Alterations in plasma transforming growth factor beta in normoalbuminuric type 1 and type 2 diabetic patients.

Transforming growth factor ss (TGF-ss) is an immunosuppressor. It plays a role in regulating cell proliferation, and deletion of its gene in transgenic mice leads to an autoimmune-like disorder. A role of this cytokine has been proposed in the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes and probably type 2 diabetes. Previous studies had shown an elevated serum level in type 2 diabetes and a reduced serum level in type 1 diabetes; however, these studies did not address the onset of the alterations of TGF-ss with regard to the duration of diabetes. In this study, we compared the levels of TGF-ss in the serum of groups of patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus divided according to the duration of their disease. Twenty-six normoalbuminuric patients with type 1 diabetes and 25 normoalbuminuric patients with type 2 diabetes were divided into three groups according to the onset of their diabetes and were compared with 27 and 15 age-matched normal subjects, respectively. We conclude that in normoalbuminuric patients serum TGF-ss levels increased at the onset of type 2 diabetes and remained elevated throughout the disease; they did not change at the onset of type1 diabetes, however, they started to decrease around 2 yr after the onset of the disease.

Insulin therapy during Ramadan fast for Type 1 diabetes patients.

Patients with Type 1 diabetes (T1D) are normally exempt from the Ramadan fast; however, some patients insist on following the fast, often without the approval of their physicians. The aim of this study is to provide patients with T1D, who insist on fasting, with the most appropriate insulin regimen during the month of Ramadan. Seventeen patients with T1D who insisted on fasting were studied. Prior to Ramadan, the intermediate insulin was changed to ultralente in all patients. The total dose of insulin given to fasting patients by the end of Ramadan (45.7 +/- 14.4 U/day) was less than the total dose of insulin given before fasting (52.8 +/- 13.1 U/day) p<0.05. The ultralente and regular insulin constituted 70 and 30%, respectively, of the total insulin dose by the end of Ramadan, divided equally between Suhur (before sunrise) and Iftar (after sunset). There was no change in the glycosylated hemoglobin before and after fasting. Patients were instructed to break their fast after any episode of hypoglycemia. There were no severe daytime hypoglycemia episodes. We recommend that patients with T1D wishing to fast be switched to long acting insulin such as ultralente. The total insulin dose should consist of around 85% of their initial insulin dose and it should be composed of around 70% ultralente and 30% rapid insulin, divided equally between Suhur and Iftar.

Leptin levels in patients with type 1 diabetes receiving intensive insulin therapy compared with those in patients receiving conventional insulin therapy.

Several reports suggest that insulin may have a role in the regulation of serum leptin levels, and this is related to the fact that serum leptin levels generally indicate the amount of body fat. Studies show that leptin levels are low in newly diagnosed patients with Type-1 diabetes (T1 DM) and increase after institution of insulin therapy. This study was designed to test whether serum leptin levels are higher in patients receiving intensive insulin therapy (IIT) compared to conventional insulin therapy (CIT). Young patients with T1 DM were studied, 23 on IIT and 23 on CIT. The patients were matched for age (19+/-3 and 20+/-5 yr, respectively), duration of diabetes (8+/-5 and 10+/-6 yr, respectively) and BMI (24+/-4 and 23+/-3 kg/m2, respectively). Leptin levels were higher in IIT compared to CIT (13+/-12 vs 7+/-7 ng/ml, respectively, p<0.05). The results of this study demonstrate that patients on IIT have higher leptin levels than patients on CIT. This increase in leptin level in IIT patients is independent of changes in bw and is probably due to the stimulatory effect of insulin on leptin production.

Improved pituitary function after V-P shunt insertion in pseudotumor cerebri.

Pseudotumor Cerebri is a disease of cerebrospinal fluid pressure regulation. This disease has also been associated with endocrine disorders like Cushing's syndrome, hypoparathyroidism, hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism and Addison's disease. In this paper we report a 30-year-old male patient with hypoparathyroidism presenting with pseudotumor cerebri and diminished anterior pituitary function that improved after a ventricular-peritoneal (VP) shunt insertion.