Phenotypic and genetic clustering of diabetes and metabolic syndrome in Chinese families with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the familiality and clustering of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and metabolic syndrome (MES) predominantly in families with young-onset diabetes from the Hong Kong Family Diabetes Study. METHODS: One hundred and seventy-nine families (913 subjects) were ascertained through a diabetic proband. Anthropometry, glucose homeostasis, blood pressure and lipid levels were examined. Familial aggregation and inter-relationships of these traits were examined by recurrence risk ratio, heritability, genetic and environmental correlations. RESULTS: One hundred and forty families (78%) had at least one subject with early-onset T2DM (age-at-diagnosis

The linkage and association of the gene encoding upstream stimulatory factor 1 with type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome in the Chinese population.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: The transcription factor upstream stimulatory factor 1 (USF1) regulates the expression of genes involved in glucose and lipid metabolism and has been associated with familial combined hyperlipidaemia. USF1 is located on chromosome 1q22-23, a region with evidence for linkage to type 2 diabetes and various traits of the metabolic syndrome in Chinese and other populations. The aim of this study was to investigate the linkage and association of USF1 with type 2 diabetes and the metabolic syndrome in Chinese individuals. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We genotyped three haplotype-tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (rs3737787, rs2516841 and rs2516839) at USF1 in three samples of the Hong Kong Chinese population, including members of 179 families from the Hong Kong Family Diabetes Study, 1,383 hospital cases with type 2 diabetes and/or the metabolic syndrome and 454 normal control subjects. RESULTS: We found significant association of individual polymorphisms and haplotypes with type 2 diabetes and/or metabolic syndrome-related traits in the family samples using either family-based or unrelated normal control subjects. However, these variants could not explain much of the evidence for linkage in this region. Moreover, they were not associated with type 2 diabetes and/or the metabolic syndrome in the hospital cases. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: The results are consistent with the hypothesis that variation at USF1 contributes to the risk of type 2 diabetes and the metabolic syndrome in families with strong evidence for linkage in the chromosome 1q region. However, they provide little support for USF1 as the susceptibility locus that generates the observed evidence for linkage at 1q21-25 for type 2 diabetes and/or the metabolic syndrome, and USF1 does not appear to have a major contribution to these phenotypes in the general Chinese population.

Effects of a structured health education programme by a diabetic education nurse on cardiovascular risk factors in Chinese Type 2 diabetic patients: a 1-year prospective randomized study.

AIMS: To assess the effect of regular diabetic health education on cardiovascular risk factors in Chinese Type 2 diabetic patients. METHODS: This was a 1-year prospective randomized study. One hundred and eighty Type 2 diabetic subjects were recruited from three regional diabetic centres in Hong Kong. Ninety received additional structured reinforcement of diabetic health education by a trained nurse after the doctors' consultations every 3 months (intervention group). The others received the same medical care except no nursing reinforcement (control group). Outcome measures included fasting plasma glucose, HbA(1c), body mass index, waist circumference, blood pressure and lipid profiles, which were assessed before the study and after 1 year. RESULTS: Two of the controls defaulted follow-up. The intervention group and controls had similar age and sex distribution. At the end of study, the intervention group had reducted their waist circumference, diastolic blood pressure, HbA(1c), total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. The controls had reduced their total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. Other cardiovascular risk factors were not significantly changed in the controls. Addition of drugs and/or dosage increment of anti-diabetic drugs, lipid-lowering agents and anti-hypertensive agents were similar between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Regular structured reinforcement with diabetic health education is useful. It helps to control more successfully some of the cardiovascular risk factors in Chinese Type 2 diabetic patients.

Metabolic control of diabetes in a diabetes centre.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effectiveness of a diabetes centre in restoring metabolic control in patients with poorly controlled diabetes. DESIGN: Retrospective review of medical records. SETTING: Diabetes centre of a district hospital, Hong Kong. PARTICIPANTS: Patients with poorly controlled diabetes referred to a diabetes centre. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary endpoints were mean change in glycated haemoglobin levels and the number of patients who achieved glycated haemoglobin levels of 7.0% or lower, 7.5% or lower, and 8.0% or lower, respectively. Complementary endpoints were serial changes in body weight, blood pressure, and lipids. RESULTS: One hundred and eighty-five patients, predominantly with type 2 diabetes (94.6%), were reviewed. Median duration since diagnosis of diabetes was 8 years (interquartile range, 4.3-11.8 years). Seventy-three patients had a body mass index of 25 kg/m(2) or higher. The baseline and latest glycated haemoglobin levels were 10.4% (standard deviation, 2%) and 8.2% (1.4%), respectively; mean reduction was 2.2% (95% confidence interval, 1.9-2.5; P<0.0005). Eighty-one patients were discharged after a median 32 weeks of follow-up. Their mean glycated haemoglobin level on discharge was 7.5% (0.8%), and the mean reduction was 2.8% (95% confidence interval, 2.4-3.3; P<0.0005). The cumulative percentages of discharged patients who achieved glycated haemoglobin levels of less than 7.0%, 7.5%, and 8.0% were 30.9%, 53.1%, and 77.8%, respectively. Newly diagnosed diabetes (P=0.006) was the only factor which predicted a favourable glycaemic response. CONCLUSION. The Diabetes Centre provided effective management for a heterogeneous group of patients referred with poorly controlled diabetes.