Procalcitonin: a novel cardiac marker with prognostic value in acute coronary syndrome.

Procalcitonin (PCT) is implicated as an inflammatory marker in early atherosclerosis. In order to investigate the clinical consequences of increased PCT levels in acute coronary syndrome (ACS), 77 patients (29 with non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction [MI], 34 with ST-elevation MI and 14 with unstable angina pectoris) were included and followed up for 6 months. The PCT levels were determined at initial presentation and within 48 h of admission. Five patients died during hospitalization and their PCT levels within 48 h of admission were significantly higher than survivors (n = 72) (0.588 +/- 0.56 versus 0.399 +/- 1.33 ng/ml, respectively). The PCT levels within 48 h post-admission in the nine patients who died within 6 months were also significantly higher compared with the survivors (0.451 +/- 0.44 versus 0.406 +/- 1.37 ng/ml, respectively). It is concluded that higher PCT levels within 48 h post-admission may reflect an inflammatory state that is associated with increased early and 6-month mortality.

Switching patients from insulin glargine-based basal-bolus regimens to a once daily insulin detemir-based basal-bolus regimen: results from a subgroup of the PREDICTIVE study.

AIM(S): The aim of the PREDICTIVE study, a large, multinational observational trial, was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of insulin detemir (IDet) in routine clinical practice. METHODS: Twelve-week follow-up data from patients with type 1 (T1D) or type 2 (T2D) diabetes in the European cohort switched from once (qd) or twice (bid) daily insulin glargine (IGlarg) (+/-oral antidiabetic therapy) to qd IDet in a basal-bolus regimen. End-points, assessed from patient recall/diaries, included incidence of serious adverse drug reactions, glycaemic parameters, hypoglycaemia and weight change. RESULTS: The analysis included 1285 patients with T1D (n = 508) or T2D (n = 777). At 12 weeks, glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) was significantly reduced (qd IGlarg to qd IDet: T1D, -0.47%; T2D, -0.51%; p < 0.0001 for both; bid IGlarg to qd IDet: T1D, -0.31%; T2D, -0.89%, p < 0.05 for both). Fasting blood glucose (FBG) and FBG variability were also reduced. Reductions in overall, major and nocturnal hypoglycaemic events were observed after switching from qd IGlarg to qd IDet (overall, T1D, 39.7-18.85 episodes/patient-year; overall, T2D, 11.57-2.99 episodes/patient-year, p < 0.0001 for both). Similar reductions were observed in bid IGlarg to qd IDet patients. Mean weight change was -0.3 to -0.4 kg across patient groups. DISCUSSION: Switching from IGlarg to qd IDet was associated with improvements in glycaemic parameters with no associated increase in hypoglycaemic episodes or weight gain. CONCLUSION: Patients with T1D and T2D may be switched from IGlarg to qd IDet as part of a basal-bolus regimen.

Myelofibrosis secondary to hyperparathyroidism.

We report on a young female who had presented with fatigue, bilateral knee pain and gait disturbance. Primary hyperparathyroidism was diagnosed together with splenomegaly and anemia. Bone marrow biopsy revealed myelofibrosis. A parathyroid adenoma was excised during surgical intervention. As early as three months after the operation, hematologic parameters improved along with bone markers without any other intervention. The control bone marrow biopsy demonstrated well marked regression in marrow fibrosis. Her spleen has also gradually decreased in size. These findings indicate that her myelofibrosis was the result of primary hyperparathyroidism. Anemia associated with primary hyperparathyroidism may be due to bone marrow fibrosis.

PREDICTIVE- a global, prospective observational study to evaluate insulin detemir treatment in types 1 and 2 diabetes: baseline characteristics and predictors of hypoglycaemia from the European cohort.

AIM: PREDICTIVEtrade mark (Predictable Results and Experience in Diabetes through Intensification and Control to Target: An International Variability Evaluation) is a large, multi-national, observational study assessing the safety and efficacy of insulin detemir. We report the study design, population characteristics and baseline observations, including cross-sectional analysis, from 19 911 patients with type 1 or 2 diabetes. METHODS: Patients with type 1 or 2 diabetes requiring basal insulin are prescribed insulin detemir and followed up for 12-52 weeks. Data on demographics, haemoglobin A(1c) (HbA(1c)), fasting glucose, within-subject fasting glucose variability and weight are collected from patient records (and/or recall for hypoglycaemia). A negative binomial distribution model is used to assess the influence of predictive/confounding variables on hypoglycaemic episodes in insulin-treated patients at baseline. Multi-factorial analysis of covariance is used to evaluate the association of the variables with current body weight and within-subject fasting glucose variability. RESULTS: Total hypoglycaemic episodes in the 4 weeks prior to study start were 47.5 per patient-year in patients with type 1 and 9.2 per patient-year in patients with type 2 diabetes. The frequency of hypoglycaemia in insulin-treated patients showed a significant, positive association with duration of diabetes, number of insulin injections and fasting glucose variability but was inversely related to HbA(1c), fasting glucose and body mass index. Weight showed a significant positive association with gender (male > female) and insulin dosage. Weight was also positively associated with fasting glucose variability in patients with type 1 diabetes, and age and number of injections in patients with type 2 diabetes. CONCLUSIONS: These baseline data showed that, in addition to the established relationship with intensive treatment and HbA(1c), frequency of hypoglycaemia was positively associated with fasting glucose variability. Follow-up data from PREDICTIVE will provide insights on insulin detemir in diabetes management.