Current Issue : July - September Volume : 2021 Issue Number : 3 Articles : 5 Articles
Background: Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) is the product of a non-enzymatic chemical reaction between hemoglobin (Hb) and glucose. However, the association between Hb and HbA1c remains to be fully elucidated in view of the controversial findings reported to date. Therefore, our aim in this study was to evaluate the association between Hb levels within the normal range and HbA1c levels among Chinese non-diabetes adults using cross-sectional data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey 2009. Methods: Our analysis was based on the data of 1659 non-diabete adults 20–49 years of age. Multivariable linear models were applied to examine the association between Hb and HbA1c levels. Subgroup analyses stratified by age and sex were also performed.......................
Background: Levothyroxine replacement therapy may decrease the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes among women with subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH). The aim of this study is to conduct a systematic review and metaanalysis to examine the risk of adverse pregnancy, perinatal, and early childhood outcomes among women with SCH treated with levothyroxine. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted using Ovid-Medline, Ovid-EMBASE, Pubmed (non-Medline), Ebsco-CINAHL Plus with full text and Cochrane Library databases. Randomized controlled studies (RCTs) and observational studies examining the association between treatment of SCH during pregnancy and our outcomes of interest were included. Studies that compared levothyroxine treatment versus no treatment were eligible for inclusion. Data from included studies were extracted and quality assessment was performed by two independent reviewers. Results: Seven RCTs and six observational studies met our inclusion criteria. A total of 7342 individuals were included in these studies. RCTs demonstrated several sources of bias, with lack of blinding of the participants or research personnel; only one study was fully blinded. In the observational studies, there was moderate to serious risk of bias due to lack of adjustment for certain confounding variables, participant selection, and selective reporting of results. Pooled analyses showed decreased risk of pregnancy loss (RR: 0.79; 95% CI: 0.67 to 0.93) and neonatal death (RR: 0.35; 95% CI: 0.17 to 0.72) associated with levothyroxine treatment during pregnancy among women with SCH. There were no associations between levothyroxine treatment and outcomes during labour and delivery, or cognitive status in children at 3 or 5 years of age.................
Background: In insulin-treated patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), glycemic control is usually suboptimal. Methods: This study compared the risks of mortality and cardiovascular events in insulin-treated patients adding or not adding alpha-glucosidase inhibitors (AGIs). Results: This cohort study included data from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. In total, 17, 417 patients newly diagnosed as having T2DM and undergoing insulin therapy during 2000–2012 were enrolled. Overall incidence rates of all-cause mortality, hospitalized coronary artery disease (CAD), stroke, and heart failure were compared between 4165 AGI users and 4165 matched nonusers. The incidence rates of all-cause mortality were 17.10 and 19.61 per 1000 person-years in AGI nonusers and users, respectively. Compared with nonusers, AGI users had a higher mortality risk [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) = 1.21, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.05–1.40; p = 0.01]. Regarding AGI use, aHRs (95% CI) for cardiovascular death, non-cardiovascular death, hospitalized CAD, stroke, and heart failure were 1.20 (0.83–1.74), 1.27 (1.07–1.50), 1.12 (0.95–1.31), 0.98 (0.85–1.14), and 1.03 (0.87–1.22) respectively...........................
Advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) are heterogeneous molecules produced by the non-enzymatic glycation of proteins, lipids, or nucleic acids during hyperglycaemia. Accumulation of AGEs in the peripheral nerves has recently been proposed as an additional risk factor for the development of diabetic neuropathy (DN). The gold standard for measurement of tissue-bound AGEs is tissue biopsy. However, their assessment with the newer, fast and simple method of skin autofluorescence (sAF) has recently gained special interest by virtue of its non-invasive, highly reproducible nature and its acceptable correlation with the reference method of skin biopsy. Accumulation of tissue AGEs evaluated by sAF has been shown to independently correlate with DN. Importantly, increasing evidence underscores their potential value as early biomarkers of the latter. Further important associations include diabetic nephropathy, diabetic retinopathy and cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy. However, the value of the implementation of screening with skin AGEs for DN remains unclear. The aim of the present review is to critically summarise current evidence on the association between skin AGEs and diabetic microvascular complications, with a particular emphasis on diabetic neuropathy, and to note the most important limitations of existing knowledge. Longer follow-up studies are also highly anticipated to clarify its role and provide data on patient selection and cost-effectiveness....
Background: Although thyroid function has been demonstrated to be associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in different population, the prevalence and features of NAFLD in hyperthyroidism have not been reported. The present study aims to investigate the prevalence of NAFLD and association of thyroid function and NAFLD in hyperthyroidism patients. Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed in Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, China. A total 117 patients with hyperthyroidism were consecutively recruited from 2014 to 2015. Thyroid function and other clinical features were measured, liver fat content was measured by color Doppler ultrasonically, NAFLD was defined in patients with liver fat content more than 9.15%. Statistical analyses were performed with SPSS software package version 13.0. Results: The prevalence.....................
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