Independent correlates of urinary albumin excretion within the normoalbuminuric range in patients with type 2 diabetes: The Renal Insufficiency And Cardiovascular Events (RIACE) Italian Multicentre Study.

AIMS: Within the normoalbuminuric range, low albuminuria (LA, 10-29 mg/24 h) is associated with higher adverse cardiovascular and renal outcomes than normal albuminuria (NA, <10 mg/24 h). This cross-sectional analysis of the cohort from the Renal Insufficiency And Cardiovascular Events (RIACE) Italian Multicentre Study was aimed at assessing the independent correlates of LA versus NA in patients with type 2 diabetes. METHODS: This analysis involved 11,538 normoalbuminuric patients (73.2 % of the entire RIACE cohort): 6023 (52.2 %) with NA and 5515 (47.8 %) with LA. Binary logistic regression analysis with backward conditional variable selection was applied to assess the independent correlates of LA versus NA. RESULTS: Compared with NA subjects, LA patients were more frequently males, older and with family history of hypertension, had longer diabetes duration, lower HDL cholesterol, and higher haemoglobin (Hb) A1c, triglycerides, and blood pressure (BP), use of anti-hyperglycaemic and anti-hypertensive drugs, and prevalence of metabolic syndrome, retinopathy, chronic kidney disease, any cardiovascular disease, myocardial infarction, and coronary and peripheral events. Men with LA were also more frequently current or former smokers and had higher body mass index, waist circumference, and non-HDL cholesterol. Independent correlates of LA were age (OR 1.018), family history of hypertension (OR 1.321), smoking status (former, OR 1.158; current, OR 1.237), HbA1c (OR 1.062), waist circumference (OR 1.050), triglycerides (OR 1.001), and diastolic BP (OR 1.014), together with use of anti-hyperglycaemic and anti-hypertensive agents. CONCLUSIONS: Several risk factors are associated with increased albuminuria within the normoalbuminuric range. As most of these factors are potentially modifiable, treating them aggressively might reduce the excess risk associated with LA. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT00715481; www.ClinicalTrials.gov .

Predictors of high platelet reactivity during aspirin treatment in patients with type 2 diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus type 2 (DM2) is associated with high platelet reactivity both in patients who do not receive antiplatelet drugs and in those treated with acetylsalicylic acid (ASA). The pathomechanism of this phenomenon has not been fully understood. AIM: 1. To evaluate variability of platelet reactivity in patients with DM2 treated with oral antidiabetic drugs and receiving chronic ASA therapy. 2. To identify independent predictors of high platelet reactivity during ASA therapy in patients with DM2. METHODS: We studied 171 patients with DM2 treated with oral antidiabetic drugs and receiving long-term treatment with 75 mg of ASA daily, selected among the participants of the prospective AVOCADO study. Platelet function was simultaneously evaluated using 4 methods: 1. measurement of serum thromboxane B2 (TXB2) concentration; 2. measurement of urinary 11-dehydrothromboxane B2 (11-dhTXB2) concentration; 3. VerifyNow® automated analyser; 4. PFA-100® automated analyser.High platelet reactivity was defined as at least 3 of the following criteria: 1. serum TXB2 concentration in the upper quartile;2. urinary 11-dhTXB2 concentration in the upper quartile; 3. value ≥ 550 aspirin reaction units (ARU) by VerifyNow®;4. collagen-epinephrine closure time (CEPI-CT) below median of readings other than 300 s by PFA-100®. In all patients, DM2 control was evaluated, insulin resistance was measured using HOMA-IR, and routine laboratory tests were performed, including full blood count, renal function parameters, and inflammation markers. RESULTS: Mean patient age was 67.8 years, and median duration of DM2 was 5 years. We found poor agreement between different tests of platelet function. ARU ≥ 550 (VerifyNow®) was found in 14.0% of patients, and CEPI-CT below median of readings other than 300 s (PFA-100®) was found in 32.8% of patients. Our criteria of high platelet reactivity were met by 9.9% of patients. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, independent predictors of high platelet reactivity despite ASA therapy included chronic heart failure, current smoking, and higher leukocyte count. CONCLUSIONS: 1. Patients with DM2 are characterised by large variability of platelet reactivity, with little agreement between various methods. 2. Smoking, chronic heart failure, and subclinical inflammation may be associated with high platelet reactivity in patients with DM2 treated with ASA.