Lung filnctions in poorly controlled type 1 Saudi diabetic children and adolescents

To determine the lung function among Saudi type 1 diabetes mellitus [T1DM] children and adolescents. This study was conducted in the Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Pulmonology and University Diabetes Centre, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from December 2008 to July 2010. A group of 52 [26 male and 26 female] volunteer T1DM children were recruited with an age range from 8-14 years [mean 12.05 +/- 1.42 years], mean duration of disease of 5.25 +/- 0.47 years, and mean glycosylated hemoglobin of 11.27 +/- 0.31%. Spirometry was performed on an Electronic Spirometer [Compact Vitalograph, Stockwell, London, UK]. Pulmonary function in children with diabetes showed significant lower mean values of actual lung function parameters forced vital capacity [FVC], peak expiratory flow [PEF], and maximum mid expiratory flow rate [MMEF] compared to their predicted values. However, there was no significant reduction in the actual forced expiratory volume in the first second [FEV1], and FEV1/FVC% compared to their predicted values. The actual lung function data among Saudi T1DM children and adolescents showed significantly lower values of FVC, PEF, and MMEF compared to the predicted lung function data

Genetics of type 2 diabetes in Arabs: What we know to date

Type 2 diabetes [T2D] is among the most challenging health issues of the 21st century and is associated with an alarming rise in the incidence. The Arab population is no exception to this trend. The pathophys-iological processes that lead to development of T2D are still unclear, however impairment in insulin secretion and/or action is clearly indicated. T2D is a complex disease with susceptibility being governed by the interaction of multiple genetic and environmental effects. Previous studies indicated that variants in genes encoding the pancreatic beta-cell K+ATP channel subunits Kir6.2 [KCNJ11] and SUR1 [ABCC8] are associated with type 2 diabetes. The common Prol2Ala polymorphism in peroxisome proliferator-acti-vated receptor-gamma gene [PPAR-gamma] was confirmed in several studies to be associated with type 2 diabetes as well. More recently, studies reported variants within a novel gene, TCF7L2, as a putative susceptibility gene for type 2 diabetes across many ethnic backgrounds around the world. However, studies to date in Arab cohorts remain limited