Characterization and partial purification of a factor from uremic human serum that induces insulin resistance

Maximum insulin dose in patients admitted to the intensive care units with severe COVID-19 in the "Cross ICU Searchable Information System" study: A multicenter retrospective cohort study

AIMS

This study aimed to determine the maximum daily insulin dose (MDI) and associated factors in critically ill patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) receiving insulin therapy, under ventilator and/or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) management.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This cross-sectional analysis used the Cross ICU Searchable Information System data from a Japanese multicenter retrospective observational cohort study of critically ill patients with COVID-19 receiving ventilation and/or ECMO, from February 2020 to March 2022. Maximum daily insulin dose was determined, and factors associated with it and maximum daily insulin dose per body weight were assessed using linear regression analysis.

RESULTS

The analysis included 788 patients. Their mean age, glycated hemoglobin level, maximum daily insulin dose, and time from admission to the maximum daily insulin dose were 65.2 ± 13.0 years, 7.0 ± 1.5% (53.0 ± 7.1 mmol/mol), 46.0 ± 43.6 U/day, and 7.3 ± 7.0 days, respectively. Male sex (β = 6.902, P = 0.034), body mass index (β = 1.020, P = 0.001), glycated hemoglobin (β = 12.272, P < 0.001), and having renal failure (β = 20.637, P = 0.003) were independent determinants of maximum daily insulin dose. Age (β = 0.004, P = 0.035), glycated hemoglobin (β = 0.154, P < 0.001), and having renal failure (β = 0.282, P = 0.004) were independent determinants of maximum daily insulin dose per body weight.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with COVID-19 on ventilator and/or ECMO management, the maximum daily insulin dose reached after about 1 week of hospitalization was approximately 46.0 U/day. Glycated hemoglobin and renal failure were both associated with the maximum daily insulin dose and maximum daily insulin dose per body weight.

Peritoneal Dialysis Care for People with Diabetes, Polycystic Kidney Disease, or Advanced Liver Disease

People treated with peritoneal dialysis (PD) often have complicating conditions that require careful management. Three such conditions are reviewed in this article-diabetes mellitus, polycystic kidney disease, and chronic liver disease. Each of these conditions requires an understanding of both its effect on the delivery of the PD and the effect of the PD on the condition itself. In diabetes, glucose absorption from the dialysate complicates metabolic control and affects salt and water management and patient outcome. There is particular benefit in clinical care being delivered through a multidisciplinary team that involves both kidney and diabetes experts. In relation to polycystic kidney disease, a key issue is the potential for increased intraperitoneal pressure due to the combined effect of the enlarged polycystic organs and the presence of the dialysis solution, and therefore, the PD prescription requires to be managed with a particular focus on limiting that pressure. For patients with liver disease, key issues include nutritional support because PD can add to protein losses already consequent on the liver disease itself. Considered approaches are required to manage ascites and reduce infection risk and the potential for hernias and leaks to develop. Mortality in this group is unfortunately high-however, PD may present a better management option than hemodialysis in many patients-particularly in those where the liver disease is complicated by low BP, clotting abnormalities, or troublesome ascites. Overall, the choice to use PD in patients with these complicating conditions should be based on shared decision making with the patient and their family members informed by high-quality information in which risks, benefits, and management strategies are clearly presented.

Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Advanced Chronic Kidney Disease for the Primary Care Physician

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a common cause of chronic kidney disease (CKD), leading to the need for renal replacement therapy (RRT). RRT includes hemodialysis (HD), peritoneal dialysis (PD), kidney transplantation (KT), and medical management. As CKD advances, the management of DM may change as medication clearance, effectiveness, and side effects can be altered due to decreasing renal clearance. Medications like metformin that were safe to use early in CKD may build up toxic levels of metabolites in advanced CKD. Other medications, like sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors, which work by excreting glucose in the urine, may not be able to work effectively in advanced CKD due to fewer working nephrons. Insulin breakdown may take longer, and both formulation and dosing may need to be changed to avoid hypoglycemia. While DM control contributes to CKD progression, effective DM control continues to be important even after patients have been placed on RRT. Patients on RRT are frequently taken care of by a team of providers, including the primary care physician, both in and outside the hospital. Non-nephrologists who are involved with the care of a patient treated with RRT need to be adept at managing DM in this population. This paper aims to outline the management of type 2 DM in advanced CKD.

Insulin and the kidneys: a contemporary view on the molecular basis

Insulin is a hormone that is composed of 51 amino acids and structurally organized as a hexamer comprising three heterodimers. Insulin is the central hormone involved in the control of glucose and lipid metabolism, aiding in processes such as body homeostasis and cell growth. Insulin is synthesized as a large preprohormone and has a leader sequence or signal peptide that appears to be responsible for transport to the endoplasmic reticulum membranes. The interaction of insulin with the kidneys is a dynamic and multicenter process, as it acts in multiple sites throughout the nephron. Insulin acts on a range of tissues, from the glomerulus to the renal tubule, by modulating different functions such as glomerular filtration, gluconeogenesis, natriuresis, glucose uptake, regulation of ion transport, and the prevention of apoptosis. On the other hand, there is sufficient evidence showing the insulin receptor's involvement in renal functions and its responsibility for the regulation of glucose homeostasis, which enables us to understand its contribution to the insulin resistance phenomenon and its association with the progression of diabetic kidney disease.

Fecal Microbiota Transplantation in Reducing Uremic Toxins Accumulation in Kidney Disease: Current Understanding and Future Perspectives

During the past decades, the gut microbiome emerged as a key player in kidney disease. Dysbiosis-related uremic toxins together with pro-inflammatory mediators are the main factors in a deteriorating kidney function. The toxicity of uremic compounds has been well-documented in a plethora of pathophysiological mechanisms in kidney disease, such as cardiovascular injury (CVI), metabolic dysfunction, and inflammation. Accumulating data on the detrimental effect of uremic solutes in kidney disease supported the development of many strategies to restore eubiosis. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) spread as an encouraging treatment for different dysbiosis-associated disorders. In this scenario, flourishing studies indicate that fecal transplantation could represent a novel treatment to reduce the uremic toxins accumulation. Here, we present the state-of-the-art concerning the application of FMT on kidney disease to restore eubiosis and reverse the retention of uremic toxins.

Use of Continuous Glucose Monitoring in the Assessment and Management of Patients With Diabetes and Chronic Kidney Disease

In developed countries, diabetes is the leading cause of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and accounts for 50% of incidence of end stage kidney disease. Despite declining prevalence of micro- and macrovascular complications, there are rising trends in renal replacement therapy in diabetes. Optimal glycemic control may reduce risk of progression of CKD and related death. However, assessing glycemic control in patients with advanced CKD and on dialysis (G4-5) can be challenging. Laboratory biomarkers, such as glycated haemoglobin (HbA_1c), may be biased by abnormalities in blood haemoglobin, use of iron therapy and erythropoiesis-stimulating agents and chronic inflammation due to uraemia. Similarly, glycated albumin and fructosamine may be biased by abnormal protein turnover. Patients with advanced CKD exhibited heterogeneity in glycemic control ranging from severe insulin resistance to 'burnt-out' beta-cell function. They also had high risk of hypoglycaemia due to reduced renal gluconeogenesis, frequent use of insulin and dysregulation of counterregulatory hormones. Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) systems measure glucose in interstitial fluid every few minutes and provide an alternative and more reliable method of glycemic assessment, including asymptomatic hypoglycaemia and hyperglycaemic excursions. Recent international guidelines recommended use of CGM-derived Glucose Management Index (GMI) in patients with advanced CKD although data are scarce in this population. Using CGM, patients with CKD were found to experience marked glycemic fluctuations with hypoglycemia due to loss of glucose and insulin during haemodialysis (HD) followed by hyperglycemia in the post-HD period. On the other hand, during peritoneal dialysis, patients may experience glycemic excursions with influx of glucose from dialysate solutions. These undesirable glucose exposure and variability may accelerate decline of residual renal function. Although CGM may improve the quality of glycemic monitoring and control in populations with CKD, further studies are needed to confirm the accuracy, optimal mode and frequency of CGM as well as their cost-effectiveness and user-acceptability in patients with advanced CKD and dialysis.

Diabetes mellitus in dialysis and renal transplantation

Diabetes mellitus is the commonest cause of end-stage kidney failure worldwide and is a proven and significant risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease. Renal impairment has a significant impact on the physiology of glucose homeostasis as it reduces tissue sensitivity to insulin and reduces insulin clearance. Renal replacement therapy itself affects glucose control: peritoneal dialysis may induce hyperglycaemia due to glucose-rich dialysate and haemodialysis often causes hypoglycaemia due to the relatively low concentration of glucose in the dialysate. Autonomic neuropathy which is common in chronic kidney disease (CKD) and diabetes increases the risk for asymptomatic hypoglycaemia. Pharmacological options for improving glycaemic control are limited due to alterations to drug metabolism. Impaired glucose tolerance and diabetes are also common in the post-kidney-transplant setting and increase the risk of graft failure and mortality. This review seeks to summarise the literature and tackle the intricacies of glycaemic management in patients with CKD who are either on maintenance haemodialysis or have received a kidney transplant. It outlines changes to glycaemic targets, monitoring of glycaemic control, the use of oral hypoglycaemic agents, the management of severe hyperglycaemia in dialysis and kidney transplantation patients.

Glucose Homeostasis, Hypoglycemia, and the Burnt-Out Diabetes Phenomenon in Kidney Disease

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is among the most prevalent and dire complications of diabetes mellitus in adults across the world. Diabetes substantially contributes to the burden of kidney disease, such that one third to one half of CKD in the United States and many other countries is attributable to diabetic kidney disease (DKD). As DKD progresses to end-stage renal disease (ESRD), patients are at heightened risk for atypical glycemic complications, including the development of burnt-out diabetes, manifested by hypoglycemic bouts and poor outcomes. Furthermore, even in the absence of diabetes, hypoglycemia is a frequent occurrence in CKD patients that may contribute to their high burden of cardiovascular disease and death. Extrapolation of data from clinical trials in high-cardiovascular-risk populations and observational studies in patients with non-dialysis-dependent (NDD) CKD and ESRD suggest that moderate glycemic targets defined by glycated hemoglobin levels of 6% to 8% and glucose levels of 100 to 150 mg/dL are associated with better survival in DKD patients. However, given the imprecision of glycated hemoglobin levels in kidney disease, further research is needed to determine the optimal glycemic metric and target in diabetic NDD-CKD and ESRD patients. Given their exceedingly high cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, there is a compelling need for further investigation of how to optimally manage dysglycemia in the NDD-CKD and ESRD populations.

When ESKD complicates the management of diabetes mellitus

Given the increased incidence and prevalence of ESKD (end-stage kidney disease) attributed to diabetes mellitus, it is important to consider the physiological and global sociodemographic factors that give rise to unique challenges in providing excellent care to this population. The individual with diabetes and ESKD faces alterations of glucose homeostasis that require close therapeutic attention, as well as the consideration of safe and effective means of maintaining glycemic control. Implementation of routine monitoring of blood glucose and thoughtful alteration of the individual's hypoglycemic drug regimen must be employed to reduce the risk of neurological, cardiovascular, and diabetes-specific complications that may arise as a result of ESKD. Titration of insulin therapy may become quite challenging, as kidney replacement therapy often significantly impacts insulin requirements. New medications have significantly improved the ability of the clinician to provide effective therapies for the management of diabetes, but have also raised an equal amount of uncertainty with respect to their safety and efficacy in the ESKD population. Additionally, the clinician must consider the challenges related to the delivery of kidney replacement therapy, and how inter-modality differences may impact glycemic control, diabetes, and ESKD-related complications, and issues surrounding dialysis vascular access creation.

Disturbances in Insulin-Glucose Metabolism in Patients With Advanced Renal Disease With and Without Diabetes

CONTEXT

Use of insulin in patients with diabetes and advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD; stages 4 to 5) is challenging and shows great variability among individuals. We explored the mechanisms underlying this variability.

EVIDENCE ACQUISITION

PubMed was searched for articles in English from 1960 to 2018 for advanced CKD and diabetes, glucose and insulin metabolism, insulin clearance, secretion and resistance, plasma insulin concentration, glycemic control, hypoglycemia, insulin dosage, and continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) in CKD.

EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS

The evidence shows that in most patients the daily dose of insulin needs to be significantly reduced with a high degree of variability; in some the dose remains unchanged, and rarely it is increased. The premise that the marked reduction in insulin requirement is essentially attributable to decreased insulin clearance by kidneys leading to prolongation of its plasma half-life, elevated blood insulin concentration, and hypoglycemia is not entirely correct. Other factors including decreases in food intake, insulin secretion, insulin clearance by peripheral tissues, and renal gluconeogenesis play important roles. There is also heightened resistance to insulin due to metabolic acidosis, uremic toxins, inflammatory state, and vitamin D deficiency. Importantly, the magnitude of changes in each of these factors varies between individuals with the same degree of CKD.

CONCLUSIONS

In the presence of diabetes with advanced CKD, the insulin regimen should be individualized based on knowledge of the daily glucose patterns. The use of CGM is promising for safer glycemic control in patients with advanced CKD and diabetes and helps prevent extremes of hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia.

The Impact of Comorbidities on the Pharmacological Management of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Diabetes mellitus affects over 20% of people aged > 65 years. With the population of older people living with diabetes growing, the condition may be only one of a number of significant comorbidities that increases the complexity of their care, reduces functional status and inhibits their ability to self-care. Coexisting comorbidities may compete for the attention of the patient and their healthcare team, and therapies to manage comorbidities may adversely affect a person's diabetes. The presence of renal or liver disease reduces the types of antihyperglycemic therapies available for use. As a result, insulin and sulfonylurea-based therapies may have to be used, but with caution. There may be a growing role for sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors in diabetic renal disease and for glucagon-like peptide (GLP)-1 therapy in renal and liver disease (nonalcoholic steatohepatitis). Cancer treatments pose considerable challenges in glucose therapy, especially the use of cyclical chemotherapy or glucocorticoids, and cyclical antihyperglycemic regimens may be required. Clinical trials of glucose lowering show reductions in microvascular and, to a lesser extent, cardiovascular complications of diabetes, but these benefits take many years to accrue, and evidence specifically in older people is lacking. Guidelines recognize that clinicians managing patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus need to be mindful of comorbidity, particularly the risks of hypoglycemia, and ensure that patient-centered therapeutic management of diabetes is offered. Targets for glucose control need to be carefully considered in the context of comorbidity, life expectancy, quality of life, and patient wishes and expectations. This review discusses the role of chronic kidney disease, chronic liver disease, cancer, severe mental illness, ischemic heart disease, and frailty as comorbidities in the therapeutic management of hyperglycemia in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Temporal Trends of Severe Hypoglycemia and Subsequent Mortality in Patients with Advanced Diabetic Kidney Diseases Transitioning to Dialysis

Background: Patients with diabetic kidney disease (DKD) are at higher risk of hypoglycemia than diabetic patients without DKD. We aimed to investigate the temporal trends of severe hypoglycemia in advanced DKD patients transitioning to dialysis and examine risk factors associated with severe hypoglycemia. We also investigated the association of severe hypoglycemia episodes with one-year mortality after initiation of dialysis in patients with advanced DKD. Methods: Using the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database, 46,779 advanced DKD patients transitioning to dialysis (Peritoneal dialysis 4216, hemodialysis 42,563) between 1997 and 2011 were enrolled. We calculated the rates of severe hypoglycemia from 5 years before dialysis until 10 years after dialysis. Cox proportional hazard model was used to examine the risk factors of post end stage renal disease (ESRD) one-year hypoglycemia and post ESRD one-year mortality in advanced DKD patients transitioning to dialysis. Results: We found that 11.5% of advanced DKD patients had at least one episode of severe hypoglycemia the year leading up to dialysis initiation. Multivariate analysis revealed hemodialysis compared with peritoneal dialysis, stroke, use of sulfonylurea, glinide, and insulin were associated with higher risk of severe hypoglycemia one year after transitioning to dialysis. Increased frequency of severe hypoglycemia-related hospitalizations was associated with incrementally higher mortality risk one year after transitioning to dialysis (Pre-ESRD hypoglycemia: Hazard ratios: 1.28 (1.18–1.38, p < 0.001), 1.64 (1.49–1.81, p < 0.001) for one, two hypoglycemia-related hospitalizations, respectively; post-ESRD hypoglycemia: HRs of 1.56 (1.40–1.73, p < 0.001), 1.72 (1.39–2.12, p < 0.001) for one, two hypoglycemia-related hospitalizations, respectively (reference group: no hypoglycemia related hospitalization)). Conclusions: Among advanced DKD patients, we observed a progressive elevated risk of hypoglycemia during the critical dialysis transition period. Increased frequency of severe hypoglycemia-related hospitalizations was associated with higher mortality risk one year after transitioning to dialysis. Further study of glycemic management strategies which prevent hypoglycemia during the critical transition period are warranted.

Metabolic Abnormalities in Diabetes and Kidney Disease: Role of Uremic Toxins

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is characterized by the accumulation of uremic retention solutes (URS) and is associated with perturbations of glucose homeostasis even in absence of diabetes. The underlying mechanisms of insulin resistance, β cell failure, and increase risk of diabetes in CKD, however, remain unclear. Metabolomic studies reported that some metabolites are similar in CKD and diabetic kidney disease (DKD) and contribute to the progression to end-stage renal disease. We attempted to discuss the mechanisms involved in the disruption of carbohydrate metabolism in CKD by focusing on the specific role of URS.

RECENT FINDINGS

Recent clinical data have demonstrated a defect of insulin secretion in CKD. Several studies highlighted the direct role of some URS (urea, trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), p-cresyl sulfate, 3-carboxylic acid 4-methyl-5-propyl-2-furan propionic (CMPF)) in glucose homeostasis abnormalities and diabetes incidence. Gut dysbiosis has been identified as a potential contributor to diabetes and to the production of URS. The complex interplay between the gut microbiota, kidney, pancreas β cell, and peripheral insulin target tissues has brought out new hypotheses for the pathogenesis of CKD and DKD. The characterization of intestinal microbiota and its associated metabolites are likely to fill fundamental knowledge gaps leading to innovative research, clinical trials, and new treatments for CKD and DKD.

Theoretical overview of clinical and pharmacological aspects of the use of etelcalcetide in diabetic patients undergoing hemodialysis

Etelcalcetide is the first intravenous calcimimetic agent authorized for the treatment of secondary hyperparathyroidism (sHPT) in patients undergoing hemodialysis in Europe, the US, and Japan. The relationship between sHPT and diabetes resides on complex, bidirectional effects and largely unknown homeostatic mechanisms. Although 30% or more patients with end-stage renal disease are diabetics and about the same percentage of those patients suffer from sHPT associated with hemodialysis, no data on the specificities of the use of etelcalcetide in such patients are available yet. Regarding pharmacokinetic interactions, etelcalcetide may compete with oral hypoglycemics recommended for use in patients undergoing hemodialysis and insulins detemir and degludec, causing unexpected hypocalcemia or hypoglycemia. More importantly, hypocalcemia, a common side effect of etelcalcetide, may cause decompensation of preexisting cardiac insufficiency in diabetic patients or worsen dialysis-related hypotension and lead to hypotension-related cardiac events, such as myocardial ischemia. In diabetic patients, hypocalcemia may lead to dangerous ventricular arrhythmias, as both insulin-related hypoglycemia and hemodialysis prolong QT interval. Patients with diabetes, therefore, should be strictly monitored for hypocalcemia and associated effects. Due to an altered parathormone activity in this patient group, plasma calcium should be the preferred indicator of etelcalcetide effects. Until more clinical experience with etelcalcetide is available, the clinicians should be cautious when using this calcimimetic in patients with diabetes.

Retention of acetylcarnitine in chronic kidney disease causes insulin resistance in skeletal muscle

Insulin resistance occurs frequently in patients with chronic kidney disease. However, the mechanisms of insulin resistance associated with chronic kidney disease are unclear. It is known that an increase in the mitochondrial acetyl-CoA (AcCoA)/CoA ratio causes insulin resistance in skeletal muscle, and this ratio is regulated by carnitine acetyltransferase that exchanges acetyl moiety between CoA and carnitine. Because excess acetyl moiety of AcCoA is excreted in urine as acetylcarnitine, we hypothesized that retention of acetylcarnitine might be a cause of insulin resistance in chronic kidney disease patients. Serum acetylcarnitine concentrations were measured in chronic kidney disease patients, and were significantly increased with reduction of renal function. The effects of excess extracellular acetylcarnitine on insulin resistance were studied in cultured skeletal muscle cells (C2C12 and human myotubes), and insulin-dependent glucose uptake was significantly and dose-dependently inhibited by addition of acetylcarnitine. The added acetylcarnitine was converted to carnitine via reverse carnitine acetyltransferase reaction, and thus the AcCoA concentration and AcCoA/CoA ratio in mitochondria were significantly elevated. The results suggest that increased serum acetylcarnitine in CKD patients causes AcCoA accumulation in mitochondria by stimulating reverse carnitine acetyltransferase reaction, which leads to insulin resistance in skeletal muscle.

Haemodialysis-induced hypoglycaemia and glycaemic disarrays

In patients with diabetes receiving chronic haemodialysis, both very high and low glucose levels are associated with poor outcomes, including mortality. Conditions that are associated with an increased risk of hypoglycaemia in these patients include decreased gluconeogenesis in the remnant kidneys, deranged metabolic pathways, inadequate nutrition, decreased insulin clearance, glucose loss to the dialysate and diffusion of glucose into erythrocytes during haemodialysis. Haemodialysis-induced hypoglycaemia is common during treatments with glucose-free dialysate, which engenders a catabolic status similar to fasting; this state can also occur with 5.55 mmol/l glucose-containing dialysate. Haemodialysis-induced hypoglycaemia occurs more frequently in patients with diabetes than in those without. Insulin therapy and oral hypoglycaemic agents should, therefore, be used with caution in patients on dialysis. Several hours after completion of haemodialysis treatment a paradoxical rebound hyperglycaemia may occur via a similar mechanism as the Somogyi effect, together with insulin resistance. Appropriate glycaemic control tailored for patients on haemodialysis is needed to avoid haemodialysis-induced hypoglycaemia and other glycaemic disarrays. In this Review we summarize the pathophysiology and current management of glycaemic disarrays in patients on haemodialysis.

Updates on the management of diabetes in dialysis patients

Diabetes mellitus is the leading cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in the U.S. and many countries globally. The role of improved glycemic control in ameliorating the exceedingly high mortality risk of diabetic dialysis patients is unclear. The treatment of diabetes in ESRD patients is challenging, given changes in glucose homeostasis, the unclear accuracy of glycemic control metrics, and the altered pharmacokinetics of glucose-lowering drugs by kidney dysfunction, the uremic milieu, and dialysis therapy. Up to one-third of diabetic dialysis patients may experience spontaneous resolution of hyperglycemia with hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels <6%, a phenomenon known as "Burnt-Out Diabetes," which remains with unclear biologic plausibility and undetermined clinical implications. Conventional methods of glycemic control assessment are confounded by the laboratory abnormalities and comorbidities associated with ESRD. Similar to more recent approaches in the general population, there is concern that glucose normalization may be harmful in ESRD patients. There is uncertainty surrounding the optimal glycemic target in this population, although recent epidemiologic data suggest that HbA1c ranges of 6% to 8%, as well as 7% to 9%, are associated with increased survival rates among diabetic dialysis patients. Lastly, many glucose-lowering drugs and their active metabolites are renally metabolized and excreted, and hence, require dose adjustment or avoidance in dialysis patients.

Insulin resistance in chronic kidney disease: new lessons from experimental models

Insulin resistance (IR) is a common feature of chronic kidney disease (CKD), but the underlying mechanisms still remain unclear. A growing body of evidence suggests that IR and its associated metabolic disorders are important contributors for the cardiovascular burden of these patients. In recent years, the modification of the intestinal flora and activation of inflammation pathways have been implicated in the pathogenesis of IR in obese and diabetic patients. All these pathways ultimately lead to lipid accumulation in ectopic sites and impair insulin signalling. These important discoveries have led to major advances in understanding the mechanisms of uraemia-induced IR. Indeed, recent studies show impairment of the intestinal barrier function and changes in the composition of the gut microbiome during CKD that can contribute to the prevailing inflammation, and the production and absorption of toxins generated from bacterial metabolism. The specific role of individual uraemic toxins in the pathogenesis of IR has been highlighted in rodents. Moreover, correcting some uraemia-associated factors by modulating the intestinal flora improves insulin sensitivity. This review outlines potential mechanisms by which important modifications of body homeostasis induced by the decline in kidney function can affect insulin sensitivity, and the relevance of recent advances in the field to provide novel therapeutic approaches to reduce IR associated cardiovascular mortality.

Protein-bound uremic toxins…new targets to prevent insulin resistance and dysmetabolism in patients with chronic kidney disease

The retention of p-cresyl sulfate (PCS), the prototype of protein-bound uremic toxins that is produced by the gut microbiota and normally excreted by the kidney, may contribute to the development of insulin resistance in patients with chronic kidney disease. In a recent study, we demonstrated in mice, as in cultured muscle cells, that PCS interferes with intracellular insulin signaling pathways and triggers insulin resistance. The treatment of CKD mice with a prebiotic that reduces the intestinal production and decreases blood levels of PCS prevented insulin resistance and lipid abnormalities, suggesting new opportunities to prevent metabolic disturbances in patients with CKD. This study highlights the uremic toxins as new actors in metabolic alterations associated with CKD and allows for the consideration of new therapeutic approaches (e.g., prebiotics, probiotics, adsorbents) to better prevent them.

p-Cresyl sulfate promotes insulin resistance associated with CKD

The mechanisms underlying the insulin resistance that frequently accompanies CKD are poorly understood, but the retention of renally excreted compounds may play a role. One such compound is p-cresyl sulfate (PCS), a protein-bound uremic toxin that originates from tyrosine metabolism by intestinal microbes. Here, we sought to determine whether PCS contributes to CKD-associated insulin resistance. Administering PCS to mice with normal kidney function for 4 weeks triggered insulin resistance, loss of fat mass, and ectopic redistribution of lipid in muscle and liver, mimicking features associated with CKD. Mice treated with PCS exhibited altered insulin signaling in skeletal muscle through ERK1/2 activation. In addition, exposing C2C12 myotubes to concentrations of PCS observed in CKD caused insulin resistance through direct activation of ERK1/2. Subtotal nephrectomy led to insulin resistance and dyslipidemia in mice, and treatment with the prebiotic arabino-xylo-oligosaccharide, which reduced serum PCS by decreasing intestinal production of p-cresol, prevented these metabolic derangements. Taken together, these data suggest that PCS contributes to insulin resistance and that targeting PCS may be a therapeutic strategy in CKD.

Insulin resistance in patients with chronic kidney disease

Metabolic syndrome and its components are associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD) development. Insulin resistance (IR) plays a central role in the metabolic syndrome and is associated with increased risk for CKD in nondiabetic patients. IR is common in patients with mild-to-moderate stage CKD, even when the glomerular filtration rate is within the normal range. IR, along with oxidative stress and inflammation, also promotes kidney disease. In patients with end stage renal disease, IR is an independent predictor of cardiovascular disease and is linked to protein energy wasting and malnutrition. Systemic inflammation, oxidative stress, elevated serum adipokines and fetuin-A, metabolic acidosis, vitamin D deficiency, depressed serum erythropoietin, endoplasmic reticulum stress, and suppressors of cytokine signaling all cause IR by suppressing insulin receptor-PI3K-Akt pathways in CKD. In addition to adequate renal replacement therapy and correction of uremia-associated factors, thiazolidinedione, ghrelin, protein restriction, and keto-acid supplementation are therapeutic options. Weight control, reduced daily prednisolone dosage, and the use of cyclosporin decrease the risk of developing new-onset diabetes after kidney transplantation. Improved understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms underlying IR in CKD may lead to more effective therapeutic strategies to reduce uremia-associated morbidity and mortality.

Glycemic control in diabetic dialysis patients and the burnt-out diabetes phenomenon

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is the most common cause of end-stage kidney disease and a major risk of morbidity and mortality. It is not clear whether medical management of DM has any significant beneficial effect on clinical outcomes at the end-stage of diabetic nephropathy with full-blown micro- and macro-angiopathic complications. Both loss of kidney function and dialysis treatment interfere with glucose homeostasis and confound glycemic control. Given the unique nature of uremic milieu and dialysis therapy related alterations, there have been some debates about reliance on the conventional measures of glycemic control, in particular the clinical relevance of hemoglobin A1c and its recommended target range of <7 % in diabetic dialysis patients. Moreover, a so-called burnt-out diabetes phenomenon has been described, in that many diabetic dialysis patients experience frequent hypoglycemic episodes prompting cessation of their anti-diabetic therapies transiently or even permanently. By reviewing the recent literature we argue that the use of A1c for management of diabetic dialysis patients should be encouraged if appropriate target ranges specific for these patients (e.g. 6 to 8 %) are used. We also argue that "burnt-out diabetes" is a true biologic phenomenon and highly prevalent in dialysis patients with established history and end-stage diabetic nephropathy and explore the role of protein-energy wasting to this end. Similarly, the J- or U-shaped associations between A1c or blood glucose concentrations and mortality are likely biologically plausible phenomena that should be taken into consideration in the management of diabetic dialysis patients to avoid hypoglycemia and its fatal consequences in diabetic dialysis patients.

Glycemic control and burnt-out diabetes in ESRD

Treatment of early diabetes mellitus, the most common cause of chronic kidney disease (CKD), may prevent or slow the progression of diabetic nephropathy and lower mortality and the incidence of cardiovascular disease in the general diabetic population and in patients with early stages of CKD. It is unclear whether glycemic control in patients with advanced CKD, including those with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) who undergo maintenance dialysis treatment is beneficial. Aside from the uncertain benefits of treatment in ESRD, hypoglycemic interventions in this population are also complicated by the complex changes in glucose homeostasis related to decreased kidney function and to dialytic therapies, occasionally leading to spontaneous resolution of hyperglycemia and normalization of hemoglobin A1c levels, a condition which might be termed "burnt-out diabetes." Further difficulties in ESRD are posed by the complicated pharmacokinetics of antidiabetic medications and the serious flaws in our available diagnostic tools used for monitoring long-term glycemic control. We review the physiology and pathophysiology of glucose homeostasis in advanced CKD and ESRD, the available antidiabetic medications and their specifics related to kidney function, and the diagnostic tools used to monitor the severity of hyperglycemia and the therapeutic effects of available treatments, along with their deficiencies in ESRD. We also review the concept of burnt-out diabetes and summarize the findings of studies that examined outcomes related to glycemic control in diabetic ESRD patients, and emphasize areas in need of further research.

[Insulin resistance and inflammation in chronic kidney diseases]

Insulin resistance (IR) and inflammation are now identified as common features in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. These metabolic abnormalities are both predictors of adverse cardiovascular (CV) outcome and are associated with worst nutritional status. Unequivocal experimental, epidemiological and clinical evidence produced during the past decade causally links inflammation to the development of metabolic syndrome or the complications that emerge from these pathologies particularly in the context of obesity or type II diabetes patients. These observations lead to the hypothesis of "meta-inflammation" : metabolically triggered inflammation, with a key role played by adipose tissue. In CKD patients, many other factors related with uremia can be causative but the abnormal cytokine and adipokine concentrations and the cluster of metabolic abnormalities push us to think like other metabolic diseases, that adipose tissue dysfunction may be among the pathways that induce inflammation and IR. Therapeutic approaches of traditional CV risk factors have been inconclusive or failed to improve the outcome of these patients. Further studies assessing the impact of renal failure on adipose tissue function and the pathways that are altered in this disease may allow to have therapeutic approaches targetting adipose tissue dysfunction or inflammation.

Glucose tolerance before and after renal transplantation

BACKGROUND

Renal insufficiency predisposes to insulin resistance, hyperparathyroidism and derangements in calcium phosphate and nitrogenous compound balance, leading to pre-transplant hyperglycaemia. These metabolic risk factors are not fully corrected after renal transplantation. The present study aimed to assess the role of pre-transplant glycaemia and the named metabolic risk factors in post-transplant hyperglycaemia [PHYG; impaired fasting glucose (IFG), impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) or diabetes mellitus (DM)].

METHODS

This is a retrospective cohort study involving 301 patients without pre-transplant DM. Measurements included a pre- and post-transplant oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) as well as glomerular filtration rate (GFR), parathyroid hormone (PTH), phosphate, calcium and urea measured 10 weeks post-transplant. The risk of PHYG at 10 weeks post-transplant was analysed using multiple logistic regression.

RESULTS

Ninety-three patients (31%) had PHYG (two IFG, 52 IGT, 39 DM). Variables associated with PHYG included pre-transplant 2-h glycaemia [OR 1.26, 95% CI (1.09, 1.46)] and post-transplant urea levels [OR 1.14, 95% CI (1.02, 1.27)]. Older age, non-Caucasian ethnicity, previous transplants, >or=3 HLA class 1 mismatches and high prednisolone doses were likewise associated with an increased PHYG risk (all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Pre-transplant glycaemia and high post-transplant levels of urea were associated with a greater risk of PHYG. This seemed to be independent of GFR, PTH, phosphate, calcium and traditional risk factors such as age and glucocorticoid load.

Burnt-out diabetes: impact of chronic kidney disease progression on the natural course of diabetes mellitus

Many individuals with diabetic nephropathy, the leading cause of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in the United States, progress to stage 5 of CKD and undergo maintenance dialysis treatment. Recent data indicate that in up to one third of diabetic dialysis patients with a presumptive diagnosis of diabetic nephropathy, glycemic control improves spontaneously with the progression of CKD, loss of residual renal function, and the initiation of dialysis therapy, leading to normal-to-low hemoglobin A1c (<6%) and glucose levels, requiring cessation of insulin or other anti-diabetic medications. Potential contributors to this so-called "burnt-out diabetes" include decreased renal and hepatic insulin clearance, a decline in renal gluconeogenesis, deficient catecholamine release, diminished food intake (because of anorexia or diabetic gastroparesis), protein-energy wasting (with resultant loss of weight and body fat), and the hypoglycemic effects of dialysis treatment. Although the concept of "burnt-out diabetes" appears in sharp contradistinction to the natural history of diabetes mellitus, studying this condition and its potential causes and consequences, including the role of genetic factors, may lead to a better understanding of the pathophysiology of metabolic syndrome and diabetes mellitus in the CKD population and in many other individuals with chronic disease states associated with wasting syndrome that can confound the natural history of diabetes.

Postprandial intradialytic dysglycaemia and diabetes in maintenance haemodialysis patients

BACKGROUND

Although the risk of developing dysglycaemia has been investigated in different communities this incidence is poorly studied in patients on maintenance haemodialysis (MHD).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In a multicentre observational cohort study the occurrence of dysglycaemia was assessed in 239 primary normoglycaemic end stage renal disease (ERSD) patients on MHD. Dysglycaemia (fasting blood glucose > 110 mg dL(-1), > 140 mg dL(-1) 2 h after food intake) or diabetes (fasting blood glucose > 126 mg dL(-1) or > 200 mg dL(-1) at any time) were defined according to WHO criteria and cases were compared with age matched controls within the cohort.

RESULTS

Dysglycaemia was found in 82 primary normoglycaemic ESRD patients (34%) within 31 months after initiation of MHD. In 31 of these patients type 2 diabetes was diagnosed. When compared with matched control MHD patients differences in body mass index (BMI), HbA1c and postprandial blood glucose were detectable (P < 0.05). Increments in 0.1% of HbA1c were related with 11% higher odds for dysglycaemia (P = 0.002). In a subgroup of 36 primary normoglycaemic MHD patients who developed dysglycaemia event-free survival was 64%, 53%, 31%, 17% and 11% after 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 years of haemodialysis treatment.

CONCLUSION

Onset of dysglycaemia or diabetes is frequent in ESRD patients after onset of chronic haemodialysis. Routine measurement of blood glucose before and after haemodialysis should be implemented as a standard of care during MHD.

Insulin and its role in chronic kidney disease

The body's resistance to the actions of insulin (type II diabetes defect) results in compensatory increased production and secretion by the pancreas and leads to hyperinsulinemia in order to maintain euglycemia. When insulin secretion cannot be increased adequately (type I diabetes defect) to overcome insulin resistance in maintaining glucose homeostasis, hyperglycemia and glucose intolerance ensues. Insulin resistance and glucose intolerance has been well recognized in patients with advanced chronic kidney diseases (CKD). The etiology may involve uremic toxins from protein catabolism, vitamin D deficiency, metabolic acidosis, anemia, poor physical fitness, inflammation, and cachexia. Glucose and insulin abnormalities in nondiabetic CKD patients are implicated in the pathogenesis of hyperlipidemia and may represent important risk factors for accelerated atherosclerosis in these patients. Insulin secretion inadequacy has been associated with growth retardation in adolescents with CKD. Normal adolescents demonstrate an increase in insulin secretion as they go into puberty. It seems that the puberty growth spurt in adolescents both with normal health and renal failure may require increased insulin secretion as one of its hormonal requirements. Finally, insulin resistance has been associated with CKD. Whether insulin resistance is an antecedent of CKD or a consequence of impaired kidney function has been a subject of debate. The goal of this review was to provide an update of the literature on insulin pathophysiology in CKD, current understanding of its mechanisms, and epidemiological association of insulin resistance and CKD.

Evidence for increased risk of prediabetes in the uremic patient

A prediabetic state is defined as a higher than normal blood glucose level but not yet high enough to meet the diagnosis of overt diabetes mellitus. While patients with advanced diabetic nephropathy are vulnerable to hypoglycemia, we believe that there is sufficient evidence that uremic nondiabetic patients are susceptible to hyperglycemia, which calls for more attention that uremia is a prediabetic state. It is, therefore, intriguing to identify these uremic factors which lead to prediabetes. Such a study may have significance to improve uremic patients' outcomes. To raise the awareness of the uremic prediabetic state, this review will, therefore, elaborate on the analysis of factors important in the development of prediabetes in uremia and will delineate whether their modification leads to an improved patient outcome.

Resistin serum levels are increased but not correlated with insulin resistance in chronic hemodialysis patients

BACKGROUND/AIMS

Insulin resistance is a well-known phenomenon in uremia. Resistin, a recently discovered insulin inhibitor secreted by adipocytes, is associated with obesity and insulin resistance in mice. Adiponectin, also secreted by adipocytes, is known to reduce insulin resistance in humans. The aim of the present study was to address the hypothesis that changes in resistin or adiponectin serum levels may relate to body composition and to insulin resistance in patients with end-stage renal disease.

METHODS

In a cross-sectional study, 33 non-diabetic patients (24 males and 9 females, mean age 61.5+/-15.8 years) with end-stage renal disease on chronic hemodialysis (treatment duration 41+/-31 months) that lacked signs of infection were enrolled. The control group consisted of 33, matched for age, sex and body mass index (BMI), healthy volunteers (22 males, 11 females, mean age 62.6+/-12.1 years). BMI (kg/m(2)) was calculated from body weight and height. Body fat (%) was measured by means of bioelectrical impedance. Blood samples were taken always in the morning after a 12-hour fasting period before and after the hemodialysis session. Resistin and adiponectin serum concentrations were measured by enzyme immunoassays and insulin by an electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. The post-treatment values were corrected regarding the hemoconcentration. The homeostasis model assessment index (HOMA-R) was calculated as an estimate of insulin resistance from the fasting glucose and insulin serum levels.

RESULTS

Pre-treatment resistin serum levels were significantly increased in hemodialysis patients compared to healthy controls (19.2+/-6.2 vs. 3.9+/-1.8 ng/ml; p<0.001). Hemodialysis did not alter resistin levels, as pre- and post-treatment levels were not different when corrected for hemoconcentration (19.2+/-6.2 vs. 18.7+/-5.0 ng/ml; p=0.54). Adiponectin levels were also increased in hemodialysis patients compared to healthy controls (25.4+/-21.5 vs. 10.5+/-5.9 microg/ml; p<0.001). A significant inverse correlation was observed between the serum adiponectin levels before the hemodialysis session on the one hand and the BMI (r=-0.527, p=0.002), the HOMA-R (r=-0.378, p<0.05) and the fasting insulin levels (r=-0.397, p<0.05) on the other. However, no significant correlation was observed between serum resistin levels on the one hand versus HOMA-R index (3.2+/-3.9 mmol.microIU/ml; r=-0.098, p=0.59), insulin levels (13.3+/-14.4 mU/l; r=-0.073, p=0.69), glucose levels (89+/-13 mg/dl; r=-0.049, p=0.78), BMI (25.6+/-3.7 kg/m(2); r=-0.041, p=0.82) and body fat content (26.4+/-8.4%; r=-0.018, p=0.94) on the other hand.

CONCLUSION

Resistin serum levels are significantly elevated in non-diabetic patients with end-stage renal disease that are treated by hemodialysis. The hemodialysis procedure does not affect the resistin levels. Along with previous observations in patients with renal insufficiency in the pre-dialysis stage, our findings implicate an important role of the kidney in resistin elimination. However, increased resistin serum levels in hemodialysis patients are not related to reduced insulin sensitivity encountered in uremia.

Carbohydrate metabolism in uraemia

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Most uraemic patients are insulin resistant. This review focuses on the occurrence, mechanisms and consequences of this insulin resistance. Hypoglycaemia is also possible in a minority of uraemic patients; its causes are discussed at the end of the review.

RECENT FINDINGS

Insulin resistance is detectable when the glomerular filtration rate is below 50 ml/min per 1.73 m in non-diabetic uraemic individuals. Uraemia can alter insulin sensitivity even in diabetic patients; familial insulin resistance may favour the occurrence of diabetic nephropathy. Although reduced glucose non-oxidative disposal is the most evident defect of carbohydrate metabolism, abnormal glucose oxidation, endogenous glucose production and insulin secretion are also contributors. The accumulation of nitrogenous compounds is the most important mechanism of a specific state of insulin resistance in uraemia. Their identification is progressing, particularly in the field of carbamoylated amino acids. The consequences of chronic renal failure such as anaemia, metabolic acidosis and secondary hyperparathyroidism also indirectly play a role.

SUMMARY

The treatment of uraemia by renal replacement therapies or low-protein diets improves insulin sensitivity. However, patients still have a high cardiovascular risk. The identification of the accumulating molecular species that specifically alter insulin sensitivity is therefore of great interest. The favourable effect of non-specific insulin sensitizers such as glitazone may also help to reduce this risk.

Gabapentin-induced hypoglycemia in a long-term peritoneal dialysis patient

An end-stage renal disease patient on long-term peritoneal dialysis was admitted with dizziness, fatigue, hypoglycemia, and hypotension. The hypotension resolved with intravenous normal saline, but the hypoglycemia persisted for 3 days despite an intravenous dextrose drip and discontinuation of gabapentin. The patient became normoglycemic on the fourth day of admission. None of the known causes for the hypoglycemia were identified except gabapentin, the dose of which was recently doubled 1 month before admission. Insulin and C-peptide levels were high during the hypoglycemic episode and returned to normal after discontinuation of gabapentin. The patient remains off gabapentin and has had no further episodes of hypoglycemia. To our knowledge, this is the first case of hypoglycemia induced by gabapentin.

Abnormalities of glucose metabolism in patients with early renal failure

Abnormalities of glucose metabolism and hyperinsulinemia have been demonstrated in patients with end-stage renal disease and may contribute to the development of atherosclerotic complications in these patients. In the present study, we investigated the stage of renal failure in which abnormalities of glucose metabolism develop and whether these abnormalities were associated with an increased prevalence of cardiovascular events in patients with early renal failure. In 321 untreated essential hypertensive patients, we assessed renal function by measuring 24-h creatinine clearance, urinary protein excretion, and microalbuminuria; we assessed cardiovascular status by clinical and laboratory tests; and we measured plasma glucose, insulin, and C-peptide levels at fasting and after a 75-g oral glucose load. To evaluate insulin sensitivity, a hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp was performed in a subgroup of 104 patients. Patients with creatinine clearance < 30 ml.min(-1).1.73 m(-2), severe hypertension, BMI < 30 kg/m(2), and diabetes or family history of diabetes were excluded. Hypertensive patients were found to be hyperinsulinemic when compared with 92 matched normotensive subjects. Early renal failure (creatinine clearance < 90 ml.min(-1).1.73 m(-2)) caused by hypertensive nephrosclerosis was detected in 116 of 321 patients. Analysis of patients with varying degrees of renal function impairment demonstrated increased plasma glucose and insulin response to oral glucose load, decreased fasting glucose-to-insulin ratio, and reduced sensitivity to insulin only in those patients with creatinine clearance < 50 ml.min(-1).1.73 m(-2). Parameters of glucose metabolism were not correlated with creatinine clearance and microalbuminuria. Prevalence of atherosclerotic cardiovascular events was significantly related to reduction of creatinine clearance, but parameters of glucose metabolism were comparable in patients with and without evidence of atherosclerotic damage. Thus, in patients with hypertensive nephrosclerosis and early impairment of glomerular filtration, alterations of glucose metabolism become evident only when creatinine clearance is < 50 ml.min(-1).1.73 m(-2) and are not related to microalbuminuria and cardiovascular complications.

No change of hyperleptinemia despite a decrease in insulin concentration in patients with chronic renal failure on a supplemented very low protein diet

Chronic renal failure (CRF) is often accompanied by hyperleptinemia caused by deficient renal metabolism of leptin and possibly increased leptin production, which in turn may result from the hyperinsulinemia and increased proinflammatory cytokine levels in patients with CRF. The hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance observed in patients with CRF improve on supplemented very low protein diets (SVLPDs). The goal of our study is to determine whether the correction of hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance in patients with CRF by SVLPDs is accompanied by improvement in hyperleptinemia. Thirteen patients were studied before and 1 year after following SVLPDs providing 0.3 g/kg/d of protein, supplemented with amino acids and ketoanalogues. After 1 year, patients showed markedly less hyperinsulinemia (7.4 +/- 1.6 versus 13.8 +/- 2 microU/mL at the start of diet; P: = 0.05) and insulin resistance, whereas serum leptin levels remained unchanged (16.1 +/- 4.7 versus 19.1 +/- 7.4 ng/mL at start of the study; P: = not significant). The initial correlation between serum leptin level and percentage of body fat persisted during follow-up. No correlation was found between insulin and leptin levels or between the variation of these two parameters during the study. Our study shows that the correction of hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance in patients with CRF by SVLPDs is not accompanied by improvement in hyperleptinemia, which consequently does not appear to result from changes in carbohydrate metabolism.

Alterations of protein metabolism by metabolic acidosis in children with chronic renal failure

BACKGROUND

Several reports suggest that metabolic acidosis may induce significant alterations in protein metabolism and that its outbreak may even result in growth retardation in children with chronic renal failure (CRF). However, the effects of metabolic acidosis on protein metabolism kinetics have never been investigated in these settings.

METHODS

Postabsorptive leucine metabolism, a marker of whole-body protein metabolism, was measured by using a primed, continuous intravenous infusion of L-[1-13C]leucine in 10 CRF children who were one to four years old.

RESULTS

Interindividual values of whole-body protein turnover exhibited a very large range, which was mainly accounted for by acidotic status (plasma HCO3-) and body composition [fat-free mass (FFM)]. After correction for differences in FFM, plasma HCO3- was highly correlated with protein breakdown (R2 = 0.65, P < 0.001), so that CRF children were divided in two groups according to their acid-base status: Group A had a mean plasma HCO3- level of 15.8 +/- 1.5 mmol. L-1 (mean +/- SD, N = 5), whereas group B had near-normal values (HCO3-, 22.6 +/- 3.0 mmol. L-1, N = 5). The leucine rate of appearance from protein breakdown was markedly higher in group A than in group B (4.15 +/- 1.43 vs. 2.46 +/- 0.47 micromol. kg-1. min-1, respectively, P < 0.05), and the net leucine balance tended to be more negative in group A (-0.73 +/- 0.34 vs. -0.44 +/- 0.26 micromol. kg-1. min-1, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Metabolic acidosis in children with CRF results in an excessive catabolic state, suggesting that acidosis-related protein wasting could contribute to growth retardation.

Impact of dialysis therapy on insulin resistance in end-stage renal disease: comparison of haemodialysis and continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis

BACKGROUND

Insulin resistance contributes to the pathogenesis of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and, thus, has an important impact on the mortality of uraemic patients. Haemodialysis (HD) is known to improve insulin resistance observed in uraemia. However, it is not known whether continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) alleviates insulin resistance in adult uraemic patients. The objective of this study was to compare the effect of two different dialysis modalities, HD and CAPD, on insulin resistance in adult uraemic patients and to identify the possible predictive factors for changes in insulin resistance.

METHODS

Insulin resistance was examined in 19 non-diabetic patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) before and after dialysis therapy (HD, n=10; CAPD, n=9), as well as in 10 healthy controls using the hyperinsulinaemic euglycaemic glucose clamp technique. The glucose disposal rate (GDR mg/kg/min) was used as an index of insulin sensitivity during the clamp technique. We also determined which of various biochemical parameters might be associated with change in insulin resistance by carrying out multiple logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

GDR was significantly lower (6.44+/-1.76) in ESRD subjects than in normal subjects (9.90+/-2.01). HD and CAPD therapies significantly normalized GDR from 6.53+/-1.84 to 9.74+/-2.88 and from 6.35+/-1.65 to 8.18+/-1.76 respectively. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that changes in BUN, haematocrit and plasma bicarbonate were significant predictive factors for the change in insulin resistance.

CONCLUSION

CAPD therapy, in spite of its possible adverse effects in patients with atherosclerotic disease, has been shown to improve insulin resistance in adult uraemic patients, similarly to HD therapy.

Effects of low-protein diet on carbohydrate metabolism and energy expenditure

Low-protein diets (LPD), which are prescribed for uremic patients to slow the progression of chronic renal failure, theoretically may exacerbate disorders of carbohydrate metabolism that are frequently observed in these patients because increased carbohydrate rations are required to maintain a sufficient caloric intake. No such exacerbation actually occurs. Glucose tolerance has been shown to improve after 3 months of a diet affording .3 g protein/kg body weight supplemented with essential amino acids and ketoanalogs with carbohydrates accounting for 67% of the total energy intake. Hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp studies show that this amelioration is linked with an increase in insulin sensitivity, which is also observed in uremic diabetic patients on this diet. The improvement in glucose tolerance involves the insulin sensitivity of endogenous glucose production, glucose oxidative disposal, and its nonoxidative disposal. Besides these effects, LPD increases the metabolic clearance rate of insulin and causes blood insulin levels to decrease. LPD's low acid load and phosphorus content, the reduced synthesis of uremic toxins derived from alimentary protein, or both may explain these effects, which are indirectly protective against atherosclerosis. However, the significant increase in resting energy production after 3 months on LPD justifies strict monitoring of nutritional status and caloric intake.

Low protein diet in uremia: effects on glucose metabolism and energy production rate

Low-protein diets (LPD) increase insulin-mediated glucose disposal in chronic renal failure (CRF), but the fate of the better utilized glucose and the effect on energy production rate are unknown. Using a two-step (1 and 5 mU x kg(-1) x min(-1)) euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp combined with indirect calorimetry, we studied the effects of a LPD (0.3 g x kg(-1) x day(-1), supplemented with essential amino acids and ketoanalogs) in six patients suffering from chronic renal failure. After three months of diet, no significant change was observed concerning glomerular filtration rate, body wt, or arterial pH. In the postabsorptive state, plasma glucose and insulin levels were significantly lower, and energy production rose from 15.72 +/- 0.48 to 17.16 +/- 0.67 Cal x kg(-1) x min(-1) (P < 0.05). Insulin-stimulated glucose oxidation (2.36 +/- 0.29 vs. 3.37 +/- 0.35 mg x kg(-1) x min(-1); P < 0.05 at first clamp step) and nonoxidative disposal (P < 0.05 at both clamp steps) increased after LPD. This confirms that LPD ameliorates insulin sensitivity in CRF, even for low plasma insulin concentrations. Since energy production rate is increased by LPD, the caloric intake should be increased when protein intake is restricted.

Insulin resistance in uremia: effect of dialysis modality

Insulin sensitivity was studied before and after 3 mo of continuous cycling peritoneal dialysis (CCPD) in seven uremic patients, before and after 3 mo of hemodialysis (HD) in another seven uremic patients, and in seven healthy controls. There were no significant differences in the height, weight, anthropometric measures, or intakes of protein and total calories between the CCPD and the HD groups before and after the 3 mo of dialysis therapy. There were no differences in other biochemical parameters between patients on CCPD and patients on HD either at the initiation of dialysis or at the end of 3 mo of dialysis therapy. Residual renal function was not different between the two groups. Mean Kt/Vurea in the CCPD group was 2.10/wk and that for the HD group was 1.20/session. The CCPD group and the HD group both had higher fasting glucose concentrations (p < 0.02), but normal fasting serum immunoreactive insulin concentrations compared with controls. The hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp technique was used to measure insulin sensitivity. Before dialysis, insulin sensitivity was low in both patient groups (CCPD 128 +/- 11 mg/m2/min; HD 130 +/- 11) compared with controls (320 +/- 26) (p < 0.01 in both cases) but not different between the patient groups. After 3 mo of dialysis therapy, insulin sensitivity increased by 80 +/- 7% in the CCPD group and by 38 +/- 4% in the HD group (p < 0.01 compared with predialysis values in both groups). Insulin sensitivity in both groups after 3 mo of dialysis was still lower than in the control group (p < 0.01 in both cases). However, both the percentage increase as well as the final insulin sensitivity were significantly higher in the CCPD group (230 +/- 19 mg/m2/min) than the HD groups (179 +/- 16) (p < 0.01 in both cases).

End-organ resistance to growth hormone and IGF-I in epiphyseal chondrocytes of rats with chronic renal failure

We tested the hypothesis that there is direct end-organ resistance to growth hormone (GH) and IGF-I in chronic renal failure (CRF) independent of circulating inhibitors. Male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent 5/6 nephrectomy and were pair-fed with weight matched (100 g) sham operated controls for two weeks. Rats with CRF had significantly higher serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen (P < 0.01 in both cases) and gained significantly less weight and length (P < 0.01 in both cases) compared with controls. Epiphyseal chondrocytes were grown in 10% fetal calf serum (FCS). Both CRF cells and control cells maintained chondrogenic phenotypes, and showed immunohistochemical staining with antibodies to collagen II and proteoglycan (aggrecan). Distribution of the cell subpopulations according to cell size (by flow cytometry) and alkaline phosphatase activity of CRF and control chondrocyte cultures were not different. Growth responses of CRF chondrocytes were reduced (P < 0.01) compared with control chondrocytes when grown in 10% FCS and 10% normal rat serum. Under serum free conditions, growth responses of CRF chondrocytes were reduced to GH and IGF-I at concentrations of 10, 30 and 100 ng/ml, and to insulin at 100, 300 and 1,000 ng/ml compared with controls cells (P < 0.01). To show that this resistance is specific for the GH/IGF system, growth responses to fibroblast growth factor and transforming growth factor beta 1 were studied and showed no difference between CRF and control cells. Thus, the present study provides direct evidence of specific end-organ resistance to GH, IGF-I in CRF chondrocytes in the absence of circulating factors.

Effect of insulin on urinary phosphate excretion in type II diabetes mellitus with or without renal insufficiency

We investigated the effect of insulin on urinary excretion of phosphate in type II diabetes mellitus (DM) with respect to the absence or presence of renal insufficiency. A euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp was performed in 37 type II DM patients. Subjects were divided into two groups: group A consisted of patients with serum creatinine levels less than 1.5 mg/dL (n = 22), and group B consisted of patients with serum creatinine levels of 1.5 mg/dL or greater (n = 15). Blood and urine samples were collected at the beginning and end of the clamp, and urinary excretion of phosphate was evaluated by calculating fractional excretion (FE-P). Tissue sensitivity to insulin in the whole body was expressed as the glucose infusion rate (M value) and that divided by steady-state plasma insulin levels (M/I ratio) during the last 30 minutes of the clamp. FE-P in group A patients significantly decreased during the clamp (from 9.46 +/- 0.67% before the clamp to 7.12 +/- 0.73% after the clamp, P < .004), whereas FE-P in group B patients did not change significantly during the clamp. The percent decrease of FE-P (decrease of FE-P during the clamp divided by FE-P before the clamp) in group A patients was significantly higher than in group B patients (22.5 +/- 7.0% and 2.5 +/- 5.1 %, respectively, P < .04). In all 37 patients, the percent decrease of FE-P was negatively correlated with blood urea nitrogen ([BUN] r = -.36, P < .05), serum creatinine (r = -.34, P < .05), and serum beta2-microglobulin (r = -.44, P < .01) and positively correlated with creatinine clearance (r = .570, P < .004), but it was not correlated with the M value or M/I ratio. These results showed that the kidneys of diabetic patients with renal insufficiency are insulin-insensitive in terms of phosphate transport, and the insulin insensitivity is related to the glomerular filtration rate but not to systemic insulin insensitivity. The percent decrease of FE-P on clamp study could be useful for assessing the insulin insensitivity of the kidney, which probably occurs primarily in the renal tubules.