Anabolic hormones and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: looking for Ariadne's thread.

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is a complex clinical syndrome that accounts for more than half of all heart failure patients. Identification, early diagnosis and management of patients are still complex, and no targeted treatment is available, since all tested drugs were not able to lower hard clinical outcomes. A multi-hormonal deficiency syndrome has been described in HFpEF patients suggesting that different hormones may represent new biomarkers of the disease, but their clinical utility is still debated. The natriuretic peptides are the cornerstone biomarker in heart failure, predicting cardiovascular death and heart failure hospitalization. Testosterone and DHEA-S deficiencies have been reported in HFpEF and associated with right ventricular impairment and diastolic dysfunction. IGFBP-1/IGF-1 axis correlates with echocardiographic parameters of HFpEF patients and with several prognostic biomarkers including NT-proBNP and C reactive protein. Low triiodothyronine syndrome is frequently found in HFpEF and thyroid hormones should represent a potential biomarker of risk stratification and prognosis.

How should we differentiate hypoglycaemia in non-diabetic patients?

Hypoglycaemic syndromes are rare in apparently healthy individuals and their diagnosis can be a difficult challenge for clinicians as there are no shared guidelines that suggest how to approach patients with a suspect hypoglycaemic disorder. Since hypoglycaemia symptoms are common and nonspecific, it's necessary to document the Whipple Triad (signs and/or symptoms compatible with hypoglycaemia; relief of symptoms following glucose administration; low plasma glucose levels) before starting any procedure. Once the triad is documented, a meticulous anamnesis and laboratory tests (blood glucose, insulin, proinsulin, C-peptide, ß-hydroxybutyrate and anti-insulin antibodies) should be performed. Results can guide the physician towards further specific tests, concerning the suspected disease. In this review, we consider all current causes of hypoglycaemia, including rare diseases such as nesidioblastosis and Hirata's syndrome, describe appropriate tests for diagnosis and suggest strategies to differentiate hypoglycaemia aetiology.

The complex relationship between physical activity and diabetes: an overview.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a widespread condition, representing a challenging disease to manage. Exercise is being increasingly recommended as part of the therapeutic regimen for DM but the management of different forms of physical activity is difficult for individuals with diabetes, trainers, and physicians. Regular exercise can improve health and well-being, helping individuals to achieve their target lipid profile, body composition, cardio-respiratory fitness, and glycemic goals. People with diabetes tend to be as inactive as the general population, with a large percentage of individuals not achieving the minimum amount of recommended physical activity levels. Indeed, several barriers to exercise exist for persons with diabetes, including sports eligibility, multi-modality management of diabetic athletes, and inadequate knowledge about adequate type and intensity of exercise. The aim of the present review is to provide the current understanding of mechanisms, recommendations, and beneficial effects of different modalities of exercise for the treatment of DM.

Can pulse wave velocity (PWV) alone express arterial stiffness? A neglected tool for vascular function assessment.

Arterial stiffness, defined as the rigidity of the arterial wall, is the consequence of vascular aging and is associated with the full spectrum of cardiovascular diseases. Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cf-PWV) is the gold standard method for arterial stiffness evaluation: it measures the velocity of the arterial pulse along the thoracic and abdominal aorta alongside arterial distensibility. Its value rises as stiffness progresses. Cf-PWV is helpful to assess residual cardiovascular risk (CVR) in hypertension (HT). In fact, an increase in pulsatility and arterial stiffness predicts CVR in patients affected by arterial HT, independently of other risk factors. Arterial stiffness can predict cardiovascular events in several other clinical conditions such as heart failure, diabetes, and pulmonary HT. However, cf-PWV has not been yet included in routine clinical practice so far. A possible reason might be its methodological and theoretical limitations (inaccuracy in the traveled distance, intra and interindividual variability, lack of well-defined references values, and age- and blood pressure-independent cutoff). To exceed these limits a strict adherence to guidelines, use of analytical approaches, and possibility of integrating the results with other stiffness examinations are essential approaches.

Atorvastatin-linked rhabdomyolysis caused by the simultaneous intake of amoxicillin clavulanic acid.

Objectives Rhabdomyolysis is a rare syndrome in which a serious muscle damage suddenly appears, with the possible occurrence of severe complications such as kidney failure, electrolyte imbalances and death, and represents the most severe form of statin-induced muscle injury. Case presentation Here we present the case of a 55-year-old woman who started therapy with amoxicillin clavulanic acid on a background of atorvastatin therapy, resulting in rhabdomyolysis. Conclusions This case highlights the importance of evaluating potential drug interactions in patients taking statin and the need of monitoring clinical and laboratory findings suggestive of rhabdomyolysis.

Insulin/carbohydrates ratio during the first 6-month therapy with insulin degludec in a paediatric population with type 1 diabetes previously treated with insulin glargine. An observational longitudinal study.

BACKGROUND: No data exist about the changes induced by the transition from first-generation long-acting insulins to second-generation long-acting analogues in the paediatric population. OBJECTIVE: To assess changes in insulin/carbohydrate ratio (I:CHO) after the first 6 months of degludec therapy in a paediatric population with type 1 diabetes previously treated with glargine U100. SUBJECTS: All patients treated with degludec under routine clinical practice conditions were retrospectively analysed. METHODS: Nonprofit observational retrospective study. Changes during the follow-up in mean CHO/I ratio were assessed using longitudinal linear models for repeated measures. Rate of hypoglycaemia, ketoacidosis and adverse events was evaluated. RESULTS: Overall, 51 children (mean age 13.8 ± 4.6 years; mean diabetes duration 5.8 ± 3.9 years) started therapy with degludec in the period between April 2017 and April 2018. I:CHO ratio before starting degludec therapy significantly differed among the three meals, being the lowest at breakfast and the highest at dinner. After introducing degludec, I:CHO ratio at lunch (-1.29 95% CI -2.02;-0.57) and at dinner (-3.08 95% CI -4.35;-1.8) significantly decreased, while it slightly increased at breakfast (+1.37 95% CI 0.47;2.28). No episodes of severe hypoglycaemia, ketoacidosis and adverse event were recorded during 6 months. CONCLUSIONS: Our data show that the use of degludec is associated with a significant change in the I:CHO ratio at the different meals compared to the previous glargine therapy. This could derive from the flat and prolonged pharmacokinetic profile of degludec. This has important clinical implications for daily insulin dose adjustments.