Long-term follow-up of a randomized controlled trial of a text-message diabetes self-management support programme, SMS4BG.

AIMS: To determine the long-term effectiveness of an individually tailored text-message diabetes self-management support programme, SMS4BG, on glycaemic control at 2 years in adults with diabetes with an HbA1c concentration > 64 mmol/mol (8%). METHODS: We conducted a 2-year follow-up of a two-arm, parallel, randomized controlled trial across health services in New Zealand. Participants were English-speaking adults with type 1 or 2 diabetes and with an HbA1c >64 mmol/mol (8%). In the main trial participants randomized to the intervention group (N=183) received up to 9 months of an automated tailored text-message programme in addition to usual care. Participants in the control group (N=183) received usual care for 9 months. In this follow-up study, 293 (80%) of 366 randomized participants in the main trial were included. The primary outcome measure was change in glycaemic control (HbA1c ) from baseline to 2 years. Mixed-effect models were used to compare the group differences at 3, 6, 9 and 24 months, adjusted for baseline HbA1c and stratification factors (health district category, diabetes type and ethnicity). RESULTS: The decrease in HbA1c at 2 years was significantly greater in the intervention group [mean (sd) -10 (18) mmol/mol or -0.9 (1.6)%] compared with the control group [mean (sd) -1 (20) mmol/mol or -0.1 (1.8)%], with an adjusted mean difference of -9 mmol/mol (95% CI -14, -5) or -0.8% (95% CI -1.2, -0.4; P<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Improvements in glycaemic control resulting from a text-message diabetes self-management support programme were sustained at 2 years after randomization. These findings support the implementation of SMS4BG in current practice.

Risk factors for recurrent admissions with diabetic ketoacidosis: a case-control observational study.

AIM: To perform a detailed analysis of patients with recurrent diabetic ketoacidosis admissions in order to establish risk factors for readmission. METHODS: The medical records of all adults and young people (> 15 years) with Type 1 diabetes admitted to Auckland City Hospital over a 15-year period from 1997 to 2011 with a primary diagnosis of ketoacidosis were analysed. Patients readmitted with ketoacidosis within 5 years of their index admission were identified and compared with patients without ketoacidosis readmission who were matched for age, gender, ethnicity and duration of diabetes. RESULTS: A total of 268 patients accounted for a total of 412 admissions. In all, 58 patients had more than one admission for diabetic ketoacidosis during this period. Of these, 40 patients readmitted with diabetic ketoacidosis were compared with matched control subjects (n = 40) who had only one admission for diabetic ketoacidosis. The mean ± sd age of the cohort was 31 ± 12 years. The readmission group had more severe diabetic ketoacidosis and poorer glycaemic control. Alcohol abuse was commonly noted in both groups, with insulin dose omission being the main contributor to the development of ketoacidosis. Both groups had high rates of clinic non-attendance. There were no other differences noted between the groups. CONCLUSION: When patients with recurrent diabetic ketoacidosis were matched for age, duration of diabetes, gender and ethnicity with patients who had only one admission for diabetic ketoacidosis, few differences were noted. This makes designing intervention strategies to reduce readmission with diabetic ketoacidosis difficult.

The diabetic foot.

Diabetes is reaching epidemic proportions and with it carries the risk of complications. Disease of the foot is among one of the most feared complications of diabetes. The ultimate endpoint of diabetic foot disease is amputation, which is associated with significant morbidity and mortality, besides having immense social, psychological and financial consequences. As the majority of amputations are preceded by foot ulceration, it is crucial to identify those at an increased risk. Diabetic foot ulcers may develop as a result of neuropathy, ischaemia or both and when infection complicates a foot ulcer, the combination can become limb and life threatening. Structural abnormalities such as calluses, bunions, hammer toes, claw toes, flat foot and rocker bottom foot need to be identified and managed.

Rosiglitazone produces a greater reduction in circulating platelet activity compared with gliclazide in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus--an effect probably mediated by direct platelet PPARgamma activation.

AIMS: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is associated with enhanced platelet activation. We conducted a randomised double-blind study to compare the effects of combination metformin and rosiglitazone or metformin and gliclazide therapy on platelet function in persons with T2DM. METHODS: Fifty subjects on metformin monotherapy received either rosiglitazone 4 mg or gliclazide 80 mg. HbA1c, HOMA-R, markers of platelet activation, inflammation, endothelial activation and oxidative stress were measured at baseline and after 24 weeks of treatment. Separate in vitro platelet function studies were conducted on platelets pre-incubated with rosiglitazone and gliclazide. RESULTS: A significantly greater reduction in platelet aggregation was observed in the rosiglitazone treated group compared to gliclazide. HbA1c and markers of endothelial activation were reduced to a similar extent in both groups. A significant reduction in HOMA-R, markers of inflammation and oxidative stress was only observed with rosiglitazone. Reduction in platelet aggregation with rosiglitazone correlated with reduction in oxidative stress. In the in vitro study, rosiglitazone produced significantly greater reduction in platelet aggregation compared with gliclazide. CONCLUSION: Greater reduction in platelet activity observed with rosiglitazone may be related to reduced oxidative stress and a possible direct PPARgamma mediated effect on platelet function.

Lipopolysaccharide activates an innate immune system response in human adipose tissue in obesity and type 2 diabetes.

UNLABELLED: Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) is associated with chronic low-grade inflammation. Adipose tissue (AT) may represent an important site of inflammation. 3T3-L1 studies have demonstrated that lipopolysaccharide (LPS) activates toll-like receptors (TLRs) to cause inflammation. For this study, we 1) examined activation of TLRs and adipocytokines by LPS in human abdominal subcutaneous (AbdSc) adipocytes, 2) examined blockade of NF-kappaB in human AbdSc adipocytes, 3) examined the innate immune pathway in AbdSc AT from lean, obese, and T2DM subjects, and 4) examined the association of circulating LPS in T2DM subjects. The findings showed that LPS increased TLR-2 protein expression twofold (P<0.05). Treatment of AbdSc adipocytes with LPS caused a significant increase in TNF-alpha and IL-6 secretion (IL-6, CONTROL: 2.7+/-0.5 vs. LPS: 4.8+/-0.3 ng/ml; P<0.001; TNF-alpha, CONTROL: 1.0+/-0.83 vs. LPS: 32.8+/-6.23 pg/ml; P<0.001). NF-kappaB inhibitor reduced IL-6 in AbdSc adipocytes ( CONTROL: 2.7+/-0.5 vs. NF-kappaB inhibitor: 2.1+/-0.4 ng/ml; P<0.001). AbdSc AT protein expression for TLR-2, MyD88, TRAF6, and NF-kappaB was increased in T2DM patients (P<0.05), and TLR-2, TRAF-6, and NF-kappaB were increased in LPS-treated adipocytes (P<0.05). Circulating LPS was 76% higher in T2DM subjects compared with matched controls. LPS correlated with insulin in controls (r=0.678, P<0.0001). Rosiglitazone (RSG) significantly reduced both fasting serum insulin levels (reduced by 51%, P=0.0395) and serum LPS (reduced by 35%, P=0.0139) in a subgroup of previously untreated T2DM patients. In summary, our results suggest that T2DM is associated with increased endotoxemia, with AT able to initiate an innate immune response. Thus, increased adiposity may increase proinflammatory cytokines and therefore contribute to the pathogenic risk of T2DM.

Primary fourth ventricular hemorrhage.

A case of primary fourth ventricular hemorrhage with spontaneous recovery is reported. To the best of our knowledge, there is no previous report of this rare clinical entity.

Modified method for determination of serum beta-glucuronidase: A comparative study using P-nitrophenyl glucuronide and phenolphthalein glucuronide as substrate in gastrointestinal tract carcinomas.

Serum beta-glucuronidase activity was estimated by our modified method using two substrates phenolphthalein glucuronide and p-nitrophenyl glucoronide in 49 healthy subjects and 94 patients with gastrointestinal tract (GIT) carcinoma. The correlation coefficient using the two substrates was found to be r=0.8383. The method of Gabor Szasz was modified wherein the incubation time was decreased from 5 hours to 2 hours and the incubation temperature was increased from 25°C to 37°C. The increase in beta-glucuronidase activity in GIT carcinoma appears to be a good biochemical marker in patients with such type of carcinomas, a finding not reported in literature to-date.The modified quantitative method used for estimation of beta-glucuronidase is reliable, accurate, simple and rapid.

Serum leucine amino peptidase levels as a marker in testicular tumours.

Serum levels of leucine aminopeptidase (LAP) were studied in 60 patients with testicular tumours and 26 normal individuals, and were found to be significantly elevated in patients with seminomas, nonseminomas and benign tumours of the testis. After treatment the LAP levels decreased in patients with seminomas, nonseminomas and mixed cell carcinomas indicating response to therapy. The quantitative method used for estimation of LAP, which is simple, quick, accurate and cost-effective, could be used more effectively as a tumour marker in testicular malignancies.

Comparative study on determination of alpha-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase, lactate dehydrogenase isoenzyme LDH-1 by adsorption on DEAE Sephadex A-50 & electrophoresis.

Serum alpha-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase (HBDH) and lactate dehydrogenase isoenzyme (LDH-1) levels by two techniques viz., adsorption on DEAE Sephadex A-50 and by electrophoresis were estimated in healthy subjects and patients with testicular tumours. The correlation coefficient between HBDH and LDH-1 by adsorption technique was found to be r = 0.8. HBDH was found to have a value almost twice that of LDH-1 by adsorption and electrophoretic technique and the activity of LDH-1 obtained by two methods and of HBDH in normals and patients with testicular tumours could be converted using a factor of 0.557. The quantitative method used for determination of HBDH is reliable, accurate, simple and rapid and therefore has better value in a clinical setting than electrophoresis and adsorption techniques which are laborious and time consuming.

Hyperamylasaemia & related enzyme factors in renal failure associated with benign & malignant conditions.

Total serum amylase activity, its isoenzymes and pancreatic to salivary amylase (P/S) ratio were studied in 40 normal subjects and 47 patients with renal failure, 32 with benign and 15 with malignant conditions. Amylase to creatinine clearance (Cam/Ccr) was studied in 17 normals and 14 patients with renal failure, 10 benign and 4 with malignant diseases. Total amylase activity, and pancreatic and salivary fractions were found to be increased by about 3.4 times the normal in both benign and malignant conditions producing renal failure though the P/S ratio was within the normal range. However, the increase in the urea and creatinine levels in patients could not be related to the increase in serum total amylase. Besides the Cam/Ccr ratio was elevated in patients with both benign and malignant conditions producing renal insufficiency whereas the Cam and Ccr were individually found to be decreased. Why patients with chronic renal failure in both conditions without clinical evidence of pancreatitis should have elevated Cam/Ccr ratio is not clear.

Study of total serum amylase, its salivary and pancreatic fraction and the pancreatic to salivary amylase ratio in testicular tumours.

Serum levels of total amylase, its pancreatic fraction (P), salivary fraction (S), and the ratio of pancreatic to salivary fraction (P/S) were determined in 52 cases of histologically proved testicular germ cell tumours and 33 healthy controls. Total serum amylase remained unchanged, but the salivary fraction had a lower mean value. P/S ratio and the pancreatic fraction were significantly elevated in both seminomatous and non- seminomatous tumours. The ratio was more frequently raised in non-seminomatous (100%) as compared to seminomatous (66.67%) tumors. Following treatment there was no appreciable fall in P/S ratio in non-seminomatous tumors whereas in seminomas there was a slight increase in the ratio. The pancreatic fraction showed a transient fall in seminomatous but not in non-seminomatous tumors following treatment. The pancreatic fraction of amylase and the P/S ratio may help in the diagnosis of testicular germ cell tumor but does not appear to be of use in assessment of prognosis or monitoring the course of the disease during treatment.

Serum lactate dehydrogenase, alpha-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase and ratio of alpha-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase to lactate dehydrogenase in testicular tumours.

Serum levels of Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH), alpha-Hydroxybutyrate Dehydrogenase (HBDH) and the relative ratio of alpha-Hydroxybutyrate Dehydrogenase to Lactate Dehydrogenase (HBDH/LDH) were determined in 51 cases of histologically proved testicular germ cell tumors and 40 healthy controls. Serum LDH and HBDH levels were found to be raised in both seminomatous and non-seminomatous germ cell tumors. The ratio of HBDH/LDH was found to be statistically significant in seminomas and insignificant in non-seminomatous germ cell tumors. Furthermore, the levels of LDH and HBDH showed a fall, following treatment indicating response to therapy. Serum LDH and HBDH could both be used as tumor markers in the diagnosis of testicular germ cell tumors as well as prognostic indicators in monitoring therapy, HBDH, being more specific in monitoring therapy as compared to serum LDH.

Quantitative evaluation of muscle relaxation induced by Kundalini yoga with the help of EMG integrator.

The present work is aimed to quantify the degree of relaxation of muscle under the effects of Kundalini Yoga with the help of EMG integrator. The data collected from 8 individuals (4 males 4 females) on the degree of muscle relaxation at the end of meditation revealed a significantly decreased muscle activity amounting to 58% of the basal level in both the sexes.