Analysis of diabetic family connection in subjects with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM).

The family connection of diabetes was examined from the clinical records of 3,372 subjects who were seen, as an out patient population, within the frame of a Regional Health Program in Taranto, South Italy. The family connection of diabetes resulted from a questionnaire in which the subjects had to give informations about their disease, if present, and degrees of relationship that were directly verified by us with the examination (clinic and laboratory) of relatives said to have diabetes. From the analysis of records, it emerged that 112 patients were affected by insulin-dependent-diabetes mellitus (IDDM): 54 of them were related with at least one subject suffering from noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), 13 with at least one subject affected by IDDM and the remaining 45 did not show any family connection.

Evidence for a possible role of oxygen free radicals in the abnormal functional arterial vasomotion in insulin dependent diabetes.

A functional arterial spasm, revealed by reduced post-ischemic response, is present in diabetic subjects with no overt evidence of vascular damage. The administration of three different antioxidant agents, vitamin C, thiopronine and glutathione, produces an increase of basal blood flow in both diabetic and normal subjects, and ameliorates significantly the vascular functional response in diabetes. These data suggest that free radicals may play a role in the regulation of arterial resistance in humans, and that a de-regulation of their action may be involved in the development of arterial dysfunction in diabetes.

Hydroxychloroquine in decompensated, treatment-refractory noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. A new job for an old drug?

Study Objective: To evaluate the usefulness and safety of hydroxychloroquine in patients with decompensated, treatment-refractory noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

Design: Prospective, randomized, placebo, double-blind 6-month trial.

Patients: Thirty-eight patients with noninsulin-dependent diabetes resistant to commonly used therapies (oral drugs, insulin, combination of insulin and oral drugs).

Intrauterine growth and adipose tissue development.

Body fat mass (BFM), skinfold thickness (ST), and fat cell weight (FCW) have been studied in 86 newborn infants with different maturity and different intrauterine growth, and in parabiotic twins. Preterm infants (35.5 +/- 0.