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Glycemic responses to foods: possible differences between insulin-dependent and noninsulin-dependent diabetics.

The effect on the blood glucose response of varying the amount (25 or 50 g) and type (bread or beans) of carbohydrate (CH2O) in test meals and of adding fat and protein was examined in a group of insulin dependent and noninsulin dependent diabetic volunteers. With noninsulin-dependent diabetics, the blood glucose area after a half bread portion was 48% that of the full bread meal (p less than 0.001). White pea beans (50 g CH2O) gave a blood glucose response of 41 +/- 5% (p less than 0.001) that of bread (50 g CH2O). A combined meal of bread (25 g CH2O) and beans (25 g CH2O) gave a blood glucose response of 60 +/- 8% of the full bread meal (p less than 0.005) and similar to that expected. Addition to bread of butter and skim milk cheese either singly or in combination had little effect on the glycemic response although a reduced rise was seen after addition of fat and protein as peanut butter. Insulin-dependent diabetics tended to respond similarly to noninsulin-dependent diabetics but their greater variability indicates that other factors in addition to the nature of the food may also be major determinants of their glycemic responses to foods.

Adult↗

Reproducibility of a glycemic response to mixed meals in type 2 diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the inter-patient and intra-patient reproducibility of the glycemic response to a mixed meal in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). SUBJECTS/SETTING: Six individuals with DM were admitted to the General Clinical Research Center for 6 days. INTERVENTION: Subjects consumed 3 different meal plans consisting of 4 meals daily (breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack) on 2 separate occasions. Serum insulin and glucose levels were sampled at 19 time points every day. The glycemic response (GR) to a meal was calculated as the area under the glucose response curve after consumption of a given meal. In addition, the incremental area under the curve (IGR) was calculated assuming a pre-prandial (baseline) glucose value before each meal as zero. RESULTS: Intra-patient correlation coefficients (R) of GR for meals in subjects with DM were quite good, ranging 0.69-0.94. The range of the inter-patient coefficients of variation (CV) for the same meals was 21.5-30.4%. For IGR, the R values ranged from 0.64 to 0.91 for 8 out of 12 meals, confirming good intra-patient reproducibility for these meals. CV for IGR ranged from 31% to 113%. CONCLUSIONS: For patients with DM, the GR of individual meals exhibits excellent intra-patient reproducibility, allowing prediction of the glycemic response to a given meal in an individual subject. However, significant inter-patient variability of the GR precludes its use for the prediction of post-prandial glucose concentrations in groups of patients with diabetes.

Adult↗

Serum zinc levels in diabetic patients and effect of zinc supplementation on glycemic control of type 2 diabetics.

OBJECTIVE: The present study is an attempt to assess serum zinc level in a sample of diabetic patients (both type 1 and type 2 diabetics) in comparison with those of apparently healthy controls, and to ascertain the relationship between the levels of serum zinc with some epidemiological variables. Furthermore, a trial of zinc supplementation for 3 months conducted to assess the effect of zinc supplementation on glycemic control of the studied type 2 diabetic patients, and the factors that affect the response to this supplementation. METHODS: Collection of data was carried out during the period between November 2002 to February 2003 at the Diabetic Center of Merjan Teaching Hospital in Babil Governorate, Iraq. In the first part of the study (a case-control study), the diabetic group included 133 diabetic patients (type 1 and 2) who were chosen from patients attending the Diabetic Center during the period of the study. The control group included 133 apparently healthy subjects who were selected from the workers of the same hospital. Selection of cases and controls was carried out by using systematic random sampling procedure. In the second part of the study (single blind were intervention study), type 2 diabetic patients (101 patients) divided into 2 groups; the first group included 50 patients supplemented with oral zinc sulfate (30 mg of elemental zinc/cap/day) for 3 months and second group included 51 patients given placebo and designed as control group. RESULTS: The first part of the study shows that the mean value for serum zinc level was significantly lower in diabetic patients than healthy controls (64.2 +/- 12.6 microg/dl for type 1 diabetics, and 68.9 +/- 11.9 microg/dl for type 2 diabetics versus 83.4 +/- 12.5 microg/dl for healthy controls). Using simple linear regression, significant positive correlation was found between serum zinc level and years of education and significant negative correlation was found between serum zinc level and baseline HbA1c% value, in the diabetic group. While significant positive correlation found between serum zinc level and estimated zinc intake in the control group. Using multiple regression analysis, serum zinc level showed significant positive correlation with gender (being a male compared with female), and estimated zinc intake and significant negative correlation with diabetes state (diabetic compared with non-diabetic), residence (urban compared with rural residents), and plant protein intake. The second part of the study shows that the mean value for HbA1c% concentration of the supplemented group decreased significantly at the end of the 3 months of follow up, while no significant changes were found in the mean value for HbA1c% of the control group. The present study showed that the change in HbA1c% after supplementation had significant negative correlation with baseline HbA1c% value. CONCLUSION: Diabetic patients have significantly lower mean serum zinc levels compared with healthy controls. Zinc supplementation for type-2 diabetics has beneficial effects in elevating their serum zinc level, and in improving their glycemic control that is shown by decreasing their HbA1c% concentration.

Adult↗

Reduction of blood glucose variability in type 1 diabetic patients treated by pancreatic islet transplantation: interest of continuous glucose monitoring.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the glycemic profiles of patients with type 1 diabetes treated with either an implantable insulin pump or pancreas or islet transplantation by the means of the continuous glucose monitoring system (CGMS; Minimed, Sylmar, CA). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: The CGMS enabled recording of subcutaneous glucose concentrations (range 2.2-22 mmol/l) over 72 h (288 measurements per day). Over 3 days, 26 patients with type 1 diabetes were connected to a CGMS: 10 patients were treated with intraperitoneal insulin infusion through an implantable pump (IPII), 9 patients were treated with simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation (SPK), and 7 patients were treated with pancreatic islet transplantation after kidney grafting (IAK). All SPK patients and four IAK patients were insulin independent, whereas three IAK patients had partial graft function and reduced exogenous insulin needs. Glucose control was evaluated by the mean glucose concentration, glucose variability, and the number and duration of hypoglycemic events (<3.3 mmol/l) over 3 days. RESULTS: The mean glucose concentration and the glucose variability in SPK and IAK patients were significantly lower than those observed in patients treated with IPII: 5.38 +/- 1.12 and 5.83 +/- 0.81 vs. 7.81 +/- 1.55 mmol/l (P < 0.001) and 1.40 +/- 0.42 and 1.32 +/- 0.53 vs. 3.47 +/- 1.66 mmol/l (P < 0.001), respectively. Furthermore, the mean glucose concentration and the glucose variability were comparable between SPK and IAK patients. Over 3 days, no hypoglycemic events were observed in SPK patients and insulin-independent IAK patients. A total of 4.12 +/- 1.66 hypoglycemic events were detected in the IPII patient group, whereas only 0.66 +/- 0.57 events were observed in IAK patients with partial graft function (P < 0.001). The duration of the hypoglycemic events was significantly longer in IPII patients as compared with IAK patients: 64 +/- 33 vs. 30 +/- 15 min for the day period and 130 +/- 62 vs. 30 +/- 27 min for the night period (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Use of subcutaneous CGMS confirms that islet transplantation can be as efficient as pancreas transplantation in restoring good metabolic control and reducing blood glucose variability. Metabolic improvement due to use of an implantable insulin pump requires insulin delivery by a closed loop.

Adult↗

Plasma total homocysteine and cysteine in relation to glomerular filtration rate in diabetes mellitus.

BACKGROUND: The plasma concentrations of total homocysteine (tHcy) and total cysteine (tCys) are determined by intracellular metabolism and by renal plasma clearance, and we hypothesized that glomerular filtration is a major determinant of plasma tHcy and tCys. We studied the relationships between the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and plasma tHcy and tCys in populations of diabetic patients with particularly wide ranges of GFR. METHODS: We measured GFR, urine albumin excretion rate (UAER), plasma tHcy, tCys, methionine, vitamin B12, folate, C-peptide, and routine parameters in 50 insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) and 30 non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) patients. All patients underwent intensive insulin treatment and had a serum creatinine concentration below 115 micromol/liter. RESULTS: Mean plasma tHcy in diabetic patients (0.1 micromol/liter) was lower than in normal persons (11.1 micromol/liter, P = 0.0014). Mean plasma tCys in diabetic patients (266.1 micromol/liter) was also lower than in normal persons (281.9 micromol/liter, P = 0.0005). Seventy-three percent of the diabetic patients had relative hyperfiltration. Plasma tHcy and tCys were closely and independently associated with GFR, serum folate, and serum B12. However, plasma tHcy was not independently associated with any of the 22 other variables tested, including age, serum creatinine concentration, UAER, total daily insulin dose, and glycemic control. CONCLUSIONS: Glomerular filtration rate is an independent determinant of plasma tHcy and tCys concentrations, and GFR is rate limiting for renal clearance of both homocysteine and cysteine in diabetic patients without overt nephropathy. Declining GFR explains the age-related increase in plasma tHcy, and hyperfiltration explains the lower than normal mean plasma tHcy and tCys concentrations in populations of diabetic patients.

Adult↗

Dynamics of glycemic normalization following transplantation of incremental islet masses in streptozotocin-diabetic rats.

We examined the dynamics of glycemic normalization following intraportal infusion of an incremental number of islets of Langerhans in male Wistar-Furth rats. Non-fasted plasma glucose, 24-hr urine volume, and body weight were determined weekly during three weeks of streptozotocin-induced diabetes and for 5 weeks following transplantation of 250-3000 freshly isolated islets. At one week following transplantation, urine volume was inversely proportional to the mass of islets transplanted, but by 5 weeks posttransplantation urine volume was near-normal except in rats receiving only 250 islets. On the basis of the mean data, the nonfasted plasma glucose fell linearly at a rate of 66 mg/dl per week in rats receiving 500-1000 islets, with normoglycemia (147 +/- 9 mg/dl) being obtained 5 weeks posttransplantation. Examination of the individual time courses for nonfasted plasma glucose revealed a different pattern of glycemic normalization, which consisted of sustained hyperglycemia followed by a rapid fall in the plasma glucose level. During the week prior to normalization glucose fell at a rate of 170 mg/dl per week and normoglycemia was obtained from 1 to 5 weeks following transplantation. Examination of the frequency distribution of nonfasted glucose levels suggested a threshold of 300 mg/dl for glycemic normalization. We conclude that the dynamics of glycemic normalization following transplantation of a suboptimal islet mass include sustained hyperglycemia of variable duration, followed by a rapid fall in the nonfasted plasma glucose level. The contributions of changes in insulin secretion and insulin action underlying this dynamic behavior remain to be determined.

Animals↗

Relationship of fetal macrosomia to maternal postprandial glucose control during pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the gestational ages at which maternal hyperglycemia is most closely related to fetal macrosomia; to determine whether macrosomia is related to elevations of fasting glucose, postprandial glucose, or both; and to assess the relationship of macrosomia to maternal insulin dose and caloric intake. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: One hundred eleven consecutive pregnant women with Class B through RF diabetes were studied longitudinally from 13 to 36 wk gestation. Macrosomia was defined by birthweight greater than 90th percentile for gestational age based on California norms. Women who delivered macrosomic infants were compared with those without macrosomic infants on pre- and postprandial blood glucose, GHb, insulin dose, macronutrient intake, and several other maternal variables. RESULTS: Macrosomia occurred in 32 (29%) cases, although several measures indicated reasonable glycemic control throughout pregnancy. Women delivering macrosomic infants did not differ from those without macrosomic infants in maternal age, prepregnant weight, duration of diabetes, White class, macronutrient intake, GHb, or fasting glucose. Macrosomia was associated with higher postprandial glucose levels up to 32 wk gestation and lower insulin doses from 29 to 36 wk gestation. In multiple logistic regression, macrosomia was significantly associated with postprandial glucose only between 29 and 32 wk gestation. Postprandial glucose values less than 7.3 mM (less than 130 mg/dl) were associated with a higher risk of small-for-gestational-age infants (18%) compared with values above this level (1%). CONCLUSIONS: Because macrosomia was related to postprandial glucose but not fasting glucose, we conclude that postprandial glucose measurement should be a part of routine care for diabetes in pregnancy. A target 1-h postprandial glucose value of 7.3 mM (130 mg/dl) may be the level that optimally reduces the incidence of macrosomia without increasing the incidence of small-for-gestational-age infants.

Adult↗

Bromocriptine: a novel approach to the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: In vertebrates, body fat stores and insulin action are controlled by the temporal interaction of circadian neuroendocrine oscillations. Bromocriptine modulates neurotransmitter action in the brain and has been shown to improve glucose tolerance and insulin resistance in animal models of obesity and diabetes. We studied the effect of a quick-release bromocriptine formulation on glucose homeostasis and insulin sensitivity in obese type 2 diabetic subjects. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: There were 22 obese subjects with type 2 diabetes randomized to receive a quick-release formulation of bromocriptine (n = 15) or placebo (n = 7) in a 16-week double-blind study. Subjects were prescribed a weight-maintaining diet to exclude any effect of changes in body weight on the primary outcome measurements. Fasting plasma glucose concentration and HbA(1c) were measured at 2- to 4-week intervals during treatment. Body composition (underwater weighing), body fat distribution (magnetic resonance imaging), oral glucose tolerance (oral glucose tolerance test [OGTT]), insulin-mediated glucose disposal, and endogenous glucose production (2-step euglycemic insulin clamp, 40 and 160 mU x min(-1) x m(-2)) were measured before and after treatment. RESULTS: No changes in body weight or body composition occurred during the study in either placebo- or bromocriptine-treated subjects. Bromocriptine significantly reduced HbA(1c) (from 8.7 to 8.1%, P = 0.009) and fasting plasma glucose (from 190 to 172 mg/dl, P = 0.02) levels, whereas these variables increased during placebo treatment (from 8.5 to 9.1%, NS, and from 187 to 223 mg/dl, P = 0.02, respectively). The differences in HbA(1c) (delta = 1.2%, P = 0.01) and fasting glucose (delta = 54 mg/dl, P < 0.001) levels between the bromocriptine and placebo group at 16 weeks were highly significant. The mean plasma glucose concentration during OGTT was significantly reduced by bromocriptine (from 294 to 272 mg/dl, P = 0.005), whereas it increased in the placebo group. No change in glucose disposal occurred during the first step of the insulin clamp in either the bromocriptine- or placebo-treated group. During the second insulin clamp step, bromocriptine improved total glucose disposal from 6.8 to 8.4 mg x min(-1) kg(-1) fat-free mass (FFM) (P = 0.01) and nonoxidative glucose disposal from 3.3 to 4.3 mg min(-1) x kg(-1) FFM (P < 0.05), whereas both of these variables deteriorated significantly (P < or = 0.02) in the placebo group. CONCLUSIONS: Bromocriptine improves glycemic control and glucose tolerance in obese type 2 diabetic patients. Both reductions in fasting and postprandial plasma glucose levels appear to contribute to the improvement in glucose tolerance. The bromocriptine-induced improvement in glycemic control is associated with enhanced maximally stimulated insulin-mediated glucose disposal.

Abdomen↗

The cardiovascular risk profile of adolescents with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

Cardiovascular risk factors including blood pressure, lipoprotein concentrations, physical activity, and diet were assessed in 149 diabetic adolescents and 45 nondiabetic siblings. All diabetic subjects had had insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) for a minimum of 2 yr and were currently attending the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh Diabetes Clinic. For both boys and girls, cardiovascular risk profiles were mildly disturbed among diabetic subjects compared with nondiabetic siblings. These disturbances included higher systolic (P = 0.002) and diastolic (P = 0.024) blood pressures and higher HDL3 cholesterol concentrations. The diabetic girls showed higher total cholesterol concentrations during adolescence in contrast to the usual fall seen in nondiabetic adolescents (and evidenced in the siblings studied). In addition, the diabetic girls' mean pulse rate was 12 bpm higher than that of the sibling girls, a finding not seen in the boys. Multiple linear regression analyses showed that neither glycemic control (worse in diabetic girls), diet, nor physical activity were important explanatory variables for any of the lipoprotein or blood pressure measures. These results suggest that the cardiovascular risk profile of diabetic girls may be relatively more disturbed than that of diabetic boys. This difference could not be explained by the slightly higher glycosylated hemoglobin levels in the girls. The loss of the sex differential in the risk for cardiovascular disease experienced by adults with IDDM may partly relate to these adolescent risk factor differences.

Adolescent↗

An examination of the association between therapeutic anticoagulation control and glycemic control for patients with diabetes on oral anticoagulation therapy.

BACKGROUND: Observations by pharmacists monitoring anticoagulated patients suggested that patients with diabetes often require more frequent international normalized ratio (INR) monitoring than patients without diabetes. The purpose of this investigation was to examine the association between glycemic control and therapeutic anticoagulation control. METHODS: Patients with diabetes who were receiving warfarin therapy monitored by the Kaiser Permanente of Colorado Clinical Pharmacy Anticoagulation Service were eligible for inclusion. Patients were included if they had a diagnosis of diabetes mellitus type 1 or 2, aged > or =18 years, and had initiated anticoagulant therapy > or =120 days before their most recent hemoglobin A1C measurement. The primary outcome was the correlation between hemoglobin A1C value and percent of time in the patient-specific INR range. Multivariate analysis was undertaken to regress percent of time in INR range on an A1C value > or =8.0 while adjusting for other possible explanatory variables. RESULTS: A total of 911 patients with diabetes were included in the study. Subjects with an A1C value > or =8.0 had similar characteristics as those subjects with an A1C value < 8.0. Correlation analysis revealed no relationship between percent of time spent in INR range and A1C value (Spearman Correlation Coefficient = 0.012, p = 0.805). Multivariate analysis revealed no relationship between percent of time spent in INR range and A1C value > or =8.0 (Odds Ratio = 1.00; 95% Confidence Interval = 0.99, 1.01) when adjusting for possible explanatory variables. CONCLUSIONS: For patients with diabetes on warfarin anticoagulation therapy, there is no association between glycemic control and therapeutic anticoagulation control. However, anticoagulation therapy providers should manage these patients with the same diligence and care as patients without diabetes.

Aged↗

A prospective study of dietary glycemic load, carbohydrate intake, and risk of coronary heart disease in US women.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the effects of the amount and type of carbohydrates on risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to prospectively evaluate the relations of the amount and type of carbohydrates with risk of CHD. DESIGN: A cohort of 75521 women aged 38-63 y with no previous diagnosis of diabetes mellitus, myocardial infarction, angina, stroke, or other cardiovascular diseases in 1984 was followed for 10 y. Each participant's dietary glycemic load was calculated as a function of glycemic index, carbohydrate content, and frequency of intake of individual foods reported on a validated food-frequency questionnaire at baseline. All dietary variables were updated in 1986 and 1990. RESULTS: During 10 y of follow-up (729472 person-years), 761 cases of CHD (208 fatal and 553 nonfatal) were documented. Dietary glycemic load was directly associated with risk of CHD after adjustment for age, smoking status, total energy intake, and other coronary disease risk factors. The relative risks from the lowest to highest quintiles of glycemic load were 1.00, 1.01, 1. 25, 1.51, and 1.98 (95% CI: 1.41, 2.77 for the highest quintile; P for trend < 0.0001). Carbohydrate classified by glycemic index, as opposed to its traditional classification as either simple or complex, was a better predictor of CHD risk. The association between dietary glycemic load and CHD risk was most evident among women with body weights above average ¿ie, body mass index (in kg/m(2)) >/= 23. CONCLUSION: These epidemiologic data suggest that a high dietary glycemic load from refined carbohydrates increases the risk of CHD, independent of known coronary disease risk factors.

Adult↗

Adherence to oral therapy for type 2 diabetes: opportunities for enhancing glycemic control.

PURPOSE: Although diet and exercise are important parts of type 2 diabetes treatment, most patients require pharmacological intervention with multiple agents to maintain adequate glycemic control. This article addresses the numerous patient-related, disease-related, and demographic variables affecting medication adherence in this patient population. DATA SOURCES: Extensive review of scientific literature, clinical practice guidelines, and Internet sources. CONCLUSIONS: Studies have demonstrated that treatments including multiple medications or frequent dosing had a negative impact on adherence. Practitioners have used several approaches in an effort to improve adherence to oral antidiabetic medical therapy, including increased communication between health care providers and patients, implementation of multidisciplinary programs, and use of treatment regimens with easier dosing (i.e., reduced number of drugs or doses taken per day). IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Options for type 2 diabetes treatments that combine effective medications into a simpler oral-dosage form may motivate and improve patient adherence. Ultimately, simplifying dosing may lead to better glycemic control, thereby reducing the risks associated with long-term consequences of the disease.

Administration, Oral↗

Early peri-operative glycaemic control and allograft rejection in patients with diabetes mellitus: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Hyperglycemia alters the inflammatory response to infection and ischemia. We hypothesize that perioperative glycemic control could also influence the risk for allograft rejection. METHODS: Consecutive patients with established diabetes undergoing their first cadaveric renal transplantation and receiving steroid-sparing immunosuppression were identified (n=50). Records of capillary glucose observations over the first 100 hr following surgery and transplantation variables pertaining to graft function, acute rejection, and postoperative infection were identified and entered into multivariate analysis. RESULTS: Perioperative glycemic control was associated with an increased incidence of infection and acute rejection. Only 3 of 27 patients (11%) with optimal glycemic control during the 100 hr following surgery (mean<11.2 mmol/L) had rejection episodes compared with 58% of patients with poor control (>11.2 mmol/L). All patients with poor glycemic control experienced postoperative infection. CONCLUSIONS: This pilot study suggests that hyperglycemia may be associated with an increased risk of both allograft rejection and postoperative infection in patients with diabetes.

Adult↗

Switch to multiple daily injections with insulin glargine and insulin lispro from continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion with insulin lispro: a randomized, open-label study using a continuous glucose monitoring system.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of the transition from a continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) regimen with insulin lispro to 1 of 2 dose regimens of multiple daily injections (MDI) with insulin lispro and insulin glargine in patients with type 1 diabetes. METHODS: The study group consisted of 38 patients with type 1 diabetes who had been using CSII with insulin lispro for > or =6 months. These patients were randomized to receive insulin glargine at a dose equal to (group 1:1) or 1.2 times (group 1:1.2) the mean of their total daily CSII basal insulin dose. Data were obtained by continuous interstitial glucose measurement at baseline and for 7 days of MDI. RESULTS: The switch to MDI was associated with a transient deterioration in glycemic control on day 1 in the 1:1 treatment group, which stabilized thereafter. Glucose variability did not increase significantly from baseline in either group on days 1 and 2 after the switch in treatment but increased significantly on day 4 in the 1:1 group for mean amplitude of glucose excursion and in the 1:1.2 group for SD, M-value, and mean amplitude of glucose excursion. Rates of hypoglycemia did not change significantly in either study group after the switch in treatment, but the 1:1 group showed a trend toward less nocturnal hypoglycemia. There were no episodes of severe hypoglycemia, and patients in both groups experienced significantly less time at glucose values <70 mg/dL on day 1 after the switch in comparison with baseline. CONCLUSION: MDI with insulin glargine and insulin lispro provide a safe transition for patients taking "pump holidays" without clinically significant disruptions of glycemic control. The recommended dose of insulin glargine after the switch in treatment is equal to the total daily basal dose on CSII.

Adolescent↗

Hemostasis variables in type I diabetic patients without demonstrable vascular complications.

OBJECTIVE: To determine hemostasis variables in type I diabetic patients without clinically demonstrable micro- and macroangiopathy and to relate them to glycemic control. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Fifty patients and 50 comparable control subjects were enrolled in this study. The patients were subdivided in two groups, according to their level of HbA1c (group 1, n = 30, HbA1c < or = 8%; group 2, n = 20, HbA1c > 8%). We determined the platelet count, the platelet aggregation in the spontaneous state and in the presence of ADP or collagen, beta-thromboglobulin, platelet factor 4, fibrinogen, von Willebrand factor (factors VIII:C, VIIIR:Ag, and VIIIR:VW), plasma and urinary fibrinopeptide A, euglobulin lysis time, anticoagulant proteins C and S, and plasma viscosity. RESULTS: All coagulation variables were significantly higher in diabetic patients compared with control subjects. Moreover, when the patients were subdivided according to their levels of HbA1c, the hemostatic disturbances appeared significantly more pronounced in the poorly controlled than in the well-controlled subjects. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms the existence of a state of hypercoagulability in type I diabetes. This hypercoagulability may be related to poor glycemic control. Our study suggests that the hemostasis disturbances precede demonstrable vascular complications.

Adenosine Diphosphate↗

The significance of a collaborative practice model in delivering care to chronically ill patients: a case study of managing diabetes mellitus in a primary health care center.

Non-communicable diseases, especially diabetes mellitus type two (DM2) constitute major health problems in Lebanon that have an adverse impact on health and health resources. Collaborative practice interventions may improve quality care of DM2 and reduce or delay complications. The purpose of this paper was to evaluate the impact of collaborative practice on the quality and cost of effective care for diabetic patients in a primary health care center. A chart audit review of 375 diabetic patients attending an inner city health center in Beirut (Lebanon) was conducted after three and a half years of collaborative practice intervention, which included guidelines for an interdisciplinary health team. Evaluation of the impact of collaborative practice was conducted on the process and outcome of care. The results indicated a high level of enthusiasm, support and the development of team spirit at the process level. At the outcome level there was improvement in documentation, increase in patient recruitment, increase in continuity of care, improvement of glycemic control and decreased cost. In conclusion collaborative practice interventions improved process and outcome variables for diabetic patients. It is suggested that this model could be developed for use in the care of other chronic diseases.

Chronic Disease↗

Hepatic insulin resistance after pancreas transplantation in type I diabetes.

Hyperinsulinemia and peripheral insulin resistance caused by systemic insulin delivery and prednisone therapy are recognized consequences of pancreas transplantation. However, there is little information about insulin action on the liver. To investigate hepatic insulin sensitivity in recipients of pancreas transplants, we devised a staged euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp to measure hepatic glucose production (HGP) in 10 type I diabetic pancreas transplant recipients, 10 pair-matched healthy control subjects, and 6 nondiabetic kidney transplant recipients. Clamps were performed in two sequential stages. In stage 1, a 2-h low-dose insulin infusion (0.4 mU.kg-1.min-1) was used to partially suppress HGP. In stage 2, insulin-mediated suppression of HGP was challenged by a 1.5-h glucagon infusion (0.8 ng.kg-1.min-1), while continuing the hyperinsulinemic euglycemic-clamp conditions. During both stages, somatostatin (250 micrograms/h) was infused to suppress endogenous insulin secretion. All subjects underwent stage 1, and all except one pancreas recipient and a respective matched healthy control subject completed stage 2. Fasting HGP was greater in pancreas recipients than in healthy control subjects (15.1 +/- 0.7 vs. 12.0 +/- 0.4 mumol.l-1.kg-1.min-1, P < 0.005) but similar in healthy control subjects and in kidney recipients. During stage 2, both total (706 +/- 28 vs. 469 +/- 31 mumol.l-1.kg-1, P < 0.005) and incremental (62 +/- 20 vs. -21 +/- 16 mumol.l-1.kg-1, P < 0.005) HGP responses to glucagon infusion were significantly greater in pancreas recipients than in healthy control subjects. Changes in HGP in kidney recipients during stage 2 were not significantly different from those in healthy control subjects. In conclusion, fasting HGP is increased in pancreas transplant recipients. Furthermore, recipients have hepatic insulin resistance as demonstrated by an enhanced stimulatory effect of glucagon on HGP during insulin-mediated HGP suppression. Because the magnitude of hepatic insulin resistance was a significant (P < 0.01) predictor of HbA1c level, we suggest that variable hepatic insulin resistance may be responsible for some of the variance observed in glycemic levels after successful pancreas transplantation.

Adult↗

Comparison of effects of thiazolidinediones on cardiovascular risk factors: observations from a clinical practice.

OBJECTIVE: To compare short-term glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA(1c)), lipid, weight, tolerability, and hepatic effects after switching patients with type 2 diabetes from troglitazone to either pioglitazone or rosiglitazone treatment. METHODS: This study compared the effects of conversion from maintenance troglitazone therapy to pioglitazone versus rosiglitazone. HbA(1c), lipids, weights, adverse effects, and hepatic status were monitored, providing no other major therapeutic change had been made. Of 163 study candidates, 144 and 125 patients fulfilled the criteria for comparison of HbA(1c) and lipids, respectively. RESULTS: HbA(1c) decreased an absolute mean of 0.08% for each treatment group, after a mean 3.2-month observation. Mean cholesterol, triglyceride, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels decreased in the pioglitazone group by 4.7%, 11.3%, and 7.3% but increased 8.4%, 38.4%, and 8.1%, respectively, in the rosiglitazone group. Mean high-density lipoprotein (HDL) increased 2.6% with pioglitazone and decreased 6.3% with rosiglitazone therapy. Patients receiving a statin concomitantly when switched to rosiglitazone treatment had a 51.9% mean triglyceride increase versus a 25.7% increase for those not taking a statin, whereas the patients switched to pioglitazone therapy had respective decreases of 14.2% and 6.2%. Both drugs were generally well tolerated; patients in both groups had similar slight weight increases and no hepatic dysfunction. CONCLUSION: Patients switched from maintenance troglitazone treatment to either pioglitazone or rosiglitazone therapy had similar glycemic control. Conversion to pioglitazone therapy caused a trend toward improvement in all lipid variables, but switching to rosiglitazone therapy caused significantly increased levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL and a trend toward decreased HDL. Patients already receiving statins when switched to rosiglitazone therapy had particularly notable triglyceride worsening. Whether these effects will lead to changes in cardiovascular outcome or will be maintained over a longer period remains to be established.

Adult↗