Thiazolidinediones (TZDs) enhance insulin secretory response via GPR40 and adenylate cyclase (AC).

Thiazolidinediones are synthetic PPARγ ligands that enhance insulin sensitivity, and that could increase insulin secretion from ß-cells. However, the functional role and mechanism(s) of action in pancreatic ß-cells have not been investigated in detail.

Relationship between low skeletal muscle mass, sarcopenic obesity and left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in Korean adults.

BACKGROUND: Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction is an emerging global health issue attributed to an ageing population. However, the association between low skeletal muscle mass, sarcopenic obesity, and left ventricular diastolic dysfunction remains unclear. In the current study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between low skeletal muscle mass, sarcopenic obesity, and diastolic dysfunction in a large cohort of Korean adults. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 31 258 subjects who underwent health examinations at Samsung Medical Centre's Health Promotion Centre in Seoul, Republic of Korea. Relative skeletal muscle mass was calculated using the skeletal muscle mass index [SMI (%) = appendicular skeletal muscle mass (kg)/body weight (kg) × 100], which was estimated by bioelectrical impedance analysis. Cardiac structure and function were evaluated by echocardiography. RESULTS: Amongst the 31 258 subjects, 3058 (9.78%) were determined to have diastolic dysfunction. The odds ratio (OR) of diastolic dysfunction was 1.56 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.31-1.85; p for trend <0.001] for the lowest SMI tertile relative to the highest SMI tertile following multivariable adjustment. Furthermore, the risk of diastolic dysfunction was much higher in the sarcopenic obesity (OR: 1.70, 95% CI: 1.44-1.99), followed by in the obesity-only (OR: 1.40, 95% CI: 1.21-1.62), and sarcopenia-only (OR: 1.32, 95% CI: 1.08-1.61) when compared with the nonobese, nonsarcopenic group. These results remained consistent amongst the elderly (age ≥ 65 years). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrate that lower skeletal muscle mass and sarcopenic obesity are strongly associated with diastolic dysfunction in middle-aged and older adults.

Efficacy and safety of gemigliptin as add-on therapy to insulin, with or without metformin, in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (ZEUS II study).

The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of gemigliptin added to a stable dose of insulin alone or of insulin in combination with metformin in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. After a two-week run-in period, patients were randomized 2:1 to receive gemigliptin 50 mg or placebo once daily as add-on to background therapy with insulin or insulin plus metformin for 24 weeks. The primary endpoint was change in haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) from baseline at Week 24. Baseline characteristics were similar between the gemigliptin (n = 188) and placebo (n = 95) groups in terms of HbA1c (8.1%). At Week 24, the gemigliptin group showed a statistically significant reduction in mean HbA1c from baseline as compared with placebo (between-group mean difference, -0.7% [95% CI, -0.9% to -0.4%]; P-value < 0.0001). The incidence of overall adverse events and the number of hypoglycaemic adverse events were similar between the study groups. Gemigliptin added to insulin alone or to insulin in combination with metformin resulted in superior glycaemic control compared to that in the placebo group and was well tolerated for 24 weeks in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, without causing weight gain or increasing the incidence of hypoglycaemia.

Efficacy and safety of evogliptin treatment in patients with type 2 diabetes: A multicentre, active-controlled, randomized, double-blind study with open-label extension (the EVERGREEN study).

AIM: To investigate the efficacy and safety of evogliptin compared with linagliptin in patients with type 2 diabetes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this 12-week, multicentre, randomized, double-blind, active-controlled, and 12-week open-label extension study, a total of 207 patients with type 2 diabetes who had HbA1c levels of 7.0%-10.0% were randomized 1:1 to receive evogliptin 5 mg (n = 102) or linagliptin 5 mg (n = 105) daily for 12 weeks. The primary efficacy endpoint was the change from baseline HbA1c at week 12. The secondary endpoint was the change in the mean amplitude of glycaemic excursion (MAGE) assessed by continuous glucose monitoring. In the extension study conducted during the following 12 weeks, evogliptin 5 mg daily was administered to both groups: evogliptin/evogliptin group (n = 95) and linagliptin/evogliptin group (n = 92). RESULTS: After 12 weeks of treatment, the mean change in HbA1c in the evogliptin group and in the linagliptin group was -0.85% and -0.75%, respectively. The between-group difference was -0.10% (95% CI: -0.32 to 0.11), showing non-inferiority based on a non-inferiority margin of 0.4%. The change in MAGE was -24.6 mg/dL in the evogliptin group and -16.7 mg/dL in the linagliptin group. These values were significantly lower than the baseline values in both groups. However, they did not differ significantly between the two groups. In the evogliptin/evogliptin group at week 24, HbA1c decreased by -0.94%, with HbA1c values of <7.0% in 80.2% of the patients. The incidence and types of adverse events were comparable between the two groups for 24 weeks. CONCLUSION: In this study, the glucose-lowering efficacy of evogliptin was non-inferior to linagliptin. It was maintained at week 24 with a 0.94% reduction in HbA1c. Evogliptin therapy improved glycaemic variability without causing any serious adverse events in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Relationship Between Relative Skeletal Muscle Mass and Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A 7-Year Longitudinal Study.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has been associated with relative skeletal muscle mass in several cross-sectional studies. We explored the effects of relative skeletal muscle mass and changes in relative muscle mass over time on the development of incident NAFLD or the resolution of baseline NAFLD in a large, longitudinal, population-based 7-year cohort study. We included 12,624 subjects without baseline NAFLD and 2943 subjects with baseline NAFLD who underwent health check-up examinations. A total of 10,534 subjects without baseline NAFLD and 2631 subjects with baseline NAFLD were included in analysis of changes in relative skeletal muscle mass over a year. Subjects were defined as having NAFLD by the hepatic steatosis index, a previously validated NAFLD prediction model. Relative skeletal muscle mass was presented using the skeletal muscle mass index (SMI), a measure of body weight-adjusted appendicular skeletal muscle mass, which was estimated by bioelectrical impedance analysis. Of the 12,624 subjects without baseline NAFLD, 1864 (14.8%) developed NAFLD during the 7-year follow-up period. Using Cox proportional hazard analysis, compared with the lowest sex-specific SMI tertile at baseline, the highest tertile was inversely associated with incident NAFLD (adjusted hazard ratio [AHR] = 0.44, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.38-0.51) and positively associated with the resolution of baseline NAFLD (AHR = 2.09, 95% CI = 1.02-4.28). Furthermore, compared with the lowest tertile of change in SMI over a year, the highest tertile exhibited a significant beneficial association with incident NAFLD (AHR = 0.69, 95% CI = 0.59-0.82) and resolution of baseline NAFLD (AHR = 4.17, 95% CI = 1.90-6.17) even after adjustment for baseline SMI. Conclusion: Increases in relative skeletal muscle mass over time may lead to benefits either in the development of NAFLD or the resolution of existing NAFLD.

Continuous glucose monitoring defined glucose variability is associated with cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy in type 1 diabetes.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to establish the association between continuous glucose monitoring (CGM)-defined glycaemic variability (GV) and cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy (CAN) in type 1 diabetes independent of mean glucose and to examine the relative contribution of each internationally standardized CGM parameter to this association. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included 80 adults with type 1 diabetes who underwent 3-day CGM and autonomic function tests within 3 months. The degree of association between internationally standardized CGM parameters and CAN, defined as at least two abnormal parasympathetic tests or the presence of orthostatic hypotension, were analysed by logistic regression, receiver operating characteristics (ROC), and dominance analysis. RESULTS: A total of 36 subjects (45.0%) were diagnosed with CAN. When adjusted with mean glucose and clinical risk factors of CAN, standard deviation, coefficient of variation, mean amplitude of glycaemic excursion, percent time in level 1 (glucose 54-69 mg/dL) and level 2 (glucose < 54 mg/dL) hypoglycaemia, area under the curve in level 2 hypoglycaemia, low blood glucose index, high blood glucose index, and percent time in glucose 70 to 180 mg/dL were independently associated with CAN. Multivariable ROC analysis and dominance analysis revealed the highest relative contribution of percent time in level 2 hypoglycaemia to the independent associations between CGM parameters and presence of CAN. CONCLUSIONS: CGM-defined GV was associated with CAN independent of mean glucose in adults with type 1 diabetes. Among internationally standardized CGM parameters, those describing the degree of level 2 hypoglycaemia were the most significant contributors to this association.

Teneligliptin versus sitagliptin in Korean patients with type 2 diabetes inadequately controlled with metformin and glimepiride: A randomized, double-blind, non-inferiority trial.

AIM: To assess the efficacy and safety of add-on therapy with the dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor teneligliptin compared with sitagliptin in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) inadequately controlled with metformin and glimepiride. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a phase 3, randomized, double-blind, non-inferiority study of adult Korean subjects with T2DM (n = 201), with HbA1c ranging from 7.0% to 11.0%, on stable doses of metformin plus glimepiride. Subjects were randomized in a 1:1 fashion to receive either oral teneligliptin 20 mg or sitagliptin 100 mg for 24 weeks. The primary endpoint was change from baseline in HbA1c. RESULTS: At baseline, mean age was 60.56 ± 9.41 years, body mass index was 25.23 ± 2.85 kg/m2 and HbA1c was 8.11% ± 0.79%. At 24 weeks, both groups achieved significant reductions from baseline in HbA1c (teneligliptin, -1.03% ± 0.10% [P < 0.0001]; sitagliptin, -1.02% ± 0.10% [P < 0.0001]). The inter-group difference was -0.01% (95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.28, 0.26; P = 0.9497); the upper limit of the 95% CI was within the preset limit for non-inferiority (0.4%). There were no significant differences between groups in the proportion of patients achieving HbA1c targets, or changes from baseline in fasting plasma glucose, body weight or lipid levels at 24 weeks. Rates of adverse events (teneligliptin, n = 63 [61.76%]; sitagliptin, n = 61 [62.24%]; P = 0.9442) and hypoglycaemia (teneligliptin, n = 32 [31.37%]; sitagliptin, n = 28 [28.57%]; P = 0.6656) were similar. CONCLUSION: Teneligliptin was non-inferior to sitagliptin in the context of triple therapy for T2DM and is an important option in this setting.

Predictive Factors for Efficacy of AST-120 Treatment in Diabetic Nephropathy: a Prospective Single-Arm, Open-Label, Multi-Center Study.

BACKGROUND: Removal of uremic toxins such as indoxyl sulfate by AST-120 is known to improve renal function and delay the initiation of dialysis in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease. However, it is unclear whether the addition of AST-120 to conventional treatments is effective in delaying the progression of renal dysfunction in patients with diabetic nephropathy. METHODS: A total of 100 patients with type 2 diabetes and renal dysfunction (serum creatinine levels ranging from 1.5 to 3.0 mg/dL) were recruited from eight centers in Korea and treated with AST-120 (6 g/day) for 24 weeks. The primary endpoint was improvement in renal function measured as the gradient of the reciprocal serum creatinine level (1/sCr) over time (i.e., the ratio of 1/sCr time slope for post- to pre-AST-120 therapy). A response was defined as a ratio change of the regression coefficient of 1/sCr ≤ 0.90. RESULTS: Renal function improved in 80.3% of patients (61/76) after 24 weeks of AST-120 treatment. There were no differences between responder and non-responder groups in baseline characteristics except for diastolic blood pressure (73.5 ± 9.5 mmHg in the responder group vs. 79.3 ± 11.1 mmHg in the non-responder group; P = 0.046). Serum lipid peroxidation level decreased significantly in the responder group (from 2.25 ± 0.56 µol/L to 1.91 ± 0.72 µol/L; P = 0.002) but not in the non-responder group. CONCLUSION: The addition of AST-120 to conventional treatments may delay the progression of renal dysfunction in diabetic nephropathy. The antioxidant effect of AST-120 might contribute to improvement in renal function.

Increase in relative skeletal muscle mass over time and its inverse association with metabolic syndrome development: a 7-year retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Skeletal muscle mass was negatively associated with metabolic syndrome prevalence in previous cross-sectional studies. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of baseline skeletal muscle mass and changes in skeletal muscle mass over time on the development of metabolic syndrome in a large population-based 7-year cohort study. METHODS: A total of 14,830 and 11,639 individuals who underwent health examinations at the Health Promotion Center at Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea were included in the analyses of baseline skeletal muscle mass and those changes from baseline over 1 year, respectively. Skeletal muscle mass was estimated by bioelectrical impedance analysis and was presented as a skeletal muscle mass index (SMI), a body weight-adjusted appendicular skeletal muscle mass value. Using Cox regression models, hazard ratio for developing metabolic syndrome associated with SMI values at baseline or changes of SMI over a year was analyzed. RESULTS: During 7 years of follow-up, 20.1% of subjects developed metabolic syndrome. Compared to the lowest sex-specific SMI tertile at baseline, the highest sex-specific SMI tertile showed a significant inverse association with metabolic syndrome risk (adjusted hazard ratio [AHR] = 0.61, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.54-0.68). Furthermore, compared with SMI changes < 0% over a year, multivariate-AHRs for metabolic syndrome development were 0.87 (95% CI 0.78-0.97) for 0-1% changes and 0.67 (0.56-0.79) for > 1% changes in SMI over 1 year after additionally adjusting for baseline SMI and glycometabolic parameters. CONCLUSIONS: An increase in relative skeletal muscle mass over time has a potential preventive effect on developing metabolic syndrome, independently of baseline skeletal muscle mass and glycometabolic parameters.

Efficacy and safety of ipragliflozin as an add-on therapy to sitagliptin and metformin in Korean patients with inadequately controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus: A randomized controlled trial.

AIM: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of ipragliflozin vs placebo as add-on therapy to metformin and sitagliptin in Korean patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). METHODS: This double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-centre, phase III study was conducted in Korea in 2015 to 2017. Patients were randomized to receive either ipragliflozin 50 mg/day or placebo once daily for 24 weeks in addition to metformin and sitagliptin. The primary endpoint was the change in glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) from baseline to end of treatment (EOT). RESULTS: In total, 143 patients were randomized and 139 were included in efficacy analyses (ipragliflozin: 73, placebo: 66). Baseline mean (SD) HbA1c levels were 7.90 (0.69)% for ipragliflozin add-on and 7.92 (0.79)% for placebo. The corresponding mean (SD) changes from baseline to EOT were -0.79 (0.59)% and 0.03 (0.84)%, respectively, in favour of ipragliflozin (adjusted mean difference -0.83% [95% CI -1.07 to -0.59]; P < .0001). More ipragliflozin-treated patients than placebo-treated patients achieved HbA1c target levels of <7.0% (44.4% vs 12.1%) and < 6.5% (12.5% vs 1.5%) at EOT (P < .05 for both). Fasting plasma glucose, fasting serum insulin, body weight and homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance decreased significantly at EOT, in favour of ipragliflozin (adjusted mean difference -1.64 mmol/L, -1.50 µU/mL, -1.72 kg, and -0.99, respectively; P < .05 for all). Adverse event rates were similar between groups (ipragliflozin: 51.4%; placebo: 50.0%). No previously unreported safety concerns were noted. CONCLUSIONS: Ipragliflozin as add-on to metformin and sitagliptin significantly improved glycaemic variables and demonstrated a good safety profile in Korean patients with inadequately controlled T2DM.

Glycated albumin and its variability as an indicator of cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy development in type 2 diabetic patients.

BACKGROUND: We investigated whether glycated albumin (GA) and its variability are associated with cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy (CAN) and further compared their associations with glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c). METHODS: This retrospective longitudinal study included 498 type 2 diabetic patients without CAN. CAN was defined as at least two abnormal results in parasympathetic tests or presence of orthostatic hypotension. The mean, standard deviation (SD), and coefficient of variance (CV) were calculated from consecutively measured GA (median 7 times) and HbA1c levels (median 8 times) over 2 years. Logistic regression analysis was used to compare the associations between CAN and GA- or HbA1c-related parameters. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to compare the predictive power for CAN between GA- and HbA1c-related parameters. RESULTS: A total of 53 subjects (10.6%) developed CAN over 2 years. The mean, SD, and CV of GA or HbA1c were significantly higher in subjects with CAN. Higher mean GA and GA variability were associated with the risk of developing CAN, independent of conventional risk factors and HbA1c. In ROC curve analysis, the SD and CV of GA showed higher predictive value for CAN compared to the SD and CV of HbA1c, whereas the predictive value of mean GA did not differ from that of mean HbA1c. The mean, SD, and CV of GA showed additive predictive power to detect CAN development along with mean HbA1c. CONCLUSIONS: Higher serum GA and its variability are significantly associated with the risk of developing CAN. Serum GA might be a useful indicator for diabetic complications and can enhance HbA1c's modest clinical prediction for CAN.

Efficacy and safety of initial combination therapy with gemigliptin and metformin compared with monotherapy with either drug in patients with type 2 diabetes: A double-blind randomized controlled trial (INICOM study).

BACKGROUND: Gemigliptin is a new dipeptidyl peptidase-IV inhibitor. We investigated the efficacy and safety of initial combination therapy with gemigliptin and metformin compared with monotherapy with either drug in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). METHODS: A total of 433 T2D patients with a glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) level of 7.5% to 11.0% and a fasting plasma glucose (FPG) concentration <270 mg/dL were randomly assigned to 3 groups: (1) gemigliptin 50 mg qd + metformin 1000 to 2000 mg qd (titrated individually), (2) gemigliptin 50 mg qd, or (3) metformin 1000 to 2000 mg qd. The primary end-point was the change in HbA1c level after 24 weeks. Secondary end-points were the changes in FPG, insulin, proinsulin and C-peptide levels. The percentages of responders who achieved an HbA1c level <7% (or <6.5%) were compared between treatment groups. RESULTS: Baseline HbA1c levels were 8.7% in all groups. The mean changes in HbA1c level from baseline to week 24 were -2.06%, -1.24% and -1.47% in the combination, gemigliptin monotherapy and metformin monotherapy groups, respectively. The 95% confidence intervals for between-group differences in HbA1c changes were -1.02 to -0.63 in the combination group vs the gemigliptin group and -0.82 to -0.41 vs the metformin group, which confirmed the superiority of combination therapy. A significantly higher percentage of patients in the combination therapy group reached the target HbA1c level <7% (or <6.5%) compared with the monotherapy groups. No severe side effects were observed. CONCLUSIONS: In T2D patients, the initial combination of gemigliptin and metformin had superior efficacy without safety concerns compared with monotherapy with either drug.

Probucol in Albuminuric Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients on Renin-Angiotensin System Blockade: A 16-Week, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of probucol on urine albumin excretion in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients with albuminuria using angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers. APPROACH AND RESULTS: This was a 16-week, phase II, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients with a urinary albumin/creatinine ratio of ≥300 mg/g using angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers, conducted in 17 tertiary referral hospitals. Eligible patients were randomized to probucol 250 mg/d (n=44), probucol 500 mg/d (n=41), and placebo (n=41) groups in a ratio of 1:1:1 after block randomization procedures, keeping the treatment assignment blinded to the investigators, patients, and study assistants. The primary end point was change in the geometric mean of urinary albumin/creatinine ratio from baseline to week 16 (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT01726816). The study was started on November 8, 2012, and completed on March 24, 2014. The least squares mean change±SE from baseline in urinary albumin/creatinine ratio at week 16 was -7.2±639.5 mg/g in the probucol 250 mg/d group (n=43; P=0.2077 versus placebo group), 9.3±587.4 mg/g in the probucol 500 mg/d group (n=40; P=0.1975 versus placebo group), and 259.0±969.1 mg/g in the placebo group (n=41). Although the majority of subjects were on statins, probucol treatment significantly lowered total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. QT prolongation occurred in one and two subjects in control and probucol 250 mg/d groups, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Four months of probucol up to 500 mg/d failed to reduce urinary albumin excretion.

Associations between religiosity and anxiety, depressive symptoms, and well-being in Korean adults living with epilepsy.

PURPOSE: Religiosity can be important in the everyday life of persons with epilepsy (PWE). How PWE live with religiosity can be influenced by their cultural background. We determined whether religiosity is associated with anxiety, depressive symptoms, and well-being in Korean adults with epilepsy. METHODS: This multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted in the outpatient clinics of five university hospitals in Korea. Religiosity was assessed using the five-item Duke University Religion Index (DUREL). The WHO-Five Well-Being Index (WHO-5) and Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale were used. The participants were categorized into three subgroups bounded by the 33rd and 66th percentiles of their DUREL scores. RESULTS: Of a total of 226 participants, 61.1% declared that they had religious affiliation. The median DUREL score was 11 (interquartile ranges 6, 18). All three subscales of the DUREL were significantly related to WHO-5 (p<0.01). Non-organizational religious activities such as prayer and meditation were also inversely related to anxiety (p<0.05) and depressive symptoms (p<0.01). After controlling for confounding variables, anxiety and depressive symptoms were more extensive in the low religiosity subgroup than in the high or no religiosity subgroup (p<0.01) and well-being was higher in the high or low religiosity subgroup than in the no religiosity subgroup (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Religiosity is significantly associated with anxiety, depressive symptoms, and well-being in Korean adults with epilepsy.

Reduction in microalbuminuria by calcium channel blockers in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypertension-A randomized, open-label, active-controlled, superiority, parallel-group clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: It has been suggested that renoprotection with calcium channel blockers (CCBs) may differ. This study aimed to compare the anti-proteinuric effect of different CCBs in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). METHODS: A multicentre, randomized, open-label, active-controlled study was performed in seven centres in Korea. A total of 74 patients with T2D and microalbuminuria treated with renin-angiotensin system (RAS) blockers were randomized to a cilnidipine 10 mg treatment (n=38) or amlodipine 5 mg treatment (n=36). RESULTS: Urine albumin to creatinine ratio (ACR) reduction was similar between the two groups at 12 weeks (-53.0±123.2 mg/g in cilnidipine group and -35.7±83.6 mg/g in amlodipine group, P=.29) or 24 weeks (-57.3±106.9 mg/g in cilnidipine group and -20.0±110.4 mg/g in amlodipine group, P=.24). In a subgroup analysis, cilnidipine treatment showed a larger ACR reduction than amlodipine treatment at 12 weeks (-84.7±106.8 mg/g in cilnidipine group and -9.5±79.2 mg/g in amlodipine group, P=.01) and 24 weeks (-84.0±111.7 mg/g in cilnidipine group and 14.6±119.4 mg/g in amlodipine group, P=.008), particularly in patients with a longer duration of diabetes more than 10 years. CONCLUSIONS: Cilnidipine did not show any additional anti-albuminuric effect compared with amlodipine in patients with T2D and microalbuminuria treated with an RAS blocker. However, the anti-albuminuric effect of cilnidipine might differ according to the duration of diabetes.

An information and communication technology-based centralized clinical trial to determine the efficacy and safety of insulin dose adjustment education based on a smartphone personal health record application: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: A Personal Health Record (PHR) is an online application that allows patients to access, manage, and share their health data. PHRs not only enhance shared decision making with healthcare providers, but also enable remote monitoring and at-home-collection of detailed data. The benefits of PHRs can be maximized in insulin dose adjustment for patients starting or intensifying insulin regimens, as frequent self-monitoring of glucose, self-adjustment of insulin dose, and precise at-home data collection during the visit-to-visit period are important for glycemic control. The aim of this study is to examine the efficacy and safety of insulin dose adjustment based on a smartphone PHR application in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) and to confirm the validity and stability of an information and communication technology (ICT)-based centralized clinical trial monitoring system. METHODS: This is a 24-week, open-label, randomized, multi-center trial. There are three follow-up measures: baseline, post-intervention at week 12, and at week 24. Subjects diagnosed with type 1 DM, type 2 DM, and/or post-transplant DM who initiate basal insulin or intensify their insulin regimen to a basal-bolus regimen are included. After education on insulin dose titration and prevention for hypoglycemia and a 1-week acclimation period, subjects are randomized in a 1:1 ratio to either an ICT-based intervention group or a conventional intervention group. Subjects in the conventional intervention group will save and send their health information to the server via a PHR application, whereas those in ICT-based intervention group will receive additional algorithm-based feedback messages. The health information includes level of blood glucose, insulin dose, details on hypoglycemia, food diary, and step count. The primary outcome will be the proportion of patients who reach an optimal insulin dose within 12 weeks of study enrollment, without severe hypoglycemia or unscheduled clinic visits. DISCUSSION: This clinical trial will reveal whether insulin dose adjustment based on a smartphone PHR application can facilitate the optimization of insulin doses in patients with DM. In addition, the process evaluation will provide information about the validity and stability of the ICT-based centralized clinical trial monitoring system in this research field. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT 03112343 . Registered on 12 April 2017.

Erratum to: An information and communication technology-based centralized clinical trial to determine the efficacy and safety of insulin dose adjustment education based on a smartphone personal health record application: a randomized controlled trial.

After publication of the original article [1] it was noted that both the figures and captions and relating to Figs. 1 and 2 had been interchanged.

Low Serum Vitamin D Levels May Contribute to Gastric Dysmotility in de novo Parkinson's Disease.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Gastrointestinal dysfunction is a common non motor symptom in Parkinson's disease (PD). However, the potential association between vitamin D and gastroparesis in PD has not been previously investigated. The aim of this study was to compare vitamin D levels between drug-naive de novo PD patients with normal gastric emptying and those with delayed gastric emptying. METHODS: Fifty-one patients with drug-naive de novo PD and 20 age-matched healthy controls were enrolled in this study. Gastric emptying time (GET) was assessed by scintigraphy, and gastric emptying half-time (T1/2) was determined. The PD patients were divided into a delayed-GET group and a normal-GET group. RESULTS: The serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 levels were decreased in the delayed-GET group compared with the normal-GET and control groups (11.59 ± 4.90 vs. 19.43 ± 6.91 and 32.69 ± 4.93, respectively, p < 0.01). In the multivariate model, the serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 level was independently associated with delayed gastric emptying in PD patients. CONCLUSIONS: Vitamin D status may be an independent factor for gastric dysmotility in PD. Although the underlying mechanism remains to be characterized, vitamin D status may play a role in the pathogenesis of delayed gastric emptying in drug-naive PD.

The association between glycemic variability and diabetic cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy in patients with type 2 diabetes.

BACKGROUND: It is presently unclear whether glycemic variability is associated with diabetic cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy (CAN). The aim of this study was to examine whether short- and/or long-term glycemic variability (GV) contribute to CAN. METHODS: A total of 110 patients with type 2 diabetes who underwent three-day continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) completed five standardized autonomic neuropathy tests. Short-term GV was measured by the standard deviation (SD), coefficient of variation (CV) of glucose, and the mean amplitude of glycemic excursions (MAGE) in CGM. HbA1c variability was calculated from the intrapersonal SD, adjusted SD, and CV of serial HbA1c over 2-year period. CAN was defined as the presence of at least two abnormal parasympathetic function tests. The severity of CAN was evaluated by total scores of five autonomic function tests. RESULTS: In univariate analysis, not only SD and CV in CGM but also all parameters of HbA1c variability were significantly higher in the patients with CAN (n = 47, 42.7 %) than in those without CAN. In multivariate analysis, CV (Odds ratio [OR] 1.07, 95 % confidence interval [CI] 1.01-1.13; p = 0.033), but neither SD nor MAGE in CGM, independently correlated with the presence of CAN. All parameters of HbA1c variability, such as SD of HbA1c (OR 12.10 [95 % CI 2.29-63.94], p = 0.003), adjusted SD of HbA1c (OR 17.02 [95 % CI 2.66-108.86], p = 0.003), and log CV of HbA1c (OR 24.00 [95 % CI 3.09-186.48], p = 0.002), were significantly associated with the presence of CAN. The patients with higher HbA1c variability had an increased risk of advanced CAN. CONCLUSION: CV in CGM and all parameters of HbA1c variability were independently associated with the presence of CAN in patients with inadequately controlled type 2 diabetes requiring CGM.

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase II clinical trial to investigate the efficacy and safety of oral DA-1229 in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who have inadequate glycaemic control with diet and exercise.

BACKGROUND: DA-1229 is a novel, potent and selective dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-IV) inhibitor that is orally bioavailable. We aimed to evaluate the optimal dose, efficacy and safety of DA-1229, in Korean subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus suboptimally controlled with diet and exercise. METHODS: We enrolled 158 patients (mean age, 53 years and a mean BMI, 25.6 kg/m(2) ). The mean baseline fasting plasma glucose level, HbA1c and duration of diabetes were 8.28 mmol/L, 7.6% (60 mmol/mol) and 3.9 years, respectively. After 2 or 6 weeks of an exercise and diet program followed by 2 weeks of a placebo period, the subjects were randomized into one of four groups for a 12-week active treatment period: placebo, 2.5, 5 or 10 mg of DA-1229. RESULTS: All three doses of DA-1229 significantly reduced HbA1c from baseline compared to the placebo group (-0.09 in the placebo group vs. -0.56, -0.66 and -0.61% in 2.5, 5 and 10-mg groups, respectively) but without any significant differences between the doses. Insulin secretory function, as assessed by homeostasis model assessment ß-cell, the insulinogenic index, 2-h oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) C-peptide and post-OGTT C-peptide area under the curve (AUC)0-2h, significantly improved with DA-1229 treatment. The incidence of adverse events was similar between the treatment groups and DA-1229 did not affect body weight or induce hypoglycaemic events. CONCLUSIONS: DA-1229 monotherapy (5 mg for 12 weeks) improved HbA1c, fasting plasma glucose level, OGTT results and ß-cell function. This drug was well tolerated in Korean subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus.