The coexistence of carotid and lower extremity atherosclerosis further increases cardio-cerebrovascular risk in type 2 diabetes

2024 ACC/AHA/AACVPR/APMA/ABC/SCAI/SVM/SVN/SVS/SIR/VESS Guideline for the Management of Lower Extremity Peripheral Artery Disease: A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Joint Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines

AIM

The "2024 ACC/AHA/AACVPR/APMA/ABC/SCAI/SVM/SVN/SVS/SIR/VESS Guideline for the Management of Lower Extremity Peripheral Artery Disease" provides recommendations to guide clinicians in the treatment of patients with lower extremity peripheral artery disease across its multiple clinical presentation subsets (ie, asymptomatic, chronic symptomatic, chronic limb-threatening ischemia, and acute limb ischemia).

METHODS

A comprehensive literature search was conducted from October 2020 to June 2022, encompassing studies, reviews, and other evidence conducted on human subjects that was published in English from PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, CINHL Complete, and other selected databases relevant to this guideline. Additional relevant studies, published through May 2023 during the peer review process, were also considered by the writing committee and added to the evidence tables where appropriate.

STRUCTURE

Recommendations from the "2016 AHA/ACC Guideline on the Management of Patients With Lower Extremity Peripheral Artery Disease" have been updated with new evidence to guide clinicians. In addition, new recommendations addressing comprehensive care for patients with peripheral artery disease have been developed.

2024 ACC/AHA/AACVPR/APMA/ABC/SCAI/SVM/SVN/SVS/SIR/VESS Guideline for the Management of Lower Extremity Peripheral Artery Disease: A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Joint Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines

AIM

The "2024 ACC/AHA/AACVPR/APMA/ABC/SCAI/SVM/SVN/SVS/SIR/VESS Guideline for the Management of Lower Extremity Peripheral Artery Disease" provides recommendations to guide clinicians in the treatment of patients with lower extremity peripheral artery disease across its multiple clinical presentation subsets (ie, asymptomatic, chronic symptomatic, chronic limb-threatening ischemia, and acute limb ischemia).

METHODS

A comprehensive literature search was conducted from October 2020 to June 2022, encompassing studies, reviews, and other evidence conducted on human subjects that was published in English from PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, CINHL Complete, and other selected databases relevant to this guideline. Additional relevant studies, published through May 2023 during the peer review process, were also considered by the writing committee and added to the evidence tables where appropriate.

STRUCTURE

Recommendations from the "2016 AHA/ACC Guideline on the Management of Patients With Lower Extremity Peripheral Artery Disease" have been updated with new evidence to guide clinicians. In addition, new recommendations addressing comprehensive care for patients with peripheral artery disease have been developed.

Effectiveness of a nurse-led management intervention on systolic blood pressure among type 2 diabetes patients in Uganda: a cluster randomized trial

BACKGROUND

Hypertension (HT) is an orchestrator of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) in people living with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Control of systolic blood pressure (SBP) and HT as a whole is suboptimal in diabetes, partly due to the scarcity of doctors. While nurse-led interventions are pragmatic and cost-effective in the control of HT in primary health care, their effectiveness on SBP control among patients with T2D in Uganda is scantly known.

AIM

We evaluated the effectiveness of a nurse-led management intervention on SBP among T2D patients with a high ASCVD risk in Uganda.

METHODS

A two-armed cluster randomized controlled trial compared the nurse-led management intervention with usual doctor-led care. The intervention involved training nurses to provide structured health education, protocol-based HT/CVD management, 24-h phone calls, and 2-monthly text messages for 6 months. The primary outcome was the mean difference in SBP change among patients with T2D with a high ASCVD risk in the intervention and control groups after 6 months. The secondary outcome was the absolute difference in the number of patients at target for SBP, total cholesterol (TC), fasting blood glucose (FBG), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), triglycerides (TG), and body mass index (BMI) after the intervention. The study was analyzed according to the intention-to-treat principle. Generalized estimating equations were used to assess intra-cluster effect modifiers. Statistical significance was set at 0.05 for all analyses.

RESULTS

Eight clinics (n = 388 patients) were included (intervention 4 clinics; n = 192; control 4 clinics; n = 196). A nurse-led intervention reduced SBP by -11.21 ± 16.02 mmHg with a mean difference between the groups of -13.75 mmHg (95% CI -16.48 to -11.02, p < 0.001). An increase in SBP of 2.54 ± 10.95 mmHg was observed in the control group. Diastolic blood pressure was reduced by -6.80 ± 9.48 mmHg with a mean difference between groups of -7.20 mmHg (95% C1 -8.87 to -5.48, p < 0.001). The mean differences in the change in ASCVD score and glycated hemoglobin were -4.73% (95% CI -5.95 to -3.51, p = 0.006) and -0.82% (95% CI -1.30 to -0.35, p = 0.001), respectively. There were significant absolute differences in the number of patients at target in SBP (p = 0.001), DBP (p = 0.003), and TC (p = 0.008).

CONCLUSION

A nurse-led management intervention reduces SBP and ASCVD risk among patients with T2D. Such an intervention may be pragmatic in the screening and management of HT/ASCVD in Uganda.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Pan African Clinical Trial Registry, PACTR202001916873358, registered on 6th October 2019.

A Non-Coronary, Peripheral Arterial Atherosclerotic Disease (Carotid, Renal, Lower Limb) in Elderly Patients-A Review PART II-Pharmacological Approach for Management of Elderly Patients with Peripheral Atherosclerotic Lesions outside Coronary Territory

BACKGROUND

Aging is a key risk factor for atherosclerosis progression that is associated with increased incidence of ischemic events in supplied organs, including stroke, coronary events, limb ischemia, or renal failure. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death and major disability in adults ≥ 75 years of age. Atherosclerotic occlusive disease affects everyday activity, quality of life, and it is associated with reduced life expectancy. As most multicenter randomized trials exclude elderly and very elderly patients, particularly those with severe comorbidities, physical or cognitive dysfunctions, frailty, or residence in a nursing home, there is insufficient data on the management of older patients presenting with atherosclerotic lesions outside coronary territory. This results in serious critical gaps in knowledge and a lack of guidance on the appropriate medical treatment. In addition, due to a variety of severe comorbidities in the elderly, the average daily number of pills taken by octogenarians exceeds nine. Polypharmacy frequently results in drug therapy problems related to interactions, drug toxicity, falls with injury, delirium, and non-adherence. Therefore, we have attempted to gather data on the medical treatment in patients with extra-cardiac atherosclerotic lesions indicating where there is some evidence of the management in elderly patients and where there are gaps in evidence-based medicine. Public PubMed databases were searched to review existing evidence on the effectiveness of lipid-lowering, antithrombotic, and new glucose-lowering medications in patients with extra-cardiac atherosclerotic occlusive disease.

Pathogenetic mechanisms of repeated adverse cardiovascular events development in patients with coronary heart disease: the role of chronic inflammation

Stent restenosis is the most unfavorable complication of interventional treatment for coronary heart disease. We already know from various literature sources that the causes for stent restenosis in patients are both mechanical damage (partial opening, stent breakage, extended stented area, calcification, incomplete stent coverage of atherosclerotic plaque, weak radial stiffness of the stent metal frame, lack of stent drug coating), and the neointimal hyperplasia formation which is closely related to the de novo atherosclerosis development, being a predictor of the recurrent cardiovascular event.

Sex-specific association between carotid atherosclerosis and fundus arteriosclerosis in a Chinese population: a retrospective cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES

Vascular stiffening is highly predictive of major adverse cardiovascular events. It is not clear whether microangiopathy, such as fundus arteriosclerosis, is related to carotid atherosclerosis. Hence, this study was designed to investigate the relationship between carotid atherosclerosis and fundus arteriosclerosis among individuals of different sexes in the Chinese health-examination population.

METHODS

This retrospective cross-sectional study involved 20,836 participants, including 13050 males and 7786 females. All participants underwent a detailed health examination, including medical history assessment, physical examination, assessment of lifestyle factors, fundus photography, Doppler ultrasound examination of the neck, and laboratory examinations. Two trained ophthalmologists analysed fundus arteriosclerosis based on fundus photographs, while carotid atherosclerosis was diagnosed using colour Doppler sonography of the neck. Binary logistic regression was used to analyse the relationship between carotid atherosclerosis and fundus arteriosclerosis.

RESULTS

In participants with fundus arteriosclerosis, the incidence of carotid atherosclerosis was higher than that of participants without fundus arteriosclerosis (52.94% vs. 47.06%). After adjustments for potential confounding factors, fundus arteriosclerosis was significantly associated with the risk of carotid atherosclerosis. The OR with 95% CI for fundus arteriosclerosis was 1.17 (1.02, 1.34) with p = 0.0262, and individuals who did not have fundus arteriosclerosis were used as a reference in the total population. Fundus arteriosclerosis was associated with the incidence of carotid atherosclerosis in males (p = 0.0005) but not in females (p = 0.0746).

CONCLUSIONS

Fundus arteriosclerosis was closely associated with carotid atherosclerosis in the Chinese population. This association was found in males but not in females.

A patient with acute myocardial infarction with acute lower extremity arterial embolization underwent amputation under general anesthesia

INTRODUCTION

Acute peripheral and coronary artery embolism are common complications of diabetes mellitus and greatly affect the clinical outcome of patients with diabetes; however, there are few reports about the symptoms and prognosis of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and concurrent acute lower extremity arterial embolism (ALEAE).

CASE PRESENTATION

A 44-year-old man with a history of 4 years of type 1 diabetes was admitted to hospital after suddenly experiencing severe pain in his right lower limb and feeling tightness in the left anterior chest area. Ultrasonography revealed distal occlusion of the right superficial femoral artery, and an electrocardiogram showed acute anterior interstitial myocardial infarction. After conservative treatment for 2 days, the patient had severe necrosis of the lower limbs and secondary injury of multiple organs. Haemodialysis and heparin anticoagulant therapy were performed before amputation. Twelve days after the operation, the patient's condition was stable, and he was transferred out of the intensive care unit.

CONCLUSIONS

If patients with ALEAE miss the opportunity for early treatment, even with AMI, emergency amputation under general anaesthesia is the right strategy to save lives.

Interaction between haptoglobin genotype and glycemic variability on diabetic macroangiopathy: a population-based cross-sectional study

PURPOSE

Haptoglobin (Hp) is a hemoglobin-binding protein that functions as an antioxidant in human plasma. It is reported that glycemic variability (GV) plays a key role in diabetes-related complications associated with impaired glucose metabolism and oxidative stress. Here we aim to investigate whether the effect of GV on diabetic macroangiopathy depends on Hp genotype in type 2 diabetes.

METHODS

A number of 860 Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes was genotyped and assigned to two Hp subgroups (Hp 2-2 and Hp 1 carriers). Glycemic variability (GV) was assessed by using a retrospective continuous glucose monitoring system for three consecutive days, and it was measured using the glucose coefficient of variation (%CV), which is calculated as the ratio of glucose standard deviation to glucose mean. Clinical features, history of cardiac surgery, and vascular imaging tests were utilized to diagnose macroangiopathy. We evaluated the interaction between Hp genotypes and %CV on diabetic macroangiopathy. Furthermore, serum concentration of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) was measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay as a biomarker of oxidative stress.

RESULTS

Serum 8-OHdG levels were positively correlated with %CV in Hp 1 carriers (r = 0.117; p = 0.021). Patients in the highest %CV tertile were associated with a higher prevalence of diabetic macroangiopathy than those in the lowest %CV tertile in Hp 1 carriers (OR = 2.461 [95% CI, 1.183-5.121], p = 0.016), but not in those with Hp 2-2 genotype (OR = 0.540 [95% CI, 0.245-1.191], p = 0.127). A significant interactive effect of Hp genotypes and %CV on diabetic macroangiopathy was found (p interaction = 0.008).

CONCLUSION

Hp genotype modifies the effect of GV on diabetic macroangiopathy among Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes.

Prognostic Significance of Carotid and Lower Extremity Artery Stenosis in Patients With High and Very High Cardiovascular Risk

Aim      To study prognostic significance of the degree of stenosis of carotid and lower-extremity arteries (LEA) in patients at high and very high risk of cardiovascular complications (CVC).Material and methods  The study included men and women aged 40-67 years at high and very high risk of CVC. Duplex ultrasound scanning of carotid arteries and LEA was performed for all patients. Laboratory tests included measurements of glucose, glycated hemoglobin, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), triglycerides, uric acid, creatinine with estimation of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) using the CKD-EPI Creatinine Equation formula, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP). Composite endpoint was death from CVC, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, and coronary revascularization.Results The study included 214 patients from groups of high and very high risk of CVC. Median age of patients was 59.0 [53.2; 64.0] years. A very high risk was identified in 141 (65.8 %) patients and a high risk of CVC in 73 (34.1 %). Atherosclerotic plaques in at least one vascular bed were found in 191 (89.3 %) patients. Duration of the follow-up period was 32.0 [13.7; 49.1] months. Outcomes comprising the composite endpoint were observed in 36 (16.8 %) patients. Presence of carotid stenosis ≥35 % was not statistically significantly associated with the occurrence of outcomes comprising the composite endpoint (relative risk, RR: 1.22; 95 % confidence interval, CI: 0.56-2.66; p=0.607). In contrast, the presence of LEA stenosis ≥35 % was associated with a 2.51 times increased RR of CVC (95 % CI: 1.02-6.23; p=0.044).Conclusion      In patients from the groups of high risk and very high risk of CVC, the presence of LEA stenosis ≥35 % predicted the development of severe CVC with a 69.4% sensitivity and a 61.8% specificity. The presence of LEA stenosis ≥35 %, but not of carotid arteries, was an independent predictor of severe CVC (RR, 2.51; 95 % CI: 1.02-6.23; p=0.044) after adjustments for sex, age, presence of arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, ischemic heart disease, obesity, smoking, LDL-C, GFR, and drug therapy.

Association of sleep behaviors, insulin resistance surrogates, and the risk of hypertension in Chinese adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Objective

Our aim was to evaluate the association between midday napping, combined sleep quality, and insulin resistance surrogates and the risk of hypertension in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Methods

Data were collected using a standardized questionnaire. Binary logistic regression was performed to estimate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for the risk of hypertension. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure were grouped as categorical variables and unpaired two-sided Student's t-test and Spearman correlation analysis were performed to estimate the association between different blood pressure levels and insulin resistance surrogates.

Results

The overall prevalence rate of hypertension was 50%. Age (OR = 1.056, 95% CI:1.044-1.068), poor sleep quality (OR = 1.959, 95% CI:1.393-2.755), hyperlipidemia (OR = 1.821, 95% CI:1.462-2.369), family history of hypertension (OR = 2.811, 95% CI:2.261-3.495), and obesity (OR = 5.515, 95% CI:1.384-21.971) were significantly associated with an increased risk of hypertension. Midday napping for 1-30 min was negatively correlated with the risk of hypertension (OR = 0.534, 95% CI:0.305-0.936, P <0.05).

Conclusion

Poor sleep quality and obesity are independent risk factors for hypertension. Midday napping (1-30 min) is associated with a decreased risk of hypertension in patients with T2DM.

High-normal serum bilirubin decreased the risk of lower limb atherosclerosis in type 2 diabetes: a real-world study

BACKGROUND

Bilirubin has been found to protect against overt atherosclerotic diseases, but to date, few studies have investigated the effects of bilirubin especially within the normal range on lower limb atherosclerosis. Therefore, we aimed to assess the associations of bilirubin within normal limits including total bilirubin (TB), conjugated bilirubin (CB) and unconjugated bilirubin (UCB) with lower limb atherosclerosis in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

METHODS

7284 T2DM patients with normal levels of serum bilirubin were included in this cross-sectional, real-world study. Patients were divided into quintiles by TB levels (< 8.7, 8.7-10.19, 10.20-11.99, 12-13.99, > 13.99 µmol/L). Lower limb ultrasonography was conducted to detect lower limb plaque and stenosis. The association between serum bilirubin and lower limb atherosclerosis was explored by multiple logistic regression.

RESULTS

A remarkable decrease in the prevalence of lower limb plaque (77.5, 75.3, 70.7, 71.7 and 67.9%) and stenosis (21.1, 17.2, 13.3, 13.0 and 12.0%) was observed across the TB quintiles. Multivariable regression analysis showed that serum TB levels were negatively correlated with higher risks of lower limb plaque and stenosis, both as a continuous variable [OR (95%CI): 0.870 (0.784-0.964), p = 0.008 for plaque; and 0.835 (0.737-0.946), p = 0.005 for stenosis] and as categorized in quintiles (p = 0.015 and 0.016 for plaque and stenosis). Interestingly, serum CB levels were only negatively correlated with lower limb stenosis [OR (95%CI): 0.767 (0.685-0.858), p < 0.001], whereas serum UCB levels were only negatively associated with lower limb plaque [ OR (95%CI): 0.864 (0.784-0.952), p = 0.003] after a fully-adjusted analysis. Furthermore, serum CRP was significantly decreased across the TB quintiles and negatively associated with serum TB (r = -0.107, p < 0.001), CB (r = -0.054, p < 0.001), and UCB (r = -0.103, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

High-normal serum bilirubin levels were independently and significantly related to reduced risks of lower limb atherosclerosis in T2DM patients. Furthermore, serum bilirubin levels including TB, CB and UCB were inversely correlated with CRP. These results suggested that higher-normal serum bilirubin may exhibit an anti-inflammatory and protective effect against lower limb atherosclerotic progression in T2DM subjects.

The effect of haptoglobin genotype on the association of asymmetric dimethylarginine and DDAH 1 polymorphism with diabetic macroangiopathy

BACKGROUND

Dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase (DDAH) 1 maintains the bioavailability of nitric oxide by degrading asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA). Here, we aimed to investigate the effect of haptoglobin (Hp) genotype on the association of ADMA and DDAH 1 polymorphism with diabetic macroangiopathy.

METHODS

In stage 1, 90 Chinese participants with type 2 diabetes were enrolled to measure a panel of targeted metabolites, including ADMA, using tandem mass spectrometry (BIOCRATES AbsoluteIDQ™ p180 kit). In stage 2, an independent cohort of 2965 Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes was recruited to analyze the effect of Hp genotype on the association between DDAH 1 rs233109 and diabetic macroangiopathy. Hp genotypes were detected using a validated assay based on the TaqMan method. DDAH 1 rs233109 was genotyped by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectroscopy using the MassARRAY platform.

RESULTS

In stage 1, serum ADMA levels correlated with common Hp genotypes (β ± SE = - 0.049 ± 0.023, P = 0.035), but not with diabetic macroangiopathy (P = 0.316). In stage 2, the distribution of DDAH 1 rs233109 genotype frequencies was 15% (CC), 47% (TC), and 38% (TT), which was in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (P = 0.948). A significant Hp genotype by rs 233109 genotype interaction effect on diabetic macroangiopathy was found (P = 0.017). After adjusting for confounders, patients homozygous for rs233109 CC were more likely to develop diabetic macroangiopathy than those carrying TT homozygotes in the Hp 2-2 subgroup [odds ratio = 1.750 (95% confidence interval, 1.101-2.783), P = 0.018].

CONCLUSION

Hp genotype affects the association between DDAH 1 rs233109 and diabetic macroangiopathy in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes.

Combined evaluation of arterial stiffness, glycemic control and hypertension for macrovascular complications in type 2 diabetes

BACKGROUND

Arterial stiffness, glycemic control and blood pressure are risk factors of macrovascular complications in type 2 diabetes. This study aimed to investigate the combined association of arterial stiffness, glycemic control and hypertension status with the occurrence of diabetic macrovascular complication.

METHODS

A total of 1870 patients of diabetes were enrolled from Beijing Health Management Cohort between 2008 and 2018 as baseline, and then followed for macrovascular complication onset. We proposed a composite risk score (0-4) by arterial stiffness severity, pool glycemic control and hypertension status. Cox model was used to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI).

RESULTS

The mean age (SD) of this population was 59.90 (12.29) years. During a median follow-up of 4.0 years, 359 (19.2%) patients developed macrovascular complication. Compared to the normal arterial stiffness and good glycemic control group, patients with severe arterial stiffness and pool glycemic control had the highest risk of macrovascular complications (HR: 2.73; 95% CI: 1.42-5.25). Similarly, those of severe arterial stiffness and hypertension had the highest risk (HR: 2.69; 95% CI: 1.61-4.50). Patients of the composite score > 2 had a significantly increased risk of macrovascular complication.

CONCLUSION

This study suggested the clinical importance of combined evaluation of arterial stiffness, glycemic control and hypertension status for the risk stratification and management of macrovascular complication of type 2 diabetes.

Albuminuria but not low eGFR is closely associated with atherosclerosis in patients with type 2 diabetes: an observational study

BACKGROUND

There is still controversy regarding the associations of urinary albumin excretion (UAE) and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) with atherosclerosis in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Therefore, it is necessary to explore the correlation between them in T2DM patients.

METHODS

We conducted a survey involving 2565 T2DM patients from a single center. The study cohort was classified into three groups based on the levels of albuminuria: normal UAE (UAE < 30 mg/24 h), moderate UAE (UAE between 30 and 299 mg/24 h) and high UAE (UAE ≥ 300 mg/24 h). Additionally, the patients were divided into three separate groups according to eGFR levels, including low eGFR (eGFR < 60 ml/min/1.73 m²), intermediate eGFR (eGFR 60-89 ml/min/1.73 m²) and normal eGFR (eGFR ≥ 90 ml/min/1.73 m²) groups. Atherosclerotic lesions were compared among the three UAE and eGFR groups. Regression analyses were used to assess the associations of atherosclerotic lesions with UAE and eGFR in T2DM.

RESULTS

After controlling for age, sex and diabetes duration, the prevalence of atherosclerotic plaque and stenosis were significantly increased from the normal to high UAE groups (plaque: 72.2%, 78.6% and 87.3%, respectively, p = 0.016 for trend; stenosis: 14.0%, 25.5% and 37.3%, respectively, p < 0.001 for trend). Likewise, the values of carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and femoral intima-media thickness (FIMT) were also obviously increased from the normal to high UAE groups (CIMT: p < 0.001 for trend; FIMT: p = 0.001 for trend). Conversely, only the FIMT value was clearly increased from the low to normal eGFR groups (p = 0.001 for trend). Fully adjusted regression analyses revealed that UAE was closely associated with the presence of atherosclerotic plaque (OR 1.20, 95% CI 1.03-1.40, p = 0.020) and stenosis (OR 1.17, 95% CI 1.01-1.35, p = 0.036), and with the values of CIMT (β 0.05, 95% CI 0.01-0.10, p = 0.029) and FIMT (β 0.07, 95% CI 0.03-0.11, p = 0.001) in T2DM patients. However, there was no significant association between eGFR levels and atherosclerotic lesions in T2DM after adjustment for multiple confounding factors.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, albuminuria rather than low eGFR is closely associated with atherosclerotic lesions in T2DM patients. Albuminuria is an independent risk factor for carotid and femoral atherosclerotic lesions in T2DM. Therefore, albuminuria may be a potential early marker to predict the development of atherosclerosis in patients with T2DM.

The association between serum adropin and carotid atherosclerosis in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a cross‑sectional study

BACKGROUND

Adropin, a newly‑identified energy homeostasis protein, has been implicated in the maintenance of metabolic homeostasis and insulin sensitivity. This study attempts to measure the association between serum adropin and carotid atherosclerosis in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

METHODS

This cross‑sectional study was performed in 503 hospitalized patients with T2DM.Serum adropin level was measured by a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The carotid atherosclerosis was assessed by color Doppler sonography. The association between adropin and carotid atherosclerotic plaque was tested by logistic regression model. The effect of adropin on carotid intimal-medial thickness (CIMT) was estimated using linear regression model.

RESULTS

Overall, 280 (55.7%) patients had carotid atherosclerotic plaque. The risk of carotid atherosclerotic plaque decreased with the increment of serum adropin level (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.90; 95%CI: 0.81-0.99) in patients with T2DM. Serum adropin (Standardized β = - 0.006, p = 0.028) was also independently protective factor for CIMT in patients with T2DM.

CONCLUSION

In patients with T2DM, high serum adropin level was correlated with a decreased risk of carotid atherosclerosis in T2DM patients. Low circulating level of adropin may promote carotid atherosclerosis.

Detection of glucose in diabetic tears by using gold nanoparticles and MXene composite surface-enhanced Raman scattering substrates

Diabetes has become one of the three chronic non-communicable diseases threatening human health in the world, and the detection of glucose concentration is of great importance for the prevention and treatment of diabetes. The noninvasive detection of glucose in tears has attracted interest over the past several decades, however, time-consuming, expensive equipment, and specialist technicians make tear analysis still challenging. Here, flexible surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates composed of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and two-dimensional MXene Ti₃C₂T_X nanosheets have been designed. The GMXeP (gold nanoparticles with MXene nanosheets loaded on paper) SERS substrates show good sensitivity, reproducibility, and stability, yielding an enhancement factor (EF) of 3.7 × 10⁵ at the concentration of 10^-9 M. The GMXeP SERS substrates are used to detect glucose of diabetic tears within a linear range of 1-50 μM, the lowest detection concentration is 0.39 μM and the significant correlation between tear glucose and blood glucose indicates that this method is suitable for sensitive and noninvasive detection of blood glucose.

Inflammatory cardiovascular risk markers and silent myocardial ischemia in type 2 diabetic patients

Background/Aim. A special feature of coronary heart disease (CHD) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is that it is often a symptomatic and occurs as a consequence of cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy. Dysregulation of the autonomic nervous system is associated with elevated values of inflammatory markers such as high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and interleukin- 6 (IL-6), which accelerate atherosclerosis and the occurrence of cardiovascular complications in patients with T2DM. The aim of the study was to evaluate the importance of determining inflammatory cardiovascular risk markers IL-6 and hs-CRP in screening for the presence of CHD in asymptomatic patients with T2DM. Methods. The study included 169 patients with T2DM without any symptoms and signs of CHD. Ergometric testing proved or ruled out the presence of silent CHD. The levels of hs- CRP and IL-6 were determined by ELISA. Results. IL-6 values were significantly higher in patients with a positive ergometric test (6.83 ? 1.99 pg/mL) compared to patients with a negative ergometric test (3.04 ? 1.39 pg/mL) (p < 0.001). We also found that hs-CRP values in patients with a positive ergometric test were significantly higher compared to patients with a negative ergometric test (6.37 ? 2.25 vs 1.67 ? 1.41 mg/L; p < 0.001). Combinations of IL-6 and hs-CRP with age, HbA1c values, and duration of diabetes, presented through three binary logistic regression models, are significant predictors of silent CHD proven by ergometric testing, ie, with their increase, the probability of a positive ergometric test also increases (p < 0.01). The sensitivity of the associated finding of elevated IL-6 and hs-CRP values in the detection of silent CHD by ergometric testing was 90%, and the specificity was 86%. Conclusion. Hs-CRP and IL-6 are significant predictors of silent CHD, and their determination could be recommended for improving cardiovascular risk stratification in asymptomatic patients with T2DM.

Waist-to-height ratio has a stronger association with cardiovascular risks than waist circumference, waist-hip ratio and body mass index in type 2 diabetes

AIMS

To compare the associations between four anthropometric indices including waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), waist circumference (WC), waist-hip-ratio (WHR) and body mass index (BMI) and cardio-cerebrovascular events (CCBVEs) in Chinese T2DM patients.

METHODS

The associations of four anthropometric measures with CCBVEs and metabolic syndrome (MetS) were compared by multiple regression model in 3108 T2DM patients. CCBVEs was defined as a history of myocardial infarction, angina, angioplasty, coronary artery bypass surgery, transient ischemic attack, ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke.

RESULTS

After controlling for age, sex and diabetes duration, the prevalence of CCBVEs and MetS significantly increased across the WHtR, WC, WHR and BMI quartiles in T2DM patients, respectively. However, when controlling for these four anthropometric measurements together, although four anthropometric measures were closely associated with MetS prevalence, only WHtR quartile was significantly associated with CCBVEs prevalence (6.5%, 13.8%, 16.9% and 21.3%, p < 0.001 for trend). After adjusting for multiple confounders including four anthropometric parameters, a regression analysis revealed that only WHtR was independently and positively associated with the presence of CCBVEs (p = 0.029).

CONCLUSIONS

Compared with WC, WHR and BMI, WHtR have a stronger association with CCBVEs in T2DM subjects. WHtR maybe a better indicator than other anthropometric measurements for evaluating cardiovascular risks in T2DM.

Serum free triiodothyronine is inversely associated with diabetic peripheral neuropathy but not with carotid atherosclerotic lesions in euthyroid patients with type 2 diabetes

BACKGROUND

The associations between serum free triiodothyronine (FT3) and diabetic peripheral neuropatprohy (DPN)/carotid atherosclerotic lesions in euthyroid patients with type 2 diabetes are still unclear. The purpose of our study was to explore the relations of FT3 to DPN and carotid atherosclerotic lesions in Chinese type 2 diabetes inpatients with euthyroid function.

METHODS

2477 euthyroid inpatients with type 2 diabetes were recruited and they were stratified into quartiles by FT3 levels in this cross-sectional study. Peripheral neuropathy was assessed by neurological symptoms and signs as well as nerve conduction velocity tests. Carotid atherosclerotic lesions, including carotid intima-media thickness, plaque and stenosis, were evaluated by Doppler ultrasound.

RESULTS

The prevalence of DPN in type 2 diabetic patients exhibited the significant decrease across the FT3 quartiles (23.5%, 20.9%, 18.8%, and 11.2%, respectively, p < 0.001). Multiple logistical regression analysis also revealed that FT3 quartiles were significantly and inversely associated with DPN. Compared with the subjects in the highest FT3 quartile, the adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence interval) of DPN from the first to third FT3 quartile were successively 2.338 (1.407-3.884), 1.903 (1.134-3.194) and 1.598 (0.960-1.125). The patients with DPN had significantly higher prevalence of carotid atherosclerotic lesions compared with non-DPN patients. However, no statistical association was observed between FT3 quartiles and carotid atherosclerotic lesions after adjusting for confounder factors.

CONCLUSIONS

Lower FT3 within the normal range was independently associated with DPN, but not with carotid atherosclerotic lesions in Chinese euthyroid inpatients with type 2 diabetes.

Advanced glycation end products via skin autofluorescence as potential marker of carotid atherosclerosis in patients with type 2 diabetes

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are reported to be correlated with diabetic vascular complications. This study aimed to investigate the association between AGEs and carotid atherosclerosis (CAS) as a surrogate marker of cardiovascular disease (CVD).

METHODS AND RESULTS

A total of 1006 patients with type 2 diabetes were included. CAS was defined as the presence of carotid arterial atherosclerotic plaque in any of bilateral carotid artery segments measured by ultrasonography. AGEs were measured by the noninvasive skin autofluorescence method. AGE_age index was calculated as AGEs × age/100. Patients with CAS showed a significantly higher AGE_age (P < 0.01), and the prevalence of CAS increased with ascending AGE_age levels (P for trend < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis revealed that AGE_age was significantly positively associated with odds of CAS, and the odds ratios of the presence of CAS across quartiles of AGE_age were 1.00, 3.00 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.90-4.74], 4.04 (95%CI 2.50-6.53) and 4.99 (95%CI 2.97-8.40) for the multivariable-adjusted model (P for trend <0.001), respectively. In the fully adjusted model, each 5.0 increase in AGE_age was associated with a 0.019 mm increment in carotid intima-media thickness. Furthermore, AGE_age presented an acceptable predictive value for CAS, with an optimal cutoff point of 43.2, and the sensitivity, specificity and area under the curve (AUC) were 74.5% (95%CI 70.7-78.1%), 61.9% (95%CI 57.2-66.4%) and 0.735 (0.706-0.762), respectively.

CONCLUSION

AGE_age, the noninvasive measurement of AGEs combined with age is a promising approach for triaging patients at high risk of CVDs.

Association of Advanced Glycation End Products With Lower-Extremity Atherosclerotic Disease in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Aims: Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) were reported to be correlated with the development of diabetes, as well as diabetic vascular complications. Therefore, this study aimed at investigating the association between AGEs and lower-extremity atherosclerotic disease (LEAD). Methods: A total of 1,013 type 2 diabetes patients were enrolled. LEAD was measured through color Doppler ultrasonography. The non-invasive skin autofluorescence method was performed for AGEs measurement. Considering that age plays an important role in both AGEs and LEAD, age-combined AGEs, i.e., AGE_age index (define as AGEs × age/100) was used for related analysis. Results: The overall prevalence of LEAD was 48.9% (495/1,013). Patients with LEAD showed a significantly higher AGE_age (p < 0.001), and the prevalence of LEAD increased with ascending AGE_age levels (p for trend < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis revealed that AGE_age was significantly positively associated with risk of LEAD, and the odds ratios of presence of LEAD across quartiles of AGE_age were 1.00, 1.72 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.14-2.61], 2.72 (95% CI = 1.76-4.22), 4.29 (95% CI = 2.69-6.85) for multivariable-adjusted model (both p for trend < 0.001), respectively. The results were similar among patients of different sexes, body mass index, and with or without diabetes family history. Further, AGE_age presented a better predictive value for LEAD than glycated hemoglobin A_1c (HbA_1c), with its sensitivity, specificity, and area under the curve of 75.5% (95% CI = 71.6-79.2%), 59.3% (95% CI = 54.9-63.6%), and 0.731 (0.703-0.758), respectively. Conclusion: AGE_age, the non-invasive measured skin AGEs combined with age, seems to be a more promising approach than HbA_1c in identifying patient at high risk of LEAD.

Risk factors for new ischemic cerebral lesions after carotid artery stenting: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

New ischemic cerebral lesions (NICL) are commonly occur after carotid artery stenting (CAS) with an incidence rate ranging from 18-58% and are detected by diffusion-weighted imaging-magnetic resonance imaging (DWI-MRI). Numerous studies have reported that NICL could increase the risk of future cerebrovascular events and cognitive impairment. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to identify risk factors for NICL after CAS.

METHODS

Relevant literature reporting risk factors for NICL after CAS were searched. Randomized controlled trials, case-control studies, or cohort studies were included in accordance with the pre-specified eligibility criteria. The risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration criteria and the quality of evidence was assessed with the corresponding scale. Data were analyzed using the RevMan V. 5.3 analysis software.

RESULTS

The final analyses included a total of 21 studies and 1907 participants, including 764 NICL-positives and 1143 NICL-negatives. Determinants for NICL-positivity were age (mean deviation (MD): 2.60; 95% confidence interval (CI): [1.53-3.68]), symptomatic carotid lesions (odds ratio (OR): 1.77; 95% CI: [1.39-2.25]) and smoking (OR: 0.74; 95% CI: [0.58-0.94]). For symptomatic patients, risk factors for NICL-positive included diabetes mellitus (OR: 1.76; 95% CI: [1.09-2.82]), but smoking (OR: 0.54; 95% CI: [0.31-0.93]) was a protective factor. Risk factors for centers with high NICL incidence were age (MD: 2.05; 95% CI: [0.93-3.17]) and symptomatic carotid lesions (OR: 1.77; 95% CI: [1.29-2.45]).

CONCLUSIONS

Older age and symptomatic carotid lesions are associated with an increased risk of post-CAS NICL whereas smoking is associated with a decreased risk. Risk factors for NICL in symptomatic patients is diabetes mellitus, while those for patients at centers with high incidence are age and symptomatic carotid lesions. Systematic review registration: CRD42019121129.

Serum osteocalcin is inversely associated with lower extremity atherosclerotic disease in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Serum osteocalcin (OCN) is closely related to metabolic risk factors, and the relationship between OCN and atherosclerosis has been investigated. However, it is still controversial. Herein, we explored the potential correlation between serum total OCN and lower extremity atherosclerotic disease (LEAD) in 326 hospitalized Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Femoral intima-media thickness (F-IMT) and lower limb atherosclerotic plaque were assessed through color Doppler ultrasound. Subjects with LEAD had significantly lower serum OCN levels compared with those without LEAD (14.54 [14.10-14.89] ng/mL versus 16.79 [15.86-18.04] ng/mL, p < 0.001). Spearman's correlation analysis revealed that serum OCN levels were positively associated with high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and negatively associated with fasting plasma glucose (FPG), 2-hour postprandial plasma glucose (2hPG), hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) and F-IMT. Multiple logistic analysis revealed that OCN (OR 0.938, 95% confidence interval (CI 0.933-0.950, p = 0.003) and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) (OR 0.990, 95% CI 0.985-0.996, p = 0.003) were independently and inversely associated with LEAD, while age (OR 1.140, 95% CI 1.127-1.148, p < 0.001), diabetes duration (OR 1.068, 95% CI 1.039-1.080, p < 0.005) and uric acid (UA) (OR 1.005, 95% CI 1.002-1.007, p = 0.032) were independently and positively associated with LEAD. Additionally, multiple linear regression analysis revealed that serum OCN levels were negatively associated with F-IMT (standardized β = -0.180, p = 0.002). In Chinese patients with T2DM, serum OCN levels were independently and inversely correlated with LEAD.

Serum Legumain Is Associated with Peripheral Artery Disease in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

BACKGROUND

Legumain is related to carotid atherosclerotic plaques and may be a new biomarker of carotid atherosclerosis. However, the association between legumain and peripheral artery disease (PAD) of lower extremity has been less studied. This study is aimed at exploring the potential link between legumain and PAD in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted on 483 hospitalized T2DM patients. The serum legumain level was measured by a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. PAD was evaluated by color Doppler sonography. The association between legumain and PAD was tested by logistic regression. The predictive power of legumain for PAD was evaluated with the receiver-operating-characteristic (ROC) curve.

RESULTS

Overall, 201 (41.6%) patients suffered from PAD. Patients with PAD had significantly higher serum legumain level than those without PAD [11.9 (6.3, 17.9) μg/L vs. 7.6 (3.2, 14.2) μg/L, p < 0.001]. Logistic regression showed that a higher serum legumain level was independently associated with a greater risk of PAD in T2DM patients [adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 1.03; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.01-1.06]. The area under the ROC curve was 0.634 (95% CI, 0.585 to 0.684).

CONCLUSION

High serum legumain level was significantly correlated with an increased risk of PAD in T2DM patients.

Computed Tomography-Estimated Pancreatic Steatosis is Associated with Carotid Plaque in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study from China

OBJECTIVE

To explore potential effects of pancreatic fat content measured by computed  tomography (CT) on carotid plaque in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

METHODS

T2DM patients who underwent an un-enhanced CT scan of the upper abdomen and ultrasound of the carotid artery were enrolled. The patients were divided into a non-plaque group and a plaque group (including hypoechoic plaque subgroup and non-hypoechoic plaque subgroup). The CT attenuation of pancreas and spleen were measured. Pancreas-to-spleen attenuation ratio (P/S) and the difference between pancreatic and splenic attenuation (P-S) were calculated. The cutoff values of P/S and P-S were obtained using receiver operating characteristic curves. Logistic regression models were used to evaluate association of P/S or P-S with carotid plaque or hypoechoic plaque.

RESULTS

337 patients were enrolled, including 101 cases in the non-plaque group, 146 cases in the hypoechoic plaque subgroup, and 90 cases in the non-hypoechoic plaque subgroup. P/S and P-S in hypoechoic plaque group were lower than those in non-plaque group, with a cutoff value of P/S and P-S as 0.72 and -13.33, respectively. After adjusting for risk factors, P/S and P-S correlated with carotid plaque [for low P/S: OR (95% CI): 3.15 (1.47-6.73), P = 0.0031; for low P-S: OR (95% CI): 2.84 (1.42-5.66), P = 0.0031] as well as carotid hypoechoic plaque [for low P/S: OR (95% CI): 1.82 (1.07-3.08), P = 0.0259; for low P-S: OR (95% CI): 1.82 (1.09-3.02), P = 0.021].

CONCLUSION

T2DM patients with hypoechoic carotid plaque have higher pancreatic fat content than those without. Pancreatic steatosis correlates with carotid plaque and hypoechoic plaque in T2DM patients.

How to manage patients with polyvascular atherosclerotic disease. Position paper of the International Union of Angiology

Atherosclerosis is a systemic disease affecting multiple arterial territories. Patients with clinical atherosclerotic disease in one vascular bed are likely to have asymptomatic or symptomatic atherosclerotic lesions in other vascular beds. Specifically, peripheral arterial disease (PAD) often coexists with coronary and carotid disease. With progression of atherosclerotic disease in one vascular bed, the risk of clinical manifestations in other territories increases and the incidence of adverse cardiovascular events increases substantially with the number of affected vascular beds. Classical risk factors are associated with the development of polyvascular atherosclerotic disease (PVD) in different territories; however, to a different extent. Risk modification represents basic treatment of patients with PVD. All modifiable risk factors should be aggressively controlled by lifestyle modification and medication. Particular attention should be directed to patients with PAD who are often undertreated in spite of the proven benefits of guideline-based approach. There is currently no proof that identification of asymptomatic atherosclerosis and PVD improves clinical outcomes in patients who are already in prevention programs. Revascularization should be performed only in symptomatic vascular beds, using the least aggressive method according to consensual decision of a multidisciplinary vascular team.

Prediction models for the risk of cardiovascular diseases in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a systematic review

OBJECTIVES

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a serious public health issue worldwide, and DM patients have higher risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), which is the leading cause of DM-related deaths. China has the largest DM population, yet a robust model to predict CVDs in Chinese DM patients is still lacking. This systematic review is carried out to summarize existing models and identify potentially important predictors for CVDs in Chinese DM patients.

STUDY DESIGN

Systematic review.

METHODS

Medline and Embase were searched for data from April 1st, 2011 to May 31st, 2018. A study was eligible if it developed CVD (defined as total CVD or any major cardiovascular component) risk prediction models or explored potential predictors of CVD specifically for Chinese people with type 2 DM. Standardized forms were utilized to extract information, appraise applicability, risk of bias, and availabilities.

RESULTS

Five models and 29 studies focusing on potential predictors were identified. Models for a primary care setting, or to predict total CVD, are rare. A number of common predictors (e.g. age, sex, diabetes duration, smoking status, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), blood pressure, lipid profile, and treatment modalities) were observed in existing models, in which urine albumin:creatinine ratio (ACR) and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) are highly recommended for the Chinese population. Variability of blood pressure (BP) and HbA1c should be included in prediction model development as novel factors. Meanwhile, interactions between age, sex, and risk factors should also be considered.

CONCLUSIONS

A 10-year prediction model for CVD risk in Chinese type 2 DM patients is lacking and urgently needed. There is insufficient evidence to support the inclusion of other novel predictors in CVDs risk prediction functions for routine clinical use.

Thirty-day outcomes of carotid endarterectomy in the elderly: A 17-year single-center study

INTRODUCTION

Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) has been supported as a durable procedure for treating patients with carotid artery stenosis by many randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The aim of this study was to evaluate the 30-day outcomes and risk factors for CEA in elderly patients with a retrospective single-center study.

METHODS

Our study sample consisted of patients from 2001 to 2017 CEA-targeted Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University data set. The primary outcome was 30-day postoperative incidence of major adverse clinical events (MACEs; death, myocardial infarction (MI) and ipsilateral stroke). Univariable and multivariable analyses were performed to identify high-risk patients and procedural characteristics associated with MACEs.

RESULTS

A total of 348 elderly patients undergoing CEA for carotid artery stenosis were identified and analyzed. The incidence of postoperative MACEs was 4.6% (16 cases, included 1 death, 14 S, and 1 MI respectively) for elderly patients. Univariate analysis indicated symptomatic lesion (81.3% vs 55.7%, p = 0.044), diabetes mellitus (56.3% vs 26.8%, p = 0.011) and DBP (85.56 ± 11.26 mmHg vs 76.53 ± 9.51 mmHg, p < 0.001) were statistically significant with MACEs. On multivariable analysis, independent predictors of MACEs included diabetes mellitus (DM) (OR = 2.882; 95% CI = 1.005-8.266; P = 0.049) and higher diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (OR = 1.079; 95% CI = 1.025-1.136; P = 0.004). Symptomatic lesion was not an independent risk factor (OR = 2.805; 95% CI = 0.759-10.361; P = 0.122).

CONCLUSIONS

According to our single-center experience, CEA could be safely performed in elderly patients. Risk factors identified for MACEs in this special group patients were DM and higher DBP.

Integrated Analysis of the Mechanisms of Da-Chai-Hu Decoction in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus by a Network Pharmacology Approach

Background

The incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has increased year by year, which not only seriously affects people's quality of life, but also imposes a heavy economic burden on the family, society, and country. Currently, the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment of T2DM are still unclear. Therefore, exploration of a precise multitarget treatment strategy is urgent. Here, we attempt to screen out the active components, effective targets, and functional pathways of therapeutic drugs through network pharmacology with taking advantages of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formulas for multitarget holistic treatment of diseases to clarify the potential therapeutic mechanism of TCM formulas and provide a systematic and clear thought for T2DM treatment.

Methods

First, we screened the active components of Da-Chai-Hu Decoction (DCHD) by absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADME/T) calculation. Second, we predicted and screened the active components of DCHD and its therapeutic targets for T2DM relying on the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Analysis Platform (TCMSP database) and Text Mining Tool (GoPubMed database), while using the Database for Annotation, Visualization, and Integrated Discovery (DAVID) to obtain T2DM targets. Third, we constructed a network of the active component-target, target-pathway of DCHD using Cytoscape software (http://cytoscape.org/,ver.3.5.1) and then analyzed gene function, related biological processes, and signal pathways through the DAVID database.

Results

We screened 77 active components from 1278 DCHD components and 116 effective targets from 253 ones. After matching the targets of T2DM, we obtained 38 important targets and 7 core targets were selected through further analysis. Through enrichment analysis, we found that these important targets were mainly involved in many biological processes such as oxidative stress, inflammatory reaction, and apoptosis. After analyzing the relevant pathways, the synthetic pathway for the treatment of T2DM was obtained, which provided a diagnosis-treatment idea for DCHD in the treatment of T2DM.

Conclusions

This article reveals the mechanism of DCHD in the treatment of T2DM related to inflammatory response and apoptosis through network pharmacology, which lays a foundation for further elucidation of drugs effective targets.

Association Between Atherosclerosis and Diabetic Retinopathy in Chinese Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

AIM

To explore the association between the atherosclerosis and diabetic retinopathy (DR) in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

METHODS

This hospital-based cross-sectional study included 949 patients (700 males and 249 females) with T2DM. The atherosclerotic parameters were assessed using the cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI), ankle-brachial index (ABI), and carotid plaque. DR was assessed and graded using digital retinal photography and fundus fluorescein angiography as either nonproliferative DR (NPDR) or proliferative DR (PDR). Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the associations between the atherosclerotic parameters and DR status.

RESULTS

The prevalence of DR was 23.6% in total patients, including 167 (17.6%) patients with NPDR and 57 (6.0%) patients with PDR. Patients with NPDR and PDR were more likely to have higher prevalence of increased CAVI, increased ABI, and carotid plaque than those without DR. In multivariable adjusted logistic regression analysis, patients with NPDR showed an odds ratio (OR) of 2.59 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.61-4.19] for increased CAVI, 1.99 (0.62-6.34) for increased ABI, and 1.75 (1.13-2.71) for carotid plaque. Patients with PDR showed an OR of 7.83 (3.52-17.41) for increased CAVI, 10.65 (3.33-34.04) for increased ABI, and 11.40 (2.67-48.63) for carotid plaque.

CONCLUSION

Both NPDR and PDR were independently associated with increased CAVI and presence of carotid plaque in Chinese patients with T2DM.

[Atherosclerosis of peripheral arteries in patients with coronary artery disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus]

AIM

To study the features of atherosclerosis of peripheral arteries in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) depending on the presence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and to identify factors associated with multifocal atherosclerosis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study included 140 patients (77 men and 63 women) with CAD (mean age 62.0 (56.0-66.0) years). The first group included 70 people with CAD and T2DM, and the second group included 70 patients with CAD without T2DM. All patients underwent duplex scanning of the carotid and lower limb arteries (LLA). Local vascular stiffness of the common carotid artery (CCA) was assessed by ultrasound scanning. The Peterson elasticity modulus, distensibility and strain of the CCA were determined. The ankle - brachial index (ABI) was measured by the Doppler method.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

In the group of patients with T2D, there were statistically more patients with atherosclerotic plaques in both carotid arteries and LLA. Also among patients with T2DM the severity of stenosis of carotid arteries and LLA at all levels was significantly greater. Local carotid stiffness was higher in the first group of patients. The proportion of individuals with reduced ABI.

Subclinical atherosclerosis burden predicts cardiovascular events in individuals with diabetes and chronic kidney disease

BACKGROUND

Individuals with diabetes have remarkably high rates of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. However, the incremental cardiovascular risk in diabetes is heterogeneous and has often been related to renal involvement. The purpose of this study was to analyse the prognostic value of subclinical atherosclerosis in determining the incidence of first cardiovascular events (CVEs) in individuals with diabetes and chronic kidney disease (CKD) compared to CKD individuals without diabetes.

METHODS

We included data from individuals with CKD with and without diabetes, free from pre-existing cardiovascular disease, from the NEFRONA cohort. Participants underwent baseline carotid and femoral ultrasound and were followed up for 4 years. All CVEs during follow-up were registered. Bivariate analysis and Fine-Gray competing risk models were used to perform the statistical analysis.

RESULTS

During the mean follow-up time of 48 months, a total of 203 CVE was registered. 107 CVE occurred among participants without diabetes (19.58 per 1000 person-years) and 96 CVE occurred among participants with diabetes (44.44 per 1000 person-years). Following the competing risk analysis, the variables predicting CVEs in CKD individuals without diabetes were the number of territories with plaque at baseline (HR 1.862, 95% CI [1.432;2.240]), age (HR 1.026, 95% CI [1.003;1.049]) and serum concentrations of 25-OH vitamin D (HR 0.963, 95% CI [0.933;0.094]). The only variable predicting CVEs among CKD participants with diabetes was the number of territories with plaque at baseline (HR 1.782, 95% CI [1.393, 2.278]). For both models, concordance (C) index yielded was over 0.7.

CONCLUSIONS

The burden of subclinical atherosclerosis is the strongest predictor of future CVEs in diabetic individuals with CKD. Early detection of subclinical atherosclerotic burden by multiterritorial vascular ultrasound could improve CVE prediction in this population.

Comparison of outcomes after carotid endarterectomy between type 2 diabetic and non-diabetic patients with significant carotid stenosis

BACKGROUND

We aimed to compare early and late outcomes after carotid endarterectomy (CEA) between Korean type 2 diabetic and non-diabetic patients and to investigate the impact of diabetes on the overall incidence of cardiovascular events after CEA.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed 675 CEAs, which were performed on 613 patients with significant carotid stenosis between January 2007 and December 2014. The CEAs were divided into a type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) group (n = 265, 39.3%) and a non-DM group (n = 410, 60.7%). The study outcomes included the incidence of major adverse events (MAEs), defined as fatal or nonfatal stroke or myocardial infarction or all-cause mortality, during the perioperative period and within 4 years after CEA.

RESULTS

Patients in the DM and non-DM groups did not differ significantly in the incidence of MAEs or any of the individual MAE manifestations during the perioperative period. However, within 4 years after CEA, the difference in the MAE incidence was significantly greater in the DM group (P = 0.040). Analysis of the individual MAE manifestations indicated a significantly higher risk of stroke in the DM group (P = 0.006). Multivariate analysis indicated that diabetes was not associated with MAEs or individual MAE manifestations during the perioperative period, whereas within 4 years after CEA, diabetes was an independent risk factor for MAEs overall (hazard ratio [HR], 1.62; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.06-2.48; P = 0.026) and stroke (HR, 2.55; 95% CI 1.20-5.41; P = 0.015) in particular.

CONCLUSIONS

Diabetic patients were not at greater risk of perioperative MAEs after CEA; however, the risk of late MAE occurrence was significantly greater in these patients. Within 4 years after CEA, DM was an independent risk factor for the occurrence of MAEs overall and stroke in particular.

Impact of diabetes duration on heart failure in Korean patients without clinical cardiovascular disease

We aimed to investigate the association between diabetes duration and the subsequent occurrence of heart failure (HF) in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients without clinical cardiovascular disease.In this single-center, observational cohort study, a total of 3724 T2DM patients were stratified by diabetes duration into three 5-year interval subgroups. The primary outcomes were the occurrence of new-onset HF and all-cause mortality.HF incidence (P < .001) and mortality (P = .001) were significantly higher in patients with a longer duration of diabetes (≥10 years) than in those with a shorter duration (<5 years). On multivariate analysis, diabetes duration ≥10 years was not independently associated with all-cause mortality compared with duration < 5 years, but there was a nonsignificant increased risk of HF in patients with a diabetes duration ≥10 years (P = .056). Poor glycemic control was associated with an increased risk of HF and mortality; statin use was associated with a significantly decreased risk of mortality.Our study indicated that a longer duration of diabetes is associated with an increased risk of new-onset HF occurrence and all-cause mortality in T2DM patients without clinical cardiovascular disease.

Femoral Intima-media Thickness, Risk Factors, and Markers of Inflammation in Cardiovascular Disease

Introduction: The burden of coronary artery disease (CAD) and peripheral vascular pathologies caused by atherosclerosis is constantly increasing. There is continuous research aiming to develop new methods that can evaluate the extent of atherosclerotic disease in different vascular beds, thus estimating global risk. Similar to carotid artery thickness, which is an established marker for increased cardiovascular risk and cerebrovascular disease, femoral intima-media thickness (f-IMT) may have the same role in case of peripheral arterial involvement. The aim of the study was determine whether f-IMT, determined at the level of the superficial femoral artery, is related to traditional risk factors, markers of peripheral vascular atherosclerosis and inflammation.

Material and methods: Forty-six patients with known cardiovascular disease were included in the study. Demographical data, cardiovascular history, and risk factors were assessed. We determined metabolic parameters (uric acid, fasting glucose, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, triglycerides), renal function (creatinine and GFR), and inflammation status for all patients. Each patient underwent ultrasound examination of the superficial femoral artery, by which f-IMT was determined for right and left limbs. Ankle-brachial index was also calculated. Data from the low (f-IMT <0.75 mm) and high (f-IMT >0.75 mm) f-IMT groups were compared and correlation coefficients were determined in each groups for f-IMT in relation to the other parameters.

Results: Mean age was 71.08 ± 9.78 years. 86.95% of the patients suffered from hyper-tension, 56.62% had coronary heart disease, and 21.73% had a history of stroke. More females had history of hypertension and CAD. The most prevalent cardiovascular risk factors were dyslipidemia (68.86%), diabetes (21.73%), and smoking (21.73%). There were significant differences between gender groups for total cholesterol levels (161.36 ± 25.04 mg/dL, 95%CI 150.26–172.47 in males vs. 201.33 ± 52.73 mg/dL, 95%CI 170.07–223.60 in females, p = 0.02), creatinine values (1.04 ± 0.22 mg/dL, 95%CI 0.94–1.14 for males vs. 0.91 ± 0.23 mg/dL, 95%CI 0.81–1.00 for females, p = 0.018), and left f-IMT (0.87 ± 0.18 mm, 95%CI 0.79–0.95 for males vs. 0.75 ± 0.10 mm, 95%CI 0.70–0.79 for females, p = 0.0049). In the group with low f-IMT, a significant, reverse correlation was established between f-IMT, uric acid (r = −0.483, p = 0.042), and right ABI (r = −730, p = 0.0006). In the group with high f-IMT, age (r = 0.408, p = 0.031), fasting glucose (r = 0.407, p = 0.034), total cholesterol (r = 0.429, p = 0.02), HDL-cholesterol (r = −0.56, p = 0.0019), triglycerides (r = 0.45, p = 0.01), hs-CRP (r = 0.45, p = 0.01), and left ABI (r = −0.71, p <0.0001) showed a significant correlation to f-IMT.

Conclusions: Increased femoral intima-media thickness is related to age, cardiovascular risk factors, and markers of peripheral arterial disease. Patients with higher f-IMT have a more augmented inflammatory status. Based on these correlations, in patients with cardiovascular disease, f-IMT could become a marker for increased cardiovascular risk.

Lower extremity arterial disease in patients with diabetes: a contemporary narrative review

Lower-extremity arterial disease (LEAD) is a major endemic disease with an alarming increased prevalence worldwide. It is a common and severe condition with excess risk of major cardiovascular events and death. It also leads to a high rate of lower-limb adverse events and non-traumatic amputation. The American Diabetes Association recommends a widespread medical history and clinical examination to screen for LEAD. The ankle brachial index (ABI) is the first non-invasive tool recommended to diagnose LEAD although its variable performance in patients with diabetes. The performance of ABI is particularly affected by the presence of peripheral neuropathy, medial arterial calcification, and incompressible arteries. There is no strong evidence today to support an alternative test for LEAD diagnosis in these conditions. The management of LEAD requires a strict control of cardiovascular risk factors including diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidaemia. The benefit of intensive versus standard glucose control on the risk of LEAD has not been clearly established. Antihypertensive, lipid-lowering, and antiplatelet agents are obviously worthfull to reduce major cardiovascular adverse events, but few randomised controlled trials (RCTs) have evaluated the benefits of these treatments in terms of LEAD and its related adverse events. Smoking cessation, physical activity, supervised walking rehabilitation and healthy diet are also crucial in LEAD management. Several advances have been achieved in endovascular and surgical revascularization procedures, with obvious improvement in LEAD management. The revascularization strategy should take into account several factors including anatomical localizations of lesions, medical history of each patients and operator experience. Further studies, especially RCTs, are needed to evaluate the interest of different therapeutic strategies on the occurrence and progression of LEAD and its related adverse events in patients with diabetes.

Dissimilar impact of type 2 diabetes on cardiovascular outcomes according to age categories: a nationwide population study from Hungary

Background

The excess risks of mortality and cardiovascular morbidity among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is well known. In this nationwide study, we assessed risks of mortality and cardiovascular events comparing patients with T2DM and matched controls.

Methods

We identified patients with T2DM in a retrospective cohort study using the database of the National Health Insurance Fund between 1 January 2010 and 31 December, 2013. Controls were randomly included and matched according to age, gender, and zip code of residence. Patients were divided into subgroups according to age decades for outcome analyses.

Results

During the mean follow-up period of 2.3 years, 152,678 patients with T2DM and 305,356 matched controls were included. Patients with T2DM showed significantly higher risk for all-cause mortality (HR 1.26, 95% CI 1.22–1.29, p < 0.0001), myocardial infarction (HR 1.81, 95% CI 1.69–1.94, p < 0.0001) and stroke (HR 1.40, 95% CI 1.35–1.46, p < 0.0001) compared to matched controls. The higher risk associated with T2DM for mortality, myocardial infarction and stroke differed significantly between age groups (p_interaction < 0.05 for all outcomes) with significantly higher risk observed in younger patients.

Conclusions

The risk of cardiovascular outcomes and all-cause mortality is significantly higher in patients with T2DM. Notably, the relative hazard increases with decreasing age suggesting that younger patients with T2DM should receive more attention for cardiovascular prevention.

Prevalence of cardiovascular disease in type 2 diabetes: a systematic literature review of scientific evidence from across the world in 2007-2017

BACKGROUND

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a common comorbidity in type 2 diabetes (T2DM). CVD's prevalence has been growing over time.

PURPOSE

To estimate the current prevalence of CVD among adults with T2DM by reviewing literature published within the last 10 years (2007-March 2017).

METHODS

We searched Medline, Embase, and proceedings of major scientific meetings for original research documenting the prevalence of CVD in T2DM. CVD included stroke, myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, heart failure, ischemic heart disease, cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease, atherosclerosis, and cardiovascular death. No restrictions were placed on country of origin or publication language. Two reviewers independently searched for articles and extracted data, adjudicating results through consensus. Data were summarized descriptively. Risk of bias was examined by applying the STROBE checklist.

RESULTS

We analyzed data from 57 articles with 4,549,481 persons having T2DM. Europe produced the most articles (46%), followed by the Western Pacific/China (21%), and North America (13%). Overall in 4,549,481 persons with T2DM, 52.0% were male, 47.0% were obese, aged 63.6 ± 6.9 years old, with T2DM duration of 10.4 ± 3.7 years. CVD affected 32.2% overall (53 studies, N = 4,289,140); 29.1% had atherosclerosis (4 studies, N = 1153), 21.2% had coronary heart disease (42 articles, N = 3,833,200), 14.9% heart failure (14 studies, N = 601,154), 14.6% angina (4 studies, N = 354,743), 10.0% myocardial infarction (13 studies, N = 3,518,833) and 7.6% stroke (39 studies, N = 3,901,505). CVD was the cause of death in 9.9% of T2DM patients (representing 50.3% of all deaths). Risk of bias was low; 80 ± 12% of STROBE checklist items were adequately addressed.

CONCLUSIONS

Globally, overall CVD affects approximately 32.2% of all persons with T2DM. CVD is a major cause of mortality among people with T2DM, accounting for approximately half of all deaths over the study period. Coronary artery disease and stroke were the major contributors.

Effect of sitagliptin on tissue characteristics of the carotid wall in patients with type 2 diabetes: a post hoc sub-analysis of the sitagliptin preventive study of intima-media thickness evaluation (SPIKE)

BACKGROUND

Ultrasonic gray-scale median (GSM) of the carotid wall reflects its composition and low-GSM carotid plaque is considered to be vulnerable. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of sitagliptin, a dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor, on the longitudinal change in GSM, an index of the tissue characteristics of the carotid wall, in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

METHODS

This is a post hoc sub-analysis using data obtained from the SPIKE trial, a randomized controlled trial that demonstrated the beneficial effect of sitagliptin on the progression of carotid intima-media thickness in patients with T2DM. A total of 274 T2DM patients with no past history of apparent cardiovascular disease (137 in the sitagliptin treatment group and 137 in the conventional treatment group) were enrolled. The primary outcome was the change from baseline in mean GSM-CCA during the 104-week treatment period.

RESULTS

The mean GSM-CCA significantly increased in the sitagliptin treatment group (adjusted ΔGSM = 2.40 ± 1.19 [mean ± SE], p = 0.044) but not in the conventional treatment group (adjusted ΔGSM = 1.32 ± 1.19, p = 0.27). However, there was no significant difference in changes in mean GSM-CCA between the treatment groups.

CONCLUSIONS

A post hoc sub-analysis suggests that the tissue characteristics of the carotid arterial wall were improved in the sitagliptin treatment group during the 104-week treatment period, but not in the conventional treatment group. However, there was no between-group difference in the changes of GSM values between the two treatment groups. Prespecified studies with large sample sizes would be necessary to confirm our findings. Trial registration UMIN000028664, Registered 15 August 2017 ("retrospectively registered").

Mendelian randomization analysis to assess a causal effect of haptoglobin on macroangiopathy in Chinese type 2 diabetes patients

Background

Haptoglobin (Hp) functions as an antioxidant by binding with haemoglobin. We investigated whether serum Hp has a causal effect on macroangiopathy via Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis with common variants of the Hp gene in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes.

Methods

A total of 5687 type 2 diabetes patients were recruited and genotyped for the Hp gene. Clinical features and vascular imaging tests were applied to diagnose macroangiopathy. The association between common Hp genotypes and macroangiopathy was analyzed in the whole population. Serum Hp levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in a subset of 935 patients. We individually analyzed the correlations among Hp levels, Hp genotypes and macroangiopathy. Further, 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), an oxidative marker of DNA damage, was examined to evaluate the levels of oxidative stress.

Results

Common Hp genotypes were correlated with macroangiopathy (OR = 1.140 [95% CI 1.005–1.293], P = 0.0410 for the Hp 1 allele). Serum Hp levels were associated with both common Hp genotypes (P = 3.55 × 10⁻³¹) and macroangiopathy (OR = 2.123 [95% CI 1.098–4.102], P = 0.0252) in the subset of 935 patients. In the MR analysis, the directional trends of the observed and predicted relationships between common Hp genotypes and macroangiopathy were the same (OR 1.357 and 1.130, respectively). Furthermore, common Hp genotypes and Hp levels were associated with serum 8-OHdG levels (P = 0.0001 and 0.0084, respectively).

Conclusions

Our study provides evidence for a causal relationship between serum Hp levels and macroangiopathy in Chinese type 2 diabetes patients by MR analysis.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12933-018-0662-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Elevated serum fibroblast growth factor 23 levels as an indicator of lower extremity atherosclerotic disease in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Background

Recently, basic and clinical studies have provided evidence supporting the relationship between circulating levels of fibroblast growth factor (FGF) 23 and the development of atherosclerosis. Given that diabetes is an established risk factor for lower extremity atherosclerotic disease (LEAD), the goal of the present study was to explore the relationship between serum FGF23 levels and LEAD, as well as the related factors, in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Methods

A total of 401 hospitalized T2DM patients (201 subjects with LEAD and 200 subjects without LEAD) were enrolled in this study. Serum FGF23 levels were determined by a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Femoral intima-media thickness (F-IMT) and lower limb atherosclerotic plaque were assessed through color Doppler ultrasound.

Results

The median (interquartile range) serum FGF23 levels in the entire study population was 42.08 (35.59–49.17) pg/mL. Subjects with LEAD had significantly higher serum FGF23 levels compared with those without LEAD (44.00 [37.54–51.30] pg/mL versus 40.42 [32.61–48.23] pg/mL, P < 0.001). Logistic regression showed that serum FGF23 levels were independently and positively correlated with the presence of LEAD (odds ratio 1.039, 95% confidence interval 1.012–1.067, P = 0.004). In addition, multiple liner regression analysis revealed that serum FGF23 levels were positively associated with F-IMT (standardized β = 0.175, P < 0.001). Furthermore, this relationship remained significant after additional adjustment for gender and factors potentially affecting serum FGF23 levels (serum calcium, serum phosphorus, and glomerular filtration rate), respectively (both P < 0.01).

Conclusions

In Chinese patients with T2DM, serum FGF23 levels were independently and positively correlated with the presence of LEAD.

Impact of diabetes duration and degree of carotid artery stenosis on major adverse cardiovascular events: a single-center, retrospective, observational cohort study

BACKGROUND

We aimed to investigate the impact of diabetes duration and carotid artery stenosis (CAS) on the occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) without clinical cardiovascular disease.

METHODS

A total of 2006 patients with T2DM, without clinical cardiovascular disease, aged >50 years, and who underwent baseline carotid Doppler ultrasound screening with regular follow-ups at the outpatient clinic of our diabetes center, were stratified into four subgroups according to diabetes duration and CAS degree. The primary outcomes included the occurrence of MACE, defined as fatal or nonfatal stroke and myocardial infarction, and all-cause mortality.

RESULTS

The difference in the MACE incidence was significantly greater in patients with a longer diabetes duration (≥10 years) and significant CAS (50-69% luminal narrowing) (p < 0.001). Analysis of individual MACE components indicated a trend towards an increased incidence of stroke (p < 0.001), parallel to a longer diabetes duration and significant CAS. In contrast, the risk of myocardial infarction was significantly higher in patients with a diabetes duration <10 years and significant CAS (p = 0.039). Multivariate regression analysis showed that patients with both a longer diabetes duration and significant CAS demonstrated additive and very high risks of MACE (hazard ratio [HR], 2.07; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.17-3.66; p = 0.012) and stroke (HR, 3.38; 95% CI 1.54-7.44; p = 0.002).

CONCLUSIONS

The risk of MACE is significantly greater in patients with T2DM, without clinical cardiovascular disease, who have both a longer diabetes duration and significant CAS, compared with those who have a shorter duration and/or nonsignificant CAS.

MicroRNA-126 suppresses inflammation in endothelial cells under hyperglycemic condition by targeting HMGB1

MicroRNA-126(miR-126) targets involved in inflammation need to be identified. In this study, we aim to investigate whether high-mobility group box 1(HMGB1), an inflammation-related gene, is the target of miR-126 in diabetic vascular endothelium. The diabetic apoE^-/- mice model, a classical diabetic atherosclerosis model, was established. The aorta of diabetic apoE^-/- mice showed decrease of miR-126 and elevation of HMGB1 and inflammation. Next, we employed several in vitro experiments to address the role of miRNA-126 on the regulation of HMGB1 in endothelial cells under hyperglycemic and inflammatory conditions. Manipulation of miRNA levels in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) was achieved by transfecting cells with miR-126 mimic and antagomir. Overexpression of miR-126 could decrease the expression of downstream components of HMGB1 including TNF-α, ROS, and NADPH oxidase activity in HUVECs under hyperglycemic condition. Nevertheless, such phenomenon was completely reversed by miR-126 antagomir. The expression of HMGB1 protein rather than HMGB1 mRNA was down-regulated after transfection with miR-126 mimic, which indicated the modulation of HMGB1 mediated by miR-126 was at the posttranslational level. Luciferase reporter assay confirmed the 3'-UTR of HMGB1 gene was a direct target of miR-126. Western blot analysis also indicated that overexpression of miR-126 contributed to the elevation of p-eNOS, eNOS and p-AKT expressions, respectively. In summary, our findings suggest that miR-126 may suppress inflammation and ROS production in endothelial cells treated by high glucose through modulating the expression of HMGB1. Our study provides a novel pathogenic link between dysregulated miRNA expression and inflammation in diabetic vascular endothelium.