Phenotype similarities in automatically grouped T2D patients by variation-based clustering of IL-1ß gene expression.

Background: Analyzing longitudinal gene expression data is extremely challenging due to limited prior information, high dimensionality, and heterogeneity. Similar difficulties arise in research of multifactorial diseases such as Type 2 Diabetes. Clustering methods can be applied to automatically group similar observations. Common clinical values within the resulting groups suggest potential associations. However, applying traditional clustering methods to gene expression over time fails to capture variations in the response. Therefore, shape-based clustering could be applied to identify patient groups by gene expression variation in a large time metabolic compensatory intervention. Objectives: To search for clinical grouping patterns between subjects that showed similar structure in the variation of IL-1ß gene expression over time. Methods: A new approach for shape-based clustering by IL-1ß expression behavior was applied to a real longitudinal database of Type 2 Diabetes patients. In order to capture correctly variations in the response, we applied traditional clustering methods to slopes between measurements. Results: In this setting, the application of K-Medoids using the Manhattan distance yielded the best results for the corresponding database. Among the resulting groups, one of the clusters presented significant differences in many key clinical values regarding the metabolic syndrome in comparison to the rest of the data. Conclusions: The proposed method can be used to group patients according to variation patterns in gene expression (or other applications) and thus, provide clinical insights even when there is no previous knowledge on the subject clinical profile and few timepoints for each individual.

Advancing therapy in people with suboptimally controlled basal insulin-treated type 2 diabetes: Subanalysis of the SoliMix trial in participants in Latin American countries.

AIMS: This subanalysis of the SoliMix trial assessed the efficacy and safety of advancing basal insulin (BI) therapy with iGlarLixi versus BIAsp 30 in people with type 2 diabetes (T2D) living in Latin American (LATAM) countries, i.e. Argentina and Mexico (N = 160). MATERIALS AND METHODS: SoliMix (EudraCT: 2017-003370-13) was a 26-week, open-label, multicentre study, where adults with T2D suboptimally controlled with BI plus one or two oral glucose-lowering drugs and glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) ≥7.5% to ≤10% were randomized to once-daily iGlarLixi or twice-daily BIAsp 30. Primary efficacy endpoints were non-inferiority in HbA1c reduction (margin 0.3%) or superiority in body weight change for iGlarLixi versus BIAsp 30. RESULTS: Both primary efficacy endpoints were met in the LATAM region. After 26 weeks, HbA1c was reduced by 1.8% with iGlarLixi and 1.4% with BIAsp 30, meeting non-inferiority [least squares mean difference -0.47% (95% confidence interval: -0.82, -0.11); p < .001]. iGlarLixi was superior to BIAsp 30 for body weight change [least squares mean difference -1.27% (95% confidence interval: -2.41, -0.14); p = .028]. iGlarLixi was also superior to BIAsp 30 for HbA1c reduction (p = .010). A greater proportion of participants achieved HbA1c <7% without weight gain and HbA1c <7% without weight gain and without hypoglycaemia with iGlarLixi versus BIAsp 30. Incidence and rates of American Diabetes Association Level 1 and 2 hypoglycaemia were lower with iGlarLixi versus BIAsp 30. CONCLUSIONS: Once-daily iGlarLixi provided better glycaemic control with weight benefit and less hypoglycaemia than twice-daily premix BIAsp 30. iGlarLixi may be a favourable alternative to premix BIAsp 30 in people with suboptimally controlled T2D to advance BI therapy in the LATAM region.

Opiniones y recomendaciones de la Sociedad Argentina de Diabetes. Glucemia en ayunas alterada: ¿es oportuno utilizar el punto de corte en 100 mg/dl en Argentina? / Opinions and recommendations of the Argentine Diabetes Society. Impaired fasting blood glucose: is it appropriate to use a cut-off point of 100 mg/dl in Argentina?

Establecer el punto de corte entre la glucemia en ayunas normal y la alterada resulta de suma importancia a los efectos de considerar a un paciente en riesgo, tanto de progresar a estdos más avanzados de la enfermedad como de sufrir complicaciones micro y macroangiopáticas. Desde 2006 la Sociedad Argentina de Diabetes (SAD), sobre la base de la evidencia considerada en ese momento, estableció el límite inferior de la glucemia alterada en ayunas (GAA) en 110 mg/dl; posteriormente, durante 2022, la Comisión Directiva de la SAD convocó a un grupo de expertos con el objeto de evaluar si esta recomendación debía mantenerse o, al igual que otras sociedades científicas de prestigio, adoptar a tal efecto 100 mg/dl. En este documento de Opiniones y Recomendaciones se encuentran los fundamentos por los cuales la SAD adoptará, de ahora en más, 100 mg/dl como límite inferior de la GAA, en base a las nuevas evidencias científicas que muestran que desde este punto de corte se produce un aumento en la progresión a la diabetes mellitus y de las complicaciones tanto macro como microangiopáticas.

To establish the cut-off point between normal and impaired fasting glycemia (IFG) is extremely important for the purposes of considering a patient at risk both of progressing to more advanced stages of the disease and of suffering micro- and macroangiopathic complications. Since 2006, the Argentine Diabetes Society (ADS), based on the evidence considered at that time, established the lower limit of IFG at 110 mg/d, laterduring the year 2022, The Board of Directors of the ADS vened a group of experts in order to assess whether this recommendation should be maintained or, like other prestigious scientific societies, adopt 100 mg/dl for this purpose. This Opinions and Recommendations document contains therationale for which the SAD will adopt, from now on, 100 mg/dlas the lower limit of the IFG, based on the new scientific edence that shows that from this cut-off point it produces increase in progression to diabetes and both macro and microangiopathic complications.

Guía práctica para la solicitud de marcadores humorales de autoinmunidad y estudios genéticos en diabetes mellitus / A practical guide to request humoral autoimmunity markers and genetic tests in diabetes mellitus

La diabetes mellitus (DM) es una enfermedad heterogénea que presenta fenotipos clínicos diversos, todos con hiperglucemia. Históricamente se han utilizado cuatro factores para identificar esta diversidad: la edad de inicio, la gravedad de la enfermedad o grado de pérdida de la función de la célula beta, el grado de resistencia a la insulina y la presencia de autoanticuerpos asociados a la enfermedad. Actualmente, los parámetros empleados para clasificar los diferentes tipos de DM dificultan el diagnóstico y tratamiento de los pacientes. Las distintas presentaciones clínicas requieren una clasificación diagnóstica más eficaz para un abordaje terapéutico más preciso, valiéndose del avance de la inmunogenética y la bioquímica clínica. Esta guía está orientada a clasificar con precisión las presentaciones clínicas que a menudo generan incertidumbre dentro de los dos tipos principales de DM.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a heterogeneous disease, with diverse clinical phenotypes, all with hyperglycemia. Historically, four factors have been used to identify this diversity: the age at onset, the severity of the disease, that is, the degree of loss of beta cell function and insulin resistance, and the presence of circulating autoantibodies. Currently, the parameters used to classify the different types of DM make it difficult to diagnose and treat patients. The different clinical manifestations require an accurate diagnosis to achieve an effective therapeutic approach through the use of immunogenetics and clinical biochemistry. This practical guide aims to accurately classify the often uncertain clinical presentations within the two main types of diabetes.

Efficacy and Safety of Insulin Glargine 300 U/mL in People with Type 2 Diabetes Uncontrolled on Basal Insulin: The 26-Week Interventional, Single-Arm ARTEMIS-DM Study.

INTRODUCTION: The efficacy and safety of switching to insulin glargine 300 U/mL (Gla-300) in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) uncontrolled on basal insulin (BI) has been demonstrated in the North American and Western European populations; however, there is limited data from other geographical regions with different ethnicities. The ARTEMIS-DM study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Gla-300 in people with T2DM uncontrolled on BI from Asia, Latin America and Middle East Africa. METHODS: The ARTEMIS-DM was a 26-week, prospective, interventional, single-arm, phase IV study (NCT03760991). Adults with T2DM previously uncontrolled (glycated haemoglobin [HbA1c] 7.5-10%) on BI were switched to Gla-300. The primary endpoint was change in HbA1c from baseline to 26 weeks. Key secondary endpoints were changes in HbA1c (week 12), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), self-monitored plasma glucose (SMPG) and BI dose from baseline to week 26. The safety and tolerability of Gla-300 were also assessed. RESULTS: A total of 372 (50% male) participants were included, with mean (standard deviation [SD]) age 60.9 (10.0) years, duration of diabetes 13.11 (7.48) years and baseline HbA1c 8.67 (0.77)% (71.22 [8.44] mmol/mol). A total of 222 (59.7%) participants were using insulin glargine 100 U/mL and 107 (28.8%) were using neutral protamine Hagedorn insulin as previous BI. There were clinically significant reductions in mean HbA1c (- 0.82%; primary endpoint), FPG and SMPG levels at week 26. With a pre-defined titration algorithm, mean Gla-300 dose increased from 27.48 U (0.35 U/kg) at baseline to 39.01 U (0.50 U/kg) at week 26. Hypoglycaemia events occurred in 20.4% of the participants; 1 (0.3%) participant had a severe hypoglycaemia event. CONCLUSION: In people with T2DM uncontrolled on previous BI, switching to Gla-300 with optimal titration guided by an algorithm was associated with improved glycaemic control and low incidence of hypoglycaemia across multiple geographic regions. GOV IDENTIFIER: NCT03760991.

Guía práctica para la solicitud de marcadores humorales de autoinmunidad y estudios genéticos en diabetes mellitus / A practical guide to request humoral autoimmunity markers and genetic tests in diabetes mellitus

Resumen La diabetes mellitus (DM) es una enfermedad heterogénea que presenta fenotipos clínicos diversos, todos con hiperglucemia. Históricamente se han utilizado cuatro factores para identificar esta diversidad: la edad de inicio, la gravedad de la enfermedad o grado de pérdida de la función de la célula beta, el grado de resistencia a la insulina y la presencia de autoanticuerpos asociados a la enfermedad. Actualmente, los parámetros empleados para clasificar los diferentes tipos de DM dificultan el diagnóstico y tratamiento de los pacientes. Las distintas presentaciones clínicas requieren una clasificación diagnóstica más eficaz para un abordaje terapéutico más preciso, valiéndose del avance de la inmunogenética y la bioquímica clínica. Esta guía está orientada a clasificar con precisión las presentaciones clínicas que a menudo generan incertidumbre dentro de los dos tipos principales de DM.

Abstract Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a heterogeneous disease, with diverse clinical phenotypes, all with hyperglycemia. Historically, four factors have been used to identify this diversity: the age at onset, the severity of the disease, that is, the degree of loss of beta cell function and insulin resistance, and the presence of circulating autoantibodies. Currently, the parameters used to classify the different types of DM make it difficult to diagnose and treat patients. The different clinical manifestations require an accurate diagnosis to achieve an effective therapeutic approach through the use of immunogenetics and clinical biochemistry. This practical guide aims to accurately classify the often uncertain clinical presentations within the two main types of diabetes.

Diabetes y obesidad. Dos enfermedades enlazadas / Diabetes and obesity. Two diseases linked

La obesidad es una enfermedad crónica, progresiva y recurrente. Es esta la descripción sencilla, firme y basada en la evidencia que organizaciones y sociedades científicas de renombre y relevancia global usan en la actualidad. La obesidad migró en su consideración desde un factor de riesgo a una enfermedad primaria. No solo es una condición subyacente a enfermedades crónicas no transmisibles -como la enfermedad cardiovascular (ECV), la diabetes mellitus tipo 2 (DM2) o el cáncer, entre otras- sino que es una enfermedad perse que afecta a la población en forma epidémica, universal y a cualquier edad.

Telomere Length Differently Associated to Obesity and Hyperandrogenism in Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.

Background: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) often present metabolic disorders and hyperandrogenism (HA), facts that may influence the telomere length (TL). Aims: To compare the absolute TL (aTL) between women with PCOS and control women, and their association with the presence of obesity and HA parameters. Materials and methods: The PCOS group included 170 unrelated women outpatients and the control group, 64 unrelated donor women. Anthropometric, biochemical-clinical parameters and androgen profile were determined. The PCOS patients were divided accordingly to the presence of obesity and androgenic condition. The aTL was determined from peripheral blood leukocytes by Real Time quantitative PCR. Results: Women with PCOS exhibited a significantly longer aTL than controls after age adjustment (p=0.001). A stepwise multivariate linear regression in PCOS women, showed that WC (waist circumference) contributed negatively (b=-0.17) while testosterone levels contributed positively (b=7.24) to aTL. The non-Obese PCOS (noOB-PCOS) presented the longest aTL when compared to controls (p=0.001). Meanwhile, the aTL was significantly higher in the hyperandrogenic PCOS phenotype (HA-PCOS) than in the controls (p=0.001) and non hyperandrogenic PCOS phenotype (NHA-PCOS) (p=0.04). Interestingly, when considering obesity and HA parameters in PCOS, HA exerts the major effect over the aTL as non-obese HA exhibited the lengthiest aTL (23.9 ± 13.13 Kbp). Conversely, the obese NHA patients showed the shortest aTL (16.5 ± 10.59 Kbp). Conclusions: Whilst a shorter aTL could be related to the presence of obesity, a longer aTL would be associated with HA phenotype. These findings suggest a balance between the effect produced by the different metabolic and hormonal components, in PCOS women.

A study to assess the unmet medical needs associated with the use of basal insulin in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Aim: To describe in a real-world setting, the proportion of patients with a symptomatic hypoglycaemic event and the proportion of individuals with type 2 diabetes, who newly or recently initiated with basal insulin, achieving individual or general HbA1c target. Materials and Method: DINAS-AR was a national prospective observational study to assess the unmet needs in patients with type 2 diabetes treated with basal insulin with or without oral antihyperglycaemic drugs and/or GLP-1 receptor agonist. The study was conducted at 19 hospitals. Results: A total of 385 uncontrolled patients (≥18 years) who recently initiated basal insulin or who initiated treatment within a year prior to study enrolment entered the study. Outcomes were follow-up incidence of hypoglycaemic events, change of HbA1C and achievement of HBA1c <7% or individual target. A total of 44 patients (11.9%) reported the occurrence of ≥1 symptomatic hypoglycaemia event(s). HbA1c reductions were greater in patients who had recently initiated treatment with basal insulin (between 15 and 90 days prior to study entry) vs patients who initiated treatment within 1 year. A total of 80 patients (31.6%) achieved individual HbA1c target (or target <7.0%) at Week 24. Furthermore, the proportion of patients achieving this target without symptomatic hypoglycaemia was 26.1% (n = 66). A lower percentage of glycemia target achievement was observed in patients reporting hypoglycaemia (n = 14), 20.6% of all patients reporting hypoglycaemia event(s) vs (n = 66) 35.7% of all patients without hypoglycaemia event reported. Conclusion: In this real-world study, although the hypoglycaemia rate was not high in adults with type 2 diabetes treated with insulin, there was a lower percentage of patients that achieved glycemic target among those reporting hypoglycaemia events vs patients who did not report them.

Pregnancy Complicated by the Most Frequent Forms of Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Young: A Narrative Review on Its Pharmacological Implications.

BACKGROUND: Monogenic Diabetes (MFD) represents close to 2% of all the cases of diabetes diagnosed in people younger than 45 years old. Maturity-Onset Diabetes of the Young (MODY), neonatal diabetes, and several syndromic forms of diabetes are included among the most accounts for about typical forms of MDF. MODY is the most frequent type of MFD, with MODY 1, 2, 3, and 5 being the most prevalent forms. The aim of this narrative review is to describe pregnancy associated changes in the pharmacological profile of the antidiabetic drugs used in women with the most frequent MODY subtypes. METHODS: A comprehensive literature search was carried out to identify eligible studies from MEDLINE/ PubMed, EMBASE, and SCIELO databases from 1970 to 2019 first semester. RESULTS: Pregnancy introduces changes in the pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic profile of some of the treatments used in MODY. MODY 3 (also known as HNF1-A MODY) is the most frequent MDF. MODY 3 patients are highly sensitive to Sulfonylureas (SU). This is also the case for MODY pregnant women. This high sensitivity to SU is also registered in patients with MODY 1 (HNF4-A MODY). Pharmacodynamic changes have been proposed to explain this behavior (Epac2 hyperactivity). However, changes in expression/activity of the metabolizing CYP2C9 cytochrome and/or alterations in the drug transporters oatp1 (Slc21a1), Lst-1 (Slc21a6), OATPD (SLC21A11), and oat2 may better explain, at least in part, this phenomenon by an increase in the concentration of the active drug. CONCLUSION: The impact of changes in the pharmacological behavior of drugs like SU and other metabolized/transported by mechanisms altered in a pregnancy complicated by MODY is unknown. However, switching-to-insulin recommendation formulated for MODY 1 and 3 seems to be justified. Further research in this field is needed for a better understanding of changes in drug activity associated with this particular subset of patients with MFD.

MODY patients exhibit shorter telomere length than non-diabetic subjects.

BACKGROUND: Given the increasing evidence supporting the association between telomere shortening and diabetes, the aim of the present work was to establish whether MODY patients suffer a reduction in telomere lenght (TL) due to oxidative stress produced by chronic hyperglycemia, despite not presenting insulin resistance or inflammation. METHODS: We analysed clinical and biochemical parameters in 35 MODY2 and 12 MODY3 patients compared with 48 control subjects. The absolute telomere length (aTL) of peripheral blood leukocytes was measured using the quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). RESULTS: A significant negative correlation was observed between aTL and age in the whole population, among MODY patients and in each subtype studied, MODY2 and MODY3, which allowed us to validate the method. We found, for the first time, that MODY patients have shorter aTL with respect to non-diabetic controls (6.49 ± 3.31 kbp vs 11.13 ± 7.82 kbp, p = .006). However, no differences were found between MODY2 and MODY3. In addition, aTL showed a negative correlation with duration of the disease and fasting plasma glucose (FPG) levels in MODY patients in general and also with HbA1c in MODY2 patients in particular. CONCLUSIONS: Both MODY2 and MODY3 types present telomere shortening, which, at least partly, responds to HbA1c and FPG levels. These findings suggest comparable mechanisms underlying the attrition of TL. Taken together, our results on aTL in MODY patients may provide a parameter relatively easy and inexpensive to quantify in order to measure the impact of high glucose levels and potentially carry out antidiabetic treatment with stricter targets.

Effect of Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass on Lipoprotein Metabolism and Markers of HDL Functionality in Morbid Obese Patients.

PURPOSE: Morbid obesity represents the most severe form of obesity and surgical intervention would be its only successful treatment. Bariatric surgery could generate modifications in carbohydrate metabolism and in lipid profile plus lipoprotein-associated proteins and enzymes, such as lipoprotein-associated phoslipase A2 (Lp-PLA2), cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP), and paraoxonase (PON) 1. The aim of the present study was to analyze changes in inflammation markers, carbohydrate metabolism, and lipid parameters in patients who underwent bariatric surgery. METHODS: Thirty-seven patients with morbid obesity were recruited. Evaluations were performed before (T0) and 1 (T1) and 6 (T2) months after surgery. Glucose, insulin, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), triglycerides, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, apolipoproteins (apo) A-I, and B plus Interleukin 1ß and 6 levels in addition to CETP, Lp-PLA2, and PON 1 activities were determined. RESULTS: Body mass index decreased at T1 and T2 (p < 0.01). An improvement in all markers of insulin resistance (p < 0.05) was observed at T1. hsCRP levels diminished at T2 (p < 0.05). Triglyceride levels decreased at T1 and T2 (p < 0.05). HDL-C and apo A-I showed a decrease at T1 which was completely reversed at T2 (p < 0.05). Lp-PLA2 activity increased at T1, which was reversed at T2 (p < 0.05), and CETP activity was diminished at T2 (p < 0.05). PON and ARE activities decreased at T1 and partially recovered at T2 (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These results would be indicative of a favorable effect of bariatric surgery on markers of carbohydrate metabolism and cardiovascular disease lipid risk factors.

Leukocyte telomere length is associated with iron overload in male adults with hereditary hemochromatosis.

BACKGROUND: Hereditary hemochromatosis (HH) is a primary iron overload (IO) condition. Absolute telomere length (ATL) is a marker of cellular aging and DNA damage associated with chronic diseases and mortality. AIM: To evaluate the relationship between ATL and IO in patients with HH. METHODS: Cross-sectional study including 25 patients with HH: 8 with IO and 17 without IO (ferritin < 300 ng/ml) and 25 healthy controls. Inclusion criteria were: age > 18 years, male sex and HH diagnosis. Patients with diabetes or other endocrine and autoimmune diseases were excluded. ATL was measured by real-time PCR. RESULTS: HH patients with IO were older (P<0.001) and showed higher ferritin concentration (P<0.001). Patients with HH, disregarding the iron status, showed higher glucose and body mass index (BMI) than controls (both P<0.01). ATL was shorter in patients with IO than controls [with IO: 8 (6-14), without IO: 13 (9-20), and controls: 19 (15-25) kilobase pairs, P<0.01]; with a linear trend within groups (P for trend <0.01). Differences in ATL remained statistically significant after adjusting by age, BMI and glucose (P<0.05). DISCUSSION: Patients with IO featured shorter ATL while patients without IO showed only mild alterations vs. controls. Screening for IO is encouraged to prevent iron-associated cellular damage and early telomere attrition.

Estudio DISCOVER en la población argentina / Discover study in the argentine population

Introducción: la diabetes mellitus tipo 2 (DM2) es una enfermedad metabólica de alta prevalencia que constituye un importante factor de riesgo cardiovascular, en la cual los pacientes no sólo se diagnostican tardíamente, sino que permanecen por tiempos prolongados con mal control de la glucemia y de los demás factores de riesgo cardiovascular. Se registra una significativa inercia terapéutica en la implementación de drogas antidiabéticas en la segunda línea de tratamiento. Objetivos: el objetivo principal del estudio DISCOVER fue proporcionar datos del mundo real para evaluar la terapéutica antidiabética y los resultados clínicos prospectivos en pacientes con DM2 que inician una terapia farmacológica de segunda línea para la reducción de la glucemia. El objetivo secundario fue informar los datos de referencia de Argentina comparados con pacientes del mundo global, incluyendo variables metabólicas, edad, antigüedad de la enfermedad y riesgo cardiovascular. Materiales y métodos: DISCOVER es un estudio observacional, prospectivo, de tres años de duración, en el cual participaron pacientes de 37 países con DM2, con mal control glucémico, que requerían una terapia antidiabética de segunda línea. Argentina participó con 14 centros urbanos. Los criterios de inclusión fueron: pacientes con diagnóstico de DM2 mayores de 18 años que requerían segunda línea de tratamiento para control de la glucemia luego del tratamiento de primera línea oral, con una monoterapia, o terapia doble o triple administrada como combinación de dosis fija. Resultados: se presentan los datos correspondientes a la Argentina. Se enrolaron 299 pacientes con diagnóstico de DM2 (51,3% hombres) que estaban fuera del objetivo de control glucémico (el control glucémico se estableció de acuerdo al valor de HbA1c de <7% según los criterios de la Asociación Americana de Diabetes, ADA 2020). La edad media fue de 59 años±10 años. El valor medio de la HbA1c fue de 8,8%±1,9% con glucemia en ayunas promedio de 182,9 mg/dl±59,6 mg/dl. Se registró una media de índice de masa corporal (IMC) de 32,2kg/m2 ± 6,0kg/m2. Argentina tuvo un porcentaje alto de sujetos mayores de 25 años con IMC elevado (90%). Un importante porcentaje de los parámetros lipídicos estaba fuera de los objetivos de control para pacientes con diabetes. La guía ADA 2020 recomienda el uso de estatinas de moderada potencia con los siguientes valores de LDL colesterol (LDLc): <100 mg/dl para pacientes con diabetes sin enfermedad cardiovascular y de <70 mg/dl para pacientes con diabetes y enfermedad cardiovascular, uso de estatinas de alta potencia y valores de triglicéridos <150 mg/dl siguiendo los criterios de ADA 2020. Los valores medios de colesterol total fueron de 188 mg/dl± 44 mg/dl para LDLc 114,39 mg/dl±10 mg/dl y los triglicéridos con una media 180,1mg/dl±97,6mg/dl. En el seguimiento a dos años se verificó un descenso estadísticamente significativo de los niveles de glucemia y HbA1c, así como de los parámetros lipídicos, aunque no se lograron los objetivos de tratamiento recomendados, a pesar de lo cual sólo aproximadamente el 52% de los pacientes recibía tratamiento con estatinas. Las drogas antidiabéticas más utilizadas en la segunda línea fueron los inhibidores de DPP-4 y las sulfonilureas. Conclusiones: se reconoció un alto grado de inercia en cuanto a la progresión para establecer una segunda línea de tratamiento, a partir del nivel alto de HbA1c con que se inició el mismo. Este estudio puso de manifiesto la situación del control metabólico, factores de riesgo cardiovascular asociados y el tratamiento de la DM2 en el mundo real de nuestro país, a partir de lo cual deben tomarse las medidas necesarias con el objetivo de mejorar los parámetros presentados y evaluarlos con estudios similares al actual. Es importante continuar trabajando para evitar la progresión de la diabetes hacia las complicaciones crónicas en aquellos pacientes que ya desarrollaron la enfermedad.

Introduction: type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a highly prevalent metabolic disease, which constitutes an important cardiovascular risk factor, in which patients are not only diagnosed late, but remain for prolonged times, with glycemic and other cardiovascular risk factors poorly controlled. There is a significant therapeutic inertia in the implementation of antidiabetic drugs in the second line of treatment. Objectives: the main objective of the DISCOVER study was to provide real-world data to assess antidiabetic therapy and prospective clinical outcomes in patients with T2DM who initiate a second line pharmacological therapy for blood glucose reduction. The secondary objective was to obtain data from Argentina on glycemic control, metabolic control, comorbidities, cardiovascular risk factors and the concomitant therapeutic approach compared to the global world. Materials and methods: DISCOVER is a prospective 3-year observational study in which patients from 37 countries with T2DM with poor glycemic control who required second line antidiabetic therapy were involved. Argentina participated with 14 urban centers. Inclusion criteria were: patients with a diagnosis of T2DM over 18 years of age who require a second line of treatment for glycemic control after oral first line treatment, with monotherapy, or double or triple therapy administered as a fixed dose combination. Results: Argentina data are presented. 299 patients with a diagnosis of T2DM, were enrolled (51.3% men) who were outside the objective of glycemic control (glycemic control was established according to the HbA1c value of <7% according to the criteria of the American Diabetes Association, ADA 2020). Mean age was 59 years±10 years. The mean HbA1c value was 8.8%±1.9% with an average fasting glucose of 182.9 mg/dl ±59.6 mg/dl. An average body mass index (BMI) of 32.2kg/m2 ±6.0 kg/m2 was recorded. Argentina had a high percentage of subjects over 25 years with high BMI (90%). A high percentage of lipids parameters were outside the control objectives for diabetic patients. The ADA 2020 guidelines recommends the use of moderately potent statin with the following LDL colesterol (LDLc) values <100 mg/dl for patients without cardiovascular disease and LDLc <70 mg/dl for patients with cardiovascular disease and use of high potency statin and trygliceride values <150 mg/dl following the criteria ADA 2020 guidelines. The average total cholesterol values were 188 mg/dl±44 mg/dl, for LDLc 114.39 mg/dl±10 mg/dl. Triglycerides with a mean 180.1 mg/dl±97.6 mg/dl. A two year follow up showed a statistically significant decrease in blood glucose and HbA1c levels, as well as lipids parameters, although the recommended treatment goals were not achieved, in despite of which only 25% of patients received statin treatment. The most used antidiabetic drugs in the second line were sulfonylureas and DPP-4 inhibitors. Conclusions: a high degree of inertia was recognized in terms of progression to establish a second line of treatment, based on the high level of HbA1c with which it was initiated. This study showed the situation of metabolic control, associated cardiovascular risk factors and the treatment of T2DM in the real world of our country. Necessary measures must be taken in order to improve the parameters presented and they must be able to be evaluated with studies similar to the current one. It is important to continue working to prevent the progression of diabetes toward chronic complications in those patients who have already developed the disease.

Relationship between the IL-1ß serum concentration, mRNA levels and rs16944 genotype in the hyperglycemic normalization of T2D patients.

To evaluate Interleukin 1-beta (IL-1ß) serum and mononuclear leucocyte mRNA levels, also rs16944 (-511C/T) genotype, in relation to hyperglycemic normalization in Type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients, we recruited 30 individuals recently T2D diagnosed with hyperglycemia studied at basal time and after 6 and 12 months of the normalization treatment. At basal time, the T polymorphic allele of the rs16944 was associated with lower IL-1ß mRNA expression (p = 0.006); and higher glucose level was positive correlated to IL-1ß protein levels (p = 0.015). After treatment, the individuals showed a significant decrease in glucose level (p = 0.003), but they did not express significant changes in the IL-1ß serum levels. Surprisingly, we observed that the greater decreases in glucose level were associated to increased IL-1ß serum levels (p = 0.040). This is the first follow-up study evaluating IL-1ß mRNA expression and serum levels in hyperglycemic T2D individuals and after glycemic normalization treatment. The current results contribute to the knowledge of the relationship between inflammation and glucose metabolism in T2D.

Getting to Know the Gut Microbial Diversity of Metropolitan Buenos Aires Inhabitants.

In recent years, the field of immunology has been revolutionized by the growing understanding of the fundamental role of microbiota in the immune system function. The immune system has evolved to maintain a symbiotic relationship with these microbes. The aim of our study was to know in depth the uncharacterized metagenome of the Buenos Aires (BA) city population and its metropolitan area, being the second most populated agglomeration in the southern hemisphere. For this purpose, we evaluated 30 individuals (age: 35.23 ± 8.26 years and BMI: 23.91 ± 3.4 kg/m2), from the general population of BA. The hypervariable regions V3-V4 of the bacterial 16S gene was sequenced by MiSeq-Illumina system, obtaining 47526 ± 4718 sequences/sample. The dominant phyla were Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Verrucomicrobia, and Actinobacteria. Additionally, we compared the microbiota of BA with other westernized populations (Santiago de Chile, Rosario-Argentina, United States-Human-microbiome-project, Bologna-Italy) and the Hadza population of hunter-gatherers. The unweighted UniFrac clustered together all westernized populations, leaving the hunter-gatherer population from Hadza out. In particular, Santiago de Chile's population turns out to be the closest to BA's, principally due to the presence of Verrucomicrobiales of the genus Akkermansia. These microorganisms have been proposed as a hallmark of a healthy gut. Finally, westernized populations showed more abundant metabolism related KEEG pathways than hunter-gatherers, including carbohydrate metabolism (amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism), amino acid metabolism (alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism), lipid metabolism, biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, and sulfur metabolism. These findings contribute to promote research and comparison of the microbiome in different human populations, in order to develop more efficient therapeutic strategies for the restoration of a healthy dialogue between host and environment.

Efecto de los factores relacionados al cuidado de la diabetes mellitus tipo 2 y motivos de no adhesión en Argentina / Effect of factors related to the care of type 2 diabetes mellitus and reasons for non-adherence in Argentina

Introducción: analizar la injerencia de la adherencia al tratamiento en la evaluación clínica optimiza el uso de pruebas y evita intensificar tratamientos que pueden aumentar riesgos en los pacientes. Conocer sobre las variables influyentes implica el conocimiento y el control de factores relativos al cuidado de la diabetes mellitus tipo 2 (DM2). Objetivos: analizar el efecto de la adherencia al tratamiento en adultos con DM2 en Argentina. Materiales y métodos: estudio transversal. Se incluyeron 1.520 pacientes adultos con DM2 con tres o más meses de antigüedad de enfermedad residentes en Argentina. Se aplicó un cuestionario validado autorreferido. Se evaluó el grado de adherencia reportada, las recomendaciones dadas por el equipo de salud, las formas de adhesión y los motivos de incumplimiento por medio del Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activities (SDSCA). Resultados: representando diferentes regiones geográficas, la media de adherencia general para todas las características fue 4,32 (61,71%); los peores puntajes para la adherencia correspondieron a la actividad física, el monitoreo glucémico y la dieta en orden ascendente. Se observaron carencias en las recomendaciones por parte del equipo de salud al momento de indicar medidas higiénico dietéticas. Conclusiones: los resultados nacionales observados guardan similitud en la dieta, la actividad física y la disminución en el consumo de tabaco con respecto a los datos prevalentes proveniente de la Cuarta Encuesta Nacional de Factores de Riesgo

Introduction: analyzing the interference of adherence to treatment in clinical evaluation optimizes the use of tests and avoids intensifying treatments that may increase risks in patients. Knowing about the influential variables implies the knowledge and control of factors related to the care of diabetes mellitus type 2 (T2D). Objectives: to analyze the effect of adherence to treatment in adults with T2D in Argentina. Materials and methods: transversal study. We included 1.520 adult patients with T2D with 3 or more months of illness in Argentina. A validated self-reported questionnaire was applied. The degree of adherence reported, the recommendations given by the health team, the forms of adherence and the reasons for non-compliance through the Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activities (SDSCA) were evaluated. Results: representing different geographical regions, the mean of general adherence for all the characteristics was 4.32 (61.71%); the worst scores for adherence corresponded to physical activity, glycemic monitoring and diet in ascending order. There were shortcomings in the recommendations by the health team when indicating hygienic dietary measures. Conclusions: the observed national results are similar in diet, physical activity and the decrease in tobacco consumption with respect to prevailing data from the Fourth National Survey of Risk Factors.

Immunological and clinical characteristics of latent autoimmune diabetes in the elderly.

BACKGROUND: Latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA) is determined by both a noninsulin-dependent clinical presentation and an autoimmune pathogenic process. Glutamic acid decarboxylase antibody (GADA) constitutes the most important marker, although IA-2A and ZnT8A also define LADA presentation. Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is the most prevalent type particularly over 65 years old. Studies about autoimmunity in this age group are scarce. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this work was to determine whether three autoantibodies for diabetes autoimmunity were present in elderly T2DM patients, and to assess the distinctive clinical features of autoantibody-positive patients. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We recruited 153 patients with diabetes with onset of diabetes after 65 years of age and a BMI under 30 kg/m2 . RESULTS: The prevalence of at least one of the autoantibodies was 15.68% (24/153). The most prevalent autoantibody was GADA with 8.49% (13/153), followed by ZnT8A with 6.50% (10/153) and IA2A with 1.96% (3/153). The autoimmunity-positive group presented higher HbA1c (7.01 ± 1.98 vs 6.35 ± 1.01; P = 0.007) and more prevalent insulin therapy (25% vs 10.85%; P = 0.047). GADA-positive patients with diabetes presented higher FPG (7.79 ± 3.79 mmol/L vs 6.43 ± 1.6 mmol/L; P = 0.014) and insulin therapy more frequently (46% vs 10.71%; p = 0.015). GADA titre levels in the individuals with BMI under 27 kg/m2 were higher (35.00 ± 4.20) than those in the group with BMI over 27 kg/m2 (8.83 ± 3.041; P = 0.0005). CONCLUSION: Autoantibodies GADA and Znt8A may be useful markers in identifying a subgroup of older patients with a clinical presentation of diabetes which could be characterized as latent autoimmune diabetes in the elderly.

Calidad de vida y prestaciones en salud de pacientes con diabetes mellitus tipo 2 según región geográfica en Argentina / Quality of life and health benefits in patients with type 2 diabetes according to geography region in Argentina

Introducción: la adherencia al tratamiento de la diabetes mellitus tipo 2 (DM2) en el adulto es un tema complejo y multifactorial que aúna aspectos propios de la enfermedad como no propios, los cuales impactan en la calidad de vida. En Argentina se presentan grandes dificultades al costear la totalidad del tratamiento de la enfermedad. El impacto del ingreso sobre el gasto en salud en DM2 es mayor para los niveles más bajos de ingresos. Objetivos: analizar en adultos con DM2 en Argentina diferencias en variables de calidad de vida y objetivos metabólicos según regiones geográficas y prestación en salud; conocer el gasto de bolsillo en salud y los costos en salud vinculados a DM2; establecer la asociación entre el gasto de bolsillo con variables socioeconómicas y el cumplimiento de los objetivos metabólicos. Materiales y métodos: sobre ocho regiones geográficas de la República Argentina se incluyeron 1.520 pacientes adultos con DM2 y se los clasificó según prestación en salud (sin prestación, con prestación o jubilados). Se aplicó cuestionario validado autorreferido. Resultados: se encontraron diferencias significativas por región geográfica para jubilación prematura por DM2, pérdida de percepción de calidad de vida y cumplimiento de los objetivos metabólicos. Se encontró significancia estadística del gasto de bolsillo con la presencia de subsidio familiar, la jubilación prematura por DM2 y el cumplimiento de los objetivos metabólicos. Conclusiones: se observó disparidad entre las variables de calidad de vida, el gasto en salud y la percepción de subsidios

Introduction: adherence to treatment of diabetes mellitus type 2 (DT2) in the adult is a complex and multifactorial issue that combines aspects of the disease as not own, which impact on the quality of life. In Argentina there are great difficulties in paying for the entire treatment of the disease. The impact of income on health spending in DT2 is greater for lower income levels. Objectives: to analyze differences in quality of life and metabolic objectives according to geographic regions and health benefits in adults with DT2 in Argentina; know the out of pocket expenses in health and health costs linked to DT2; establish an association between out of pocket spending with socioeconomic variables and compliance with metabolic objectives. Materials and methods: over eight geographic regions of the Argentine Republic, 1.520 adult patients with DT2 were classified according to health benefit (without benefit, with benefits or retirees). Validated self-reported questionnaire was applied. Results: significant differences were found by geographic region for premature retirement due to DT2, the loss of perception of quality of life and the fulfillment of metabolic objectives. Statistical significance of out-of-pocket spending was found with the presence of family allowance, early retirement by DT2 and compliance with metabolic objectives. Conclusions: disparity between the variables of quality of life, health expenditure and perception of subsidies was observed