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Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is a chronic autoimmune condition that requires life-long administration of insulin. Optimal management of T1DM entails a good knowledge and understanding of this condition both by the physician and the patient. Recent introduction of novel insulin preparations, technological advances in insulin delivery and glucose monitoring, such as continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) and continuous glucose monitoring and improved understanding of the detrimental effects of hypoglycaemia and hyperglycaemia offer new opportunities and perspectives in T1DM management. Evidence from clinical trials suggests an important role of structured patient education. Our efforts should be aimed at improved metabolic control with concomitant reduction of hypoglycaemia. Despite recent advances, these goals are not easy to achieve and can put significant pressure on people with T1DM. The approach of physicians should therefore be maximally supportive. In this review, we provide an overview of the recent advances in T1DM management focusing on novel insulin preparations, ways of insulin administration and glucose monitoring and the role of metformin or sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors in T1DM management. We then discuss our current understanding of the effects of hypoglycaemia on human body and strategies aimed at mitigating the risks associated with hypoglycaemia.
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The prevalence of obesity is rapidly increasing worldwide. One-thirds of world population is suffering from the deleterious effects of excessive fat and adipose tissue in their body. At the same time, the average life expectancy is becoming higher and higher every decade. Therefore, living healthy and longer is the dream for everyone. Simply being obese is not the primary cause for the consequence of obesity; rather, the depot where the fat is accumulated, is the primary key for the deleterious effects of obesity. Results from historical research suggest that visceral fat increases the risk for cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, such as diabetes, myocardial infarction and ischemic stroke, not subcutaneous fat. Therefore, body mass index (BMI), which reflects body weight relative to height might not reflect the appropriate size of metabolic burden of fat in our body. In contrast, waist circumference, which reflects abdominal obesity, would mirror the metabolic burden of fat better than BMI. Visceral fat is the marker of ectopic fat accumulation. In this review, I will introduce my researches mainly involved in uncovering the clues to the link between metabolic health and cardiovascular disease.
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In Korea, the costs associated with self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) under insulin treatment have been reimbursed since November 2015. We investigated whether this new reimbursement program for SMBG has improved the glycemic control in the beneficiaries of this policy.
Among all adult T2DM patients with ≥3 months of reimbursement (
HbA1c levels significantly decreased from 8.5%±1.3% to 8.2%±1.2% during the follow-up (
The reimbursement for SMBG resulted in a significant improvement in HbA1c in T2DM subjects using insulin, which was more prominent in subjects with poor glucose control at baseline or covered under the Medical Aid system.
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Hypoglycemia is an important complication in the treatment of patients with diabetes. We surveyed the insight by patients with diabetes into hypoglycemia, their hypoglycemia avoidance behavior, and their level of worry regarding hypoglycemia.
A survey of patients with diabetes, who had visited seven tertiary referral centers in Daegu or Gyeongsangbuk-do, Korea, between June 2014 and June 2015, was conducted. The survey contained questions about personal history, symptoms, educational experience, self-management, and attitudes about hypoglycemia.
Of 758 participants, 471 (62.1%) had experienced hypoglycemia, and 250 (32.9%) had experienced hypoglycemia at least once in the month immediately preceding the study. Two hundred and forty-two (31.8%) of the participants had received hypoglycemia education at least once, but only 148 (19.4%) knew the exact definition of hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemic symptoms identified by the participants were dizziness (55.0%), sweating (53.8%), and tremor (40.8%). They mostly chose candy (62.1%), chocolate (37.7%), or juice (36.8%) as food for recovering hypoglycemia. Participants who had experienced hypoglycemia had longer duration of diabetes and a higher proportion of insulin usage. The mean scores for hypoglycemia avoidance behavior and worry about hypoglycemia were 21.2±10.71 and 23.38±13.19, respectively. These scores tended to be higher for participants with higher than 8% of glycosylated hemoglobin, insulin use, and experience of emergency room visits.
Many patients had experienced hypoglycemia and worried about it. We recommend identifying patients that are anxious about hypoglycemia and educating them about what to do when they develop hypoglycemic symptoms, especially those who have a high risk of hypoglycemia.
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Betatrophin is a newly identified hormone derived from the liver and adipose tissue, which has been suggested to regulate glucose and lipid metabolism. Circulating levels of betatrophin are altered in various metabolic diseases, although the results are inconsistent. We aimed to examine whether betatrophin is a useful biomarker in predicting the development of diabetes.
A nested case-control study was performed using a prospective Chungju Metabolic disease Cohort Study. During a 4-year follow-up period, we analyzed 167 individuals who converted to diabetes and 167 non-converters, who were matched by age, sex, and body mass index. Serum betatrophin levels were measured by an ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay).
Baseline serum betatrophin levels were significantly higher in the converter group compared to the non-converter group (1,315±598 pg/mL vs. 1,072±446 pg/mL,
Circulating levels of betatrophin could be a potential biomarker for predicting new-onset diabetes. Further studies are needed to understand the underlying mechanism of this association.
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The clinical utility of ankle-brachial index (ABI) is not clear in subjects with less severe or calcified vessel. Therefore, we investigated the usefulness of color Doppler ultrasonography for diagnosing peripheral artery disease (PAD) in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) subjects.
We analyzed 324 T2DM patients who concurrently underwent ABI and carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) measurements and color Doppler ultrasonography from 2003 to 2006. The degree of stenosis in patients with PAD was determined according to Jager's criteria, and PAD was defined as grade III (50% to 99% stenosis) or IV stenosis (100% stenosis) by color Doppler ultrasonography. Logistic regression analysis and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis were performed to evaluate the risk factors for PAD in patients with ABI 0.91 to 1.40.
Among the 324 patients, 77 (23.8%) had ABI 0.91 to 1.40 but were diagnosed with PAD. Color Doppler ultrasonography demonstrated that suprapopliteal arterial stenosis, bilateral lesions, and multivessel involvement were less common in PAD patients with ABI 0.91 to 1.40 than in those with ABI ≤0.90. A multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that older age, current smoking status, presence of leg symptoms, and high CIMT were significantly associated with the presence of PAD in patients with ABI 0.91 to 1.40 after adjusting for conventional risk factors. CIMT showed significant power in predicting the presence of PAD in patients with ABI 0.91 to 1.40.
Color Doppler ultrasonography is a useful tool for the detection of PAD in T2DM patients with ABI 0.91 to 1.40 but a high CIMT.
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Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a complex and multifactorial disorder characterized by insulin resistance, dyslipidaemia, hyperglycemia, abdominal obesity, and elevated blood pressure. The apolipoprotein A5 (
In a case-control design, 120 Iranian children and adolescents with/without MetS were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction-sequencing for these SNPs. Then, we investigated the association of SNPs, individually or in haplotype constructs, with MetS risk.
The rs34089864 variant and H1 haplotype (harboring the two major alleles of rs619054 and rs34089864) were associated with HDL-C levels. However, there was no significant association between different haplotypes/individual SNPs and MetS risk.
These results presented no association of
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This study explored the potential utility of gait analysis using a single sensor unit (inertial measurement unit [IMU]) as a simple tool to detect peripheral neuropathy in people with diabetes. Seventeen people (14 men) aged 63±9 years (mean±SD) with diabetic peripheral neuropathy performed a 10-m walk test instrumented with an IMU on the lower back. Compared to a reference healthy control data set (matched by gender, age, and body mass index) both spatiotemporal and gait control variables were different between groups, with walking speed, step time, and SDa (gait control parameter) demonstrating good discriminatory power (receiver operating characteristic area under the curve >0.8). These results provide a proof of principle of this relatively simple approach which, when applied in clinical practice, can detect a signal from those with known diabetes peripheral neuropathy. The technology has the potential to be used both routinely in the clinic and for tele-health applications. Further research should focus on investigating its efficacy as an early indicator of or effectiveness of the management of peripheral neuropathy. This could support the development of interventions to prevent complications such as foot ulceration or Charcot's foot.
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