Diurnal Cycling of Insulin Sensitivity in Type 2 Diabetes: Evidence for Deviation From Physiology at an Early Stage.

The aim of this study was to establish the contribution of insulin resistance to the morning (a.m.) versus afternoon (p.m.) lower glucose tolerance of people with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Eleven subjects with T2D (mean [SD] diabetes duration 0.79 [0.23] years, BMI 28.3 [1.8] kg/m2, A1C 6.6% [0.26%] [48.9 (2.9) mmol/mol]), treatment lifestyle modification only) and 11 matched control subjects without diabetes were monitored between 5:00 and 8:00 a.m. and p.m. (in random order) on one occasion (study 1), and on a subsequent occasion, they underwent an isoglycemic clamp (a.m. and p.m., both between 5:00 and 8:00, insulin infusion rate 10 mU/m2/min) (study 2). In study 1, plasma glucose, insulin, C-peptide, and glucagon were higher and insulin clearance lower in subjects with T2D a.m. versus p.m. and versus control subjects (P < 0.05), whereas free fatty acid, glycerol, and ß-hydroxybutyrate were lower a.m. versus p.m. However, in study 2 at identical hyperinsulinemia a.m. and p.m. (∼150 pmol/L), glucose Ra and glycerol Ra were both less suppressed a.m. versus p.m. (P < 0.05) in subjects with T2D. In contrast, in control subjects, glucose Ra was more suppressed a.m. versus p.m. Leucine turnover was no different a.m. versus p.m. In conclusion, in subjects with T2D, insulin sensitivity for glucose (liver) and lipid metabolism has diurnal cycles (nadir a.m.) opposite that of control subjects without diabetes already at an early stage, suggesting a marker of T2D. ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS: In people with type 2 diabetes (T2D), fasting hyperglycemia is greater in the morning (a.m.) versus the afternoon (p.m.), and insulin sensitivity for glucose and lipid metabolism is lower a.m. versus p.m. This pattern is the reverse of the physiological diurnal cycle of people without diabetes who are more insulin sensitive a.m. versus p.m. These new findings have been observed in the present study in people without obesity but with recent-onset T2D, with good glycemic control, and in the absence of confounding pharmacological treatment. It is likely that the findings represent a specific marker of T2D, possibly present even in prediabetes before biochemical and clinical manifestations.

Impact of a Mediterranean Dietary Pattern and Its Components on Cardiovascular Risk Factors, Glucose Control, and Body Weight in People with Type 2 Diabetes: A Real-Life Study.

This study evaluates the relation of a Mediterranean dietary pattern and its individual components with the cardiovascular risk factors profile, plasma glucose and body mass index (BMI) in people with type 2 diabetes. We studied 2568 participants at 57 diabetes clinics. Diet was assessed with the EPIC (European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition) questionnaire, adherence to the Mediterranean diet was evaluated with the relative Mediterranean diet score (rMED). A high compared to a low score was associated with a better quality of diet and a greater adherence to the nutritional recommendations for diabetes. However, even in the group achieving a high score, only a small proportion of participants met the recommendations for fiber and saturated fat (respectively 17% and 30%). Nonetheless, a high score was associated with lower values of plasma lipids, blood pressure, glycated hemoglobin, and BMI. The relationship of the single food items components of the rMED score with the achievement of treatment targets for plasma lipids, blood pressure, glucose, and BMI were also explored. The study findings support the Mediterranean dietary model as a suitable model for type 2 diabetes and the concept that the beneficial health effects of the Mediterranean diet lie primarily in its synergy among various nutrients and foods rather than on any individual component.

Effects on the incidence of cardiovascular events of the addition of pioglitazone versus sulfonylureas in patients with type 2 diabetes inadequately controlled with metformin (TOSCA.IT): a randomised, multicentre trial.

BACKGROUND: The best treatment option for patients with type 2 diabetes in whom treatment with metformin alone fails to achieve adequate glycaemic control is debated. We aimed to compare the long-term effects of pioglitazone versus sulfonylureas, given in addition to metformin, on cardiovascular events in patients with type 2 diabetes. METHODS: TOSCA.IT was a multicentre, randomised, pragmatic clinical trial, in which patients aged 50-75 years with type 2 diabetes inadequately controlled with metformin monotherapy (2-3 g per day) were recruited from 57 diabetes clinics in Italy. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1), by permuted blocks randomisation (block size 10), stratified by site and previous cardiovascular events, to add-on pioglitazone (15-45 mg) or a sulfonylurea (5-15 mg glibenclamide, 2-6 mg glimepiride, or 30-120 mg gliclazide, in accordance with local practice). The trial was unblinded, but event adjudicators were unaware of treatment assignment. The primary outcome, assessed with a Cox proportional-hazards model, was a composite of first occurrence of all-cause death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, non-fatal stroke, or urgent coronary revascularisation, assessed in the modified intention-to-treat population (all randomly assigned participants with baseline data available and without any protocol violations in relation to inclusion or exclusion criteria). This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00700856. FINDINGS: Between Sept 18, 2008, and Jan 15, 2014, 3028 patients were randomly assigned and included in the analyses. 1535 were assigned to pioglitazone and 1493 to sulfonylureas (glibenclamide 24 [2%], glimepiride 723 [48%], gliclazide 745 [50%]). At baseline, 335 (11%) participants had a previous cardiovascular event. The study was stopped early on the basis of a futility analysis after a median follow-up of 57·3 months. The primary outcome occurred in 105 patients (1·5 per 100 person-years) who were given pioglitazone and 108 (1·5 per 100 person-years) who were given sulfonylureas (hazard ratio 0·96, 95% CI 0·74-1·26, p=0·79). Fewer patients had hypoglycaemias in the pioglitazone group than in the sulfonylureas group (148 [10%] vs 508 [34%], p<0·0001). Moderate weight gain (less than 2 kg, on average) occurred in both groups. Rates of heart failure, bladder cancer, and fractures were not significantly different between treatment groups. INTERPRETATION: In this long-term, pragmatic trial, incidence of cardiovascular events was similar with sulfonylureas (mostly glimepiride and gliclazide) and pioglitazone as add-on treatments to metformin. Both of these widely available and affordable treatments are suitable options with respect to efficacy and adverse events, although pioglitazone was associated with fewer hypoglycaemia events. FUNDING: Italian Medicines Agency, Diabete Ricerca, and Italian Diabetes Society.

Novel soy germ pasta enriched in isoflavones ameliorates gastroparesis in type 2 diabetes: a pilot study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of soy germ pasta enriched in biologically active isoflavone aglycons on gastric emptying in type 2 diabetic patients with gastroparesis. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: This randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled study compared soy germ pasta with conventional pasta for effects on gastric emptying. Patients (n = 10) with delayed gastric emptying consumed one serving per day of each pasta for 8 weeks, with a 4-week washout. Gastric emptying time (t1/2) was measured using the [(13)C]octanoic acid breath test at baseline and after each period, and blood glucose and insulin concentrations were determined after oral glucose load. RESULTS: Soy germ pasta significantly accelerated the t1/2 in these patients (161.2 ± 17.5 min at baseline vs. 112.6 ± 11.2 min after treatment, P = 0.009). Such change differed significantly (P = 0.009) from that for conventional pasta (153.6 ± 24.2 vs. 156.2 ± 27.4 min), without affecting glucose or insulin concentrations. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that soy germ pasta may offer a simple dietary approach to managing diabetic gastropathy.

Personalizing treatment in type 2 diabetes: a self-monitoring of blood glucose inclusive innovative approach.

A strong correlation exists between improved blood glucose control, obtained from the earliest stages of diabetes, and the prevention of complications. However, tight glycometabolic control does not always translate into an advantage for every patient. Because the characteristics of individual patients play an important role in diabetes care, there is a need to develop personalized action plans. This article suggests tailored therapeutic algorithms for some of the commonest type 2 diabetes phenotypes, taking into consideration age, body mass index, presence of micro- and macrovascular complications, hypoglycemia risk, and the co-existence of chronic renal failure. Particular emphasis is placed on exploiting information supplied through the rational use of self-monitoring of blood glucose as a tool for optimizing diabetes management, according to the prevalence of fasting/preprandial or postprandial hyperglycemia.

Improved glycemic control with weight loss and a low risk of hypoglycemia with insulin detemir: insights from the Italian cohort of the PREDICTIVE study after 6-month observation in type 2 diabetic subjects.

OBJECTIVE: PREDICTIVE (Predictable Results and Experience in Diabetes through Intensification and Control to Target: an International Variability Evaluation) is a large, multinational, open-label, prospective, observational study addressed to assess the efficacy and safety of insulin detemir in clinical practice. This paper reports 26 weeks of follow-up data, from 1298 type 2 diabetes patients from Italy. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: In this observational study, the primary end point was the incidence of serious adverse drug reactions (SADRs), including major hypoglycemia. Secondary end points were: hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), mean self-monitored fasting glucose, within-patient fasting glucose variability and body weight change. RESULTS: Insulin detemir significantly improved glycemic control, with a decrease in mean HbA1c, fasting glucose and within-patient fasting glucose variability. Interestingly, the improvements in glycemic control occurred in association with a small, but significant reduction in weight. The safety results of this study showed that 26 weeks of treatment with insulin detemir was associated with a very low rate of SADRs (only 14 events), which mainly consisted of hypoglycemia (78%, of which 42% were major hypoglycemia). CONCLUSIONS: Insulin detemir improves glycemic control, with low risk of hypoglycemia, no weight gain and an excellent safety profile; these data support the overall findings of PREDICTIVE.

Novel soy germ pasta improves endothelial function, blood pressure, and oxidative stress in patients with type 2 diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of a novel soy germ-enriched pasta, containing isoflavone aglycons, with conventional pasta on endothelial function and cardiovascular risk markers in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: This randomized controlled double-blind crossover study compared one serving/day of soy germ pasta and conventional pasta for 8 weeks for effects on brachial artery flow-mediated vasodilation, blood pressure, plasma lipids, oxidized LDL cholesterol, 8-iso-PGF2α, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), glutathione (GSH), and homocysteine. RESULTS: Isoflavone-enriched pasta significantly improved arterial stiffness (P = 0.005) and reduced systolic (P = 0.026) and diastolic (P = 0.017) blood pressures. Plasma TAC increased (P = 0.0002), oxidized LDL cholesterol decreased (P = 0.009), 8-iso-PGF2α decreased (P = 0.001), GSH levels increased (P = 0.0003), and homocysteine decreased (P = 0.009) consistent with a reduction in oxidative stress. No significant changes were observed with conventional pasta. CONCLUSIONS: Pasta enriched with biologically active isoflavone aglycons improved endothelial function and had beneficial effects on cardiovascular risk markers in patients with T2D.

Mechanisms of insulin resistance after insulin-induced hypoglycemia in humans: the role of lipolysis.

OBJECTIVE: Changes in glucose metabolism occurring during counterregulation are, in part, mediated by increased plasma free fatty acids (FFAs), as a result of hypoglycemia-activated lipolysis. However, it is not known whether FFA plays a role in the development of posthypoglycemic insulin resistance as well. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We conducted a series of studies in eight healthy volunteers using acipimox, an inhibitor of lipolysis. Insulin action was measured during a 2-h hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp (plasma glucose [PG] 5.1 mmo/l) from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. or after a 3-h morning hyperinsulinemic-glucose clamp (from 10 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.), either euglycemic (study 1) or hypoglycemic (PG 3.2 mmol/l, studies 2-4), during which FFA levels were allowed to increase (study 2), were suppressed by acipimox (study 3), or were replaced by infusing lipids (study 4). [6,6-(2)H(2)]-Glucose was infused to measure glucose fluxes. RESULTS: Plasma adrenaline, norepinephrine, growth hormone, and cortisol levels were unchanged (P > 0.2). Glucose infusion rates (GIRs) during the euglycemic clamp were reduced by morning hypoglycemia in study 2 versus study 1 (16.8 +/- 2.3 vs. 34.1 +/- 2.2 micromol/kg/min, respectively, P < 0.001). The effect was largely removed by blockade of lipolysis during hypoglycemia in study 3 (28.9 +/- 2.6 micromol/kg/min, P > 0.2 vs. study 1) and largely reproduced by replacement of FFA in study 4 (22.3 +/- 2.8 micromol/kg/min, P < 0.03 vs. study 1). Compared with study 2, blockade of lipolysis in study 3 decreased endogenous glucose production (2 +/- 0.3 vs. 0.85 +/- 0.1 micromol/kg/min, P < 0.05) and increased glucose utilization (16.9 +/- 1.85 vs. 28.5 +/- 2.7 micromol/kg/min, P < 0.05). In study 4, GIR fell by approximately 23% (22.3 +/- 2.8 micromol/kg/min, vs. study 3, P = 0.058), indicating a role of acipimox per se on insulin action. CONCLUSION: Lipolysis induced by hypoglycemia counterregulation largely mediates posthypoglycemic insulin resistance in healthy subjects, with an estimated overall contribution of approximately 39%.

Superiority of insulin analogues versus human insulin in the treatment of diabetes mellitus.

The modern goals of insulin replacement in Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T1, T2DM) are A1C <6.5% long-term, and prevention of hypoglycaemia (blood glucose, BG <70 mg/dl). In addition to appropriate education and motivation of diabetic subjects, the use of rapid- and long-acting insulin analogues, is critical to achieve these goals. The benefits of rapid-acting analogues (lispro, aspart and glulisine have similar pharmacodynamic effects) compared with non-modified human regular insulin, are: (a) lower 1- and 2-h post-prandial blood glucose; (b) lower risk of late post-prandial hypoglycaemia (and therefore lower BG variability); (c) better quality of life (greater flexibility in timing and dosing of insulin). In T1DM, rapid-acting analogues improve A1C only by the extent to which replacement of basal insulin is optimized at the same time, either by multiple daily NPH administrations, or continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII), or use of the long-acting insulin analogues glargine or detemir. In T2DM, rapid-acting analogues reduce post-prandial hyperglycaemia more than human regular insulin, but systematic studies are needed to examine the effects on A1C. The benefits of long-acting insulin analogues glargine and detemir vs. NPH, are: (1) lower fasting BG combined with lower risk of hypoglycaemia in the interprandial state (night); (2) lower variability of BG. Glargine and detemir differ in terms of potency and duration of action. Detemir should be given twice daily in the large majority of people with T1DM, and in a large percentage of subjects with T2DM as well, usually at doses greater vs those of the once daily glargine. However, when used appropriately for individual pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, glargine and detemir result into similar effects on BG, risk of hypoglycaemia and A1C. Rapid- and long-acting insulin analogues should always be combined in the treatment of T1 and T2DM.

Long-term effects of pioglitazone versus gliclazide on hepatic and humoral coagulation factors in patients with type 2 diabetes.

This study compared the long-term effects of pioglitazone and gliclazide on the production of coagulation factors in patients with type 2 diabetes. Patients (n=283) with glycosylated haemoglobin > 7.5% were randomised to receive either pioglitazone (30-45 mg/day) or gliclazide (80-320 mg/day) for one year. Coagulation factors were measured at baseline and at six and 12 months. While both pioglitazone and gliclazide induced a comparable improvement in glycaemic control, only pioglitazone improved insulin sensitivity. Pioglitazone significantly (p < or = 0.001) decreased circulating levels of von Willebrand factor (-9.7%, -9.4%) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (-16.8 ng/ml, -12.3 ng/ml), and increased levels of antithrombin-III (+1.3 mg/dL, +1.5 mg/dL) after six and 12 months, respectively. The beneficial effects of pioglitazone on glycaemic control, lipid homeostasis, and coagulation and thrombosis, may improve vascular outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Trace elements in foods and meals consumed by students attending the faculty cafeteria.

The content and intake of some trace elements (Pb, Cd, Ni, Hg, Cr) in meals, consumed by students attending the Faculty Cafeteria, were assessed. The study was carried out over 6 days of the 2nd week of February, 1993 and in three consecutive days of the second week of May. In those periods 10453 and 4055 students attended the cafeteria, respectively. After recording the ingredients and the preparation and cooking methods, some edible portions of foods and dishes were collected, homogenised, lyophilised and kept in polyethylene bottles until analysis. We found few differences in food content and dietary intake of some (Ni and Cr) but not all trace elements between February and May. Higher levels of Pb, Cd, Ni, Cr were present in bread (21.5+/-14.0, 5.6+/-0.02, 55.6+/-1.7 and 66.9+/-0.1 microg/100 g of edible portion, respectively), followed by meat, filled pasta and cheese, whereas lower values were observed in vegetables and fruit. The highest Hg content was recorded in the pasta group. Among the most frequently consumed foods and meals, the highest levels of P, Pb, Cr, Hg, Ni were found in bread, meat and pasta. The calculation of mean trace element intake, corrected for leftovers, showed pasta, bread and meat as the main sources of Pb, Cd, Ni, Hg and Cr over the two periods. The estimated potential tolerated weekly intake (PTWI) resulted high for Pb and Cd and low for Hg. Finally, a large variability in trace element content between raw and cooked foods was observed. These results give valuable information on trace element content of foods to be used for preparation of meals at the Faculty cafeteria in different seasons.