Immune checkpoint modulators in early clinical development for the treatment of type 1 diabetes.

INTRODUCTION: Despite the improvements of insulin therapy, people with type 1 diabetes (T1D) still suffer from a decreased quality of life and life expectancy. The search toward a cure for T1D is therefore still a scorching open field of research. AREAS COVERED: Tackling the immune checkpoint signaling pathways has gained importance in the field of cancer immunotherapy. The same pathways can be targeted in autoimmunity with an opposite principle: to dampen the exaggerated immune response. In this review, we report a comprehensive excursus on the cellular and molecular mechanisms that lead to loss of immunological tolerance, and recent evidence on the role of immune checkpoint molecules in the development of T1D and their potential application for the mitigation of autoimmune diabetes. EXPERT OPINION: Contrasting results about the efficacy of immune checkpoint modulators for T1D have been published, with very few molecules from preclinical studies eligible for use in humans. The heterogeneous and complex pathophysiology of T1D may explain the conflicting evidence. Designing clinical trials that acknowledge the pathophysiological and clinical complexity of T1D and that forecast the need of simultaneously tackling different disease pathways will be crucial to enhance the benefits which may be gained by such compounds.

Saxagliptin/dapagliflozin is non-inferior to insulin glargine in terms of ß-cell function in subjects with latent autoimmune diabetes in adults: A 12-month, randomized, comparator-controlled pilot study.

AIM: To compare the efficacy and safety of saxagliptin/dapagliflozin and insulin glargine in people with latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA). METHODS: In this phase 2b multicentre, open-label, comparator-controlled, parallel-group, non-inferiority study, we randomly assigned 33 people with LADA who had a fasting C-peptide concentration ≥0.2 nmol/L (0.6 ng/mL) to receive 1-year daily treatment with either the combination of saxagliptin (5 mg) plus dapagliflozin (10 mg) or insulin glargine (starting dose: 10 IU), both on top of metformin. The primary outcome was the 2-h mixed meal-stimulated C-peptide area under the curve (AUC), measured 12 months after randomization. Secondary outcomes were glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) levels, change in body mass index (BMI), and hypoglycaemic events. RESULTS: In the modified intention-to-treat analysis, the primary outcome was similar in participants assigned to saxagliptin/dapagliflozin or to insulin glargine (median C-peptide AUC: 152.0 ng*min/mL [95% confidence interval {CI} 68.2; 357.4] vs. 122.2 ng*min/mL [95% CI 84.3; 255.8]; p for noninferiority = 0.0087). Participants randomized to saxagliptin/dapagliflozin lost more weight than those randomized to insulin glargine (median BMI change at the end of the study: -0.4 kg/m2 [95% CI -1.6; -0.3] vs. +0.4 kg/m2 [95% CI -0.3; +1.1]; p = 0.0076). No differences in HbA1c or in the number of participants experiencing hypoglycaemic events were found. CONCLUSIONS: Saxagliptin/dapagliflozin was non-inferior to glargine in terms of ß-cell function in this 12-month, small, phase 2b study, enrolling people with LADA with still viable endogenous insulin production. Weight loss was greater with saxagliptin/dapagliflozin, with no differences in glycaemic control or hypoglycaemic risk.

Lack of Association between Serum Chitotriosidase Activity and Arterial Stiffness in Type 2 Diabetes without Cardiovascular Complications.

Chitotriosidase (CHIT), a mammalian chitinase secreted by neutrophils and activated macrophages, is increased in both cardiovascular disease (CVD) and type 2 diabetes (T2D). Arterial stiffness rises early in T2D and increases the risk of CVD. The aim of this study is to evaluate CHIT activity as an early biomarker of arterial stiffness in people with T2D free from overt vascular complications. In this cross-sectional study, arterial stiffness as measured using standard pulse wave velocity (PWV) was evaluated in 174 people with T2D without overt vascular disease. Then, we measured CHIT serum activity with an electrochemiluminescence assay in two subgroups of participants: 35 with the highest (high-PWV) and 40 with the lowest (low-PWV) PWV values. CHIT activity was no different between the low-PVW and high-PWV groups (12.7 [9.6-17.9] vs. 11.4 [8.8-15.0] nmol/mL/h, respectively). Compared with the low-PWV group, the high-PWV participants were older (p < 0.001); had a longer duration of diabetes (p = 0.03); higher ankle-brachial index ABI (p = 0.04), systolic blood pressure (p = 0.002), diastolic blood pressure (p = 0.005), fasting blood glucose (p = 0.008), and HbA1c (p = 0.005); and lower eGFR (p = 0.03) and body mass index (BMI) (p = 0.01). No association was present with sex, duration of diabetes, age, BMI, peripheral blood pressure, laboratory parameters, and glucose-lowering medications or ongoing antihypertensive therapy. Although no association was found, this study provides novel data about the association of CHIT activity with CVD, focusing on a specific outcome (arterial stiffness) in a well-defined population of subjects with T2D without established CVD.

Updates on Glycaemic Control Strategies: A Range of Opportunities after Total Pancreatectomy.

In the past, indications for total pancreatectomy (TP) were rare, with several concerns about patients' postoperative quality of life due to exocrine and endocrine post-pancreatectomy management [...].

Association of osteocalcin, osteoprotegerin, and osteopontin with cardiovascular disease and retinopathy in type 2 diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Novel biomarkers of vascular disease in diabetes could help identify new mechanistic pathways. Osteocalcin, osteoprotegerin, and osteopontin are key molecules involved in bone and vascular calcification processes, both of which are compromised in diabetes. We aimed to evaluate possible associations of osteocalcin, osteoprotegerin, and osteopontin with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetic retinopathy (DR) among people with type 2 diabetes (T2D). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Osteocalcin, osteoprotegerin, and osteopontin concentrations were measured at enrolment in 848 participants with T2D from the Sapienza University Mortality and Morbidity Event Rate (SUMMER) Study (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02311244). Logistic regression models and propensity score matching were used to assess possible associations of osteocalcin, osteoprotegerin, and osteopontin with a history of CVD and with evidence of any grade of DR adjusting for confounders. RESULTS: Previous CVD was reported in 139 (16.4%) participants, while 144 (17.0%) had DR. After adjusting for possible confounders, osteocalcin but not osteoprotegerin or osteopontin concentrations were associated with a history of CVD (Odds Ratio [OR] and 95% CI for one standard deviation (SD) increase in osteocalcin concentrations (natural log): 1.35 (1.06-1.72), p = 0.014). Associations with prevalent DR were seen for osteoprotegerin (OR for one SD increase in osteoprotegerin concentrations (natural log): 1.25 (1.01-1.55), p = 0.047) and osteopontin (OR for one SD increase in osteopontin concentrations (natural log): 1.25 (1.02-1.53), p = 0.022), but not osteocalcin. CONCLUSIONS: In T2D, higher serum osteocalcin concentrations are associated with macrovascular complications and higher osteoprotegerin and osteopontin concentrations with microvascular complications, suggesting that these osteokines might be involved in pathways directly related to vascular disease.

Relationship between Muscle Mass, Bone Density and Vascular Calcifications in Elderly People with SARS-CoV-2 Pneumonia.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the changes in organs and tissues that may make elder patients more vulnerable to acute stressors such as SARS-CoV-2 infection. METHODS: In 80 consecutive elderly patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection, we evaluated the association between the descending thoracic aorta calcium score, L1 bone density and T12 skeletal muscle density measured on the same scan by high-resolution computed tomography. RESULTS: At median regression, the ln-transformed DTA calcium score was inversely associated with L1 bone density (-0.02, 95%CI -0.04 to -0.01 ln-Agatston units for an increase of 1 HU) and with T12 muscle density (-0.03, -0.06 to -0.001 ln-Agatston units for an increase of 1 HU). At penalized logistic regression, an increase of 1 ln-Agatston unit of DTA calcium score was associated with an OR of death of 1.480 (1.022 to 2.145), one of 1 HU of bone density with an OR of 0.981 (0.966 to 0.996) and one of 1 HU of muscle density with an OR of 0.973 (0.948 to 0.999). These relationships disappeared after correction for age and age was the stronger predictor of body composition and death. CONCLUSIONS: Age has a big effect on the relationship between vascular calcifications, L1 bone density and T12 muscle density and on their relationship with the odds of dying.

Impact of baseline kidney function on the effects of sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitors on kidney and heart failure outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

AIM: To determine whether the magnitude of the cardiorenal benefits of sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2is) varies with baseline kidney function. METHODS: We searched randomized, placebo-controlled trials testing the effects of SGLT2is on renal and cardiovascular outcomes. Efficacy outcomes, stratified by baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) categories, included renal disease progression, a composite heart failure (HF) outcome and mortality. RESULTS: Thirteen trials testing SGLT2is in 90 402 participants with available eGFR data were included. The risk of bias was judged as low for all trials. SGLT2is reduced the relative risks of renal disease progression by 27% to 57% and of HF outcomes by 13% to 32% across different eGFR categories, with an overall low heterogeneity. Meta-regression analyses showed a significant direct relationship between baseline eGFR and the magnitude of SGLT2is' renal protection (P = .003). The greatest risk reduction was in participants with an eGFR of 90 ml/min/1.73m2 or higher (HR 0.43, 95% CI: 0.32-0.58) and the smallest was in those with an eGFR of less than 30 ml/min/1.73m2 (HR 0.73, 95% CI: 0.62-0.86, P < .001). Conversely, for HF, the greatest risk reduction was in those with an eGFR of less than 30 ml/min/1.73m2 (HR 0.68, 95% CI: 0.48-0.96) and the smallest was in those with an eGFR of 90 ml/min/1.73m2 or higher (HR 0.87, 95% CI: 0.56-1.34). CONCLUSIONS: SGLT2is reduce the risk of renal and HF outcomes for all eGFR categories. The greatest benefits in terms of kidney protection may be achieved by early initiation of SGLT2is in people with preserved eGFR. The greatest risk reduction for HF outcomes is observed in people with lower eGFR values.

Reduced early response to SARS-CoV2 vaccination in people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, a 6 months follow-up study: The CoVaDiab study I.

INTRODUCTION: Diabetes mellitus worsens the prognosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection, and vaccination has been the major tool for reducing the risk of hospitalisation, and mortality. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the response to the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine in subjects with diabetes and controls. Differences between type 1 (T1D) and type 2 (T2D) diabetes and clinical determinants of vaccination response were also evaluated. METHODS: 128 subjects with diabetes (60 with T1D and 62 with T2D) and 202 subjects acting as controls who completed a full vaccination cycle with two doses of mRNA vaccine were enroled. People with previous SARS-CoV-2 infection were excluded. Antibodies (Ab) directed against the spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 were evaluated at one and 6 months after vaccination. RESULTS: In the whole cohort, the Ab level was higher among women than in men (p = 0.011) and negatively correlated with age (rho = -0.155, p = 0.005). Subjects with diabetes showed decreased levels of Ab after one month compared to controls (1217[747-1887]BAU/mL vs. 1477[942-2556]BAU/mL, p = 0.002), even after correction for age and gender (p = 0.002). No difference was found between subjects with T1D and T2D. After 6 months, antibody levels significantly decreased in people with and without diabetes, with no differences between groups, although some subjects were lost at follow-up. In subjects with diabetes, only a significant correlation was found between Ab level and renal function (rho 0.190, p = 0.042). CONCLUSIONS: Both T1D and T2D are associated with a reduced early response to vaccination. The serum concentration of Ab significantly reduced over time in both groups, highlighting the relevance of vaccination boosters independently of the presence of diabetes.

The Sodium-Glucose Co-Transporter-2 (SGLT2) Inhibitors Reduce Platelet Activation and Thrombus Formation by Lowering NOX2-Related Oxidative Stress: A Pilot Study.

Sodium−glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitors or gliflozins, the newest anti-hyperglycemic class, induce cardioprotective benefits in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). As platelet activation and oxidative stress play a key role in atherothrombotic-related complications, we hypothesized that gliflozins might modulate oxidative stress, platelet activation and thrombus formation. We performed an interventional open-label single-arm before-after study in 32 T2D patients on top of their ongoing metformin therapy. The population was divided into two groups: treatment with GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RA, Group A) and gliflozins (Group B). Oxidative stress, platelet activation and thrombus growth were assessed before and after 15 days of treatment. Compared to the baseline, gliflozins treatment significantly decreased sNOX2-dp (−45.2%, p < 0.001), H2O2 production (−53.4%, p < 0.001), TxB2 (−33.1%, p < 0.001), sP-selectin (−49.3%, p < 0.001) and sCD40L levels (−62.3%, p < 0.001) as well as thrombus formation (−32%, p < 0.001), whereas it potentiated anti-oxidant power (HBA, +30.8%, p < 0.001). Moreover, a significant difference in oxidative stress, platelet activation and thrombus formation across groups A and B was found. In addition, an in vitro study on stimulated platelets treated with gliflozins (10−30 µM) showed a reduction in oxidative stress, platelet activation and thrombus growth. Our results showed that gliflozins have antiplatelet and antithrombic activity related to an NOX2 down-regulation, suggesting a new mechanism responsible for cardiovascular protection.

Glycemic Variability in Subjects with Diabetes and Hypogonadism during Testosterone Replacement Treatment: A Pilot Study.

BACKGROUND: This is a proof of concept, as a pilot study, with the aim to evaluate continuous glucose monitoring metrics (CGM) in subjects with type 2 diabetes (T2DM), treated with nutritional therapy and metformin, before and after testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). METHODS: In this longitudinal observational study, subjects affected by T2DM and starting TRT for documented ED and hypogonadism were enrolled. All subjects mounted a CGM system during the v0 visit, one week before the beginning of the TRT (week-1), during v2, four weeks after the start of TRT (week 4), and v4 (week 12). CGM was worn for about 144 h after each visit. RESULTS: A total of seven patients, referring to our clinic for erectile dysfunction (ED), were studied (aged 63.3 ± 2.3 years). Mean (± standard deviation) total testosterone level was 2.3 ± 0.6 ng/mL at baseline. After TRT, total testosterone level was 4.6 ± 3.04 ng/mL at week 4 and 3.93 ± 4.67 ng/mL at week 12. No significant differences were observed in TIR, TAR, TBR, estimated HbA1c, AUC below, and AUC above limit during the intervention period. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study evaluating the effects of TRT on daily glucose excursions in subjects with T2DM and hypogonadism. Though we did not find any significant difference in key CGM metrics during the 12 weeks of TRT, this study confirms the glycometabolic safety of the TRT even on the most novel standardized glycemic targets.

Adult-onset autoimmune diabetes.

Adult-onset autoimmune (AOA) diabetes pathophysiology starts with immune changes, followed by dysglycaemia and overt disease. AOA diabetes can occur as classic type 1 diabetes when associated with severe loss of insulin secretion. More frequently, it is diagnosed as latent autoimmune diabetes in adults, a slowly progressing form with late onset, a long period not requiring insulin, and it is often misdiagnosed as type 2 diabetes. As its clinical presentation varies remarkably and immune markers often lack specificity, it is challenging to classify each case ad hoc, especially when insulin treatment is not required at diagnosis. Proper care of AOA diabetes aims to prevent complications and to improve quality of life and life expectancy. To achieve these goals, attention should be paid to lifestyle factors, with the aid of pharmacological therapies properly tailored to each individual clinical setting. Given the heterogeneity of the disease, choosing the right therapy for AOA diabetes is challenging. Most of the trials testing disease-modifying therapies for autoimmune diabetes are conducted in people with childhood onset, whereas non-insulin diabetes therapies have mostly been studied in the larger population with type 2 diabetes. More randomized controlled trials of therapeutic agents in AOA diabetes are needed.

Questions and answers on the use of aspirin for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease in diabetes.

Patients with diabetes have a prothrombotic state and a 2 to 4 times higher risk of cardiovascular events than those without diabetes. Aspirin is the cornerstone of treatment in patients withcardiovascular disease, irrespective of diabetes status, being able to confer a 19% relative risk reduction per year in serious vascular events compared with placebo at long-term follow-up (6.7% vs 8.2% per year, p < 0.0001). Data regarding the benefit-risk ratio of aspirin prescribed to patients with diabetes without established cardiovascular disease are less convincing, especially when compared to other preventive strategies. Of note, in primary prevention trials, aspirin allocation yielded a significant 12% proportional reduction in serious vascular events, irrespective of diabetes status, corresponding to a small annual absolute risk reduction (0.06% per year). However, in everyday clinical practice aspirin is still largely prescribed by both diabetologists and cardiologists. In this article, we provide eight questions and answers corroborated by available evidence on the use of aspirin for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease in diabetes.

Immunoreactivities Against Different Tyrosine-Phosphatase 2 (IA-2)(256-760) Protein Domains Characterize Distinct Phenotypes in Subjects With LADA.

Antibodies (Abs) against intracellular epitopes of the tyrosine-phosphatase 2 (IA-2) are detected in type 1 diabetes. Abs directed against the IA-2(256-760) portion, with both intra- and extracellular epitopes, are present in people with latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA) and in obese subjects with normal glucose tolerance (NGT). We aim to characterize distribution and clinical features of intra- and extra-cellular IA-2(256-760) immunoreactivities in people with LADA compared to obese people with NGT. The intracellular immunoreactivity represented by immune response against two intracellular IA-2 constructs (IA-2JM(601-630) and IA-2IC(605-979)) was analyzed and related to clinical and biochemical features in 101 people with LADA and in 20 NGT obese subjects, all testing positive for IA-2(256-760) Abs. IA-2 intracellular immunoreactivity showed a frequency of 40.6% in LADA while it was not detected among NGT obese (p<0.001). Amongst LADA, the presence of immunoreactivity against the IA-2 intracellular domains was associated with lower BMI, waist circumference, higher HDL cholesterol and lower triglycerides, lower prevalence of hypertension and higher prevalence of other autoimmune disorders. Immunoreactivity against IA-2 does not involve intracellular domains in the majority of LADA and in obese people with NGT. This study shows that there is heterogeneity in the IA-2 epitopes, associated with different clinical features.

Endothelial Cells Induced Progenitors Into Brown Fat to Reduce Atherosclerosis.

BACKGROUND: Insulin resistance (IR) can increase atherosclerotic and cardiovascular risk by inducing endothelial dysfunction, decreasing nitric oxide (NO) production, and accelerating arterial inflammation. The aim is to determine the mechanism by which insulin action and NO production in endothelial cells can improve systemic bioenergetics and decrease atherosclerosis via differentiation of perivascular progenitor cells (PPCs) into brown adipocytes (BAT). METHODS: Studies used various endothelial transgenic and deletion mutant ApoE-/- mice of insulin receptors, eNOS (endothelial NO synthase) and ETBR (endothelin receptor type B) receptors for assessments of atherosclerosis. Cells were isolated from perivascular fat and micro-vessels for studies on differentiation and signaling mechanisms in responses to NO, insulin, and lipokines from BAT. RESULTS: Enhancing insulin's actions on endothelial cells and NO production in ECIRS1 transgenic mice reduced body weight and increased systemic energy expenditure and BAT mass and activity by inducing differentiation of PPCs into beige/BAT even with high-fat diet. However, positive changes in bioenergetics, BAT differentiation from PPCs and weight loss were inhibited by N(gamma)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), an inhibitor of eNOS, in ECIRS1 mice and eNOSKO mice. The mechanism mediating NO's action on PPC differentiation into BAT was identified as the activation of solubilized guanylate cyclase/PKGIα (cGMP protein-dependent kinase Iα)/GSK3ß (glycogen synthase kinase 3ß) pathways. Plasma lipidomics from ECIRS1 mice with NO-induced increased BAT mass revealed elevated 12,13-diHOME production. Infusion of 12,13-diHOME improved endothelial dysfunction and decreased atherosclerosis, whereas its reduction had opposite effects in ApoE-/-mice. CONCLUSIONS: Activation of eNOS and endothelial cells by insulin enhanced the differentiation of PPC to BAT and its lipokines and improved systemic bioenergetics and atherosclerosis, suggesting that endothelial dysfunction is a major contributor of energy disequilibrium in obesity.

C-peptide determination in the diagnosis of type of diabetes and its management: A clinical perspective.

Impaired beta-cell function is a recognized cornerstone of diabetes pathophysiology. Estimates of insulin secretory capacity are useful to inform clinical practice, helping to classify types of diabetes, complication risk stratification and to guide treatment decisions. Because C-peptide secretion mirrors beta-cell function, it has emerged as a valuable clinical biomarker, mainly in autoimmune diabetes and especially in adult-onset diabetes. Nonetheless, the lack of robust evidence about the clinical utility of C-peptide measurement in type 2 diabetes, where insulin resistance is a major confounder, limits its use in such cases. Furthermore, problems remain in the standardization of the assay for C-peptide, raising concerns about comparability of measurements between different laboratories. To approach the heterogeneity and complexity of diabetes, reliable, simple and inexpensive clinical markers are required that can inform clinicians about probable pathophysiology and disease progression, and so enable personalization of management and therapy. This review summarizes the current evidence base about the potential value of C-peptide in the management of the two most prevalent forms of diabetes (type 2 diabetes and autoimmune diabetes) to address how its measurement may assist daily clinical practice and to highlight current limitations and areas of uncertainties to be covered by future research.

Diastolic Pressure and ACR Are Modifiable Risk Factors of Arterial Stiffness in T2DM Without Cardiovascular Disease.

AIM: To evaluate early, before the onset of cardiovascular events and of chronic renal insufficiency, the association between chronic kidney disease (CKD)-mineral bone disorder (MBD) biomarkers and vascular stiffness [Cardio Ankle Vascular Index (CAVI)] in the course of type 2 diabetes (T2DM). METHOD: We evaluated 174 T2DM patients [median age 56 years; male/female (M/F) 100/74] with diabetes duration < 10 years and without decreased estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR; ≥60 mL/min/1.73 m2) or macrovascular complications. Thirty-four age-matched healthy subjects [M/F 13/21; age 53.5 (50.0-57.7) years; eGFR 107.5 (97.0-119.7) mL/ min1.73 m2] served as local reference control for CAVI (pathological: ≥8) and the novel CKD-MBD biomarkers. RESULTS: Albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR) averaged 8.5 mg/g (5.6-17.2) with 12.6% of the patients showing pathologic values, indicative of incipient diabetic nephropathy. Serum parathyroid hormone, fibroblast growth factor 23, and sclerostin were higher while 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D and Klotho were lower than a control group. CAVI was normal (<8) in only 54% and correlated positively with age (P < 0.001), hemoglobin 1A1c (P = 0.036), and systolic (P = 0.021) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (P = 0.001) and negatively correlated with 25-hydroxyvitamin D (P = 0.046). In multivariate analysis, age, DBP, ACR, and serum Klotho were independent positive predictors of CAVI. CONCLUSION: In the absence of overt cardiovascular disease and of chronic renal insufficiency, CAVI is frequently pathologic in T2DM. DBP and ACR are modifiable risk factors of vascular stiffness in T2DM, thus warranting optimal assessment.

Association Between Platelet Reactivity and Long-Term Bleeding Complications After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention According to Diabetes Status.

The relation between diabetes mellitus (DM) and bleeding complications after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is controversial. This study investigates the role of low platelet reactivity (LPR) in the bleeding risk stratification of patients who underwent PCI according to DM status. A total of 472 patients who underwent PCI on aspirin and clopidogrel were included retrospectively. Platelet reactivity was assessed using the VerifyNow P2Y(12) assay. LPR was defined as platelet reactivity unit ≤178. The primary end point was the occurrence of any bleeding at 5 years stratified by DM status and LPR. DM was present in 30.5% of patients. LPR was less frequent in patients with DM (p = 0.077). Overall, 11.9% of patients experienced a bleeding complication at 5 years. The incidence of bleeding did not differ in subjects with and without DM (p = 0.24). LPR had a similar value for stratifying the increased bleeding risk in patients with and without DM (interaction p between DM and LPR 0.69). A stepwise increase in the crude rates of bleeding complications was observed across patients with and without LPR and DM (log-rank p = 0.004), with those affected by both conditions having the highest crude incidence rate. In conclusion, on top of aspirin, approximately 1/3 of patients who underwent PCI on clopidogrel have LPR. Assessment of LPR provides a significant incremental value for predicting bleeding irrespective of DM status. Although the presence of DM per se does not increase the incidence of hemorrhagic complications, the coexistence of DM and LPR identifies the subgroup with the highest bleeding risk.

Development of a clinical risk score to predict death in patients with COVID-19.

OBJECTIVE: To build a clinical risk score to aid risk stratification among hospitalised COVID-19 patients. METHODS: The score was built using data of 417 consecutive COVID-19 in patients from Kuwait. Risk factors for COVID-19 mortality were identified by multivariate logistic regressions and assigned weighted points proportional to their beta coefficient values. A final score was obtained for each patient and tested against death to calculate an Receiver-operating characteristic curve. Youden's index was used to determine the cut-off value for death prediction risk. The score was internally validated using another COVID-19 Kuwaiti-patient cohort of 923 patients. External validation was carried out using 178 patients from the Italian CoViDiab cohort. RESULTS: Deceased COVID-19 patients more likely showed glucose levels of 7.0-11.1 mmol/L (34.4%, p < 0.0001) or >11.1 mmol/L (44.3%, p < 0.0001), and comorbidities such as diabetes and hypertension compared to those who survived (39.3% vs. 20.4% [p = 0.0027] and 45.9% vs. 26.6% [p = 0.0036], respectively). The risk factors for in-hospital mortality in the final model were gender, nationality, asthma, and glucose categories (<5.0, 5.5-6.9, 7.0-11.1, or 11.1 > mmol/L). A score of ≥5.5 points predicted death with 75% sensitivity and 86.3% specificity (area under the curve (AUC) 0.901). Internal validation resulted in an AUC of 0.826, and external validation showed an AUC of 0.687. CONCLUSION: This clinical risk score was built with easy-to-collect data and had good probability of predicting in-hospital death among COVID-19 patients.