High-normal serum bilirubin is a useful indicator to assess the risk of diabetic retinopathy in type 2 diabetes: A real-world study.

Background: To investigate the association of serum bilirubin within normal range, especially unconjugated bilirubin (UCB), with diabetic retinopathy (DR) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Methods: In this cross-sectional, real-world study, 7617 T2DM patients were stratified into quartiles based on serum UCB levels. DR was determined by digital fundus photography and further classified into non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) and PDR.

Serum Magnesium Levels Are Negatively Associated with Obesity and Abdominal Obesity in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Real-World Study.

Backgruound: There remains controversy over the relationship between serum magnesium levels and obesity in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess whether there is any association of serum magnesium levels with obesity and abdominal obesity in T2DM.

Methods: This cross-sectional, real-world study was conducted in 8,010 patients with T2DM, which were stratified into quintiles according to serum magnesium levels.

High-normal unconjugated bilirubin is associated with decreased risk of chronic kidney disease in type 2 diabetes: A real-world study.

Objective: To investigate the association between serum unconjugated bilirubin (UCB) within normal limits and chronic kidney disease (CKD) in T2DM patients.

Method: This cross-sectional, real-world study was performed in 8661 hospitalised T2DM patients. The subjects were stratified into quintiles based on serum UCB levels.

Blood lactate levels are associated with an increased risk of metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease in type 2 diabetes: a real-world study.

Aim: To investigate the association between blood lactate levels and metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Methods: 4628 Chinese T2DM patients were divided into quartiles according to blood lactate levels in this real-world study. Abdominal ultrasonography was used to diagnosis MAFLD.

High-normal serum bilirubin decreased the risk of lower limb atherosclerosis in type 2 diabetes: a real-world study.

Background: Bilirubin has been found to protect against overt atherosclerotic diseases, but to date, few studies have investigated the effects of bilirubin especially within the normal range on lower limb atherosclerosis. Therefore, we aimed to assess the associations of bilirubin within normal limits including total bilirubin (TB), conjugated bilirubin (CB) and unconjugated bilirubin (UCB) with lower limb atherosclerosis in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Methods: 7284 T2DM patients with normal levels of serum bilirubin were included in this cross-sectional, real-world study.

Decreased Serum Osteocalcin is an Independent Risk Factor for Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Fatty Liver Disease in Type 2 Diabetes.

Purpose: The association between serum osteocalcin (OCN) levels and metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is still controversial. Moreover, few studies have explored their relationship in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients so far. The present study aimed to investigate the association of serum OCN levels with MAFLD in Chinese T2DM patients.

Waist-to-height ratio is a simple and practical alternative to waist circumference to diagnose metabolic syndrome in type 2 diabetes.

Background: As an indicator of abdominal obesity, waist circumference (WC) varied with race and gender in diagnosing metabolic syndrome (MetS). Therefore, it is clinically important to find an alternative indicator of abdominal obesity independent of these factors to diagnose MetS. Our aims were to evaluate the association between waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) and MetS and further determine whether WHtR could be used as a simple and practical alternative to WC to diagnose MetS in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Low-normal serum unconjugated bilirubin levels are associated with late but not early carotid atherosclerotic lesions in T2DM subjects.

Aims: We aimed to examine the association of serum unconjugated bilirubin (UCB) within normal limits with carotid atherosclerosis in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Methods: This cross-sectional, real-world study was performed in 8,006 hospitalized T2DM patients including 4,153 men and 3,853 women with normal UCB. The subjects were stratified into quintiles based on serum UCB levels (<6.

GA/HbA1c ratio is a simple and practical indicator to evaluate the risk of metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease in type 2 diabetes: an observational study.

Background: It is still debatable whether glycated albumin/glycated hemoglobin A1C (GA/HbA1C) ratio is associated with metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD), and few studies have been conducted in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Therefore, we aimed to investigate the association between GA/HbA1C ratio and MAFLD and to evaluate whether GA/HbA1C ratio can be used an indicator of MAFLD in Chinese patients with T2DM.

Methods: This cross-sectional study consisted of 7117 T2DM patients including 3296 men and 3821 women from real-world settings.

Serum iron is closely associated with metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease in type 2 diabetes: A real-world study.

Aims: There is still a debate about the relationship between serum iron and metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD). Furthermore, few relevant studies were conducted in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Therefore, this study aimed to explore the association of serum iron levels with MAFLD in Chinese patients with T2DM.

Chaetocin attenuates atherosclerosis progression and inhibits vascular smooth muscle cell phenotype switching.

We aimed to explore the effect of chaetocin on atherosclerosis and its possible mechanism. In vitro, we observed that chaetocin treatment significantly inhibited the proliferation of VSMCs in concentration- and time-dependent manner. We also found that chaetocin suppressed the migration of VSMCs.

Albuminuria but not low eGFR is closely associated with atherosclerosis in patients with type 2 diabetes: an observational study.

Background: There is still controversy regarding the associations of urinary albumin excretion (UAE) and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) with atherosclerosis in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Therefore, it is necessary to explore the correlation between them in T2DM patients.

Methods: We conducted a survey involving 2565 T2DM patients from a single center.

Maternal Pre-Pregnancy Obesity Combined With Abnormal Glucose Metabolism Further Increases Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes in Chinese Pregnant Women.

Aims: Our aim was to evaluate the separate and combined effects of maternal pre-pregnancy obesity and gestational abnormal glucose metabolism (GAGM) on adverse perinatal outcomes.

Methods: A total of 2,796 Chinese pregnant women with singleton delivery were studied, including 257 women with pre-pregnancy obesity alone, 604 with GAGM alone, 190 with both two conditions, and 1,745 with neither pre-pregnancy obesity nor GAGM as control group. The prevalence and risks of adverse pregnancy outcomes were compared among the four groups.

Urine Uric Acid Excretion Levels are Positively Associated with Obesity and Abdominal Obesity in Type 2 Diabetes Patients without Chronic Kidney Disease.

Purpose: We aimed to investigate whether urine uric acid excretion (UUAE) levels are associated with obesity and abdominal obesity in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D).

Methods: There were 2785 type 2 diabetic patients in this cross-sectional study. Obesity was defined as BMI ≥ 25 kg/m, and abdominal obesity was defined as waist circumference (WC) ≥90 cm for men and WC ≥ 80 cm for women based on World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations for Asians.

Waist-to-height ratio has a stronger association with cardiovascular risks than waist circumference, waist-hip ratio and body mass index in type 2 diabetes.

Aims: To compare the associations between four anthropometric indices including waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), waist circumference (WC), waist-hip-ratio (WHR) and body mass index (BMI) and cardio-cerebrovascular events (CCBVEs) in Chinese T2DM patients.

Methods: The associations of four anthropometric measures with CCBVEs and metabolic syndrome (MetS) were compared by multiple regression model in 3108 T2DM patients. CCBVEs was defined as a history of myocardial infarction, angina, angioplasty, coronary artery bypass surgery, transient ischemic attack, ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke.

Deletion of Fam172a accelerates advanced atherosclerosis and induces plaque instability.

Background And Aims: Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) play a critical role in atherosclerosis. The family with sequence similarity 172, member A (FAM172A) is a novel protein and its role in atherosclerosis has not been explored so far. Therefore, our aim is to investigate whether FAM172A affects atheroprogression through VSMCs and its possible mechanism.

Serum Retinol-Binding Protein Levels Are Associated with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Chinese Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Real-World Study.

Background: The association of serum retinol-binding protein (RBP) levels with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) remains controversial. Furthermore, few studies have investigated their relationship in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to explore the association between serum RBP levels and NAFLD in Chinese inpatients with T2DM.

PS-341 alleviates chronic low-grade inflammation and improves insulin sensitivity through the inhibition of TM4 (UBAC2) degradation.

Background: The TM4 (UBAC2) protein, which contains 4 transmembrane domains and one ubiquitin binding domain, is mainly expressed in cell and nuclear membranes. The current research aimed to explore the role of TM4 in metabolic inflammation and to examine whether the ubiquitin-proteasome inhibitor PS-341 could regulate the function of TM4.

Methods: The metabolic phenotypes of TM4 knockout (KO) mice were studied.

Insulin Therapy Is Associated With an Increased Risk of Carotid Plaque in Type 2 Diabetes: A Real-World Study.

Controversies concerning the association between insulin therapy and atherosclerotic lesions in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) remain to exist. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether insulin therapy in T2DM patients is linked with the increased risk of carotid atherosclerosis in real-world settings. We retrospectively enrolled 2,356 hospitalized patients with T2DM, including 1,716 subjects receiving insulin therapy and 640 subjects without receiving insulin therapy.

Effects of Maternal Subclinical Hypothyroidism in Early Pregnancy Diagnosed by Different Criteria on Adverse Perinatal Outcomes in Chinese Women With Negative TPOAb.

To compare the effects of maternal subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) diagnosed by the 2011 or 2017 "Guidelines of the American Thyroid Association (ATA) for the diagnosis and management of thyroid disease during pregnancy and the postpartum" during the first trimester on adverse pregnancy outcomes in thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb)-negative pregnant women. There were 1,556 Chinese singleton pregnant women with negative TPOAb diagnosed with either SCH or euthyroidism who were investigated, and the prevalence and risk of obstetric outcomes were compared between the two groups using 2011 and 2017 ATA standards, respectively. The effects of a mildly elevated thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) concentration on adverse pregnancy outcomes were evaluated by binary logistic regression.

FAM172A promotes follicular thyroid carcinogenesis and may be a marker of FTC.

Our aims were to uncover the role of FAM172A (Family with sequence similarity 172 member A) in the pathogenesis of follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC) and to evaluate its value in the differential diagnosis between malignant and benign thyroid follicular lesions. FAM172A expression was evaluated by q-PCR, immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry (IHC). The ability of proliferation, migration and invasion of cells were assessed by Cell Counting Kit-8 assay (CCK8), clone-formation and Transwell assays.

The coexistence of hypercalcemia, osteoporosis and thymic enlargement in graves' disease: a case report.

Background: Hyperthyroidism-induced hypercalcemia has been reported previously, but hypercalcemia accompanied by severe osteoporosis and significant thymic enlargement in patients with hyperthyroidism is quite rare. We report the coexistence of hypercalcemia, osteoporosis and thymic enlargement in a patient with Graves' disease.

Case Presentation: A 22-year-old female was diagnosed as Graves' disease with obviously elevated serum calcium and reduced parathyroid hormone levels.

Adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes in pregnant women with abnormal glucose metabolism.

Aims: To assess the prevalence and risk of adverse perinatal outcomes in pregnant women with abnormal glucose metabolism.

Methods: 3269 Chinese pregnant women with singleton delivery were studied, including 787 diagnosed as gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), 115 pregnancy with diabetes (PWD), and 2367 normal glucose tolerance (NGT). The prevalence and risk of adverse maternal and fetal outcomes were compared and assessed among the three groups, and the related risk factors of the glucose metabolism for adverse pregnancy outcomes were evaluated by binary logistic regression.

Prevalence and clinical characteristics of hypertension and metabolic syndrome in newly diagnosed patients with ketosis-onset diabetes: a cross-sectional study.

Background: To investigate the prevalence and clinical characteristics of hypertension (HTN) and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in newly diagnosed diabetes with ketosis-onset.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was adopted in 734 newly diagnosed diabetics including 83 type 1 diabetics with positive islet-associated autoantibodies, 279 ketosis-onset diabetics without islet-associated autoantibodies and 372 non-ketotic type 2 diabetics. The clinical characteristics of HTN and MetS were compared across the three groups, and the risk factors of them were appraised in each group.