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Evaluation of a strict protocol approach in managing women with severe disease due to abortion.

AIM: To evaluate whether the introduction of a strict protocol approach based on the systemic evaluation of critically ill pregnant women with complications of abortion affected outcome. SETTING: Indigent South Africans managed in the regional and tertiary hospitals of the Pretoria Academic Complex. METHOD: Since 1997 a standard definition of severe acute maternal morbidity (SAMM) has been used in the Pretoria Academic Complex. All cases of SAMM and maternal deaths were entered on the Maternal Morbidity and Mortality Audit System programme. A comparison of outcome of severely ill women who had complications of abortion was made between 1997-1998 (original protocol) and 2002-2004 (strict protocol). OUTCOME MEASURES: The mortality index and prevalence of organ system failure or dysfunction. RESULTS: In 1997-1998 there were 43 women with SAMM who survived and a further 10 maternal deaths due to complications of abortion, compared with 107 women with SAMM and 7 maternal deaths during 2002-2004. The mortality index declined from 18.9% in 1997-1998 to 6.1% in 2002-2004 (p = 0.02, odds ratio 0.28, 95% confidence limits 0.10 - 0.79). Significantly more women had hypovolaemic shock in 2002-2004 compared with 1997-1998 (54.4% v. 35.8%, p = 0.04), but fewer women had immune system failure including septic shock (18.4% v. 47.2%, p = 0.0002) and metabolic dysfunction (0 v. 5.7%, p = 0.03) and there was a trend to less renal failure (10.5% v. 22.6%, p = 0.06) and cardiac failure (4.4% v. 13.2%, p = 0.08). CONCLUSION: The strict protocol approach based on systemic evaluation in managing critically ill pregnant women with complications of abortion, coupled with an intensive, regular feedback mechanism, has been associated with a reduction in the mortality index.

Abortion, Induced↗

The gut microbiota-obesity axis in the pathogenesis and prognosis of breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer (BC) remains a major global health concern, accounting for 11.7% of all cancer cases and ranking as the second leading cause of female cancer-related deaths worldwide. Increasing evidence highlights the interplay between gut microbiota (GM) dysbiosis and obesity-associated metabolic dysfunction in BC progression. This review aims to elucidate the role of GM in obese patients with BC. METHODS: A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed and Web of Science databases for publications from July 2015 to January 2025. Search terms combined BC, GM, obesity, dysbiosis, immunity, and microbiome. Article selection prioritized studies investigating microbial alterations in BC patients, mechanistic links between obesity and cancer progression, and GM-targeted interventions. Both original studies and authoritative reviews were included, supplemented by manual reference screening. DISCUSSION: Obesity may trigger systemic inflammation, altered adipokine secretion, and disrupted steroid hormone metabolism via gut-derived β-glucuronidase activity, thereby exacerbating BC occurrence and recurrence. GM dysbiosis-driven metabolites such as branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) can activate oncogenic signaling pathways and immunosuppressive myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), fostering tumor immune evasion. Conversely, dietary interventions, probiotics, and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) can alleviate dysbiosis, strengthen gut barriers, and restore anti-tumor immunity, improving chemotherapy response and reducing recurrence. However, challenges persist in deciphering BC subtype-related microbial signatures and optimizing microbiota-targeted therapies. CONCLUSION: Future longitudinal studies are needed to clarify causal relationships, validate microbial biomarkers, and translate preclinical findings into clinical applications. Addressing the gut-breast axis may offer transformative potential for precision oncology in obesity-driven BC.

Humans↗

Combined inhibition of interleukin-1 and tumor necrosis factor in rodent endotoxemia: improved survival and organ function.

The interleukin (IL)-1 receptor antagonist (Ra) and a polyethylene glycol-linked dimer of the type I soluble receptor of tumor necrosis factor (TNF), PEG-(rsTNF-RI)2, were used to determine whether maximal protection against lethality and organ dysfunction is achieved by single or dual cytokine inhibition under rigorous conditions of rodent endotoxemia. Inhibition of IL-1 or TNF alone protected maximally against lethality when inhibitors were given simultaneously with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) under minimal lethal conditions. Combined inhibition of IL-1 and TNF was necessary to maximally protect against lethality when treatment was delayed until 7 h after LPS injection under minimal lethal conditions or when treatment was begun immediately after LPS injection under supralethal conditions. Improved survival in IL-1Ra- plus PEG-(rsTNF-RI)2-treated rats was associated with enhanced protection against renal and metabolic dysfunctions. Thus, under very severe conditions of endotoxemia, TNF and IL-1 may act independently to mediate lethality and some organ dysfunctions.

Animals↗

Mitochondrial death in sepsis: a failed concept.

The concept of early selective mitochondrial injury has been proposed to explain the global metabolic dysfunction observed in the septic state. A two phase study was undertaken to test the validity of this hypothesis. In the initial phase, an endotoxin shock model was employed in the rat to delineate the function of skeletal muscle mitochondria. Mitochondrial function was determined polarimetrically, comparing state three and state four rates, respiratory control index (RCI) and ADP:O ratios. No significant alteration in these parameters was observed in the endotoxic state. Phase II of the study was designed to investigate mitochondrial function in a bacterial peritonitis rat model. Both liver and skeletal muscle mitochondrial function were determined to control for possible alterations in liver metabolism. Neither muscle nor liver mitochondria exhibited functional impairment during sepsis. We conclude from this study that neither endotoxemia nor peritonitis selectively "kills" mitochondria as previously suggested.

Animals↗

Neocortical temporal FDG-PET hypometabolism correlates with temporal lobe atrophy in hippocampal sclerosis associated with microscopic cortical dysplasia.

PURPOSE: Medically intractable temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) due to hippocampal sclerosis (HS), with or without cortical dysplasia (CD), is associated with atrophy of the hippocampal formation and regional fluorodeoxyglucose positron-emission tomography (FDG-PET) hypometabolism. The relation between areas of functional and structural abnormalities is not well understood. We investigate the relation between FDG-PET metabolism and temporal lobe (TL) and hippocampal atrophy in patients with histologically proven isolated HS and HS associated with CD. METHODS: Twenty-three patients underwent en bloc resection of the mesial and anterolateral neocortical structures. Ten patients were diagnosed with isolated HS; 13 patients had associated microscopic CD. Temporal lobe volumes (TLVs) and hippocampal volumes were measured. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and PET were co-registered, and regions of interest (ROIs) determined as gray matter of the mesial, lateral, and anterior temporal lobe. RESULTS: All patients (HS with or without CD) had significant ipsilateral PET hypometabolism in all three regions studied (p < 0.0001). In patients with isolated HS, the most prominent hypometabolism was in the anterior and mesial temporal lobe, whereas in dual pathology, it was in the lateral temporal lobe. TLVs and hippocampal volumes were significantly smaller on the epileptogenic side (p < 0.05). The PET asymmetries ipsilateral/contralateral to the epileptogenic zone and TLV asymmetries correlated significantly for the anterior and lateral temporal lobes (p < 0.05) in the HS+CD group, but not in the isolated HS group. Mesial temporal hypometabolism was not significantly different between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Temporal neocortical microscopic CD with concurrent HS is associated with more prominent lateral temporal metabolic dysfunction compared with isolated HS in TL atrophy. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings and correlate the PET hypometabolic patterns with outcome data in patients operated on for HS with or without CD.

Adolescent↗

Changes in weight and metabolic health during and after cessation of a time-restricted feeding plus aerobic training in Swiss mice fed a high-fat diet.

Obesity is a chronic disease, representing a significant health problem worldwide. Unhealthy eating habits and sedentarism are key contributors to the development of obesity. Dietary and exercise strategies are the first-line therapies for weight loss or maintenance and have proven effective in controlling weight. However, long-term adherence is challenging, and rapid weight regain often follows intervention cessation. In mice, time-restricted feeding (TRF) and exercise (EXE) independently prevent weight gain and maintain metabolic health, yet weight regain is observed upon cessation. Whether combining TRF and EXE provides longer-lasting benefits remains unclear. Here, we assessed weight and metabolic parameters in Swiss male mice fed with a high-fat diet (HFD) during an 8-wk intervention of TRF (8-h food access in the active phase) or TRF combined with EXE (60-min treadmill running daily) and after cessation and transfer to ad libitum feeding. TRF and EXE interventions successfully mitigate weight gain, improve glycemic homeostasis, and attenuate lipid accumulation in the liver and adipose tissue hypertrophy compared to mice fed HFD ad libitum. However, cessation of both strategies led to rapid weight regain, impaired glycemic control, and increased circulating lipid levels. Although the combination of TRF and EXE led to the lowest body weight and best metabolic health, this group showed no protection against the metabolic impairments observed after TRF cessation alone. In conclusion, TRF and EXE are complementary strategies for managing metabolic health, but cessation of these interventions leads to rapid weight regain and metabolic deterioration, with only partial preservation of select metabolic adaptations. These findings underscore the critical need for sustained adherence to lifestyle interventions in obesity management.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This study demonstrates that combining time-restricted feeding with aerobic training improves weight and metabolic health in Swiss mice fed a high-fat diet. Importantly, we show that most metabolic benefits are lost after intervention cessation. However, insulin sensitivity and aspects of hepatic lipid metabolism are partially maintained after cessation of the intervention. These findings provide new insight into the durability of metabolic improvements induced by lifestyle interventions and highlight the potential of combined dietary and exercise strategies to counteract diet-induced obesity and metabolic dysfunction.

Animals↗

Identification of circulating miRNA alterations in diabetes patients excluding periodontitis effects: insights into target gene downregulation in diabetic complications.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus (DM) induces systemic complications through chronic metabolic dysregulation. Circulating exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs) are emerging as key regulators of post-transcriptional gene expression and may drive diabetes-associated pathologies. Although miRNAs have been widely studied in diabetes, the characterization of PD-independent miRNA signatures across tissues remains limited. This study aimed to identify DM-specific miRNA alterations and their contribution to systemic metabolic dysfunction independent of PD. METHODS: Exosomes were isolated from plasma samples, and small RNA sequencing was performed to identify differentially expressed miRNAs (DE-miRs) using the limma R package. Predicted target genes were identified using TargetScan and validated through bulk RNA sequencing datasets from four tissues-foot, kidney, pancreas, and retina. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were analyzed, followed by Gene Ontology Biological Process (GOBP) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment to elucidate diabetes-related mechanisms. RESULTS: We identified 9 upregulated and 6 downregulated DE-miRs specific to the diabetic group. TargetScan predicted 216 upregulated and 64 downregulated target genes. Functional validation revealed that these genes were enriched in pathways related to glucose metabolism, cellular stress response, and tissue repair. Notably, SREK1 and GLIPR1 were commonly detected across all four tissues, suggesting potential systemic regulators of diabetes-related complications. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that circulating exosomal miRNAs, independent of periodontitis, may function as systemic regulators in diabetes. Unlike previous studies, which did not distinguish co-morbid periodontitis, we specifically defined PD-independent miRNA signatures and validated their cross-organ regulatory effects on target genes. Our results revealed a cross-organ miRNA-mRNA regulatory network and identified common regulatory targets. These findings provide insights into both systemic and organ-specific mechanisms underlying diabetic complications and highlight the potential of miRNAs as biomarkers and therapeutic targets.

Humans↗

Timing of weight gain in relation to breast cancer risk.

Excessive weight gain in women at the time of intense hormonal change can result in metabolic dysfunction. The metabolic/endocrine effect of puberty, pregnancy or menopause on breast tissue 'aging' is likely to be more relevant to a woman's breast cancer risk than is her degree of obesity at the time when the cancer presents. Experimental evidence suggests that the susceptibility of mammary tissue to carcinogenesis is greatest in early adult life, and multiple studies show that a history of weight gain in early adult life is associated with increased breast cancer risk in Western women. Excessive weight gain in that age group is associated with the development of hyperinsulinaemia in individuals with genetic susceptibility to insulin resistance. The insulin resistance syndrome may be a metabolic link between weight gain and breast cancer risk in Western women. Some studies suggest that in postmenopausal women, hyperinsulinaemia is related more to overall obesity, whereas in premenopausal women it is related more to abdominal localisation of fat. This may explain why an increased body mass index is a risk marker for breast cancer in postmenopausal but not premenopausal women. (A premenopausal woman with an average body mass index may have a large intra-abdominal fat mass associated with the presence of hyperinsulinaemia.) It is hypothesised that over-nutrition and inadequate physical exercise favour the development of hyperinsulinaemia and also increase breast cancer risk in women with a genetic susceptibility to both conditions. The hypothesis can be tested by specific intervention studies.

Breast Neoplasms↗

High dose L-carnitine improves immunologic and metabolic parameters in AIDS patients.

Several reports indicate that systemic carnitine deficiency could occur in acquired immunodeficiency disease syndrome (AIDS), and that primary and secondary carnitine deficiency leads to critical metabolic dysfunctions. L-carnitine supplementation to peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of AIDS patients resulted in significant enhancement of the phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-driven proliferative response. High dose L-carnitine administration (6 gr per day for two weeks) to AIDS patients treated with zidovudine also led to increased PBMCs proliferation and reduced blood levels of triglycerides. In addition, a reduction of beta 2-microglobulin serum levels as well as circulating tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, mostly in patients exhibiting highly elevated levels, were found at the end of the treatment period. Our data suggest that in vivo L-carnitine could prove useful in ameliorating both the immune response and lipid metabolism in patients with AIDS, irrespective of initial serum carnitines levels. The mechanism(s) accounting for the observed results are currently not clear. Further studies are needed to confirm the hypothesis that L-carnitine affects the expression of HIV-induced cytokine.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

Ex vivo gene therapy with lentiviral vectors rescues adenosine deaminase (ADA)-deficient mice and corrects their immune and metabolic defects.

Adenosine deaminase (ADA) deficiency is caused by a purine metabolic dysfunction, leading to severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) and multiple organ damage. To investigate the efficacy of ex vivo gene therapy with self-inactivating lentiviral vectors (LVs) in correcting this complex phenotype, we used an ADA(-/-) mouse model characterized by early postnatal lethality. LV-mediated ADA gene transfer into bone marrow cells combined with low-dose irradiation rescued mice from lethality and restored their growth, as did transplantation of wild-type bone marrow. Mixed chimerism with multilineage engraftment of transduced cells was detected in the long term in animals that underwent transplantation. ADA activity was normalized in lymphocytes and partially corrected in red blood cells (RBCs), resulting in full metabolic detoxification and prevention of severe pulmonary insufficiency. Moreover, gene therapy restored normal lymphoid differentiation and immune functions, including antigen-specific antibody production. Similar degrees of detoxification and immune reconstitution were obtained in mice treated early after birth or after 1 month of enzyme-replacement therapy, mimicking 2 potential applications for ADA-SCID. Overall, this study demonstrates the efficacy of LV gene transfer in correcting both the immunological and metabolic phenotypes of ADA-SCID and supports the future clinical use of this approach.

Adenosine Deaminase↗

Ocular manifestations of Donohue's syndrome.

INTRODUCTION: Donohue's syndrome, also known as Leprechaunism, is a rare autosomal recessive disease that manifests at birth with symptoms of endocrine dysfunction. Metabolic characteristics of the disease include postprandial hyperglycemia, fasting hypoglycemia, insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia, and failure to thrive. The physical features most often associated with this condition include hypertrichosis, pachyderma, acanthosis nigricans, prominent genitalia, and elfin-like facial characteristics of prominent eyes, wide nostrils, thick lips, and large, low-set ears. Not only is this syndrome rare, but it often results in infant and early childhood mortality. The literature regarding ocular manifestations is limited. CASE REPORT: We present a case of a 29-year-old male with Donohue's syndrome and significant ocular findings including a subluxated mature cataract, retinal detachment, high myopia, and optic atrophy. DISCUSSION: These ocular sequelae are discussed with regard to the noted endocrine dysfunction and its effects on tissue development and growth.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗

Inhibition of 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 in obesity.

Excessive glucocorticoid exposure (Cushing's syndrome) results in increased adiposity associated with dysmetabolic features (including insulin resistance, hyperlipidaemia, and hypertension). Circulating cortisol levels are not elevated in idiopathic obesity, although cortisol production and clearance are increased. However, tissue glucocorticoid exposure may be altered independently of circulating levels by 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11HSD1), an enzyme which generates active glucocorticoid within tissues, including in adipose tissue. Transgenic overexpression of 11HSD1 in mice causes obesity. In human obesity, 11HSD1 is altered in a tissue-specific manner with reduced levels in liver but elevated levels in adipose, which may lead to glucocorticoid receptor activation and contribute to the metabolic phenotype. The reasons for altered 11HSD1 in obesity are not fully understood. Although some polymorphisms have been demonstrated in intronic and upstream regions of the HSD11B1 gene, the functional significance of these is not clear. In addition, there is mounting evidence that 11HSD1 may be dysregulated secondarily to factors that are altered in obesity, including substrates for metabolism, hormones, and inflammatory mediators. 11HSD1 is a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of the metabolic syndrome. 11HSD1 knockout mice are protected from diet-induced obesity and associated metabolic dysfunction. Although many specific inhibitors of 11HSD1 have now been developed, and published data support their efficacy in the liver to reduce glucose production, their efficacy in enhancing insulin sensitivity in adipose tissue remains uncertain. The therapeutic potential of 11HSD1 in human obesity therefore remains highly promising but as yet unproven.

11-beta-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 1↗

Domino liver transplants for metabolic disorders: experience with familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy.

BACKGROUND: Shortage of liver donors means that new methods of liver procurement must be explored. In domino transplantation, organs explanted during transplantation in one patient are transplanted into a second patient. Domino procedures can be performed with livers from patients having transplantation for hepatic metabolic disorders that cause systemic disease without affecting other liver functions. Familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy (FAP) type I is one of these. STUDY DESIGN: We reviewed the Paul Brousse experience with a domino liver transplant program for FAP, hoping to extend the approach to other metabolic disorders. RESULTS: Livers from 10 patients transplanted for FAP type 1 were used for domino transplants to patients with unresectable primary or metastatic liver cancers. There was no perioperative mortality. Neuropathy or cardiomyopathy did not increase the morbidity of the domino liver explant and transplant procedures. Morbidity for the domino recipients did not appear to be increased. Variant transthyretin was detected in the serum in FAP liver recipients, with no immediate clinical consequences. CONCLUSIONS: The domino approach is feasible and requires careful planning of the surgical procedures for liver explantation, particularly for the nature and site of vascular anastomoses. Domino transplantation of metabolically dysfunctional livers creates new categories of potential donors and potential recipients. It raises new ethical, technical, and societal issues. The domino approach could be used in several genetic or biochemical disorders now treated by liver transplantation. It has the potential to increase the number of liver grafts available for transplantation.

Adult↗

Amylin regulation of fuel metabolism.

The 37-amino acid amylin, co-secreted from the pancreatic beta cells with insulin in response to nutrient stimuli has actions in a number of tissues of metabolic interest. In muscle it opposes glycogen synthesis and activates glycogenolysis, an action likely to underly its stimulation of lactate flux. Amylin therefore appears to have the effect of transposing carbon from peripheral stores to the liver, where it is made available for hepatic synthesis of glucose, glycogen, and lipid. While amylin induces insulin resistance in skeletal muscle, it does not oppose insulin action in fat and may therefore favor fuel deposition in this tissue. Amylin acts on the beta cell to inhibit insulin secretion. Relative impairment of insulin secretion, muscle insulin resistance, relatively preserved insulin sensitivity in fat, increased lactate turnover, and increased hepatic glucose production are features of insulin resistance and early non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Amylin is elevated in these dysfunctional metabolic states and may be involved in their pathogenesis.

Amyloid↗

Racial differences in adipocyte size and relationship to the metabolic syndrome in obese women.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether racial differences exist in the relationship of the abnormalities defining the metabolic syndrome (MS) to regional adiposity and fat cell size (FCS) in obese postmenopausal women. RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES: We determined the relationship of metabolic variables associated with the MS to regional body composition and abdominal (ABD) and gluteal (GLT) FCS in 25 white (CAU) and 25 African-American (AF-AMER) older women matched for age (58 +/- 5 years; mean +/- SD) and BMI (35 +/- 4 kg/m2). RESULTS: MS was present in 36% of the AF-AMER and 57% of the CAU women. There were no differences in total body, trunk, gluteofemoral fat mass or regional FCS, but AF-AMER women had 22% lower visceral fat, 24% higher insulin, and 31% lower triglyceride levels than CAU women (p < 0.05). Multiple regression analysis with body fat, visceral ABD fat area, and FCS as independent variables showed that GLT FCS was independently correlated with 2-hour insulin (r = 0.56), triglyceride (r = 0.62), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (r = -0.72) levels in AF-AMER women but not in CAU women, where only systolic blood pressure correlated with subcutaneous ABD fat area (r = 0.57) (p < 0.05). DISCUSSION: The associations between GLT FCS and metabolic dysfunction in obese AF-AMER but not CAU women suggest that central obesity is a less valid predictor of the MS in obese postmenopausal AF-AMER women than in CAU women and that GLT FCS may be a more sensitive indicator of risk for the MS in AF-AMER women.

Abdomen↗

Common genetic mechanisms between obesity and COVID-19 severity: unravelling pleiotropic loci and biological pathways.

COVID-19 and obesity are complex conditions marked by immune and metabolic dysfunction, with the former still ranking among the leading causes of death from infectious diseases worldwide and the latter reaching pandemic proportions. Clinical evidence consistently shows that obesity increases the risk of severe COVID-19, yet the biological mechanisms underlying this association remain unclear. Given their physiological and clinical overlap, they may share genetic pathways. We investigated genetic variants jointly associated with body mass index (BMI) and COVID-19 using publicly available genome-wide data. A conjunctional false discovery rate (conjFDR) approach identified shared variants between BMI and three COVID-19 phenotypes: infection, hospitalization and very severe respiratory illness. Functional annotation and pathway enrichment analyses were performed to explore the biological context of these variants, followed by a phenome-wide association study (PheWAS) to characterize pleiotropy. Shared variants were enriched in immune, metabolic and hormonal signaling pathways, including metal ion transport and glycosylation. The overlap with BMI was strongest for hospitalized and severe cases, suggesting common mechanisms underlying disease progression rather than infection. These findings suggest a biologically meaningful genetic overlap between obesity and COVID-19 severity, highlighting pleiotropy as a key feature in complex disease interactions and potential shared therapeutic targets.

BMI↗

Neuropsychological and cerebral metabolic function in early vs late onset dementia of the Alzheimer type.

Differences in age at onset of dementia of the Alzheimer type (DAT) have been associated with differences in cognitive impairments and course of the disease. To investigate this, we examined cerebral metabolism and cognitive performance in early and late onset DAT patients, who had equivalent duration and severity of illness. Regional cerebral metabolic rates for glucose were measured in the resting state by positron emission tomography using [18F]2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose. A cross-sectional analysis showed no significant differences between the two groups in performance on neuropsychological tests, but the early onset patients showed significantly more parietal metabolic dysfunction than did the late onset patients. Longitudinal analysis showed no significant differences between early and late onset patients in rate of cognitive decline over a mean interval of 19 months. Thus, our results do not support the hypothesis of different subgroups in DAT based on age at onset, nor suggest a faster rate of cognitive decline in younger patients.

Age Factors↗

Factors in antipsychotic drug selection: tolerability considerations.

With the widespread use of atypical antipsychotics over the past several years, adverse metabolic effects have emerged as the most serious medical consequences of pharmacotherapy with some of these agents. Initially, weight gain and obesity were observed (especially with clozapine and olanzapine), but subsequently, type 2 diabetes and dyslipidemia became apparent as well. Further, many reports suggest that sudden and severe (occasionally fatal) diabetes ketoacidosis (DKA) can emerge during treatment with some atypical antipsychotics, even in the absence of adiposity. A marked increase of serum lipids (especially triglycerides) has also been reported, to varying degrees, with different atypicals. This article reviews the data regarding metabolic dysfunction in patients with psychosis (schizophrenia and bipolar disorder). Populations with psychosis have a 2-3-fold higher prevalence of diabetes even before treatment with any antipsychotics, suggesting a possible genetic linkage or comorbidity; this was confirmed with glucose regulation studies in schizophrenia and mania. The induction of type 2 diabetes with atypicals has further increased the prevalence of noninsulin-dependent diabetes from about 6% to 8% to 11% to 15% according to recent studies, and even higher rates of subclinical hyperglycemia. Serious weight gain (eg, 26-29 lbs after 1 year of clozapine or olanzapine treatment) is an important risk factor, but sudden DKA has now been reported in patients with minimal weight gain, suggesting alternative mechanisms, such as insulin resistance, as a direct effect of some atypicals. Psychiatrists can reduce the risk of metabolic disorders in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder by avoiding the use of certain atypicals as first-line treatment in patients with a personal or family history of diabetes, obesity, and hyperlipidemias. Regulatory agencies in some countries have already taken action in this regard.

Antipsychotic Agents↗