Cardiometabolic risk factors, peripheral arterial tonometry and metformin in adults with type 1 diabetes participating in the REducing with MetfOrmin Vascular Adverse Lesions trial.

Background: Peripheral arterial tonometry (PAT) provides non-invasive measures of vascular health. Beneficial effects of metformin on vascular function have been reported in youth with type 1 diabetes (T1D). In the REducing with MetfOrmin Vascular Adverse Lesions (REMOVAL) trial in adults with T1D and high cardiovascular risk, we examined: (i) the extent to which routinely-measured cardiometabolic risk factors explain variance in baseline PAT; and (ii) the effects of metformin on PAT measures.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers and risk of depression among older people with hypertension.

Background: Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), commonly used antihypertensive drugs, may have a protective effect against depression in older individuals, but evidence in humans is limited.

Aims: We evaluated the risk of depression, among older individuals with hypertension, comparing ACE or ARB initiators to thiazide(-like) diuretic initiators. Thiazide(-like) diuretics were used as control because these drugs are not associated with mood disorders.

A 4-week high-AGE diet does not impair glucose metabolism and vascular function in obese individuals.

BACKGROUNDAccumulation of advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) may contribute to the pathophysiology of type 2 diabetes and its vascular complications. AGEs are widely present in food, but whether restricting AGE intake improves risk factors for type 2 diabetes and vascular dysfunction is controversial.METHODSAbdominally obese but otherwise healthy individuals were randomly assigned to a specifically designed 4-week diet low or high in AGEs in a double-blind, parallel design.

Association between social network characteristics and prevalent and incident depression: The Maastricht Study.

Aims: Social network characteristics may provide a novel non-pharmaceutical target for the prevention of depression. We investigated the temporal association of a broad range of structural and functional social network characteristics with incident depressive symptoms over 5 years of follow-up.

Methods: We used data from The Maastricht Study, a population-based prospective cohort study (n=2,465, mean age 59.

The association of markers of cerebral small vessel disease and brain atrophy with incidence and course of depressive symptoms - the maastricht study.

Background: Cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) and neurodegeneration may be involved in the development and persistence of late-life depressive symptoms, but longitudinal evidence is scarce. We investigated the longitudinal associations of markers of CSVD and brain atrophy with incident depressive symptoms and the course of depressive symptoms, above and below 60 years of age.

Methods: White matter hyperintensity volumes (WMH), presence of lacunar infarcts and cerebral microbleeds, and white matter, grey matter, and cerebral spinal fluid volumes were assessed at baseline by 3T MRI in The Maastricht Study (mean age 59.

Habitual Intake of Dietary Advanced Glycation End Products Is Not Associated with Arterial Stiffness of the Aorta and Carotid Artery in Adults: The Maastricht Study.

Background: Advanced glycation end products (AGEs), a heterogeneous group of bioactive compounds, are thought to contribute to arterial stiffness, which in turn is a causal factor in the pathogenesis of stroke, myocardial infarction, and heart failure. Whether AGEs derived from food also contribute to arterial stiffness is not clear.

Objectives: We investigated whether higher intake of dietary AGEs is associated with arterial stiffness.

Serial measurements in COVID-19-induced acute respiratory disease to unravel heterogeneity of the disease course: design of the Maastricht Intensive Care COVID cohort (MaastrICCht).

Introduction: The course of the disease in SARS-CoV-2 infection in mechanically ventilated patients is unknown. To unravel the clinical heterogeneity of the SARS-CoV-2 infection in these patients, we designed the prospective observational Maastricht Intensive Care COVID cohort (MaastrICCht). We incorporated serial measurements that harbour aetiological, diagnostic and predictive information.

Glucocorticoids affect metabolic but not muscle microvascular insulin sensitivity following high versus low salt intake.

BACKGROUNDSalt-sensitive hypertension is often accompanied by insulin resistance in obese individuals, but the underlying mechanisms are obscure. Microvascular function is known to affect both salt sensitivity of blood pressure and metabolic insulin sensitivity. We hypothesized that excessive salt intake increases blood pressure and decreases insulin-mediated glucose disposal, at least in part by impairing insulin-mediated muscle microvascular recruitment (IMMR).

Progression of conventional cardiovascular risk factors and vascular disease risk in individuals: insights from the PROG-IMT consortium.

Aims: Averaged measurements, but not the progression based on multiple assessments of carotid intima-media thickness, (cIMT) are predictive of cardiovascular disease (CVD) events in individuals. Whether this is true for conventional risk factors is unclear.

Methods And Results: An individual participant meta-analysis was used to associate the annualised progression of systolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol with future cardiovascular disease risk in 13 prospective cohort studies of the PROG-IMT collaboration ( = 34,072).

Sex differences in cardiovascular risk management for people with diabetes in primary care: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Diabetes is a stronger risk factor for cardiovascular complications in women than men.

Aim: To evaluate whether there are sex differences in cardiovascular risk management in patients with diabetes in primary care.

Design & Setting: A cross-sectional study was undertaken using data from 12 512 individuals with diabetes within the Dutch Julius General Practitioners Network (JGPN) from 2013.

The Maastricht FFQ: Development and validation of a comprehensive food frequency questionnaire for the Maastricht study.

Objective: The aim of this study was to develop and validate a comprehensive food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) for The Maastricht Study, a population-based prospective cohort study in Maastricht, The Netherlands.

Methods: Item selection for the FFQ was based on explained variation and contribution to intake of energy and 24 nutrients. For validation, the FFQ was completed by 135 participants (25-70 y of age) of the Nutrition Questionnaires plus study.

Carotid circumferential wall stress is not associated with cognitive performance among individuals in late middle age: The Maastricht Study.

Background And Aims: Arterial remodelling aims at normalising circumferential wall stress (CWS). Greater CWS in the carotid artery has previously been associated with the prevalence and severity of cerebral small vessel disease, a major cause of ageing-related cognitive decline. Here we test the hypothesis that greater carotid CWS is associated with poorer cognitive performance.

Independent tissue contributors to obesity-associated insulin resistance.

Background: Induction of insulin resistance is a key pathway through which obesity increases risk of type 2 diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and cardiovascular events. Although the detrimental effects of obesity on insulin sensitivity are incompletely understood, accumulation of visceral, subcutaneous, and liver fat and impairment of insulin-induced muscle microvascular recruitment (MVR) may be involved. As these phenotypic changes often coincide in obesity, we aimed to unravel whether they independently contribute to insulin resistance and thus constitute separate targets for intervention.

Association of dietary protein and dairy intakes and change in renal function: results from the population-based longitudinal Doetinchem cohort study.

Background: Evidence has suggested that protein from dairy may be less detrimental to renal health than protein from nondairy products. However, to our knowledge, no previous studies have used cystatin C-based measures of the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR).

Objective: We investigated the associations of sources of protein and dairy with the change in the eGFR in persons with a normal or mildly decreased eGFR.

Diet-induced weight loss improves not only cardiometabolic risk markers but also markers of vascular function: a randomized controlled trial in abdominally obese men.

Background: Many trials assessing effects of dietary weight loss on vascular function have been performed without no-weight loss control groups and in individuals with obesity-related morbidities. Usually a limited set of vascular function markers has been investigated.

Objective: The objective of this study was to examine effects of diet-induced weight loss on various vascular function markers and differences between normal-weight and abdominally obese men at baseline and after weight reduction.

Serum advanced glycation endproducts are associated with left ventricular dysfunction in normal glucose metabolism but not in type 2 diabetes: The Hoorn Study.

Objective: To investigate whether serum advanced glycation endproducts are associated with left ventricular systolic and diastolic function in participants with normal glucose metabolism, impaired glucose metabolism and type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Methods: Participants from a cross-sectional, population-based study (n = 280 with normal glucose metabolism, n = 171 with impaired glucose metabolism, n = 242 with type 2 diabetes mellitus) underwent echocardiography. Serum protein-bound advanced glycation endproducts [i.

Coffee and tea consumption in relation to estimated glomerular filtration rate: results from the population-based longitudinal Doetinchem Cohort Study.

Background: Although coffee consumption and tea consumption have been linked to diabetes, the relation with kidney function is less clear and is underresearched.

Objective: We investigated the prospective associations of coffee and tea consumption with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR).

Design: We included 4722 participants aged 26-65 y from the Doetinchem Cohort Study who were examined every 5 y for 15 y.

Normative values for carotid intima media thickness and its progression: Are they transferrable outside of their cohort of origin?

Background: The clinical use of carotid intima media thickness (cIMT) requires normal values, which may be subject to variation of geographical factors, ethnicity or measurement details. The influence of these factors has rarely been studied. The aim of this study was to determine whether normative cIMT values and their association with event risk are generalizable across populations.

The N-(carboxymethyl)lysine-RAGE axis: putative implications for the pathogenesis of obesity-related complications.

Obesity is an important contributor to the burden of insulin resistance, Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. An important mechanism by which excess adiposity causes obesity-associated complications is the dysregulated production and secretion of biologically active molecules derived from adipocytes. These adipokines affect the vascular wall and contribute to the development of insulin resistance and Type 2 diabetes.

Does microvascular dysfunction link obesity with insulin resistance and hypertension?

Obesity and obesity-associated clinical disorders are becoming an increasing public health burden. In this perspective, we postulate that impairment of microvascular function links obesity with insulin resistance and hypertension. Obesity is characterized by generalized microvascular dysfunction, which is associated with, and may precede, the development of insulin resistance and hypertension.