Comparison of men with impaired fasting glycaemia to controls and to diabetic subjects with fasting glycaemia from 7.0 to 7.7 mmol/l: clinical, nutritional and biological status

OBJECTIVE

To compare medical history, clinical, nutritional and biological status of non-diabetic men to subjects with impaired fasting glycemia (glycemia 6.1-6.9 mmol/l) and to newly diagnosed type 2 diabetic subjects (7.0-7.7 mmol/l) according to the criteria proposed by the American Diabetes Association.

METHODS

Cross-sectional study of a cohort of 29,992 men, who were volunteers for a free periodic check-up offered by their medical insurance. Medical history, lifestyle and nutritional habits were recorded using a self-administered questionnaire. Clinical and biological data were also studied. To compare the three groups of subjects - normal, impaired fasting glycemia and newly diagnosed diabetics - three age stratified samples were randomly designed.

RESULTS

Most of the well-known risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes mellitus such as overweight, abdominal obesity, familial history of diabetes mellitus, over-consumption of fat and alcohol were present in the group with impaired fasting glycaemia which presented the same risk factors as the group of subjects with fasting glycaemia from 7.0 to 7.7 mmol/l, but to a lesser degree. Hypertension was present in more than 50% of the subjects with impaired fasting glycaemia.

CONCLUSION

In this cross-sectional study, impaired fasting glycaemia is associated with the risk factors of type 2 diabetes mellitus. The subjects with impaired fasting glycaemia should be considered at risk for cardiovascular disease and might take advantage from early specific intervention about their lifestyle.

Impaired fasting glycaemia and undiagnosed diabetes: prevalence, cardiovascular and behavioural risk factors

BACKGROUND

Early discovery of type 2 DM (NIDDM) is essential. The diagnostic criteria of DM have been recently modified (FBG 126 vs 140 mg/dl) and the characteristics of undiagnosed subjects in large populations must be defined. At the same time subjects with impaired FBG need to be studied mainly for their cardiovascular complications.

METHODS

During 14 months, 61,724 male and female subjects (mean age 40) were explored in the French Institute for Health Protection (I.R.S.A). Clinical data, FPG, CV risk factors and dietary habits collected. Cut-off value for FPG: 110-125 mg/dl (IFG) (G2), 126-139 mg/dl defining undiagnosed diabetes with no history of diabetes. Subjects with FPG >=140 mg/dl (G4) former ADA/WHO criteria for diabetes and with the new criteria (FPG: 126-139 mg/dl) (G3) were compared to IFG (G2) and controls<110 mg/dl (G1).

RESULTS

With the new criteria (>=126 mg/dl) the prevalence of unknown diabetes in the cohort was 1.2% accounting for 41% of the overall prevalence of the disease (known + unknown). This is nearly 2.5 times more than with the previous criteria, > 140 mg/dl, (1.2 vs 0.5%). In G2/G1 and G3/G2 highest FPG had higher BMI, H/W ratio, heart rate (male only G3/G2), BP, gamma GT (role of alcohol in males), uric acid and TG. A role of absence of breakfast, low dairy products consumption is found. No difference between G4 and G3 found.

CONCLUSION

These results support the new criteria of FPG 126 mg/dl and suggest that it would be necessary to investigate and prevent cardiovascular risk factors as soon as fasting glycaemia is found to be over 110 mg/dl. Nutritional and behavioural education should be given at this early stage of the disease.

[Malt lymphoma of the thyroid and Graves'disease]

Maltoma of the thyroid associated to Graves'disease is not such a frequently described association. We report a case of Maltoma of the thyroid gland in a patient with Grave's disease. The diagnosis was established by histological examination after total thyroidectomy. Slow enlargement of the thyroid gland despite a clinically successful antithyroid drug therapy could be considered as an advocating clinical manifestation. Associated anti-neoplastic chemotherapy and cervical irradiation resulted in good outcome with six years follow-up. A review is presented on treatment and prognosis of these tumors.

[Acromegaly in 2000]

Acromegaly is a severe disease often diagnosed late. Morbidity and mortality are high, particularly due to cardiovascular and respiratory complications. Clinical diagnosis is often difficult to confirm, particularly in ectopic forms. In addition, recent reassessment of cure criteria have reduced the number of patients considered to be successfully cured. The therapeutic strategy for acromegaly is thus changing with the advent of somatostatin agonists. Medical treatment is proposed increasingly as the first intention treatment, particularly antitumoral therapy for macroadenomas with surgery or radiotherapy being used as second line treatment. The recent development of GH analogs offers new perspectives for the treatment of acromegaly.

[Cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy and blood pressure variability in insulin-dependent diabetes]

The aim of this study was to analyse the role of cardiac autonomic neuropathy (CAN) in the changes of Blood-Pressure (BP) variability among insulin-dependent diabetics and to determine the relationship between BP variability and diabetic complications. Ambulatory BP monitoring was performed during 24 hours on 93 insulin-dependent diabetics and 77 normal subjects of similar age (Group 1). CAN was assessed by the cardiovascular autonomic function tests described by Ewing and the diabetics were divided in two groups: Group 2 including patients without CAN (n = 46) and Group 3 including patients with CAN (n = 47). The 24 h standard deviation (variability) and the day/night difference for systolic and diastolic BP were calculated for each subjects. Systolic and diastolic BP variability is more elevated in Group 3 than in the other groups during the diurnal period. Furthermore, the day/night difference of systolic and diastolic BP is lower in Group 3 compared to groups 2 and 3. Diabetic complications are also more frequently observed among diabetic patients with CAN (p < 0.001). So CAN seems to have two types of consequences on BP curve among diabetic patients: a decrease of day/night BP difference which can be responsible of relative hypertension during the night and an increase of BP variability. As frequency of diabetic retinopathy and nephropathy is more elevated among diabetic patients with CAN, it is possible that CAN plays a role in the occurrence of these complications. Therefore, a simple juxtaposition of these facts is also possible.

[Mediastinal parathyroid adenomas on a 5th ectopic gland. 2 case reports]

Mediastinal parathyroid adenoma located on the 5th ectopic gland is rare. We report here two new cases diagnosed by scintigraphy. In one case the adenoma was found to be located in the mediastinum prior to cervicotomy. The modern imaging methods capable of locating parathyroid adenomas are evaluated.