Prevention of type 2 diabetes in obese at-risk subjects: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Comprehensive analysis of systemic, metabolic, and molecular changes following prospective change to low-carbohydrate diet in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus in India

Purpose

South Asians, especially Indians, face higher diabetes-related risks despite lower body mass index (BMI) compared with the White population. Limited research connects low-carbohydrate high-fat (LCHF)/ketogenic diets to metabolic changes in this group. Systematic studies are needed to assess the long-term effects of the diet, such as ocular health.

Method

In this prospective, observational study, 465 candidates aged 25-75 years with type 2 diabetes included with institutional ethics approval. A total of 119 subjects were included in the final study assessment based on the availability of pathophysiological reports, tears, and blood samples collected at baseline, 3rd, and 6th months. Serum and tear samples were analyzed by an enzyme-linked lectinsorbent assay, to examine secreted soluble protein biomarkers, such as IL-1β (interleukin 1 Beta), IL-6 (interleukin 6), IL-10 (interleukin 10), IL-17A (interleukin 17A), MMP-9 (matrix metalloproteinase 9), ICAM-1 (intercellular adhesion molecule 1), VEGF-A (vascular endothelial growth factor A), and TNF-α (tumor necrosis factor-alpha). A Wilcoxon test was performed for paired samples. Spearman's correlation was applied to test the strength and direction of the association between tear biomarkers and HbA1c. p-value of < 0.05 was considered significant.

Results

After a 3- and 6-month LCHF intervention, fasting blood sugar decreased by 10% (Δ: -14 mg/dL; p < 0.0001) and 7% (Δ: -8 mg/dL; p < 0.0001), respectively. Glycated hemoglobin A1c levels decreased by 13% (Δ: -1%; p < 0.0001) and 9% (Δ: -0.6%; p < 0.0001). Triglycerides reduced by 22% (Δ: -27 mg/dL; p < 0.0001) and 14% (Δ: -19 mg/dL; p < 0.0001). Total cholesterol reduced by 5.4% (Δ: -10.5 mg/dL; p < 0.003) and 4% (Δ: -7 mg/dL; p < 0.03), while low-density lipoprotein decreased by 10% (Δ: -11.5 mg/dL; p < 0.003) and 9% (Δ: -11 mg/dL; p < 0.002). High-density lipoprotein increased by 11% (Δ: 5 mg/dL; p < 0.0001) and 17% (Δ: 8 mg/dL; p < 0.0001). At the first follow-up, tear proteins such as ICAM-1, IL-17A, and TNF-α decreased by 30% (Δ: -2,739 pg/mL; p < 0.01), 22% (Δ: -4.5 pg/mL; p < 0.02), and 34% (Δ: -0.9 pg/mL; p < 0.002), respectively. At the second follow-up, IL-1β and TNF-α reduced by 41% (Δ: -2.4 pg/mL; p < 0.05) and 34% (Δ: -0.67 pg/mL; p < 0.02). Spearman's correlation between HbA1c and tear analytes was not statistically significant.

Conclusion

The LCHF diet reduces the risk of hyperglycemia and dyslipidemia. Changes in tear fluid protein profiles were observed, but identifying promising candidate biomarkers requires validation in a larger cohort.

Prediction of the 10-year incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus based on advanced anthropometric indices using machine learning methods in the Iranian population

BACKGROUND

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a growing chronic disease that can lead to disability and early death. This study aimed to establish a predictive model for the 10-year incidence of T2DM based on novel anthropometric indices.

METHODS

This was a prospective cohort study comparing people with (n = 1256) and without (n = 5193) diabetes mellitus in phase II of the Mashhad Stroke and Heart Atherosclerotic Disorder (MASHAD) study. The association of several anthropometric indices in phase I, including Body Mass Index (BMI), Body Adiposity Index (BAI), Abdominal Volume Index (AVI), Visceral Adiposity Index (VAI), Weight-Adjusted-Waist Index (WWI), Body Roundness Index (BRI), Body Surface Area (BSA), Conicity Index (C-Index) and Lipid Accumulation Product (LAP) with T2DM incidence (in phase II) were examined; using Logistic Regression (LR) and Decision Tree (DT) analysis.

RESULTS

BMI followed by VAI and LAP were the best predictors of T2DM incidence. Participants with BMI < 21.25 kg/m2 and VAI ≤ 5.9 had a lower chance of diabetes than those with higher BMI and VAI levels (0.033 vs. 0.967 incident rate). For BMI > 25 kg/m2, the chance of diabetes rapidly increased (OR = 2.27).

CONCLUSIONS

BMI, VAI, and LAP were the best predictors of T2DM incidence.

Identification of Intervention Characteristics Within Diabetes Prevention Programs Using the Template for Intervention Description and Replication: A Scoping Review

OBJECTIVES

Diabetes prevention programs (DPPs) targeting dietary and physical activity behaviour change have been shown to decrease the incidence of type 2 diabetes; however, a more thorough reporting of intervention characteristics is needed to expedite the translation of such programs into different communities. In this scoping review, we aim to synthesize how DPPs are being reported and implemented.

METHODS

A scoping review using Arkey and O'Malley methods was conducted in accordance with the guidelines of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis. MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, EMBASE, and SPORTDiscus were searched for studies relating to diabetes prevention and diet/exercise interventions. Only studies delivering a diet/exercise intervention for adults identified as "at risk" for developing type 2 diabetes were included. The Template for Intervention Description and Replication (TIDieR) was used to guide data extraction, and each DPP was scored on a scale from 0 to 2 for how thoroughly it reported each of the items (0 = did not report, 2 = reported in full; total score out of 26).

RESULTS

Of the 25,110 publications screened, 351 (based on 220 programs) met the inclusion criteria and were included for data extraction. No studies comprehensively reported on all TIDieR domains (mean TIDieR score: 15.7 of 26; range 7 to 25). Reporting was particularly poor among domains related to "modifications," "tailoring," and "how well (planned/actual)." "How well (planned)" assesses the intended delivery of an intervention, detailing the initial strategies and components as per the original design, whereas "how well (actual)" evaluates the extent to which the intervention was executed as planned during the study, including any deviations or modifications made in practice.

CONCLUSIONS

Although there is evidence to suggest that DPPs are efficacious, a more thorough reporting of program content and delivery is needed to improve the ability for effective programs to be implemented or translated into different communities.

Evaluation and Treatment of Obesity and Its Comorbidities: 2022 Update of Clinical Practice Guidelines for Obesity by the Korean Society for the Study of Obesity

The goal of the 8th edition of the Clinical Practice Guidelines for Obesity is to help primary care physician provide safe, effective care to patients with obesity by offering evidence-based recommendations to improve the quality of treatment. The Committee for Clinical Practice Guidelines comprised individuals with multidisciplinary expertise in obesity management. A steering board of seven experts oversaw the entire project. Recommendations were developed as the answers to key questions formulated in patient/problem, intervention, comparison, outcomes (PICO) format. Guidelines underwent multi-level review and cross-checking and received endorsement from relevant scientific societies. This edition of the guidelines includes criteria for diagnosing obesity, abdominal obesity, and metabolic syndrome; evaluation of obesity and its complications; weight loss goals; and treatment options such as diet, exercise, behavioral therapy, pharmacotherapy, and bariatric and metabolic surgery for Korean people with obesity. Compared to the previous edition of the guidelines, the current edition includes five new topics to keep up with the constantly evolving field of obesity: diagnosis of obesity, obesity in women, obesity in patients with mental illness, weight maintenance after weight loss, and the use of information and communication technology-based interventions for obesity treatment. This edition of the guidelines features has improved organization, more clearly linking key questions in PICO format to recommendations and key references. We are confident that these new Clinical Practice Guidelines for Obesity will be a valuable resource for all healthcare professionals as they describe the most current and evidence-based treatment options for obesity in a well-organized format.

Assessing temporal differences of baseline body mass index, waist circumference, and waist-height ratio in predicting future diabetes

Objective

Obesity is the prominent modifiable risk factor known to influence the occurrence and progression of diabetes other than age, and the objective of this study was to evaluate and compare the predictive value of three simple baseline anthropometric indicators of obesity, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and waist-height ratio (WHtR), for the occurrence of diabetes at different time points in the future.

Methods

The study subjects were 12,823 individuals with normoglycemic at baseline who underwent health screening and had measurements of BMI, WC, and WHtR. The outcome of interest was new-onset diabetes during follow-up. Time-dependent receiver operator characteristics (ROC) curves of baseline BMI, WC, and WHtR for predicting the risk of diabetes in the next 2 to 12 years were constructed and their area under the ROC curves (AUCs) and corresponding optimal threshold values were calculated for each time point, which were used to compare the accuracy and stability of the above three indicators for predicting the occurrence of diabetes in different future periods.

Results

During a median follow-up period of 7.02 years, with a maximum follow-up of 13 years, 320 new-onset diabetes were recorded. After adjusting for confounders and comparing standardized hazard ratios (HRs), WC was shown to be the best simple anthropometric indicator of obesity reflecting diabetes risk in all models, followed by WHtR. Time-dependent ROC analysis showed that WC had the highest AUC in predicting the occurrence of diabetes in the short term (2-5 years), and WHtR had the highest AUC in predicting the occurrence of diabetes in the medium to long term (6-12 years), while in any time point, both WC and WHtR had higher AUC than BMI in predicting future diabetes. In addition, we found relatively larger fluctuations in the thresholds of BMI and WC for predicting diabetes over time, while the thresholds of WHtR consistently remained between 0.47-0.50; comparatively speaking, WHtR may have greater application value in predicting future diabetes.

Conclusions

Our analysis sustained that central obesity is a more important predictor of diabetes, and in clinical practice, we proposed measuring WHtR as a useful tool for predicting future diabetes.

The Role of By-Products of Fruit and Vegetable Processing for the Dietary Treatment of Cardiovascular Risk Factors: A Narrative Review

Polyphenols-rich food has been utilized to induce a positive effect on human health. Considering that fruit and vegetable by-products (seeds, pomace, and peels) are sources of polyphenols, previous studies have investigated the effect of dietary supplementation with food by-products on cardiometabolic disorders, such as high fasting blood glucose, dyslipidemia, and obesity. Endothelial dysfunction has also been considered a cardiometabolic parameter, given that it precedes cardiovascular disease. However, there is a scarcity of narrative reviews reporting the effect of food by-product supplementation on cardiometabolic disorders in animal and human clinical trials. In this sense, the present narrative review aims to investigate the impact of fruit and vegetable by-product supplementation on cardiometabolic disorders in humans and animals, exploring the possible mechanisms whenever possible. Research articles were retrieved based on a search of the following databases: PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar using the following keywords and synonyms combined: (“fruit by-products” or “food waste” or “pomace” or “bagasse” or “seeds” or “waste products”) AND (“heart disease risk factors” or “endothelial dysfunction” or “atherosclerosis”). It was shown that fruit and vegetable by-products could efficiently improve cardiometabolic disorders in patients with chronic diseases, including hypertension, type II diabetes mellitus, and dyslipidemia. Such effects can be induced by the polyphenols present in food by-products. In conclusion, food by-product supplementation has a positive effect on cardiometabolic disorders. However, further studies investigating the effect of food by-products on cardiometabolic disorders in humans are still necessary so that solid conclusions can be drawn.

Cardiovascular Disease Risk Reduction and Body Mass Index

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Anti-hypertensive and lipid lowering therapy addresses only half of the cardiovascular disease risk in patients with body mass index > 30 kg/m², i.e., obesity. We examine newer aspects of obesity pathobiology that underlie the partial effectiveness of anti-hypertensive lipid lowering therapy for the reduction of cardiovascular disease risk in obesity.

RECENT FINDINGS

Obesity-related insulin resistance, vascular endothelium dysfunction, increased sympathetic nervous system/renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system activity, and glomerulopathy lead to type 2 diabetes, coronary atherosclerosis, and chronic disease kidney disease that besides hypertension and dyslipidemia increase cardiovascular disease risk. Obesity increases cardiovascular disease risk through multiple pathways. Optimal reduction of cardiovascular disease risk in patients with obesity is likely to require therapy targeted at both obesity and obesity-associated conditions.

Physical Activity Treatment in Adults with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus per National Treatment Guidelines for Germany: A Telephone-Survey-Based Analysis

Physical activity (PA) is effective in the prevention of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). According to the German national treatment guidelines for T2DM, PA is recommended at all stages of the treatment process. Adults with T2DM were recruited within the cross-sectional telephone survey 'Disease knowledge and information needs-Diabetes mellitus (2017)'. Self-reported data on socio-demographic characteristics, previous and current T2DM treatment, and PA behavior were collected. Using multivariable logistic regression models, the correlation between PA treatment (referrals and recommendations) and PA was investigated. Overall, 1149 adults diagnosed with T2DM are included in the analysis. Of the participants, 66.7% reported having ever received PA as part of their T2DM treatment with 61% of the participants reporting PA treatment at the time of the initial T2DM diagnosis and 54% at the time of the interview. Women, older participants, and those with a lower educational level were less likely to have ever been treated with PA. Currently being treated with PA as part of the T2DM treatment was associated with higher rates of achieving the World Health Organization's PA recommendations (≥150 min per week) (OR = 1.95, 95% CI: 1.42-2.68), as well as ever being treated with PA (OR = 1.74, 95% CI: 1.20-2.38). The analyses showed that PA treatment plays a role in the treatment process of T2DM, but not all patient subgroups benefit in the same way. Efforts to increase PA treatment as part of T2DM treatment are needed, especially for those who are currently not treated with PA. Further research is needed to better understand the type of PA (e.g., structured or unstructured) undertaken by adults with T2DM to develop tailored PA interventions for adults with T2DM and for those in vulnerable subgroups.

Risk of Type 2 Diabetes Among Individuals with Excess Weight: Weight Trajectory Effects

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Increased risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) among individuals with overweight or obesity is well-established; however, questions remain about the temporal dynamics of weight change (gain or loss) on the natural course of T2D in this at-risk population. Existing epidemiologic evidence is limited to studies that discretely sample and assess excess weight and T2D risk at different ages with limited follow-up, yet changes in weight may have time-varying and possibly non-linear effects on T2D risk. Predicting the impact of weight change on the risk of T2D is key to informing primary prevention. We critically review the relationship between weight change, trajectory groups (i.e., distinct weight change patterns), and T2D risk among individuals with excess weight in recently published T2D prevention randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and longitudinal cohort studies.

RECENT FINDINGS

Overall, weight trajectory groups have been shown to differ by age of onset, sex, and patterns of insulin resistance or beta-cell function biomarkers. Lifestyle (diet and physical activity), pharmacological, and surgical interventions can modify an individual's weight trajectory. Adolescence is a critical etiologically relevant window during which onset of excess weight may be associated with higher risk of T2D. Changes in insulin resistance and beta-cell function biomarkers are distinct but related correlates of weight trajectory groups that evolve contemporaneously over time. These multi-trajectory markers are differentially associated with T2D risk. T2D risk may differ by the age of onset and duration of excess body weight, and the type of weight loss intervention. A better understanding of the changes in weight, insulin sensitivity, and beta-cell function as distinct but related correlates of T2D risk that evolve contemporaneously over time has important implications for designing and targeting primary prevention efforts.

Activity tracker-based intervention to increase physical activity in patients with type 2 diabetes and healthy individuals: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

One relevant strategy to prevent the onset and progression of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) focuses on increasing physical activity. The use of activity trackers by patients could enable objective measurement of their regular physical activity in daily life and promote physical activity through the use of a tracker-based intervention. This trial aims to answer three research questions: (1) Is the use of activity trackers suitable for longitudinal assessment of physical activity in everyday life? (2) Does the use of a tracker-based intervention lead to sustainable improvements in the physical activity of healthy individuals and in people with T2DM? (3) Does the accompanying digital motivational intervention lead to sustainable improvements in physical activity for participants using the tracker-based device?

METHODS

The planned study is a randomized controlled trial focused on 1642 participants with and without T2DM for 9 months with regard to their physical activity behavior. Subjects allocated to an intervention group will wear an activity tracker. Half of the subjects in the intervention group will also receive an additional digital motivational intervention. Subjects allocated to the control group will not receive any intervention. The primary outcome is the amount of moderate and vigorous physical activity in minutes and the number of steps per week measured continuously with the activity tracker and assessed by questionnaires at four time points. Secondary endpoints are medical parameters measured at the same four time points. The collected data will be analyzed using inferential statistics and explorative data-mining techniques.

DISCUSSION

The trial uses an interdisciplinary approach with a team including sports psychologists, sports scientists, health scientists, health care professionals, physicians, and computer scientists. It also involves the processing and analysis of large amounts of data collected with activity trackers. These factors represent particular strengths as well as challenges in the study.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

The trial is registered at the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform via the German Clinical Studies Trial Register (DRKS), DRKS00027064 . Registered on 11 November 2021.

The Correlation of Prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes With Adiposity in Adults

Background

Fat metabolism is associated with prediabetes and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The aim of this study was to evaluate the detailed correlation of diabetes status with adiposity among adults.

Methods

Briefly, 28,429 adults aged ≥18 years from both sexes in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999–2018 were included in this study. Multivariable linear regression models were used to examine associations of prediabetes and diabetes status, disease duration of T2DM, serum glucose, glycohemoglobin (HbA1c) with total percent fat (TPF), and fat mass distribution.

Results

After adjusting for sociodemographic covariates, health behaviors, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, there were direct associations of prediabetes and T2DM status with TPF, trunk fat mass, android fat mass, gynoid fat mass and android to gynoid ratio compared with non-diabetes. But the fat mass decreased with the increase of the disease duration in patients with T2DM. Besides, when stratifying by diabetes status, we found direct associations of serum glucose and HbA1c with TPF, trunk fat mass, android fat mass, gynoid fat mass, and android to gynoid ratio in non-diabetic and prediabetic participants. But in patients with T2DM, inverse associations of serum glucose and HbA1c with fat mass were observed.

Conclusions

This study indicated that adults with prediabetes and T2DM had significantly higher TPF, trunk fat mass, android fat mass, gynoid fat mass, and android to gynoid ratio compared with those without diabetes. Moreover, fat mass decreased as the disease duration increased in patients with T2DM. The associations of serum glucose and HbA1c with TPF and fat mass distribution in patients with T2DM were opposite to the relationships observed in non-diabetic and prediabetic participants.

Preventive Metformin Monotherapy Medication Prescription, Redemption and Socioeconomic Status in Hungary in 2018-2019: A Cross-Sectional Study

This study was designed to characterize the spatial distribution of metformin medication used as first-line monotherapy for prevention of T2DM in relationship with the socioeconomic status (level of deprivation) and T2DM mortality at district level in a nationwide cross-sectional ecological study for the first time in a European country, Hungary. Risk analysis was used to estimate the relationships between socioeconomic status, characterized by tertiles of deprivation index, and mortality caused by diabetes, and metformin medication (both prescription and redemption) for the years of 2018 and 2019 at the district level. The spatial distribution of districts with a higher relative frequency of metformin prescriptions and redemptions showed a positive correlation with socio-economic deprivation. Significant association between the relatively high T2DM mortality and the highest level of deprivation could also be detected, but less-deprived regions with high T2DM mortality and low metformin utilization could also be identified. Although the statistical associations detected in this ecological study do not indicate a causal relationship, it is reasonable to suppose that the underuse of metformin medication may contribute to the unfavourable T2DM mortality in certain regions. Our findings underline the need for more effective preventive services including metformin medication to decrease T2DM morbidity and mortality burden.

Diet and exercise interventions for individuals at risk for type 2 diabetes: a scoping review protocol

INTRODUCTION

Global rates of type 2 diabetes (T2D) are on the rise and there is a need for both effective and replicable interventions to decrease this incidence. Systematic reviews highlight the efficacy of diet and exercise interventions in decreasing T2D risk; however, no review to date provides clear information regarding intervention details (eg, what is delivered, by whom, to whom, when, and mode of delivery). This paper outlines the protocol for a scoping review summarising intervention characteristics of diet and exercise programmes for individuals at risk for T2D. From the included studies and through the use of the Template for Intervention Description and Replication (TIDieR), the scoping review that results from this protocol paper will provide a narrative analysis of how diabetes prevention programmes are being reported and implemented.

METHODS

A comprehensive search strategy is outlined to identify studies within Medline, CINAHL, PsycINFO, EMBASE and SPORTDiscus. The search strategy will include terms relating to diet and exercise interventions and diabetes risk. To determine eligible studies, predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria will be used independently by two review authors. To be included, studies must be delivering a diet and/or exercise intervention among adults who have been identified as at risk for developing T2D with an outcome related to diabetes prevention. Data extraction of those studies that meet inclusion criteria will be guided by the TIDieR).

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

Ethical approval is not required as this review will be using previously collected data. Review findings will be presented at scientific conferences and published in a peer-reviewed journal.

Prevention of Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease in Obesity

Obesity is one of the major risk factors for the development of both impaired glucose tolerance (IGT, or prediabetes) and type 2 diabetes (T2D), and its prevalence worldwide drives toward an increased rate of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Given the estimations of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the recommendation of the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP), where IGT and diabetes are considered as risk factors for the development of cardiovascular complications and obesity, the development of diabetes should be treated because of its potential reversibility. In this view, several interventions such as diet, lifestyle changes, and pharmacological treatment are effective, including bariatric metabolic surgery (BMS), which is the most incisive way to efficiently lower body weight. In this review, we sought to summarize some of the major aspects linked to diabetes prevention in overweight/obesity, focusing on the use of surgery; we also attempted to elucidate molecular pathways involved in a variety of obesity-induced processes able to favor the progression of chronic diseases, such as diabetes and its complications.

Preventive Role of Diet Interventions and Dietary Factors in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: An Umbrella Review

BACKGROUND

Although the body of evidence indicates clear benefits of dietary modifications for prevention of type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), it may be difficult for healthcare providers to recommend which diet interventions or dietary factors are appropriate for patients as there are too many modalities available. Accordingly, we performed an umbrella review to synthesize evidence on diet interventions and dietary factors in prevention of T2DM.

METHODS

Medline and Scopus databases were searched for relevant studies. Systematic reviews with meta-analyses of randomized-controlled trial or observational studies were eligible if they measured effects of diet interventions and/or dietary factors including dietary patterns, food groups, and nutrients on risk of T2DM. The effect of each diet intervention/factor was summarized qualitatively.

RESULTS

Sixty systematic reviews and meta-analyses were eligible. Results of the review suggest that healthy dietary patterns such as Mediterranean and Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diets, and high consumption of whole grains, low-fat dairy products, yogurt, olive oil, chocolate, fiber, magnesium, and flavonoid significantly reduced the risk of T2DM. In contrast, high glycemic index and glycemic load diets, high consumption of red and processed meat, and sugar or artificial sugar-sweetened beverages significantly increased risk of T2DM. Prescribing diet interventions with or without physical activity interventions significantly decreased risk of T2DM in both high-risk and general population.

CONCLUSION

High consumption of Mediterranean and DASH diet, and interventions that modified the quality of diet intake significantly reduced risk of T2DM especially in the high-risk population. These lifestyle modifications should be promoted in both individual and population levels to prevent and decrease burden from T2DM in the future.

Assessing different anthropometric indices and their optimal cutoffs for prediction of type 2 diabetes and impaired fasting glucose in Asians: The Jinchang Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

To study the association between anthropometric measurements and the risk of diabetes and impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and compare body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) to determine the best indicator and its optimal cutoffs for predicting type 2 diabetes and IFG.

METHODS

A Chinese prospective (2011-2019) cohort named the Jingchang cohort that included 48 001 participants was studied. Using Cox proportional hazard models, hazard ratios (HRs) for incident type 2 diabetes or IFG per 1 SD change in BMI, WC, and WHtR were calculated. Area under the curve (AUC) was compared to identify the best anthropometric variable and its optimal cutoff for predicting diabetes.

RESULTS

The association of BMI, WC, and WHtR with type 2 diabetes or IFG risk was positive in the univariate and multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional hazard models. Of all three indexes, the AUC of BMI was largest and that of WC was smallest. The derived cutoff values for BMI, WC, and WHtR were 24.6 kg/m² , 89.5 cm, and 0.52 in men and 23.4 kg/m² , 76.5 cm, and 0.47 in women for predicting diabetes, respectively. The derived cutoff values for BMI, WC, and WHtR were 23.4 kg/m² , 87.5 cm, and 0.50 in men and 22.5 kg/m² , 76.5 cm, and 0.47 in women for predicting IFG, respectively. [Correction added on 14 April 2020, after first online publication: '0' has been deleted from 'WC,0' in the first sentence.].

CONCLUSIONS

Our derived cutoff points were lower than the values specified in the most current Asian diabetes guidelines. We recommend a cutoff point for BMI in Asians of 23 kg/m² and for WC a cutoff point of 89 cm in men and 77 cm in women to define high-risk groups for type 2 diabetes; screening should be considered for these populations.

Medications affecting the biochemical conversion to type 2 diabetes: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The extent to which some pharmacological interventions reduce or increase the risk of biochemical conversion to T2DM in at-risk individuals is unclear.

METHODS

We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and Scopus through August 24, 2017, for randomized controlled trials evaluating the effect of drugs suspected to modify the risk of biochemical conversion to T2DM.

RESULTS

We included 43 trials with 192,156 subjects (mean age 60 years; 56% men; mean BMI 30.4 kg/m2). Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor blockers, metformin, orlistat, phentermine-topiramate and pioglitazone significantly reduced the risk of biochemical conversion to T2DM, whereas statins and nateglinide increased the risk. There was insufficient direct evidence regarding the effects of sulfonylureas, glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors and sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors. Most trials were brief and evaluated this outcome during treatment without a withdrawal or washout period.

CONCLUSIONS

Several drugs modify the risk of biochemical conversation to T2DM, although whether this effect is persistent and clinically relevant is unclear. Future studies need to focus on cardiovascular disease prevention, mortality and patient-important outcomes instead of biochemical conversion to T2DM.

Adverse childhood events and risk of diabetes onset in the 1979 National longitudinal survey of youth cohort

Background

Type 2 diabetes is a major public health problem with considerable personal and societal costs. Adverse childhood experiences (ACE) are associated with a number of serious and chronic health problems in adulthood, but these experiences have not been adequately studied in relation to diabetes in a US national sample. The association between ACE and poor health can be partially explained by greater risky health behaviors (RHB) such as smoking, heavy alcohol use, or obesity. Few studies have examined ACE in relation to adult onset Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) taking into account the role of RHB. Using longitudinal data from a representative US population sample followed over 30 years, this study examines the impact of ACE on the risk of diabetes onset.

Methods

Data from the 1982 to 2012 waves of the 1979 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth were analyzed, spanning ages 14 to 56. Bivariate and discrete-time survival models were used to assess the relationships between ACE and RHB including smoking, alcohol use, and obesity, and subsequent onset of diabetes.

Results

T2DM was reported by almost 10% of participants. Over 30% of women and 21% of men reported 2+ ACE events. Women reporting 2–3 or 4+ ACE events were more likely to develop diabetes with the mean number of ACE events being greater in those with diabetes compared to without (1.28 vs.1.05, p < .0001). For men there was no significant association between ACE and diabetes onset. For women, ACE was associated with heavy drinking, current smoking, and obesity. For men, ACE was associated with being underweight and daily smoking. In multivariate discrete-time survival models, each additional ACE increased risk of T2DM onset (OR_adj = 1.14; 95% CI 1.02–1.26) for women but not for men. The relationship in women was attenuated when controlling for body mass index (BMI).

Conclusion

ACE predicted diabetes onset among women, though this relationship was attenuated when controlling for BMI. Being overweight or obese was significantly more common among women with a history of ACE, which suggests BMI may be on the pathway from ACE to diabetes onset for women.

Gut microbiota metabolites, amino acid metabolites and improvements in insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism: the POUNDS Lost trial

OBJECTIVE

Alterations in gut microbiota have been linked to host insulin resistance, diabetes and impaired amino acid metabolism. We investigated whether changes in gut microbiota-dependent metabolite of trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) and its nutrient precursors (choline and L-carnitine) were associated with improvements in glucose metabolism and diabetes-related amino acids in a weight-loss diet intervention.

DESIGN

We included 504 overweight and obese adults who were randomly assigned to one of four energy-reduced diets varying in macronutrient intake. The 6-month changes (Δ) in TMAO, choline and L-carnitine levels after the intervention were calculated.

RESULTS

Greater decreases in choline and L-carnitine were significantly (p<0.05) associated with greater improvements in fasting insulin concentrations and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) at 6 months. The reduction of choline was significantly related to 2-year improvements in glucose and insulin resistance. We found significant linkages between dietary fat intake and ΔTMAO for changes in fasting glucose, insulin and HOMA-IR (pinteraction <0.05); a greater increase in TMAO was related to lesser improvements in the outcomes among participants who consumed a high-fat diet. In addition, ΔL-carnitine and Δcholine were significantly related to changes in amino acids (including branched-chain and aromatic amino acids). Interestingly, the associations of ΔTMAO, Δcholine and ΔL-carnitine with diabetes-related traits were independent of the changes in amino acids.

CONCLUSION

Our findings underscore the importance of changes in TMAO, choline and L-carnitine in improving insulin sensitivity during a weight-loss intervention for obese patients. Dietary fat intake may modify the associations of TMAO with insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT00072995.

Optimal cut-points of different anthropometric indices and their joint effect in prediction of type 2 diabetes: results of a cohort study

Background

To determine the anthropometric indices that would predict type 2 diabetes (T2D) and delineate their optimal cut-points.

Methods

In a cohort study, 7017 Iranian adults, aged 20–60 years, free of T2D at baseline were investigated. Using Cox proportional hazard models, hazard ratios (HRs) for incident T2D per 1 SD change in body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist to height ratio (WHtR), waist to hip ratio (WHR), and hip circumference (HC) were calculated. The area under the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves (AUC) was calculated to compare the discriminative power of anthropometric variables for incident T2D. Cut-points of each index were estimated by the maximum value of Youden’s index and fixing the sensitivity at 75%. Using the derived cut-points, joint effects of BMI and other obesity indices on T2D hazard were assessed.

Results

During a median follow-up of 12 years, 354 men, and 490 women developed T2D. In both sexes, 1 SD increase in anthropometric variables showed significant association with incident T2D, except for HC in multivariate adjusted model in men. In both sexes, WHtR had the highest discriminatory power while HC had the lowest. The derived cut-points for BMI, WC, WHtR, WHR, and HC were 25.56 kg/m², 89 cm, 0.52, 0.91, and 96 cm in men and 27.12 kg/m², 87 cm, 0.56, 0.83, and 103 cm in women, respectively. Assessing joint effects of BMI and each of the obesity measures in the prediction of incident T2D showed that among both sexes, combined high values of obesity indices increase the specificity for the price of reduced sensitivity and positive predictive value.

Conclusions

Our derived cut-points differ between both sexes and are different from other ethnicities.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12889-018-5611-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Changes in Gut Microbiota-Related Metabolites and Long-term Successful Weight Loss in Response to Weight-Loss Diets: The POUNDS Lost Trial

OBJECTIVE

Adiposity and the gut microbiota are both related to the risk of type 2 diabetes. We aimed to comprehensively examine how changes induced by a weight-loss diet intervention in gut microbiota-related metabolites, such as trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) and its precursors (choline and l-carnitine), were associated with improvements in adiposity and regional fat deposition.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

This study included 510 overweight and obese individuals who were randomly assigned one of four diets varying in macronutrient intake. We examined associations of 6-month changes in blood metabolites (TMAO, choline, and l-carnitine) with improvements in body weight (BW), waist circumference (WC), body fat composition, fat distribution, and resting energy expenditure (REE).

RESULTS

Individuals with a greater reduction of choline (P < 0.0001) and l-carnitine (P < 0.01) rather than TMAO showed significant losses of BW and WC at 6 months. The reduction of choline was significantly predictive of decreases in body fat composition, fat distribution, and REE. Results of sensitivity analysis showed that the baseline diabetes risk status, such as the presence of hyperglycemia (31% of the total participants) and fasting glucose levels, did not modify the associations. Early changes in choline and l-carnitine were significantly predictive of weight loss over 2 years (P < 0.05 for all). Individuals with increases in choline or l-carnitine were 2.35-times (95% CI 1.38, 4.00) or 1.77-times (1.06, 2.95) more likely to fail to lose weight (-5% or more loss) at 2 years.

CONCLUSIONS

Overweight and obese individuals who showed decreases in circulating choline or l-carnitine levels achieved greater improvements of adiposity and energy metabolism by eating a low-calorie weight-loss diet, suggesting that such metabolites are predictive of individuals' response to the treatment. Further investigations are necessary to confirm our findings, particularly in a population with prediabetes that is more representative of the U.S. population with obesity.

Diet, physical activity or both for prevention or delay of type 2 diabetes mellitus and its associated complications in people at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus

BACKGROUND

The projected rise in the incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) could develop into a substantial health problem worldwide. Whether diet, physical activity or both can prevent or delay T2DM and its associated complications in at-risk people is unknown.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the effects of diet, physical activity or both on the prevention or delay of T2DM and its associated complications in people at increased risk of developing T2DM.

SEARCH METHODS

This is an update of the Cochrane Review published in 2008. We searched the CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, ClinicalTrials.gov, ICTRP Search Portal and reference lists of systematic reviews, articles and health technology assessment reports. The date of the last search of all databases was January 2017. We continuously used a MEDLINE email alert service to identify newly published studies using the same search strategy as described for MEDLINE up to September 2017.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) with a duration of two years or more.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

We used standard Cochrane methodology for data collection and analysis. We assessed the overall quality of the evidence using GRADE.

MAIN RESULTS

We included 12 RCTs randomising 5238 people. One trial contributed 41% of all participants. The duration of the interventions varied from two to six years. We judged none of the included trials at low risk of bias for all 'Risk of bias' domains.Eleven trials compared diet plus physical activity with standard or no treatment. Nine RCTs included participants with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), one RCT included participants with IGT, impaired fasting blood glucose (IFG) or both, and one RCT included people with fasting glucose levels between 5.3 to 6.9 mmol/L. A total of 12 deaths occurred in 2049 participants in the diet plus physical activity groups compared with 10 in 2050 participants in the comparator groups (RR 1.12, 95% CI 0.50 to 2.50; 95% prediction interval 0.44 to 2.88; 4099 participants, 10 trials; very low-quality evidence). The definition of T2DM incidence varied among the included trials. Altogether 315 of 2122 diet plus physical activity participants (14.8%) developed T2DM compared with 614 of 2389 comparator participants (25.7%) (RR 0.57, 95% CI 0.50 to 0.64; 95% prediction interval 0.50 to 0.65; 4511 participants, 11 trials; moderate-quality evidence). Two trials reported serious adverse events. In one trial no adverse events occurred. In the other trial one of 51 diet plus physical activity participants compared with none of 51 comparator participants experienced a serious adverse event (low-quality evidence). Cardiovascular mortality was rarely reported (four of 1626 diet plus physical activity participants and four of 1637 comparator participants (the RR ranged between 0.94 and 3.16; 3263 participants, 7 trials; very low-quality evidence). Only one trial reported that no non-fatal myocardial infarction or non-fatal stroke had occurred (low-quality evidence). Two trials reported that none of the participants had experienced hypoglycaemia. One trial investigated health-related quality of life in 2144 participants and noted that a minimal important difference between intervention groups was not reached (very low-quality evidence). Three trials evaluated costs of the interventions in 2755 participants. The largest trial of these reported an analysis of costs from the health system perspective and society perspective reflecting USD 31,500 and USD 51,600 per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) with diet plus physical activity, respectively (low-quality evidence). There were no data on blindness or end-stage renal disease.One trial compared a diet-only intervention with a physical-activity intervention or standard treatment. The participants had IGT. Three of 130 participants in the diet group compared with none of the 141 participants in the physical activity group died (very low-quality evidence). None of the participants died because of cardiovascular disease (very low-quality evidence). Altogether 57 of 130 diet participants (43.8%) compared with 58 of 141 physical activity participants (41.1%) group developed T2DM (very low-quality evidence). No adverse events were recorded (very low-quality evidence). There were no data on non-fatal myocardial infarction, non-fatal stroke, blindness, end-stage renal disease, health-related quality of life or socioeconomic effects.Two trials compared physical activity with standard treatment in 397 participants. One trial included participants with IGT, the other trial included participants with IGT, IFG or both. One trial reported that none of the 141 physical activity participants compared with three of 133 control participants died. The other trial reported that three of 84 physical activity participants and one of 39 control participants died (very low-quality evidence). In one trial T2DM developed in 58 of 141 physical activity participants (41.1%) compared with 90 of 133 control participants (67.7%). In the other trial 10 of 84 physical activity participants (11.9%) compared with seven of 39 control participants (18%) developed T2DM (very low-quality evidence). Serious adverse events were rarely reported (one trial noted no events, one trial described events in three of 66 physical activity participants compared with one of 39 control participants - very low-quality evidence). Only one trial reported on cardiovascular mortality (none of 274 participants died - very low-quality evidence). Non-fatal myocardial infarction or stroke were rarely observed in the one trial randomising 123 participants (very low-quality evidence). One trial reported that none of the participants in the trial experienced hypoglycaemia. One trial investigating health-related quality of life in 123 participants showed no substantial differences between intervention groups (very low-quality evidence). There were no data on blindness or socioeconomic effects.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

There is no firm evidence that diet alone or physical activity alone compared to standard treatment influences the risk of T2DM and especially its associated complications in people at increased risk of developing T2DM. However, diet plus physical activity reduces or delays the incidence of T2DM in people with IGT. Data are lacking for the effect of diet plus physical activity for people with intermediate hyperglycaemia defined by other glycaemic variables. Most RCTs did not investigate patient-important outcomes.

Treatment of Obesity: Weight Loss and Bariatric Surgery

This review focuses on the mechanisms underlying, and indications for, bariatric surgery in the reduction of cardiovascular disease (CVD), as well as other expected benefits of this intervention. The fundamental basis for bariatric surgery for the purpose of accomplishing weight loss is the determination that severe obesity is a disease associated with multiple adverse effects on health, which can be reversed or improved by successful weight loss in patients who have been unable to sustain weight loss by nonsurgical means. An explanation of possible indications for weight loss surgery as well as specific bariatric surgical procedures is presented, along with review of the safety literature of such procedures. Procedures that are less invasive or those that involve less gastrointestinal rearrangement accomplish considerably less weight loss but have substantially lower perioperative and longer-term risk. The ultimate benefit of weight reduction relates to the reduction of the comorbidities, quality of life, and all-cause mortality. With weight loss being the underlying justification for bariatric surgery in ameliorating CVD risk, current evidence-based research is discussed concerning body fat distribution, dyslipidemia, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, inflammation, obstructive sleep apnea, and others. The rationale for bariatric surgery reducing CVD events is discussed and juxtaposed with impacts on all-cause mortalities. Given the improvement of established obesity-related CVD risk factors after weight loss, it is reasonable to expect a reduction of CVD events and related mortality after weight loss in populations with obesity. The quality of the current evidence is reviewed, and future research opportunities and summaries are stated.

Clinical impact of lifestyle interventions for the prevention of diabetes: an overview of systematic reviews

OBJECTIVES

To review the clinical outcomes of combined diet and physical activity interventions for populations at high risk of type 2 diabetes.

DESIGN

Overview of systematic reviews (search dates April-December 2015).

SETTING

Any level of care; no geographical restriction.

PARTICIPANTS

Adults at high risk of diabetes (as per measures of glycaemia, risk assessment or presence of risk factors).

INTERVENTIONS

Combined diet and physical activity interventions including ≥2 interactions with a healthcare professional, and ≥12 months follow-up.

OUTCOME MEASURES

Primary: glycaemia, diabetes incidence. Secondary: behaviour change, measures of adiposity, vascular disease and mortality.

RESULTS

19 recent reviews were identified for inclusion; 5 with AMSTAR scores <8. Most considered only randomised controlled trials (RCTs), and RCTs were the major data source in the remainder. Five trials were included in most reviews. Almost all analyses reported that interventions were associated with net reductions in diabetes incidence, measures of glycaemia and adiposity, at follow-up durations of up to 23 years (typically <6). Small effect sizes and potentially transient effect were reported in some studies, and some reviewers noted that durability of intervention impact was potentially sensitive to duration of intervention and adherence to behaviour change. Behaviour change, vascular disease and mortality outcome data were infrequently reported, and evidence of the impact of intervention on these outcomes was minimal. Evidence for age effect was mixed, and sex and ethnicity effect were little considered.

CONCLUSIONS

Relatively long-duration lifestyle interventions can limit or delay progression to diabetes under trial conditions. However, outcomes from more time-limited interventions, and those applied in routine clinical settings, appear more variable, in keeping with the findings of recent pragmatic trials. There is little evidence of intervention impact on vascular outcomes or mortality end points in any context. 'Real-world' implementation of lifestyle interventions for diabetes prevention may be expected to lead to modest outcomes.

Effects of orlistat vs. metformin on weight loss-related clinical variables in women with PCOS: systematic review and meta-analysis

AIMS

The aim of this study was to assess the effects of orlistat on weight loss-related clinical variables in overweight/obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and to compare treatment with orlistat vs. metformin in this group.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the evidence about the use of orlistat in women with PCOS. We searched the literature published until May 2015 in MEDLINE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and LILACS.

RESULTS

Of 3951 studies identified, nine were included in the systematic review (three prospective, non-randomised studies and six randomised control trials). Eight studies used the Rotterdam criteria and 1 used NIH criteria to diagnose PCOS. Data suggest that orlistat promotes a significant reduction in BMI/weight in overweight/obese PCOS women. Eight studies evaluated orlistat impact on testosterone. Seven reported an improvement in testosterone levels. Eight studies evaluated impact on insulin resistance, and five reported improvement. Finally, five studies evaluated impact on lipid profile, and four reported improvement. Three randomised control trials were included in the fixed effects model meta-analysis for a total of 121 women with PCOS. Orlistat and metformin had similar positive effects on BMI (-0.65%, 95% CI: -2.03 to 0.73), HOMA (-3.60%, 95% CI: -16.99 to 9.78), testosterone (-2.08%, 95% CI: -13.08 to 8.93) and insulin (-5.51%, 95% CI: -22.27 to 11.26).

CONCLUSION(S)

The present results suggest that orlistat leads to significant reduction in BMI/body weight in PCOS. In addition, the available evidence indicates that orlistat and metformin have similar effects in reducing BMI, HOMA, testosterone and insulin in overweight/obese PCOS women. This study was registered in PROSPERO under number CRD42014012877.

Costs and outcomes of increasing access to bariatric surgery for obesity: cohort study and cost-effectiveness analysis using electronic health records

Background

Bariatric surgery is known to be an effective treatment for extreme obesity but access to these procedures is currently limited.

Objective

This study aimed to evaluate the costs and outcomes of increasing access to bariatric surgery for severe and morbid obesity.

Design and methods

Primary care electronic health records from the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink were analysed for 3045 participants who received bariatric surgery and 247,537 general population controls. The cost-effectiveness of bariatric surgery was evaluated in severe and morbid obesity through a probabilistic Markov model populated with empirical data from electronic health records.

Results

In participants who did not undergo bariatric surgery, the probability of participants with morbid obesity attaining normal body weight was 1 in 1290 annually for men and 1 in 677 for women. Costs of health-care utilisation increased with body mass index category but obesity-related physical and psychological comorbidities were the main drivers of health-care costs. In a cohort of 3045 adult obese patients with first bariatric surgery procedures between 2002 and 2014, bariatric surgery procedure rates were greatest among those aged 35–54 years, with a peak of 37 procedures per 100,000 population per year in women and 10 per 100,000 per year in men. During 7 years of follow-up, the incidence of diabetes diagnosis was 28.2 [95% confidence interval (CI) 24.4 to 32.7] per 1000 person-years in controls and 5.7 (95% CI 4.2 to 7.8) per 1000 person-years in bariatric surgery patients (adjusted hazard ratio was 0.20, 95% CI 0.13 to 0.30;p < 0.0001). In 826 obese participants with type 2 diabetes mellitus who received bariatric surgery, the relative rate of diabetes remission, compared with controls, was 5.97 (95% CI 4.86 to 7.33;p < 0.001). There was a slight reduction in depression in the first 3 years following bariatric surgery that was not maintained. Incremental lifetime costs associated with bariatric surgery were £15,258 (95% CI £15,184 to £15,330), including costs associated with bariatric surgical procedures of £9164 per participant. Incremental quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) were 2.142 (95% CI 2.031 to 2.256) per participant. The estimated cost per QALY gained was £7129 (95% CI £6775 to £7506). Estimates were similar across gender, age and deprivation subgroups.

Limitations

Intervention effects were derived from a randomised trial with generally short follow-up and non-randomised studies of longer duration.

Conclusions

Bariatric surgery is associated with increased immediate and long-term health-care costs but these are exceeded by expected health benefits to obese individuals with reduced onset of new diabetes, remission of existing diabetes and lower mortality. Diverse obese individuals have clear capacity to benefit from bariatric surgery at acceptable cost.

Future work

Future research should evaluate longer-term outcomes of currently used procedures, and ways of delivering these more efficiently and safely.

Funding

The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Services and Delivery Research programme. Martin C Gulliford and A Toby Prevost were supported by the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospitals. Peter Littlejohns was supported by the South London Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care. The funders did not engage in the design, conduct or reporting of the research.

Topiramate monotherapy for weight reduction in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A systematic review and meta-analysis

AIMS

To conduct a systematic review with meta-analysis to determine the efficacy and safety of topiramate as monotherapy for weight reduction in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

METHODS

We searched MEDLINE, Embase, and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts from inception to June 2015. We included randomized controlled trials that evaluated topiramate monotherapy versus control agents or placebo for weight loss in obese type 2 diabetes patients.

RESULTS

Of the 284 studies identified, 5 studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Topiramate decreased weight by a mean difference of 3.4kg (95% CI, -3.79 to -3.04) compared to placebo. Mean HbA1c reduction of -0.4% (95% CI, -0.58 to -0.32) and mean BMI reduction of -1.43kg/m(2) (95% CI, -1.83 to -1.03) were both significantly observed with topiramate (p<0.00001). Serious and total adverse events occurred more commonly among topiramate users, with a risk ratio for serious adverse events of 1.69 (95% CI, 1.00-2.87). All but one study had high risk of bias.

CONCLUSIONS

Topiramate monotherapy reduced weight in obese type 2 diabetes patients, but increased adverse events including serious adverse events. Given these safety concerns and the absence of data on clinically meaningful efficacy endpoints, clinicians should generally avoid use of topiramate alone for this indication.

Qizhi Jiangtang Jiaonang Improves Insulin Signaling and Reduces Inflammatory Cytokine Secretion and Reactive Oxygen Species Formation in Insulin Resistant HepG2 Cells

We analyzed the effects of a traditional Chinese medicine, Qizhi Jiangtang Jiaonang (QJJ), on insulin resistance (IR) in vitro. After an in vitro model of IR was established by treating human liver cancer cells (HepG2 cells) with palmitic acid, the cells were then treated with various concentrations of QJJ. Treatment with 400 µM palmitic acid for 24 h induced IR in HepG2 cells. The survival rate for HepG2 cells in the IR group was significantly lower than that of the untreated control group (P < 0.001); however, QJJ restored HepG2 cell survival (P < 0.001). As compared with HepG2 cells in the IR group, QJJ at all doses analyzed significantly increased glucose consumption (all P < 0.05). Moreover, treatment with all the QJJ doses significantly reduced the mean intracellular reactive oxygen species levels as compared with the IR group (all P < 0.05). Furthermore, high-dose QJJ reduced both TNF-α and IL-6 levels as compared to the IR group (all P < 0.05). QJJ ameliorated the altered PI3K, GLUT4, and RAGE expression observed with IR. In conclusion, QJJ can improve IR in HepG2 cells, which may be mediated through the IRS-1/PI3K/GLUT4 signaling pathway as well as regulation of NF-κB-mediated inflammation and oxidative stress.

Glucagon for hypoglycemic episodes in insulin-treated diabetic patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis with a comparison of glucagon with dextrose and of different glucagon formulations

AIMS

Glucagon is used as an emergency drug in hypoglycemia, mainly when the patient is unconscious. A few studies report on ineffectiveness of glucagon in relieving hypoglycemia. The present systematic review and meta-analysis evaluate the effectiveness of glucagon alone and in comparison with dextrose and the effectiveness of intranasal glucagon in comparison with injected glucagon.

METHODS

Studies were grouped into three groups: (1) reports on glucagon ineffectiveness; (2) comparison of glucagon and dextrose; (3) comparison of intranasal glucagon and injected glucagon. In groups 2 and 3, only controlled studies were included in the analysis, whether randomized or non-randomized studies. Appropriate methodology (PRISMA statement) was adhered to, and publication bias was formally assessed. Sixteen studies, published in any language as full papers, were analysed to identify predictors of ineffectiveness, and they were included in a meta-analysis (random effects model) to study the effect of different strategies. Intervention effect (number of failures) was expressed as odds ratio (OR), with 95 % confidence intervals.

RESULTS

Failure rate ranged from 0.0 to 2.31 %, to 7.6 %, to 14.4 %, and to 59 %. Comparing glucagon and dextrose, the OR was 0.53 (0.20-1.42); comparing intranasal and intramuscular glucagon, the OR was 1.40 (0.18-10.93). Heterogeneity was low and not statistically significant. Publication bias was absent.

CONCLUSIONS

These data indicate that ineffectiveness of glucagon is unfrequent, not different from dextrose; in addition, intranasal and injected glucagon are similarly effective. In the case of failure, a second dose can be administered.