Pilot study on omega-3 fatty acids in type I diabetes mellitus.

Patients with diabetes mellitus are prone to develop vascular complications. Because omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (omega 3FA) intake has a potential protective effect on cardiovascular disease, we studied the influence of omega 3FA supplementation (5.4 g eicosapentaenoic acid and 2.3 g docosahexaenoic acid daily) for 4 wk in 13 well-controlled type I (insulin-dependent) diabetic subjects on a vascular risk profile. Each subject served as his/her own control in a pre- and post-omega 3FA-intake phase. In plasma and platelets, phospholipids eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid increased at the expense of arachidonic acid and linoleic acid. There was no significant change in blood pressure and glycosylated proteins. Only small changes were noted in blood glucose levels and insulin dose. Side effects were not noted. Triglycerides decreased significantly in the first 14 days, and total cholesterol increased slightly, probably because of an elevation of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, although low-density lipoprotein cholesterol remained unchanged. Platelet aggregation induced by low doses of ADP and collagen, which was higher in diabetic than nondiabetic subjects, decreased during omega 3FA intake to levels of healthy control subjects. Thromboxane production after ADP- and collagen-induced platelet aggregation decreased significantly. Thromboxane liberation during clotting of whole blood and urinary excretion of thromboxane were markedly lowered during omega 3FA supplementation. The results show that even short-term intake of omega 3FAs leads to beneficial changes of vascular risk factors without significant changes in glucose homeostasis.

[Lyme borreliosis in South Germany. Epidemiologic data on the incidence of cases and on the epidemiology of ticks (Ixodes ricinus) carrying Borrelia burgdorferi]. / Lyme-Borreliose in Süddeutschland. Epidemiologische Daten zum Auftreten von Erkrankungsfällen sowie zur Durchseuchung von Zecken (Ixodes ricinus) mit Borrelia burgdorferi.

Among 2403 ticks (Ixodes ricinus) tested in 1985 for Borrelia 328 (13.6%) were carriers (adults about 20%, nymphs about 10%, larvae about 1%). The highest prevalence of infected ticks was among adult ticks in the Isar region north of Munich (33.8%). Among 9383 persons whose serum had been examined by fluorescence serology in 1985 and 1986, 1035 (11%) had raised Borrelia-specific IgG and/or IgM antibodies greater than or equal to 1:64. In 18.7% only IgM antibodies were demonstrated. Among 375 proven cases there were 78 with erythema migrans, 211 with neurological signs, 48 with Lyme arthritis and 36 with acrodermatitis. Seasonal incidence peaks were in June-August for erythema migrans, July-September for neurological signs, with no clear-cut seasonal peaks with Lyme arthritis and acrodermatitis. The incubation time for 80% of cases of each abnormality was 5-29 days for erythema migrans, 20-59 for neurological signs and 2-8 months for Lyme arthritis. Erythema migrans was most frequent among those aged 30-60 years, neurological signs among children and juveniles up to 20 years and those aged 40 to 70 years, Lyme arthritis among those aged 30-60 years, and acrodermatitis among those aged 40-80 years. Significantly more women than men developed acrodermatitis.