"Arterial stiffness is not associated with changes in the circadian pattern of blood pressure in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular autonomic dysfunction".

Introduction: Cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy (CAN) associates an abnormal circadian pattern in blood pressure (BP) regulation that might be aggravated by the coexistence of arterial stiffness. We aimed to evaluate the effect of arterial stiffness in the circadian rhythm of BP in patients with type 1 diabetes and CAN.

Methods: Cross-sectional study including 56 consecutive patients with type 1 diabetes and CAN, with ( = 28) or without ( = 24) arterial stiffness as defined by an ankle-brachial index above 1.

Sex differences and sex steroids influence on the presentation and severity of cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy of patients with type 1 diabetes.

Background: Sex differences characterize cardiovascular outcomes in patients with type 1 diabetes. Cardioautonomic neuropathy is a common complication of type 1 diabetes that associates increased morbi-mortality. Data regarding the interplay between sex and cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy are scarce and controversial in these patients.

Effect of Iron Depletion by Bloodletting vs. Observation on Oxidative Stress Biomarkers of Women with Functional Hyperandrogenism Taking a Combined Oral Contraceptive: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Women with functional hyperandrogenism show both increased markers of oxidative stress and a mild iron overload. Combined oral contraceptives (COC) may worsen redox status in the general population. Since iron depletion ameliorates oxidative stress in other iron overload states, we aimed to address the changes in the redox status of these women as a consequence of COC therapy and of bloodletting, conducting a randomized, controlled, parallel, open-label clinical trial in 33 adult women with polycystic ovary syndrome or idiopathic hyperandrogenism.

Point-of-care sural nerve conduction could predict the presence of cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy in type 1 diabetes mellitus.

Aims: Assessment for cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy (CAN) in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus remains time-consuming in the clinical setting. We aimed to examine the diagnostic performance of a portable point-of-care diagnostic tool (POCD) for assessing sural nerve conduction during the screening of CAN.

Methods: Nerve amplitude (AMP ) and conduction velocity (CV ) were measured in a cross-sectional study including 198 asymptomatic patients with type 1 diabetes.

Impact of excluding hyperglycemia from international diabetes federation metabolic syndrome diagnostic criteria on prevalence of the syndrome and its association with microvascular complications, in adult patients with type 1 diabetes.

Background: We aimed to determine, in patients with type 1 diabetes (T1DM), the impact of excluding hyperglycemia as a criterion from the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) definition of the metabolic syndrome (MetS), both on its prevalence and on its association with micro and macrovascular complications and markers of subclinical inflammation.

Methods: A cross-sectional design, including 280 patients with T1DM. We defined MetS by three different models: (i) the standard IDF criteria, (ii) a modification consisting of excluding of hyperglycemia as a criterion (modified IDF criteria) and (iii) a modification consisting in changing the hyperglycemia by insulin resistance (MetS + IR model) defined by the estimated glucose disposal rate.

High serum copeptin may be a marker of an increased carotid intima-media thickness in asymptomatic patients with type 1 diabetes.

We aimed to study the association of copeptin with carotid intima-media thickness in 60 patients with type 1 diabetes (T1DM-patients). Our results suggest that copeptin might improve the stratification of cardiovascular risk in T1DM-patients. Further research is needed to determine the value in identifying carotid disease of this biochemical marker.

Bloodletting has no effect on the blood pressure abnormalities of hyperandrogenic women taking oral contraceptives in a randomized clinical trial.

Normoferritinemic women with functional hyperandrogenism show a mild iron overload. Iron excess, hyperandrogenism, and cardioautonomic dysfunction contribute to blood pressure (BP) abnormalities in these patients. Furthermore, combined oral contraceptives (COC) prescribed for hyperandrogenic symptoms may worse BP recordings.

Iron Overload in Functional Hyperandrogenism: In a Randomized Trial, Bloodletting Does Not Improve Metabolic Outcomes.

Context: Functional hyperandrogenism may be associated with a mild increase in body iron stores. Iron depletion exerts a beneficial effect on metabolic endpoints in other iron overload states.

Objectives: (i) To determine the effect of iron depletion on the insulin sensitivity and frequency of abnormal glucose tolerance in patients with functional hyperandrogenism submitted to standard therapy with combined oral contraceptives (COC).

Fasting serum copeptin and asymptomatic peripheral artery disease: No association in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus.

Objective: As copeptin is associated with lower-extremity amputation in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), our study aimed to address the putative association between copeptin and asymptomatic peripheral artery disease (aPAD) in those patients.

Design And Methods: This observational cross-sectional study included 112 patients with T1DM from a larger cohort (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02910271), selected (1:2) as per the presence of aPAD (n = 37) or not (n = 75).

2D Diffusion-Ordered H-NMR Spectroscopy Lipidomic Profiling after Oral Single Macronutrient Loads: Influence of Obesity, Sex, and Female Androgen Excess.

Scope: Postprandial dysmetabolism plays a major role in the pathogenesis of metabolic disorders such as obesity and the polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The aim is to characterize the circulating lipoprotein particle profiles in response to oral glucose, lipid, and protein challenges.

Methods And Results: 17 women with PCOS, 17 control women, and 19 healthy men selected to have similar age and body mass index are studied.

Postprandial inflammatory responses after oral glucose, lipid and protein challenges: Influence of obesity, sex and polycystic ovary syndrome.

Background & Aims: Most evidence linking the polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) with chronic low-grade inflammation has been obtained in the fasting state. We have studied the postprandial inflammatory response to oral glucose, lipid and protein challenges and the possible influences of obesity, sex and PCOS on these responses.

Methods: On alternate days, we submitted 17 women with PCOS (9 non-obese, 8 obese), 17 control women (9 non-obese, 8 obese) and 19 control men (10 non-obese, 9 obese) to isocaloric (300 Kcal) oral macronutrient loads.

Association of Cardiovascular Autonomic Dysfunction With Peripheral Arterial Stiffness in Patients With Type 1 Diabetes.

Context: Cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy (CAN) appears to contribute to peripheral arterial stiffness (AS) in type 1 diabetes. Whether CAN in patients with AS is associated with concomitant asymptomatic peripheral arterial disease (aPAD) remains unclear.

Objective: To assess the risk of CAN in patients with type 1 diabetes and AS and its potential association with atherosclerosis.

Diagnosis of disorders of glucose tolerance in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) at a tertiary care center: fasting plasma glucose or oral glucose tolerance test?

Background: The risk of developing prediabetes and type 2 diabetes (dysglycemia) may be increased in women with PCOS. Whether an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) should be performed routinely in all PCOS women at presentation or should be recommended only to a selected subset of patients is still controversial.

Basic Procedures: At a tertiary care center, we conducted a retrospective, observational study including 400 women with PCOS submitted to an OGTT.

The peripheral atherosclerotic profile in patients with type 1 diabetes warrants a thorough vascular assessment of asymptomatic patients.

Aims: Epidemiological data on subclinical atherosclerotic disease in type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM1) are scarce. We aimed to estimate the subclinical atherosclerosis profile of asymptomatic patients with DM1 and an abnormal ankle-brachial index (ABI).

Material And Methods: In a cross-sectional design (ClinicalTrials.

Certified testosterone immunoassays for hyperandrogenaemia.

Background: Testosterone (T) measurement in women is problematic leading to initiatives aiming to improve laboratory standardization of commercial assays. We assessed the impact on the clinical diagnosis of functional hyperandrogenic disorders of a total T immunoassay recently certified by the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC).

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study including 263 consecutive adult premenopausal women presenting with functional ovarian hyperandrogenism-including polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)-and 73 nonhyperandrogenic female volunteers who served to define reference ranges.

Gut Microbiota and the Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Influence of Sex, Sex Hormones, and Obesity.

Context: Gut microbiota play a major role in health and disease by influencing physiology, metabolism, nutrition, and immune function.

Objective: To evaluate the composition of gut microbiota in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), focusing on the influence of sex, sex hormones and obesity on the associations found.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Non-targeted profiling of circulating microRNAs in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS): effects of obesity and sex hormones.

Purpose: Circulating micro-ribonucleic acids (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNA molecules that influence gene transcription. We conducted the present profiling study to characterize the expression of circulating miRNAs in lean and obese patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), the most common endocrine and metabolic disorder in premenopausal women.

Basic Procedures: We selected 11 control women, 12 patients with PCOS and 12 men so that they were similar in terms of body mass index.

Combined oral contraceptives plus spironolactone compared with metformin in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a one-year randomized clinical trial.

Objective: We aimed to compare a combined oral contraceptive (COC) plus the antiandrogen spironolactone with the insulin sensitizer metformin in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Design: We conducted a randomized, parallel, open-label, clinical trial comparing COC (30 μg of ethinylestradiol and 150 μg of desogestrel) plus spironolactone (100 mg/day) with metformin (850 mg b.i.

Plasma thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in young adults: Obesity increases fasting levels only in men whereas glucose ingestion, and not protein or lipid intake, increases postprandial concentrations regardless of sex and obesity.

Scope: Oxidative stress and damage participate in the pathophysiology of obesity and its metabolic complications. We studied the influence of sex, obesity, and ingestion of different macronutrients on fasting and postprandial thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), which can be considered as an index of lipid peroxidation and oxidative damage.

Methods And Results: We studied 19 men and 17 women, out of whom nine men and eight women had obesity.

Effects of glucose ingestion on circulating inflammatory mediators: Influence of sex and weight excess.

Background & Aims: Low-grade chronic inflammation is involved in the pathophysiology of obesity. However, little is known about the influence of sex and sex hormones on surrogate inflammatory markers and mediators, particularly after glucose ingestion.

Design: Observational study.

Referral bias in female functional hyperandrogenism and polycystic ovary syndrome.

Objective: Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) seeking health care in the United States may be more obese and hyperandrogenic than those present in the general population. We aimed to assess the impact of referral bias on European women with functional androgen excess disorders.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Influence of adrenal hyperandrogenism on the clinical and metabolic phenotype of women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

Objective: To study the impact of adrenal hyperandrogenism (AH; defined as DHEAS concentration >95th percentile of a healthy female control population) on cardiometabolic risk factors associated with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: Academic hospital.

Surrogate markers of visceral adiposity in young adults: waist circumference and body mass index are more accurate than waist hip ratio, model of adipose distribution and visceral adiposity index.

Surrogate indexes of visceral adiposity, a major risk factor for metabolic and cardiovascular disorders, are routinely used in clinical practice because objective measurements of visceral adiposity are expensive, may involve exposure to radiation, and their availability is limited. We compared several surrogate indexes of visceral adiposity with ultrasound assessment of subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue depots in 99 young Caucasian adults, including 20 women without androgen excess, 53 women with polycystic ovary syndrome, and 26 men. Obesity was present in 7, 21, and 7 subjects, respectively.