Elevated serum glucose levels and survival after acute heart failure: a population-based perspective.

BACKGROUND: Limited data are available about the characteristics, treatment and survival in patients without diabetes mellitus (DM), previously diagnosed DM and patients with hyperglycaemia who present with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). Our objectives were to examine differences in these endpoints in patients hospitalized with ADHF. METHODS: Patients hospitalized with ADHF during 1995, 2000, 2002 and 2004 comprised the study population. RESULTS: A total of 5428 non-diabetic patients were hospitalized with ADHF, 3807 with diagnosed DM and 513 with admission hyperglycaemia. Patients with admission hyperglycaemia experienced the highest in-hospital death rates (9.9%) compared to those with diagnosed DM (6.5%) and non-diabetics (7.5%). Patients with diagnosed DM had the greatest risk of dying after hospital discharge. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with elevated blood glucose levels at hospital admission are more likely to die acutely. After resolution of the acute illness, patients with previously diagnosed DM need careful monitoring and enhanced treatment.

High-normal serum uric acid increases risk of early progressive renal function loss in type 1 diabetes: results of a 6-year follow-up.

OBJECTIVE: We previously described a cross-sectional association between serum uric acid and reduced glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in nonproteinuric patients with type 1 diabetes. Here, we prospectively investigated whether baseline uric acid impacts the risk of early progressive renal function loss (early GFR loss) in these patients. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Patients with elevated urinary albumin excretion (n = 355) were followed for 4-6 years for changes in urinary albumin excretion and GFR. The changes were estimated by multiple determinations of albumin-to-creatinine ratios (ACRs) and serum cystatin C (GFRcystatin). RESULTS: At baseline, the medians (25th-75th percentiles) for uric acid, ACR, and GFRcystatin values were 4.6 mg/dl (3.8-5.4), 26.2 mg/g (15.1-56.0), and 129 ml/min per 1.73 m(2) (111-145), respectively. During the 6-year follow-up, significant association (P < 0.0002) was observed between serum uric acid and development of early GFR loss, defined as GFRcystatin decline exceeding 3.3% per year. In baseline uric acid concentration categories (in mg/dl: <3.0, 3.0-3.9, 4.0-4.9, 5.0-5.9, and >or=6), the risk of early GFR loss increased linearly (9, 13, 20, 29, and 36%, respectively). This linear increase corresponds to odds ratio 1.4 (95% CI 1.1-1.8) per 1 mg/dl increase of uric acid. The progression and regression of urinary albumin excretion were not associated with uric acid. CONCLUSIONS: We found a clear dose-response relation between serum uric acid and risk of early GFR loss in patients with type 1 diabetes. Clinical trials are warranted to determine whether uric acid-lowering drugs can halt renal function decline before it becomes clinically significant.

High-normal serum uric acid is associated with impaired glomerular filtration rate in nonproteinuric patients with type 1 diabetes.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Early renal function decline begins before the onset of proteinuria in patients with type 1 diabetes. The association of elevated serum uric acid with advanced impaired renal function prompts an examination of its role in early renal function decline in patients before proteinuria develops. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS: Patients with type 1 diabetes and normoalbuminuria or microalbuminuria were recruited to the Second Joslin Kidney Study. A medical history and measurements of BP, hemoglobin A1c, albumin excretion rate, and serum concentrations of uric acid and cystatin C were obtained. Estimated glomerular filtration rate was measured by a cystatin C-based formula. RESULTS: We studied 364 patients with normoalbuminuria and 311 patients with microalbuminuria. Mean glomerular filtration rate in these groups was 119 and 99 ml/min, respectively. Mildly or moderately impaired renal function (<90 ml/min) was present in 10% of those with normoalbuminuria and 36% of those with microalbuminuria. In univariate and multivariate analyses, lower glomerular filtration rate was strongly and independently associated with higher serum uric acid and higher urinary albumin excretion rate, older age, and antihypertensive treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Serum uric acid concentration in the high-normal range is associated with impaired renal function in patients with type 1 diabetes. Follow-up studies are needed to confirm that this level of serum uric acid is a risk factor for early renal function decline in type 1 diabetes and to determine whether its reduction would prevent the decline.