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Acarbose improves glycemic control in insulin-treated Asian type 2 diabetic patients: results from a multinational, placebo-controlled study.

The purpose of the study was to determine the efficacy and tolerability of acarbose in Asian type 2 diabetic patients insufficiently controlled by insulin. Asian type 2 diabetic patients on stable insulin dosages were enrolled into a multinational, double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel arm study. After a 2-week screening phase, patients were randomly assigned to 50 mg acarbose t.i.d. or matching placebo for 6 weeks, followed by 100 mg acarbose t.i.d. or placebo for 12 weeks. The primary efficacy parameter was change from baseline in HbA(1c); secondary variables included the changes in fasting and postprandial blood glucose. After 18 weeks of treatment there was a difference in HbA(1c) levels between the two treatment groups (-0.69%, 95% CI (-1.18; -0.2), P=0.008) in favour of acarbose. Reductions in 1-h postprandial glucose levels from baseline to endpoint were observed with acarbose treatment (P=0.029). There were no differences in fasting blood glucose, total triglyceride and cholesterol between the two groups. Safety profiles were similar for both treatment arms except for the higher incidence of flatulence in the acarbose group (28.6% vs. 16.4% for placebo). Adjunctive acarbose therapy offers an efficacious and safe means for improvement of glycemic control in Asian type 2 diabetic patients insufficiently controlled by insulin.

Acarbose↗

The influence of insulin use on glycemic control: How well do adults follow prescriptions for insulin?

OBJECTIVE: The purposes of this study were to determine the relationship between insulin self-management and glycemic control and to identify patient characteristics associated with better control. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: A Department of Veterans Affairs regional database was used to identify patients with diabetes on chronic insulin therapy (n = 6,222) with dose defined as number of units and doses. The rate of insulin use during a 2-year period was calculated using pharmacy data. Regression analyses were used 1) to predict compliance with prescribed insulin regimens using demographic variables, HbA1c levels, and a measure of diabetes management intensity and 2) to predict HbA1c levels using demographic variables and rates of insulin use. RESULTS: Insulin use was 77.44 +/- 17% of prescribed amounts, including wastage; HbA1c levels were 7.98 +/- 1.66%. Concomitant oral hypoglycemic agent use (84.89 +/- 16%) was higher than insulin use (P < 0.0001) but correlated with insulin use (r = 0.189, P < 0.0001). Ordinary least-squares regression showed that race, HbA1c levels, and intensity of diabetes management were significant predictors of insulin use. Age, race, and insulin use were significant predictors of HbA1c levels. CONCLUSIONS: Adults prescribed a specific insulin regimen averaged using 77% of prescribed doses, demonstrating good intention to follow the prescription. However, HbA1c higher than the recommended level suggested that the rate of insulin use, the prescribed regimen, or both were inadequate to achieve good glycemic control in patients with long-term insulin use.

Administration, Oral↗

Is patient readiness to change a predictor of improved glycemic control?

OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that patient readiness to change (RTC) predicts future changes in glycemic control in adults with diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We linked survey data with HbA1c data for a stratified random sample of consenting adults with diabetes. Change in HbA1c from baseline to the 1-year follow-up was computed and used as a dependent variable. Linear regression models assessed RTC and other patient variables as predictors of HbA1c change. RESULTS: Among 617 patients with baseline HbA1c > or = 7% and complete data for analysis, RTC predicted subsequent improvement in HbA1c for those with higher physical functioning (interaction t = -2.45, P < 0.05). Other factors that predicted HbA1c improvement in multivariate linear regression models included higher self-reported medication adherence (t = -4.41, P < 0.01), higher baseline HbA1c (t = -15.08, P < 0.01), and older age (t = -2.61, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Diabetes RTC independently predicts change in HbA1c for patients with high but not for patients with low functional health status. Customized use of RTC assessment may have potential to improve care.

Adult↗

Skeletal muscle sodium glucose co-transporters in older adults with type 2 diabetes undergoing resistance training.

We examined the expression of the sodium-dependent glucose co-transporter system (hSGLT3) in skeletal muscle of Hispanic older adults with type 2 diabetes. Subjects (65+/-8 yr) were randomized to resistance training (3x/wk, n=13) or standard of care (controls, n=5) for 16 weeks. Skeletal muscle hSGLT3 and GLUT4 mRNA transcript levels were determined by real time RT-PCR. hSGLT3 transcripts increased by a factor of ten following resistance training compared to control subjects (0.10, P=0.03). There were no differences in GLUT4 mRNA expression levels between groups. Protein expression levels of these transporters were confirmed by immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. hSGLT3 after resistance exercise was found not to be co-localized with the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor. The change in hSGLT3 transcript levels in the vastus lateralis muscle was positively correlated with glucose uptake, as measured by the change in muscle glycogen stores (r=0.53, P=0.02); and with exercise intensity, as measured by the change in muscle strength (r=0.73, P=0.001). Group assignment was be the only independent predictor of hSGLT3 transcript levels, explaining 68% of its variability (P=0.01). Our data show that hSGLT3, but not GLTU4, expression was enhanced in skeletal muscle after 16 weeks of resistance training. This finding suggests that hSGLT3, an insulin-independent glucose transporter, is activated with exercise and it may play a significant role in glycemic control with muscle contraction. The hSGLT3 exact mechanism is not well understood and requires further investigation. However its functional significance regarding a reduction of glucose toxicity and improvement of insulin resistance is the subject of ongoing research.

Journal Article↗

Relationship between adiponectin and glycemic control, blood lipids, and inflammatory markers in men with type 2 diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: Adiponectin, synthesized in the adipose tissue, appears to play an important role in hyperglycemia and dyslipidemia, as well as in inflammatory mechanisms, which lead to a markedly increased atherosclerotic risk in diabetic subjects. However, previous studies did not evaluate the complex relationships between adiponectin and the array of metabolic abnormalities commonly observed in diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: To examine the associations between plasma levels of adiponectin and HbA(1c), blood lipids, and inflammatory markers, we obtained blood samples from 741 participants in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study with a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. RESULTS: Plasma adiponectin levels were positively correlated with HDL cholesterol and negatively correlated with triglycerides, apolipoprotein B-100 (apoB(100)), C-reactive protein (CRP), and fibrinogen. These associations were not appreciably altered after controlling for lifestyle exposures, medical conditions, and obesity-associated variables. A 10-microg/ml higher level of plasma adiponectin was associated with lower HbA(1c) (-0.21% points, P = 0.001), triglycerides (-0.39 mmol/l, P < 0.001), apoB(100) (-0.04 g/l, P < 0.001), CRP (-0.51 mg/l, P = 0.003), and fibrinogen (-0.53 micromol/l, P < 0.001) and higher HDL cholesterol (0.13 mmol/l, P < 0.001). Associations between adiponectin and inflammatory markers were furthermore independent of HbA(1c) and HDL cholesterol, suggesting that the anti-inflammatory properties of adiponectin are not mediated by potential effects on glycemic control and blood lipids. Our results were consistent among obese and nonobese men. CONCLUSIONS: Our study supports the hypothesis that increased adiponectin levels might be associated with better glycemic control, better lipid profile, and reduced inflammation in diabetic subjects. Measures that increase adiponectin levels might be valuable targets for decreasing the atherosclerotic risk present in diabetes.

Adiponectin↗

High and low hemoglobin glycation phenotypes in type 1 diabetes: a challenge for interpretation of glycemic control.

This study tested the hypothesis that there are consistent individual differences in the relationship between glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and mean blood glucose (MBG) levels in individuals with similar preceding blood glucose levels. Blood glucose data were collected for up to 2.3 years by 128 children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes. HbA1c values were date-matched with MBG levels calculated from an average of 85 self-monitored blood glucose measurements collected in the previous 30 days. There was significant linear correlation between MBG and HbA1c (HbA1c=0.027xMBG+5.8, n=682, r=.71, P<.0001) but also wide variability in the population HbA1c response to MBG. We calculated a hemoglobin glycation index (HGI=observed HbA1c-predicted HbA1c) to quantify the magnitude and direction of the difference between each patient's set of observed and predicted HbA1c results. Likelihood ratio tests and t statistics showed that mean HGI were significantly different among individuals, and that 29% of the patients had HbA1c levels that were statistically significantly higher or lower than predicted by the regression equation. The observed individual differences in the relationship between MBG and HbA1c were not related to erythrocyte age and there was no evidence of analytical artifact. We interpret these results as possible evidence of high and low hemoglobin glycation phenotypes within the population. We conclude that MBG and HbA1c are not necessarily interchangeable estimates of glycemic control and that hemoglobin glycation phenotype may be important for the clinical assessment of diabetic patients.

Adolescent↗

The effect of glycemic control in the pre-conception period and early pregnancy on birth weight in women with IDDM.

OBJECTIVE: To examine data from pregnancies in women with IDDM to assess the relative effects of mean glycosylated hemoglobin levels before conception, at booking, and during the 3 trimesters of pregnancy on birth weight. Good glycemic control during pregnancy in women with IDDM is important to minimize the risk of fetal malformation and macrosomia. Recent studies have suggested that glycemic control in the 1st trimester is more important than glycemic control during the 2nd or 3rd trimesters. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: The case records of 65 deliveries to women with IDDM were reviewed. Fifty-seven deliveries were included in the present study. Of the deliveries reviewed, 32 women were in their first pregnancy and 25 women were multiparous. Only viable pregnancies were included because the major outcome variable of interest was birth weight. Glycosylated hemoglobin was recorded for each time period. RESULTS: The median standardized birth weight was 1.1 SD higher than the nondiabetic mean. When pregnancies, in which the birth weight was greater than 1 SD above the nondiabetic mean, were compared with pregnancies, in which birth weight was less than 1 SD above the mean, significant differences were observed between the groups in HbA1 at 6-12 months pre-conception (10.0 +/- 2.3 vs. 8.6 +/- 1.4%, P = 0.02), at 0-6 months pre-conception (10.2 +/- 2.4 vs. 8.7 +/- 2.0%, P = 0.03), at booking (9.5 +/- 2.2 vs. 8.4 +/- 1.6%, P = 0.04), and at 0-12 weeks' gestation (9.5 +/- 2.2 vs. 8.0 +/- 1.3%, P = 0.04), but HbA1 later in pregnancy did not differ significantly between the groups. Correlational analysis of all 57 pregnancies revealed significant correlations between birth weight and HbA1 at 0-6 months pre-conception (r = 0.44, P = 0.002), at booking (r = 0.43, P = 0.001), at 0-12 weeks' gestation (r = 0.48, P = 0.001), at 12-24 weeks' gestation (r = 0.45, P = 0.001), and at 24 weeks to term (r = 0.34, P = 0.009). However, with stepwise regression analysis, only HbA1 at 0-12 weeks' gestation entered into the equation with a multiple r value of 0.48. CONCLUSIONS: Glycemic control in the immediate pre-conception period and early 1st trimester appears to have a greater influence on birth weight than does glycemic control during the later weeks of pregnancy.

Adult↗

Impaired fasting glucose, blood pressure and cardiovascular disease mortality.

Impaired fasting glucose (fasting plasma glucose 6.1 to 6.9 mmol/L [110 to 125 mg/dL]) is a common glycemic disorder which usually progress to diabetes mellitus. The relationships between impaired fasting glucose, other risk factors including blood pressure, and mortality have never been clearly investigated. We studied 63 443 consecutive men (ages 21 to 60 years), each of whom had a routine health examination with a fasting plasma glucose measurement. Men with known ischemic cardiac disease and treatment for diabetes or hypertension were excluded. Impaired fasting glucose was found in 10 773 (17.0%) of these men. Mean body mass index, serum triglyceride and cholesterol levels, and systolic, diastolic, and pulse blood pressure were significantly higher for men with impaired fasting glucose compared with those men with normal fasting glucose (fasting plasma glucose 3.9 to 6.0 mmol/L). When adjusted for confounding variables, relative risk of 8-year cardiovascular mortality associated with impaired fasting glucose was dependent on systolic blood pressure level (1.02 [95% CI: 0.62 to 1.70] when <140 mm Hg and 2.10 [95% CI: 1.16 to 3.80] between 140 and 160 mm Hg). Inversely, relative risk of 8-year cardiovascular mortality associated with moderate systolic hypertension (140 to 159 mm Hg) compared with normal systolic blood pressure (<140 mm Hg) was highly dependent on the glycemic status (2.97 [95% CI: 1.58 to 5.55] for men with impaired fasting glucose compared with 1.35 [95% CI: 0.84 to 2.18] in those with normal fasting glucose). Similar results were found concerning overall mortality. In conclusion, the presence of moderate systolic hypertension can identify subjects with impaired fasting glucose who are at risk of cardiovascular and overall mortality, and vice versa, probably through the metabolic syndrome.

Adult↗

Hepatic insulin action in adolescents with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus: relationship with long-term glycemic control.

The relationship between hepatic insulin action and long-term glycemic control was assessed in 20 adolescents with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) and five healthy matched controls using a two-step (0.8 and 1.6 mU/kg/min) hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp and [6,6-2H2]glucose. The night before the study, diabetic patients received variable-rate intravenous insulin in an attempt to normalize fasting plasma glucose concentrations. In the postabsorptive state, hepatic glucose production (HGP) was similar in IDDM patients and controls (593 +/- 40 v 518 +/- 27 mumol/m2/min); however, plasma glucose and free insulin concentrations were higher in IDDM patients than in controls (6.5 +/- 0.4 v 5.4 +/- 0.1 mmol/L [P = .01], and 207 +/- 21 v 104 +/- 10 pmol/L [P < .001], respectively). There was a positive correlation (r = .62 P = .002) between basal HGP and glycohemoglobin level (HbA1). Separation of the patients at the median HbA1 (group no. 1 < and group no. 2. > 11.4% HbA1) revealed two distinct patient populations with regard to hepatic and peripheral insulin action and plasma free fatty acid (FFA) suppression. During hyperinsulinemia, the percent suppression of HGP was lower in group no. 2 compared with group no. 1 (65.7% +/- 9.8% v 94.4% +/- 3.8%; P = .018). Rates of glucose disposal were lower in group no. 2 compared with controls and with group no. 1. Postabsorptive FFA levels were similar between group no. 2 and group no. 1 (0.45 +/- 0.03 and 0.43 +/- 0.04 mmol/L) despite higher free-insulin concentrations in group no. 2 (260 +/- 30 v 171 +/- 25 pmol/L; P = .04).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗

Response to repeated phlebotomies in patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

Regardless of type, uncontrolled diabetes represents a serious disruption of fuel homeostasis with consequences throughout the body. This may hamper the applicability of predeposited autologous blood transfusion in diabetic patients because metabolic changes are expected as a consequence of repeated bleeding. We undertook this study to determine whether the presence of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) influences the erythropoietin (EPO) response to repeated phlebotomies with respect to normal subjects. We included 22 consecutive patients scheduled for major surgery during a 2-year period in which clinical and metabolic complications were excluded and renal and liver function was considered unaffected. Selected biochemical and hematologic variables were serially measured during donation of several units of blood in a 12- to 29-day period. Bleeding produced a significant decrease in serum glucose, cholesterol, triglyceride, and apoprotein B concentration in diabetic patients. Except for glucose, this effect was not observed in controls. Both groups were comparable with respect to initial hemoglobin concentrations and all hematologic variables measured. The decrease in hemoglobin concentration did not produce clinical symptoms in these patients, and recovery was regarded as normal in both groups. Serum EPO levels in diabetic patients were negatively influenced by the initial hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) proportion. Moreover, three nonrespondent diabetic patients with poor glycemic control responded normally 6 to 13 months later, in a second operation, when glycemic control had improved significantly. In conclusion, NIDDM may limit the donation of requested units for major surgery only if poor glycemic control is present. When possible, phlebotomies should be delayed and metabolic control reinforced.

Adult↗

Quantitative and qualitative lipoprotein abnormalities in diabetes mellitus.

In people with diabetes, the concentration of an individual lipoprotein or apolipoprotein can be highly variable and is totally different in the two major forms of the disease. Alterations in the concentrations of major lipids and lipoproteins are well characterized in both IDDM and NIDDM. In general, the lipoprotein pattern is antiatherogenic in individuals with IDDM who are treated and have optimal glycemic control. In contrast, NIDDM is associated with atherogenic changes of serum lipids and lipoproteins regardless of the mode of treatment. In people with both types of diabetes, the distribution of apoE phenotype seems to be similar to that in nondiabetic populations. IDDM patients with microalbuminuria show atherogenic changes of lipoproteins and have elevated levels of Lp(a), which is a risk factor of coronary artery disease. Whether glycemic control influences the concentration of Lp(a) is still an open question. An important issue is that the concentration of a lipoprotein can be normal without excluding compositional abnormalities that are potentially atherogenic. Such alterations are present in people with both IDDM and NIDDM. Consequently, it has been questioned whether the target values to start treatment should be lower in diabetic than in nondiabetic populations.

Diabetes Complications↗

Glycosylated hemoglobin level and carotid intimal-medial thickening in nondiabetic individuals. The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study.

OBJECTIVE: People with diabetes are at increased risk for cardiovascular events. However, questions remain about what role, if any, homeostatic glucose control plays in the development of cardiovascular disease among nondiabetic individuals. We investigated the relationship between HbA1c level and carotid intimal-medial thickening in normoglycemic individuals. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We conducted a case-control study among 208 normoglycemic individuals (fasting glucose < or = 6.4 mmol/l and no history of diabetes) who had carotid initial-medial thickening (case subjects) and 208 normoglycemic control subjects individually matched for age, sex, race, field center, and date of exam. Subjects were free-living men and women, aged 45-64 years at baseline, who participated in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study. RESULTS: HbA1c levels, expressed as percent of total hemoglobin, ranged from 4 to 7% and correlated only modestly with single measurements of fasting glucose (r = 0.16) and fasting insulin (r = 0.14). The mean level of HbA1c was 5.18% among case subjects and 5.07% among control subjects (P = 0.004, paired t test). As compared with the first quartile of HbA1c the matched relative odds of being a case were 1.15, 1.33, and 2.30 for the second, third, and fourth quartiles, respectively (P = 0.005 for linear trend). After multivariate adjustment for age, fasting glucose, fasting insulin, BMI, smoking status, hypertension, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, fibrinogen, and education level, the respective relative odds estimates were 0.98, 1.07, and 1.88 (P = 0.16 for linear trend). When modeled linearly as a continuous variable and after adjustment for the above-mentioned covariates, a 1% point increment in HbA1c level was associated with 1.77 greater odds of being a case (95% CI, 0.9-3.5). CONCLUSIONS: These data provide some support to the hypothesis that in the absence of diabetes, homeostatic glycemic control is a risk factor for atherosclerosis.

Arteriosclerosis↗

Classification of newly diagnosed diabetic patients as insulin-requiring or non-insulin-requiring based on clinical and biochemical variables.

In a prospective study of 41 consecutively referred newly diagnosed diabetic patients, we evaluated the predictive value of fasting and glucagon-stimulated C-peptide values, ketonuria, age, and body weight in the classification of subjects as insulin-requiring (IR) or non-insulin-requiring (NIR). The patients were followed up for greater than or equal to 12 mo and classified as NIR if adequate glycemic control could be achieved without insulin (i.e., fasting plasma glucose less than 8 mM and no glycosuria). Patients who needed insulin to obtain this status were classified as IR. We found that all subjects with plasma C-peptide values greater than 0.60 nM 6 min after intravenous glucagon were NIR, whereas all IR subjects together with 3 NIR subjects had C-peptide values below this limit. All NIR subjects but 1 had fasting C-peptide values greater than 0.30 nM, and all IR subjects but 1 had C-peptide values below this limit. Seventy-five percent of the subjects could be correctly classified by use of age and percent desirable body weight. Thus, all subjects greater than 40 yr old and greater than 100% ideal body weight were NIR, and all subjects below both these limits were IR. Ketonuria was found in 10 of 12 IR subjects and in 10 of 29 NIR subjects. We conclude that 1) 75% of the subjects could be correctly classified by use of age and percent desirable body weight only and 2) C-peptide measurements are useful in the classification of newly diagnosed diabetes, whereas presence of ketonuria is of limited value.

Adult↗

Eighteen years of fair glycemic control preserves cardiac autonomic function in type 1 diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: To study the association between 18 years of mean HbA(1c) and cardiac autonomic function in type 1 diabetic patients having used intensive insulin treatment. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: A total of 39 patients with type 1 diabetes were followed during 18 years, and HbA(1c) was measured yearly. At 18 years follow-up heart rate variability (HRV) measurements were used to assess cardiac autonomic function. Standard cardiac autonomic tests during normal breathing, deep breathing, the Valsalva maneuver, and the tilt test were performed. Maximal heart rate increase during exercise electrocardiogram and minimal heart rate during sleep were also used to describe cardiac autonomic function. RESULTS: We present the results for patients with mean HbA(1c) <8.4% (two lowest HbA(1c) tertiles) compared with those with HbA(1c) > or = 8.4% (highest HbA(1c) tertile). All of the cardiac autonomic tests were significantly different in the high- and the low-HbA(1c) groups, and the most favorable scores for all tests were seen in the low-HbA(1c) group. In the low-HbA(1c) group, the HRV was 40% during deep breathing, and in the high-HbA(1c) group, the HRV was 19.9% (P = 0.005). Minimal heart rate at night was significantly lower in the low-HbA(1c) groups than in the high-HbA(1c) group (P = 0.039). With maximal exercise, the increase in heart rate was significantly higher in the low-HbA(1c) group compared with the high-HbA(1c) group (P = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Mean HbA(1c) during 18 years was associated with cardiac autonomic function. Cardiac autonomic function was preserved with HbA(1c) <8.4%, whereas cardiac autonomic dysfunction was impaired in the group with HbA(1c) > or = 8.4%.

Adult↗

Coronary artery disease in IDDM. Gender differences in risk factors but not risk.

Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) increases the risk of developing coronary artery disease (CAD) compared with that seen in the general population, while the sex differential in rates of CAD is considerably reduced in IDDM populations. To further our understanding of these observations, the effects of gender on baseline risk factors for CAD incidence were examined. Participants in the Pittsburgh Epidemiology of Diabetes Complications (EDC) Study were recruited from the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh IDDM registry and had been diagnosed between 1950 and 1980. Subjects completed a series of questionnaires and were given a full clinical examination at baseline (1986 through 1988) and every subsequent 2 years. This report is based on the first 4 years of follow-up. Similar incidence rates of new CAD events were observed in men and women. In neither sex was glycemic control a predictor of later CAD. Sex-specific Cox proportional hazards models showed that for men, duration of IDDM, HDL cholesterol, fibrinogen, hypertension, and smoking were all significantly associated with the onset of CAD. Hypertension, fibrinogen, and smoking were all replaced by nephropathy when this latter variable was added to the model. For women, duration, hypertension, waist-hip ratio, physical activity, and depressive symptomatology were all significant independent predictors of CAD. Nephropathy status did not enter the model for women. While 4-year incidence of CAD in IDDM varies little by sex in this population, the predictive risk factors vary considerably. In particular, the effect of renal disease was stronger in men, while the cluster of physical activity, waist-to-hip ratio, and depressive symptomatology were more important in women. These results may help explain the relatively greater impact IDDM has on CAD risk for women and suggest new potential preventive approaches.

Adolescent↗

High-fat and high-carbohydrate diets and energy balance.

The current American Diabetes Association guidelines for nutrition recommend a moderate increase in monounsaturated fats and a reduced intake of carbohydrate in patients with diabetes in whom high-carbohydrate diets deteriorate glycemic control and lipoprotein levels. High-fat diets, however, are believed to promote obesity, and some investigators may have reservations recommending such diets. This review thus investigates the role of diet composition in promoting obesity or achieving weight loss and its implications in patients with diabetes. Epidemiological studies show some evidence that fat intake is more importantly related to body weight than carbohydrate intake, but conclusions are weak because confounding variables, such as physical activity, smoking, and energy intake, were generally not controlled for. Metabolic studies under isoenergic conditions report no change in energy balance when fat intake is increased, but report a negative fat balance with substantial increase carbohydrate intake. During overfeeding, excess fat intake is stored as fat, whereas excess carbohydrate is mostly oxidized in the short term but can lead to substantial gain in fat stores because of reduced fat oxidation and considerable de novo lipogenesis in the long term. Spontaneous energy intake, however, is higher on an unrestricted high-fat diet compared with a high-carbohydrate diet, but the long-term effects are not known. Weight-loss intervention studies show that a hypocaloric high-carbohydrate diet is not associated with more weight loss than a high-fat hypocaloric diet. In conclusion, a high-monounsaturated fat diet to control glycemic control and lipoprotein levels in patients with diabetes should not affect weight loss or maintenance, provided that energy intake is carefully controlled.

Cross-Sectional Studies↗

Gestational diabetes. Can epidemiology help?

Diagnostic criteria for diabetes mellitus (DM) and impaired glucose tolerance from oral glucose tolerance test results in adults are reviewed in the epidemiological context, highlighting the residual differences between World Health Organization (WHO) and National Diabetes Data Group (NDDG) glycemic criteria with respect to the diagnosis of gestational diabetes. Although the value of the diagnosis of DM (WHO/NDDG criteria) in pregnancy is not called into question, attention is drawn to the paucity of evidence linking lesser degrees of glucose intolerance with significant disturbance of pregnancy outcome when confounding variables such as maternal age, adiposity, and parity are allowed for. It is in the area of the detection and treatment of these lesser degrees of glucose intolerance in pregnancy that serious questions of the detriment-to-benefit ratio arise. A population-based multiethnic multicultural inquiry into diagnostic methodology and criteria in pregnancy is proposed, jointly sponsored by the WHO and the International Diabetes Federation, extending, if possible, to a controlled clinical trial of the effects of intervention.

Blood Glucose↗

Weight change and glycemic control in a population-based sample of adults with older-onset diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Numerous clinic-based studies have observed improved glycemic control with even moderate weight reductions, for periods up to 1 year, in obese subjects with noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). Similar benefits of weight loss have not been well documented in free-living populations, particularly in older persons with NIDDM of long duration. METHODS: Relations between weight change and glycosylated hemoglobin were evaluated in a population-based sample of persons with older-onset diabetes. Persons participating in baseline (1980-1982, n = 1370) and two follow-up examinations (1984-1986, n = 987; 1990-1992, n = 550) were included. Mean glycosylated hemoglobin levels among those losing, gaining, or remaining within 5 kg were compared in all subjects combined and stratified by insulin use, using ordinary least-squares regression to adjust for confounding variables. RESULTS: Subjects who lost weight had higher mean glycosylated hemoglobin compared to those who gained weight (baseline to second exam only). This pattern remained in those not using insulin. Weight change was not related to glycosylated hemoglobin in persons using insulin. CONCLUSIONS: Associations suggest that in older persons not using insulin, moderate weight loss over periods of 4-6 years has little beneficial impact on glycosylated hemoglobin. Weight loss may be reflecting disease processes that also result in poor glycemic control. Intentional weight loss achieved over a shorter time period and maintained through the later years in older diabetic persons remains to be evaluated.

Adult↗