Search

Diagnosis of vitamin B12 deficiency is difficult, as there is no conclusive single test for this disorder. We evaluated the association of serum B12 and methylmalonic acid (MMA) with haematologic parameters and physical and cognitive functioning in an effort to use such clinical parameters to improve the interpretation of serum values.We used data of participants19 years of age from NHANES 2011-2012 and 2013-2014, a cross-sectional survey in the United States. Functional status was assessed with questionnaires on current health condition, disability, hospital utilisation, cognitive functioning, mental health and depression, and physical functioning. Muscle strength assessed with a handgrip dynamometer was used as a performance parameter. Results were evaluated both for the entire population and participants of Western European descent. Because renal function influences MMA concentrations and is a proxy for both frailty and comorbidity, all results were additionally stratified for individuals with normal vs impaired renal function (eGFR60 ml/min).In total, data of 9645 participants (mean age 49 (SD 17) years, 49.3% males) were included. Out of all participants with serum B12140, 140-300, and 301-1000 pmol/l, 56.2%, 13.5%, and 4.1%, respectively had elevated MMA. MMA concentrations were more strongly associated with poor functional status and physical performance than serum B12. We identified a significant and independent association of MMA concentrations, as well as haemoglobin and co-morbidity with muscle strength.A large proportion of individuals with a decreased serum B12 concentration still has normal MMA concentrations. Elevated MMA concentrations were more strongly associated with poor functional performance than serum B12.

Diabetes mellitus wordt volgens de International Classification of Disease (ICD-10-CM, E00-E89) ingedeeld in type 1 (DM1) en type 2 (DM2). Daarnaast is er zwangerschapsdiabetes (GDM) en een restgroep die een klein aantal erfelijke vormen omvat, zoals maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY) en maternal inherited diabetes and deafness (MIDD).1

Early diagnosis and treatment of high blood pressure (BP) and cholesterol is important to reduce cardiovascular risk. We compared BP and LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) as well as the quality of treatment between obese subjects and normal weight and overweight individuals.87,648 participants of the Lifelines study were categorised according to obesity (normal weight/ overweight/obesity) and age. Mean systolic BP and LDL-C were calculated depending on treatment, BMI, age and sex.In all age groups, except those aged 70-80 years, women had a significantly lower BP than men. Use of BP-lowering medication did not result in BP levels comparable with non-users, except in those aged 70-80 years. Despite medication, the BP was insufficiently controlled in 20-50% of participants. BP was significantly higher in obese vs. normal weight and overweight individuals of all ages, but most apparently in men younger than 50 years. Mean LDL-C varied between 2.5- .0 mmol/l. Despite higher statin use, obese participants had a higher LDL-C than those with a normal weight. Statins abolished the age-dependent LDL-C increase. Many participants did not achieve target LDL-C2.5 mmol/l. A small percentage of individuals treated with BP-lowering drugs were also using statins (overall 32% in men, 17% in women).Obese individuals, especially men younger than 50, have a higher BP and LDL-C compared with those with overweight and a normal weight. Use of BP-lowering drugs did not revert the BP back to levels normal for the specific age and BMI group, whereas statins abolished the age-related increase in LDL-C. These data suggest that more attention is needed for active screening and treatment of cardiovascular risk factors.

Insight into the total economic burden of diabetes mellitus (DM) is essential for decision makers and payers. Currently available estimates for the Netherlands only include part of the total burden or are no longer up-to-date. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the current total economic burden of DM and its complications in the Netherlands, by including all the relevant cost components.The study combined a systematic literature review to identify all relevant published information and a targeted review to identify relevant information in the grey literature. The identified evidence was then combined to estimate the current total economic burden.In 2016, there were an estimated 1.1 million DM patients in the Netherlands, of whom approximately 10% had type 1 and 90% had type 2 DM. The estimated current total economic burden of DM was € 6.8 billion in 2016. Healthcare costs (excluding costs of complications) were € 1.6 billion, direct costs of complications were € 1.3 billion and indirect costs due to productivity losses, welfare payments and complications were € 4.0 billion.DM and its complications pose a substantial economic burden to the Netherlands, which is expected to rise due to changing demographics and lifestyle. Indirect costs, such as welfare payments, accounted for a large portion of the current total economic burden of DM, while these cost components are often not included in cost estimations. Publicly available data for key cost drivers such as complications were scarce.

Individual indicators of socio-economic status have been associated with glycaemic control in people with Type 2 diabetes, but little is known about the association between partner's socio-economic status and HbAWe included people with Type 2 diabetes with a partner who were treated in primary, secondary and tertiary care in the Diabetes Pearl cohort. Occupational level was classified according to International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO)-08 skill levels. Linear regression analyses were performed stratified for sex, and corrected for age, recruitment centre and diabetes medication.In total, 3257 participants (59.8% men, mean 62.2±9.4 years) were included. For men, having a partner with an intermediate level of occupation was associated with lower HbAPartner's occupational status provided additional information on the association between socio-economic status and HbA

With nephrotic syndrome, cortisol levels may be falsely lowered by loss of cortisol-binding globulin (CBG) in the urine. An incorrect diagnosis of adrenal insufficiency could therefore be made.We describe the case of a 52-year-old female with nephrotic syndrome that did not sufficiently respond to medication. Treatment management was complicated by symptomatic hypotension, which was thought to be caused by adrenal insufficiency. The cortisol levels in the blood were low and a clinical cause could not be identified. However, free cortisol in the saliva appeared normal and serum CBG levels were low; this therefore precluded adrenal insufficiency. After complete remission of the nephrotic syndrome, cortisol levels normalised.The reduced cortisol level in this patient was caused by the reduced CBG level due to loss associated with nephrotic syndrome. First and foremost it is important to indicate an abnormal laboratory result within an existing disease, before making a new diagnosis of concomitant disease.

To identify relevant factors predicting the need for insulin therapy in women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and secondly to determine a potential 'low- risk' diet-treated group who are likely to have good pregnancy outcomes.A retrospective analysis between 2011-2014. Multivariable backward stepwise logistic regression was used to identify the predictors of the need for insulin therapy. To identify a 'low-risk' diet-treated group, the group was stratified according to pregnancy complications. Diet-treated women with indications for induction in secondary care were excluded.A total of 820 GDM women were included, 360 (44%) women required additional insulin therapy. The factors predicting the need for insulin therapy were: previous GDM, family history of diabetes, a previous infant weighing ≥ 4500 gram, Middle-East/North-African descent, multiparity, pre-gestational BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2, and an increased fasting glucose level ≥ 5.5 mmol/l (OR 6.03;CI 3.56-10.22) and two-hour glucose level ≥ 9.4 mmol/l after a 75-gram oral glucose tolerance test at GDM diagnosis. In total 125 (54%) women treated with diet only had pregnancy complications. Primiparity and higher weight gain during pregnancy were the best predictors for complications (predictive probability 0.586 and 0.603).In this GDM population we found various relevant factors predicting the need for insulin therapy. A fasting glucose level ≥ 5.5 mmol/l at GDM diagnosis was by far the strongest predictor. Women with GDM who had good glycaemic control on diet only with a higher parity and less weight gain had a lower risk for pregnancy complications.

GLP-1 analogues have been proven to be effective in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. They stimulate insulin production and secretion, and suppress glucagon secretion, depending on the blood glucose level. They also have an effect on the brain, enhancing satiety, and on the gut, where they delay gastric emptying. Theoretically, in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients, the combination of a GLP-1 analogue with insulin seems attractive, because of the weight loss perceived in users of GLP-1 analogues in contrast to the weight gain seen in most patients starting insulin therapy, leading to even more insulin resistance. There are only a few randomised controlled trials which have studied this combination and several uncontrolled studies, which will be reviewed here.

To examine whether high-dose statin therapy in Dutch European patients with Type 2 diabetes and dyslipidaemia influenced variables of glycaemic control.The CORALL study, which was a 24-week, open-label, randomized, parallel-group, phase IIIb, multi-centre study, was designed to compare the cholesterol-lowering effects of rosuvastatin compared with atorvastatin in patients with Type 2 diabetes. Fasting plasma glucose levels and HbA(1c) levels were collected at baseline and at 6 and 18 weeks.Treatment with the highest dose of statins, i.e. atorvastatin 80 mg and rosuvastatin 40 mg at 18 weeks from baseline, was associated with increase in HbA(1c) levels; baseline 57 ± 11 mmol/l (7.4 ± 1.0%) to 61 ± 14 mmol/mol (7.7 ± 1.3%) (range 5.0-11.9) for atorvastatin (P = 0.003) and from baseline 60 ± 11 mmol/mol (7.6 ± 1.0%) to 63 ± 13 mmol/mol (7.9 ± 1.2%) (range 5.7-12.3) for rosuvastatin (P0.001). Mean fasting plasma glucose increased from baseline 8.7 ± 2.4 mmol/l to 9.5 ± 3.0 mmol/l upon treatment with atorvastatin 20 mg (P = 0.002) and 9.0 ± 3.0 mmol/l after treatment with 80 mg (not significant compared with baseline). The mean fasting plasma glucose did not change after treatment with rosuvastatin (9.1 ± 2.7 mmol/l at baseline, 8.9 ± 2.7 mmol/l with 10 mg, 9.4 ± 2.9 mmol/l with 40 mg).Glycaemic control deteriorated in patients with diabetes following high-dose statin therapy. Future controlled studies are needed to verify these findings and, if confirmed, determine whether such changes represent a true decline in glycaemic control. Presently, it appears that, based on the overwhelming prospective trial data available, the preventive effect of statin therapy supersedes that of the slight increase in HbA(1c).

the total cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (TC/HDL-C) and apolipoprotein (apo) B/A-I ratios predict major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs). The extent to which these associations are modified by high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and albuminuria is largely unknown. We compared the strength of these ratios with first MACE in the general population and determined whether these associations remain when taking account of these risk markers.a prospective case-cohort study was performed among 6948 subjects (PREVEND cohort) without previous cardiovascular disease and who did not use lipid-lowering drugs initially. Fasting serum TC, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), HDL-C, non-HDL-C, apoB, apoA-I, triglycerides, hs-CRP and albuminuria were measured at baseline. The composite endpoint was incident MACE.a total of 362 first cardiovascular events occurred during 7.9 years of follow-up. All pro- and anti-atherogenic measures of lipoproteins and apos predicted MACEs in age- and sex-adjusted Cox proportional hazard analyses (P = 0.018 to P0.001). The age- and sex-adjusted hazard ratio (HR) was 1.37 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.26-1.48] for the apoB/apoA-I ratio and 1.24 (95% CI, 1.18-1.29) for the TC/HDL-C ratio (both P0.001). These relationships were essentially unaltered after additional adjustment for triglyceride levels. Pair-wise comparison revealed that these ratios were of similar importance in age- and sex-adjusted analysis (P = 0.397). The HRs of apoB/apoA-I (P0.001) and TC/HDL-C (P0.001) for risk of MACEs were only marginally attenuated by additional controlling for traditional risk factors (hypertension, diabetes, obesity and smoking), hs-CRP and albuminuria.first MACE is associated with both the fasting serum apoB/apoA-I ratio and the TC/HDL-C ratio in the general population, independently of triglycerides, hs-CRP and albuminuria.

Two women aged 50 and 64 years, respectively, and one man aged 43 years, were treated with cyclic etidronic acid for osteoporosis. After some months/years they developed mood, concentration and memory problems. The complaints diminished within several weeks after withdrawal of the drugs, and reappeared after rechallenge. Two of these patients had similar complaints during the use of another bisphosphonate (pamidronic acid and alendronic acid, respectively). Bisphosphonates are used increasingly frequently for the treatment of osteoporosis. Generally, these drugs are well tolerated. The most frequently reported adverse events are gastrointestinal complaints and oesophageal ulcers. Psychiatric complaints also appear to be a rare side effect.

It has been shown both in type I and in type 2 diabetes that optimal glucose control retards the development of diabetes-related complications. The concentration of glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) is a measure of metabolic control during the previous five weeks. Several studies have indicated that an elevated blood glucose level after an oral glucose tolerance test or after a meal (2-hour value: 7-11 mmol/l) is a better risk indicator for future cardiovascular disease and death than the level of fasting blood glucose or HbA1c. Increased glucose auto-oxidation, labile glycosylation and intracellular activation of the polyol pathway leading to increased oxidative stress are believed to play an important pathophysiological role. In addition, direct stimulatory effects of glucose on specific intracellular signalling peptides, such as protein kinase C, as well as a direct effect on the vessel walls also play a role. In future studies the challenge will be to demonstrate the specific effects of improved postprandial blood-glucose control, and to separate these out from the general effects of intensive therapy with oral medication and insulin on glucose control. People suffering from diabetes are best advised to direct their self control also at the bloodglucose level 1.5-2 h after a meal.