The Effect of Linagliptin versus Metformin Treatment-Related Quality of Life in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Introduction: There have been no studies directly comparing the effect of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors with that of metformin on treatment-related quality of life (QOL) when used as first-line therapy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Methods: This study is a prospective, randomized, open-label, multicenter, parallel-group, comparative study. Forty-four participants who failed to achieve target glycemic control with diet and exercise therapy were randomly allocated to receive linagliptin or metformin therapy.

Efficacy and safety of repaglinide added to sitagliptin in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes: A randomized 24-week open-label clinical trial.

Although sitagliptin and repaglinide monotherapies improve postprandial hyperglycemia, the long-term effects and safety of their combination has not been examined. In this randomized 24-week trial of Japanese patients with poor control (HbA1c 7.0-8.

Relationship between sleep disordered breathing and diabetic retinopathy: Analysis of 136 patients with diabetes.

Aims: Sleep disordered breathing (SDB) is associated with poor glycemic control. However, whether SDB contributes to diabetic microangiopathies, especially diabetic retinopathy (DR), is unknown. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between SDB and DR.

A SNP of NPC1L1 affects cholesterol absorption in Japanese.

Aim: Ezetimibe is known to target Niemann-Pick Type C1 Like1 (NPC1L1), a key protein in intestinal cholesterol absorption, and thus to decrease serum LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) levels. The response of serum LDL-C levels to ezetimibe was reported to differe among NPC1L1 haplotypes.We analyzed NPC1L1 genotypes in Japanese and investigated differences in markers of cholesterol synthesis/absorption among the genotypes.

Increased serum apolipoprotein B48 concentration in patients with metabolic syndrome.

Aim: Postprandial hyperlipidemia is characterized by an increase of chylomicron remnants (CM-R), and is a risk factor for atherosclerosis. Apolipoprotein (apo) B48 exists exclusively in chylomicroms and CM-R, and fasting plasma levels of apo B48 may reflect high postprandial levels of chylomicrons and/or CM-R. We hypothesized that fasting apo B48 levels may be increased in metabolic syndrome.

[Dislipidemia and steatohepatitis with visceral fat].

The prevalence of metabolic syndrome has been increased recently because of westernized dietary habits and low physical activity in Japan. Metabolic syndrome is diagnosed by the accumulation of dislipidemia, glucose intolerance and/or high blood pressure caused by visceral obesity. The dislipidemia in metabolic syndrome is characterized by the presence of high plasma triglyceride and low HDL-cholesterol, which are associated with increase in small dense LDL and remnant lipoproteins, highly atherogenic lipoproteins.

Myo-inositol treatment increases serum plasmalogens and decreases small dense LDL, particularly in hyperlipidemic subjects with metabolic syndrome.

Background And Aim: We have previously shown that serum plasmalogen levels positively correlate with HDL, and significantly decrease with aging, and may be related to LDL particle size. The objective of the present study was to investigate the effects of increased serum plasmalogens on lipidosis, particularly the appearance of atherogenic small dense LDL (sdLDL), of subjects with hyperlipidemia and metabolic syndrome (MetS).

Methods And Results: The effects of increased serum plasmalogen levels, induced by 2 wk of myo-inositol treatment, on several clinical and biochemical parameters were examined in 17 hyperlipidemic subjects including some with MetS.

Plasmalogens in human serum positively correlate with high- density lipoprotein and decrease with aging.

Aim: The objective of the present study was to propose plasmalogens as a beneficial factor in human plasma by showing a highly positive correlation with high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and a significant reduction with aging.

Methods: For 148 elderly subjects suspected of coronary artery disease (CAD), clinical characteristics such as coronary stenosis, hyperlipidemia, abnormal glucose tolerance, and hypertension were investigated, and serum biochemical markers including plasmalogens were determined.

Results: Serum plasmalogens levels tended to fall in significant coronary stenosis and abnormal glucose tolerance.