Effect of orlistat on plasma leptin levels and risk factors for the metabolic syndrome.

Background: The aim of this research was to assess the impact of treatment with Orlistat 120 mg three times daily on serum leptin levels, weight loss, glycemic control, and cardiovascular risk factors involved in the metabolic syndrome.

Methods: A 3-month open-labeled prospective study was conducted on 40 patients with the clinical features of the metabolic syndrome divided into two groups-with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus. Twenty type 2 diabetic obese patients (group A) were studied, with BMI of 35.

Hypoglycemia anticipation, awareness and treatment training (HAATT) reduces occurrence of severe hypoglycemia among adults with type 1 diabetes mellitus.

Severe hypoglycemia (SH) can be a significant problem for patients around the world with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM). To avoid SH, patients need to better manage, and reduce the occurrence of, preceding mild hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia Anticipation, Awareness and Treatment Training (HAATT), developed in the United States specifically to address such issues, was evaluated at short- and long-term follow-up in a medically, economically and culturally different setting; Bulgaria.

[Consensus on the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus].

The outcome data from the United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study (UKPDS) showed that intensive drug treatment of diabetes mellitus-type 2 and the tight control of glycaemia and blood pressure are associated with lower incidence of chronic diabetic complications and mortality. The economical analysis showed out that money invested in the intensive drug treatment of diabetes and arterial hypertension resulted in less expenses for the treatment of diabetic complications. These data are the reason to suggest an algorythm for the treatment of diabetes mellitus type 2.

[Basedow's disease in a female patient with breast cancer metastasizing to the thyroid].

A case is presented of a woman with a breast cancer who developed Basedow's disease several months after the diagnosis of the cancer. In spite of the antithyrotoxic treatment the Basedow's symptoms persisted till the end of life. The case is compared with other similar cases in which the combination of Basedow's disease with a metastatic tumour of the thyroid gland is not described.

Xeroradiography of the diabetic foot.

The authors carried out comparative xeroradiographic and radiologic examinations of 34 patients suffering from diabetes. It has been established that xeroradiography allows an earlier and more convincing diagnosis of arterial calcifications, indurations of small size arteries, phleboliths and fistulous tracts. In diabetic gangrene the initial lesions and bone sequestra are more clearly visualized, as well as the intra-articular bone fragments and parosteal calcifications in diabetic osteoarthropathy.

Plasma growth hormone level in the Morgagni-Stewart-Morel syndrome.

In 10 patients with Morgagni-Stewart-Morel syndrome the basal plasma growth hormone level was slightly increased. There was no decrease of plasma growth hormone after glucose loading in most of the patients. These findings were supported by the histological picture of the adenohypophysis of an accidentally died patient.

[Treatment of diabetic ketoacidosis by continuous venous infusion of small insulin doses].

The authors treated 60 patients with diabetic ketoacidosis by continuous venous drop insulin infusion with 8 U every hour during the first six hours and after the sixth hour--20 U every three hours. Rehydration was performed with physiological serum in case of glycemia over 200 mg% and with 5% glucose serum in glycemia under 200 mg%. The patients were led out of ketoacidosis in approximately 9 hours and 36 minutes, the blood sugar diminution being slow and gradual, without hypoglycemic incidence.