneumonia (odds ratio = 1.234 [95%CI = 1.051-1.449], p = 0.010).

CONCLUSIONS

In this retrospective case-control study, we found similar radiological and clinical characteristics in patients with COVID-19 and n-COVID-19 pneumonia with mild-to-moderate symptoms. However, among patients without diabetes HbA1c levels were higher in COVID-19 patients than in no-COVID-19 individuals. Future studies should assess whether reducing transient hyperglycemia in individuals without overt diabetes may lower the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Increased hemoglobin A1c level associates with low left atrial appendage flow velocity in patients of atrial fibrillation

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

High hemoglobin A1c (HbAlc) level is associated with increased cardiovascular disease risk and thromboembolic events [1]. The study sought to explored the association between HbAlc and left atrial appendage flow velocity (LAAV) among non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF) patients.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A total of 249 consecutive non-valvular AF patients who underwent transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) were divided into two subgroups according to the median of LAAV level (<45 cm/s, ≥45 cm/s). Blood samples and other baseline clinical data of all patients were collected and analyzed. The low LAAV group included 126 patients and the high LAAV group included 123 patients. Patients in the low LAAV group were older and had a higher percentage of persistent AF, chronic heart failure, and higher CHA2DS2-VASc score (P < 0.05). HbAlc level in the low LAAV group was significantly higher than the high LAAV group [6.1 (5.7-6.5)% vs 5.9 (5.6-6.2)%, P = 0.010]. The low LAAV group had larger left atrial diameter (LAD), left atrial area (LAA), higher left atrial pressure (LAP), and lower left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (P < 0.05). Spearman rank correlation analysis showed that the HbAlc level was negatively correlated with LAAV (r = -0.211, P = 0.001). Multivariate analysis indicated that female gender (OR = 2.233, 95% CI 1.110-4.492, P = 0.024), persistent AF (OR = 6.610, 95% CI 3.109-14.052, P < 0.001), and HbAlc (OR = 1.903, 95% CI 1.092-3.317, P = 0.023) were independent factors that associated with low LAAV in AF patients.

CONCLUSION

Increased HbAlc level is associated with decreased LAAV and may reflect a low contractile function of the left atrial appendage.

The association between triglyceride-glucose index and major adverse cardiovascular events in patients with acute coronary syndrome - dose-response meta-analysis

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Triglyceride-Glucose (TyG) index is an accurate biomarker of insulin resistance, which is potentially associated with adverse cardiovascular events. We aimed to assess the dose-response relationship between Triglyceride-Glucose (TyG) Index and Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events (MACE) in patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS).

METHODS AND RESULTS

A systematic literature search was performed using PubMed, Scopus, and Embase for records published from the inception up until 7 February 2021. Studies that fulfilled all of these criteria were included: 1) prospective or retrospective observational studies reporting patients with ACS and 2) assessing the impact of TyG index on MACE with at least three quantitative classifications. The outcome of interest is MACE across the TyG index intervals. MACE was a composite of all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction, unstable angina pectoris, target vessel revascularization, cerebrovascular accidents, and heart failure. The effect estimates were reported as relative risks (RRs). There are 13,684 subjects from 4 studies included in this meta-analysis. This meta-analysis showed that the highest category of TyG index was associated with twofold MACE (RR 2.09 [1.59, 2.76], p < 0.001; I²: 68.4%, p = 0.02) compared to the lowest category in patients with ACS. Dose-response meta-analysis showed that the relationship between TyG index and MACE was non-linear (p < 0.001), with statistical significance reached around TyG index 8.9 and increased non-linearly. The dose-response curve became significantly steeper after TyG index of 9.1-9.2.

CONCLUSION

TyG index was associated with MACE in patients with ACS in a non-linear fashion.

PROSPERO

CRD42021235765.

Mangosteen xanthone γ-mangostin exerts lowering blood glucose effect with potentiating insulin sensitivity through the mediation of AMPK/PPARγ

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is concomitant with significant morbidity and mortality and its prevalence is accumulative in worldwide. The conventional antidiabetic agents are known to mitigate the symptoms of diabetes; however, they may also cause side and adverse effects. There is an imperative necessity to conduct preclinical and clinical trials for the discovery of alternative therapeutic agents that can overcome the drawbacks of current synthetic antidiabetic drugs. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of lowering blood glucose and underlined mechanism of γ-mangostin, mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana) xanthones. The results showed γ-Mangostin had a antihyperglycemic ability in short (2 h)- and long-term (28 days) administrations to diet-induced diabetic mice. The long-term administration of γ-mangostin attenuated fasting blood glucose of diabetic mice and exhibited no hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity. Moreover, AMPK, PPARγ, α-amylase, and α-glucosidase were found to be the potential targets for simulating binds with γ-mangostin after molecular docking. To validate the docking results, the inhibitory potency of γ-mangostin againstα-amylase/α-glucosidase was higher than Acarbose via enzymatic assay. Interestingly, an allosteric relationship between γ-mangostin and insulin was also found in the glucose uptake of VSMC, FL83B, C2C12, and 3T3-L1 cells. Taken together, the results showed that γ-mangostin exerts anti-hyperglycemic activity through promoting glucose uptake and reducing saccharide digestion by inhibition of α-amylase/α-glucosidase with insulin sensitization, suggesting that γ-mangostin could be a new clue for drug discovery and development to treat diabetes.

Influence of red blood cell indices on HbA1c performance in detecting dysglycaemia in a Singapore preconception cohort study

Abnormalities of red blood cell (RBC) indices may affect glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) levels. We assessed the influence of haemoglobin (Hb) and mean corpuscular volume (MCV) on the performance of HbA1c in detecting dysglycaemia among reproductive aged women planning to conceive. Women aged 18-45 years (n = 985) were classified as normal (12 ≤ Hb ≤ 16 g/dL and 80 ≤ MCV ≤ 100 fL) and abnormal (Hb < 12 g/dL and/or MCV < 80 fL). The Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristic (AUROC) curve was used to determine the performance of HbA1c in detecting dysglycaemic status (prediabetes and diabetes). There were 771 (78.3%) women with normal RBC indices. The AUROCs for the normal and abnormal groups were 0.75 (95% confidence interval 0.69, 0.81) and 0.80 (0.70, 0.90), respectively, and were not statistically different from one another [difference 0.04 (- 0.16, 0.08)]. Further stratification by ethnicity showed no difference between the two groups among Chinese and Indian women. However, Malay women with normal RBC indices displayed lower AUROC compared to those with abnormal RBC indices (0.71 (0.55, 0.87) vs. 0.98 (0.93, 1.00), p = 0.002). The results suggest that the performance of HbA1c in detecting dysglycaemia was not influenced by abnormal RBC indices based on low Hb and/or low MCV. However, there may be ethnic variations among them.

The relationship between high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and glycosylated hemoglobin in diabetic patients aged 20 or above: a cross-sectional study

AIM

The incidence rate of diabetes is increasing year by year, seriously threatening human health. As a predictor of glycemic control, glycated hemoglobin is reported to be related to various complications and prognoses of diabetes. Besides, HDL-C dyslipidemia is a component of metabolic syndrome and may be related to various cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. The principal objective of this project was to investigate the relationship between HDL-C and glycosylated hemoglobin in adult diabetic patients.

METHODS

A total of 3171 adult diabetic patients aged 20 years and above were included in the present study from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). HDL-C and glycosylated hemoglobin were regarded as independent and dependent variables, respectively. EmpowerStats software and R (version 3.4.3) were used to examine the association between HDL-C and glycosylated hemoglobin.

RESULTS

HDL-C was inversely associated with glycohemoglobin after adjusting for other covariates (β = - 0.004, 95% CI:- 0.008 to - 0.000, p = 0.044). Race/ethnicity and age were considered the most prominent interactive factors that affect the relationship between HDL and glycosylated hemoglobin by the interaction analysis. A U-shaped association was detected between HDL-C and glycosylated hemoglobin for people of other race/ethnicity or aged 60 and above, which had an inflection point of HDL-C at 60 mg/dL. In contrast, we observed an inverted U-shaped distribution between HDL-C and glycosylated hemoglobin in people under 40 with point of inflection located at 60 mg/dL as well.

CONCLUSIONS

HDL-C in diabetic patients is inversely associated with glycosylated hemoglobin and may be relevant to glycemic control. However, a U-shaped relationship was also observed in a certain kind of people, which implied that, though HDL-C is considered as metabolism and anti-atherogenic property, for diabetics, it is not the higher, the better.