Ultra-processed food consumption and risk of diabetes: results from a population-based prospective cohort.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: Understanding the impact of the overall construct of ultra-processed foods on diabetes risk can inform dietary approaches to diabetes prevention. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the association between ultra-processed food consumption and risk of diabetes in a community-based cohort of middle-aged adults in the USA. We hypothesised that a higher intake of ultra-processed foods is associated with a higher risk of incident diabetes. METHODS: The study included 13,172 participants without diabetes at baseline (1987-1989) in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study. Dietary intake was assessed with a 66-item semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire, and foods were categorised by processing level using the Nova classification system. Ultra-processed food was analysed categorically (quartiles of energy-adjusted intake) and continuously (per one additional serving/day). We used Cox regression to evaluate the association of ultra-processed food intake with risk of diabetes with adjustment for sociodemographic characteristics, total energy intake, health behaviours and clinical factors. RESULTS: Over a median follow-up of 21 years, there were 4539 cases of incident diabetes. Participants in the highest quartile of ultra-processed food intake (8.4 servings/day on average) had a significantly higher risk of diabetes (HR 1.13; 95% CI 1.03, 1.23) compared with participants in the lowest quartile of intake after adjustment for sociodemographic, lifestyle and clinical factors. Each additional serving of ultra-processed food consumed daily was associated with a 2% higher risk of diabetes (HR 1.02; 95% CI 1.00, 1.04). Highest quartile consumption of certain ultra-processed food groups, including sugar- and artificially sweetened beverages, ultra-processed meats and sugary snacks, was associated with a 29%, 21% and 16% higher risk of diabetes, respectively, compared with the lowest quartile. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: We found that a higher intake of ultra-processed food was associated with higher risk of incident diabetes, particularly sugar- and artificially sweetened beverages, ultra-processed meats and sugary snacks. Our findings suggest interventions reducing ultra-processed food consumption and specific food groups may be an effective strategy for diabetes prevention.

Derivation and Validation of ICD-10 Codes for Identifying Incident Stroke.

Importance: Claims data with International Statistical Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes are routinely used in clinical research. However, the use of ICD-10 codes to define incident stroke has not been validated against expert-adjudicated outcomes in the US population. Objective: To develop and validate the accuracy of an ICD-10 code list to detect incident stroke events using Medicare inpatient fee-for-service claims data. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cohort study used data from 2 prospective population-based cohort studies, the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study and the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study, and included participants aged 65 years or older without prior stroke who had linked Medicare claims data. Stroke events in the ARIC and REGARDS studies were identified via active surveillance and adjudicated by expert review. Medicare-linked ARIC data (2016-2018) were used to develop a list of ICD-10 codes for incident stroke detection. The list was validated using Medicare-linked REGARDS data (2016-2019). Data were analyzed from September 1, 2022, through September 30, 2023. Exposures: Stroke events detected in Medicare claims vs expert-adjudicated stroke events in the ARIC and REGARDS studies. Main Outcomes and Measures: The main outcomes were sensitivity and specificity of incident stroke detection using ICD-10 codes. Results: In the ARIC study, there were 110 adjudicated incident stroke events among 5194 participants (mean [SD] age, 80.1 [5.3] years) over a median follow-up of 3.0 (range, 0.003-3.0) years. Most ARIC participants were women (3160 [60.8%]); 993 (19.1%) were Black and 4180 (80.5%) were White. Using the primary diagnosis code on a Medicare billing claim, the ICD-10 code list had a sensitivity of 81.8% (95% CI, 73.3%-88.5%) and a specificity of 99.1% (95% CI, 98.8%-99.3%) to detect incident stroke. Using any diagnosis code on a Medicare billing claim, the sensitivity was 94.5% (95% CI, 88.5%-98.0%) and the specificity was 98.4% (95% CI, 98.0%-98.8%). In the REGARDS study, there were 140 adjudicated incident strokes among 6359 participants (mean [SD] age, 75.8 [7.0] years) over a median follow-up of 4.0 (range, 0-4.0) years. More than half of the REGARDS participants were women (3351 [52.7%]); 1774 (27.9%) were Black and 4585 (72.1%) were White. For the primary diagnosis code, the ICD-10 code list had a sensitivity of 70.7% (95% CI, 63.2%-78.3%) and a specificity of 99.1% (95% CI, 98.9%-99.4%). For any diagnosis code, the ICD-10 code list had a sensitivity of 77.9% (95% CI, 71.0%-84.7%) and a specificity of 98.9% (95% CI, 98.6%-99.2%). Conclusions and Relevance: These findings suggest that ICD-10 codes could be used to identify incident stroke events in Medicare claims with moderate sensitivity and high specificity.

Age of Diabetes Diagnosis and Lifetime Risk of Dementia: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study.

OBJECTIVE: The impact of age of diabetes diagnosis on dementia risk across the life course is poorly characterized. We estimated the lifetime risk of dementia by age of diabetes diagnosis. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We included 13,087 participants from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study who were free from dementia at age 60 years. We categorized participants as having middle age-onset diabetes (diagnosis <60 years), older-onset diabetes (diagnosis 60-69 years), or no diabetes. Incident dementia was ascertained via adjudication and active surveillance. We used the cumulative incidence function estimator to characterize the lifetime risk of dementia by age of diabetes diagnosis while accounting for the competing risk of mortality. We used restricted mean survival time to calculate years lived without and with dementia. RESULTS: Among 13,087 participants, there were 2,982 individuals with dementia and 4,662 deaths without dementia during a median follow-up of 24.1 (percentile 25-percentile 75, 17.4-28.3) years. Individuals with middle age-onset diabetes had a significantly higher lifetime risk of dementia than those with older-onset diabetes (36.0% vs. 31.0%). Compared with those with no diabetes, participants with middle age-onset diabetes also had a higher cumulative incidence of dementia by age 80 years (16.1% vs. 9.4%), but a lower lifetime risk (36.0% vs. 45.6%) due to shorter survival. Individuals with middle age-onset diabetes developed dementia 4 and 1 years earlier than those without diabetes and those with older-onset diabetes, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Preventing or delaying diabetes may be an important approach for reducing dementia risk throughout the life course.

Characterizing common and rare variations in non-traditional glycemic biomarkers using multivariate approaches on multi-ancestry ARIC study.

Genetic studies of non-traditional glycemic biomarkers, glycated albumin and fructosamine, can shed light on unknown aspects of type 2 diabetes genetics and biology. We performed a multi-phenotype GWAS of glycated albumin and fructosamine from 7,395 White and 2,016 Black participants in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study on common variants from genotyped/imputed data. We discovered 2 genome-wide significant loci, one mapping to known type 2 diabetes gene (ARAP1/STARD10) and another mapping to a novel region (UGT1A complex of genes) using multi-omics gene-mapping strategies in diabetes-relevant tissues. We identified additional loci that were ancestry- and sex-specific (e.g., PRKCA in African ancestry, FCGRT in European ancestry, TEX29 in males). Further, we implemented multi-phenotype gene-burden tests on whole-exome sequence data from 6,590 White and 2,309 Black ARIC participants. Ten variant sets annotated to genes across different variant aggregation strategies were exome-wide significant only in multi-ancestry analysis, of which CD1D, EGFL7/AGPAT2 and MIR126 had notable enrichment of rare predicted loss of function variants in African ancestry despite smaller sample sizes. Overall, 8 out of 14 discovered loci and genes were implicated to influence these biomarkers via glycemic pathways, and most of them were not previously implicated in studies of type 2 diabetes. This study illustrates improved locus discovery and potential effector gene discovery by leveraging joint patterns of related biomarkers across the entire allele frequency spectrum in multi-ancestry analysis. Future investigation of the loci and genes potentially acting through glycemic pathways may help us better understand risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Associations of mid-to-late-life inflammation with late-life mobility and the influences of chronic comorbidities, race, and social determinants of health: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study.

BACKGROUND: Relationships of midlife inflammation with late-life mobility and influences of chronic health conditions, race, and social determinants of health (SDoH) on these relationships are poorly understood. METHODS: Among 4758 community-dwelling participants (41% men, 20% Black), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) was measured over 20+ years: in midlife at study visit 2 (V2: 1990-1992, 47-68 years); at V4 (1996-1998, 53-74 years); and with concurrent late-life 4-m gait speed at V5 (2011-2013, 67-88 years, mean 75 years). SDoH measures included race, the national-rank area deprivation index, education, and income. We examined associations of late-life gait speed with midlife hsCRP (V2 continuous and clinically high ≥3 mg/L), with 20-year hsCRP history from midlife (V2-V5 average continuous hsCRP and clinically high ≥3 mg/L) and with inflammation accumulation (visits and years with high hsCRP). Regression models adjusted for demographic, cardiovascular, and SDoH measures; effect modification by the presence of other common chronic conditions (obesity, diabetes, hypertension) and race were examined, with and without accounting for SDoH. RESULTS: High midlife hsCRP was associated with slower late-life gait speed, even among those without chronic conditions in midlife: -4.6 cm/s (95% CI: -6.4, -2.8). Importantly, sustained high hsCRP was associated with a 20-year slowing of -10.0 cm/s (-14.9, -5.1) among those who never experienced obesity, diabetes, or hypertension over the 20-year period. Associations were similar between Black participants, -3.8 cm/s (-6.9, -0.7) and White participants -3.3 (-4.5, -2.2) per interquartile range of midlife hsCRP; effect modifications by chronic conditions and race were unsupported throughout. Results were robust to accounting for SDoH or otherwise; however, worse SDoH was associated with higher inflammation and slower gait speed in both Black and White participants. CONCLUSIONS: Inflammation in midlife may contribute to clinically meaningful late-life slowing of gait speed, even among otherwise healthy-appearing adults and regardless of race and socioeconomic disadvantage. Regular monitoring and interventions for inflammation may be warranted from midlife.

Modeling the Impact of Biomarker-Guided Versus ASCVD Risk-Guided Drug Treatment in US Adults With Stage 1 Hypertension: The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999 to 2004.

BACKGROUND: Guidelines recommend antihypertensive medication for adults with both stage 1 hypertension (systolic blood pressure, 130-139 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure, 80-89 mm Hg) and 10-year atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk ≥10%. Cardiac biomarkers could facilitate a more targeted approach to the treatment of stage 1 hypertension. METHODS: We studied 1999 to 2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey participants aged ≥20 years with untreated stage 1 hypertension without heart failure or ASCVD. We measured hs-cTnI (high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I), hs-cTnT (high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T) and NT-proBNP (N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide) in stored serum. We used the Pooled Cohort Equations to predict 10-year ASCVD risk. All participants had linked mortality follow-up through December 31, 2019. RESULTS: Overall, 17.5% of US adults (32.2 million) had untreated stage 1 hypertension. Among these 32.2 million persons, 15.7% had ASCVD risk ≥10%, 5.6% had elevated hs-cTnI, 4.7% had elevated hs-cTnT, and 9.5% had elevated NT-proBNP. Among adults aged 65 to 79 years with untreated stage 1 hypertension, 80.5% had ASCVD risk ≥10%, 13.0% had elevated hs-cTnI, 15.2% had elevated hs-cTnT, and 29.4% had elevated NT-proBNP. Less than half of the adults aged ≥80 years with untreated stage 1 hypertension had elevated biomarkers. The cardiovascular disease mortality rates among all adults with untreated stage 1 hypertension and with either ASCVD risk ≥10%, elevated hs-cTnI, elevated hs-cTnT, or elevated NT-proBNP were 7.51, 7.74, 8.75, and 5.87 per 1000 person-years, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Cardiac biomarkers may be more selective for informing risk-based treatment decisions in stage 1 hypertension, particularly among adults aged ≥65 years.

Atrial Fibrillation and Clonal Hematopoiesis in TET2 and ASXL1.

Importance: Clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP) may contribute to the risk of atrial fibrillation (AF) through its association with inflammation and cardiac remodeling. Objective: To determine whether CHIP was associated with AF, inflammatory and cardiac biomarkers, and cardiac structural changes. Design, Setting, and Participants: This was a population-based, prospective cohort study in participants of the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study and UK Biobank (UKB) cohort. Samples were collected and echocardiography was performed from 2011 to 2013 in the ARIC cohort, and samples were collected from 2006 to 2010 in the UKB cohort. Included in this study were adults without hematologic malignancies, mitral valve stenosis, or previous mitral valve procedure from both the ARIC and UKB cohorts; additionally, participants without hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and congenital heart disease from the UKB cohort were also included. Data analysis was completed in 2023. Exposures: CHIP (variant allele frequency [VAF] ≥2%), common gene-specific CHIP subtypes (DNMT3A, TET2, ASXL1), large CHIP (VAF ≥10%), inflammatory and cardiac biomarkers (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, interleukin 6 [IL-6], IL-18, high-sensitivity troponin T [hs-TnT] and hs-TnI, N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide), and echocardiographic indices. Main Outcome Measure: Incident AF. Results: A total of 199 982 adults were included in this study. In ARIC participants (4131 [2.1%]; mean [SD] age, 76 [5] years; 2449 female [59%]; 1682 male [41%]; 935 Black [23%] and 3196 White [77%]), 1019 had any CHIP (24.7%), and 478 had large CHIP (11.6%). In UKB participants (195 851 [97.9%]; mean [SD] age, 56 [8] years; 108 370 female [55%]; 87 481 male [45%]; 3154 Black [2%], 183 747 White [94%], and 7971 other race [4%]), 11 328 had any CHIP (5.8%), and 5189 had large CHIP (2.6%). ARIC participants were followed up for a median (IQR) period of 7.0 (5.3-7.7) years, and UKB participants were followed up for a median (IQR) period of 12.2 (11.3-13.0) years. Meta-analyzed hazard ratios for AF were 1.12 (95% CI, 1.01-1.25; P = .04) for participants with vs without large CHIP, 1.29 (95% CI, 1.05-1.59; P = .02) for those with vs without large TET2 CHIP (seen in 1340 of 197 209 [0.67%]), and 1.45 (95% CI, 1.02-2.07; P = .04) for those with vs without large ASXL1 CHIP (seen in 314 of 197 209 [0.16%]). Large TET2 CHIP was associated with higher IL-6 levels. Additionally, large ASXL1 was associated with higher hs-TnT level and increased left ventricular mass index. Conclusions and Relevance: Large TET2 and ASXL1, but not DNMT3A, CHIP was associated with higher IL-6 level, indices of cardiac remodeling, and increased risk for AF. Future research is needed to elaborate on the mechanisms driving the associations and to investigate potential interventions to reduce the risk.

Self-Rated Health in Middle Age and Risk of Hospitalizations and Death: Recurrent Event Analysis of the ARIC Study.

BACKGROUND: Self-rated health is a simple measure that may identify individuals who are at a higher risk for hospitalization or death. OBJECTIVE: To quantify the association between a single measure of self-rated health and future risk of recurrent hospitalizations or death. PARTICIPANTS: Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study, a community-based prospective cohort study of middle-aged men and women with follow-up beginning from 1987 to 1989. MAIN MEASURES: We quantified the associations between initial self-rated health with risk of recurrent hospitalizations and of death using a recurrent events survival model that allowed for dependency between the rates of hospitalization and hazards of death, adjusted for demographic and clinical factors. KEY RESULTS: Of the 14,937 ARIC cohort individuals with available self-rated health and covariate information, 34% of individuals reported "excellent" health, 47% "good," 16% "fair," and 3% "poor" at study baseline. After a median follow-up of 27.7 years, 1955 (39%), 3569 (51%), 1626 (67%), and 402 (83%) individuals with "excellent," "good," "fair," and "poor" health, respectively, had died. After adjusting for demographic factors and medical history, a less favorable self-rated health status was associated with increased rates of hospitalization and death. As compared to those reporting "excellent" health, adults with "good," "fair," and "poor" health had 1.22 (1.07 to 1.40), 2.01 (1.63 to 2.47), and 3.13 (2.39 to 4.09) times the rate of hospitalizations, respectively. The hazards of death also increased with worsening categories of self-rated health, with "good," "fair," and "poor" health individuals experiencing 1.30 (1.12 to 1.51), 2.15 (1.71 to 2.69), and 3.40 (2.54 to 4.56) times the hazard of death compared to "excellent," respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Even after adjusting for demographic and clinical factors, having a less favorable response on a single measure of self-rated health taken in middle age is a potent marker of future hospitalizations and death.

Glucose Color Index: Development and Validation of a Novel Measure of the Shape of Glycemic Variability.

BACKGROUND: Standard continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) metrics: mean glucose, standard deviation, coefficient of variation, and time in range, fail to capture the shape of variability in the CGM time series. This information could facilitate improved diabetes management. METHODS: We analyzed CGM data from 141 adults with type 2 diabetes in the Hyperglycemic Profiles in Obstructive Sleep Apnea (HYPNOS) trial. Participants in HYPNOS wore CGM sensors for up to two weeks at two time points, three months apart. We calculated the log-periodogram for each time period, summarizing using disjoint linear models. These summaries were combined into a single value, termed the Glucose Color Index (GCI), using canonical correlation analysis. We compared the between-wear correlation of GCI with those of standard CGM metrics and assessed associations between GCI and diabetes comorbidities in 398 older adults with type 2 diabetes from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study. RESULTS: The GCI achieved a test-retest correlation of R = .75. Adjusting for standard CGM metrics, the GCI test-retest correlation was R = .55. Glucose Color Index was significantly associated (p < .05) with impaired physical functioning, frailty/pre-frailty, cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, and dementia/mild cognitive impairment after adjustment for confounders. CONCLUSION: We developed and validated the GCI, a novel CGM metric that captures the shape of glucose variability using the periodogram signal decomposition. Glucose Color Index was reliable within participants over a three-month period and associated with diabetes comorbidities. The GCI suggests a promising avenue toward the development of CGM metrics which more fully incorporate time series information.

Prevalence of Type 1 Diabetes Among US Children and Adults by Age, Sex, Race, and Ethnicity.

This study uses data from the 2019 to 2022 cycles of the National Health Interview Survey to estimate the prevalence of type 1 diabetes among US youths and adults.

Haptoglobin Phenotype and Intensive Glycemic Control for Coronary Artery Disease Risk Reduction in People With Type 2 Diabetes: The ADVANCE Study.

OBJECTIVE: Intensive glycemic control reduced coronary artery disease (CAD) events among the Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes (ACCORD) study participants with the haptoglobin (Hp)2-2 phenotype but not in participants without the Hp2-2 phenotype. It is unknown whether and how these results translate across different demographic/clinical characteristics and treatment strategies. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Haptoglobin phenotype was measured in available samples from the Action in Diabetes and Vascular Disease: Preterax and Diamicron MR Controlled Evaluation (ADVANCE) biomarker case-cohort study. Weighted multivariable-adjusted Cox regression models were used to evaluate the association between intensive glycemic control (HbA1c target of ≤6.5%) versus standard therapy (based on local guidelines) and major CAD events among participants with (n = 1,327) and without (n = 2,077) the Hp2-2 phenotype separately and within prespecified stratifications by sex, race, previous cardiovascular disease (CVD), diabetes duration, and HDL-cholesterol. RESULTS: While the hazard ratios (HRs) were in the hypothesized differing directions, compared with standard therapy, intensive glycemic control was not significantly associated with risk of CAD events among participants without (1.04, 95% CI 0.82-1.32) or with (0.84, 0.63-1.14, Pinteraction = 0.27) the Hp2-2 phenotype overall. Intensive therapy was associated with lower CAD risk among participants with the Hp2-2 phenotype who had no previous CVD (0.47, 0.29-0.76, Pinteraction = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that intensive glycemic control contributes to the prevention of major CAD events among ADVANCE participants with the Hp2-2 phenotype and no previous CVD and are in alignment with our hypothesis that intensive glycemic control may be beneficial in a subset of people with the Hp2-2 phenotype.

Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Longitudinal Change in Imaging and Plasma Biomarkers of Alzheimer Disease and Vascular Pathology.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Prospective measures of plasma and cerebral MRI biomarkers of Alzheimer disease (AD) and vascular neuropathology provide an opportunity to investigate possible mechanisms linking liver disease and dementia. We aimed to quantify the association of midlife nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) with change in plasma and brain MRI biomarkers of AD and vascular neuropathology. METHODS: We included participants from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study with brain MRI measurements of white matter hyperintensity (WMH) volume and temporal-parietal lobe cortical thickness meta region of interest (ROI) at up to 2 different visits, in 2011-13 and 2016-19, and plasma biomarkers of ß-amyloid (Aß)42:40, phosphorylated tau at threonine 181, and neurofilament light (NfL) were measured up to 3 times in 1993-95, 2011-13, and 2016-19. NAFLD was categorized using the fatty liver index in 1990-92. Multivariate linear regression was performed for associations between midlife NAFLD and change in plasma and brain MRI biomarkers of AD and vascular neuropathology. The primary models adjusted for demographics, Apolipoprotein E, alcohol use, and kidney function. RESULTS: Among 1,706 participants (mean age 56 years, 62% female, 28% Black), midlife NAFLD vs no NAFLD was associated with greater late-life WMH volume (difference per SD 0.19, 95% CI 0.06-0.31) and faster late-life WMH increase over 6 years (difference in annual change, SD 0.28, 95% CI 0.05-0.51), suggesting accumulating vascular pathology. Midlife NAFLD vs no NAFLD was also associated with AD biomarkers in midlife (lower Aß42:40 [SD -0.21, 95% CI -0.39 to -0.04] measured in 1993-95) and late life (lower Aß42:40 [SD -0.13, 95% CI -0.23 to -0.03] and lower temporal-parietal lobe cortical thickness meta ROI [SD -0.16, 95% CI -0.28 to -0.05] measured in 2011-13). Although midlife NfL was lower in individuals with vs without midlife NAFLD, those with NAFLD exhibited a faster rate of NfL increase that accelerated over time. DISCUSSION: Midlife NAFLD shows associations with AD and accumulating vascular pathology, revealing potential pathways linking liver function to dementia. Plasma biomarkers of neuropathology and neuronal injury may serve as easily measurable and dynamic indicators for monitoring the impacts of impaired liver function on brain health.

Galectin-3, Metabolic Risk, and Incident Heart Failure: The ARIC Study.

BACKGROUND: It is unclear how metabolic syndrome (MetS) and diabetes affect Gal-3 (galectin 3) levels and the resulting implications for heart failure (HF) risk. We assessed relationships of MetS and diabetes with Gal-3, and their joint associations with incident HF. METHODS AND RESULTS: We included 8445 participants without HF (mean age, 63 years; 59% men; 16% Black race) at ARIC (Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities) study visit 4 (1996-1999). We categorized participants as having MetS only, MetS with diabetes, or neither, and by quartiles of MetS severity Z score. We assessed cross-sectional associations of metabolic risk categories with high Gal-3 level (≥75th percentile) using logistic regression. We used Cox regression to evaluate combined associations of metabolic risk categories and Gal-3 quartiles with HF. In cross-sectional analyses, compared with no MetS and no diabetes, MetS only (odds ratio [OR], 1.24 [95% CI, 1.10-1.41]) and MetS with diabetes (OR, 1.59 [95% CI, 1.32-1.92]) were associated with elevated Gal-3. Over a median follow-up of 20.5 years, there were 1749 HF events. Compared with individuals with neither diabetes nor MetS and with Gal-3 in the lowest quartile, the combination of MetS with diabetes and Gal-3 ≥75th percentile was associated with a 4-fold higher HF risk (hazard ratio, 4.35 [95% CI, 3.30-5.73]). Gal-3 provided HF prognostic information above and beyond MetS, NT-proBNP (N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide), high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T, and CRP (C-reactive protein) (ΔC statistic for models with versus without Gal-3: 0.003; P=0.004). CONCLUSIONS: MetS and diabetes are associated with elevated Gal-3. The HF risk significantly increased with the combination of greater metabolic risk and higher Gal-3.

Four high sensitivity troponin assays and mortality in US adults with cardiovascular disease: The national health and nutrition examination survey, 1999-2004.

Objective: High sensitivity cardiac troponin (hs-cTn) may be useful to monitor residual risk in secondary prevention. Our objective was to study the correlations and comparative associations with mortality of four hs-cTn assays in US adults with known cardiovascular disease (CVD). Methods: We studied 1,211 adults with a history of CVD who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999-2004. Using stored samples, we measured hs-cTnT (Roche) and three hs-cTnI assays (Abbott, Siemens, and Ortho). Outcomes were all-cause and CVD mortality, with follow-up through December 31, 2019. Results: Mean age was 64 years, 48 % were female, and 80 % identified as non-Hispanic White. Pearson's correlation coefficients between hs-cTn assays ranged from 0.67 to 0.85. There were 848 deaths (365 from CVD). Among adults with a history of prior non-fatal CVD, each hs-cTn assay (log-transformed, per 1-SD) was independently associated with CVD death (HRs ranging from 1.55 to 2.16 per 1-SD, all p-values <0.05) and with all-cause death (HRs ranging from 1.31 to 1.62 per 1-SD, all p-values <0.05). Associations of hs-cTnT and all-cause and CVD death remained significant after adjusting for hs-cTnI (and vice versa). Associations between hs-cTnI and CVD death remained significant after mutually adjusting for other individual hs-cTnI assays: e.g., HR 2.21 (95 % CI 1.60, 3.05) for Ortho (hs-cTnI) after adjustment for Siemens (hs-cTnI) and HR 1.81 (95 % CI 1.35, 2.43) for Ortho (hs-cTnI) after adjustment for Abbott (hs-cTnI). Conclusion: In US adults with a history of CVD, we found modest correlations between 4 hs-cTn assays. All assays were associated with all-cause and CVD mortality. The hs-cTnT assay was associated with mortality independent of the hs-cTnI assays. Hs-cTnI assays also appeared to be independent of each other. Thus, hs-cTn assays may provide distinct information for residual risk in secondary prevention adults.

Plant-Based Dietary Patterns and Incident Diabetes in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study.

OBJECTIVE: Plant-based dietary patterns emphasize plant foods and minimize animal-derived foods. We investigated the association between plant-based dietary patterns and diabetes in a community-based U.S. sample of Black and White adults. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We included middle-aged adults from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study without diabetes at baseline who completed a food-frequency questionnaire (n = 11,965). We scored plant-based diet adherence according to three indices: overall, healthy, and unhealthy plant-based diet indices. Higher overall plant-based diet index (PDI) scores represent greater intakes of all plant foods and lower intakes of animal-derived foods. Higher healthy plant-based diet index (hPDI) scores represent greater healthy plant food intake and lower intakes of animal-derived and unhealthy plant foods. Higher unhealthy plant-based diet index (uPDI) scores represent greater unhealthy plant food intake and lower intakes of animal-derived and healthy plant foods. We used Cox regression to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) for incident diabetes (defined according to self-reported diagnosis, medication use, or elevated blood glucose) associated with each index. RESULTS: Over a median follow-up of 22 years, we identified 4,208 cases of diabetes among subjects. Higher PDI scores were associated with a lower risk of diabetes (quintile 5 vs. 1 HR 0.89 [95% CI 0.80, 0.98]; Ptrend = 0.01). hPDI scores were also inversely associated with diabetes risk (quintile 5 vs. 1 HR 0.85 [95% CI 0.77, 0.94]; Ptrend < 0.001). uPDI scores were not associated with diabetes risk. CONCLUSIONS: A dietary pattern that minimizes animal-derived foods and emphasizes plant foods may reduce diabetes risk.

Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists and the risk of atrial fibrillation in adults with diabetes: a real-world study.

BACKGROUND: Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RA) have cardiovascular benefits in type 2 diabetes, but none of the cardiovascular trials studied atrial fibrillation/atrial flutter (AF) as a primary endpoint. Data from post-marketing surveillance studies remains sparse. OBJECTIVE: To examine the real-world risk of AF comparing GLP-1RA with other non-insulin glucose-lowering agents. DESIGN: Cohort study using de-identified electronic health record data from the Optum Labs Data Warehouse. PARTICIPANTS: Adult patients with diabetes who were newly prescribed add-on non-insulin glucose-lowering agents and were on metformin between 2005-2020. EXPOSURES: New users of GLP-1RA were separately compared with new users of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP4i) and sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i), using 1:1 propensity score matching to adjust for differences in patient characteristics. MAIN MEASURES: The primary outcome was incident AF, defined and captured by diagnosis code for AF. Incidence rate difference (IRD) and hazard ratio (HR) were estimated in the matched cohorts. KEY RESULTS: In the matched cohort of 14,566 pairs of GLP-1RA and DPP4i followed for a median of 3.8 years, GLP-1RA use was associated with a lower risk of AF (IRD, -1.0; 95% CI, -1.8 to -0.2 per 1000 person-years; HR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.70 to 0.96). In the matched cohort of 9,424 pairs of patients on GLP-1RA and SGLT2i with a median follow-up of 2.9 years, there was no difference in the risk for AF (IRD, 0.4; 95% CI -0.7 to 1.5 per 1000 person-years; HR, 1.12; 95% CI, 0.89 to 1.42). CONCLUSIONS: In this real-word study, GLP-1RA was associated with a lower risk of AF compared with DPP4i, but no difference compared with SGLT2i, suggesting that cardiovascular benefits of GLP-1RA use may extend to prevention for AF in patients with diabetes. Our findings call for future randomized controlled trials to focus on the effects of GLP-1RA on AF prevention.

Variant of the lactase LCT gene explains association between milk intake and incident type 2 diabetes.

Cow's milk is frequently included in the human diet, but the relationship between milk intake and type 2 diabetes (T2D) remains controversial. Here, using data from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos, we show that in both sexes, higher milk intake is associated with lower risk of T2D in lactase non-persistent (LNP) individuals (determined by a variant of the lactase LCT gene, single nucleotide polymorphism rs4988235 ) but not in lactase persistent individuals. We validate this finding in the UK Biobank. Further analyses reveal that among LNP individuals, higher milk intake is associated with alterations in gut microbiota (for example, enriched Bifidobacterium and reduced Prevotella) and circulating metabolites (for example, increased indolepropionate and reduced branched-chain amino acid metabolites). Many of these metabolites are related to the identified milk-associated bacteria and partially mediate the association between milk intake and T2D in LNP individuals. Our study demonstrates a protective association between milk intake and T2D among LNP individuals and a potential involvement of gut microbiota and blood metabolites in this association.