Quantifying cardiovascular disease risk and heart age predictions for men in the prison environment.

OBJECTIVES: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and associated risk factors within the prison population often present at a younger age in this cohort. Given CVD is largely preventable, it warrants investigation to fully quantify this risk. This study explored the relative predicted 10-year CVD risk and examined the calculated heart age in a representative sample of male individuals aged 25-84 years within the prison environment. STUDY DESIGN: This was a cross-sectional study. METHODS: Data were collected on 299 men who underwent a cardiometabolic risk assessment in HMP Parc, Bridgend. The QRISK2 algorithm was used to calculate 10-year CVD risk, relative risk (to general population) and the predicted heart age of an individual. Between-group differences (prison population vs general community) in cardiovascular risk predictions (10-year CVD risk and heart age) were assessed. RESULTS: We observed that at all age groups, the relative risk of predicted 10-year CVD scores in the prison population was double that of the community risk (2.1 ± 0.6), and this was most apparent in the oldest age group (≥50 years: 17.0% compared to 8.8%; P < 0.001). Overall, the heart age of the sample was 7.5 (6.7-8.2) years higher than their own chronological age, and this difference increased to above 9 years in those aged ≥40 years. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides quantifiable evidence to the elevated CVD risk in prison. Heart age predictions were almost a decade higher in those aged ≥40 years. Lowering the screening age for CVD by around 5 years in the prison population should be considered.

Performance evaluation of a self-administered home oral glucose tolerance test kit in a controlled clinical research setting.

AIM: To evaluate the performance of the current, pre-production version of a novel home oral glucose tolerance test (Home OGTT) device when administered by trained research nurses, compared with a reference laboratory glucose analyser and a second laboratory analyser, incorporating a sample processing delay to simulate normal practice. METHODS: One hundred women (aged 19-48 years), with and without known glucose intolerance were recruited. Following an overnight fast, participants attended for a 75-g OGTT. A fasting capillary sample was applied to the Home OGTT device with a corresponding venous sample collected and measured immediately on the reference YSI 2300 stat plus analyser, and following a 1-h delay on the Randox Daytona Plus analyser. The sampling process was repeated 2 h after the oral glucose load. RESULTS: Some 97% of tested devices gave complete data for analysis. Good agreement was observed between the reference glucose analyser and the Home OGTT device, with the Home OGTT device displaying a small negative bias (-0.18 mmol/l, -1.75 to 1.39 mmol/mol; -1.0%, -26.4% to 24.5%; absolute and relative mean, 95% limits of agreement). When classified as normal glucose tolerant or glucose intolerant, the Home OGTT device showed 100% and 90% sensitivity, and 99% and 99% specificity using fasting plasma glucose and 2-h glucose respectively. Similar sensitivity (100% and 100%) and specificity (96% and 99%) for fasting plasma glucose and 2-h glucose were observed using the secondary analyser. CONCLUSIONS: The novel Home OGTT device was reliable and easy to use and showed excellent agreement with two separate laboratory analysers. The Home OGTT offers potential as an effective alternative for clinic-based OGTT testing.

Temporal Effects of Sleeve Gastrectomy on Glucose-Insulin Homeostasis and Incretin Hormone Response at 1 and 6 Months.

BACKGROUND: Bariatric surgery is an effective treatment for morbid obesity and glycaemic dysfunction. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the work was to examine both the static and dynamic changes of glucose-insulin homeostasis and incretin hormone response following sleeve gastrectomy (SG) in a sample of 55 participants preoperatively and 1 month and 6 months postoperatively. The focus was on a sample of patients with impaired glucose tolerance and type 2 diabetes (T2D). SETTING: Morriston Hospital, UK. METHODS: Prospective study comprising of 55 participants with impaired glucose homeostasis and T2D undergoing SG (mean body mass index [BMI] 50.4 kg/m2, mean glycated haemoglobin [A1C] 7.4%). Serial measurements of glucose, insulin, C-peptide, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic hormone (GIP) were performed during oral glucose tolerance testing preoperatively and 1 and 6 months postoperatively. Areas under the curve (AUC) were examined at 30, 60, and 120 min. RESULTS: We observed significant improvements in measures of obesity, as well as static and dynamic measures of glucose, insulin, C-peptide and HOMA. Furthermore, significant increases in GLP-1 response as early as 6 months postoperatively were also seen. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, no study has examined the detailed dynamic changes in glucose and insulin homeostasis in this number of participants undergoing SG in relation to incretin hormones GIP and GLP-1. This current study supports the role of SG for the treatment of obesity-related glucose dysregulation.

Comparison of a point-of-care analyser for the determination of HbA1c with HPLC method.

AIMS: As the use of Point of Care Testing (POCT) devices for measurement of glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) increases, it is imperative to determine how their performance compares to laboratory methods. This study compared the performance of the automated Quo-Test POCT device (EKF Diagnostics), which uses boronate fluorescence quenching technology, with a laboratory based High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) method (Biorad D10) for measurement of HbA1c. METHODS: Whole blood EDTA samples from subjects (n=100) with and without diabetes were assayed using a BioRad D10 and a Quo-Test analyser. Intra-assay variation was determined by measuring six HbA1c samples in triplicate and inter-assay variation was determined by assaying four samples on 4 days. Stability was determined by assaying three samples stored at -20 °C for 14 and 28 days post collection. RESULTS: Median (IQR) HbA1c was 60 (44.0-71.2) mmol/mol (7.6 (6.17-8.66) %) and 62 (45.0-69.0) mmol/mol (7.8 (6.27-8.46) %) for D10 and Quo-Test, respectively, with very good agreement (R2=0.969, P<0.0001). Mean (range) intra- and inter-assay variation was 1.2% (0.0-2.7%) and 1.6% (0.0-2.7%) for the D10 and 3.5% (0.0-6.7%) and 2.7% (0.7-5.1%) for the Quo-Test. Mean change in HbA1c after 28 days storage at -20 °C was -0.7% and +0.3% for D10 and Quo-Test respectively. Compared to the D10, Quo-Test showed 98% agreement for diagnosis of glucose intolerance (IGT and T2DM) and 100% for diagnosis of T2DM. CONCLUSION: Good agreement between the D10 and Quo-Test was seen across a wide HbA1c range. The Quo-Test POCT device provided similar performance to a laboratory based HPLC method.

A comparison of the pharmacodynamic profiles of insulin detemir and insulin glargine: a single dose clamp study in people with type 2 diabetes.

AIM: The pharmacodynamic properties of a single dose of 0.5 U/kg insulin detemir and insulin glargine were compared during two 24-h isoglycaemic clamps, one week apart. METHODS: The order of treatments was randomised. At approximately 0830 h, persons with T2DM received subcutaneous administration of a 0.5 U/kg dose of either insulin detemir or insulin glargine into the anterior abdominal wall. Plasma glucose was measured at 10-min intervals throughout the 24-h clamp period and isoglycaemia was maintained by variable infusion of 20% glucose. Glucose infusion rates (GIR) and plasma C-peptide were determined throughout each 24-h period. RESULTS: Eleven persons with type 2 diabetes (8 male) with mean (SD) age 58.5 years (8.5), BMI 30.8 kg/m² (2.8) and HbA1c 7.5% (0.6) were studied. Plasma glucose remained constant during the clamp (CV: insulin detemir 3.7%; insulin glargine 3.8%). Following injection of insulin detemir, GIR increased, reaching a mean peak of 2.29 mg/kg/min (95% CI 1.64, 2.94) at 11.6h (range 8.9 to 14.3) compared to 1.71 mg/kg/min (95% CI 1.4, 2.0) at 10.2 h (8.1 to 12.3) for insulin glargine (P=0.025 for GIR(max)). Plasma C-peptide decreased during the study period, remaining significantly lower than the fasting level at the study end after both analogues, insulin detemir (P=0.01) and insulin glargine (P=0.02). CONCLUSION: In persons with T2DM, no difference in duration of action following a single subcutaneous dose of insulin detemir and insulin glargine could be observed. Insulin detemir showed greater between subject variability and achieved a significantly higher maximum GIR than insulin glargine.