Weight loss and diabetes are new risk factors for the development of invasive aspergillosis infection in non-immunocompromized humans.

Unlabelled: Well-established risk factors for aspergillosis include HIV, cancer, recent corticosteroid (prednisone) therapy, chemotherapy, or thoracic surgery. Non-established risk factors may include weight loss and a history of diabetes. Twenty-three patients without the classical risk factors for IA were identified retrospectively at Harbor UCLA Medical Center by discharge diagnosis over a 20 year period (1992-2012).

Growth hormone administration increases glucose production by preventing the expected decrease in glycogenolysis seen with fasting in healthy volunteers.

Twelve volunteers were fasted overnight and infused with [ 13 C]glucose (ul) to measure glucose production (GP), gluconeogenesis, and by subtraction, glycogenolysis. Glucose production, gluconeogenesis, and glycogenolysis were measured after a 3-hour baseline infusion and two 4-hour infusions. The first 4 hours of the pituitary-pancreatic clamp study (PPCS) with replacement insulin, cortisol, and glucagon was without growth hormone (GH) administration.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma agonist increases both low-density lipoprotein cholesterol particle size and small high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in patients with type 2 diabetes independent of diabetic control.

Objective: To ascertain whether troglitazone, independent of control of diabetes, increases low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particle size.

Methods: We administered 600 mg of troglitazone (a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma agonist) daily for 8 weeks to 10 patients with type 2 diabetes (8 of whom completed the study). Then troglitazone therapy was discontinued, and alternative medication for diabetic control was used for another 4 weeks.