Association between Sleep Duration and Urinary Albumin Excretion in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: The Fukuoka Diabetes Registry

Objective

Few studies have so far investigated the impact of sleep duration on chronic kidney disease in diabetic patients. The objective of the present study was to examine the relationship between sleep duration and albuminuria in type 2 diabetic patients.

Research Design and Methods

A total of 4,870 Japanese type 2 diabetic patients ≥20 years of age were divided into six groups according to self-reported sleep duration: less than 4.5 hours, 4.5–5.4 hours, 5.5–6.4 hours, 6.5–7.4 hours, 7.5–8.4 hours and more than 8.5 hours. The association between sleep duration and urinary albumin-creatinine ratio (UACR) was examined cross-sectionally.

Results

Both short and long sleep durations were significantly associated with higher UACR levels and higher proportions of patients with albuminuria (≥30 mg/g) and macroalbuminuria (≥300 mg/g) compared with a sleep duration of 6.5–7.4 hours (P for quadratic trend <0.001). A U-shaped association between sleep duration and UACR remained significant even after adjustment for potential confounders, including age, sex, duration of diabetes, current smoking habits, former smoking habits, current drinking habits, regular exercise habits, total energy intake, total protein intake, hypnotic use and estimated glomerular filtration rate. Furthermore, the association remained substantially unchanged after additional adjustment for body mass index, hemoglobin A_1c, systolic blood pressure, renin-angiotensin system inhibitor use and depressive symptoms.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that sleep duration has a U-shaped association with the UACR levels in type 2 diabetic patients, independent of potential confounders.     

De-Intensification of Diabetes Treatment in Elderly Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Objective: De-intensification of diabetes treatment is recommended in elderly patients with tight glycemic control at high risk of hypoglycemia. However, rates of de-intensification in endocrine practice are unknown. We conducted a retrospective study to evaluate the rate of de-intensification of antidiabetic treatment in elderly patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and tight glycemic control.Methods: All patients with ≥2 clinic visits over a 1-year period at a major academic diabetes center were included. De-intensification of diabetes treatment was defined as a decrease or discontinuation of any antidiabetic drug without adding another drug, or a reduction in the total daily dose of insulin or a sulfonylurea drug with or without adding a drug without risk of hypoglycemia.Results: Out of 3,186 unique patients, 492 were ≥65 years old with T2DM and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) <7.5% (<58 mmol/mol). We found 308 patients treated with a sulfonylurea drug or insulin, 102 of whom had hypoglycemia as per physician note. Among these 102 patients, 38 (37%) were advised to de-intensify therapy. In a subgroup analysis of patients ≥75 years old with HbA1c <7% (<53 mmol/mol), we found that out of 23 patients treated with a sulfonylurea drug or insulin and reporting hypoglycemia, 11 (43%) were advised de-intensification of therapy. There were no significant predictors of de-intensification of treatment.Conclusion: Our study suggests that de-intensification of antidiabetic medications is uncommon in elderly patients with T2DM. Strategies may need to be developed to prevent the potential harm of overtreatment in this population.Abbreviations: ADA = American Diabetes Association; CGM = continuous glucose monitoring; HbA1c = hemoglobin A1c; T2DM = type 2 diabetes mellitus; UKPDS = United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study     

Risk of Rheumatoid Arthritis in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: A Nationwide Population-Based Case-Control Study

Objective

Type 2 diabetes is associated with chronic, low-grade inflammation and could potentially trigger the progression of other, more prominent inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Therefore, we aimed to investigate the risk of incident RA in Taiwanese patients with type 2 diabetes using a population-based health claims database.

Methods

This nationwide, population-based, case-control study used administrative data to identify 1,416 patients with RA (age ≥20 years) as cases and 7,080 controls that were frequency-matched for sex, 10-year age group, and year of catastrophic illness certificate application date (index year). All subjects were retrospectively traced back, up to 13 years prior to the index year, for their first diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to quantify the association between incident RA and type 2 diabetes.

Results

The odds of developing RA were significantly higher in female (odds ratio [OR] 1.46, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.24–1.72) but not in male (OR 1.00, 95% CI 0.72–1.37) patients who had previously diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Subgroup analysis indicated that the odds of developing RA were more prominent in younger females (20 to 44 years of age) with type 2 diabetes. In addition, the odds of developing RA in female patients with type 2 diabetes were higher in those with a shorter time interval between the diagnosis of type 2 diabetes and RA.

Conclusions

This large nationwide, population-based, case-control study showed an elevated risk of RA in female Taiwanese patients with type 2 diabetes. Our findings were consistent with the hypothesis that chronic low-grade inflammation in type 2 diabetes may elicit the development of RA in genetically susceptible individuals.     

Circadian Pattern of Ambulatory Blood Pressure in Hypertensive Patients With and Without Type 2 Diabetes

There is strong association between diabetes and increased risk of end-organ damage, stroke, and cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality. Non-dipping (<10% decline in the asleep relative to awake blood pressure [BP] mean), as determined by ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM), is frequent in diabetes and consistently associated with increased CVD risk. The reported prevalence of non-dipping in diabetes is highly variable, probably due to differences in the study groups (normotensive subjects, untreated hypertensives, treated hypertensives), relatively small sample sizes, reliance only on a single, low-reproducibility, 24-h ABPM evaluation per participant, and definition of daytime and nighttime periods by arbitrary selected fixed clock-hour spans. Accordingly, we evaluated the influence of diabetes on the circadian BP pattern by 48-h ABPM (rather than for 24?h to increase reproducibility of results) during which participants maintained a diary listing times of going to bed at night and awakening in the morning. This cross-sectional study involved 12 765 hypertensive patients (6797 men/5968 women), 58.1?±?14.1 (mean?±?SD) yrs of age, enrolled in the Hygia Project, designed to evaluate prospectively CVD risk by ABPM in primary care centers of northwest Spain. Among the participants, 2954 (1799 men/1155 women) had type 2 diabetes. At the time of study, 525/3314 patients with/without diabetes were untreated for hypertension, and the remaining 2429/6497 patients with/without diabetes were treated. Hypertension was defined as awake systolic (SBP)/diastolic (DBP) BP mean ≥135/85?mm Hg, or asleep SBP/DBP mean ≥120/70?mm Hg, or BP-lowering treatment. Hypertensive patients with than without diabetes were more likely to be men and of older age, have diagnoses of microalbuminuria, proteinuria, chronic kidney disease, obstructive sleep apnea, metabolic syndrome, and/or obesity, plus higher glucose, creatinine, uric acid, and triglycerides, but lower cholesterol and estimated glomerular filtration rate. In patients with diabetes, ambulatory SBP was significantly elevated (p?<?.001), mainly during the hours of nighttime sleep and initial hours after morning awakening, independent of presence/absence of BP-lowering treatment. Ambulatory DBP, however, was significantly higher (p?<?.001) in patients without diabetes, mainly during the daytime. Differing trends for SBP and DBP between groups resulted in large differences in ambulatory pulse pressure (PP), it being significantly greater (p?<?.001) throughout the entire 24?h in patients with diabetes, even after correcting for age. Prevalence of non-dipping was significantly higher in patients with than without diabetes (62.1% vs. 45.9%; p?<?.001). Largest difference between groups was in the prevalence of the riser BP pattern, i.e., asleep SBP mean greater than awake SBP mean (19.9% vs. 8.1% in patients with and without diabetes, respectively; p?<?.001). Elevated asleep SBP mean was the major basis for the diagnosis of hypertension and/or inadequate BP control among patients with diabetes; thus, among the uncontrolled hypertensive patients with diabetes, 89.2% had nocturnal hypertension. Our findings document significantly elevated prevalence of a blunted nocturnal BP decline in hypertensive patients with diabetes. Most important, prevalence of the riser BP pattern, associated with highest CVD risk among all possible BP patterns, was more than twice as prevalent in diabetes. Patients with diabetes also presented significantly elevated ambulatory PP, reflecting increased arterial stiffness and enhanced CVD risk. These collective findings indicate that diabetes should be included among the clinical conditions for which ABPM is recommended for proper CVD risk assessment. (Author correspondence: rhermida@uvigo.es)     

Incidence and Predictors of Hospitalization for Bacterial Infection in Community-Based Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: The Fremantle Diabetes Study

Background

The few studies that have examined the relationship between diabetes and bacterial infections have utilized administrative databases and/or have had limited/incomplete data including recognized infection risk factors. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence and associates of bacterial infection severe enough to require hospitalization in well-characterized community-based patients with type 2 diabetes.

Methods and Findings

We studied a cohort of 1,294 patients (mean±SD age 64.1±11.3 years) from the longitudinal observational Fremantle Diabetes Study Phase I (FDS1) and 5,156 age-, gender- and zip-code-matched non-diabetic controls. The main outcome measure was incident hospitalization for bacterial infection as principal diagnosis between 1993 and 2010. We also examined differences in statin use in 52 FDS1 pairs hospitalized with pneumonia (cases) or a contemporaneous non-infection-related cause (controls). During 12.0±5.4 years of follow-up, 251 (19.4%) patients were hospitalized on 368 occasions for infection (23.7/1,000 patient-years). This was more than double the rate in matched controls (incident rate ratio (IRR) (95% CI), 2.13 (1.88–2.42), P<0.001). IRRs for pneumonia, cellulitis, and septicemia/bacteremia were 1.86 (1.55–2.21), 2.45 (1.92–3.12), and 2.08 (1.41–3.04), respectively (P<0.001). Among the diabetic patients, older age, male sex, prior recent infection-related hospitalization, obesity, albuminuria, retinopathy and Aboriginal ethnicity were baseline variables independently associated with risk of first hospitalization with any infection (P≤0.005). After adjustment for these variables, baseline statin treatment was not significant (hazard ratio (95% CI), 0.70 (0.39–1.25), P = 0.22). Statin use at hospitalization for pneumonia among the case-control pairs was similar (23.1% vs. 13.5%, P = 0.27).

Conclusions

The risk of severe infection is increased among type 2 diabetic patients and is not reduced by statin therapy. There are a number of other easily-accessible sociodemographic and clinical variables that could be used to optimize infection-related education, prevention and management in type 2 diabetes.     

Diabetic Ketoacidosis in Peruvian Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

ObjectiveTo describe the clinical and laboratory characteristics of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) in adult Peruvian patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.MethodsIn this cross-sectional analysis, we reviewed clinical charts of type 2 diabetic patients with DKA admitted to Cayetano Heredia Hospital between 2001 and 2005 for data on demographics, previous treatment, previous hospital admissions for DKA, family history of diabetes, precipitating factors, hospital course, mortality, and insulin use 3 and 6 months after the index DKA episode. Patients older than 18 years who had confirmed DKA were included. Patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus were excluded.ResultsWe report on 53 patients with DKA for whom complete clinical and laboratory data were available. Of the 53 patients, 39 (74%) were men; mean age (± SD) was 45 ± 12 years; and 22 (42%) had no previous diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. The following mean (± SD) laboratory values were obtained at DKA diagnosis: glucose, 457 ± 170 mg/dL; pH, 7.15 ± 0.14; bicarbonate, 7.73 ± 6 mEq/L; and anion gap, 24.45 ± 7.44 mEq/L. Of the 53 DKA episodes, 35 (66%) were severe (arterial pH < 7.0 and/or serum bicarbonate < 10 mEq/L). The following precipitating factors were discerned: discontinuation of treatment in 21 (40%), infections in 16 (30%), intercurrent illness in 3 (6%), and no identifiable cause in 13 (25%). Mortality rate was 0%. Three and 6 months after the index DKA episode, insulin was used by 65% and 56% of patients, respectively.ConclusionIn countries with a low incidence of type 1 diabetes, DKA is frequently reported in patients with type 2 diabetes. In this study, 42% of patients had new-onset disease. Most DKA episodes were severe and were related to infection or noncompliance with treatment. (Endocr Pract. 2008;14:442-446)     

Prevalence of Sleep Apnea in a Population of Adults with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

ObjectiveTo assess the prevalence of sleep apnea (SA) in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and examine whether demographics and comorbid factors were associated with SA in this population.MethodsThis study enrolled 330 consecutive adults with T2DM referred to a diabetes clinic, 279 of whom completed the study. Evaluation of the presence of SA was performed with use of a single-channel recording device that measures disordered breathing events from a nasal cannula airflow signal. The device was worn by the study participants in their home, after instruction in appropriate use by clinical staff at the diabetes center. The presence and severity of SA were determined by use of an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), reflecting periods of diminished and absent breathing. Demographic and medical information data were collected to detect factors associated with SA in this study population. In addition, a time and cost analysis was conducted regarding the screening process for SA by clinical staff at the diabetes center.ResultsThe results show a high prevalence of SA in adults with T2DM, ranging from 48% (AHI level of ≥ 10 events/h) to 29% (AHI level of ≥ 20 events/h). At an AHI cutoff value of ≥ 15 events/h, the overall prevalence rate was 36% (49% in male and 21% in female participants). The following variables were associated with SA: age ≥ 62 years, male sex, body mass index ≥ 30 kg/m², snoring, and reports of stopping breathing during sleep. The time and cost analysis showed that the screening device involved minimal setup time, was simple to use, and was a cost-effective method to screen for SA.ConclusionSA is a common disorder associated with major morbid conditions, including hypertension, obesity, cardiovascular disease, and insulin resistance. Predisposing factors for SA and T2DM are similar. This study showed that SA has a high prevalence in adults with T2DM and identified factors that may be associated with its presence in this population. Assessment for SA can be easily performed in an outpatient setting with a portable recording device such as the one used in this study. Screening for SA should be considered in the T2DM population. (Endocr Pract. 2007;13:355-362)     

Treatment of Hypogonadism with Testosterone in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of testosterone treatment on insulin resistance, glycemic control, and dyslipidemia in Asian Indian men with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and hypogonadism.MethodsWe conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study in 22 men, 25 to 50 years old, with T2DM and hypogonadism. Patients were treated with intramuscularly administered testosterone (200 mg every 15 days) or placebo for 3 months in random order, followed by a washout period of 1 month before the alternative treatment phase. The primary outcomes were changes in fasting insulin sensitivity (as measured by homeostasis model assessment [HOMA] in those patients not receiving insulin), fasting blood glucose, and hemoglobin A1c. The secondary outcomes were changes in fasting lipids, blood pressure, body mass index, waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, and androgen deficiency symptoms. Statistical analysis was performed on the delta values, with the treatment effect of placebo compared with the effect of testosterone.ResultsTreatment with testosterone did not significantly influence insulin resistance measured by the HOMA index (mean treatment effect, 1.67 ± 4.29; confidence interval, -6.91 to 10.25; P > .05). Mean change in hemoglobin A1c (%) (-1.75 ± 5.35; -12.46 to 8.95) and fasting blood glucose (mg/dL) (20.20 ± 67.87; -115.54 to 155.94) also did not reach statistical significance. Testosterone treatment did not affect fasting lipids, blood pressure, and anthropometric determinations significantly.ConclusionIn this study, testosterone treatment showed a neutral effect on insulin resistance and glycemic control and failed to improve dyslipidemia, control blood pressure, or reduce visceral fat significantly in Asian Indian men with T2DM and hypogonadism. (Endocr Pract. 2010;16:570-576)     

Serum Levels of Carcinoembryonic Antigen in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

Objective: To investigate whether serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels are associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c).Methods: A comparative, cross-sectional, observational study was conducted at Jordan University Hospital, Amman, Jordan, on 282 adult subjects from March 2012 to June 2015. Subjects were classified into 2 groups: T2DM subjects (n = 168) and a healthy comparison group (n = 114). Subjects with any condition known to be associated with elevated CEA levels were excluded. HbA1c and serum CEA levels were measured, and body mass index (BMI) was determined.Results: Subjects with T2DM had significantly higher mean serum CEA than controls (2.4 ± 1.5 vs. 1.5 ± 1.2 ng/mL, P<.0001). Sex did not correlate with CEA levels, while age (Spearman's rho [ρ] = 0.18, P =.002) and HbA1c (ρ = 0.56, P<.0001) did; however, age no longer correlated after correcting for diabetic status. HbA1c was the only variable shown to correlate with CEA in a stepwise linear regression (r = 0.37, P<.001).Conclusion: We observed a statistically significant association between elevated CEA and T2DM, despite average CEA values for both groups being within the reference range. In addition, serum CEA levels correlated positively with HbA1c values.Abbreviations:ADA = American Diabetes AssociationBMI = body mass indexCA 19-9 = carbohydrate antigen 19-9CEA = carcinoembryonic antigenCRP = C-reactive proteinDM = diabetes mellitusHbA1c = glycated hemoglobinJUH = Jordan University HospitalT2DM = type 2 diabetes mellitusρ = Spearman's correlation coefficient     

Vascular Dysfunction in Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Despite the high prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM), the attributable vascular risk from each condition is unknown. We hypothesize that OSA may have a similar effect on vascular function as type 2 diabetes does. Healthy normal‐weight subjects, healthy obese subjects, subjects with type 2 diabetes, and obese subjects with OSA were enrolled. Vascular function was assessed with brachial artery ultrasound for flow‐mediated dilatation (FMD) and in skin microcirculation by laser Doppler flowmetry. One hundred fifty‐three subjects were studied: healthy normal‐weight controls (NCs) (n = 14), healthy obese controls (OCs) (n = 33), subjects with DM (n = 68), and obese subjects with OSA (n = 38). The DM group did not undergo sleep study and thus may have had subclinical OSA. The OSA and type 2 diabetes groups had impaired FMD as compared to both the normal‐weight and OC groups (5.8 ± 3.8%, 5.4 ± 1.6% vs. 9.1 ± 2.5%, 8.3 ± 5.1%, respectively, P < 0.001, post hoc Fischer test). When referenced to the NC group, a multiple linear regression model adjusting for covariates found that baseline brachial artery diameter (β = ?3.75, P < 0.001), OSA (β = ?2.45, P = 0.02) and type 2 diabetes status (β = ?2.31, P = 0.02), negatively predicted % FMD. OSA status did not seem to affect nitroglycerin‐induced vasodilation (endothelium‐independent) of the brachial artery or vascular function in the skin microcirculation. OSA impairs endothelial function in the brachial artery to a similar degree as type 2 diabetes does. OSA, however, does not appear to affect brachial endothelium‐independent vasodilation or skin microcirculatory function. Treatment of OSA in patients with concomitant type 2 diabetes, therefore, may be a potential therapeutic option to improve macro‐, but not microvascular outcomes.     

Loss of Breathing Modulation of Heart Rate Variability in Patients with Recent and Long Standing Diabetes Mellitus Type II

Healthy subjects under rhythmic breathing have heart interbeat intervals with a respiratory band in the frequency domain that can be an index of vagal activity. Diabetes Mellitus Type II (DM) affects the autonomic nervous system of patients, thus it can be expected changes on the vagal activity. Here, the influence of DM on the breathing modulation of the heart rate is evaluated by analyzing in the frequency domain heart interbeat interval (IBI) records obtained from 30 recently diagnosed, 15 long standing DM patients, and 30 control subjects during standardized clinical tests of controlled breathing at 0.1 Hz, supine rest and standing upright. Fourier spectral analysis of IBI records quantifies heart rate variability in different regions: low-frequencies (LF, 0.04–0.15 Hz), high-frequencies (HF, 0.15–0.4 Hz), and a controlled breathing peak (RP, centered around 0.1 Hz). Two new parameters are introduced: the frequency radius r_f (square root of the sum of LF and HF squared) and β (power of RP divided by the sum of LF and HF). As diabetes evolves, the controlled breathing peak loses power and shifts to smaller frequencies, indicating that heart rate modulation is slower in diabetic patients than in controls. In contrast to the traditional parameters LF, HF and LF/HF, which do not show significant differences between the three populations in neither of the clinical tests, the new parameters r_f and β, distinguish between control and diabetic subjects in the case of controlled breathing. Sympathetic activity that is driven by the baroreceptor reflex associated with the 0.1 Hz breathing modulations is affected in DM patients. Diabetes produces not only a rigid heartbeat with less autonomic induced variability (r_f diminishes), but also alters the coupling between breathing and heart rate (reduced β), due to a progressive decline of vagal and sympathetic activity.     

Intentional Weight Loss and Longevity in Overweight Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: A Population-Based Cohort Study

Objective

This study examined the influence of weight loss on long-term morbidity and mortality in overweight (BMI≥25kg/m²) patients with type 2 diabetes, and tested the hypothesis that therapeutic intentional weight loss supervised by a medical doctor prolongs life and reduces the risk for cardiovascular disease in these patients.

Methods

This is a 19 year cohort study of patients in the intervention arm of the randomized clinical trial Diabetes Care in General Practice. Weight and prospective intentions for weight loss were monitored every third month for six years in 761 consecutive patients (≥40 years) newly diagnosed with diabetes in general practices throughout Denmark in 1989–92. Multivariable Cox regression was used to estimate the association between weight change during the monitoring period (year 0 to 6) and the outcomes during the succeeding 13 years (year 6 to 19) in 444 patients who were overweight at diagnosis and alive at the end of the monitoring period (year 6). The analysis was adjusted for age, sex, education, BMI at diagnosis, change in smoking, change in physical activity, change in medication, and the Charlson comorbidity 6-year score. Outcomes were from national registers.

Results

Overall, weight loss regardless of intention was an independent risk factor for increased all-cause mortality (P<0.01). The adjusted hazard ratio for all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, and cardiovascular morbidity attributable to an intentional weight loss of 1 kg/year was 1.20 (95%CI 0.97–1.50, P = 0.10), 1.26 (0.93–1.72, P = 0.14), and 1.06 (0.79–1.42, P = 0.71), respectively. Limiting the analysis to include only those patients who survived the first 2 years after the monitoring period did not substantially change these estimates. A non-linear spline estimate indicated a V-like association between weight change and all-cause mortality, suggesting the best prognosis for those who maintained their weight.

Conclusions

In this population-based cohort of overweight patients with type 2 diabetes, successful therapeutic intentional weight loss, supervised by a doctor over six years, was not associated with reduced all-cause mortality or cardiovascular morbidity/mortality during the succeeding 13 years.     

Type D Personality Predicts Poor Medication Adherence in Chinese Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Six-Month Follow-Up Study

Background

Type D personality and medication nonadherence have been shown to be associated with poor health outcomes. Type D personality is associated with poor medication adherence in patients with coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, and heart failure. However, the relationship between type D personality and medication adherence in patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) remains unknown. This study aims to examine whether type D personality was associated with medication adherence in patients with T2DM.

Design and Settings

A follow-up study was conducted in general hospital of the People''s Liberation Army in Beijing.

Methods

412 T2DM patients (205 females), who were recruited by circular systematic random sampling, provided demographic and baseline data about medical information and completed measures of Type D personality. Then, 330 patients went on to complete a self-report measure of medication adherence at the sixth month after baseline data collection. Chi-square test, t tests, and hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted, as needed.

Results

Patients with type D personality were significantly more likely to have poor medication adherence (p<0.001). Type D personality predicts poor medication adherence before and after controlling for covariates when it was analyzed as a categorical variable. However, the dimensional construct of type D personality was not associated with medication adherence when analyzed as a continuous variable.

Conclusion

Although, as a dimensional construct, type D personality may not reflect the components of the personality associated with poor medication adherence in patients with T2DM, screening for type D personality may help to identify those who are at higher risk of poor medication adherence. Interventions, aiming to improve medication adherence, should be launched for these high-risk patients.     

Onychomycosis Incidence in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients

The onychomycosis incidence was determined in 250 type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients who were registered at the Internal Medicine Service from a Mexico city General Hospital throughout a year (January-December 2006). Out of the total of studied T2DM patients, 93 (37.2%) showed ungual dystrophy and from these, in 75.3% a fungal etiology was corroborated. Out of 70 patients, 34 were men and 36 women, with an average of 63.5 years. Correlation between T2DM evolution time and onychomycosis was significant (P < 0.01). Distal-lateral subungual and total dystrophic onychomycosis were the most frequent clinical types (55.1% and 33.7%, respectively). Fifty-eight fungal isolates were obtained; 48.6% corresponded to dermatophytes, Trichophyton rubrum being the first species (37.1%). All these strains corresponded to two morphological varieties: "yellow" and typical downy. From the yeast-like isolates, 12 corresponded to Candida spp., firstly C. albicans and C. parapsilosis; three to Cryptococcus spp. (C. albidus, C. uniguttulatus and C. laurentii); two Trichosporon asahii; and only one to Pichia ohmeri. Six non-dermatophytic molds were isolated: two Chrysosporium keratinophylus, two Scopulariopsis brevicaulis, one Aspergillus fumigatus, and one Acremonium sp. The fungal mixture corresponded to T. mentagrophytes with C. guilliermondii; T. mentagrophytes with C. glabrata; T. rubrum with C. glabrata; T. rubrum with P. ohmeri.     

Self-Care Associated with Home Exercises in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

The objective of this study was to verify self-care guidelines together with lower limb home exercises alter ankle and foot plantar pressure and alignment in patient with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (DM) measuring health and sociodemographic factors. The health factors analyzed were sensitivity and circulation aspects, risk rating, and neuropathy symptom score, ankle and foot alignment (photogrammetry), plantar pressures, and postural stability (baropodometry) before and after administering these guidelines and home exercises in 97 patients type 2 DM during 10 months. The self-care guidelines and exercises changed the forefoot alignment (Right Foot – Initial vs Final, p = 0.04; Left Foot, P<0.01), the center of the force displacement in the mediolateral (Right Foot - Initial versus Final, p = 0.02; Left Foot, P<0.01), and the anterior-posterior (Right foot - Initial versus Final, p = 0.01) direction, and body balance (Initial versus Final, p = 0.02). There was no change in the remaining assessed parameters. Self-care associated with the guidelines for home exercises for the lower limbs in patients with type 2 DM are effective in maintaining and improving the alignment of the feet, mediolateral stability and prevention of complications.

Trial Registration

The Brazilian Clinical Trials Registry RBR-8854CD     

Prevalence of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Determined by the Watchpat in Nonobese Japanese Patients with Poor Glucose Control And Type 2 Diabetes

Objective: Diagnosing obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) usually involves high cost, patient inconvenience, and the need for examination at a specialized center. This study employed a portable, wearable, diagnostic device (WatchPAT) to investigate the prevalence of OSA in nonobese Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes.Methods: Patients with type 2 diabetes were tested for OSA over one night using the WatchPAT. Logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the odds ratios (ORs) of risk factors for OSA in nonobese subjects.Results: A total of 200 eligible patients with type 2 diabetes were studied (64.5% men; aged 60.1 ± 13.6 years; body mass index &lsqb;BMI], 26.3 ± 5.2 kg/m²). When OSA was defined as apnea-hypopnea index ≥5/hour, its prevalence was 80.5%. The prevalence of OSA in subjects with a BMI <20 kg/m², ≥20 and <25 kg/m², ≥25 and <30 kg/m², and ≥30 kg/m² was 38.9%, 73.5%, 86.5%, and 97.5%, respectively. The severity of OSA increased in proportion to BMI, especially when the BMI was >25 kg/m². The prevalence of OSA was also high (66.3%) in normal-weight subjects (BMI <25 kg/m²). Furthermore, the serum triglyceride level (OR, 1.01; 95% confidence interval, 1.00 to 1.02; P = .042) was significantly related to OSA.Conclusion: A high prevalence of OSA was observed in this nonobese population of Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes. The triglyceride level was associated with OSA among nonobese patients.Abbreviations: AHI = apnea-hypopnea Index; BMI = body mass index; CI = confidence interval; ESS = Epworth Sleepiness Scale; HbA1c = glycated hemoglobin; OR = odds ratio; OSA = obstructive sleep apnea; PAT = peripheral arterial tone; T2D = type 2 diabetes; TG = triglyceride     

Prevalence of Hypogonadism in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in an Asian Indian Study Group

ObjectiveTo determine the prevalence of hypogonadism in Asian Indian patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and to correlate it with components of the metabolic syndrome and microvascular complications of T2DM.MethodsOne hundred consecutive male patients with T2DM between 25 and 50 years of age and 50 age-matched healthy adults without diabetes underwent assessment. Calculated free testosterone was derived by using serum total testosterone and sex hormone-binding globulin. Those patients with 2 calculated free testosterone values less than 64.8 pg/mL were diagnosed as having hypogonadism.ResultsOf the 100 patients with T2DM, 15 (15%) were found to have hypogonadism—7 of 29 (24%) between 31 and 40 years of age and 8 of 67 (12%) between 41 and 50 years old. None of the 4 patients between 25 and 30 years old had hypogonadism. Eleven patients (73%) had hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, and 4 (27%) had hypergonadotropic hypogonadism. Among the control subjects, the prevalence of hypogonadism was 10%. In comparison with Western data, we found a higher prevalence of hypogonadism in patients with T2DM, especially in those in the 4th decade of life. The prevalence of hypogonadism was higher in obese patients, although it did not reach statistical significance. No statistically significant correlation was observed between hypogonadism and age, duration of diabetes, glycemic control, androgen deficiency symptoms, or microvascular complications.ConclusionThe prevalence of hypogonadism was higher in the patients with diabetes than in the control subjects, although the difference did not reach statistical significance. There was no correlation of hypogonadism with components of the metabolic syndrome or microvascular complications of diabetes mellitus. (Endocr Pract. 2009;15:513-520)