The association of serum glycated albumin with the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy in Korean patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Aims: To determine the clinical relationship between serum glycated albumin (GA) and diabetic retinopathy in Korean patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Methods: A cross-sectional study including 424 patients with T2DM was conducted. Patients were divided into groups based on the presence of diabetic retinopathy and tertiles of serum GA and 1,5-anhydroglucitol levels.

The ratio of skeletal muscle mass to visceral fat area is a main determinant linking circulating irisin to metabolic phenotype.

Background: The aims of this study were to investigate whether circulating irisin is associated with favorable metabolic parameters and how the association differs according to body composition in humans.

Methods: A total of 424 subjects (233 men and 191 women), aged 23-73 years (mean age 47.1 years), were enrolled from the Seoul Metro City Diabetes Prevention Program.

Higher association of coronary artery calcification with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease than with abdominal obesity in middle-aged Korean men: the Kangbuk Samsung Health Study.

Background: It is uncertain whether non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) or abdominal obesity is more associated with atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was to determine whether NAFLD or abdominal obesity is more strongly associated with subclinical atherosclerosis represented by coronary artery calcification (CAC).

Methods: A total of 21,335 male participants in a health screening program (mean age 41 years) were enrolled.

Increased association of coronary artery calcification in apparently healthy Korean adults with hypertriglyceridemic waist phenotype: The Kangbuk Samsung Health Study.

Background: Hypertriglyceridemic waist phenotype is a simple screening parameter to identify people at increased risk for cardiovascular disease. We evaluated whether hypertriglyceridemic waist (HTGW) phenotype increases the risk for coronary artery calcification (CAC) in apparently healthy Korean adults.

Methods: A total of 32,186 participants (mean age 41.

Antiobesity pharmacotherapy for patients with type 2 diabetes: focus on long-term management.

Type 2 diabetes and obesity have a complex relationship; obesity is linked to insulin resistance, the precursor to type 2 diabetes. The management of obesity is an important method to delay onset of diabetes and improve the glycemic durability of antidiabetic agents. However, insulin and some of the oral hypoglycemic agents used to treat diabetes cause significant weight gain, and it is difficult for patients with diabetes to reduce and maintain their weight by life-style changes alone.

Comparison of Serum Adipocytokine Levels according to Metabolic Health and Obesity Status.

Background: Metabolic health is an emerging concept that is highly correlated with various metabolic complications, and adipocytokines have been causally linked to a wide range of metabolic diseases. Thus, this study compared serum adipocytokine levels according to metabolic health and obesity status.

Methods: Four hundred and fifty-six nondiabetic subjects (mean age, 40.

Increased risk of diabetes development in subjects with the hypertriglyceridemic waist phenotype: a 4-year longitudinal study.

Background: The hypertriglyceridemic waist (HTGW) phenotype is a simple and inexpensive screening parameter to identify people at increased risk of cardiovascular disease. We evaluated whether the HTGW phenotype predicts diabetes in urban Korean adults.

Methods: A total of 2,900 nondiabetic subjects (mean age 44.

Age Is the Strongest Effector for the Relationship between Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate and Coronary Artery Calcification in Apparently Healthy Korean Adults.

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is considered one of the most common risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Coronary artery calcification (CAC) is a potential mechanism that explains the association between renal function and cardiovascular mortality. We aimed to evaluate the association between renal function and CAC in apparently healthy Korean subjects.

Optimal glycated albumin cutoff value to diagnose diabetes in Korean adults: a retrospective study based on the oral glucose tolerance test.

Introduction: Glycated albumin (GA) reflects short-term status of glycemic control. We suggest a GA cut-off value to diagnose pre-diabetes and diabetes in Korean adults. In addition, we compared the performance of GA for the diagnosis of diabetes with that of glycated hemoglobin (A1c).

Metabolic health is a more important determinant for diabetes development than simple obesity: a 4-year retrospective longitudinal study.

Background: Recent studies report the importance of metabolic health beyond obesity. The aim of this study is to compare the risk for diabetes development according to different status of metabolic health and obesity over a median follow-up of 48.7 months.

Hemoglobin A1c values are affected by hemoglobin level and gender in non-anemic Koreans.

Aims/introduction: To evaluate whether hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels are affected by hemoglobin level and gender.

Materials And Methods: A cross-sectional analysis was carried out in a sample of 87,284 non-diabetic Koreans without anemia who participated in comprehensive health check-ups between January and December 2009 at the Kangbuk Samsung Hospital Total Healthcare Center in Seoul, Korea. We categorized men and women separately according to fasting plasma glucose and hemoglobin level to carry out the analysis.

Development of an HbA1c-based conversion equation for estimating glycated albumin in a Korean population with a wide range of glucose intolerance.

Background: Compared to the golden standard glycation index of HbA1c, glycated albumin (GA) has potentials for assessing insulin secretory dysfunction and glycemic fluctuation as well as predicting diabetic vascular complications. However, the reference ranges of GA and a conversion equation need to be clearly defined. We designed this study to determine the reference ranges in patients with normal glucose tolerance (NGT) based on conventional measures of glycemic status and to devise a conversion equation for calculating HbA1c and GA in a Korean population.

Association of serum adipocyte-specific Fatty Acid binding protein with Fatty liver index as a predictive indicator of nonalcoholic Fatty liver disease.

Background: Adipocyte-specific fatty acid-binding protein (A-FABP) is a cytoplasmic protein expressed in macrophages and adipocytes and it plays a role in insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome. Recently, the fatty liver index (FLI) was introduced as an indicator of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). In this study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between baseline serum A-FABP levels and FLI after 4 years in apparently healthy subjects.

The relationship of body composition and coronary artery calcification in apparently healthy korean adults.

Background: We investigated the association of coronary artery calcium score (CACS) with body composition and insulin resistance in apparently healthy Korean adults.

Methods: Nine hundred forty-five participants (mean age, 48.9 years; 628 men) in a medical check-up program were selected for analysis.

Urinary adiponectin concentration is positively associated with micro- and macro-vascular complications.

Background: A relationship between plasma adiponectin level and a number of metabolic conditions, including insulin resistance, obesity, and type 2 diabetes, has been reported. This study aimed to assess whether urinary adiponectin concentration is correlated with vascular complications.

Methods: The study comprised 708 subjects who enrolled in the Seoul Metro City Diabetes Prevention Program and were carefully monitored from September 2008 to December 2008.

Metabolic health is more closely associated with coronary artery calcification than obesity.

Background: Recent studies have suggested that metabolic health may contribute more to the atherosclerosis than obesity. The aim of this study is to compare coronary artery calcium scores (CACS) among patients with different metabolic health and obesity status.

Methods: A health-screening program of 24,063 participants (mean age 41 years) was conducted, and CACS was assessed by multi-detector computerized tomography (MDCT).

The association of baseline adipocytokine levels with glycemic progression in nondiabetic Korean adults in 4 years of follow-up.

Aims: Low-grade inflammation and lipotoxicity contribute to insulin resistance and islet secretory dysfunction that lead to insulin deficiency. We analyzed the associations of several adipocytokines measured at baseline with glycemic progression in non-diabetic Korean subjects after a 4-year follow-up.

Methods: In 479 non-diabetic Korean subjects who underwent medical screening in 2003, serum tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-6, retinol-binding protein (RBP)-4, monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1, visfatin and fatty acid-binding protein (FABP)-4 were measured at baseline.