HbA1c variability associated with dementia risk in people with type 2 diabetes.

INTRODUCTION: Although poor glycemic control is associated with dementia, it is unknown if variability in glycemic control, even in those with optimal glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels, increases dementia risk. METHODS: Among 171,964 people with type 2 diabetes, we evaluated the hazard of dementia association with long-term HbA1c variability using five operationalizations, including standard deviation (SD), adjusting for demographics and comorbidities. RESULTS: The mean baseline age was 61 years (48% women). Greater HbA1c SD was associated with greater dementia hazard (adjusted hazard ratio = 1.15 [95% confidence interval: 1.12, 1.17]). In stratified analyses, higher HbA1c SD quintiles were associated with greater dementia hazard among those with a mean HbA1c < 6% (P = 0.0004) or 6% to 8% (P < 0.0001) but not among those with mean HbA1c ≥ 8% (P = 0.42). DISCUSSION: Greater HbA1c variability is associated with greater dementia risk, even among those with HbA1c concentrations at ideal clinical targets. These findings add to the importance and clinical impact of recommendations to minimize glycemic variability. HIGHLIGHTS: We observed a cohort of 171,964 people with type 2 diabetes (mean age 61 years). This cohort was based in Northern California between 1996 and 2018. We examined the association between glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) variability and dementia risk. Greater HbA1c variability was associated with greater dementia hazard. This was most evident among those with normal-low mean HbA1c concentrations.

Can artificial intelligence detect type 2 diabetes in women by evaluating the pectoral muscle on tomosynthesis: diagnostic study.

OBJECTIVES: This retrospective single-center analysis aimed to evaluate whether artificial intelligence can detect type 2 diabetes mellitus by evaluating the pectoral muscle on digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT). MATERIAL METHOD: An analysis of 11,594 DBT images of 287 consecutive female patients (mean age 60, range 40-77 years) was conducted using convolutional neural networks (EfficientNetB5). The inclusion criterion was left-sided screening images with unsuspicious interpretation who also had a current glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HBA1c) % value. The exclusion criteria were inadequate imaging, history of breast cancer, and/or diabetes mellitus. HbA1c values between 5.6 and 6.4% were categorized as prediabetic, and those with values ≥ 6.5% were categorized as diabetic. A recorded HbA1c ≤ 5.5% served as the control group. Each group was divided into 3 subgroups according to age. Images were subjected to pattern analysis parameters then cropped and resized in a format to contain only pectoral muscle. The dataset was split into 85% for training and 15% for testing the model's performance. The accuracy rate and F1-score were selected as performance indicators. RESULTS: The training process was concluded in the 15th epoch, each comprising 1000 steps, with an accuracy rate of 92% and a loss of only 0.22. The average specificity and sensitivity for all 3 groups were 95%. The F1-score was 0.95. AUC-ROC was 0.995. PPV was 94%, and NPV was 98%. CONCLUSION: Our study presented a pioneering approach, applying deep learning for the detection of diabetes mellitus status in women using pectoral muscle images and was found to function with an accuracy rate of 92%. CRITICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT: AI can differentiate pathological changes within pectoral muscle tissue by assessing radiological images and maybe a potential diagnostic tool for detecting diabetes mellitus and other diseases that affect muscle tissues. KEY POINTS: • AI may have an opportunistic use as a screening exam for diabetes during digital breast tomosynthesis. • This technique allows for early and non-invasive detection of diabetes mellitus by AI. • AI may have broad applications in detecting pathological changes within muscle tissue.

Association between diabetes mellitus and postoperative urinary retention after cerebral angiography.

AIMS: The aim of this study is to examine the association between diabetes mellitus and postoperative urinary retention on cerebral angiography (including intravascular interventional therapy). METHODS: We collected data on the demographic characteristics and comorbidities, imaging and routine laboratory data, surgical information, and medications of patients who underwent cerebral angiography. Multivariate logistic regression was used to explore the correlation between diabetes and the incidence of postoperative urinary retention. RESULTS: A total of 932 patients were included, with a mean age of 59.7 years (74.1% men). Postoperative urinary retention occurred in 40.8% of the diabetes mellitus group and 30.3% of the group without diabetes. Compared with the group without diabetes, those with diabetes were more likely to experience postoperative urinary retention. Patients with higher glycosylated hemoglobin A1c levels had a higher risk of developing postoperative urinary retention. CONCLUSIONS: Diabetes was independently linked to postoperative urinary retention following cerebral angiography and patients with glycosylated hemoglobin A1c levels > 6% were more likely to experience postoperative urinary retention. Therefore, clinically regulating blood glucose levels may help to reduce the likelihood of postoperative urinary retention after cerebral angiography.

Development and validation of a novel nomogram for prediction of ketosis-prone type 2 diabetes.

Background: Ketosis-prone type 2 diabetes (KPD), as a unique emerging clinical entity, often has no clear inducement or obvious clinical symptoms at the onset of the disease. Failure to determine ketosis in time may lead to more serious consequences and even death. Therefore, our study aimed to develop and validate a novel nomogram to predict KPD. Methods: In this retrospective study, clinical data of a total of 398 newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes in our hospital who met our research standards with an average age of 48.75 ± 13.86 years years old from January 2019 to December 2022 were collected. According to the occurrence of ketosis, there were divided into T2DM groups(228 cases)with an average age of 52.19 ± 12.97 years, of whom 69.74% were male and KPD groups (170cases)with an average age of 44.13 ± 13.72 years, of whom males account for 80.59%. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the independent influencing factors of KPD and then a novel prediction nomogram model was established based on these independent predictors visually by using R4.3. Verification and evaluation of predictive model performance comprised receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve, corrected calibration curve, and clinical decision curve (DCA). Results: 4 primary independent predict factors of KPD were identified by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis and entered into the nomogram including age, family history, HbA1c and FFA. The model incorporating these 4 predict factors displayed good discrimination to predict KPD with the area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.945. The corrected calibration curve of the nomogram showed good fitting ability with an average absolute error =0.006 < 0.05, indicating a good accuracy. The decision analysis curve (DCA) demonstrated that when the risk threshold was between 5% and 99%, the nomogram model was more practical and accurate. Conclusion: In our novel prediction nomogram model, we found that age, family history, HbA1c and FFA were the independent predict factors of KPD. The proposed nomogram built by these 4 predictors was well developed and exhibited powerful predictive performance for KPD with high discrimination, good accuracy, and potential clinical applicability, which may be a useful tool for early screening and identification of high-risk population of KPD and therefore help clinicians in making customized treatment strategy.

Efficacy of Umbilical Cord-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells in the Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes Assessed by Retrospective Continuous Glucose Monitoring.

Umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSCs) have been proved a promising clinical strategy for the treatment of diabetes, and time in range (TIR) has been demonstrated a new metric of glycemic control links to diabetes complications. To further assess the therapeutic effect of UC-MSCs on TIR, a phase II study investigating the efficacy of UC-MSCs in Chinese adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D) assessed by retrospective continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) was conducted. In this randomized and placebo-controlled trial, a total of 73 patients were randomly assigned to receive intravenous infusion of UC-MSCs (n = 37) or placebo (n = 36) 3 times at 4-week intervals and followed up for 48 weeks. The primary endpoint was the changes in TIR and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c). TIR and HbA1c were both significantly improved in UC-MSCs and placebo groups after 48 weeks of therapy compared with baseline. Compared with placebo group, UC-MSCs group exhibited more pronounced changes at 9 and 48 weeks from baseline in TIR (26.54 vs. 15.84 and 21.36 vs. 6.32) and HbA1c (-1.79 vs. -0.96 and -1.36 vs. -0.51). More patients in UC-MSCs group achieved the glycemic control target of TIR ≥ 70% and HbA1c < 7% at 9 and 48 weeks than in placebo group (59.5% vs. 27.8% and 43.2% vs. 11.1%). The C-peptide area under the curve (AUCC-pep) was an independent risk factor associated with efficacy in T2D undergoing UC-MSCs intervention. These results illustrate that UC-MSCs administration via intravenous infusion is an effective approach for ameliorating TIR.

The relationship between red blood cell distribution width and islet ß-cell function indexes in patients with latent autoimmune diabetes in adults.

AIMS: The objective of this study is to explore the relationship between red blood cell distribution and islet ß-cell function indexes in patients with Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults. METHODS: A total of 487 LADA patients were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Patients were divided into three groups according to RDW tertiles. Clinical and laboratory measurements of age, height, weight, duration of diabetes, blood pressure, RDW, glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), C-peptide and blood lipids were performed. Homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and homeostasis model assessment of ß-cell function (HOMA-ß) were assessed using homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) based on fasting blood glucose (FBG) and fasting C-peptide index (FCP). Correlations and multiple linear regressions were implemented to determine the association of RDW and islet function indexes. RESULTS: As the increase of serum RDW level, the presence of ß-cell secretion increased(P < 0.05). Correlation analysis indicated that there were significant correlations between RDW and male sex, age, duration, TG, Cr, FCP, and HOMA-ß in all subjects. Multiple linear regressions indicated that RDW was significantly correlated with HOMA-ß in the total population in both unadjusted and adjusted analysis. This finding could be reproduced in the subgroup of low GAD titers for HOMA-ß. RDW were significantly associated with HbA1c in LADA patients with high GAD titers, but the correlation was not found in subgroup with low GAD titers in either unadjusted analyses or adjusted analysis. CONCLUSIONS: RDW is associated with ß-cell function assessed by HOMA-ß after adjusting for covariates in LADA patients with low GAD titers.

First-trimester glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and maternal characteristics in the prediction of gestational diabetes: An observational cohort study.

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to investigate the extent to which gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) can be predicted in the first trimester by combining a marker of growing interest, glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), and maternal characteristics. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This observational study was conducted in the outpatient obstetric department of our institution. The values of HbA1c and venous random plasma glucose were prospectively assessed in the first trimester of pregnancy. We determined maternal characteristics that were independent predictors from the regression analysis and calculated areas under the receiver-operating curves by combining the maternal age, body mass index, previous history of GDM, and first-degree family history for diabetes mellitus. Moreover we investigated the predictive capability of HbA1c to exclude GDM. Patients with a first-trimester HbA1c level of 6.5% (48 mmol/mol) or more were excluded. The study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT02139254. RESULTS: We included 785 cases with complete dataset. The prevalence of GDM was 14.7% (115/785). Those who developed GDM had significantly higher HbA1c and random plasma glucose values (p < 0.0001 and p = 0.0002, respectively). In addition, they had a higher body mass index, were more likely to have a history of GDM and/or a first-degree family history of diabetes. When these maternal characteristics were combined with the first-trimester HbA1c and random plasma glucose the combined area under the receiver operating characteristics curve was 0.76 (95% CI 0.70-0.81). CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that HbA1c and random plasma glucose values combined with age, body mass index, and personal and family history, allow the identification of women in the first trimester who are at increased risk of developing GDM.

Comparative efficacy and safety of glucose-lowering drugs in children and adolescents with type 2 diabetes: A systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Objective: Type 2 diabetes is more common in adults, but is becoming the major concern in children and adolescent recently. This study aimed to provide additional pharmaceutical management for children and adolescents with type 2 diabetes by assessing the efficacy and safety of several glucose-lowering drugs. Methods: Searches were performed in PubMed, Medline, Ovid, Cochrane Controlled Register of Trials (CENTRAL), and ClinicalTrials.gov that reported the efficacy and safety of drugs for children and adolescents with type 2 diabetes. Pooled effects were calculated by frequentist fixed effects network meta-analyses and additive network meta-analyses. Results: A total of 12 trials assessing eight glucose-lowering drugs were included, which compose of seven trials with monotherapy and five trials with combination therapies. Network meta-analysis results showed compared to placebo, saxagliptin+metformin (mean difference (MD) -1.91% [-2.85%, -0.97%]), liraglutide+metformin (MD -1.45% [-1.65%, -1.26%]), and liraglutide (MD -0.90% [-1.35%, -0.45%]) were the top 3 drugs that significantly reduced hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c). Sitagliptin+metformin, dapagliflozin, exenatide-2mcg, linagliptin-5mg, metformin, exenatide-5/10mcg, glimepiride, and sitagliptin also showed significant reduction in HbA1c. There were no significant differences between treatments in the incidence of adverse events, except that liraglutide+metformin had significant adverse effect such as abdominal pain. In addition, dapagliflozin, sitagliptin+metformin, and saxagliptin+metformin showed better efficacy compared with FDA-approved drugs. Conclusions: The top 10 treatments of type 2 diabetes in children and adolescents aged 10-17 years were saxagliptin+metformin, liraglutide+metformin, liraglutide, dapagliflozin, exenatide-2 mcg, sitagliptin+metformin, linagliptin-5 mg, linagliptin-1 mg, metformin, and exenatide-5/10 mcg. Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=284897, identifier CRD42021284897.

Less Timely Initiation of Glucose-Lowering Medication Among Younger and Male Patients With Diabetes and Similar Initiation of Blood Pressure-Lowering Medication Across Age and Sex: Trends Between 2015 and 2020.

Aims: We aimed to assess trends in glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and systolic blood pressure (SBP) thresholds at initiation of glucose- and blood pressure-lowering medication among patients with type 2 diabetes and assess the influence of age and sex on these trends. Materials and Methods: We used the Groningen Initiative to ANalyze Type 2 diabetes Treatment (GIANTT) primary care database. Patients initiating a first non-insulin glucose-lowering or any blood pressure-lowering medication between 2015 and 2020 with an HbA1c or SBP measurement in the 120 days before initiation were included. We used multilevel regression analyses adjusted for potential confounders to assess the influence of calendar year, age or sex, and the interaction between calendar year and age or sex on trends in HbA1c and SBP thresholds at initiation of medication. Results: We included 2,671 and 2,128 patients in the analyses of HbA1c and SBP thresholds, respectively. The overall mean HbA1c threshold at initiation of glucose-lowering medication significantly increased from 7.4% in 2015 to 8.0% in 2020 (p < 0.001), and particularly in the younger age groups. Compared to patients ≥80 years, patients aged 60-69 years initiated medication at lower levels mainly in the early years. Patients <60 years and between 70-79 years initiated medication at similar levels as patients ≥80 years. Females initiated medication at lower levels than males throughout the study period (p < 0.001). The mean SBP threshold at initiation of blood pressure-lowering medication varied from 145 to 149 mmHg without a clear trend (p = 0.676). There were no differences in SBP thresholds between patients of different ages or sex. Conclusion: The rising trend in the HbA1c threshold for initiating glucose-lowering medication in the lower age groups was unexpected and requires further investigation. Males appear to receive less timely initiation of glucose-lowering medication than females. The lack of higher thresholds for the oldest age group or lower thresholds for the youngest age group in recent years is not in line with the age-related recommendations for personalized diabetes care and calls for health systems interventions.

Associations of the baseline level and change in glycosylated hemoglobin A1c with incident hypertension in non-diabetic individuals: a 3-year cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus increases the risk of developing hypertension. The relationship between glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) level and incident hypertension remains controversial. This study examined the associations of the baseline level and change in the HbA1c level over 3 years with incident hypertension in non-diabetic individuals. METHODS: This community-based cohort study was conducted with 2591 individuals aged 40-75 years without hypertension or diabetes at baseline, who participated in a longitudinal (REACTION) study program. Questionnaires were administered during interviews, and anthropometric and laboratory measurements were performed at baseline (2011) and follow-up (2014-2015). Multivariate logistic regression models were applied to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of incident hypertension. RESULTS: Over a median follow-up period of 3.08 years (interquartile range 3.00, 3.25), 384 (14.82%) subjects developed hypertension. In the fully adjusted linear regression models, change in HbA1c remained significantly associated with changes in systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure [ß-coefficient (95% CI), 4.421 (2.811-6.032), 1.681 (0.695-2.667)]. Logistic regression analyses showed that baseline HbA1c level was positively associated with incident hypertension in the unadjusted model; however, the association was no longer significant after further adjustment. Change in HbA1c was positively associated with the development of hypertension, both as a categorical variable stratified by tertiles [adjusted OR (95% CI) in the highest tertile was 1.690 (1.240-2.303) versus the lowest tertile)] and as a continuous variable [adjusted OR (95% CI), 1.242 (1.106-1.394)], independent of age, sex, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose level, lipid profile, the HbA1c level at baseline and 3-year change in body mass index. CONCLUSIONS: A higher baseline HbA1c level was not an independent risk factor for incident hypertension, whereas the change in HbA1c was independently associated with a greater longitudinal increase in blood pressure and an increased risk of incident hypertension in non-diabetic individuals.

Multiple chemiluminescence immunoassay detection of the concentration ratio of glycosylated hemoglobin A1c to total hemoglobin in whole blood samples.

The concentration ratio of glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) to total hemoglobin (Hb) has long been used to accurately determine stagewise diabetes because this parameter represents a reliable and accurate biomarker of mean 90-day blood glucose values. In this paper, we report a time-resolved chemiluminescence assay that can detect both Hb and HbA1c. For the determination of Hb, the interaction of heme in Hb with H2O2 in NaOH solution was performed to generate a chemiluminescence peak. HbA1c was detected using a sandwich immunoassay based on an acridine ester-labeling method using the same Hb chemiluminescence trigger system. The results showed that the repeatability %CV of the proposed method for multiple detections of HbA1c and Hb ranged from 1.22 to 2.21%, with a median value of 1.73%, while the within-site reproducibility %CV ranged from 2.13 to 3.27%, with a median value of 2.81%. Compared with the conventional HPLC method (BIO-RAD D10 system), the correlation coefficient was 0.9959. In conclusion, a time-resolved multiple chemiluminescence immunoassay biosensor for HbA1c/Hb detection was established, and the method has excellent reproducibility and accuracy, thus demonstrating great potential for clinical application.

Clinical Impact of GLP-1 receptor agonists in veterans receiving basal-bolus insulin.

BACKGROUND: In 2017, an estimated 7.4 million Americans used insulin to treat diabetes. Insulin is proven to lower A1c but can result in hypoglycemia and weight gain. Combining insulin with a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1-RA) may provide additional blood glucose control while limiting undesirable effects including weight gain. OBJECTIVE: To characterize the clinical impact of adding a GLP-1-RA to a basal-bolus insulin regimen in patients with type 2 diabetes. METHODS: This retrospective observational study used national Veteran's Health Administration data to identify patients with an existing basal-bolus insulin regimen who initiated a GLP-1-RA between January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2017. A1c, insulin total daily dose (TDD), and weight were collected at GLP-1-RA initiation (baseline), 3-, 6-, and 12-month time points and then analyzed using an intent-to-treat approach with the last observation carried forward. Decreases in A1c ≥ 0.5% and weight ≥2 kg were deemed clinically significant. RESULTS: Among 7651 patients initiating GLP-1-RA therapy, mean A1c had a clinically significant decline at 3, 6, and 12 months by -0.5%, -0.7%, and -0.7%, respectively, from a mean baseline of 9%. Patients with lower baseline A1c levels did not have clinically significant changes in A1c, whereas patients with baseline A1c ≥9% had more clinically significant declines. Insulin TDD decreased by -32, -38, and -42 units/day at 3, 6, and 12 months, respectively, where the mean decrease in insulin TDD at 12 months was 79 units/day among patients who discontinued bolus insulin (52.3%) compared with a mean decrease of 2 units/day among those who continued bolus insulin. Mean weight reductions at 3, 6, and 12 months were -1.2, -2.3, and -2.9 kg, respectively, from a mean baseline of 120.6 kg. CONCLUSION: Combining a GLP-1-RA with basal-bolus insulin had a clinically significant improvement on blood glucose control, lowered insulin TDD, and reduced weight. These outcomes were achieved within 3 to 6 months following GLP-1-RA initiation and were maintained through 1 year.

Association of Glycosylated Hemoglobin A1c Level With Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss: A Prospective Study.

Glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) level has strong relevance to microvascular disorders, which are also thought to be the current main aspect of sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL), so we aim to elucidate the association of the HbA1c level with the severity, types, and prognosis of SSNHL. In this study, comparative analyses based on propensity score matching of the severity, types, and prognosis of SSNHL with the HbA1c level in 116 patients diagnosed as SSNHL were conducted, where they were divided into diabetes mellitus (DM) group and non-DM group. We finally found that, among patients with SSNHL, diabetic patients had a higher HbA1c level, more severe hearing loss, and poorer prognosis than non-diabetic patients. The HbA1c level was found to be significantly correlated with the severity and types of SSNHL, while no strong relevance was found between the higher HbA1c level and the poorer prognosis of SSNHL.

Poor Glycemic Control and the Contributing Factors Among Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients Attending Outpatient Diabetes Clinic at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital, Uganda.

BACKGROUND: Glycemic control is associated with long-term complications in type 2 diabetes management. However, updated reports on glycemic control that are crucial to reducing diabetes mellitus complications remain scarce. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to evaluate glycemic control and contributing factors among type 2 diabetes mellhitus patients attending the outpatient diabetic clinic at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital outpatient diabetes clinic between July and October 2020. Participants were subjected to a questionnaire-based interview and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1C) was determined as a marker of glycemic control among participants. The collected data was entered into and analyzed by Stata version 13. The odds ratio was used to determine the strength of association between variables. The cut-off value for all statistical significance tests was set at p<0.05 with CI of 95%. RESULTS: A total of 223 participants were interviewed, and the majority (188, 84.3%) had poor glycemic control (HbA1C ≥7%). Importantly, 81.7% (49/60) and 90.0% (99/110) of those who did not adhere to diet and physical exercise recommendations respectively, had poor glycemic control. Multivariate logistic regression revealed that poor glycemic control was more prevalent among participants aged 25-60 years (AOR=4.48, 95%CI: 1.56-14.50, p-value=0.009) and those aged above 60 years (AOR=4.28, 95%CI: 1.18-15.58, p-value= 0.03) compared to the youth, 18-24 years of age. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of poor glycemic control among type 2 diabetes patients in this study is high and patient's age was identified to be an independent risk factor. We recommend any intervention by the hospital that promotes diabetes education and optimizes lifestyle and medication adherence; ultimately to achieve good glycemic control especially for adult patients.

Changes in body mass index, glycosylated hemoglobin A1C, blood pressure, and LDL-cholesterol among type 2 diabetes patients in Malaysia: A population-based longitudinal study.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to describe changes in body mass index, glycosylated hemoglobin A1C, blood pressure, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol among type 2 diabetes patients in Malaysia. METHODS: A five-year retrospective cohort study was conducted using data from the National Diabetes Registry. Type 2 diabetes patients aged ≥18 years and had ≥2 clinical audits between 2013 and 2017 were included in the analysis. The first audit information formed the baseline characteristics, and the last audit information was used for comparison. Individualized A1C, blood pressure, and LDL-cholesterol goals were adapted from Malaysian Clinical Practice Guidelines on Type 2 Diabetes Management 2020, American Diabetes Association 2020, and European Association for the Study of Diabetes 2019. RESULTS: Of the 18 341 patients, 55.8% were female and 64.9% Malay ethnicity. The baseline mean age was 59.3 ± 10.6 years. During an average of 2.5 person-years of follow-up, the mean body mass index dropped by 0.16 kg/m2 to 27.9 kg/m2 , A1C increased by 0.16% to 8.0%, systolic blood pressure increased by 1.4 mm Hg to 136.2 mm Hg, diastolic blood pressure decreased by 1.0 mm Hg to 77.3 mm Hg and LDL-cholesterol reduced by 0.12 mmol/L to 2.79 mmol/L, P < 0.001 for all. Out of eight categories of individualized goals, most patients achieved the A1C goal of ≤8.0%. The new LDL-cholesterol goal of <1.4 mmol/L was least likely to be achieved. CONCLUSIONS: The body mass index, A1C, blood pressure, and LDL-cholesterol performance remained suboptimal. Standards of care for these clinical parameters remain to be achieved by the majority of diabetes patients.

The relationship between red blood cell distribution and islet ß-cell function indexes in patients with type 2 diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Red cell distribution width (RDW) is a predicter of infections, cancer and diabetes. However, the relationship between RDW and ß-cell function and insulin resistance remains unclear in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The aim of the study was to explore the relationship between RDW and ß-cell function in patients with T2DM. METHODS: A total of 559 T2DM patients were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Patients were divided into three groups according to RDW tertiles. Clinical and biochemical characteristics such as age, duration of diabetes, blood pressure, RDW, glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), C-peptide and lipid profiles were collected. Homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA2IR) and homeostasis model assessment of ß-cell function (HOMA2%B) were assessed using homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) based on fasting blood glucose (FBG) and fasting C-peptide index (FCPI). Correlations and multiple linear regressions were performed to explore the association between RDW and islet function indexes in total population and in different gender subgroups. RESULTS: The HOMA2%B gradually increased according to RDW tertiles (lowest, second, highest RDW tertiles; 47.1(32.9-75.4), 54.05(34.1-81), and 57.9(38.65-95.4), respectively; P = 0.036). Correlation analysis indicated that there were significant correlations between RDW and age, diabetes duration, diastolic blood pressure (DBP), triglycerides (TG), aspartate transaminase (AST), FBG, HbA1c and HOMA2%B in all subjects. In male subjects, RDW correlated positively with age, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) and AST, and it correlated negatively with body mass index (BMI), DBP and TG. In female subjects, RDW correlated positively with age, duration, serum creatinine (Cr), FCPI and HOMA2%B, and it correlated negatively with alanine transaminase (ALT), FBG and HbA1c. Multiple linear regressions indicated that RDW was significantly correlated with HOMA2%B and HbA1c in the total population in both unadjusted and adjusted analysis. This finding could be reproduced in the subgroup of men for HOMA2%B only and in women for HbA1c only. CONCLUSIONS: RDW is associated with ß-cell function assessed by HOMA2%B after adjusting for covariates in male T2DM patients.

The role of the plasma glycosylated hemoglobin A1c/Apolipoprotein A-l ratio in predicting cardiovascular outcomes in acute coronary syndrome.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Glucose and lipid metabolism are major prognostic indicators of coronary heart disease. The ratio of plasma glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) to apolipoprotein A-l (ApoA-l) is an indirect measure of insulin resistance. The study aimed to evaluate whether the HbA1c/ApoA-1 ratio can predict the prognosis in patients with the acute coronary syndrome (ACS). METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 476 ACS patients diagnosed by coronary angiography were enrolled in this longitudinal, observational, retrospective study. Plasma HbA1c, fasting blood glucose and lipid profile were measured. Patients were stratified according to the tertiles of HbA1c/ApoA-l levels. Cox proportional hazard model was used to examine the predictive value of HbA1c/ApoA-l for study endpoints. The association between the Log HbA1c/ApoA-l ratio and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) was estimated using multiple logistic regression. Baseline characteristics showed a mean age of 66 ± 8 years, and 52.5% were hypertensive, 26.8% diabetic, and 54.5% current or prior smokers. During a mean follow-up period of 22.3 ± 1.7 months, 59 deaths occurred. After adjusting for age, gender, smoking, hypertension, diabetes, and coronary artery disease severity, patients in the highest HbA1c/ApoA-l ratio tertile had a 4.36-fold increased risk of mortality compared with those in the lowest tertile. The multivariate logistic regression showed that the Log HbA1c/ApoA-l ratio was associated with MACEs (Odds ratio 2.95, p = 0.013). CONCLUSION: After adjusting for traditional cardiovascular risk factors and ACS severity scores, the HbA1c/ApoA-1 ratio remained an independent predictor of all-cause mortality and MACEs in the ACS patients undergoing angiography.

Glycosylated Hemoglobin A1c Predicts Intracerebral Hemorrhage with Acute Ischemic Stroke Post-Mechanical Thrombectomy.

BACKGROUND: Intracerebral hemorrhage, including symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage, is a serious post-mechanical thrombectomy complication in patients with acute ischemic stroke. We aimed to determine whether glycosylated hemoglobin A1c parameters could predict intracerebral hemorrhage in this patient population. METHODS: We enrolled patients with acute occlusion of the internal carotid artery or proximal middle cerebral artery and who had undergone mechanical thrombectomy. According to the glycosylated hemoglobin A1c level (%) assessed during the hospital stay, the patients were divided into two groups: > 6.5% and ≤ 6.5%. Intracerebral hemorrhage was evaluated and classified based on cranial computed tomography scans obtained within 24-48 h or when neurological conditions worsened. We assessed the outcome at the end of 90 days using the modified Rankin Scale scores. RESULTS: Among 202 patients, 86 (42.6%) suffered intracerebral hemorrhage, while 25 (12.4%) had symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage; 35.6% of the patients had a favorable outcome (modified Rankin Scale scores 0-2). Multivariable analysis demonstrated an association of glycosylated hemoglobin A1c > 6.5% with intracerebral hemorrhage. Furthermore, glycosylated hemoglobin A1c > 6.5% was independently associated with symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage (OR, 2.136; 95% CI, 1.279-3.567; P = 0.004). In addition, glycosylated hemoglobin A1c > 6.5% was significantly associated with increased mortality (OR, 1.511; 95% CI, 1.042-2.191; P = 0.029) and negatively associated with favorable outcome (OR, 0.480; 95% CI, 0.296-0.781; P = 0.003) at 90 days. CONCLUSIONS: Glycosylated hemoglobin A1c is an independent predictor of intracerebral hemorrhage (specifically, symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage) in patients with acute ischemic stroke treated with mechanical thrombectomy. Further studies are needed to validate these findings.

Analysis of the relationship between lifestyle habits and glycosylated hemoglobin control based on data from a Health Management Plan.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Type 2 Diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a hereditary disease that is also strongly dependent on environmental factors, lifestyles, and dietary habits. This study explored the relationship between lifestyle habits and glycosylated hemoglobin management in T2DM patients to provide empirical outcomes to improve T2DM management and patient health literacy. SUBJECTS/METHODS: This study enrolled 349 diabetic patients with more than 5 care visits to a Diabetes Mellitus care network under the Health Management Plan led by Taiwan Department of Health (DOH). Based on relevant literature, an Outpatient Record Form of Diabetes Mellitus Care was designed and lipid profile tests were conducted for data collection and analysis. RESULTS: When modeling the data, the results showed that the odds for HbA1c > 7.5% in T2DM patients duration over 10 years was 3.785 (P = 0.002) times that in patients with disease duration of fewer than 3 years. The odds of HbA1c > 7.5% in illiterate patients was 3.128 (P = 0.039) times that in patients with senior high school education or above. The odds of HbA1c > 7.5% in patients with other chronic illness was 2.207 (P = 0.019) times that in participants without chronic illness. Among 5 beneficial lifestyle habits, the odds of HbA1c > 7.5% in patients with 2 or 3 good habits were 3.243 (P = 0.003) and 3.424 (P = 0.001) times that in patients with more than 3 good habits, respectively. CONCLUSION: This empirical outcome shows that maintaining a good lifestyle improves T2DM management and patients' knowledge, motivation, and ability to use health information. Patients with longer disease duration, education, or good lifestyle habits had optimal HbA1c management than those in patients who did not. Thus, effective self-management and precaution in daily life and improved health literacy of diabetic patients are necessary to increase the quality of T2DM care.