Prevalence, incidence and concomitant co-morbidities of type 2 diabetes mellitus in South Western Germany--a retrospective cohort and case control study in claims data of a large statutory health insurance.

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has become a world-wide epidemic. This chronic metabolic disease has a major impact on life expectancy and on quality of life. The burden of this disease includes a number of co-morbidities.

Prevalence of silent gastric ulcer, erosions or severe acute gastritis in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus--a cross-sectional study.

Background/aims: Severe gastric inflammation or ulcer disease can alter gastric motility and influence sufficient glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. However, visceral neuropathy may reduce the perception of typical gastrointestinal symptoms in these patients. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the prevalence of silent severe acute gastritis, gastric ulcers or erosions in asymptomatic patients with diabetes mellitus and to determine potential predictive parameters.

Decrease in circulating endothelial cell adhesion molecule and thrombomodulin levels during oral iloprost treatment in rheumatoid arthritis patients: preliminary results.

Objective: Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease with proinflammatory cytokines involved in its pathogenesis. Recently in vitro as well as in vivo studies have shown that iloprost, a stable prostacyclin analogue, can reduce the release of these cytokines. This study was performed to further investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of iloprost by determining plasma adhesion molecules as markers of endothelial cell activation, and plasma thrombomodulin as a parameter of endothelial cell injury in patients with rheumatoid arthritis receiving oral iloprost therapy.

Comparison of three commercially available thrombomodulin ELISA kits.

Thrombomodulin is a transmembranous glycoprotein of endothelial cells. In vitro it is a marker of endothelial cell injury. In vivo the levels of soluble serum thrombomodulin are regarded as parameters of disease activity in vasculitides and vasculopathies.

Kinetics of thrombomodulin release and endothelial cell injury by neutrophil-derived proteases and oxygen radicals.

Thrombomodulin is a transmembranous glycoprotein of endothelial cells. In vitro it is a marker of endothelial cell injury. In vivo the levels of serum thrombomodulin are regarded as a parameter of activity in vasculitides.

A 7-day oral treatment of patients with active rheumatoid arthritis using the prostacyclin analog iloprost: cytokine modulation, safety, and clinical effects.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the plasma levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, its soluble p55 and p75 receptors, ex vivo lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated TNF-alpha production, and plasma levels of interleukin 6, interleukin 1, and interleukin 10 during a 7-day oral administration of iloprost in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis.

Methods: During oral 7-day administration of the prostacyclin analog iloprost, the plasma levels of TNF-alpha, soluble p55, and p75 TNF-alpha receptors, IL-1, IL-6, and IL-10 and C-reactive protein (CRP) in serum were determined on days -1, 1, 3, 4, 6, and 8 and after a treatment-free follow-up on day 15. In addition, the ex vivo TNF-alpha production in whole blood under LPS-stimulated and -unstimulated conditions were measured.