Glycemic management in patients with coronary artery disease and prediabetes or type 2 diabetes mellitus

Nomogram for Predicting Hypoglycemia in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients Treated with Insulin Pump During Enteral Nutrition

Purpose

To develop a prediction model for hypoglycemia in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients treated with an insulin pump during enteral nutrition.

Methods

This retrospective study included T2DM patients treated with an insulin pump during enteral nutrition at the First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital, Foshan First People's Hospital, and Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine between January 2016 and December 2023. The patients were randomized 3:1 to the training and validation sets. The risk factors for hypoglycemia were analyzed. A prediction model was developed.

Results

This study included 122 patients, and 57 patients had at least one hypoglycemic event during their hospitalization (46.72%). The multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that the time to reach the glycemic targets (odds ratio (OR)=1.408, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.084-1.825, P=0.006), average glycemia (OR=0.387, 95% CI=0.233-0.643, P=0.010), coronary heart disease (OR=0.089, 95% CI=0.016-0.497, P<0.001), and the administration of hormone therapy (OR=6.807, 95% CI=1.128-41.081, P=0.037) were independently associated with hypoglycemia. A nomogram was built. The receiver operating characteristics analysis showed that the area under the curve of the model was 0.872 (95% CI=0.0.803-0.940) for the training set and 0.839 (95% CI=0.688-0.991) in the validation set.

Conclusion

A nomogram was successfully built to predict hypoglycemia in T2DM patients treated with an insulin pump during enteral nutrition, based on the time to reach the glycemic targets, average glycemia, coronary heart disease, and the administration of hormone therapy.

Fibrinogen-to-Albumin Ratio and Glucose Metabolic States in Patients With Coronary Heart Disease

This study investigated the relationship between fibrinogen-to-albumin ratio (FAR) and glucose metabolic state in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). A total of 52,062 patients were enrolled in this study. Patients were classified according to FAR tertiles (T1: FAR < 0.0073; T2: 0.0073 ≤ FAR ≤ 0.0886; T3: FAR ≥ 0.0887). Patients were also classified into the normal glucose regulation (NGR) and elevated blood glucose (EBG) groups. The relationship between FAR and EBG was analyzed using logistic regression, and the association was evaluated according to sex and age. Among the participants, 32,471 (62.4%) had EBG, which was positively associated with FAR (odds ratio [OR], 1.19; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.15-1.23). The OR of the FAR for EBG in males was higher than that in females (1.25; 95% CI 1.18-1.33 vs 1.15; 95% CI 1.10-1.20). Moreover, the OR of FAR for EBG was greater in patients aged 60 or younger (OR: 1.25; 95% CI 1.18-1.33) than in the elderly patients (over 60 years of age) (OR: 1.15; 95% CI 1.10-1.20). The results indicated a significant relationship between FAR and EBG and this association was higher in males and middle-aged patients.

The Effect of Female Sex on Short-Term Outcomes of Patients Undergoing Off-Pump Versus On-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting

INTRODUCTION

According to the American Heart Association guideline for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), female patients undergoing on-pump CABG (ONCAB) are at higher risk of short-term adverse outcomes than male patients. However, whether off-pump CABG (OPCAB) can improve the short-term outcome of female patients compared to ONCAB remains unclear.

METHODS

We conducted a meta-analysis to study the effect of the female sex on short-term outcomes of OPCAB vs. ONCAB. A total of 31,115 patients were enrolled in 12 studies, including 20,245 females who underwent ONCAB and 10,910 females who underwent OPCAB.

RESULTS

The in-hospital mortality in female patients who underwent OPCAB was significantly lower than in those in the ONCAB group with (2.7% vs. 3.4%; odds ratio [OR] 0.76; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.65-0.89) and without (OR 0.68; 95% CI 0.52-0.89) adjustment for cardiovascular risk factor. The incidence of postoperative stroke in female patients who underwent OPCAB was lower than in those in the ONCAB group (1.2% vs. 2.1%; OR 0.59; 95% CI 0.48-0.73) before cardiovascular risk factor adjustment but was not significant (OR 0.87; 95% CI 0,66-1.16) after adjustment. There was no significant difference in the incidence of postoperative myocardial infarction between women who underwent OPCAB and those in the ONCAB group (1.3% vs. 2.3%; OR 0.88; 95% CI 0.54-1.43).

CONCLUSION

In contrast to the American Heart Association CABG guideline, female patients who had OPCAB don't have unfavorable outcomes compared with the ONCAB group.

MicroRNAs as Biomarkers for Coronary Artery Disease Related to Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus-From Pathogenesis to Potential Clinical Application

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic metabolic disease with still growing incidence among adults and young people worldwide. Patients with T2DM are more susceptible to developing coronary artery disease (CAD) than non-diabetic individuals. The currently used diagnostic methods do not ensure the detection of CAD at an early stage. Thus, extensive research on non-invasive, blood-based biomarkers is necessary to avoid life-threatening events. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, endogenous, non-coding RNAs that are stable in human body fluids and easily detectable. A number of reports have highlighted that the aberrant expression of miRNAs may impair the diversity of signaling pathways underlying the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis, which is a key player linking T2DM with CAD. The preclinical evidence suggests the atheroprotective and atherogenic influence of miRNAs on every step of T2DM-induced atherogenesis, including endothelial dysfunction, endothelial to mesenchymal transition, macrophage activation, vascular smooth muscle cells proliferation/migration, platelet hyperactivity, and calcification. Among the 122 analyzed miRNAs, 14 top miRNAs appear to be the most consistently dysregulated in T2DM and CAD, whereas 10 miRNAs are altered in T2DM, CAD, and T2DM-CAD patients. This up-to-date overview aims to discuss the role of miRNAs in the development of diabetic CAD, emphasizing their potential clinical usefulness as novel, non-invasive biomarkers and therapeutic targets for T2DM individuals with a predisposition to undergo CAD.

Single Nucleotide Polymorphism rs17173608 in the Chemerin Encoding Gene: Is It a Predictor of Insulin Resistance and Severity of Coronary Artery Disease in Non-Obese Type 2 Diabetes?

(1) Background: Chemerin, or the RARRES2 (Retinoic Acid Receptor Responder 2) gene, is found to be associated with an increased incidence of insulin resistance, endothelial dysfunction, type 2 diabetes (T2D), and coronary artery disease (CAD). This study investigates associations of RARRES2rs17173608 with insulin resistance and the severity of CAD in non-obese T2D patients in relation to the clinical and genetic factors. (2) Methods: A total of 300 patients with T2D and CAD were recruited in this study. The associations of insulin resistance and the severity of CAD with RARRES2rs17173608 and clinical factors were assessed. The genotyping procedures were performed using the TaqMan method. The significant associations (p ≤ 0.05) from preliminary tests were employed to carry out the secondary analysis. (3) Results: RARRES2rs17173608 (TT, TG, and GG polymorphisms in the preliminary analysis; TG and GG polymorphisms in a secondary analysis) was associated with insulin resistance and the severity of CAD in both the preliminary and secondary analysis (all p-values were < 0.05). Additionally, in the secondary analysis, FPG and ACEI were also associated with insulin resistance and the severity of CAD (all p-values were < 0.05). (4) Conclusion: From the preliminary findings, rs17173608 is a significant predictor of insulin resistance and the severity of CAD.

Non-culprit plaque characteristics in acute coronary syndrome patients with raised hemoglobinA1c: an intravascular optical coherence tomography study

Background

Raised hemoglobinA1c (HbA1c) is an indicator of pre-diabetes, which is associated with increased risk of coronary artery disease. However, the detailed morphological characteristics of non-culprit plaques in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients remain largely unknown.

Methods

A total of 305 non-culprit plaques from 216 ACS patients were analyzed by intravascular optical coherence tomography. These patients were divided into three groups according to the serum glycosylated hemoglobin level: normal HbA1c (< 5.7%), pre-diabetes with raised HbA1c (5.7–6.4%) and diabetes mellitus (DM).

Results

Plaques in patients with raised HbA1c had a longer lipid length (17.0 ± 8.3 mm vs. 13.9 ± 7.2 mm, P = 0.004) and greater lipid index (2775.0 ± 1694.0 mm° vs. 1592.1 ± 981.2 mm°, P = 0.001) than those with normal HbA1c but were similar to DM. The prevalence of calcification in patients with raised HbA1c was significantly higher (38.7% vs. 26.3%, P = 0.048) than normal HbA1c but was similar to DM. The percentage of macrophage infiltration in the DM group was higher than that in the normal HbA1c group (20.5% vs. 7.4%, P = 0.005).

Conclusions

Compared to patients with normal HbA1c, the non-culprit plaques in ACS patients with raised HbA1c had more typical vulnerable features but were similar to DM.

Coronary Artery Disease and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a major risk factor of coronary artery diseases (CAD). Clinical outcomes in CAD with T2DM are poor despite improvement in medications and intervention devices. Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is superior to percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in treating diabetic patients with multivessel coronary artery diseases (MVD). However, selecting a revascularization strategy should depend not only on the lesion complexity but also on the patient's background and comorbidities. In addition, comprehensive risk management with medical and non-pharmacological therapies is important, as is confirmation of whether risk managements are appropriately achieved. Recently, novel anti-diabetic drugs have been demonstrated to have effectiveness in reducing cardiovascular events, which was independent of their glucose-lowering effect. Furthermore, non-pharmacological interventions using exercise and diet during the earlier stages of abnormal glucose metabolism might be beneficial in preventing the development or progression of T2DM and reducing the incidence of cardiovascular events.

Beyond type 2 diabetes, obesity and hypertension: an axis including sleep apnea, left ventricular hypertrophy, endothelial dysfunction, and aortic stiffness among Mexican Americans in Starr County, Texas

BACKGROUND

There is an increasing appreciation for a series of less traditional risk factors that should not be ignored when considering type 2 diabetes, obesity, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. These include aortic stiffness, cardiac structure, impaired endothelial function and obstructive sleep apnea. They are associated to varying degrees with each disease categorization and with each other. It is not clear whether they represent additional complications, concomitants or antecedents of disease. Starr County, Texas, with its predominantly Mexican American population has been shown previously to bear a disproportionate burden of the major disease categories, but little is known about the distribution of these less traditional factors.

METHODS

Type 2 diabetes, obesity and hypertension frequencies were determined through a systematic survey of Starr County conducted from 2002 to 2006. Individuals from this examination and an enriched set with type 2 diabetes were re-examined from 2010 to 2014 including assessment of cardiac structure, sleep apnea, endothelial function and aortic stiffness. Individual and combined frequencies of these inter-related (i.e., axis) conditions were estimated and associations evaluated.

RESULTS

Household screening of 5230 individuals aged 20 years and above followed by direct physical assessment of 1610 identified 23.7 % of men and 26.7 % of women with type 2 diabetes, 46.2 and 49.5 % of men and women, respectively with obesity and 32.1 and 32.4 % with hypertension. Evaluation of pulse wave velocity, left ventricular mass, endothelial function and sleep apnea identified 22.3, 12.7, 48.6 and 45.2 % of men as having "at risk" values for each condition, respectively. Corresponding numbers in women were 16.0, 17.9, 23.6 and 28.8 %. Cumulatively, 88 % of the population has one or more of these while 50 % have three or more.

CONCLUSIONS

The full axis of conditions is high among Mexican Americans in Starr County, Texas. Individual and joint patterns suggest a genesis well before overt disease. Whether they are all mediated by common underlying factors or whether there exist multiple mechanisms remains to be seen.

Strategies for glucose control in a study population with diabetes, renal disease and anemia (Treat study)

Glucose lowering medication use among patients with type 2 diabetes and advanced renal disease (eGFR<60) in a large multinational outcome trial (TREAT) is assessed. We demonstrate statistically significant differences regionally in use of metformin at lower eGFR and increasing reliance upon insulin with/without other medications at low eGFR.

INTRODUCTION

As renal disease advances, most of the oral anti-diabetic agents requiring renal clearance must be reduced or discontinued. The potential for prolonged hypoglycemia, fluid/volume overload and congestive heart failure may complicate medication choices. In order to evaluate patterns of glycemia management we describe glucose lowering medication use among patients with advanced renal disease and type 2 diabetes in a large multinational outcome trial designed to focus on patients with eGFR<60 in order to commence a dialog on best practices. We felt that analysis of this data would be able to describe regional variations in treatment within a multinational trial in order to understand potential outcome differences attributed to complications.

RESULTS

The patients entering this study had moderate glycemic control. Insulin therapy either alone (32%) or in combination with other agents (17%) reflected a shift towards insulin use in those subjects with decreased renal function when compared with standard populations with normal kidney function. The use of multiple oral agents, or oral agents plus insulin was quite common. While gender did not appear to play a role in medication choices, there were significant regional variations. For example, oral agents were used more in North America compared with other regions (Latin America, Australia/Western Europe, Russia/Eastern Europe). Patients enrolled at more advanced ages were less likely to be on a regimen of rapid-acting insulin alone consistent with recommendations that suggest a preference for longer-acting preparations in the geriatric population (1). Higher degrees of obesity were associated more complex treatment regimens. Despite this population being at high risk for cardiovascular events, the use of beta blockers (50%), statins (64%) and aspirin (48%) were relatively low, especially in the group that did not require medications to achieve adequate glycemic control.

CONCLUSIONS

Current attempts to compare strategies for diabetes therapy must control for baseline demographic group differences influencing treatment choice. Future recommendations for glycemic control in patients with Grade 3 or higher chronic kidney disease require additional studies, with matched populations. We suggest that evaluation of studies similar to TREAT will assist in determining the optimal therapeutic regimens for populations with moderate to severe renal dysfunction, a condition in which repeated hospitalizations for fluid overload/heart failure add to the high cost of diabetes care.

Coronary artery disease in type 2 diabetes mellitus: Recent treatment strategies and future perspectives

Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are at a higher risk of developing coronary artery disease (CAD) than are non-T2DM patients. Moreover, the clinical outcomes in CAD with T2DM are poor despite improvements in medications and other interventions. Coronary artery bypass grafting is superior to percutaneous coronary intervention in treating multivessel coronary artery disease in diabetic patients. However, selecting a revascularization strategy depends not only on the lesion complexity but also on the patient’s medical history and comorbidities. Additionally, comprehensive risk management with medical and non-pharmacological therapies is important, as is confirmation regarding whether the risk-management strategies are being appropriately achieved. Furthermore, non-pharmacological interventions using exercise and diet during the earlier stages of glucose metabolism abnormalities, such as impaired glucose tolerance, might be beneficial in preventing the development or progression of T2DM and in reducing the occurrence of cardiovascular events.

Should sulfonylureas remain an acceptable first-line add-on to metformin therapy in patients with type 2 diabetes? Yes, they continue to serve us well!

Since their introduction to clinical practice in the 1950s, sulfonylureas have been widely prescribed for use in patients with type 2 diabetes. Of all the other medications currently available for clinical use, only metformin has been used more frequently. However, several new drug classes have emerged that are reported to have equal glucose-lowering efficacy and greater safety when added to treatment of patients in whom metformin monotherapy is no longer sufficient. Moreover, current arguments also suggest that the alternative drugs may be superior to sulfonylureas with regard to the risk of cardiovascular complications. Thus, while there is universal agreement that metformin should remain the first-line pharmacologic therapy for those in whom lifestyle modification is insufficient to control hyperglycemia, there is no consensus as to which drug should be added to metformin. Therefore, given the current controversy, we provide a Point-Counterpoint on this issue. In the point narrative presented below, Dr. Abrahamson provides his argument suggesting that avoiding use of sulfonylureas as a class of medication as an add-on to metformin is not appropriate as there are many patients whose glycemic control would improve with use of these drugs with minimal risk of adverse events. In the following counterpoint narrative, Dr. Genuth suggests there is no longer a need for sulfonylureas to remain a first-line addition to metformin for those patients whose clinical characteristics are appropriate and whose health insurance and/or financial resources make an alternative drug affordable.