An alarming prevalence of diabetes and its associated risk factors among college going Indian adults: a retrospective study.

Background: The prevalence of diabetes among college going Indian adults is lacking. Aims & Objective: This study was aimed to bring in awareness about the prevalence of diabetes and its associated risk factors among college going Indian adults. Material and Methods: This was a cross sectional retrospective study. Data were collected from the records maintained in VIT University Health Centre, Vellore, India. The records were selected randomly and observed for parameters such as blood glucose, blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides and anthropometric measurements. The chi-square test, P value and odds ratio indicating the association between each risk factor and diabetes were calculated using the statistical program SPSS v 16.0 for windows. Results: Of the 1001 records scrutinized, 9% were found to be diabetic. Among the diabetic population, 95.5% had type-2 diabetes and only 4.5% had type-1 diabetes. Obesity (OR 2.21, 95% CI 1.37-3.57), hypertension (OR 4.65, 95% CI 2.87-7.55), hypercholesterolemia (OR 5.5, 95% CI 3.08-9.93), hypertriglyceridemia (OR 4.1, 95% CI 2.2-7.63), anaemia (OR 2.4, 95% CI 1.2-4.82), and stress (OR 1.53, 95% CI 1.01-2.32) were found to be significantly associated with diabetes. Conclusion: We conclude that the sedentary and affluent life style accompanied by stress among college going adults have made them fall prey to obesity, hypertension and dyslipidaemia which is ultimately reflected by an increase in the prevalence of diabetes. Hence it is high time to encourage the adults to be aware of the importance of physical activities and protect them from metabolic disorders such as diabetes and obesity.

Aqueous extract of Allium sativum L bulbs offer nephroprotection by attenuating vascular endothelial growth factor and extracellular signal-regulated kinase-1 expression in diabetic rats.

To investigate the nephroprotective effect of garlic and elucidate the mechanism by which it prevents the progression of diabetic nephropathy in diabetic rats, diabetes was induced by a single ip injection of streptozotocin (45 mg/kg body weight). Garlic extract (500 mg/kg body weight) and aminoguanidine (1 g/L) were supplemented in the treatment groups. Histopathological examination using H&E, PAS staining and the immunohistochemical analysis of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase-1 (ERK-1) expression were performed on kidney sections at the end of 12 weeks. Significant change in both, the urine and serum biochemistry confirmed kidney damage in diabetic animals which was further confirmed by the histological changes such as mesangial expansion, glomerular basement membrane thickening, glycosuria and proteinuria. However, the diabetic animals treated with garlic extract showed a significant change in urine and serum biochemical parameters such as albumin, urea nitrogen and creatinine compared to that of diabetic rats. Further, the garlic supplemented diabetic rats showed a significant decrease in the expression of VEGF and ERK-1 compared to diabetic rats, attenuating mesangial expansion and glomerulosclerosis. Thus, garlic extract rendered nephroprotection in diabetic rats.

Effect of long acting insulin supplementation on diabetic nephropathy in Wistar rats.

This study was designed to check whether insulin supplementation is crucial for inducing diabetic nephropathy (DNP) in Wistar rats. Diabetes was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin. The urinary biochemical parameters such as albumin, creatinine and urea nitrogen were monitored every two weeks. The histological changes in the kidney were observed at the end of both fifth and seventh month. Immunohistochemical analyses of VEGF, ERK-1 and NF-B expression were performed to demonstrate mesangial expansion and glomerulosclerosis, which are the defining histological features of nephropathy. A significant change in the urinary biochemistry was observed in diabetic animals at the end of four months, but the aforementioned quantitative changes were delayed in diabetic animals treated with insulin. At the end of seven months, the diabetic animals showed prominent histological changes such as glomerular basement membrane thickening, nodular glomerulosclerosis and mesangial expansion. However, these changes were not observed in diabetic animals treated with insulin even at the end of the study. From the results, it can be concluded that there is no need of insulin supplementation for inducing DNP, when the animals are induced with an optimal dose of 45 mg/kg body weight of streptozotocin.