Association of family history of type 2 diabetes mellitus with markers of endothelial dysfunction in South Indian population.

Studies indicate that risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) or cardiovascular disease is detectable in childhood, though these disorders may not emerge until adulthood. This study was aimed to assess the markers of endothelial dysfunction in patients with the family history of T2D from South Indian population. A total of 450 subjects were included in the study comprising Group I (n = 200) of T2D, Group II (n = 200) of age- and sex-matched healthy controls, Group III (n = 25) of children of T2D patients and Group IV (n = 25) of children of healthy controls. Results showed that intimal medial thickening (IMT) was significantly higher in T2D patients, compared with control subjects with no family history of diabetes. The fasting plasma glucose, glycated hemoglobin, serum total cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL-cholesterol, apolipoprotein B (ApoB) and high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP) levels were significantly increased, whereas HDL-cholesterol and serum nitrite levels were significantly decreased in T2D patients. However, children of T2D patients who were not diabetic did not show significant increase in the IMT, as compared to those of healthy controls. In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that IMT was significantly higher in the T2D patients and increased with age and family history. The increased levels of lipids, hsCRP, IMT and decreased nitrite levels might contribute to the risk of endothelial dysfunction in patients with T2D. However, further studies are warranted with other biomarkers of endothelial dysfunction in T2D patients with increased sample size.

Cardioprotective effect of magnesium chloride in experimental acute myocardial infarction.

Cardioprotective role of intravenous administration of magnesium chloride was evaluated in rabbits by biochemical and histopathological parameters. Myocardial damage was induced by injecting (i.v.) isoprenaline 1, 2.5, 5 and 7.5 mg/kg body weight of animal. There was a dose dependent increase in the activity of cardiac enzyme creatinine kinase CK (C Max). Maximal elevation of CK (C Max) was observed with 2.5 mg isoprenaline. The mean T-max (mean of the time duration in hr at which maximum creatinine kinase activity of individual rabbit was observed in a group) shifted early, significantly with 2.5, 5 and 7.5 mg isoprenaline compared to control group. Histopathologically, myocardial damage was quite significant in 2.5 mg isoprenaline subgroup of animals. A mortality of 29% was observed in animals injected with 5 and 7.5 mg isoprenaline, whereas all animals subjected with 1 and 2.5 mg isoprenaline were alive for 72 hr. Considering the data on serial determination of cardiac enzyme CK and histopathological changes, 2.5 mg isoprenaline was chosen as standard dose to study efficacy of cardioprotection by gold standard verapamil and magnesium chloride. Verapamil (5 microM) injected prior to 2.5 mg isoprenaline administration revealed significant reduction of CK (C Max) activity (P < 0.05) compared to animals infused with isoprenaline alone. T-max value did not show any alteration in both the groups. Histopathological findings showed no areas of necrosis and cellular infiltrates in animals primed with 2.5 mg isoprenaline following verapamil. Highly significant reduction in CK (C-max) activity was observed in animals administered with 40 mg magnesium chloride prior to isoprenaline compared to animals treated with isoprenaline alone (P < 0.001). In addition to this, significant delay in T-max of CK activity was observed in group treated with 40 mg magnesium chloride and isoprenaline compared to group treated with only isoprenaline (P < 0.01). The study clearly highlighted and confirmed the valuable role of magnesium chloride as cardioprotective agent.