URINARY LOSS OF MICRONUTRIENTS IN DIABETIC PATIENTS ATTENDING A TERTIARY HOSPITAL SERVICE.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: micronutrient deficiency may contribute to a poorer control of diabetes. Thus, the objective of the present study was to assess the urinary excretion of micronutrients in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. METHODS: patients with diabetes and controls were assessed regarding food intake, anthropometry, urinary loss of micronutrients and compared by the nonparametric Mann-Whitney test (p < 0.05). RESULTS: nine diabetic volunteers (52 ± 14 years, BMI 30 ± 11 kg/m² and abdominal circumference (AC) of 99 ± 25 cm) and 9 control individuals (51 ± 16 years, BMI 26 ± 5 kg/m² and AC of 90 ± 13 cm) were studied. Higher iron excretion was observed in the diabetic group and higher magnesium excretion in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: the type 2 diabetic patients here studied did not show increased micronutrient excretion in urine when compared to controls.

Introducción/objetivos: la deficiencia de micronutrientes puede contribuir a un menor control de la diabetes. El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar la excreción urinaria de micronutrientes en pacientes con diabetes mellitus tipo 2. Métodos: los pacientes con diabetes y los controles fueron evaluados por la ingesta de alimentos, la antropometría, la pérdida urinaria de micronutrientes y comparados por Mann Whitney no paramétrico (p < 0,05). Resultados: fueron evaluados nueve sujetos diabéticos (52 ± 14 años con un IMC de 30 ± 11 kg/m² y la circunferencia de la cintura (CC) de 99 ± 25 cm) y nueve sujetos control (51 ± 16 años, IMC 26 ± 5 kg/m² y CA total de 90 ± 13 cm). La excreción de hierro más alta se observó en el grupo diabético y la mayor excreción de magnesio en el grupo de control. Conclusiones: el tipo 2 de pacientes diabéticos estudiados aquí no mostraron un aumento en la excreción de micronutrientes en la orina en comparación con los controles.

Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase gene polymorphism and serum homocysteine levels in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a metabolic disorder characterized by hepatic fat accumulation in the absence of alcohol consumption. Hyperhomocysteinemia is considered an independent risk factor for liver diseases, and the genetic polymorphisms C677T and A1298C in the MTHFR gene have been linked to hyperhomocysteinemia. The purpose of this study was to investigate serum homocysteine (Hcy) concentrations and the MTHFR C677T and A1298C polymorphisms as risk factors for the development of NAFLD. METHODS: One hundred and thirty-four Brazilian patients with biopsy-proven NAFLD and 134 healthy controls were recruited. The MTHFR C677T and A1298C polymorphisms were detected through polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism. Serum Hcy levels were determined by chemiluminescence. RESULTS: Serum Hcy levels were higher in NAFLD patients as compared to control subjects, but there were no differences between patients with steatosis and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. The NAFLD and control groups did not differ in genotypic and allelic frequencies of the MTHFR C677T and A1298C polymorphisms, either. Elevated plasma Hcy levels were positively correlated with age in the NAFLD subjects. CONCLUSION: The MTHFR C677T and A1298C polymorphisms are not genetic risk factors for the development of NAFLD. Higher Hcy levels exist in NAFLD subjects, but they are not associated with liver disease severity.

Niacin metabolite excretion in alcoholic pellagra and AIDS patients with and without diarrhea.

OBJECTIVE: Malnourished patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) can develop pellagra-like manifestations such as dermatitis, diarrhea, and dementia; therefore, we tested the hypothesis that patients with AIDS and diarrhea would have niacin depletion. This study compared 24-h urine excretion of N1-methyl-nicotinamide (N1MN) among patients with pellagra and patients with AIDS who did and did not have diarrhea. METHODS: Three groups were studied: G1 (patients with AIDS and diarrhea, n = 5); G2 (patients with AIDS and no diarrhea, n = 7), and G3 (patients with alcoholic pellagra and without the human immunodeficiency virus, n = 8). Diarrhea was defined as the production of at least three liquid stools per day over 3 to 5 d. Studies included mucosal intestinal biopsy, malabsorption tests, detection of parasites in stool, and serum albumin measurements. Semiquantitative food-frequency questionnaire, anthropometry, and daily urinary N1MN excretion were also determined. Groups were matched in relation to age, sex, presence of parasites in stool, and intestinal absorption results. RESULTS: G1 had normal intestinal examination by light microscopy and no parasites in stools. G2 group showed lower levels of serum albumin (2.6 +/- 0.3 g/dL) when compared with G1 (3.4 +/- 0.3 g/dL) and G3 (3.1 +/- 0.7 g/dL). Except for patients with pellagra, groups met their energy requirements. Patients in G3 (0.013, 0.01-0.081 mg/dL) and G1 (0.062, 0.001-0.33 mg/dL) excreted smaller amounts of N1MN in urine than did those in G2 (0.63, 0.02-2.9 mg/dL). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with AIDS and diarrhea excreted less N1MN in urine than did those without diarrhea. These patients may have an impaired niacin nutritional status, possibly associated with increased metabolic needs.