Diabetes and inflammation: fundamental aspects and clinical implications

AIM

The aim of this paper is to provide the fundamental background of the inflammation theory associated with type 2 diabetes, to discuss the clinical consequences of low-grade inflammation, particularly in terms of cardiovascular risk, and to infer some clinical therapeutic strategies deriving from drugs that already exist or are in development.

METHODS

This non-exhaustive work is the result of a Pubmed(®) research, based on requests including the following keywords: diabetes, inflammation, innate immunity, obesity, reticulum endoplasmic stress, cytokines, endothelial dysfunction.

RESULTS

Obesity and type 2 diabetes are linked with a low-grade inflammation state that reflects the activation of innate immunity where metabolic, environmental and genetic factors are implicated. The role of endoplasmic reticulum stress and unfold protein response is underlined. Inflammation markers are predictive for the risk to develop diabetes, and are associated with an increased cardiovascular risk. While lifestyle modifications are followed by an improvement in inflammation markers, treatments inferred from the inflammation theory are of great interest, although quite moderate effects on glycaemic control have been observed with some of them.

CONCLUSION

The development of molecules targeting different inflammatory mechanisms could lead in diabetic patients to improvement of both glycaemia and cardiovascular prognosis.

[Thyroid metastasis of kidney cancer]

Thyroid metastasis of solid tumors is rare and often asymptomatic. Differential diagnosis with malignant thyroid tumor is difficult. We report a 65-year-old man who presented with a solitary intrathoracic thyroid nodule of the left lobe, inaccessible to fine needle biopsy. His past medical history was remarkable for a nephrectomy for a kidney clear cell carcinoma one year before. The PET-scan did not show any abnormal fixation. A left lobo-isthmectomy was performed. Histologic examination revealed an intrathyroid metastasis of kidney carcinoma.

[Hyperparathyroidism during pregnancy: dangerous association for the mother and her infant]

Hypercalcaemia during pregnancy is rare but requires a systematic approach for its diagnosis and its treatment. We report a 32-year-old pregnant female at 32 weeks of gestation who presented a severe hypercalcaemia, due to primary hyperparathyroidism. The delivery allowed the birth of a healthy child who had a serum calcium level in the normal range. Eight days later, the mother was operated from a parathyroid adenoma allowing normalisation of calcaemia. Hyperparathyroidism during pregnancy is rarely reported; it can lead to severe complications for both the mother and the infant. The newborn can present tetania due to hypocalcaemia and hypoparathyroidism can be definitive. Surgery should be discussed when serum calcium level of the mother is markedly elevated.

[Type 2 diabetes mellitus associated with pancreatic and renal malformations]

A 55-year-old woman presented with a recent diabetes mellitus associated with pancreatic and renal malformations. This atypical diabetes raised the possibility of maturity onset diabetes of the young (MODY) and a genetic research was performed. These malformations led to MODY5 diagnosis that was confirmed by the presence of HNF1beta gene mutation.

[Obesity and the metabolic syndrome: a new epidemic]

The disorder now known as the "metabolic syndrome "was first recognized 50 years ago, but the use of various definitions led to confusion over its real nature. The metabolic syndrome is directly linked to android obesity, which reflects insulin resistance; it lies at the root of all associated risk factors and is a forerunner of type 2 diabetes. Screening is based on systematic waist measurement, taking ethnic origin into account. This pragmatic approach avoids the uncertainties generated by different definitions and is less restrictive than a simple diagnosis of the metabolic syndrome. Non drug treatment of android obesity is inexpensive and effective but may be difficult to apply, owing to a number of social issues.

[Ofloxacin is contraindicated in case of G6PD deficiency: is it evidenced based?]

G6PD deficiency is very frequent with almost 400 millions of patients worldwide in Asia, Africa and Mediterranean. G6PD deficiency is involved in mild or severe haemolysis and the precipitating factor is usually a drug. More than 100 drugs have been implicated and fluoroquinolones are one of the more classic. However, the literature review shows that only a few observations have been clearly documented.

Prise en charge du syndrome de Nelson: données actuelles

PURPOSE

Nelson's syndrome is a severe complication of bilateral adrenalectomy performed in the treatment of some Cushing's diseases, and its management remains difficult. Trough the observation of a patient suffering from a severe form of Nelson's syndrome for more than 10 years, the authors review the literature and discuss the main current therapeutic possibilities.

CURRENT KNOWLEDGE AND KEY POINTS

Many molecules have been used with variable results. In our observation cabergoline at 2 mg per week seems to be efficient after a 3 and a half years follow-up, in accordance with some recent publications. More than bromocriptine, this dopamine agonist provides interesting prospects for this disease's management. Moreover, if the conventional treatments as valproic acid or cyproheptadine are not very efficient, somatostatin analogs seem to be of some therapeutic interest.

FUTURE PROSPECTS AND PROJECTS

New molecules are currently evaluated, but studies are difficult to conduct because of the low disease prevalence. Tumour receptors analysis undoubtedly constitutes an attractive way to find new therapeutic targets.

[Role of nocturnal blood pressure in the onset of diabetic nephropathy]

The aim of this study was to assess the responsibility of night-time blood pressure in the onset of nephropathy in diabetic patients.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This study included 98 diabetic patients (mean age: 54 +/- 15 years, diabetes duration: 15 +/- 10 years). An evaluation of diabetes and a 24-h ambulatory blood pressure were performed at the initial evaluation (Y0) and about five years later (Y5). At Y0, all patients had normal urinary albumin excretion (UAE) (<30 mg/24h). They were separated into two groups according to urinary albumin excretion at Y5: group (N +): UAE>30 mg/24h and group (N-): UAE<30 mg/24h. Twenty four hours ambulatory blood pressure, clinical and biological parameters recorded at Y0 were compared in both.

RESULTS

At Y5, there was 18 patients in group (N +) and 78 in group (N-). Patients of group (N +) were older than those of group (N-): 62.9 +/- 9.5 vs. 52.6 +/- 15.7 years, p<0.01, and their BMI was higher (28 +/- 5 vs. 25 +/- 4 kg/m2, p<0.03). Diabetes duration and Hb A1c levels did not differ from significant manner in both. At Y0, UAE was significantly higher in group (N +) than in group (N-): 13 +/- 7 vs. 8 +/- 6 mg/24h, p<0.01. At the initial evaluation, daytime systolic and diastolic blood pressures did not differ from significant manner in both. Systolic and diastolic BP night-time were higher in diabetic patients who developed microalbuminuria (SBP: 122 +/- 19 vs. 113 +/- 13 mmHg, p<0.05 and DBP: 70 +/- 6 vs. 65 +/- 10 mmHg, p<0.03). UAE collected at Y5 was correlated to night-time BP recorded at Y0 (SBP: r=0.381, p=0.001 and PAD: r=0.294, p=0.004) and night-time systolic BP explained 12.3% of the UAE variance. Progression of UAE between the two evaluations was found to be correlated to the night-time systolic BP recorded at Y0 (r=0.335, p=0.0008) and night-time systolic BP explained 11.7% of the progression variance. There was a negative correlation between UAE at A5 and the difference between daytime and night-time BP recorded during the same evaluation (r=- 0.230, p=0.024 with SBP and r=- 0.243, p=0.017 with DBP).

CONCLUSION

The results underlign the resposability of night-time blood pressure, and more especially of nighttime systolic blood pressure, for the onset of nephropathy in diabetic patients.

[Hypertension and acromegaly in the elderly: French Registry Data]

Multi centre registries such as the French Acromegaly Registry created in 1999 provide data on rare disorders that are otherwise difficult to obtain. This study focuses on the characteristics of high blood pressure in people aged of over 70 years old.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The data were obtained from the thirty centres where patients had been recorded on the Acromegaly Registry since 1999.

RESULTS

The Register listed a total of 644 patients with acromegaly at January 1st 2005, of whom 68 (22 men and 46 women) were aged over 70 years old (10.6%). Their mean age was 76.8 +/- 5 years (range 70 - 95) and they had been presenting acromegaly for 11 +/- 6 years (compared to 7 years in those aged less than 70). Their BMI were 27.9 +/- 4 kg/m2 for men, 27.7 +/- 4 for women (respectively 28.4 +/- 4.3 and 26.7 +/- 4.4 in those aged less than 70 years). Hypertension was particularly frequent in this population, reaching 80% vs. 27% under 70 years (p=0.0001). Prevalence was then higher than in general population (referring to FLAHS study). Mean blood pressure was 143 +/- 12 / 84 +/- 15 mmHg for men and 141 +/- 17 / 79 +/- 9 for women. 46% of men and 30% of women treated or not, had blood pressure over 140 / 90 mmHg. Data showed 12% of arrhythmic cardiopathy, 8% of cardiac insufficiency, 12% of ischemic cardiopathy and 12% of patients suffering from arteritis or stroke. Although various therapeutic strategies had been applied for young and elderly patients, 51% in each group were in remission one year after inclusion.

DISCUSSION

More than 10% of patients are aged over 70 years in the French Acromegaly Registry and hypertension is very frequently observed in this population. The increasing life expectancy due to currently available treatments justifies a strict management of patients in order to reduce cardiovascular risks, which stay the main cause of morbidity and mortality.

[Recommendations of the French National Health Authority for management of high blood pressure in clinical practice]

The new recommendations of the French national authority for health (or Haute Autorité de Santé: HAS) concerning management of high blood pressure (HBP) deserve to be compared with real clinical practices in a large population.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

[corrected] EPIMIL is a prospective epidemiological study designed to assess the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome and the risk factors in a 2045 French male military personnel coming from Paris area. The different recommendations of the HAS have been applied to these subjects, and the aim of this work is to compare these theoretical objectives to what is done in real practice.

RESULTS

Among these 2045 subjects aged of mean 38,6 +/- 8,8 years, 78 (4%) are known and treated for HPB. Although half of them present more than two associated risk factors, the means of systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure stay at high levels. The blood pressure (BP) targets established at 140/90 mmHg are only reached by 33 patients (42%). Among the 1967 subjects considered to have normal BP, the BP considered as optimal (120/80 mmHg) is only found in 695 subjects (35.3%) and 428 (21.7%) do present ignored or neglected HBP, in spite of the presence of important associated risk factors. Then, the cardiovascular risk stratification into levels, as recommended by the HAS, shows that for these subjects considered to have normal BP, risk is finally low for 6%, moderate for 12%, and high for 3.5%.

COMMENTS

In a selected and in theory regularly followed population, the recommendations of the HAS are insufficiently applied, as well for detection or treatment of HBP. Then, information of both medical personnel and also the interested parties should be necessary, in order to see these recommendations applied in real practice.

[Modifications of 24-h blood pressure profile associated with reduction of the heart rate variability in type 1 diabetic patients]

The purpose of this study was to assess the blood pressure modifications in type 1 diabetic patients who present reduction of heart rate variability.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This study included 70 type 1 diabetic patients (mean age: 42 +/- 13 years, diabetes duration: 13.2 +/- 9 years. They were free for complications and did not receive other treatment than insulin. Heart rate variability was evaluated using 24-h continuous ECG record spectral analysis. Patients were divided into two groups according to whether log high frequency power was lower (group 1, N=36) or higher (group 2, N=3 4) than 70 patients'mean. Clinical and biological features and 24-h ambulatory blood pressure measurement were compared in both groups.

RESULTS

Patients of group 1 were older than group 2 (47.8 +/- 11.2 vs. 35.7 +/- 12.2 years, p<0.0001) and diabetes duration was higher (16.9 +/- 8.4 vs. 9.4 +/- 8 years, p<0.001). BMI and Hb A1c did not differ from significant in both. Night-time blood pressure was upper in group 1 (SBP: 112 +/- 13 vs. 103 +/- 11 mmHg, p<0.01 and DBP: 66 +/- 8 vs. 60 +/- 7 mmHg, p<0.001). The difference between blood pressures during day and night (DeltaBP) were lower in group 1 than in group 2 (DeltaSBP: 10 +/- 9 vs. 15 +/- 7 mmHg, p<0.02 and DeltaDeltaBP: 9 +/- 7 vs. 12 +/- 5 mmHg, p<0.04). DSBP and DDBP were found to be correlated with log HF power (r=0.356, p<0.003), which could explain 11.8% and 12% of their variance. Urinary albumin excretion rate was higher in group 1 (8 +/- 4 vs. 5 +/- 3 mg/24h, p<0.01).

CONCLUSION

In type 1 diabetic patients free for complications, reduction in heart rate variability linked to age and diabetes duration is associated with a reduction in nighttime BP fall. These two parameters of autonomic neuropathy could have a pathogenic role in the development of incipient nephropathy.

Should we have more definitions of metabolic syndrome or simply take waist measurement?

The disorder now known as metabolic syndrome has been recognized for 50 years, but its multiple definitions have led to some confusion and even doubt about its very nature. Metabolic syndrome is directly linked to the presence of android obesity, which indicates insulin resistance and lies at the root of all risk factors and early indications of type 2 diabetes. It is diagnosed by systematic measurements of waist size and its direct interpretation taking ethnic origin into account. This pragmatic approach avoids the uncertainties generated by differing definitions and is subtler than the presence or absence of metabolic syndrome in a given patient. Drug-free treatment of an android obese patient is inexpensive and effective, but this apparently simple approach masks difficulties of application. However, these are sociological problems.

[Silent thyroiditis in a patient under lithium therapy]

While hypothyroidism secondary to treatments by lithium are well known, cases of hyperthyroidism are less common. A 48 years old patient under lithium carbonate from about 10 years ago presents hyperthyroidism without any auto-immunity biological markers, associated with a very low thyroid tracer uptake on scintigraphy. Treatments by anti thyroid agents will be necessary during months in order to normalize the hormone level, whereas lithium is maintained. Only few tens of cases of hyperthyroidism related to lithium have been reported in the literature. This observation shows the importance of the thyroid hormonal follow up for patients under lithium, in order to treat them before the outbreak of a thyroid dysfunction. The causal toxic mechanism is still unclear, and may be related with a direct damage of lithium to follicular cells.

Inefficacité des bandelettes urinaires dans la recherche de néphropathie incipiens chez les diabétiques

INTRODUCTION

Microalbuminuria is an early indication of diabetic nephropathy in patients with Type 1 diabetes and a marker of cardiovascular in patients with type 2 diabetes. It must therefore be assessed annually in these patients. We sought to determine whether semiquantitative determination of proteinuria with urinary dipsticks was useful for this purpose.

METHOD

This analysis of consecutive urinary samples among diabetic patients excluded those with dipstick results positive either for leukocyturia or nitrituria, to avoid false positives due to urinary infection. We assessed the reliability of the dipsticks in comparison with conventional microalbuminuria and proteinuria assays.

RESULTS

The study included 230 patients. Positive dipstick results had good positive (95.7%) and negative (93.9%) predictive values. Low levels of microalbuminuria, however - those that lead to early adjustment of treatment, were much more difficult to identify: the negative predictive value was only 73.7% and proteinuria was no longer correlated with microalbuminuria.

DISCUSSION

Urinary dipsticks cannot replace conventional assays for microalbuminuria or proteinuria.

[Influence of blood pressure level on urinary albumin excretion rate and erythropoietin production in diabetic patients]

The purpose of this study was to investigate blood pressure variations during diabetic incipient nephropathy and to evaluate theirs consequences for erythropoietin (EPO) production.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This study included 94 diabetic patients (mean age: 59.9 +/- 15.3 years, diabetes duration: 13.8 +/- 15.3 years). Patients were divided in two groups according to urinary albumin excretion rate (UAE): group 1: UAE <30 mg/24 hrs, N=64 and group 2: 30<UAE <300 mg/24 hrs; N=30 EPO levels and 24 hrs ABPM where compared between these two groups.

RESULTS

patients' age and BMI, diabetes duration and Hb A1c levels, blood pressure and creatinine clairance did not differ from significant manner between the two groups. 24 hrs BP and daytime BP did not differ according to UAE rate. Night-time BP was significantly higher in group 2 than in group 1 (SBP: 126 +/- 17 vs. 118 +/- 15 mmHg, p<0.04 and DBP: 71 +/- 10 vs. 67 +/- 8 mmHg, p < 0.02). UAE was positively correlated nigh-time BP (r = 0.263, p = 0.01 for SBP and r = 0.273, p = 0.008 for DBP) and negatively with the difference between daytime and night-time SBP (delta SBP) (r = -0.205, p < 0.05). Hemoglobin levels did not differ significantly between the two groups. EPO levels of group 2 were significantly lower than those of group 1 (15.1 +/- 5.6 vs. 17.7 +/- 6.2 mU/ml, p < 0.05). A negative correlation between UAE and EPO was found (r = -0.266, p < 0.01). UAE and delta SBP explained 12.2% of EPO variance.

CONCLUSION

in diabetic patients, elevation of night-time BP and reduction in nightime BP fall participate to the installation of incipient nephropathy. A significant decrease in EPO production is noted in the same time.

[Pasteurella dagmatis spondylodiscitis in a diabetic patient]

INTRODUCTION

Healthy pets contact are able to induce unusual and severe diseases.

CLINICAL CASE

This case reports the medical history of a dorsal spondylodiscitis in a diabetic patient admitted for a chronic wound of his toes. He had a long-standing history of regular consumption of alcohol and tobacco. Blood bottles and biopsy of intervertebral disc infected discovered Pasteurella dagmatis, commonly colonizing the oropharynx of healthy dogs and cats. In this case, licking of his injured toe by his dog was the likely source of entry of the organism.

DISCUSSION

We found no identical cases in the medical literature. Diabetes mellitus and other immunocompromised disorders justify to change behaviours toward domestic animals.

Diagnostic d’un syndrome de Klinefelter trois ans après chirurgie d’exérèse d’un tératome médiastinal

INTRODUCTION

The association between some types of tumor and Klinefelter's syndrome (KS) is often missed and diagnosis of the latter delayed, as in this case report.

CASE

We present the case of a 20 year-old patient for whom KS was not diagnosed until three years after thoracic surgery for a mediastinal teratoma.

DISCUSSION

The association between KS and mediastinal germ-cell tumors is not coincidental; it illustrates the relation between aneuploidy and oncogenesis. In a young adult male, palpation of the scrotum to look for microorchidism is justified when these tumors are diagnosed because 25% occur in patients with KS.

Epidemiology of the metabolic syndrome in 2045 French military personnel (EPIMIL study)

CONTEXT

The Metabolic syndrome is considered to be an important public health problem, but few epidemiological studies have defined the present situation in France. EPIMIL is a prospective epidemiological study that began on February 1, 2003.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

This study was designed to identify the clinical and laboratory parameters of metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular risk factors in a population of 2045 male military personnel based in the Paris region. The initial 1-year cross-sectional study will be followed by a 10-year follow-up and patient care.

RESULTS

The 2045 subjects included 185 (9%) presented at least 3 of the 5 NCEP ATP III criteria defining metabolic syndrome. They were significantly older (42.2 +/- 8.5 yrs) than the other subjects (37.3 +/- 8.7 yrs, P<0.001), had a higher BMI (29.5 +/- 3.4 vs 24.8 +/- 2.9 kg/m2, P<0.001) and a greater body weight at age 20 (75.4 +/- 11 vs 70.4 +/- 8.5 kg, P<0.01). Smoking, little physical activity and family histories of diabetes and arterial hypertension were more frequent in these men. While levels of the cholesterol and CRP us were higher, Lp(a) and homocysteine concentrations were normal. Plasma insulin and BMI (r = 0.456 P<0.0001) and plasma insulin and waist circumference (r = 0.446 P<0.0001) were well correlated. Lastly, plasma insulin, free fatty acids and cardiovascular risk increased steadily with the increase in the number of metabolic syndrome criteria.

CONCLUSIONS

These results in a large and particularly uniform population of men show the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in adult men, and demonstrate its link with insulin resistance. Men with several risk factors require specific care, particularly for hypertension and dyslipidemia; the effectiveness of this care will be evaluated during the follow-up period.

L'hyperhomocystéinémie est-elle un facteur de risque supplémentaire du syndrome métabolique ?

INTRODUCTION

Metabolic syndrome is a cardiovascular risk factors cluster and hyperhomocysteinemia an obvious independant risk factor.

OBJECTIVE

To ascertain if hyperhomocysteinemia is associated with the metabolic syndrome.

METHODS

"Epimil" is a prospective epidemiologic survey, which began by a cross-sectionnal study of cardiovascular risk factors in a French population, which then will be followed for ten years for supervision and intervention. Initial data collection, blood pressure measurement, ECG and blood samples (biology and DNA) have been performed. For the metabolic syndrome, we used the criterias of the third report of the national cholesterol education program expert panel on detection, evaluation, and treatment of high blood cholesterol in adults (NCEP ATP III).

RESULTS

Out of 2045 men aged from 20 to 58 years (37.7+/-8.7 years), 185 (9%) have metabolic syndrome (at least three criterias), 587 (29%) a blood homocysteine>or=12 micromol/L and 202 (10%)>or=15 micromol/L. Homocysteinemia is 10.97+/-5.01 micromol/L for the whole population and doesn't differ with (11.4+/-6 micromol/L) or without (10.9+/-5 micromol/L) the metabolic syndrome, as does its values distribution. It's not correlate with the body mass index, waist and hip measurements, nor with glycemia, HbA1c, insulin resistance and cardiovascular risk markers (CRPus, microalbuminuria). It weakly correlates with systolic and diastolic blood pressure, creatinine clearance, tobacco use, cholesterolemia, triglycerides and free fatty acids but not with HDL and LDL fractions, nor lipoprotein (a). Among this population, it slightly contributes to the ten years vascular risk evaluated according to Framingham equations or Score system.

CONCLUSIONS

Homocysteinemia and the prevalence of hyperhomocysteinemia don't differ with or without the metabolic syndrome and doesn't correlate its main criterias.

Tumeur intracanalaire papillaire mucineuse du pancréas révélée par une pancréatite aiguë et un diabète

INTRODUCTION

Imaging of the pancreas soon after diagnosis of diabetes can help screen for tumors.

CASE

A 45 year-old man with recently diagnosed insulin-dependent diabetes and no other notable history was found to have intraductal papillary mucinous tumour of the pancreas (IPMTP), a month after an unexplained and benign acute pancreatitis.

DISCUSSION

The histology of IPMTP differs from that of the adenocarcinomas usually described in these circumstances, and they are far rarer. Because they carry the risk of malignant degeneration, early diagnosis is important. Surgery is the only curative treatment and should therefore be discussed.