Referral to hepatologists or a second-line examination requirement is common in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: To estimate the number of patients who required a referral to hepatologists following the 2016 EASL-EASD-EASO guideline and a second-line vibration controlled transient elastography (VCTE) examination following the 2021 EASL guideline according to obesity, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), blood pressure (BP), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) control status in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 2515 T2DM patients who were hospitalized were cross-sectionally assessed. When we applied the 2016 EASL-EASD-EASO guideline, 26.8 %-46.4 % (depending on the scores used for diagnosing fibrosis) of T2DM patients needed a referral to hepatologists. When we applied the 2021 EASL guideline, a VCTE examination was required in 10.9 %-35 % (depending on the scores used for diagnosing fibrosis) of T2DM patients. The referral rates and the VCTE requirement were even higher in patients who were obese and/or had poor HbA1c, BP, and/or LDL-C control. CONCLUSIONS: Application of the screening guidelines would lead to a referral to hepatologists or a second-line VCTE examination requirement for a substantial number of T2DM patients, regardless of obesity and metabolic goal attainment status.

Feasibility of using chest computed tomography (CT) imaging at the first lumbar vertebra (L1) level to assess skeletal muscle mass: a retrospective study.

Background: Skeletal muscle mass is an essential parameter for diagnosing sarcopenia. The gold standard for assessing skeletal muscle mass is using computed tomography (CT) to measure skeletal muscle area at the third lumbar vertebra (L3) level. This study aims to investigate whether skeletal muscle mass could be evaluated at the first lumbar vertebra (L1) level using images obtained from routine chest CT scans. Methods: Skeletal muscle index (SMI, cm2/m2) and skeletal muscle density (SMD, HU) are commonly used to measure relative muscle mass and the degree of fat infiltration. This study used CT images at the L1 level to measure the skeletal muscle area (SMA, cm2) in 815 subjects from the health examination center. Linear regression analysis was used to explore the association between L1 and L3 measurements. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to assess the predictive performance of L1 SMI for sarcopenia. The sex-specific cut-off values for low skeletal muscle mass in patients under the age of 60 were determined using the following formula: "mean - 1.28 × standard deviation." A multivariate linear regression model was established. Results: A significantly higher SMI at the L1 level was found in males than in females (43.88 ± 6.33 cm2/m2 vs 33.68 ± 5.03 cm2/m2; P < 0.001). There were strong correlations between measures at the L1 and L3 levels in both the total subject and sex-specific analyses. A negative association was found between age and L3 SMI in males (r = -0.231, P = 0.038). Both body mass index (BMI) and body surface area (BSA) were positively associated with L1 SMI in both males and females. A multivariate analysis was used to establish a prediction rule to predict SMI at the L3 level. The assessment of consistency and interchangeability between predicted and actual SMI at the L3 level yielded moderately good results. Considering the significant differences observed between male and female participants, the sex-specific cut-off values of the L1 SMI for defining low skeletal muscle mass were 36.52 cm2/m2 in males and 27.29 cm2/m2 in females. Conclusions: Based on a population from central China, the correlated indicators obtained at the L1 level from routine chest CT scans may serve as effective surrogate markers for those at the L3 level in assessing overall skeletal muscle mass.

Associations of advanced liver fibrosis with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction in type 2 diabetic patients according to obesity and metabolic goal achievement status.

Background: Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), a major cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), is frequently coexisted with obesity, poor glycemic, blood pressure (BP), and/or lipid control. We aimed to investigate the associations of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and its advanced fibrosis with HFpEF according to obesity, glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), BP, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) goal achievement status in T2DM patients. Methods: A total of 2,418 T2DM patients who were hospitalized were cross-sectionally assessed. Liver fibrosis was evaluated by non-invasive biomarkers. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the independent and combined associations of fibrosis status and diabetic care goal attainments with HFpEF risk. Results: Simple steatosis was not associated with HFpEF risk compared with patients without steatosis, while advanced liver fibrosis was found to have significantly higher odds for HFpEF risk (odds ratio,1.59; 95% confidence interval, 1.22-2.08). Advanced fibrosis in NAFLD was significantly associated with an increased risk of HFpEF, regardless of obesity status, HbA1c, BP, and LDL-C goal achievement status. P values for the interactions between fibrosis status and HbA1c control status, fibrosis status and BP control status, fibrosis status and LDL-C control status, and fibrosis status and body mass index (BMI) status on HFpEF risk were 0.021, 0.13, 0.001, and 0.23, respectively. Conclusion: In patients with T2DM, advanced hepatic fibrosis was significantly associated with HFpEF risk, irrespective of obesity status, HbA1c, BP, and LDL-C goal attainment status. Further, HbA1c and LDL-C goal attainment status modified this association.

Non-obese NAFLD had no better cardio-metabolic risk profile than obese NAFLD in type 2 diabetic patients.

BACKGROUND: Non-obese non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has been reported to share clinical outcomes with its obese counterpart in the general population. However, conflicting results have been observed regarding the cardio-metabolic risk profile of non-obese NAFLD as compared to obese NAFLD. Moreover, in the context of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), this issue has been even less addressed. We hence aimed to examine the association of NAFLD with the cardio-metabolic risk profile in patients with T2DM according to their obesity status. METHODS: A total of 2,708 patients with T2DM who were hospitalized between June 2018 and May 2021 were cross-sectionally assessed. RESULTS: The prevalence of NAFLD was 49.3%. NAFLD was found in 34.1% of non-obese patients and 66.0% of obese patients. Non-obese NAFLD patients had more and worse metabolic disorders than obese patients without NAFLD in both men and women. Comparable cardio-metabolic risk profiles were noted between non-obese and obese NAFLD subjects. The associations of worse cardio-metabolic risk profiles with NAFLD were overall stronger in non-obese than in obese subjects among women with T2DM, while more pronounced in obese than in non-obese subjects among men with T2DM. CONCLUSION: In patients with T2DM, non-obese NAFLD had no better cardio-metabolic risk profile than obese NAFLD. The associations of metabolic disorders with NAFLD were stronger in non-obese than in obese patients in women patients with T2DM.

Bilateral breast myxedema caused by Graves' disease and responsive to multipoint subcutaneous injection of long-acting glucocorticoid: Case report.

RATIONALE: With the absence of ophthalmopathy, thyroid dermopathy especially lesions at atypical locations is a very rare presentation. We herein report an original case of bilateral breast myxedema caused by Grave's disease. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 21-year-old unmarried woman presented with a 4-month history of Grave's disease and a 1-month history of progressive bilateral breast enlargement. She had symmetrical bilateral breast enlargement with redness and nonpitting thickening of the skin, diffusely enlarged thyroid glands, and no exophthalmos. DIAGNOSIS: Ultrasonography, magnetic resonance imaging scan, and skin biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of bilateral breast myxedema. INTERVENTIONS: The patient was treated with multipoint subcutaneous injections of triamcinolone acetonide in each breast every month. OUTCOMES: The bilateral breast returned approximately to its normal size after therapy for 6 months. CONCLUSIONS: Our case illustrates that multipoint subcutaneous injection of glucocorticoids is beneficial for bilateral breast myxedema.

Different characteristics of critical COVID-19 and thinking of treatment strategies in non-elderly and elderly severe adult patients.

BACKGROUND: The differences in the characteristics and main causes of critical COVID-19 infection in non-elderly and elderly severe patients remain unknown. METHODS: We included 273 adult patients with confirmed severe COVID-19 from Tongji Hospital, Wuhan, China from February 10 to March 8, 2020. Clinical characteristics and risk factors for outcomes were compared between the young and middle-aged and the elderly severe patients. RESULTS: Hemoglobin, neutrophil percentage, inflammatory markers, hepatic, renal, and cardiovascularparameters differed between the non-elderly and elderly severe patients. In young and middle-aged patients, critical patients showed higher high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) during hospitalization than severe patients. However, in the elderly patients, critical patients showed decreased hsCRP during hospitalization and higher proBNP values. The hsCRP fluctuation and proBNP were independent risk factors for intensive care unit (ICU) admission in young and middle-aged severe patients (OR=1.068) and elderly severe patients (OR=1.026), respectively. CONCLUSION: The study revealed different potential causes of disease and predictive factors for non-elderly and elderly critical patients and treatment recommendations. Deterioration of inflammatory state was the main cause of ICU admission in young and middle-aged severe COVID-19 patients, while a decline in hsCRP was not associated with better outcomes in elderly severe patients, indicating the need for different treatments for non-elderly and elderly severe patients. Anti-inflammatory therapy with corticosteroids should be considered in the early disease stage among non-elderly severe patients, but cardiovascular protection plays a more important role in elderly severe patients.

The association of diabetes and the prognosis of COVID-19 patients: A retrospective study.

AIMS: This study evaluated the impact of previous glycemic control and in-hospital use of antidiabetic/antihypertensive drugs on the prognosis of COVID-19 patients with diabetes. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, consecutive inpatients with laboratory confirmed COVID-19 were enrolled from Tongji Hospital (Wuhan, China). Patients without diabetes were matched to those with diabetes based on age, sex, and comorbidities. All patients were followed up to a clinical endpoint (discharge, worsening including transferring to ICU or immediate death). Data and outcomes were extracted from medical records and analyzed. RESULTS: 64 patients with pre-existing diabetes were included in this study, with 128 matched patients without diabetes included as a control group. Patients with diabetes had a higher rate of worsening (18.8% versus 7.8%, p = 0.025). Multivariable regression showed increased odds of worsening associated with previous glycemic control reflected by HbA1c (odds ratio 3.29, 95% CI 1.19-9.13, p = 0.022) and receiver-operating characteristics (ROC) curve identified HbA1c of 8.6% (70 mmol/mol) as the optimal cut-off value. Univariate analysis demonstrated the in-hospital use of antidiabetic/antihypertensive drugs were not associated with a higher risk of worsening. CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 patients with diabetes had a higher risk of worsening, especially those with poorly-controlled HbA1c, with an optimal cut-off value of 8.6%. The in-hospital use of antidiabetic/antihypertensive drugs were not associated with increased odds of worsening in patients with diabetes.