Effects of antidiabetic drugs on epicardial fat

Correlation of ventricle epicardial fat volume and triglyceride-glucose index in patients with chronic heart failure

To explore the association of ventricle epicardial fat volume (EFV) calculated by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) and the insulin resistance indicator of triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index in patients with chronic HF (CHF), this retrospective cohort study included adult CHF patients with confirmed diagnosis of heart failure from January 2018 to December 2020. All patients underwent 3.0T CMR, and EFV were measured under short-axis cine. Spearman correlation, multivariate linear regression, and restricted cubic spline (RCS) regression were used to analyze their association. There were 516 patients with CHF, of whom 69.8% were male. Median EFV was 57.14mL and mean TyG index was 8.48. Spearman correlation analysis showed that TyG index was significantly correlated with the EFV in CHF patients (r = 0.247, P < 0.001). Further analysis showed that TyG index levels were significantly associated with EFV as both continuous variables (Unstandardized β = 6.556, P < 0.001) and across the increasing quartiles (β = 7.50, 95% CI [1.41, 13.59], P < 0.05). RCS demonstrated there were a positive trend and linear association between EFV and TyG index in CHF patients (P for nonliearity = 0.941). In patients with CHF, the TyG index was positively and linearly associated with the EFV, which supports the metabolic roles of epicardial adipose tissue regarding insulin resistance.

One Year of Dapaglifozin Add-On Therapy Ameliorates Surrogate Indexes of Insulin Resistance and Adiposity in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

INTRODUCTION

This study investigates the effects of dapagliflozin on the visceral adiposity index (VAI), lipid accumulation product (LAP), product of triglycerides and glucose (TyG) and triglycerides to HDL-cholesterol ratio (TG/HDL-C) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D).

METHODS

In this real-life study, dapaglifozin was added to metformin alone (group 1, no. 42) or insulin plus metformin (group 2, no. 58) in 100 T2D patients.

RESULTS

In group 1, after 6 months of dapaglifozin addition, a significant decrease in BMI (p < 0.001), waist circumference (WC) (p < 0.001), systolic blood pressure (SBP) (p = 0.009), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (p = 0.012), mean fasting blood glucose (FBG), post-breakfast glucose (PBG), post-lunch glucose (PLG) and post-dinner glucose (PDG) (all p < 0.001), HbA1c (p < 0.001), VAI (p = 0.020), LAP (p = 0.028), Tyg (p < 0.001), TG/HDL-C (p = 0.020) and glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT) (p < 0.001) was observed compared to baseline. After 12 months a significant decrease in BMI (p < 0.001), WC (p = 0.006), SBP (p = 0.023), DBP (p = 0.005), mean FPG, PBG, PLG and PDG (all p < 0.001), HbA1c (p < 0.001), total cholesterol (p = 0.038), triglycerides (p = 0.026), VAI (p = 0.013), GPT (p < 0.001), LAP index (p = 0.024), Tyg index (p < 0.001) and TG/HDL-c ratio (p = 0.016) was observed compared to baseline. In group 2, after 6 months of dapaglifozin addition, a significant decrease in BMI (p < 0.001), WC (p < 0.001), SBP (p = 0.015), DBP (p = 0.007), mean FPG, PBG, PLG and PDG (all p < 0.001), HbA1c (p < 0.001), VAI (p = 0.040), LAP (p = 0.047), Tyg (p < 0.001), TG/HDL-C (p = 0.048) and GPT (p < 0.001) was observed compared to baseline. By contrast, after 12 months a significant decrease in BMI (p < 0.001), WC (p < 0.001), SBP (p = 0.001), DBP (p = 0.002), mean FPG, PBG, PLG and PDG (all p < 0.001), HbA1c (p < 0.001), GPT (p < 0.001) and Tyg index (p = 0.003) was observed compared to baseline.

CONCLUSIONS

Dapagliflozin treatment significantly reduced surrogate indexes of insulin resistance and adiposity in patients with T2D.

Epicardial adipose tissue volume and coronary calcification among people living with diabetes: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) has anatomic and functional proximity to the heart and is considered a novel diagnostic marker and therapeutic target in cardiometabolic diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether EAT volume was associated with coronary artery calcification (CAC) in people living with diabetes, independently of confounding factors.

METHODS

We included all consecutive patients with diabetes whose EAT volume and CAC score were measured using computed tomography between January 1, 2019 and September 30, 2020 in the Department of Diabetology-Endocrinology-Nutrition at Avicenne Hospital, France. Determinants of EAT volume and a CAC score ≥ 100 Agatston units (AU) were evaluated.

RESULTS

The study population comprised 409 patients (218 men). Mean (± standard deviation) age was 57 ± 12 years, and 318, 56 and 35 had type 2 (T2D), type 1 (T1D), or another type of diabetes, respectively. Mean body mass index (BMI) was 29 ± 6 kg/m², mean AET volume 93 ± 38 cm³. EAT volume was positively correlated with age, BMI, pack-year smoking history and triglyceridaemia, but negatively correlated with HDL-cholesterol level. Furthermore, it was lower in people with retinopathy, but higher in men, in Caucasian people, in patients on antihypertensive and lipid-lowering medication, in people with nephropathy, and finally in individuals with a CAC ≥ 100 AU (CAC < 100 vs CAC ≥ 100: 89 ± 35 vs 109 ± 41 cm³, respectively, p < 0.05). In addition to EAT volume, other determinants of CAC ≥ 100 AU (n = 89, 22%) were age, T2D, ethnicity, antihypertensive and lipid-lowering medication, cumulative tobacco consumption, retinopathy, macular edema and macrovascular disease. Multivariable analysis considering all these determinants as well as gender and BMI showed that EAT volume was independently associated with CAC ≥ 100 AU (per 10 cm³ increase: OR 1.11 [1.02-1.20]).

CONCLUSIONS

EAT volume was independently associated with CAC. As it may play a role in coronary atherosclerosis in patients with diabetes, reducing EAT volume through physical exercise, improved diet and pharmaceutical interventions may improve future cardiovascular risk outcomes in this population.

Epicardial Adipose Tissue as a New Target of Therapeutic Interventions

There is evidence of a correlation between epicardial adipose tissue and the presence and severity of coronary heart disease, the development of hypertrophy, impaired diastolic and systolic function of the left ventricle, enlargement, fibrosis and electrophysiological remodeling of the atria, the occurrence and severity of supraventricular arrhythmias. There is also a lot of evidence of the influence of both non-drug methods and drugs on the severity and functional activity of epicardial adipose tissue, which can be considered as a potentially modifiable factor of cardiovascular risk, the various therapeutic interventions target and a criterion for their effectiveness. Its unique characteristics suggest the advisability of pharmacological strategies aimed at regulating the expression of genes encoding the secretion of adipocytokines and adipocyte function, and a dynamic assessment of the severity of epicardial fat during therapy can be a tool to evaluate its effectiveness in various cardiovascular diseases.

Sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) use and risk of amputation: an expert panel overview of the evidence

Sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) are oral antidiabetic agents that exert their glucose-lowering effect by increasing renal excretion of glucose. These drugs have been reported to beneficially affect cardiovascular (CV) and renal outcomes. However, concerns have recently been raised in relation to increased risk of lower-extremities amputation with canagliflozin and it remains unclear whether and to what extent this side effect could also occur with other SGLT2i. The present expert panel overview focuses on the three SGLT2i available and widely used in the US and Europe, i.e. empagliflozin, canagliflozin and dapagliflozin and only refers briefly to other SGLT2i for which less data are available. The results of large CV outcome trials with these SGLT2i are presented, focusing specifically on the data in relation to amputation risk. The potential pathophysiological mechanisms involved in this side effect are discussed. Furthermore, available data reporting amputation cases in SGLT2i users are critically reviewed. The expert panel concludes that, based on current data, increased amputation risk seems to be related only to canagliflozin, thus representing a drug-effect rather than a SGLT2i class-effect. The exact pathways underlying this drug-induced adverse event, possibly related to off-target drug effects rather than SGLT2 inhibition per se, should be elucidated in future studies. Continuous monitoring and pharmacovigilance is necessary and head to head trials would also be essential to provide definitive conclusions.

Epicardial fat tissue in patients with diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Epicardial fat tissue (EFT) is the visceral fat distributed along the coronary arteries between the pericardium and the myocardium. Increases in EFT are closely related to the occurrence of diabetes mellitus (DM) and cardiovascular disease. To further understand the link between EFT and DM, we conducted a meta-analysis of the relevant literature.

Methods

We systematically searched electronic databases for studies on EFT performed in DM patients and published up to 30 September 2018. We included data on EFT in a DM patient group and a non-DM control group. We then assessed the effect of DM on EFT by meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis (TSA). All statistical analyses were performed using Stata 12.0 and TSA software.

Results

A total of 13 studies (n = 1102 patients) were included in the final analysis. Compared with the control group, DM patients had significantly higher EFT (SMD: 1.23; 95% CI 0.98, 1.48; P = 0.000; TSA-adjusted 95% CI 0.91, 2.13; P < 0.0001). The TSA indicated that the available samples were sufficient and confirmed that firm evidence was reached. According to the regression analysis and subgroup analyses, DM typing, EFT ultrasound measurements, total cholesterol (TC) and triglyceride (TG) levels were confounding factors that significantly affected our results.

Conclusions

Our meta-analysis suggests that the amount of EFT is significantly higher in DM patients than in non-DM patients.