A 6-month follow-up study of the randomized controlled Ma-Pi macrobiotic dietary intervention (MADIAB trial) in type 2 diabetes.

BACKGROUND: In the MADIAB trial (a 21-day randomized, controlled trial in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D)), intervention with the Ma-Pi 2 macrobiotic diet resulted in significantly greater improvements in metabolic control compared with a standard recommended diet for patients with T2D. We report on a 6-month follow-up study, which investigated, whether these benefits extended beyond the 21-day intensive dietary intervention, in real-world conditions. SUBJECTS: At the end of the MADIAB trial (baseline of this follow-up study), all participants continued their assigned diet (Ma-Pi or control) for 6 months. The Ma-Pi 2 group followed the Ma-Pi 4 diet during this follow-up study. Forty of the original 51 subjects (78.4%) participated in the follow-up (body mass index, 27-45 kg m(-2); age, 40-75 years). Primary outcome was percentage change from baseline in HbA1c; secondary outcomes were anthropometric data and lipid panel. RESULTS: A significantly greater median percentage reduction was observed for HbA1c in the Ma-Pi group (-11.27% (95% confidence interval (CI): -10.17; -12.36)) compared with the control group (-5.88% (95% CI: -3.79; -7.98)) (P < 0.001). Total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol increased in both groups with no differences between groups (P=0.331 and P=0.082, respectively). After correcting for age and gender, the Ma-Pi diet was associated with a higher percentage reduction in HbA1c (95% CI: 2.56; 7.61) and body weight (95% CI: 0.40; 3.99), and a higher percentage increase in LDL cholesterol (95% CI: -1.52; -33.16). However, all participants' total and LDL cholesterol levels remained within recommended ranges (<200 mg dl(-1) and <100 mg dl(-1), respectively). The Ma-Pi diet group achieved the target median HbA1c value (<5.7% (39 mmol mol(-1))) at 6 months. CONCLUSIONS: Both the Ma-Pi and control diets maintained their benefits beyond the 21-day intensive monitored intervention over a 6-month follow-up in real-world conditions. The Ma-Pi diet resulted in greater improvement in glycemic control.

Low-risk HLA genotype in Type 1 diabetes is associated with less destruction of pancreatic B-cells 12 months after diagnosis.

AIMS: The role of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes in the susceptibility to Type 1 diabetes (T1DM) is well known. However, we do not know whether the degree of pancreatic B-cell destruction depends on different HLA genetic risk. The aim of this study was to analyse the influence of DRB1* and DQB1* genes on the rate of pancreatic B-cell loss in a prospective series of 120 consecutive newly diagnosed T1DM subjects in the first 12 months after diagnosis. METHODS: Patients were typed for HLA-DRB1* and DQB1* loci by a reverse line blot assay using an array of immobilized sequence-specific oligonucleotide probes. C-peptide, insulin requirement and glycated haemoglobin (HbA(1c)) were determined at diagnosis and every 3 months for 12 months. The variance of C-peptide as evidence of B-cell loss during follow-up was analysed using the general linear model for repeated-measures procedure. RESULTS: Fasting C-peptide in T1DM subjects with low HLA genetic risk was significantly higher when compared with subjects with moderate or high HLA genetic risk from time of diagnosis up to 12 months (P = 0.007 and P = 0.0002, respectively). Nonetheless, the changes in C-peptide levels over a 12-month period did not differ significantly between T1DM subjects with different HLA genetic risks. CONCLUSIONS: Low-risk HLA genotype in T1DM is associated with less destruction of pancreatic B-cells up to 12 months after diagnosis. These results are useful when designing trials for therapies aimed to prevent the progression of B-cell destruction in recent-onset T1DM.