Neck circumference as a simple tool for identifying the metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance: results from the Brazilian Metabolic Syndrome Study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship of the neck circumference (NC) with the metabolic syndrome (MetS) and insulin resistance (IR) in a large Brazilian population-based sample, within a wide range of adiposity and glucose tolerance, and to establish cut-off values of the NC for MetS and IR. CONTEXT: The NC correlates with cardiovascular risk factors, IR and components of MetS. Upper-body subcutaneous (sc) fat, as estimated by the NC, is associated with cardiovascular risk factors as much as abdominal fat, which is usually estimated by the waist circumference (WC). There are few epidemiological population-based studies on the clinical significance of the NC to MetS and IR. DESIGN: This is a cross-sectional study. PATIENTS: About 1053 Brazilian adults (18-60 years). MEASUREMENTS: Patients with BMI 18.5-40.0 kg/m(2), with normal glucose tolerance or type 2 diabetes (T2DM), were submitted to anthropometric measurements including waist circumference (WC), NC and BMI. Abdominal visceral fat (VF) was assessed by ultrasound. Insulin sensitivity (IS) was assessed by euglycaemic-hyperinsulinaemic clamp (10% of total sample) and HOMA-IR. Spearman correlations were used to evaluate the association between NC and IR and MetS risk factors. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used for gender-specific cut-off values for the prediction of IR and MetS. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to assess the chance of developing IR or MetS according to the enlargement of NC and WC. RESULTS: The sample consisted of 28.6% men, with a mean age of 39.4 (12 years). T2DM diagnosis was present in 306 individuals, of whom 34% were men. NC correlated with WC and BMI in both men and women (P < 0.001). In both genders, NC showed a positive correlation with triglycerides, fasting glucose, fasting insulin and HOMA-IR, and NC had a negative association with high-density lipoprotein (HDL). NC and IS showed a moderate negative correlation. A significant correlation was demonstrated between VF and NC. In the ROC curves, NC presented the largest AUC for IR in women (P < 0.001), while NC presented a large AUC for MetS in both genders. CONCLUSIONS: Neck circumference measurements are an alternative and innovative approach for determining body fat distribution. The NC is positively associated with MetS risk factors, IR and VF, with established cut-off values for the prediction of MetS and IR.

Surgery for nonobese type 2 diabetic patients: an interventional study with duodenal-jejunal exclusion.

BACKGROUND: A 24-week interventional prospective trial was performed to compare the benefits of open duodenal-jejunal exclusion surgery (GJB) with a matched control group on standard medical care. METHODS: One-hundred eighty patients were screened for the surgical approach. Twelve patients accepted to be operated and presented the full eligibility criteria for surgery that includes overweight BMI (25-29.9 kg/m2), T2DM diagnosis for less than 15 years, insulin-treated patients, no history of major complications, preserved beta-cell function, and absence of autoimmunity. A matched control group (CG) of patients whom refused surgical treatment was placed to receive standard care. Patients had age of 50 (5) years, time of diagnosis 9 years (range, 3 to 15 years), time of insulin usage 6 months (range, 3 to 48 months), fasting glucose (FG), 9.8 (2.5) mg/dL, and glycated hemoglobin (A1C) 8.90 (2.12)%. RESULTS: At 24 weeks after surgery, patients experienced greater reductions on FG (14% vs. 7% on CG), A1C (from 8.78 to 7.84 in GJB-p<0.01 and 8.93 to 8.71 in CG; p<0.05 between groups) and reductions on average daily insulin requirement (93% vs. 29%, p<0.01). Ten patients stopped insulin usage in GJB but they remain taking oral medications. No differences were observed in both groups regarding BMI, body distribution and composition, blood pressure, and lipids. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, duodenal-jejunal exclusion was an effective treatment for nonobese T2DM subjects. GJB was superior to standard care in achieving better glycemic control along with reduction in insulin requirements.

HOMA1-IR and HOMA2-IR indexes in identifying insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome: Brazilian Metabolic Syndrome Study (BRAMS).

OBJECTIVE: To investigate cut-off values for HOMA1-IR and HOMA2-IR to identify insulin resistance (IR) and metabolic syndrome (MS), and to assess the association of the indexes with components of the MS. METHODS: Nondiabetic subjects from the Brazilian Metabolic Syndrome Study were studied (n = 1,203, 18 to 78 years). The cut-off values for IR were determined from the 90th percentile in the healthy group (n = 297) and, for MS, a ROC curve was generated for the total sample. RESULTS: In the healthy group, HOMA-IR indexes were associated with central obesity, triglycerides and total cholesterol (p < 0.001). The cut-off values for IR were: HOMA1-IR > 2.7 and HOMA2-IR > 1.8; and, for MS were: HOMA1-IR > 2.3 (sensitivity: 76.8%; specificity: 66.7%) and HOMA2-IR > 1.4 (sensitivity: 79.2%; specificity: 61.2%). CONCLUSION: The cut-off values identified for HOMA1-IR and HOMA2-IR indexes have a clinical and epidemiological application for identifying IR and MS in Westernized admixtured multi-ethnic populations.

Reactive oxygen species production is increased in the peripheral blood monocytes of obese patients.

Infiltrating macrophages play an important role in the production of inflammatory mediators by the adipose tissue of obese subjects. To reach the adipose tissue, peripheral monocytes are recruited by locally produced chemoattractants. However, little is known about the activation of monocytes in the peripheral blood of obese subjects. The objective of this study was to determine reactive oxygen species and endoplasmic reticulum stress as early markers of monocytic commitment with an inflammatory phenotype in the peripheral blood of nondiabetic obese patients. Patients were recruited from an academic general hospital; controls were voluntary students. Seven lean controls and 6 nondiabetic obese patients were included in the study. Monocytes were prepared from peripheral blood. Immunoblot, flow cytometry, and polymerase chain reaction were used to determine reactive oxygen species and endoplasmic reticulum stress. Increased reactive oxygen species and activation of endoplasmic reticulum stress were detected in the monocytes from obese patients. Reducing endoplasmic reticulum stress with a chemical chaperone reversed monocytic activation, as determined by the reduction of reactive oxygen species production. Thus, monocytes from nondiabetic obese patients are already committed with an inflammatory phenotype in peripheral blood; and reducing endoplasmic reticulum stress negatively modulates their activation.

HOMA1-IR and HOMA2-IR indexes in identifying insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome: Brazilian Metabolic Syndrome Study (BRAMS) / Índices HOMA1-IR e HOMA2-IR para identificação de resistência à insulina e síndrome metabólica: Estudo Brasileiro de Síndrome Metabólica (BRAMS)

OBJECTIVE: To investigate cut-off values for HOMA1-IR and HOMA2-IR to identify insulin resistance (IR) and metabolic syndrome (MS), and to assess the association of the indexes with components of the MS. METHODS: Nondiabetic subjects from the Brazilian Metabolic Syndrome Study were studied (n = 1,203, 18 to 78 years). The cut-off values for IR were determined from the 90th percentile in the healthy group (n = 297) and, for MS, a ROC curve was generated for the total sample. RESULTS: In the healthy group, HOMA-IR indexes were associated with central obesity, triglycerides and total cholesterol (p < 0.001). The cut-off values for IR were: HOMA1-IR > 2.7 and HOMA2-IR > 1.8; and, for MS were: HOMA1-IR > 2.3 (sensitivity: 76.8 percent; specificity: 66.7 percent) and HOMA2-IR > 1.4 (sensitivity: 79.2 percent; specificity: 61.2 percent). CONCLUSION: The cut-off values identified for HOMA1-IR and HOMA2-IR indexes have a clinical and epidemiological application for identifying IR and MS in Westernized admixtured multi-ethnic populations.

OBJETIVO: Determinar pontos de corte para os índices HOMA1-IR e HOMA2-IR na identificação de resistência à insulina (RI) e síndrome metabólica (SM), além de investigar a associação de ambos os índices com os componentes da SM. MÉTODOS: Foram avaliados indivíduos não diabéticos (n = 1.203, 18 a 78 anos) participantes do Estudo Brasileiro de Síndrome Metabólica. Os pontos de corte para RI foram determinados com base no percentil 90 do grupo saudável (n = 297) e, para SM, foi construída uma curva receiver operating characteristic (ROC) para toda a amostra. RESULTADOS: No grupo saudável, os índices HOMA-IR associaram-se à obesidade central, aos triglicérides e ao colesterol total (p < 0,001). Os pontos de corte para RI foram: HOMA1-IR > 2,7 e HOMA2-IR > 1,8; e, para SM, foram: HOMA1-IR > 2,3 (sensibilidade: 76,8 por cento; especificidade: 66,7 por cento) e HOMA2-IR > 1,4 (sensibilidade: 79,2 por cento; especificidade: 61,2 por cento). CONCLUSÕES: Os pontos de corte identificados para os índices HOMA1-IR e HOMA2-IR possuem aplicação clínica e epidemiológica na identificação de RI e SM em populações miscigenadas multiétnicas ocidentalizadas.

Ingestäo de nutrientes da dieta habitual de pacientes obesos em ambulatório de obesidade / Nutrients ingestion by obese patients of an obesity ambulatory

Utilizando análise nutricional minuciosa, avaliamos a ingestlo calórica, a proporçäo de nutrientes e o consumo de calorias, colesterol e fibras em 282 pacientes obesos do Ambulatório de Obesidade do Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade Medicina da Universidade de Säo Paulo. Foi observado um elevado consumo de lípides e proteínas e uma proporçäo baixa no consumo de hidratos de carbono nesta populaçäo, de acordo com os critérios RDA. Observamos também baixo consumo de cálcio e fibras e alta ingestäo de colesterol.(au)