OMEF biochip for evaluating red blood cell deformability using dielectrophoresis as a diagnostic tool for type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a prevalent and debilitating disease with numerous health risks, including cardiovascular diseases, kidney dysfunction, and nerve damage. One important aspect of T2DM is its association with the abnormal morphology of red blood cells (RBCs), which leads to increased blood viscosity and impaired blood flow. Therefore, evaluating the mechanical properties of RBCs is crucial for understanding the role of T2DM in cellular deformability. This provides valuable insights into disease progression and potential diagnostic applications. In this study, we developed an open micro-electro-fluidic (OMEF) biochip technology based on dielectrophoresis (DEP) to assess the deformability of RBCs in T2DM. The biochip facilitates high-throughput single-cell RBC stretching experiments, enabling quantitative measurements of the cell size, strain, stretch factor, and post-stretching relaxation time. Our results confirm the significant impact of T2DM on the deformability of RBCs. Compared to their healthy counterparts, diabetic RBCs exhibit ∼27% increased size and ∼29% reduced stretch factor, suggesting potential biomarkers for monitoring T2DM. The observed dynamic behaviors emphasize the contrast between the mechanical characteristics, where healthy RBCs demonstrate notable elasticity and diabetic RBCs exhibit plastic behavior. These differences highlight the significance of mechanical characteristics in understanding the implications for RBCs in T2DM. With its ∼90% sensitivity and rapid readout (ultimately within a few minutes), the OMEF biochip holds potential as an effective point-of-care diagnostic tool for evaluating the deformability of RBCs in individuals with T2DM and tracking disease progression.

A Practical Approach to the Management of Residual Cardiovascular Risk: United Arab Emirates Expert Consensus Panel on the Evidence for Icosapent Ethyl and Omega-3 Fatty Acids.

PURPOSE: Patients with hyperlipidemia treated with statins remain at a residual cardiovascular (CV) risk. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids hold the potential to mitigate the residual CV risk in statin-treated patients, with persistently elevated triglyceride (TG) levels. METHOD: We reviewed the current evidence on the use of icosapent ethyl (IPE), an omega-3 fatty acid yielding a pure form of eicosapentaenoic acid. RESULTS: REDUCE-IT reported a significant 25% reduction in CV events, including the need for coronary revascularization, the risk of fatal/nonfatal myocardial infarction, stroke, hospitalization for unstable angina, and CV death in patients on IPE, unseen with other omega-3 fatty acids treatments. IPE was effective in all patients regardless of baseline CV risk enhancers (TG levels, type-2 diabetes status, weight status, prior revascularization, or renal function). Adverse events (atrial fibrillation/flutter) related to IPE have occurred mostly in patients with prior atrial fibrillation. Yet, the net clinical benefit largely exceeded potential risks. The combination with other omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, in particular DHA, eliminated the effect of EPA alone, as reported in the STRENGTH and OMEMI trials. Adding IPE to statin treatment seems to be cost-effective, especially in the context of secondary prevention of CVD, decreasing CV event frequency and subsequently the use of healthcare resources. CONCLUSION: Importantly, IPE has been endorsed by 20 international medical societies as a statin add-on treatment in patients with dyslipidemia and high CV risk. Robust medical evidence supports IPE as a pillar in the management of dyslipidemia.

Early Identification and Management of Heart Failure in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus in the United Arab Emirates: A Call to Action.

Heart failure (HF) is a common and serious complication of diabetes mellitus (DM) that remains widely under-recognized. Multidisciplinary management protocols for patients with concurrent DM and HF are not widely utilized in the Middle East/Gulf region, particularly in the United Arab Emirates. Since early identification of patients with DM and HF will likely lead to initiation of therapies known to prevent adverse cardiovascular events and subsequently improve patient prognosis, we aim to highlight the importance of early recognition of HF in diabetic patients. We will also describe existing management challenges in the region, especially the lack of multidisciplinary care and emphasize the role of newer anti-diabetic therapies in preventing and treating HF. Most importantly, this call-to-action proposes a collaborative approach to the care of diabetic patients with HF involving primary care physicians, endocrinologists, and cardiologists.

Active ghrelin levels and active to total ghrelin ratio in cancer-induced cachexia.

Anorexia and weight loss are negative prognostic factors in patients with cancer. Although total ghrelin levels are increased in energy-negative states, levels of the biologically active octanoylated ghrelin and the anorexigenic peptide YY (PYY) have not been reported in patients with cancer-induced cachexia. We hypothesized that abnormal ghrelin and/or PYY levels contribute to cancer-induced cachexia. We evaluated 21 patients with cancer-induced cachexia; 24 cancer patients without cachexia; and 23 age-, sex-, race-, and BMI-matched subjects without cancer. Active ghrelin levels and the active to total ghrelin ratio were significantly increased in subjects with cancer-induced cachexia, compared with cancer and noncancer controls. PYY levels were similar among groups. Appetite measured by a visual analog scale was not increased in subjects with cachexia. The increase in active ghrelin levels is likely to be a compensatory response to weight loss. Cachexia may be a state of ghrelin resistance because appetite does not correlate with ghrelin levels. Changes in the active to total ghrelin ratio suggest that a mechanism other than increased secretion must be responsible for the increase in active ghrelin levels. PYY is unlikely to play an important role in cancer-induced cachexia.

Andropause: is androgen replacement therapy indicated for the aging male?

The number of men in the United States > or =65 years of age is projected to increase from 14,452,000 in 2000 to 31,343,000 in 2030. Approximately 30% of men 60-70 years of age and 70% of men 70-80 years of age have low bioavailable or free testosterone levels. Symptoms and findings of testosterone deficiency are similar to those associated with aging. They include loss of energy, depressed mood, decreased libido, erectile dysfunction, decreased muscle mass and strength, increased fat mass, frailty, osteopenia, and osteoporosis. Several small clinical trials indicate that testosterone replacement therapy can improve many of these findings; however, the studies have not been powered to assess potential risks, such as the need for invasive treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia, development of a clinical prostate cancer, or cardiovascular events. Thus, the benefit/risk ratio of testosterone replacement therapy in aging men is not known.

Gonadal and erectile dysfunction in diabetics.

The high prevalence of erectile dysfunction in patients with diabetes is caused mainly by vascular and neurological conditions;nevertheless, hypogonadism may also contribute to erectile dysfunction and to changes in mood, libido, body composition, and bone density. Age, obesity, and the assay used to measure testosterone will affect the diagnosis of hypogonadism. This article focuses on the interaction of these conditions and attempts to explain possible mechanisms for observations reported in the literature.

Medullary thyroid carcinoma associated with hyperthyroidism: a case report and review of the literature.

Thyroid cancer is occasionally associated with hyperthyroidism. Papillary thyroid carcinoma is the most frequently reported histologic type followed by follicular thyroid carcinoma. Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) has been rarely described in association with Graves' disease or other forms of hyperthyroidism. To our knowledge, only 14 cases have been described in which MTC was associated with hyperthyroidism. We report a 70-year-old male who had a clinically significant MTC discovered in the course of diagnostic work-up for hyperthyroidism. We also summarize the clinical features of the other 14 reported cases.

Androgen replacement in men with hypogonadism and erectile dysfunction.

The prevalence of hypogonadism and erectile dysfunction (ED) increases with age. Hypogonadism also is frequently associated with decreased libido and ED. Testosterone replacement therapy for hypogonadal ED is effective in restoring sexual desire and erectile function, especially in younger and healthy men. It appears to be less effective in older men with comorbid diseases that may cause ED. Therapy should be individualized, considered carefully, and closely monitored because of potential risks, especially in older men. The FDA has approved several testosterone delivery systems. These include a buccal testosterone tablet, intra-muscular injections, transdermal and subcutaneous forms. There also are several promising experimental androgens under investigation including non-steroidal selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs).