Obese African American Women Face Greater Risk of Depression
CHICAGO (EGMN) - The odds of comorbid depression are 41% greater in obese than in nonobese African American women, according to a large national study....
Food and Drug Administration Approves Revised Indication, New Claims for Ranolazine Label
The Food and Drug Administration has approved a revised indication and several label additions for the angina drug ranolazine, including a statement that the drug reduced hemoglobin A...
Endocrine Society Suggests Strategies to Prevent Diabetes and Heart Disease
A new clinical practice guideline from the Endocrine Society gives clinicians strategies to keep type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease at bay in adults with metabolic risk factors. ...
A Major Setback for Obesity Treatment
New classes of drugs are needed urgently for the treatment of obesity, metabolic syndrome, prediabetes, and diabetes. The class of drugs represented by taranabant (Merck and Co.) and rimonabant (Sanofi-Aventis) have been very promising for the treatment of obesity, as well as for several other aspects of the metabolic syndrome, and diabetes. These cannabinoid receptors, type 1 (CB1) or alpha-1 cannabinoid receptor blockers have multiple effects both in the central nervous system and peripherally. They induce a very effective sustained weight loss - better than most if not all other classes of drugs for the treatment of obesity - with concomitant improvement in glycemia, blood pressure, and lipids. ...
Thyroid Mimetics for Lipid Lowering, Metabolic Syndrome, and Obesity
CHICAGO (EGMN) - A new generation of oral selective thyroid hormone receptor agonists shows promise for the treatment of dyslipidemia, obesity, and metabolic syndrome....
Intraoperative Glycemic Control Affects Outcomes of Orthotopic Liver Transplant
ORLANDO (EGMN) - Intraoperative glucose levels were often "undesirably high" among orthotopic liver transplant recipients in a 5-year, retrospective study at Tufts Medical Center in Boston. ...
Laser Plus Corticosteroid Treatment Aids in Diabetic Retinopathy With Macular Edema
Laser photocoagulation plus intravitreal triamcinolone injection led to better visual acuity and positive macular changes than did photocoagulation alone in patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy and macular edema, according to a small randomized study....
Evidence-Based Strategy Unveiled to Battle Pediatric Bulge
A new guideline issued by the Endocrine Society offers evidence-based recommendations that clinicians can use to combat the growing problem of childhood obesity in the United States....
Future Dyslipidemia Treatments Expected to Continue LDL Focus
CHICAGO (EGMN) - LDL cholesterol lowering using statins will remain the main focus of cardiovascular prevention in the next generation of clinical practice guidelines, according to one expert. ...
MS Disability At Diagnosis and Diagnostic Delay Linked to Comorbidities
Obesity, smoking, and physical and mental comorbidities delayed the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis and were associated with a greater degree of disability at the time of diagnosis in a study of nearly 9,000 individuals enrolled in a multiple sclerosis registry....
Components of Metabolic Syndrome Independently Predict Mortality
Each of four risk factors associated with metabolic syndrome was an independent predictor of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, based on results from a study of more than 35,000 Taiwanese adults aged 40 years and older....
Pramlintide-Metreleptin Increases Weight Loss in Proof-of-Concept Trial
PHOENIX (EGMN) - An experimental combination of amylin and leptin analogs helped overweight and obese people lose weight while reducing food cravings in a 24-week proof-of-concept trial presented at the annual meeting of the Obesity Society....
Metformin May Be Cardioprotective, Meta-Analysis Suggests
Among oral diabetes medications, only metformin appears possibly to be cardioprotective, and only rosiglitazone appears possibly to harm the cardiovascular system, according to a meta-analysis of 40 studies. ...
Elevated Liver Enzyme in Obesity Is Not Necessarily Fatty Liver Disease
ORLANDO (EGMN) - Consider a diagnosis other than nonalcoholic fatty liver disease when an obese child or adolescent presents with elevated levels of the liver enzyme alanine aminotransferase, a retrospective study suggests. ...
Trial Supports Use of Supplement in Vitamin D-Depleted Gastric Bypass Patients
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. (EGMN) - Vitamin D depletion in morbidly obese women who undergo laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass can be resolved within about 3 months after starting weekly pharmacologic doses of the vitamin, according to the findings of a randomized trial....
Liraglutide Beats Orlistat in Weight Loss
PHOENIX (EGMN) - Liraglutide, an investigational drug given once a day, produced significantly more weight loss than orlistat in a randomized, 20-week, placebo-controlled trial conducted in obese patients who for the most part were not diabetic....
Guidelines Offer Type 2 Diabetes Treatment Pathway
The newly revised type 2 diabetes treatment algorithm released jointly by the American Diabetes Association and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes is expected to help clarify decisions about current therapeutic options....
Duodenal Exclusion Surgery Treats Nonobese Patients With Type 2 Diabetes
ROME (EGMN) - Duodenal-jejunal exclusion surgery produced significant reductions in fasting and postprandial glucose levels, hemoglobin A...
Investigational Drug Bests Approved Weight-Loss Treatments
Tesofensine, an investigational agent that inhibits the presynaptic uptake of noradrenaline, dopamine, and serotonin, produced twice the weight loss of currently approved obesity drugs in a 6-month phase II study....
Predictors of Acute Renal Failure After General Surgery Identified
ORLANDO (EGMN) - About a 1% incidence of acute renal failure can be expected following general surgery, and researchers have identified independent risk predictors that may help clinicians determine which patients are most likely to experience this outcome. ...
Eating Quickly, Until Full Increases Risk of Overweight, Study Finds
People who eat quickly and until full are significantly more likely to be overweight than are those who do not exhibit those behaviors, according to a Japanese study published online Oct. 22 in BMJ....
Guidelines Exist on Monitoring Cardiometabolic Risk
CHICAGO (EGMN) - Psychiatrists need to understand that the operational details of monitoring cardiometabolic status in patients on antipsychotics - a task they are now expected to perform - are already spelled out in national guidelines, including the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III and the American Diabetes Association/American Psychiatric Association consensus guidelines....
Comorbidities Pose Treatment Challenge in Psoriasis Patients
PARIS (EGMN) - Treating patients with psoriasis should include diagnosing and managing comorbidities that are commonly associated with the disease, said Dr. Wolfram Sterry....
Sibutramine Maintenance Keeps Weight Off for 2 Years --Not Longer
PHOENIX (EGMN) - Sibutramine helped people who had lost substantial amounts of weight maintain much of their weight loss for 2 years in a multicenter, double-blind, randomized trial. By 3 years, however, they had regained about as much as a control group on placebo....
CORRECTION Subclinical Thyroid Dysfunction Increases Cardiovascular, All-Cause Mortality
An article titled "Subclinical Thyroid Dysfunction Increases Cardiovascular, All-Cause Mortality" (published October 8, 2008) misstated the definition of subclinical hypothyroidism. The condition is defined as an abnormally high serum TSH level in the presence of normal serum free T4 and total or free T3....
Disappointing Gastric Banding Results Seen After 10 Years
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. (EGMN) - Treatment failure with laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding occurred in nearly half of all patients who received the procedure during 10 years of follow-up, according to a review of a consecutive series of patients at one center....
Oral Test Identifies Abnormal Glucose Tolerance in PCOS Patients
ROME (EGMN) - Oral glucose tolerance testing identified abnormal glucose metabolism in 10% more patients with polycystic ovary syndrome than did fasting glucose tests alone, a study has found....
Greater BMD Loss Seen in Men With Diabetes
MONTREAL (EGMN) - Loss of bone mineral density over time appears to be more severe in older men with type 2 diabetes than in older men without diabetes, even though men with diabetes have higher average bone mineral density at baseline, according to 4 years of follow-up data from a prospective study....
Two Glucose Tests Flag Diabetes in Acute Care Setting
The combination of fasting and admission plasma glucose tests was a useful initial screening tool to identify diabetes in patients with acute coronary syndrome, according to a study of 140 patients admitted to a coronary care unit....
Visual Impairment Is More Common in People With Diabetes
The prevalence of visual impairment is higher among people with diabetes than in those without the disease, according to a report in the October issue of the Archives of Ophthalmology....
HHS Issues Physical Activity Guidelines
Adults who engage in at least 2.5 hours of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise each week and children who are physically active for 1 hour a day can realize "substantial" health benefits, according to new guidelines from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. ...
NEW YORK (EGMN) - Patient-centered management and early, aggressive treatment of hypertension is necessary in patients with diabetes to address the sevenfold mortality increase in this patient population, according to an updated guidance from the American Society of Hypertension. ...
Beta-Cell Abnormalities Herald Signs of Type 2 Diabetes Risk in Obese Teens
LOS ANGELES (EGMN) - Impaired beta-cell function appears to be one of the earliest signs of type 2 diabetes risk in obese adolescents, according to a study of 60 obese but otherwise healthy teens....
Early, Aggressive Insulin Therapy Improves Glycemic Control for Type 2 Diabetes Patients
Early, aggressive insulin therapy is probably the optimal treatment for patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes who present with severe hyperglycemia, providing better short-term glycemic control and beta-cell recovery than a regimen of oral antidiabetes drugs, a study has found....
Long-Term Outlook Improving for Patients With Type 1 Diabetes
ROME (EGMN) - The long-term outlook for patients with type 1 diabetes today is improving substantially and is projected to improve further now that intensive therapy is used more widely. ...
For Diabetic Athletes, Optimal Glucose Control Is Key to Sports Performance
KEYSTONE, Colo. (EGMN) - Diabetic athletes seeking the next competitive level should seriously consider using a continuous glucose monitor, according to two speakers at a conference on the management of diabetes in youth....
Subclinical Thyroid Dysfunction Increases Cardiovascular, All-Cause Mortality
CHICAGO (EGMN) - Subclinical hyperthyroidism significantly increases the risks of both cardiovascular and all-cause mortality, according to a prospective Brazilian cohort study....
GAD Immunotherapy May Help Preserve Insulin Secretion in Type 1 Diabetes
Immunotherapy with glutamic acid decarboxylase may help preserve residual insulin secretion in children with recent-onset type 1 diabetes, according to a report published online Oct. 8 in the New England Journal of Medicine....
Track Occurrence in Bid to Prevent Delayed-Onset Hypoglycemia in Diabetic Athletes
KEYSTONE, Colo. (EGMN) - Delayed-onset hypoglycemia can become a concern in patients with type 1 diabetes after high-intensity or prolonged exercise, according to diabetes counselor Gary Scheiner....
Bariatric Surgery Leads to Normalization of Abnormal QTc in Obese Men
PHOENIX (EGMN) - Weight loss following bariatric bypass surgery lowered heart rates and resolved most QTc abnormalities in the electrocardiograms of 100 patients in a retrospective study presented at the annual scientific meeting of the Obesity Society....
Antipsychotics Linked to Adverse Metabolic, Cardiovascular Events in Children
Antipsychotic medications are associated with adverse metabolic and cardiovascular events in children and adolescents who are treated in usual-care settings, according to a report in the October issue of the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine. ...
Retinopathy Risk Higher With Earlier Onset Type 2 Diabetes
Patients with younger-onset type 2 diabetes showed a significantly greater prevalence and severity of retinopathy, compared with older-onset patients, according to a large, retrospective study....
Orlistat Makes Little Impact on Metabolic Syndrome in Obese Adolescents
PHOENIX (EGMN) - Orlistat produced modest weight loss in extremely obese adolescents but failed to reverse comorbidities associated with metabolic syndrome in a randomized, placebo-controlled trial conducted by the National Institutes of Health....
Quick-Release Bromocriptine Reduces HbA1c in Type 2 Diabetes Patients Taking Other Oral Agents
ROME (EGMN) - An investigational quick-release formulation of bromocriptine significantly reduced hemoglobin A...
Metabolic Risk Varies in Obese Individuals
Metabolic risk factors can vary widely among similarly obese individuals, which suggests that obesity is merely one of the factors contributing to insulin resistance and cardiovascular disease, according to the findings of an observational study....
English Parents and Children Respond Positively to Weight Feedback
Parents were receptive to feedback from physicians about their children's weights-even if the child was overweight-and this feedback had no significant negative impact on the parents or the children, based on results from questionnaires given to more than 500 English parents and children....
High BMI Lowers Detection of Fetal Abnormalities
CHICAGO (EGMN) - High maternal body mass index decreases the ability to detect fetal abnormalities with standard or targeted second-trimester ultrasound, a retrospective study of more than 10,000 examinations has shown....
Intensive Lifestyle Intervention Reaps Benefits in Obese Diabetic Patients With Metabolic Syndrome
MUNICH (EGMN) - Obese type 2 diabetes patients with metabolic syndrome saw dramatic improvements in cardiac function and multiple cardiovascular risk factors after only 3 weeks in a German pilot study of an intensive lifestyle modification program including aerobic exercise and a low glycemic and insulinemic diet....
Study Finds Liraglutide Monotherapy Provides Safe and Effective Glycemic Control
Monotherapy with liraglutide resulted in significantly better glycemic control over 52 weeks, with a low rate of hypoglycemia, than monotherapy with oral glimepiride, a study has found. ...
High Rates of Undiagnosed Diabetes, Hypertension Plague Those Taking Antipsychotics
BARCELONA (EGMN) - More than 20% of patients taking antipsychotic medications for schizophrenia were at risk for diabetes, more than 30% had undiagnosed hyperlipidemia, and more than 50% had undiagnosed hypertension, a large European epidemiologic study has found....
FDA Seeks Halt to Marketing of Ophthalmic Salts and Papain Drugs
The Food and Drug Administration said on Sept. 23 that it intends to take enforcement action against the manufacturers of certain ophthalmic balanced salt solutions and topical drugs containing papain if they do not seek and receive formal agency approval to market the products....
Expert Opinions Differ on Bariatric Surgery for Type 2 Diabetes
NEW YORK (EGMN) - Consensus on the role of bariatric surgery for patients with type 2 diabetes remains elusive, with advocates citing high rates of diabetes resolution and improved survival, and opponents, while acknowledging potential benefits, urging caution until more long-term data are available....
Metabolic Syndrome Is Common Among Clozapine Patients
BARCELONA (EGMN) - Metabolic syndrome was present in 61% of patients with schizophrenia who took clozapine, a Dutch observational study has shown....
Absorbed Faster, Intranasal Exenatide Produces Therapeutic Concentrations Similar to Injectable
ROME (EGMN) - Intranasal administration of exenatide produced therapeutic plasma concentrations similar to those of the current injectable formulation but with faster absorption, according to the results of a study involving 20 patients with type 2 diabetes who were taking at least one other glucose-lowering agent. ...
Intensive Insulin Therapy Cuts Hypertension Risk in Type 1 Diabetes
Intensive insulin therapy decreases the risk for incident hypertension by 20% in patients with type 1 diabetes, according to a report in the Sept. 22 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine. ...
Hypoglycemia Unawareness Intervention Helps Control Blood Glucose
WASHINGTON (EGMN) - Some diabetes patients are unaware of the signs of hypoglycemia, and teaching them about it can aid in blood glucose control, according to results from a small study. ...
Youth With Type 2 Diabetes Have Three Times CV Risk Factors Than Do Counterparts
ROME (EGMN) - Youth with type 2 diabetes had an average of nearly three cardiovascular risk factors each, compared with just one among healthy controls in an analysis of 295 participants in a large, multicenter, U.S. case-control study....
Two Oral Insulins Shown to Lower Blood Sugar in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes
ROME (EGMN) - Two novel oral insulin formulations significantly reduced postprandial glucose levels in studies of patients with type 2 diabetes. ...
MPI SPECT Screening for Ischemia Is Unjustified in Asymptomatic Diabetics
BOSTON (EGMN) - Screening asymptomatic diabetes patients for ischemia using advanced imaging does not improve their 5-year prognosis for coronary events, compared with standard care, study results have shown....
Food and Drug Administration Blocks Imports of Ranbaxy Generics
The Food and Drug Administration on Sept. 16 said it would not allow generic drugs made by Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd. at two of its Indian manufacturing plants to cross U.S. borders, citing an extensive history of manufacturing violations at those facilities....
Sitagliptin Plus Metformin Shows 2-Year Benefit for Blood Glucose
ROME (EGMN) - A 1.7% reduction in hemoglobin A...
Review Compares Premixed Insulin Analogues With Other Antidiabetic Agents
Premixed insulin analogues and premixed human insulin provide similar glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes. In addition, premixed analogues provide tighter glycemic control but cause more hypoglycemia, compared with long-acting insulin analogues and non-insulin antidiabetic agents....
Athletic Club Succeeds as Resource for Diabetes Risk Reduction
The YMCA may be an effective outlet for community-based diabetes prevention, based on data from a pilot study of 92 adults who were at risk for developing type 2 diabetes....
Gastric Bypass Is Less Effective in Patients With Diabetes, Larger Pouch Size
Among patients undergoing gastric bypass, those with diabetes and those with larger pouch sizes are the least likely to achieve sustained and meaningful weight loss, according to a report in the September issue of the Archives of Surgery. ...
Metformin May Reduce Morbidity and Mortality in Heart Failure
MUNICH (EGMN) - Metformin-treated diabetic patients with heart failure had strikingly lower morbidity and mortality than did those on oral sulfonylureas, in a long-term observational study....
Revascularization Options for Complex Coronary Disease Pose a Trade-Off
MUNICH (EGMN) - Will patients who need coronary revascularization rather face a small increased risk of a stroke or a larger risk for a repeat procedure within a few months?...
Candesartan Has DIRECT Effects on Diabetic Retinopathy
ROME (EGMN) - Candesartan helped prevent the development of new retinopathy in patients with type 1 diabetes, and prevented worsening eye disease in patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, data from an international study program showed. This was true even though the primary end points of the individual studies were not met. ...
Efficacy of Coronary Stents in Diabetics Suggested in Small Study
MUNICH (EGMN) - Patients with diabetes who received coronary stents fared just as well as similar patients who underwent coronary bypass surgery in a randomized study with 510 patients with 1 year of follow-up....
Telmisartan Fails to TRANSCEND Cardiovascular Events, Diabetes
MUNICH (EGMN) - The disappointing performance of the angiotensin receptor blocker telmisartan for prevention of cardiovascular events and new-onset diabetes in the nearly 6,000-patient TRANSCEND trial leaves the ACE inhibitors securely ensconced as agents of choice, cardiologists agreed at the annual congress of the European Society of Cardiology. ...
Liraglutide Plus Metformin and Rosiglitazone Cut HbA1c, Body Weight, and Blood Pressure
ROME (EGMN) - The investigational, once-daily, human glucagon-like peptide-1 analog, liraglutide, produced a 1.5 percentage point drop in hemoglobin A...
Early-Onset Type 1 Diabetes Linked to Lower Cognitive Scores in Children
Children with early-onset type 1 diabetes have lower cognitive scores, compared with children without diabetes and those with later-onset type 1 diabetes, according to a meta-analysis reported in the September 2008 issue of Diabetes Care....
Intensive Glucose Control Little Benefit to Eyes, Renal Outcomes in Older Diabetics
ROME (EGMN) - Eye and renal complications were no less frequent in older, difficult-to-treat patients with type 2 diabetes who were randomized to intensive rather than standard glucose control in the Veterans Affairs Diabetes Trial....
Continuous Glucose Monitoring in Pregnancy Associated with Decreased Macrosomia Risk
ROME (EGMN) - Continuous glucose monitoring during pregnancy was linked to a significant reduction in median birth weight and macrosomia risk in a study of 71 women with type 1 or type 2 diabetes....
Patient Access to Interactive Online Health Records Fails to Improve Diabetes Outcomes at 1 Year
Primary care physicians are more likely to adjust medications for patients with diabetes who are given interactive, online access to their personal health records before an appointment, compared with a control group, according to a randomized trial. However, clinical outcomes at 1 year-including glycemic control, blood pressure, and LDL cholesterol levels-did not differ significantly between the groups....
Implanted Electrical Device Reduces Weight, Hemoglobin A1c in Type 2 Diabetic Patients
ROME (EGMN) - Mean hemoglobin A...
Pilot Study Shows Beneficial Effect of Grape Seed Extract in Diabetes
ROME (EGMN) - Grape seed extract significantly improved inflammatory and metabolic markers in a 4-week double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled pilot study of 32 patients with type 2 diabetes who were at high risk for cardiovascular disease. ...
Continuous Monitoring May Improve Glucose Control in Adults with Type 1 Diabetes
Continuous glucose monitoring was associated with significantly improved glycemic control in type 1 diabetes, compared with home monitoring with a glucose meter, but only in adults aged 25 years or older, according to the results of a recent randomized, controlled clinical trial....
Fitness Sharply Reduces Mortality Risk in High-BMI Diabetic Men
MUNICH (EGMN) - Middle-aged men with type 2 diabetes can reduce their long-term mortality risk by roughly 14% for each 1-MET increase they achieve in peak exercise capacity through improved physical fitness, according to a large epidemiologic study....
Bariatric Surgery Linked to Improved Perinatal Outcomes
Obese women who undergo bariatric surgery have better perinatal outcomes than those who do not have the surgery, according to findings from a retrospective comparison study. ...
Fight Inertia in Diabetes Care With Performance Feedback
WASHINGTON (EGMN) - Physicians and other health care providers who take care of diabetes patients can easily suffer from "clinical inertia," but performance feedback might help improve their performance, according to one diabetes expert....
Meta-Analysis Shows Pioglitazone Reduces Ischemic Cardiovascular Events
MUNICH (EGMN) - Treating type 2 diabetic patients with the insulin-sensitizing drug pioglitazone conferred a highly significant 17% reduction in ischemic cardiovascular events, according to a large meta-analysis. ...
Pramlintide Plus Lifestyle Intervention Promotes Weight Loss at 1 Year
Pramlintide treatment combined with lifestyle intervention resulted in sustained weight loss at 12 months in a single-blind, placebo-controlled extension study. ...
Ivabradine Reduces Coronary Events in Patients With High Resting Heart Rate
MUNICH (EGMN) - The antianginal drug ivabradine reduced acute myocardial infarctions and need for coronary revascularization in patients with coronary artery disease, left ventricular dysfunction, and a resting heart rate of 70 beats per minute or more in the 11,000-patient BEAUTIFUL trial....
Diabetic Women Less Likely to Achieve LDL and BP Targets, Even With the Same Prescriptions
WASHINGTON (EGMN) - Significantly fewer diabetic women than men achieved target LDL cholesterol and blood pressure levels despite equivalent medication prescriptions in a study of 211 underserved inner-city and rural patients. ...
Obesity Plus Diabetes Sharply Increases Risk of Cardiovascular Disease
Obese men and women who have diabetes also face an extraordinarily high risk of cardiovascular disease, according to a retrospective study....
One-Hour Glucose Concentration Predicts Type 2 Diabetes
A 1-hour plasma glucose concentration higher than 155 mg/dL measured during an oral glucose tolerance test, plus the presence of the metabolic syndrome, strongly predicts future risk for type 2 diabetes in subjects with normal glucose tolerance, according to the results of a large population-based epidemiologic study....
Meal Replacements Produce Weight Loss, Medical Benefit
WASHINGTON (EGMN) - What is a safe, drug-free, and effective method for treating obesity and its comorbidities in patients with diabetes or those at risk for it? Tell them to try prepackaged, nutritionally balanced, and calorie-controlled meal replacements....
Tubeless Insulin Pump System Found Safe, Effective in Clinical Practice
WASHINGTON (EGMN) - The tubeless OmniPod insulin delivery system was generally well tolerated, safe, and effective in improving mean hemoglobin A...
Colesevelam Aids Glycemic Control in Type 2 Diabetes
Despite the increased recognition that controlling hyperglycemia and cholesterol levels improves outcomes in type 2 diabetes, two-thirds of patients do not reach the goal recommended by the American Diabetes Association of a hemoglobin A...
Tight Glucose Control Not Beneficial, Possibly Harmful for Critically Ill
Tight glucose control does not benefit critically ill patients and may even be harmful because it markedly raises the risk of hypoglycemia, according to a meta-analysis in the August 27 issue of JAMA. ...
Dual-Wave Bolus Reduces Postprandial Glycemia in Children on Insulin Pumps
Using a dual-wave bolus before low glycemic index meals reduced postprandial glycemia area under the curve by 47% in children with type 1 diabetes who used insulin pumps, based on results from a study of 20 children and teens aged 8-18 years published in the August issue of Diabetes Care....
How to Discourage Diabetes Patients From Checking Their Blood Glucose
WASHINGTON (EGMN) - "It's almost as if [health care providers] have a secret strategy for discouraging people" from monitoring their blood glucose levels, according to William Polonsky, Ph.D. ...
Saxagliptin With Metformin Improves Glycemic Control in Type 2 Diabetes
WASHINGTON (EGMN) - Once-daily saxagliptin added to metformin resulted in statistically significant reductions in hemoglobin A...
CORRECTION FDA Panel Agrees Cardiovascular Outcomes Data Needed for Type 2 Diabetes Drugs
The story "FDA Panel Agrees Cardiovascular Outcomes Data Needed for Type 2 Diabetes Drugs" (published July 11, 2008) should have stated that people with type 2 diabetes have a two- to fourfold greater risk of cardiovascular mortality, compared with patients without diabetes....
Benefits of Continuous Glucose Monitoring Revealed in Real-World Setting
WASHINGTON (EGMN) - Use of continuous glucose monitoring appeared to significantly improve diabetes control, reduce the incidence of hypoglycemia, and diminish levels of diabetes-associated stress among patients surveyed at one diabetes center....
Diverse Educational Approaches Needed to Meet the Needs of CGM Users
WASHINGTON (EGMN) - Users of continuous glucose monitoring are a surprisingly diverse group, so different approaches may be needed for different types of patients, said Becky Sulik, a certified diabetes educator....
Anemia, Renal Impairment Boost Post-PCI Mortality
TORONTO (EGMN) - Both anemia and renal impairment raise the risk of death in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary interventions....
Carotid Endarterectomy Can Be Safe Even With Multiple Comorbidities
Multiple medical comorbidities, including coronary artery disease and diabetes, should not be used as exclusion criteria for carotid endarterectomy, according to a retrospective study showing good results in veterans undergoing the procedure at a single facility....
Normal Levels of Arsenic in Water Linked to Type 2 Diabetes
Low and moderate levels of inorganic arsenic in drinking water, which are common in areas of the western, midwestern, and northeastern United States, correlate with the prevalence of type 2 diabetes, according to a report in the Aug. 20 issue of JAMA. ...
Obesity Linked to Higher Morbidity After Coronary Artery Bypass
TORONTO (EGMN) - Obesity was linked to an increased risk for postsurgical complications in a study of more than 11,000 patients who underwent coronary bypass surgery....
The Food and Drug Administration warned physicians on Aug. 18 to immediately discontinue use of exenatide if pancreatitis is suspected, saying that it has received reports of six cases of necrotizing or hemorrhagic pancreatitis - including two deaths - since October 2007....
Modern Diabetes Management Program Goes From Academic Medical Center to Community Hospital
WASHINGTON (EGMN) - A program for inpatient diabetes care that reflects current management approaches was successfully exported from an academic medical center to a neighboring inner-city community hospital, resulting in improved measures of diabetes care and education. ...
Even Temporary Weight Loss Helps New Type 2 Diabetic Patients
Weight loss in the years immediately following a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes is associated with significant, long-term improvement in glycemic and blood pressure control even if the weight is later regained back to baseline levels, according to a retrospective cohort study of 3-year weight trajectory patterns published online Aug. 12 in Diabetes Care....
Atrioventricular Block Boosted in Patients With Diabetes
TORONTO (EGMN) - Patients with diabetes have an unexpected, increased risk of developing third-degree atrioventricular block, according to a review of almost 14 million people during 1992 and 2002....
Protocol Endorsed for Diabetic Foot Care by ADA
A simple protocol can assess the diabetic foot for the presence of predisposing factors for ulcerations and amputation, and can be used to guide treatment, according to recommendations developed by an American Diabetes Association task force....
Central Adiposity Better Than BMI as Predictor of Cerebrovascular Events
Measures of abdominal adiposity appear to be better predictors of stroke or transient ischemic attack than does body mass index, based on a German study of more than 1,100 individuals....
Emerging Data Link Psoriasis to Certain Comorbidities
SAN DIEGO (EGMN) - Emerging scientific data on adults with psoriasis suggest that certain comorbidities, including metabolic syndrome and myocardial infarction, may accompany the disease....
Investigational Activator of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Improves Neuropathy
SAN FRANCISCO (EGMN) - An experimental injectable formulation of a plasmid that activates vascular endothelial growth factor improved neurologic end points in a phase IB study of 42 patients with diabetic neuropathy. ...
Helpful Resources for Diabetic Patients With Celiac Disease
KEYSTONE, Colo. (EGMN) - Many type 1 diabetic patients with comorbid celiac disease say the celiac disease is actually the harder of the two to deal with, according to a presentation at a conference on the management of diabetes in youth....
Study Links Poor Coordination in Childhood With Adult Obesity
People who are judged as clumsy as children are significantly more likely to grow up to be obese adults, according to an analysis of data from a British longitudinal study published online in BMJ Aug. 13....
Serial Celiac Screening Urged in All Type 1 Diabetes Patients
KEYSTONE, Colo. (EGMN) - All patients with new-onset type 1 diabetes should be screened for serologic evidence of celiac disease in the form of IgA tissue transglutaminase autoantibodies and, if seronegative and asymptomatic, screened again at least biannually until age 10 years, according to Dr. Marian Rewers....
Mild Cognitive Impairment Tied to Diabetes Duration and Complications
Mild cognitive impairment correlates with earlier onset of type 2 diabetes, its complications, and longer duration of the disease, according to a population-based case-control study of nearly 2,000 elderly subjects....
Once-Weekly Statin Regimen Avoids Adverse Effects
TORONTO (EGMN) - A once-a-week dose of rosuvastatin was at least partially effective and tolerable for 37 patients who previously had been unable to stay on statin therapy because of adverse effects....
Obesity Affects Nocturnal Blood Pressure Dipping
NEW ORLEANS (EGMN) - Obesity blunts the normal pattern of nocturnal blood pressure dipping, and this might be one mechanism through which obesity contributes to adverse cardiovascular outcomes, findings from a recent study suggest....
Researchers Outline Necessary Steps Toward Creation of an Artificial Pancreas
BETHESDA, Md. (EGMN) - Diabetes researchers are slowly getting closer to realizing one of their biggest goals: creating an artifical pancreas....
Long Roux Limb May Be Best for Weight Loss
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. (EGMN) - Longer Roux limbs may yield significantly greater weight loss to patients undergoing Roux-en-Y gastric bypass than do shorter Roux limbs, regardless of the patients' initial body mass index, according to a retrospective series....
Current Screening Recommendations for Prediabetes in Obese Children Are Deemed Inadequate
ESTES PARK, Colo. (EGMN) - A 2-hour oral glucose tolerance test is far more sensitive than the standard fasting blood glucose test in identifying obese children at increased risk for type 2 diabetes or metabolic syndrome....
Quick-Release Bromocriptine Formulation Benefits CVD Outcome in Diabetes Patients
SAN FRANCISCO (EGMN) - An investigational quick-release formulation of bromocriptine mesylate produced a 42% reduction in a prespecified combined end point of myocardial infarction, stroke, coronary revascularization, or hospitalization for heart failure or angina in a 52-week study of more than 3,000 patients with type 2 diabetes....
Short REM Sleep Linked to Overweight in Children, Teens
Shortened sleep duration, particularly shortened REM sleep, is associated with overweight in children and adolescents, according to a report in the August issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry....
Taking a Bite Out of the Childhood Obesity Epidemic
ESTES PARK, Colo. (EGMN) - Family physicians can make a difference in the childhood obesity epidemic by using a simple, family-centered program that is created with their busy office practice schedules in mind....
Diagnostic Challenge Acrodermatitis Chronica Atrophicans Associated With Lyme Disease
A 57-year-old woman had a 1-year history of a purplish discoloration of her hand that was edematous and sensitive to touch. She reported a history of Raynaud's phenomenon and bilateral tendonitis, which was treated with a cortisone injection into her wrist. Her only history of allergy was a local reaction to procaine. The patient is retired from the Department of Homeland Security, where she worked on the Vermont/Canadian border....
Gastric Bypass May Reduce Rate of Urinary Incontinence
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. (EGMN) - Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass appears to rapidly resolve urinary incontinence morbidly obese women, according to the findings of a recent prospective study....
Best Treatment Unclear for Disordered Eating in Type 1 Diabetes
KEYSTONE, Colo. (EGMN) - Identifying adolescent type 1 diabetes patients with eating disorders is a lot easier than figuring out how to help them, according to several experts....
Watch for Early Warning Signs of Disturbed Eating in Diabetic Youth
KEYSTONE, Colo. (EGMN) - Red flags for disturbed eating behavior in adolescent girls with type 1 diabetes include a persistently high glycosylated hemoglobin level, frequent episodes of diabetic ketoacidosis, and behaviors such as skipping insulin doses or underdosing in order to control weight, according to one expert....
Mechanisms of Insulin Resistance, Metabolic Syndrome, Differ in RA, Lupus, and General Population
DESTIN, Fla. (EGMN) - The prevalence of metabolic syndrome is increased in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, compared with the general population, as is the prevalence of insulin resistance, data from numerous studies show....
Predictors Identified for Eating Disorders in Type 1 Diabetes
KEYSTONE, Colo. (EGMN) - Significant predictors of the onset of disturbed eating behavior within the next several years in girls with type 1 diabetes include concerns with weight and shape, a higher body mass index, depressive symptoms, and poor self-esteem - both globally and specifically with regard to physical appearance, according to a new prospective study....
Practice Stages Weight Loss Contest as Incentive to Employees
Dr. John K. Randall staged a weight loss contest for employees as a way to encourage them to embrace a healthful lifestyle and to keep a lid on health insurance premium rates, which have been increasing by 15%-18% each year....
Encourage Moderate Aerobic Fitness Level for All African American Women
NEW ORLEANS (EGMN) - Moderate aerobic fitness has a significant beneficial effect on various components of metabolic syndrome in nondiabetic overweight or obese African American women, a recent study shows....
Prepregnancy Diabetes Triples Risk of Birth Defects
Women who are diagnosed with diabetes prior to pregnancy are three to four times more likely to have a child with birth defects, compared with women who don't have diabetes prior to pregnancy, based on results from a study of more than 15,000 live births published online July 30 in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. ...
Hyperglycemia Associated With Cardiac Risk
SAN FRANCISCO (EGMN) - Hyperglycemia and ethnicity each were independently associated with a greater risk for cardiovascular problems in a large, prospective study of 48,444 New Zealanders....
Fruits, Vegetables Cut Diabetes Risk
Plasma vitamin C level as well as fruit and vegetable intake shows a "striking" inverse relation with the risk of developing diabetes, according to a prospective study reported in the July 28 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine. ...
Exercise Crucial to Maintaining Weight Loss in Women
Women who lose 10% or more of their body weight through diet and exercise must engage in 275 minutes per week of physical activity to maintain that weight loss beyond the initial 6 months, according to a report in the July 28 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine. ...
Diabetic Ketoacidosis Source of Recurring Hospitalizations in Young Diabetes Patients
KEYSTONE, Colo. (EGMN) - If it seems like the same handful of patients in your practice are hospitalized again and again for diabetic ketoacidosis, you're not imagining things, Dr. Robert Slover said at a conference on the management of diabetes in youth....
Real-Time Bedside Blood Ketone Monitoring Hailed
KEYSTONE, Colo. (EGMN) - A unique handheld device for real-time monitoring of blood beta-hydroxybutyrate provides a significant advance over traditional urine ketone testing in the early diagnosis and management of diabetic ketoacidosis, an emergency department physician reported....
Hypoglycemia Can Induce Visual Disturbances in Patients With Diabetes
SAN FRANCISCO (EGMN) - Visual disturbances - including blurred vision, floaters, central scotoma, and even complete loss of vision - can be a symptom of hypoglycemia in some patients with diabetes, according to Dr. Mukhtar Khan....
Stepwise Progress Made Toward an Artificial Pancreas
KEYSTONE, Colo. (EGMN) - Regulatory approval of a closed-loop medical equipment-based artificial pancreas will probably come in stages - and the first piece to get the nod will likely be automatic shutoff of an insulin pump in response to a continuous glucose monitor's nighttime warning of a pending low blood sugar level, Dr. H. Peter Chase predicted....
Diabetes Not an Independent Risk Factor for Early Adverse Outcomes After CABG
Diabetes is not an independent risk factor for adverse early outcomes after coronary artery bypass grafting surgery, according to a large, retrospective study of patients who underwent the procedure over a 10-year period at a single institution. ...
Most U.S. Medical Students Reject Careers in Diabetes Care
SAN FRANCISCO (EGMN) - In a survey of more than 500 students at 47 U.S. medical schools, only 1.3% expressed an interest in endocrinology and only three of those seven students said they wanted to pursue diabetes care....
Presence of Nephropathy Is an Indicator of Poor Diabetic Foot Outcomes
An initially successful healing rate in patients who were hospitalized with diabetic foot ulcers did not lead to comparable long-term outcomes in a prospective study of 94 consecutive patients. ...
Low Bone Mineral Density Persists in Young Women With Type 1 Diabetes
Compared with age-matched controls, young women with type 1 diabetes have lower bone mineral density that persists over time, especially those aged 20 years and older, results from a 2-year follow-up study demonstrated....
Diabetes Can Bring Out Sexual Intimacy Issues for Patients, Partners
SAN FRANCISCO (EGMN) - Consider the partners of diabetes patients when talking about sexual problems in diabetes, Lawrence Fisher, Ph.D., suggested....
Continuous Androgen Deprivation Raises Fracture and Diabetes Risk but Lowers Lipids
CHICAGO (EGMN) - Six or more months of continuous androgen-deprivation therapy was associated with significantly increased risk of fragility fractures and type 2 diabetes in an observational study of nearly 20,000 men aged 66 years and older with prostate cancer, reported investigators at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology....
Tips for Discussing Sexual Issues With Diabetes Patients
SAN FRANCISCO (EGMN) - People with diabetes frequently experience sexual problems, but few physicians have received training in dealing with these issues, and many are reluctant to broach the subject. ...
Mediterranean, Low-Carb Diets Found as Safe and Effective as American Heart Association Diet
Both the Mediterranean diet and the low-carbohydrate (Atkins) diet proved to be as safe and effective for inducing weight loss in moderately obese subjects as was the American Heart Association's low-fat, restricted-calorie diet, according to a report in the July 17 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine....
Culturally Based Diabetes Education Improves Glycemic Control
Culturally based type 2 diabetes education programs improved patients' glycemic control for at least 6 months, based on results from a meta-analysis of 11 studies involving more than 1,000 patients....
Atorvastatin Beats Simvastatin Among Diabetes Patients
SAN FRANCISCO (EGMN) - All statins may not be created equal as far as diabetes patients are concerned, according to a recent study. ...
Physical Activity Declines Markedly Between Ages 9 and 15 Years
Levels of moderate to vigorous physical activity show a "striking" decline between the ages of 9 and 15 years, according to a study of more than 1,000 children....
For Moms With Diabetes, Excellent Glucose Control Reaps Excellent Obstetric Outcomes
SAN FRANCISCO (EGMN) - Pregnancy outcomes for women with diabetes who maintain excellent glucose control during their pregnancy are very good, and are similar to those seen in the general population, according to the results of a retrospective study....
Even With Treatment, More Atheroma Seen in Diabetes Patients
Diabetic patients with coronary artery disease have a greater percent atheroma volume and total atheroma volume than do comparable patients without diabetes, according to an analysis of data from 2,237 participants reported in the July 22 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology....
Measurement of Retinal Metabolic Stress Can Identify Diabetes, Help Monitor Disease Progression
A noninvasive imaging method that measures metabolic stress in the retina will likely become very useful in detecting diabetes early and monitoring disease progression, researchers said in the July issue of the Archives of Ophthalmology....
Hyperglycemia at 1 Hour on Oral Test Helps Predict Postpartum Metabolic Dysfunction
Gestational impaired glucose tolerance, defined by a single abnormal value at 1 hour during the oral glucose tolerance test, is associated with many of the same adverse outcomes as gestational diabetes mellitus, including postpartum glycemia, insulin resistance, and B-cell dysfunction, according to the results of a recent study....
FDA Panel Agrees Cardiovascular Outcomes Data Needed for Type 2 Diabetes Drugs
SILVER SPRING, Md. - At a meeting earlier this month, a Food and Drug Administration advisory panel agreed in a 14-2 vote that developers of new drugs or biologics for type 2 diabetes should be required to conduct a long-term study evaluating cardiovascular safety or should provide "equivalent evidence" to rule out an unacceptable cardiovascular risk associated with the therapy - even in the absence of a worrisome cardiovascular safety signal in preapproval studies....
Same Heart Effects with Basal, Prandial Insulin After Myocardial Infarction
SAN FRANCISCO (EGMN) - Basal or mealtime insulin worked equally well to treat patients with type 2 diabetes after a myocardial infarction, but the mealtime group needed more insulin in a randomized, open-label study of 1,112 patients....
Commentary What We Expect From the New Biologics
It has been only 15 years since the first anti-tumor necrosis factor drugs were used experimentally in small, open studies, yet in that short time these drugs have become the standard of care for rheumatoid arthritis that does not respond to conventional disease-modifying drugs, dramatically altering our clinical expectations and those of our patients....
Glucose Monitoring Often Inadequate in Type 2 Diabetes
SAN FRANCISCO (EGMN) - Only about 40% of patients newly prescribed oral antidiabetes drugs received a fasting plasma glucose test, according to a recent study. In addition, only about half of patients received any hemoglobin A...
Once-Weekly Exenatide Improves Glycemia and Weight at 30 and 52 Weeks
SAN FRANCISCO (EGMN) - An investigational once-weekly formulation of exenatide resulted in superior improvements in glucose control at 30 weeks, compared with the current twice-daily version, and elicited sustained glycemic control and weight loss at one year in patients with type 2 diabetes. ...
Gastric Bypass Shows Role of Beta-Cell, Insulin Sensitivity in Type 2 Diabetes
OXON HILL, Md. (EGMN) - A low degree of beta-cell sensitivity per degree of insulin sensitivity may be the defining quality of type 2 diabetes, according to a retrospective study of severely obese patients who experienced remission of type 2 diabetes after undergoing gastric bypass surgery....
Limb Salvage Bypass Produces Limited Quality of Life Benefits for Diabetic Patients
Diabetic patients did not benefit to the same extent as nondiabetic patients from successful infrageniculate bypass surgery for critical limb ischemia, according to a health-related quality of life survey assessment performed over a 2-year period. ...
AAP Recommends Lipid Screening, Treatment in Children
Citing new information on obesity, poor diet, and lack of exercise, the American Academy of Pediatrics has called on its members to become more aggressive in screening children for dyslipidemia....
Incident Type 2 Diabetes Overtakes Type 1 in Hispanic Girls by Age 15
SAN FRANCISCO (EGMN) - From age 15 years onward, Hispanic females in the United States are significantly more likely to be diagnosed with incident type 2 diabetes than type 1 diabetes, according to an analysis of data from the Search for Diabetes in Youth study....
Endoscopic Placement of Sleeve May Improve Glycemic Control
SAN FRANCISCO (EGMN) - Glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes might be improved by endoscopic insertion of an experimental thermoplastic sleeve that creates a duodenal-jejunal bypass without surgery, a pilot study suggests....
Metformin Helps Obese Children Shed Pounds, Improves Insulin Resistance
SAN FRANCISCO (EGMN) - Metformin is associated with modest weight loss and some improvements in signs of metabolic syndrome in obese children with severe hyperinsulinemia, a government-sponsored randomized controlled trial has concluded....
Standard Type 2 Diabetes Therapies Maintain Control in Real-World Settings
SAN FRANCISCO (EGMN) - Standard therapies for type 2 diabetes are effective at maintaining glycemic control over at least 5 years in community settings, Dr. James Best reported at the annual scientific sessions of the American Diabetes Association....
No Matter What Their Weight, Men with Diabetes Benefit From Exercise
SAN FRANCISCO (EGMN) - Even moderate physical fitness appears to confer a significant survival benefit on men with type 2 diabetes, no matter what their body weight, according to Roshney Jacob-Issac, Ph.D....
Gastric Bypass Lowers HbA1c Levels in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes
OXON HILL, Md. (EGMN) - Patients with type 2 diabetes who have undergone laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery might experience a significant drop in hemoglobin A...
Fatty Liver Disease in Children May Signal High Cardiovascular Risk
Overweight or obese children who have nonalcoholic fatty liver disease appear to be at high risk of developing cardiovascular disease, according to a report published online July 1 in Circulation....
Population-Based Strategy Required to Curb Obesity
Nothing short of a population-based strategy will curb the obesity epidemic in the United States, according to an American Heart Association scientific statement published online July 1 in Circulation....
Association Between Periodontitis and Diabetes Becoming Stronger
SAN FRANCISCO (EGMN) - Evidence continues to accumulate that periodontal disease is associated with insulin resistance and poor glycemic control, and there are tantalizing suggestions that treating periodontitis may lead to improvements in glycemic control....
Cardiovascular Risk in Rheumatoid Arthritis Resembles Type 2 Diabetes
PARIS (EGMN) - The European League Against Rheumatism Task Force on Cardiovascular Risk Management in Rheumatoid Arthritis has recommended annual cardiovascular risk screening for all patients with rheumatoid arthritis....
CORRECTION Hemoglobin A1c to Be Expressed as Estimated Average Glucose
A story titled "Hemoglobin A...
Sleep Apnea May Promote Insulin Resistance in Children
BALTIMORE (EGMN) - Obstructive sleep apnea in children did not contribute to insulin sensitivity directly, but it was significantly associated with lower adiponectin independent of obesity and puberty in a study of 97 children....
Intensive Counseling by Primary Care Providers Fails to Curb Childhood Overweight
HONOLULU (EGMN) - A large, expensive, randomized trial of intensive primary care counseling failed to have any measurable effect on reducing weight gain in children who were already overweight....
Payment Code for Continuous Glucose Monitoring May Soon Be Revised
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (EGMN) -- Endocrinologists who want to put Medicare patients with diabetes on continuous glucose monitors may soon have a more updated CPT code to use, according to Dr. Eric Orzeck....
Bevacizumab and Gas Infusion Aid Vitreous Clear-up After Diabetic Vitrectomy
Bevacizumab plus octafluoropropane pretreatment appeared to help accelerate vitreous clear-up after vitrectomy in eyes with active proliferative diabetic retinopathy, according to the results of a small, nonrandomized case study....
Investigational Agent Treats Diabetes by Increasing Glycosuria
SAN FRANCISCO (EGMN) - A novel investigational agent that suppresses resorption of glucose in the kidney improved glycemic control in a 12-week trial of 389 treatment-naïve patients with type 2 diabetes....
Unhealthy Weight Plus Poor Sleep Equals Poor Quality of Life in School-Age Children
BALTIMORE (EGMN) - Both increased weight and sleep problems were associated with children's reports of poor quality of life, based on results from a study of 100 children aged 8-12 years....
CORRECTION Pioglitazone Shown to Prevent Atherosclerotic Progression in Type 2 Diabetes
In "Pioglitazone Shown to Prevent Atherosclerotic Progression in Type 2 Diabetes" (published March 31, 2008), Dr. Steven's Nissens' comment regarding rosiglitazone's effect on lipids contained a typographical error that could lead to misunderstanding. The sentence should have read that rosiglitazone raises LDL by 18%-20%. ...
Growth Hormone Deficiency Implicated in High Metabolic Syndrome Rates in Childhood Cancer Survivors
SAN FRANCISCO (EGMN) - That survivors of childhood cancer have high early mortality from cardiovascular disease is well established. ...
Hostility Associated With Hypertension in 9-Year-Olds
HONOLULU (EGMN) - Children who perceive the world in hostile ways are significantly more likely to have hypertension, according to a study of almost 900 children....
High-Protein, Low-Carbohydrate Diet Aids Glucose Control in Type 2 Diabetes
GENEVA (EGMN) - A calorie-restrictive, high-protein diet can be a useful and effective strategy for the dietary management of type 2 diabetes, resulting in long-term weight reduction as well as improvements in blood glucose control and dyslipidemia, a recent study has demonstrated....
CORRECTION Pioglitazone for Prediabetes Greatly Reduces Disease Progression
A story titled "Pioglitazone for Prediabetes Greatly Reduces Disease Progression" (published June 10, 2008) misstated the portion of each study arm that developed diabetes. In the pioglitazone group, 1.5% of patients per year developed diabetes, compared with 6.8% per year on placebo....
ADA Panel Considers Glucose-Lowering Trial Data
SAN FRANCISCO (EGMN) - It's still not clear why more people died with intensive glucose lowering in the ACCORD study, but that finding and those of other recent trials all seem to point to one clinical message: Intensive glucose control should not be viewed as a means of reducing cardiovascular risk in patients with type 2 diabetes, particularly those with a long duration of disease....
Six-Month Marks Bode Well for Teens After Gastric Banding
SAN FRANCISCO (EGMN) - Teens who underwent laparoscopic gastric banding surgery had improvements in hemoglobin A...
Diabetes Associated With Increased Cancer Risk
SAN FRANCISCO (EGMN) - People with diabetes are more likely to develop cancer and more likely to die of cancer, and have a shorter survival time after a cancer diagnosis than do people without diabetes, according to a study presented by Hsin-Cheh Jessica Yeh, Ph.D. ...
CORRECTION ADVANCE and ACCORD Intensive Glycemic Control No Help for Macrovascular Complications
...
Rivoglitazone Is Equivalent to Pioglitazone for Treating Diabetes
SAN FRANCISCO (EGMN) - Rivoglitazone is at least as effective as pioglitazone in the treatment of type 2 diabetes, according to a randomized clinical trial....
Obesity Does Not Complicate Medical Abortion
NEW ORLEANS (EGMN) - Obesity was not found to increase the risk of adverse events in women undergoing medical abortion in a retrospective chart review of 1,193 procedures....
Out on a Limb Reversing the Amputation Epidemic Among Diabetics
WASHINGTON (EGMN) - The United States has one of the highest diabetes-associated limb amputation rates of any industrialized country, but many of these expensive and debilitating operations could be prevented through more aggressive early treatment of minor wounds, ulcerations, and infections....
Ketosis-Prone Type of Diabetes Linked to Herpesvirus Infection in Small Study
The atypical form of diabetes known as ketosis-prone type 2 diabetes, which is common in people of African descent, has been linked with human herpesvirus 8 infection, according to a preliminary study reported in the June 18 issue of JAMA. ...
Diabetes and Depression Show Bidirectional Association
Type 2 diabetes and depressive symptoms have a bidirectional association: People with diabetes are at increased risk of developing depressive symptoms, and those with depressive symptoms are at increased risk of developing diabetes, according to a report in the June 18 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. ...
Roux-En-Y Helps Meet American Diabetes Association Treatment Goals
SAN FRANCISCO (EGMN) - Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery is effective in helping people with type 2 diabetes meet the American Diabetes Association goals for hemoglobin A...
Diabetes May Increase Risk of Hearing Impairment
Hearing impairment may be an underrecognized complication of diabetes, according to survey findings published online June 17 in the Annals of Internal Medicine. ...
Vascular Surgery Outcomes Differ By Obesity Classification
SAN DIEGO (EGMN) - Underweight patients have poorer overall outcomes in vascular surgery, yet morbidly obese patients have increased morbidity, primarily due to wound infections, renal complications, and thromboembolic complications, results from a multicenter analysis showed....
Investigational Antioxidant May Reduce Diabetes After Coronary Syndromes
SAN FRANCISCO (EGMN) - Succinobucol, an investigational anti-inflammatory antioxidant, may help prevent or treat diabetes after an acute coronary syndrome, a trial of 6,144 patients suggests, but more study is needed on the drug's potential risks and benefits, according to the trial's lead researcher....
Increased Diabetes and Cardiovascular Risks Seen With Androgen Deprivation for Prostate Cancer
ORLANDO (EGMN) - With increasing use of androgen deprivation hormone therapy for men with prostate cancer come growing concerns about an increased risk of diabetes, cardiovascular morbidity, and other adverse treatment effects. ...
Small Diabetic Foot Burns Can Cause Big Problems
CHICAGO (EGMN) - Patients with diabetes have an increased risk for foot burns and once a burn occurs, the morbidity and mortality is quite high, Dr. David Greenhalgh said at the annual meeting of the American Burn Association....
Pramlintide Matches Prandial Insulin With Fewer Side Effects
SAN FRANCISCO (EGMN) - Adding an injection of pramlintide at mealtime to basal insulin therapy worked as well as mealtime rapid-acting insulin to control postprandial glucose levels, but caused less weight gain and hypoglycemia, a study of 112 patients with type 2 diabetes found....
Breast Cancer Study Shows Metformin May Have Antitumor Potential
CHICAGO (EGMN) - The widely used diabetes drug metformin may have an antitumor effect, according to data from a retrospective study of more than 2,500 breast cancer patients, including 155 women with diabetes. ...
No Link Found Between Diabetes, Shoulder Pain
A slightly increased prevalence of shoulder pain, stiffness, and disability in diabetes mellitus patients, compared with controls, loses its significance after adjustment for age, sex, obesity, and smoking status, according to a study of nearly 700 patients presented June 12 at the annual European Congress of Rheumatology. ...
Psychosocial Factors Keep Some From Weight-Loss Treatment
SEATTLE (EGMN) -- Money and time are the leading barriers to seeking weight-loss treatment among overweight and obese adults. But stigma and a belief that one is too heavy for treatment become more influential barriers the heavier a person is....
Pioglitazone for Prediabetes Greatly Reduces Disease Progression
SAN FRANCISCO (EGMN) - People with impaired glucose tolerance were 81% less likely to develop type 2 diabetes over a 3-year period if treated with pioglitazone, according to a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 602 patients....
Large-Scale Screening for Type 2 Diabetes Fails to Decrease Mortality
SAN FRANCISCO (EGMN) - A population-based screening program for type 2 diabetes does not decrease all-cause, cardiovascular, or cancer-related mortality over a 5-year period, according to a large randomized controlled trial presented at the annual scientific sessions of the American Diabetes Association....
Rosiglitazone May Delay Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy
Rosiglitazone may delay the onset of proliferative diabetic retinopathy, according to a report in the June issue of the Archives of Ophthalmology....
In "ADVANCE and ACCORD: Intensive Glycemic Control No Help for Macrovascular Complications," published June 9, 2008, full disclosure information for Dr. John Buse was not given. He also is an advisor, consultant, and speaker for Merck and Co., which makes medications for diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and other diseases....
No Heart Benefits from Intensive Glycemic Targets for Older Diabetics
SAN FRANCISCO (EGMN) - Intensively lowering blood glucose levels did not significantly reduce cardiovascular risk in older patients with poorly controlled diabetes whose blood pressures and cholesterol levels were well controlled, a major long-term study found....
ADVANCE and ACCORD Intensive Glycemic Control No Help for Macrovascular Complications
SAN FRANCISCO (EGMN) - Lowering hemoglobin A...
Hemoglobin A1c to Be Expressed as Estimated Average Glucose
SAN FRANCISCO (EGMN) - Hemoglobin A...
Elevated Fasting Blood Glucose Levels Linked to Stroke Risk
People with diabetes who were aged 40 years and older and had elevated fasting blood glucose levels had a significantly increased risk of stroke and other vascular events, compared with those who had normal-range fasting blood glucose levels, according to results from a large, multiethnic cohort study....
Liquefaction and Phacoemulsification Found Equally Safe for Cataract Extraction
Use of AquaLase liquefaction for cataract extraction was found to be as safe as using standard ultrasound phacoemulsification, according to a single-surgeon, randomized, controlled trial. ...
The order in which panretinal laser photocoagulation and cataract surgery were performed had no effect on postoperative retinopathy, but best-corrected visual acuity and the rate of progression of macular edema decreased in the surgery-first group, according to a small, randomized, prospective study of diabetic patients....
Adding Renin Inhibitor to Optimal Therapy Enhances Renoprotection
The renin inhibitor aliskiren enhanced renoprotection in patients with type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and proteinuria who were already receiving the maximal recommended renoprotective treatment with losartan and optimal antihypertensive therapy, researchers reported in the June 5 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. ...
Google, Microsoft Target Patients as Agents of Change for Health IT
WASHINGTON (EGMN) - Search engine giant Google has joined software giant Microsoft in an attempt to revolutionize health care information technology, one patient at a time....