Endocrine Abstracts

Twelve-month-old GK rats that showed glucose intolerance were compared with age matched Wistar rats. The concentrations of noradrenaline (NA), adrenaline (ADR) dopamine (DOP), Neuropeptide Y (NPY), and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) were measured in tissue samples. The objective was to assess whether glucose intolerance was associated with changes in the noradrenergic and peptidergic nerves innervating the tail artery (TA), seminal vesicle (SV) and corpus cavernosum (C...

Background: Diabetes mellitus type 1 leads to various complications which make diabetic patients anxious. In this study, anxieties of 11 diabetic patients who could take their blood sugar under control were investigated and solutions were suggested and done.Patients and methods: Eleven patients with diabetes mellitus type 1 listed their anxieties and ranked them in matris. The most important anxiety of these patients was blood sugar level changes after e...

Background: Opportunistic screening is more efficient than population screening for diabetes mellitus. The aim is to describe the prevalence of unrecognized diabetes mellitus (DM) among out-patients clinic attending in a major hospital in Basrah, Southern Iraq.Methods: A cross-sectional observational study. The study conducted for the period between January 2006 to end of July 2007. Patients, who attended the out-patient clinic in Al-Faiha hospital in Ba...

Objective: Reactive oxygen species and nitric oxide (NO) have recently been considered involved in the cardiovascular complications of patients with type 2 diabetes as NO is supposed to loose its physiological beneficial effects, due to the presence of oxygen radicals. For this reason, we tested the effects of L-arginine (ARG) and N-acetylcisteine (NAC) administration with the aim to increase NO physiological production reducing free radical formation.</p...

Background: Systemic adiponectin is reduced in patients with obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Peripheral monocytes of type 2 diabetic patients are activated and show a higher surface abundance of CCR2. Inflammatory markers like CCL2 are elevated in the serum of these patients. Therefore, the influence of adiponectin on the release of CC chemokines and the abundance of the corresponding receptors were investigated in monocytic cells.Methods: Primary ...

Background and aims: The aim of this study was to assess the effect of docosahexaenoic (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) on the heart rate variability (HRV), dynamics of such biochemical parameters in patients (pts) with Type 2 DM and cardiovascular aunonomic neuropathy (CAN).Materials and methods: Forty-nine pts with CAN (54±5 years) were allocated in two groups. Pts of group A (n=17) were receiving capsules of fish oil every day (‘...

Background and aims: The aim of this study was to assess the effects of simvastatin (SIM), eicosapentaenoic (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on dynamics of such biochemical parameters in type 2 diabetic patients with cardiomyopathy (DCMP).Materials and methods: Twenty-five patients with DM and DCMP received SIM 20 mg tid (group A); B (n=37) – capsules of fish oil (‘Epadol’: 2.0 g EPA, 2.0 g DHA and 0.1% α-tocopherol acetate), ...

Control of CRFs in T2DM patients results in a clinically important reduction in the risk of death and complications related to diabetes.Objective: To assess the degree of control of modifiable CRFs in treated T2DM patients, stratified by diabetes therapy.Materials and methods: Cross-sectional study in 574 T2DM patients who attended our clinic for a routine follow-up. Fasting plasma glucose (FPG), HbA1C, HDL-Cholesterol (HDL-Ch), LD...

Background: Ischemic stroke is a major complication of diabetes mellitus. This survey was design to detect asymptomatic intracranial stenosis and determine it’s risk factors in diabetic patients older than 50 years with hypertension by transcranial doppler sonography (TCD).Methods: Between June 2003 and December 2004 all diabetic patients older than 50 years with hypertension and no previous history of cerebrovascular problems, were selected. After ...

Objective: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder, characterized by hyperandrogenism and chronic anovulation. Hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance are well-documented features of the disease. In obese PCOS patients, family history of type 2 diabetes mellitus (FH-DM) is shown to be related with a decrease in insulin sensitivity, however not much is known about lean PCOS cases. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between FH-DM and ...

Postprandial hyperglycaemia is a cardiovascular risk factor in diabetic patients. Therefore, younger type 2 diabetic patients are best treated by intensified insulin therapy (IIT) for effective control of postprandial hyperglycaemia. It is unclear, however, whether rapid acting insulin analogues were superior to normal human insulin when used in IIT by patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.We carried out a randomised open intra-individual cross-over tri...

There is a well documented link between melatonin and insulin. Morphological, molecular and functional investigations have shown that the pineal hormone melatonin (MT) influences the insulin secretion. The effects were mediated by specific, high-affinity, pertussis-toxin-sensitive, G-protein-coupled MT1- as well as MT2-membrane receptors which were detected in pancreatic tissue and islets of rats and humans and additionally in rat insulinoma cells INS1. Using the Gi-protein-ad...

Objective: The present study designed to assess the effect of Mg+Zn, vitamin C+E, and combination of these micronutrients on glycemic control, lipid profile and lipid peroxidation in type 2 diabetic patients.Materials and methods: In a randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled clinical trial, 69 type 2 diabetic patients were randomly divided into four groups, each group receiving one of the following daily supplement for 3 months; group M: 200 mg magn...

Introduction: ISCI treatment is useful to optimize treatment in patients with DM1. Before implantation, is necessary the education of patients, as in technical aspects so in the handling of diabetes with this therapy.Objective: Evaluate the results of the diabetological education previous to the implantation of the ISCI and the repercussion of this program in patients metabolic control.Material and method: Forty-seven diabetic pati...

Objectives: To evaluate satisfaction with treatment in diabetic patients under therapy with inhaled insulin (exubera).Material and methods: Thirty-seven diabetic patients were evaluated, 27DM1 (75%) and 9DM2 (25%) that initiated treatment with Insulin inhaled (EXUBERA) between August and October 2007. Twenty-five men (69.4%) and 11 women (30.56%), between 18 and 71 years old (38.4±16.4) and with a time of evolution of diabetes between 0 and 47 years...

Objective: To study the improvement of metabolic control and patients satisfaction with glucose continuous monitoring systems (Guardian real time).Material and method: Fifteen DM1 patients studied (age: 33.8±13.40, years of evolution: 17.06±11.32) in intensive treatment (5 multidoses, 10 insulin pump) which were made one 4 days long blind monitoring Period 1 (blind period) with sensor CGMS Gold. Next another monitoring was made with a real time...

Objectives: To value the quality of life improvement and metabolic control in patients with DM1 in the 2 first years of treatment with insulin pump therapy.Material and methods: We studied 33 DM1 patients, 16 men (48.5%) and 17 women (51.5%), with average age of 34.2±12.2 and 16.3±10.21 years of disease. Pump indication was hypoglycemia in 10 (30.3%), badly metabolic control in 14 (42.4%), pregnancy in 5 (15.2%) and glycemic inestability in 4 (...

Objectives: To check possible advantages of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) in diagnosis and disease control respect to blood pressure conventional measurement ways.Also to study the circadian rhythm of each patient to detect higher cardiovascular risk situations.Material and methods: One hundred and nine patients were included in this study: 44% male, 56% female. ABPM were indicated in four different situations: hypert...

Aims: Increasing the nutritional knowledge of society about risk factors for diabetes mellitus like obesity and cardiovascular diseases.Background: Cardiovascular diseases are one of the most important cause of death between the people in many countries, and obesity is one of the important causes for cardiovascular diseases. So the society’s knowledge about risk factors for it like obesity is very important to prevention of cardiovascular diseases.<...

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is an insulin-resistant state characterized by an increased low-level inflammation and oxidative stress which are probably the initiation of diabetes-related cardiovascular complications. The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of Mediterranean-style diet on inflammation and atherosclerosis markers in T2DM patients. Twenty-five overweight/obese T2DM patients (age 54.1±1.9 years, diabetes duration 7.8±1.3 years, HbA1c...

Objectives: Endothelial dysfunction contributes to the development of atherosclerosis in diabetic subjects. Endothelin-1 (ET-1) is an endothelium derived vasoconstrictor. It has been shown that ET-1 levels are increased in a variety of situations such as diabetes, hypertension and obesity. Transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-β1) is an important cytokine for the development of renal injury in type 2 diabetic patients and associated with hyperglycemia and insulin resistan...

Objective: Premixed aspart is being used in once, twice and thrice-daily regimes in persons with diabetes. This study was designed as a cross-sectional, observational study to assess the need for three-dose premixed aspart in different subsets of subjects with type 1 and type 2 diabetes attending an endocrine OPD.Methods: Records of 200 consecutive patients receiving premixed insulin were assessed to determine the frequency of insulin dosage and its clin...

Introduction: The admission glucose may be a predictor of survival and is independently associated with infarct size and higher mortality in patients with ACS. Hyper-homocysteinemia in patients with ischaemic heart disease represents a strong predictor of vascular morbidity. The role of glucose increase above normal levels in non-diabetic patients with ACS is not adequately defined. The aim was the assessment of dependence between admission blood glucose and homocysteine conce...

Women suffering gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are a risk group for type 2 diabetes. The genetic determinants are not widely known and controversial data exists about association between K121Q PC-1 gene polymorphism and early type 2 diabetes and/or IR.The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between K121Q PC- 1 gene polymorphism and the glucose metabolic alterations, IR or metabolic syndrome in GDM women in the postpartum period....

Background: Patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) show muscle mass wasting and decreased testosterone levels. Long-term testosterone supplementation improves walking distance and glucose metabolism of patients CHF. No studies have investigated the integrated effects of testosterone on exercise oxygen uptake muscle strength and glucose metabolism in patients with CHF regardless of the presence of hypogonadism.Aim: To assess the effect of a 12-week ...

Reg and Reg-related genes are members of a multifunctional family. Under physiological conditions Reg protein is not expressed in pancreatic beta cells, although the Reg protein receptor is expressed. When islets are damaged, the expression of Reg gene is increased in the islets of Langherans. In type 1 diabetes (T1D), insulin secretion may be still detectable in some subjects with long-standing disease indicating the existence of a small population of surviving beta cells or ...

The prevalence of gestational diabetes (GD) continues to increase worldwide, as diabetes mellitus type 2, with the increasing overweight and age of pregnancy. The Caucasian race is the group with a low risk factor in addition to age <25 years and BMI<25. In Italy, the recent immigration of different ethnies with high natality have changed in the last decade the epidemiologic profile of pregnant women. We assessed the prevalence of gestational diabetes in the view of et...

Objective: Diabetes mellitus is characterized by vascular complications associated with arterial thickening. Although strict glycaemic control is clinically beneficial, limited or no evidence exists as to whether arterial damage is positively related to blood glucose levels and variability.Methods: Study purpose was to asses the relationship between arterial thickness and 24 h mean and S.D. of blood glucose in type 1 diabetes. Fifteen type...

Progression of the diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) demonstrated differences in the individual considered the contribution of genetic predisposition. We aim to study the relationship between the −866G/A polymorphism in the promoter region of the uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2) which enhances transcriptional activity and A allele frequency with nerve conduction velocities (NCV) and clinical factors. We compared 370 type 2 diabetic patients with healthy control. Subjective...

The diabetic epidemic is increasing worldwide. The suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3) provides a link between cytokine action and their negative consequences on insulin signaling. This potential influence on the development of T2DM makes the gene a potential candidate gene for type 2 diabetes.We investigated the one haplotype tagging single nucleotide polymorphism (htSNP) rs4969168 to examine the impact on T2DM in two independent study population...

Background and aims: It is well recognized that insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes (T2DM) are associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular disease especially in women, while the role of sex steroids is still controversial. Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) represent a unique biological model for the study of the impact of all these factors on cardiovascular system. We aimed to evaluate the degree of low-grade inflammation and atherosclerosis in premenopau...

Ageing in men is accompanied by a decline in serum testosterone (T) levels and increased risk of cardiovascular disease, osteopenia, visceral obesity and impaired metabolism. These conditions have complex aetiologies that may share a common pro-inflammatory state. We investigated the impact of T therapy on cytokines and angiogenic factors involved in atherosclerosis and bone loss, in hypogonadal men who underwent androgen replacement. We carried out a 6 months, randomized, dou...

Smoking is a modifyable risk factor in the incidence of impaired glucose tolerance and type 2 diabetes, but the data concerning the effect of smoking on the course of type 2 diabetes is limited. In this study, we aimed to investigate a possible relationship between smoking and the need of insulin therapy in patients with type 2 diabetes. 470 patients with type 2 diabetes were assessed for smoking habitus, marital and educational status, duration of diabetes, duration of insuli...

Introduction: Currently self-glycemic control by the patient is essential to achieve a right metabolic control of diabetes. Nowadays, there are different systems that have proved useful for this aim.Objectives: Valuing any possible differences between systems and the relation with glycemia identified in our laboratory.Material and methods: We took blood samples by vein-puncture to 41 patients, and simultaneously we measured capilla...

Objective: To evaluate continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) in type 1 diabetes using the analysis of epidemiological variables, treatment indications, metabolic results, acute and chronic complications and causes for therapy suspension.Methods: A retrospective descriptive study of patients with type 1 diabetes treated with CSII therapy in our institution.Results: A total of 49 type 1 diabetic patients who had been treate...

Background: Although it has been conceived that type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) is associated with increased myocardial triglyceride (TG) accumulation, it is unknown whether this can be influenced by modifying plasma non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) levels. We therefore determined in uncomplicated DM2 whether modifications in plasma NEFA influence myocardial TG content and myocardial function.Research design and methods: Myocardial TG content and left ve...

Background: Impaired glycaemic control, resulting in diabetes mellitus type 2 (DMT2), is one of the MS components. In 1998 the UKPDS study showed that over 10 years of observation there were no significant changes in haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) in intensive insulin therapy group compared with conventional therapy group. Therefore, we still need new options to treat DMT2. Testosterone is well-known for it’s lipolytic activity; obesity leads to insulin resistance and DMT2.<...

Objective: The study was to establish the association between insulin sensitivity (IS) and carotid intima media thickness (CIMT) in type 2 diabetic patients (T2D pts).Materials and methods: 40 (21 f,19 m) T2D pts aged 58.1±10.2 years, BMI 30.1±5.8 kg/m2 (mean±S.D.); 36 (19 f, 17 m) normal glucose tolerant (NGT) subjects of mean age 57±10.1 years, as a control group in terms of IS, and 38 (20 f, 18 m) NGT subj...

Background: Diabetic nephropathy affects 20–40% diabetics. It is the most common cause of ESRD in Europe. In Serbia, 10–18% of the patients requiring HD are diabetics and that number is constantly increasing.Methods: We made a retrospective study of the survival of both diabetic and non-diabetic patients requiring HD treatment during two 5 years long periods.Results: During the first period 92 patients were followed-up an...

Objective: Evaluate the markers of oxidative stress and antioxidants status in patients with gestational diabetes (GD).Material and methods: We performed a nested case-control study within a sample of a total of 126 pregnant women between the 24 and 29 weeks. Of the 126 women studied we compared 63 with GD and 63 control pregnant women. Both groups were analyzed for demographic data, perinatal and obstetrics results and the levels of the markers oxidativ...

Objective: Evaluate the proinflammatory and anti-antinflamatory adipokines in patients with gestational diabetes (GD).Material and methods: We performed a nested case-control study within a sample of a total of 126 pregnant women between the 24 and 29 weeks. Of the 126 women studied we compared 63 with GD and 63 control pregnant women. Both groups were analyzed for demographic data, perinatal and obstetrics results and the plasma levels of the tumor necr...

Background: High resolution real-time B-mode ultrasound diagnostic and off-line computerized measurement of vasculature can precisely assess the intima-media thickness (IMT) of the vascular wall and the presence of atherosclerotic plaque.Aim of the study: To determine whether there is a difference in IMT of common carotid artery wall (CCA) between patients with diabetes mellitus type 2 (DM2) and non-diabetics (nonDM).Materials and ...

Introduction: The benefits of intensive management of type 1 and type 2 diabetes have been well established in several studies, as DCCT and UKPDS, and include reduced of long term complications. Current guidelines target of A1c<7% is also to achieve in diabetic patient with kidney transplant. Methods to improve patient’s ability to achieve this goal are being explored. Continuous monitoring of glucose in interstitial fluid allows the identification of glycemic excursi...

The development of diabetes mellitus type 2 (T2DM) is affected by genetic and lifestyle factors. Polymorphisms within the KIR6.2 gene seem to be associated with a higher risk for T2DM. The protein encoded by this gene represents a potassium channel, which plays an essential role in insulin and glucagon secretion by the pancreas.A hyperglycaemic clamp without insulin was performed over 2 h in 10 healthy persons with the Kir6.2 E23K wild type Glu/Glu, 10 a...

Background: Testosterone administration (TA) can improve exercise capacity and glucose metabolism of males patients (pts) with chronic heart failure (CHF). It is not known whether testosterone supplementation benefits only CHF subjects with hypogonadism.Aim: To compare effects of TA in male pts with CHF with and without testosterone deficiency.Methods: Fifty-six males patients (median age 64.2±9.6), ejection fraction (EF) 36&#...

Background: Long term exposure of INS-1 beta cells to elevated glucose concentrations has been observed to impair insulin expression, a phenomenon termed as glucose toxicity. Despite its potential relevance in the progression of diabetes, the underlying mechanisms is not yet fully understood.Aim: Target analysis of single, or a sub-group of metabolites has until now been the method of choice in mammalian cells to investigate the pathological state in ter...

In Portugal, no relevant epidemiologic data exists relative to the management and level of control of diabetic patients.TEDDI, a non-interventional cross-sectional study, allowed to characterize the usual management of type 1 (T1D) and type 2 (T2D) diabetes using a standardized questionnaire in 1775 patients (F: 47.5%; T2D: 80.8%) aged 18 years or older, visiting their diabetes specialist (n=180).Data was obtained for metabo...

Background: Effects of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) on glucose metabolism of coronary artery disease (CAD) patients (pts) without diabetes has not been assessed.Aim: Evaluate effects of an intensive CR program on glucose metabolism of no-diabetic CAD pts with.Methods: Sixty non-diabetic pts (M/F 53/7), age 71.2±9.2, were submitted to a 3 week CR program. Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), HOMA index, six minute walking test (6...

Goal: The aim of this study was to find different characteristics between GDM women aged under (GDM A n=23) and above 28 years (GDM B n=107), followed in our department in 2005.Material and methods: We performed ANOVA comparisons and computed Pearson correlations/linear regressions between womens’ age and BMI, O’ Sullivan test, OGTT 0 h, 1 h, 2 h and 3 h, new born weight and the need of insulin.Results: BMI ...

Background: Selenoproteins contain the 21st proteinogenic amino acid selenocysteine (Sec) and exert important biological functions. Selenoprotein S (SelS) has only recently been identified and appears to be implicated in type 2 diabetes and inflammation. In vitro studies have shown that SelS expression is controlled by circulating cytokine and glucose levels. Mechanistically, SelS participates in the retro-translocation during quality control in the ER and the ER-associ...

Aim: The aim of the study was to examine the existence of cardiovascular diseases (CVD), atherosclerotic factors and antioxidant defense in patients with central retinal artery and central retinal vein occlusions (CRAO, CRVO) and anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (AION).Materials and Methods: The study included 38 obese individuals with CRAO, CRVO and AION. Glycoregulation disorders were determined by OGTT. Lipid status was determined by spectrophotomet...

Insulin hypersecretion during oral or intravenous glucose tolerance test (OGTT, ivGTT) was described previously in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Little attention was given to the regulation of insulin secretion in these subjects. We aimed to study the secretion of incretins (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide, GIP, glucagon-like peptide 1, GLP-1), during OGTT in normoglucose-tolerant PCOS women.After signing written informed cons...

One of the proposed mechanisms responsible for Diabetes mellitus (DM)-associated erectile (ED) dysfunction is overactivity of RhoA/ROCK signalling. Because statins may decrease RhoA activation, we investigated whether atorvastatin ameliorated DM-induced ED in alloxan-treated (100 mg/kg) rabbits (in vitro studies) and streptozotocin-treated (STZ, 50 mg/kg) rats (in vivo studies). A subgroup of diabetic animals received atorvastatin 5 mg/kg per daily 2 weeks before...

Recent studies suggest that endotoxin from gut flora, may be key to development of inflammation by stimulating the secretion of an adverse cytokine profile from adipose tissue. The study investigated the relationship between endotoxin and various metabolic parameters of diabetic patients to determine if anti-diabetic therapies exerted a significant effect on endotoxin levels and adipocytokine profiles of T2DM subjects. Fasting blood samples were collected from consenting Saudi...

Introduction: Patient with chronic periodontitis (CP), especially those with its advanced forms, have higher cardiovascular risk compared to those with healthy periodontium. They are also characterized by higher hs-CRP levels, greater left ventricular mass, greater intima-media thickness. Adiponectin, a hormone excreted by fat tissue, is involved in insulin sensitivity regulation and in atherosclerotic processes. The aim of the study was to assess a relationship between chroni...

This study aims to explore the baseline adipocytokine profiles of adult Saudis and evaluate their relationship in the development of insulin resistance. Three hundred adult Saudis with varying glucose tolerance were recruited. They were grouped into NGT, IGT and DM. Anthropometrics, glucose and lipid profiles were analyzed by routine methods; leptin, adiponectin, resistin and CRP were measured by ELISA. Insulin resistance was significantly correlated with levels of CRP (R</...

Background: The myocardium is a target tissue for vitamin D, that was shown to exert several effects on cardiac contractility and calcium homeostasis. We aimed to elucidate whether insufficient vitamin D status is associated with heart failure and sudden cardiac death (SCD).Methods and Results: We measured 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] in 3299 Caucasian patients that were all routinely referred to coronary angiography at baseline (1997–2000). 25(OH)...

In vitro expanded antigen specific CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells (Tregs), have been shown to suppress autoimmune diabetes, suggesting a novel approach to cellular immunotherapy for autoimmunity. However to interfere with ongoing disease requires at least 106 in vitro expanded antigen specific Tregs which are difficult to obtain from a polyclonal repertoire. Hence an alternative approach would be to instruct naïve or antigen specific CD4+T cells to ...

Transfer of hematopoetic stem cells from mice transgenically overexpressing the islet autoantigen insulin could prevent type I diabetes in NOD mice. We tested if such an approach of tolerance induction could be employed by means of retroviral gene transfer of autoantigens into syngeneic hematopoetic stem cells (HSCs). We used glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 (GAD) as the autoantigen as T cell responses against GAD are more easily detected in NOD mice and as it has been previousl...

Background and aims: At diagnosis 20–30% of patients (pts) with type2 diabetes (T2DM) have neuropathy, that often goes unrecognized. Cardiac autonomic neuropathy (CAN) is associated with 5-fold risk of mortality. As today there is no specific treatment for overt neuropathy, it is important to use prevention and timely revealing. The goal of the work was to evaluate prevalence of peripheral neuropathy and CAN in pts with newly diagnosed T2DM.Material...

Background and aims: There are consistent findings about increased prevalence of depressive disorders in diabetes. The aim of the study was to reveal prevalence of depression in patients (pts) with type 1 (DM1) and type 2 (DM2) diabetes.Materials and methods: Totally, 157 pts with DM were questioned. To assess depression degree Beck’s scale was used, and 83 depressive pts (scores>10), were allocated into 2 groups (Gr.): Gr.1 (n=44)-DM2 pt...

Aim: To evaluate the quality of diabetes group-based education followed by shared care. The diabetes education programme had a duration of 4 days and included screening for diabetes late complications. Patients with microvascular complications should visit the diabetes clinic four times a year. Patients without microvascular complications should visit their general practitioner every third month and the diabetes clinic once a year.Methods: Retrospective ...

Background and aims: Components of metabolic syndrome (MS) carry an increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). People with abnormal glucose regulation are more prone to develop complications. At diagnosis 20–30% of type 2 diabetic (T2DM) patients (pts) already have neuropathy-one of the most dangerous complications. Cardiac autonomic neuropathy (CAN) is associated with five-fold risk of mortality. Our aim was to study possible relation between CAN and some component...

Aim: To assess cumulative incidence and risk factors for amiodarone-induced thyroid dysfunction (AITD) in a large cohort of Romanian subjects.Subjects and methods: One hundred and forty-four patients (59 M/85 F), mean age 61.4±0.9 years, treated 2.4±0.2 years with amiodarone were assessed for TSH, TT3, TT4 (immunoradiometric assays) and FT4, TPO Ab (microenzymatic immunoassays). Thirty-three patients were reside...

Introduction: Many Muslim patients with diabetes observe dawn to dusk fasting during the month of Ramadan. In an observational prospective study, we have used continuous glucose monitoring system (CGMS) to investigate the changes in glucose profiles amongst Muslim patients during Ramadan fasting.Methods: CGMS was applied to patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (n=14) attending AlZahra Hospital Sharjah for three consecutive days, before (non-fast...

Despite advances in the management of last years, diabetes and its complications are still the most frequent cause of admission in Endocrine Departments. Nowadays, in our Hospital, 60% of admissions are due to Diabetes, and more than a half of these are diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) (35.4%).Objective: Analize DKA episodes in our medical area in the last 12 years and compare them divided in two periods.Methods: Divide DKA episodes in ...

Background: Diabetes mellitus leads to endothelium dysfunction and an accelerated progression of atherosclerosis. Vascular complications of diabetes mellitus can affect not only large and medium arteries resulting in coronary heart disease and peripheral arteries diseases, but also small vessels leading to retinopathy and nephropathy.Endothelin-1 is mainly synthesized by the vascular endothelial cells and acts on the vascular smooth muscle. Because of it...

Objectives: To evaluate the prevalence of subclinical hypertension detected by ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) and its relationship with some clinical and epidemiological factors in normotensive and normoalbuminuric patients with type 1 diabetes.Patients and methods: Transversal study that included patients with type 1 diabetes, older than 18 years, with clinic blood pressure lower than 130/80 mmHg and absence of microalbuminuria. Twenty-four...

The aim of this work was to estimate chosen cognitive functions in diabetics and to investigate possible correlations between cognitive abilities and chosen clinical and biochemical parameters.The research was conducted among 122 patients with diabetes type 1 or 2 and 140 clinical healthy people. Cognitive tests such as MMSE test, Clock Drawing Test, Trial Making Test were applied.In almost 40% of examined diabetics, the significan...

Background and aim: We have sought to determine factors associated with age at death in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) investigated for peripheral arterial disease (PAOD).Materials and methods: There were n=167 T2DM, 140 with PAOD(G1-4) and n=27 Controls; patients were monitored from Jan-1997 till Dec-2006. CW-Doppler examination and segmental pressures showed: 35pts with crural PAOD (G1), 28 popliteocrural (G2), 36 femoropopliteal (G...

Introduction: Mechanisms by which visceral obesity and insulin resistance (IR) contribute to atherogenesis are complex and not entirely known. One of the atherogenic factors involved in foam cells formation is scavenger receptor CD36 expressed on monocytes, endothelial cells, adipocytes and platelets, participating in oxidized LDLs absorption and foam cells formation – processes that initiate atheroslerosis. Many factors can influence the expression of receptor CD36.<...

Pregnancy is a prothrombotic condition with increased levels of several circulating coagulation factors. The aim of the present study is to investigate the effect of gestational diabetes on plasma thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI) antigen levels.Plasma TAFI and PAI-1 antigen levels were measured in 26 pregnant women with gestational diabetes, 25 pregnant women with normal glucose tolerance, and age matched 24 non-pregnant women with no h...

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare psychological symptoms between diabetic patients, asthmatics and healthy individuals and also to determine the effect of these and other variables on quality of life among diabetes patients.Method: For each respondent the questionnaire on socio-demographic and clinical variables was completed. Each respondent also completed the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ 30), Zung’s Self Rating Depression Scale ...

Introduction: Elevated levels of the inflammatory markers are associated with increased risk for CVD and diabetes mellitus. There is accumulating evidence indicating that inflammatory markers as C-reactive protein (CRP) is associated with insulin resistance. The aim of the study is to evaluate the correlations between serum inflammatory markers and plasma fasting glucose (PFG) in overweight and obese women.Methods: Overweight (25<BMI<30 kg/m...

Background: Neonatal diabetes (ND) is a rare, mostly sporadic disorder diagnosed within the first 6 months of life that can either be transient or permanent. We report on a family of four phenotypically heterogenous subjects with ND characterized by a new heterozygous missense mutation (D212I) in exon 5 of the ABCC8 gene encoding the SUR1 subunit of the KATP channel.Patients: In each of small-for-gestational-age (SGA) female monocygous twins, ...

We describe a 37-year-old woman with a BMI of 32 kg/m2 who presented with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes (HbA1c of 10.3%). She was requiring 138 units of insulin (Aspart 20, 24 and 30 units pre meal and glargine 64 units at night daily). She previously had diarrhoea with metformin and an allergic reaction to glimepiride. Rosiglitazone was discontinued because of worsening liver function. Her insulin requirement increased in a year to 1650 units daily owing to ins...

Background and aims: Exercise intervention programs have been proved beneficial for inactive type 2 diabetes patients by improving physical fitness, anthropometric parameters, glycaemic control and lipid profile. The aim of this study was to examine the additional benefits of a supervised systematic exercise program in physically active postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes.Materials and methods: Ten physically active, postmenopausal women with type ...

Early and late complications of acute myocardial infarction are common at diabetics compared to nondiabetics. The blood sugar level can be one of relevant factors to determine the outcome of patients with acute coronary syndrome.The aim of our study is to determine the early hospital mortality at diabetics experiencing an acute coronary syndrome.The data were collected in the coronary care unit of our Institution, for the subgroup ...

Background and aims: The aim of this study was to study the effect of Nebivolol on clinical course and heart rate variability (HRV) parameters in type 2 diabetes (T2DM) patients (pts) with coronary heart disease (CHD) and Chronic heart failure (CHF) of III-IV FC.Materials and methods: Participants were 35 T2DM pts with CHD and CHF/ III-IV FC. The pts were divided into 2 groups (Gr.) Gr.1 (n=15, 10m/5f, mean age 59±7 years) on basic therapy. G...

Objectives: To know the frequency of hypertension in a group of males with type two diabetes without the antecedent of hypertension, by means of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM). To assess the possible differences between the subjects with and without hypertension in age, time of duration of diabetes, obesity and the features of metabolic syndrome.Methods: We included consecutively 55 males with type two diabetes without the antecedent of hype...

AbstractThe aim of our research was to find different from estradiol steroid hormones that changes in their concentrations may be risk factors of coronary artery disease (CAD) in women.Material and methods:YM-CAD-38 menstruating women in the age of 42.6±3.4 years with past myocardial infarction and angiographically proven arteriosclerosis. YM-H- 15 healthy menstruating women in the age of 41.1&#17...

Within the exocrine pancreas, p8 expression is induced by pancreatitis and protects exocrine tissue from inflammatory damage via inhibition of NFκB. In previous work, we investigated the role of p8 within the endocrine pancreas and characterised p8 as a glucose-dependent mediator of beta cell proliferation. Here we investigate the hypothesis that p8 protects beta cells from cell damage by the diabetogenic drug STZ. We investigated native and transiently transfected INS-1E...

In insulin resistant, young women with PCOS elevated serum AGEs and their receptor RAGE have been reported. The present study (approved by the local ethical committee) was undertaken to determine whether increased levels of serum AGEs in PCOS is a distinct finding compared with age- and BMI-matched women, presenting the isolated components of the syndrome and whether serum AGE levels were different among PCOS phenotypes. A total of 193 lean non-insulin resistant women were stu...

Aim: Assessment of possible role of arginine vasopressin (AVP) and aldosterone (Ald), hormones managing blood pressure and water-electrolyte balance, for clinical state and survival of patents after cardiac arrest (CA).Material and methods: Fifty-two patients after CA in the age 62±13 years, 29 patients after out-of-hospital CA, 23 after in-hospital CA. Twenty-eight patients died after CA (CA-D), 24 survived (CA-S). In each day after CA clinical sta...

The aim of the research was to assess whether concentrations of inflammatory markers in blood of patients after cardiac arrest (CA) are related to clinical state and survival.Material and methods: Forty-six patients after CA, 21 after out-of-hospital and 25 after in-hospital CA, in the age 63±12 years, were enrolled. Clinical state of them was evaluated by means of Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACH...

Background: Low-grade systemic chronic inflammation has been recognized in diabetes. The purpose of this study was the assessment of proinflammatory cytokines secretion profile in long-standing diabetes along with the presence of systemic inflammation.Methods: Twenty patients with type 1 (T1DM: 7 women, age (±S.E.M.): 30.90±1.93 years, duration of disease: 142.47±28.34 months) and 21 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus T2...

Hypoglycaemia continues to be a difficult condition to treat especially in infants and young children who cannot administer treatment themselves. Administering the correct dose of sugar is difficult for several reasons: the child may not want to intake food and it may be difficult to force the child to chew or swallow, it is difficult to identify the quantity of sugar necessary to reach optimal glucose levels. If too much sugar is administered, high levels of blood glucose may...

Endothelial dysfunction is thought to be a major cause of vascular complications in diabetes. Our research shows that obestatin, a 23-aminoacid amidated peptide recently identified as a product of the ghrelin gene, inhibited high glucose-induced apoptosis in cultured bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAEC). Exposure to high glucose concentration (30 mM) for 72 h caused a significant increase in apoptosis, as evaluated by Hoechst staining, but co-treatment of rat obestatin (from...

Objective: The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of subclinical late-onset hypogonadism (SLOH) and erectile dysfunctions in the elderly men with diabetes type 2.Material and methods: We investigated 51 men mean aged 68.3 years with diabetes type 2 according ADA recommendations. Androgens concentrations, BMI, HbA1C were measured. All of men were treated with oral antidiabetic drugs or insulin. LOH was expected on the basis of low testostero...

Objective: The role of testosterone in the anatomy and physiology of erection is becoming clear. Erectile dysfunctions (ED) are very common observed in men with diabetes mellitus type 2 (DM2). The aim of the study was to determine the efficacy of testosterone adminisartions in elderly men with ED and DM2.Material and methods: We investigated 41 men mean aged 65.4 years with late onset hypogonadism according Polish Endocrine Society recommendations and DM...