Insulin resistance and vascular dysfunction in chronic kidney disease: mechanisms and therapeutic interventions

Association between statin therapy and long-term clinical outcomes in patients with stable coronary disease undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention

This longitudinal cohort study examined the long-term effect of statin therapy on clinical outcomes in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). A total of 1760 patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD) were divided by receipt of statin therapy or not after index PCI. Baseline clinical characteristics, risk factors, angiographic findings, and medications after interventional procedure were assessed to compare long-term clinical outcomes between groups. Predictors for all-cause death and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), including myocardial infarction (MI), cardiovascular death, and repeated PCI procedures, were also analyzed. The statin therapy group had higher average serum cholesterol and more elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) than the non-statin therapy group (189.0 ± 47.9 vs 169.3 ± 37.00 mg/dl, 117.2 ± 42.6 vs 98.7 ± 31.8 mg/dl, respectively, both P < 0.001). The non-statin group had higher rates of all-cause death and cardiovascular death compared to statin group (both P < 0.001). After adjustment for age, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease, Cox proportion hazard analysis revealed statin use significantly reduced all-cause death and repeated PCI procedure (hazard ratio: 0.53 and 0.69, respectively). Statin use seemed not reduce the hazard of cardiovascular death or MI in patients with stable CAD after PCI; however, statin therapy still was associated with reduced rates of all-cause death and repeat PCI procedure.

Prediction of Diabetic Kidney Disease in Newly Diagnosed Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Background

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD), a common microvascular complication of diabetes mellitus (DM), is always asymptomatic until it develops to the advanced stage. Thus, we aim to develop a nomogram prediction model for progression to DKD in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Methods

This was a single-center analysis of prospective data collected from 521 newly diagnosed patients with T2DM. All related clinical records were incorporated, including the triglyceride-glucose index (TyG index). The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) was used to build a prediction model. In addition, discrimination, calibration, and clinical practicality of the nomogram were evaluated.

Results

In this study, 156 participants were incorporated as the validation set, while the remaining 365 were incorporated into the training set. The predictive factors included in the individualized nomogram prediction model included 5 variables. The area under the curve (AUC) for the prediction model was 0.826 (95% CI 0.775 to 0.876), indicating excellent discrimination performance. The model performed exceptionally well in terms of predictive accuracy and clinical applicability, according to calibration curves and decision curve analysis.

Conclusion

The predictive nomogram for the risk of DKD in newly diagnosed T2DM patients had outstanding discrimination and calibration, which could help in clinical practice.

Effects of Smoking on Diabetic Nephropathy

Diabetes is a systemic metabolic disease with serious complications that cause significant stress on the healthcare system. Diabetic kidney disease is the primary cause of end stage renal disease globally and its progression is accelerated by various factors. Another major healthcare hazard is tobacco consumption and smoking has deleterious effects on renal physiology. Prominent factors are defined as sympathetic activity, atherosclerosis, oxidative stress and dyslipidemia. This review aims to enlighten the mechanism underlying the cumulative negative effect of simultaneous exposure to hyperglycemia and nicotine.

Roles of Insulin Receptor Substrates (IRS) in renal function and renal hemodynamics

We have reported previously that renal hemodynamic abnormalities exist in the prediabetic stage of type II diabetic rats. At this prediabetic stage these rats have hyperinsulinemia, insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome. It is well known that insulin resistance is frequently associated with renal abnormalities, but the mechanism underlying this association has remained speculative. Although insulin is known to modify renal hemodynamics, little is known about the roles of insulin receptor substrates (IRS1, IRS2) in the renal actions of insulin. To address this issue, the effects of insulin on renal function and renal hemodynamics were investigated in C57BL/6 (WT: wild type), insulin receptor substrate 1- knockout (IRS1–/–), and IRS2-knockout (IRS2–/–) mice. IRS2–/–mice had elevated glucose level as expected. 24-h urine collections and serum creatinine revealed that creatinine clearance did not significantly differ between these groups. Albuminuria was found in IRS1–/–and IRS2–/–groups. We examined the effects on the IRS during the administration of Losartan, which is widely used for diabetic nephropathy. After the administration of Losartan the IRS displayed improved renal hemodynamics. Moreover, the subjects were also given Pioglitazone, which improves insulin resistance. Losartan significantly reduced albuminuria in both groups. Pioglitazone also showed similar results. We assessed the autoregulatory responses of the total renal blood flow (RBF), the superficial (SBF) and the deep renal cortical blood flow (DBF) with stepwise reductions of renal perfusion pressure (RPP), which was induced by a manual clamp on the abdominal aorta. During the clamp induced reductions of the RPP by 10 to 20mm HG, RBF, SBF and the DBF fell significantly more in the IRS1 and IRS2 than in the WT mice. Furthermore micropuncture studies showded that compared to the WT tubuloglomerular feedback (TGF) responses of the stop flow pressure (P_sf) were reduced in both the IRS1 -/- and IRS2 -/-. The results of the IRS1 and IRS2 mice displayed the pressence of hemodynamic abnormalities. Losartan and Pioglitazone have shown the potential to improve these abnormalities. In conclusion the results indicate that IRS plays a major role in the stimulation of renal functions and renal hemodynamics in type type II diabetes.

Pioglitazone and PPAR-γ modulating treatment in hypertensive and type 2 diabetic patients after ischemic stroke: a national cohort study

Background and aim

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ) modulating treatment may have cardiovascular benefits in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients after ischemic stroke (IS). However, whether there are additional benefits from intensive PPAR-γ modulating treatments in Asian patients with T2DM and hypertension (HTN) after IS remains unknown.

Methods

Between 2001 and 2013, patients admitted due to IS were identified from the National Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan. Patients with T2DM and HTN using angiotensin receptor blockers were further included. Eligible patients were divided into two groups: (1) pioglitazone and (2) non-pioglitazone oral anti-diabetic agent groups. Propensity score matching (1:2) was used to balance the distribution of baseline characteristics, stroke severity and medications. The primary outcome was recurrent IS. Subgroup analysis for recurrent IS in pioglitazone and/or telmisartan users, the trend of IS risks across different PPAR-γ intensity treatments, and dose-dependent outcomes across different pioglitazone possession ratios were further studied. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05 and p < 0.1 for clinical outcomes and interaction of subgroup analyses, respectively.

Results

There were 3190 and 32,645 patients in the pioglitazone and non-pioglitazone groups. Patients of the pioglitazone group had a lower risk of recurrent IS (subdistribution hazard ratio, 0.91; 95% confidence interval 0.84–0.99). Pioglitazone was also associated with reduced recurrent IS in patients who also used telmisartan (p for interaction = 0.071). A graded correlation was found a borderline significant trend between the intensity of PPAR-γ therapy and following IS (p = 0.076). The dose-dependent outcome also showed that a borderline significant trend that higher pioglitazone possession ratio was associated with a lower risk of recurrent IS (p = 0.068).

Conclusions

The current study suggests that the use of pioglitazone in type 2 diabetic and hypertensive IS patients is associated with fewer recurrent IS events in an Asian population. Concurrent telmisartan use or a higher pioglitazone possession ratio may have a trend of increased pleiotropic effects, which could possibly be related to higher PPAR-γ effects. Future studies are warranted to confirm or refute the clinical effects and the possible mechanism of more intensive PPAR-γ-modulating treatments.

Differential network enrichment analysis reveals novel lipid pathways in chronic kidney disease

MOTIVATION

Functional enrichment testing methods can reduce data comprising hundreds of altered biomolecules to smaller sets of altered biological 'concepts' that help generate testable hypotheses. This study leveraged differential network enrichment analysis methodology to identify and validate lipid subnetworks that potentially differentiate chronic kidney disease (CKD) by severity or progression.

RESULTS

We built a partial correlation interaction network, identified highly connected network components, applied network-based gene-set analysis to identify differentially enriched subnetworks, and compared the subnetworks in patients with early-stage versus late-stage CKD. We identified two subnetworks 'triacylglycerols' and 'cardiolipins-phosphatidylethanolamines (CL-PE)' characterized by lower connectivity, and a higher abundance of longer polyunsaturated triacylglycerols in patients with severe CKD (stage ≥4) from the Clinical Phenotyping Resource and Biobank Core. These finding were replicated in an independent cohort, the Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort. Using an innovative method for elucidating biological alterations in lipid networks, we demonstrated alterations in triacylglycerols and cardiolipins-phosphatidylethanolamines that precede the clinical outcome of end-stage kidney disease by several years.

AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION

A complete list of NetGSA results in HTML format can be found at http://metscape.ncibi.org/netgsa/12345-022118/cric_cprobe/022118/results_cric_cprobe/main.html. The DNEA is freely available at https://github.com/wiggie/DNEA. Java wrapper leveraging the cytoscape.js framework is available at http://js.cytoscape.org.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

Hypertension and chronic kidney disease affect long-term outcomes in patients with stable coronary artery disease receiving percutaneous coronary intervention

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is commonly used for patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). However, the effects of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and hypertension (HT) on long-term outcomes in patients with stable CAD receiving PCI are still unclear. A total of 1,676 patients treated with PCI were prospectively enrolled and divided into 4 groups according to the presence or absence of HT or CKD. General characteristics, clinical medications, risk factors, angiographic findings, and long-term outcomes were analyzed. Patients with CKD had the highest rate of all-cause and cardiovascular (CV) mortality (both P < 0.01). Patients with CKD alone had the lowest event-free rate of all-cause and CV deaths (both P < 0.001). Based on Cox proportional hazard model, patients with CKD alone had the highest risk of all-cause death (HR:2.86, 95% CI:1.73–4.75) and CV death (HR: 3.57,95% CI:2.01–6.33); while patients with both CKD and HT had the highest risk of repeat PCI (HR: 1.42, 95% CI:1.09–1.85).We found that in stable CAD patients after undergoing PCI, those with CKD alone had the highest long-term mortality. Comorbid CKD appears to increase risk in patient with HT, whereas comorbid HT doesn’t seem to increase risk in patients with CKD.

Association between resistin and fibroblast growth factor 23 in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) is associated with cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality in patients with diabetes mellitus. Insulin resistance has recently been reported to increase FGF23 levels, and resistin is a peptide that mainly regulates insulin resistance. However, few studies have investigated the association between FGF23 and resistin. A total of 422 patients with diabetes mellitus were recruited for this cross-sectional study to examine the association between resistin and intact FGF23. The mean ( ± standard deviation) age was 63.1 ± 11.9 years, and the median HbA1c was 6.7% (range, 6.1-7.1%). The mean estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was 66.2 ± 23.1 mL/min/m2. Multiple regression analysis for resistin showed that logFGF23 (coefficient (Coef): 1.551; standard error (SE): 0.739; P = 0.036), C-peptide (Coef: 0.798; SE: 0.229; P = 0.001), ghrelin (Coef: 1.061; SE: 0.332; P = 0.001), intact parathyroid hormone (Coef: 0.022; SE: 0.099; P = 0.030), and eGFR (Coef: -0.091; SE: 0.017; P < 0.001) were all significantly associated with the resistin level. These associations were modified in patients with higher age, lower body mass index, and higher vitamin D levels. These results suggest that resistin is positively associated with serum FGF23 levels.

Lower Renal Function Is Associated With Derangement of 11-β Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase in Type 2 Diabetes

Context

Derangement of 11-β hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 and type 2 (11β-HSD1 and 11β-HSD2), which regulate intracellular cortisol production, has been suggested in both type 2 diabetes (T2D) and chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, activity of 11β-HSD enzymes in patients with T2D and CKD has never been assessed.

Objectives

To compare 11β-HSD activities between patients with T2D and healthy controls, and assess whether in T2D, renal function is associated with 11β-HSD activities.

Design

Cross-sectional analysis in the Diabetes and Lifestyle Cohort Twente (DIALECT-1).

Setting

Referral center for T2D.

Patients

Patient with T2D [n = 373, age 64 ± 9 years, 58% men, 26% of patients estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <60 mL/min·1.73 m²] and healthy controls (n = 275, age 53 ± 11 years, 48% men).

Mean Outcome Measure

We measured cortisol, cortisone, and metabolites [tetrahydrocortisol (THF), allo-THF (aTHF), and tetrahydrocortisone (THE)] in 24-hour urine samples. Whole body 11β-HSD and 11β-HSD2 activities were calculated as the urinary (THF + aTHF)/THE and cortisol/cortisone ratios, respectively.

Results

Patients with T2D had a higher (THF + aTHF)/THE ratio [1.02 (0.84 to 1.27) vs 0.94 (0.79 to 1.0), P < 0.001] and cortisol/cortisone ratio [0.70 (0.58 to 0.83) vs 0.63 (0.54 to 0.74), P < 0.001] than healthy controls. In T2D, lower eGFR was associated with a higher (THF + aTHF)/THE ratio (β = −0.35, P < 0.001), and a higher cortisol/cortisone ratio (β = −0.16, P = 0.001).

Conclusions

In this real-life secondary care setting of patients with T2D, 11β-HSD enzymes activities were shifted to higher intracellular cortisol production in T2D, which was further aggravated in patients with CKD. Prospective analyses are warranted to investigate causality of these associations.

Chronic kidney disease and diabetes associated with long-term outcomes in patients receiving percutaneous coronary intervention

Background

The effect of diabetes mellitus (DM) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) on long-term outcomes in patients receiving percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is unclear.

Methods

A total of 1394 patients who underwent PCI were prospectively enrolled and divided into 4 groups according to the presence or absence of DM or CKD. Baseline characteristics, risk factors, medications, and angiographic findings were compared. Determinants of long-term outcomes in patients undergoing PCI were analyzed.

Results

Patients with DM and CKD had the highest all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality (both P < 0.01) but there were no differences existed in myocardial infarction (MI) or repeated PCI among the 4 groups (P = 0.19, P = 0.87, respectively). Patients with DM and CKD had the lowest even-free rate of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, MI, and repeated PCI (P < 0.001, P < 0.001, P < 0.001, and P = 0.002, respectively). In the Cox proportional hazard model, patients with both DM and CKD had the highest risk of all-cause mortality (HR: 3.25, 95% CI: 1.85–5.59), cardiovascular mortality (HR: 3.58, 95% CI: 1.97–6.49), MI (HR: 2.43, 95% CI: 1.23–4.08), and repeated PCI (HR: 1.79, 95% CI: 1.33–2.41). Patients with CKD alone had the second highest risk of all-cause mortality (HR: 2.04, 95% CI: 1.15–3.63), cardiovascular mortality (HR: 2.13, 95% CI: 1.13–4.01), and repeated PCI (HR: 1.47, 95% CI: 1.09–1.97).

Conclusions

DM and CKD had additive effect on adverse long-term outcomes in patients receiving PCI; CKD was a more significant adverse predictor than DM.