Cardiovascular Autonomic Reflex Tests and 7 Heart Rate Variability Indices for Early Diagnosis of Cardiovascular Autonomic Neuropathy in Type 2 Diabetes Individuals.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy (CAN) is a common complication of type 2 Diabetes mellitus (T2D), and prevalence varies according to the methodology used. CAN should be diagnosed in the subclinical stage when an intensive treatment of T2D could avoid the progression to irreversible phases. OBJECTIVE: Determine the prevalence of early involvement (EI) of CAN in T2D individuals comparing two methodologies. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study that included 183 T2D individuals who were monitored in a Tertiary centre. The diagnosis of CAN was based on the results of four cardiovascular autonomic reflex tests (CARTs: expiration-inspiration index, Valsalva maneuver, orthostatic test, and changes in blood pressure after standing) and of seven heart rate variability (7HRV) indices (CARTs plus the spectral analysis). The findings were validated in an independent cohort comprised of 562 T2D individuals followed in a Primary care setting. RESULTS: With the use of 7HRV, 30.6% and 77.8% of individuals in the Tertiary and in the Primary centers, respectively, were classified as without CAN; 25.1% and 15.3% as EI and 44.3% and 6.9% as definitive CAN, respectively. The use of CARTs decreased the proportion of individuals without CAN in both centers (7.1% and 47%) and increased the frequency of EI (30.6% and 36.6%) and definitive CAN (62.3% and 16.4%), respectively. The concordance between both evaluated methodologies was weak. CONCLUSION: Higher proportions of T2D individuals were diagnosed with EI and with definitive CAN with the use of CARTs.

Increased leukotriene B4 plasma concentration in type 2 diabetes individuals with cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: A low-grade inflammation is associated with cardiac autonomic neuropathy (CAN) and increased concentration of leukotriene B4 (LTB4) was found in individuals with type 1 diabetes and definitive CAN. This cross-sectional study evaluated plasma concentration of LTB4 and of other inflammatory mediators, namely, tumor necrosis factor (TNF), interleukin (IL)1B, and IL10 in individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and different degrees of CAN, and correlated these inflammatory mediators with the degree of glycemic control and with a surrogate marker of insulin resistance. METHODS: TNF, IL1B, IL10 and LTB4 plasma concentrations were measured in 129 T2D subjects (62% women with [median] age of 63 years, disease duration of 8 years and HbA1c of 7.3%) with or without CAN. The Lipid accumulation product index was used as a surrogate marker of insulin resistance. RESULTS: LTB4 concentration was significantly higher in those presenting incipient CAN (69.7 ± 16.6 pg mL-1) and definitive CAN (71.5 ± 15.7 pg mL-1) versus those without CAN (57.0 ± 13.9 pg mL-1). The groups without CAN and with incipient CAN were pooled (group without definitive CAN) and compared to those with definitive CAN. LTB4 concentration was higher in the latter group, as well as TNF concentration, while IL10 concentration was lower in this group. After adjustment for confounding variables, only LTB4 concentration remained significantly different between the groups with and without definitive CAN. Plasma concentration of LTB4 did not correlate with the degree of glycemic control. After sorting the participants by sex, a borderline weak correlation was found between LTB4 and the Lipid accumulation product index in women. CONCLUSION: In the T2D setting, circulating LTB4 concentration seems to be associated with cardiovascular dysautonomia.

Diabetic retinopathy screening in urban primary care setting with a handheld smartphone-based retinal camera.

AIMS: To evaluate diabetic retinopathy (DR) screening with a portable handheld smartphone-based retinal camera and telemedicine in an urban primary healthcare setting and to evaluate the learning curve for image acquisition, performed by healthcare personnel without previous experience in retinal imaging. METHODS: This was a prospective study that enrolled patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) followed at a primary healthcare unit in São Paulo, Brazil. After a brief training in image acquisition, there was further continuous feedback given by a retina specialist during the remote image reading process. Each patient underwent two fundus and one anterior ocular segment images per eye, after mydriasis. Patients were classified according to the need of referral. RESULTS: A total of 627 adult individuals with T2DM underwent retinal evaluation. The population was composed by 63.2% female individuals, age median of 66 years, diabetes duration 10.7 ± 8.2 years and HbA1c 7.7 ± 1.9% (61 + 20.8 mmol/mol). The most prevalent associated comorbidities were arterial hypertension (80.3%) and dyslipidemia (50.2%). Referral decision was possible in 81.2% patients. Most patients had absent or non-referable DR; the main ocular media opacity detected was cataract. After the 7th day of image acquisition, the daily rate of patients whose images allowed clinical decision was maintained above 80%. A higher HbA1c was associated with referable DR. CONCLUSIONS: A low-cost DR screening strategy with a handheld device and telemedicine is feasible and has the potential to increase coverage of DR screening in underserved areas; the possibility of mobile units is relevant for DR screening in the context of COVID-19 pandemic. Daily rate of patients whose examinations allowed clinical decision. X-axis: day of examination; Y-axis: rate (%) of patients whose examinations allowed a clinical decision.