Circulating MicroRNA-15a Associates With Retinal Damage in Patients With Early Stage Type 2 Diabetes.

Circulating microRNAs are potential biomarkers of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and related complications. Here, we investigated the association of microRNA-15a with early retinal damage in T2DM. A cohort of untreated subjects screened for intermediate/high risk of T2DM, according to a score assessment questionnaire, and then recognized to have a normal (NGT) or impaired (IGT) glucose tolerance or T2DM was studied.

Author Correction: A rare genetic variant of BPIFB4 predisposes to high blood pressure via impairment of nitric oxide signaling.

A correction to this article has been published and is linked from the HTML and PDF versions of this paper. The error has been fixed in the paper.

A unique plasma microRNA profile defines type 2 diabetes progression.

A major unmet medical need to better manage Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) is the accurate disease prediction in subjects who show glucose dysmetabolism, but are not yet diagnosed as diabetic. We investigated the possibility to predict/monitor the progression to T2D in these subjects by retrospectively quantifying blood circulating microRNAs in plasma of subjects with i) normal glucose tolerance (NGT, n = 9); ii) impaired glucose tolerance (IGT, n = 9), divided into non-progressors (NP, n = 5) and progressors (P, n = 4) based on subsequent diabetes occurrence, and iii) newly diagnosed T2D (n = 9). We found that impaired glucose tolerance associated with a global increase of plasma circulating microRNAs.

A rare genetic variant of BPIFB4 predisposes to high blood pressure via impairment of nitric oxide signaling.

BPIFB4 is associated with exceptional longevity: four single-nucleotide polymorphisms distinguish the wild-type form from a longevity-associated variant conferring positive effects on blood pressure. The effect of a rare variant (RV; allele frequency, 4%) on blood pressure is unknown. Here, we show that overexpression of RV-BPIFB4 in ex-vivo mouse vessels impairs phosphorylation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), blunting acetylcholine-evoked vasorelaxation; in vivo, virally mediated overexpression of RV-BPIFB4 increases blood pressure, an action absent in eNOS-deficient mice.

The simultaneous control of hyperglycemia and GLP-1 infusion normalize endothelial function in type 1 diabetes.

Background: To test the effect of normoglycemia and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), alone or in combination, on the possible normalization of endothelial function in type 1 diabetes.

Methods: Fifteen people with type 1 diabetes participated in three experiments: reaching and maintaining normoglycemia for 4h; reaching and maintaining hyperglycemia plus GLP-1 infusion for 4h; and reaching and maintaining normoglycemia for 4h with simultaneous infusion of GLP-1.

Results: Both normoglycemia and GLP-1 infusion restored endothelial function and decreased and plasma 8-iso prostaglandin F2α levels.

Comparison Review of Short-Acting and Long-Acting Glucagon-like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists.

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) are useful tools for treating type 2 diabetes mellitus. In their recent position statement, the American Diabetes Association and European Association for the Study of Diabetes recommend GLP1-RAs as add-on to metformin when therapeutic goals are not achieved with monotherapy, particularly for patients who wish to avoid weight gain or hypoglycemia. GLP1-RAs differ substantially in their duration of action, frequency of administration and clinical profile.

Effects of carbohydrate counting on glucose control and quality of life over 24 weeks in adult patients with type 1 diabetes on continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion: a randomized, prospective clinical trial (GIOCAR).

Objective: Few studies have assessed the efficacy of carbohydrate counting in type 1 diabetes, and none have validated its efficacy in patients who are treated with continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII). The aim of our study was to test the effect of carbohydrate counting on glycemic control and quality of life in adult patients with type 1 diabetes who are receiving CSII.

Research Design And Methods: Sixty-one adult patients with type 1 diabetes treated with CSII were randomly assigned to either learning carbohydrate counting (intervention) or estimating pre-meal insulin dose in the usual empirical way (control).