Triglyceride-Glucose Index (TyG Index) in Association with Blood Pressure in Adults: A Retrospective Study.

Background: High blood pressure (BP) is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index is a useful tool for identifying insulin resistance at an early stage and has been proposed as a cost-effective predictor for hypertension. However, available studies are limited. This study aims to investigate the association between the TyG index and BP. Methods: Retrospective hospital data of a large cohort (n=1596) of adults aged ≥18 in Saudi Arabia were analyzed. The TyG index was calculated. Lipid markers, systolic BP (SBP), diastolic BP (DBP), and body mass index (BMI) were included. Results: Across quartiles of the TyG index, SBP was significantly higher in those with higher vs lower TyG (p<0.03). No significant association was observed for DBP. A 2-SD higher SBP was significantly associated with a TyG difference of 1.7 (95% CI: 0.1, 3.3). In subgroup analysis, the relationship prevailed in females only [1.8 (95% CI: 0.3, 3.3)]. Across BMI categories (normal, overweight, obesity), the association between SBP and TyG was observed in participants with obesity only. Conclusions: The TyG index may act as a cost-effective predictive marker for high blood pressure, especially among specific subgroups. Future prospective studies are needed to confirm this relationship.

Systemic immune-inflammation index and its relation to blood pressure and dyslipidemia in adults: A retrospective study.

High blood pressure (BP) and dyslipidemia are major risk factors for cardiovascular disease mortality. The systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) has been suggested as a predictive tool to identify those at risk for chronic diseases, however, its use for predicting high BP and dyslipidemia has not been thoroughly investigated. This study aimed to examine the association between SII and high BP as well as lipid markers. Retrospective hospital data from a large cohort (n = 3895) of Saudi adults aged ≥18 years were analyzed. Lipid markers (cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein [LDL]), systolic BP, and diastolic BP measures were extracted. When the sample was divided into quartiles of SII, cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL were higher in those with a higher SII than in those with a lower SII (P < .01). After adjusting for potential confounders, higher SII was significantly associated with higher odds of hypertension (odds ratio: 1.12, 95% confidence interval: 1.04-1.21) and elevated LDL (odds ratio: 1.07, 95% CI: 1.02-1.14), but not with elevated cholesterol. Across quartiles of SII, there was a significant trend between higher SII and the odds of hypertension in people with diabetes and those aged ≥65 years. The SII could be an economical predictive measure for identifying individuals at risk of hypertension and some aspects of dyslipidemia. Longitudinal studies are needed to confirm this relationship.

Systemic Immune-Inflammation Index in Relation to Diabetes Markers in Saudi Adults: A Retrospective Study.

Background and objectives: Low-grade inflammation is associated with metabolic disturbances like diabetes. The systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) has been proposed as a predictive tool to identify individuals at a greater risk of diabetes. This study aims to examine the association between SII and diabetes markers. Method and materials: We used retrospective data from a large cohort of adults (n = 3895) aged ≥18 in Saudi Arabia. The SII was calculated, and the markers of diabetes such as fasting blood glucose (FBG), insulin, and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) were included. Results: Across the quartiles of SII, FBG, insulin, and HbA1c were significantly higher in adults with higher compared to lower SII (p < 0.0001, p = 0.04, p < 0.0001, respectively). A two SD higher FBG was significantly associated with an SII difference of 47.7 (95% CI: (15.5, 91.9)). In subgroup analysis, this relationship prevailed in normal-weight participants and among those with normoglycemia and prediabetes but was attenuated in participants with diabetes. The association also prevailed in separate analyses for males and females but was stronger among females. Linear regression models showed no significant association between insulin, HbA1c, and SII. Conclusions: SII was associated with the markers of diabetes. The utility of SII for predicting diabetes can be confirmed with prospective cohort studies.

Interrelationship between oxidative stress, DNA damage and cancer risk in diabetes (Type 2) in Riyadh, KSA.

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) is the most widely known type of disorder of the endocrine system marked by hyperglycemia resulting either due to deficiency of insulin and or resistance. Persistent hyperglycemia induces oxidative stress and is suggested to play a prominent role in the pathophysiology underlying T2DM. Besides, oxidative stress can result in DNA damage leading to high cancer risk. Current study aimed to evaluate status of oxidative damage, damage to DNA and cancer biomarkers in regard to increased glucose in T2DM patients and to correlate the glycemic state with cancer. A total of 150 subjects consisting of control (50) and T2DM patients (1 0 0) were enrolled. Additionally, three tertiles were created among the two groups based on levels of HbA1c (Tertile I = 5.37 ±â€¯0.34, n = 50; Tertile II = 6.74 ±â€¯0.20, n = 50; Tertile III = 9.21 ±â€¯1.47, n = 50). Oxidative stress parameters including malondialedehyde (MDA) and antioxidant enzymes were measured. Damage to DNA was analyzed by measuring the levels of DNA damage adduct-8 hydroxy deoxy Guanosine (8-OHdG). To detect cancer resulting from oxidative stress, cancer biomarkers CEA, AFP, CA125, CA-15, CA19-9, prolactin were measured in these subjects. All measurements were analysed by SPSS software. Levels of MDA and antioxidant enzymes altered significantly in T2DM group at p < 0.001 and p < 0.05 level of significance. Significant DNA damage accompanied with elevated levels of CEA, CA19-9 and decreased CA125, AFP and prolactin were noted in T2DM group. CA 19-9 and CEA levels increased at p < 0.05, whereas levels of prolactin decreased significantly (p < 0.001) in T2DM group compared to control. Additionally the mean values of DNA damage adduct 8-OHdG differ significantly at P < 0.01 between the two groups. However, no significant correlation in oxidative stress parameter, antioxidant enzymes, DNA damage and neither with the highest tertile of HbA1c (>7.5%) was noted. Based on the results obtained in the present study, we conclude that there is considerable change in oxidative stress and DNA damage in T2DM patients. Hence, assumption that the oxidative stress could cause cancer in T2DM as a result of hyperglycemic state was not speculated in this study.

Momordica charantia extracts protect against inhibition of endothelial angiogenesis by advanced glycation endproducts in vitro.

Diabetes mellitus characterized by hyperglycemia favors formation of advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) capable of triggering vascular complications by interfering with imbalanced inflammation and angiogenesis to eventually impede wound-healing. Momordica charantia (MC, bitter melon) has been shown to prevent AGE formation and to promote angiogenesis in diabetic wounds in animal models. However, the mechanism underlying its effects on angiogenesis is unclear. We investigated the effects of methanolic extracts of MC pulp (MCP), flesh (MCF) and charantin (active component of MC) using an in vitro model of angiogenesis. MC extracts or low concentrations of bovine serum albumin-derived AGEs (BSA-AGEs) stimulated proliferation, migration (using wound-healing assay) and tube formation (using Matrigel™-embedded 3D culture) of bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAEC) together with increases in the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2, the key angiogenic signaling cytoplasmic protein. Blocking the receptor for AGEs (RAGE) inhibited low BSA-AGE- and MC extract-induced ERK1/2 phosphorylation and tube formation, indicating the crucial role of RAGE in the pro-angiogenic effects of MC extracts. Moreover, inhibitory effects of high BSA-AGE concentration on cell proliferation and migration were reduced by the addition of MC extracts, which reversed the BSA-AGE anti-angiogenic effect on tube formation. Thus, MC extracts exert direct pro-angiogenic signaling mediated via RAGE to overcome the anti-angiogenic effects of high BSA-AGEs, highlighting the biphasic RAGE-dependent mechanisms involved. This study enhances our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the pro-angiogenic effects of MC extracts in improvement of diabetes-impaired wound-healing.

Assessment of gender-related differences in vitamin D levels and cardiovascular risk factors in Saudi patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Diabetes is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD) including stroke, coronary heart disease, and peripheral artery disease. It remains a leading cause of mortality throughout the world, affecting both women and men. This investigation was aimed to study gender based differences in cardiovascular risk factors of adult population with type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and to check the correlation between serum HbA1C, lipid profile and serum vitamin D levels, in T2DM patients of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This hospital-based cross-sectional study involving subjects was divided into two gender based groups; normal male (800), diabetic male (800) and normal female (800) and T2DM females (800). Blood samples were analyzed for fasting glucose (FBG), HbA1c, total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (Tg), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and serum levels of 25(OH)-vitamin D in all groups. All the glycemic control parameters and lipid profile parameters were found to be significantly different in diabetic vs non-diabetic group (p < 0.001) in both genders. The results also show that vitamin D concentration decreased significantly (p < 0.001) in diabetic patients than the healthy individuals in both the genders. Vitamin-D and HbA1C were negatively correlated in both males and females in T2DM patients and significant at P < 0.05. Our study reveals that dyslipidemia remains one of the major risk factors of CVD in T2DM. In addition to dyslipidemia, decreased levels of vitamin-D associated with increased HbA1C alarms the early diagnosis of Type 2 Diabetes.

Antiglycation and Antioxidant Properties of Momordica charantia.

The accumulation of advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) and oxidative stress underlie the pathogenesis of diabetic complications. In many developing countries, diabetes treatment is unaffordable, and plants such as bitter gourd (or bitter melon; Momordica charantia) are used as traditional remedies because they exhibit hypoglycaemic properties. This study compared the antiglycation and antioxidant properties of aqueous extracts of M. charantia pulp (MCP), flesh (MCF) and charantin in vitro. Lysozyme was mixed with methylglyoxal and 0-15 mg/ml of M. charantia extracts in a pH 7.4 buffer and incubated at 37°C for 3 days. Crosslinked AGEs were assessed using gel electrophoresis, and the carboxymethyllysine (CML) content was analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. The antioxidant activities of the extracts were evaluated using assays to assess DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl) and hydroxyl radical scavenging activities, metal-chelating activity and reducing power of the extracts. The phenolic, flavonol and flavonoid content of the extracts were also determined. All extracts inhibited the formation of crosslinked AGEs and CML in a dose-dependent manner, with MCF being the most potent. The antioxidant activity of MCF was higher than that of MCP, but MCP showed the highest metal-chelating activity. MCF had the highest phenolic and flavonoid contents, whereas MCP had the highest flavonol content. M. charantia has hypoglycaemic effects, but this study shows that M. charantia extracts are also capable of preventing AGE formation in vitro. This activity may be due to the antioxidant properties, particularly the total phenolic content of the extracts. Thus, the use of M. charantia deserves more attention, as it may not only reduce hyperglycaemia but also protect against the build-up of tissue AGEs and reduce oxidative stress in patients with diabetes.

Monomeric C-reactive protein and Notch-3 co-operatively increase angiogenesis through PI3K signalling pathway.

C-reactive protein (CRP) is the most acute-phase reactant serum protein of inflammation and a strong predictor of cardiovascular disease. Its expression is associated with atherosclerotic plaque instability and the formation of immature micro-vessels. We have previously shown that CRP upregulates endothelial-derived Notch-3, a key receptor involved in vascular development, remodelling and maturation. In this study, we investigated the links between the bioactive monomeric CRP (mCRP) and Notch-3 signalling in angiogenesis. We used in vitro (cell counting, wound-healing and tubulogenesis assays) and in vivo (chorioallantoic membrane) angiogenic assays and Western blotting to study the angiogenic signalling pathways induced by mCRP and Notch-3 activator chimera protein (Notch-3/Fc). Our results showed an additive effect on angiogenesis of mCRP stimulatory effect combined with Notch-3/Fc promoting bovine aortic endothelial cell (BAEC) proliferation, migration, tube formation in Matrigel(TM) with up-regulation of phospho-Akt expression. The pharmacological blockade of PI3K/Akt survival pathway by LY294002 fully inhibited in vitro and in vivo angiogenesis induced by mCRP/Notch-3/Fc combination while blocking Notch signalling by gamma-secretase inhibitor (DAPT) partially inhibited mCRP/Notch-3/Fc-induced angiogenesis. Using a BAEC vascular smooth muscle cell co-culture sprouting angiogenesis assay and transmission electron microscopy, we showed that activation of both mCRP and Notch-3 signalling induced the formation of thicker sprouts which were shown later by Western blotting to be associated with an up-regulation of N-cadherin expression and a down-regulation of VE-cadherin expression. Thus, mCRP combined with Notch-3 activator promote angiogenesis through the PI3K/Akt pathway and their therapeutic combination has potential to promote and stabilize vessel formation whilst reducing the risk of haemorrhage from unstable plaques.