ABSTRACT
Background: Uncontrolled type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is widely recognized as a significant risk factor for the emergence of cardiovascular events. Early risk assessment, especially for coronary artery disease, is crucial to starting therapeutic strategies to lower cardiovascular risk. Objective: To assess cardiovascular risk in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods: 64 patients were divided into groups according to age, gender, disease duration, glucoregulation, and applied treatment. The SCORE table was used to quantify cardiovascular risk. Results: Our research showed that cardiovascular risk in patients with diabetes mellitus increases with age (rho = 0.458; p = 0.0001; p <0.05) and is higher in men (rho = -0.417; p <0,0001). It has been found that patients with a longer duration of diabetes mellitus have a higher cardiovascular risk (rho = 0.266; p = 0.032). Patients with better glucoregulation had a slightly lower cardiovascular risk, but correlation was statistically insignificant. No statistically significant correlation was observed between applied therapy and cardiovascular risk. Conclusion: Good control and treatment of T2DM is of crucial importance for reducing cardiovascular risk.
ABSTRACT
Background: Vitamin D is involved in numerous reactions in the human body, as well as in the regulation of about 3% of the human genome. Research shows that insufficient concentration of vitamin D in the blood is found in 40-50% of the population. The total intake of vitamin D through food is very low, only 20% of the total daily needs. This paper shows importance of vitamin D supplementation in different periods of woman's life. Objective: To estimate average plasma levels of vitamin D3 in all researched group and establish which group should be supplemented with vitamin D3. Methods: The study included 182 women, divided in appropriate groups according to age, who came regularly for annual gynecological check-ups. Total concentration of 25 (OH) vitamin D in plasma was determined by a competitive immunochemical test. Results: The average value of vitamin D3 plasma level in patients aged 18 to 45 was 24,409 ng/ml, in the patients aged 46 to 55 years was 27,519 ng/ml and in the patients aged 56 and over 31,960 ng/ml. The results obtained indicate a vitamin D shortage in the first two groups of patients and an adequate vitamin D3 levels in third group of patients. Vitamin D supplementation is required in patients aged 18 to 55 years. Conclusion: Vitamin D shortage is present in two groups of patients. Because of complex role that this vitamin plays in numerous reactions in human body adequate supplementation is necessary.
ABSTRACT
Diabetic neuropathy represents late diabetes complications, and diabetes duration and long-term hyperglycemia are the main reasons for polyneuropathy. The goal was to estimate the effects of alpha-lipoic acid on symptoms of diabetic neuropathy after 600 mg i.v. for 3 weeks and 3 months of 300-600 mg of alpha-lipoic acid per os. This study has been designed as a multicentric, in 5-centers in B&H, carried out by 5 physicians with 20 diabetic patients each. Following parameters were monitored in 100 diabetics suffering from Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, both men and women: diabetes duration, diabetes therapy, duration of polyneuropathy symptoms, height, weight, BMI (body mass index), subjective assessment of patients, objective examinations of physicians and subjective assessment of physicians. 100 diabetics, average age 61,36; oldest 79, youngest 40, suffered from diabetes in average 11,9 years. There were 35 men and 65 women, 16 with Type 1 and 80 with Type 2 diabetes, while 4 patients were not classified. 69 were having insulin therapy and 31 oral hypoglicemics. Shortest diabetic status was less than a year, and longest was 28 years. Average duration of polyneuropathic symptoms was 3,02 years, shortest was less than a year, and the longest was 15 years. Average height was 1,70 m, average weight 76,13 kg, and average BMI 26,51 kg/m2. Significant statistic differences in improvement were recorded (P>0,05) according to Fridman's test for repeated measurements compared to initial findings in assessments: sensory symptoms of polyneuropathy, pain sensations as polyneuropathy symptoms, total score of polyneuropathy symptoms, subjective assessment of patients, subjective findings of physicians, and significant differences were not find (P>0,05) in autonomous and motoric neuropathy. Based on the conducted study, we have concluded that the application of alpha-lipoic acid during 3 months has helped to decrease the symptoms of diabetic neuropathy and in only one case out of 100 included patients there was no subjective improvement after drug application.
