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Objective: Despite extensive research into the biological mechanisms behind obesity-related inflammation, knowledge of environmental and genetic factors triggering such mechanisms is limited. In the present narrative review we present potential determinants of adipose tissue inflammation and suggest ways ahead for future research in the field.Design: We searched the literature for potential determinants of obesity with inflammation through MEDLINE by applying the MeSH headings 'obesity' and 'inflammation' in combination with specific terms for a series of environmental and genetic factors.Results: Numerous articles reported on the association between environmental or genetic factors and respectively obesity and inflammation, whereas only a few studies assessed obesity and inflammation as a combined outcome. Among suggested determinants for obesity with inflammation were Adenovirus-36, the gut microbiota, trans-fatty acids, and the four genes FTO, MC4R, TNF-α and LEPR.Conclusions: We present a limited number of factors potentially contributing to the development of obesity with inflammation, while concluding that overall the area is indeed sparsely investigated. We present ideas for future studies that can identify relevant aetiological factors. This identification is essential for targeted prevention of obesity with inflammation and the clinical consequences thereof. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Digital health lifestyle interventions (DHLI) may offer scalable solutions to manage prediabetes in clinical practice; however, their effectiveness on people with prediabetes has not been systematically investigated and reviewed. Hence, in this systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression the effectiveness of DHLI on prediabetes-related outcomes was investigated., Methods: Four databases were searched to identify randomized controlled trials investigating the effectiveness of DHLI on adults with prediabetes published before 23 February 2024. The primary outcome was the change in body weight, with secondary outcomes including, among others, glycemic status, body composition, and feasibility outcomes. Meta-analyses were conducted to provide overall effect estimates of outcomes. In addition, meta-regressions on the primary outcome were conducted. The study quality was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool, and the certainty of evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach., Results: A total of 33 studies were included (n = 14 398). The study duration ranged from 3 to 60 months. The digital interventions varied from in-person meetings combined with pedometers and telephone calls to fully digital interventions. The overall estimated treatment difference in change in body weight favored the intervention (mean difference: -1.74 kg; 95% confidence interval: -2.37, -1.11; P < .01) with moderate certainty. Statistically significant overall effect estimates favoring the intervention were also found for secondary outcomes with very low to moderate certainty., Conclusion: Digital health lifestyle interventions can result in statistically significant change in body weight and other secondary outcomes among people with prediabetes., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared the following potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: KF, MHJ, and BJvS is full-time employee and owns shares at Novo Nordisk A/S. No conflicts of interest were declared by the remaining authors.

Background: This post-hoc study investigated whether biomarkers reflecting extracellular matrix (ECM) turnover predicted cardiovascular disease (CVD), mortality, and progression of diabetic kidney disease (DKD) in individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and microalbuminuria., Methods: Serum levels of specific ECM turnover biomarkers were assessed in 192 participants with T2D and microalbuminuria from an observational study conducted at Steno Diabetes Center Copenhagen from 2007 to 2008. Endpoints included CVD events, mortality, and DKD progression, defined as decline in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of >30 %., Results: Participants had a mean age of 59 years, with 75 % males. Over a median follow-up of 4.9 to 6.3 years, the study recorded 38 CVD events, 24 deaths, and 40 DKD events. Elevated levels of a degradation fragment of collagen type I (C1M) were associated with an increased risk of >30 % eGFR decline, although this association was not independent of other risk factors. No significant associations were found between other ECM turnover biomarkers and DKD progression, mortality, or CVD risk., Conclusion: Elevated C1M levels were linked to DKD progression in individuals with T2D and microalbuminuria, but not independently of other risk factors. None of the ECM turnover biomarkers were associated with CVD or mortality., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: ALM, DGKR, FG, and MAK are employees of Nordic Bioscience. Nordic Bioscience is a privately owned, small- to medium-sized enterprise, partly focused on the development of biomarkers. None of the authors received fees, bonuses, or other benefits for the work regarding this article. DGKR, FG, and MAK holds stocks in Nordic Bioscience. Outside this work, BJvS is employed by Novo Nordisk, and PR has received institutional grants from Bayer, Novo Nordisk and AstraZeneca and has acted as consultant for Novo Nordisk, Bayer, Astellas, Boehringer Ingelheim, AstraZeneca, Gilead, Merk, Mundipharma, and Sanofi (honoraria to institution). The results presented in this paper have not been published previously in whole or part, except in abstract format., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: There has been an increasing interest in the use of digital health lifestyle interventions for people with prediabetes, as these interventions may offer a scalable approach to preventing type 2 diabetes. Previous systematic reviews on digital health lifestyle interventions for people with prediabetes had limitations, such as a narrow focus on certain types of interventions, a lack of statistical pooling, and no broader subgroup analysis of intervention characteristics. The identified limitations observed in previous systematic reviews substantiate the necessity of conducting a comprehensive review to address these gaps within the field. This will enable a comprehensive understanding of the effectiveness of digital health lifestyle interventions for people with prediabetes., Objective: The objective of this systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression is to systematically investigate the effectiveness of digital health lifestyle interventions on prediabetes-related outcomes in comparison with any comparator without a digital component among adults with prediabetes., Methods: This systematic review will include randomized controlled trials that investigate the effectiveness of digital health lifestyle interventions on adults (aged 18 years or older) with prediabetes and compare the digital interventions with nondigital interventions. The primary outcome will be change in body weight (kg). Secondary outcomes include, among others, change in glycemic status, markers of cardiometabolic health, feasibility outcomes, and incidence of type 2 diabetes. Embase, PubMed, CINAHL, and CENTRAL (Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials) will be systematically searched. The data items to be extracted include study characteristics, participant characteristics, intervention characteristics, and relevant outcomes. To estimate the overall effect size, a meta-analysis will be conducted using the mean difference. Additionally, if feasible, meta-regression on study, intervention, and participant characteristics will be performed. The Cochrane risk of bias tool will be applied to assess study quality, and the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) approach will be used to assess the certainty of evidence., Results: The results are projected to yield an overall estimate of the effectiveness of digital health lifestyle interventions on adults with prediabetes and elucidate the characteristics that contribute to their effectiveness., Conclusions: The insights gained from this study may help clarify the potential of digital health lifestyle interventions for people with prediabetes and guide the decision-making regarding future intervention components., Trial Registration: PROSPERO CRD42023426919; http://tinyurl.com/d3enrw9j., International Registered Report Identifier (irrid): PRR1-10.2196/50340., (©Tanja Fredensborg Holm, Flemming Witt Udsen, Kristine Færch, Morten Hasselstrøm Jensen, Bernt Johan von Scholten, Ole Kristian Hejlesen, Stine Hangaard. Originally published in JMIR Research Protocols (https://www.researchprotocols.org), 09.02.2024.)

Background: Specific ceramides have been identified as risk markers for cardiovascular disease (CVD) years before onset of disease. Treatment with the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA) liraglutide has been shown to induce beneficial changes in the lipid profile and reduce the risk of CVD. Reducing lipotoxic lipids with an antidiabetic drug therapy could be a path towards precision medicine approaches for the treatment of complications to diabetes. In this post-hoc study, an investigation was carried out on the effect of liraglutide on CVD-risk associated ceramides in two randomized clinical trials including participants with type 2 diabetes (T2D)., Methods: This study analyzed plasma samples from two independent randomized placebo-controlled clinical trials. The first trial, Antiproteinuric Effects of Liraglutide Treatment (LirAlbu12) followed a crossover design where 27 participants were treated for 12 weeks with either liraglutide (1.8 mg/d) or placebo, followed by a four-week washout period, and then another 12 weeks of the other treatment. The second clinical trial, Effect of Liraglutide on Vascular Inflammation in Type-2 Diabetes (LiraFlame26), lasted for 26 weeks and followed a parallel design, where 102 participants were randomized 1:1 to either liraglutide or placebo. Heresix prespecified plasma ceramides were measured using liquid chromatography mass spectrometry and assessed their changes using linear mixed models. Possible confounders were assessed with mediation analyses., Results: In the LiraFlame26 trial, 26-week treatment with liraglutide resulted in a significant reduction of two ceramides associated with CVD risk, C16 Cer and C24:1 Cer (p < 0.05) compared to placebo. None of the remaining ceramides showed statistically significant changes in response to liraglutide treatment compared to placebo. Significant changes in ceramides were not found after 12-weeks of liraglutide treatment in the LirAlbu12 trial. Mediation analyses showed that weight loss did not affect ceramide reduction., Conclusions: It was demonstrated that treatment with liraglutide resulted in a reduction in C16 Cer and C24:1 Cer after 26 weeks of treatment. These findings suggest the GLP-1RA can be used to modulate ceramides in addition to its other properties., Trial Registration: Clinicaltrial.gov identifier: NCT02545738 and NCT03449654., (© 2023. BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature.)

Obesity is a serious chronic disease and an independent risk factor for the new onset and progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD). CKD prevalence is expected to increase, at least partly due to the continuous rise in the prevalence of obesity. The concept of obesity-related kidney disease (OKD) has been introduced to describe the still incompletely understood interplay between obesity, CKD, and other cardiometabolic conditions, including risk factors for OKD and cardiovascular disease, such as diabetes and hypertension. Current therapeutics target obesity and CKD individually. Non-pharmacological interventions play a major part, but the efficacy and clinical applicability of lifestyle changes and metabolic surgery remain debatable, because the strategies do not benefit everyone, and it remains questionable whether lifestyle changes can be sustained in the long term. Pharmacological interventions, such as sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors and the non-steroidal mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist finerenone, provide kidney protection but have limited or no impact on body weight. Medicines based on glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) induce clinically relevant weight loss and may also offer kidney benefits. An urgent medical need remains for investigations to better understand the intertwined pathophysiologies in OKD, paving the way for the best possible therapeutic strategies in this increasingly prevalent disease complex.

To help ensure an expanded healthy lifespan for as many people as possible worldwide, there is a need to prevent or manage a number of prevalent chronic diseases directly and indirectly closely related to aging, including diabetes and obesity. Glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) have proven beneficial in type 2 diabetes, are amongst the few medicines approved for weight management, and are also licensed for focused cardiovascular risk reduction. In addition, strong evidence suggests several other beneficial effects of the pleiotropic peptide hormone, including anti-inflammation. Consequently, GLP-1 RAs are now in advanced clinical development for the treatment of chronic kidney disease, broader cardiovascular risk reduction, metabolic liver disease and Alzheimer's disease. In sum, GLP-1 RAs are positioned as one of the pharmacotherapeutic options that can contribute to addressing the high unmet medical need characterising several prevalent aging-related diseases, potentially helping more people enjoy a prolonged healthy lifespan., (© 2023 The Authors. Aging Cell published by Anatomical Society and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Diabetic kidney disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Dysregulated turnover of collagen type III is associated with development of kidney fibrosis. We investigated whether a degradation product of collagen type III (C3M) was a risk marker for progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD), occurrence of cardiovascular disease (CVD), and mortality during follow up in people with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and microalbuminuria. Moreover, we investigated whether C3M was correlated with markers of inflammation and endothelial dysfunction at baseline., Methods: C3M was measured in serum (sC3M) and urine (uC3M) in 200 participants with T2D and microalbuminuria included in an observational, prospective study at Steno Diabetes Center Copenhagen in Denmark from 2007-2008. Baseline measurements included 12 markers of inflammation and endothelial dysfunction. The endpoints were CVD, mortality, and CKD progression (>30% decline in eGFR)., Results: Mean (SD) age was 59 (9) years, eGFR 90 (17) ml/min/1.73m2 and median (IQR) urine albumin excretion rate 102 (39-229) mg/24-h. At baseline all markers for inflammation were positively correlated with sC3M (p≤0.034). Some, but not all, markers for endothelial dysfunction were correlated with C3M. Median follow-up ranged from 4.9 to 6.3 years. Higher sC3M was associated with CKD progression (with mortality as competing risk) with a hazard ratio (per doubling) of 2.98 (95% CI: 1.41-6.26; p = 0.004) adjusted for traditional risk factors. uC3M was not associated with CKD progression. Neither sC3M or uC3M were associated with risk of CVD or mortality., Conclusions: Higher sC3M was a risk factor for chronic kidney disease progression and was correlated with markers of inflammation., Competing Interests: I have read the journal’s policy and the authors of this manuscript have the following competing interests: DGKR, SHN, FG, and MAK are employees of Nordic Bioscience. Nordic Bioscience is a privately owned, small- to medium-sized enterprise, partly focused on the development of biomarkers. None of the authors received fees, bonuses, or other benefits for the work regarding this article. DGKR, SHN, FG, and MAK holds stocks in Nordic Bioscience. The funder provided support in the form of salaries for DGKR and SHN but did not play any additional role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Outside this work, BJvS is employed by Novo Nordisk, and PR has received institutional grants from Bayer, Novo Nordisk and AstraZeneca and has acted as consultant for Novo Nordisk, Bayer, Astellas, Boehringer Ingelheim, AstraZeneca, Gilead, Merk, Mundipharma, and Sanofi (honoraria to institution). MFM has received lecture fees from Novartis, Sanofi, Boehringer Ingelheim and Baxter. This does not alter our adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials., (Copyright: © 2023 Poulsen et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Aims: To assess cardiac angiogenesis in type 2 diabetes by positron emission tomography (PET) tracer [ 68 Ga]Ga-NODAGA-E[(cRGDyK)] 2 ( 68 Ga-RGD) imaging., Methods: Cross-sectional study including 20 persons with type 2 diabetes and 10 non-diabetic controls (CONs). Primary prespecified outcome was difference in cardiac angiogenesis (cardiac 68 Ga-RGD mean target-to-background ratio [TBR mean ]) between type 2 diabetes and CONs. Secondary outcome was to investigate associations between cardiac angiogenesis and kidney function and other risk factors., Results: Participants with type 2 diabetes had a mean ± SD age of 61 ± 9 years, 30% were women, median (IQR) diabetes duration of 11 (6-19) years and 3 (15%) had a history of cardiovascular disease. The CONs had comparable age and sex distribution to the participants with type 2 diabetes, and none had a history of coronary artery disease. Myocardial flow reserve was lower in type 2 diabetes (2.7 ± 0.6) compared with CONs (3.4 ± 1.2) ( p  = 0.03) and coronary artery calcium score was higher (562 [142-905] vs. 1 [0-150] p  = 0.04). Cardiac 68 Ga-RGD TBR mean was similar in participants with type 2 diabetes (0.89 ± 0.09) and CONs (0.89 ± 0.10) ( p  = 0.92). Cardiac 68 Ga-RGD TBR mean was not associated with estimated glomerular filtration rate, urine albumin creatinine ratio, cardiovascular disease, coronary artery calcium score or baroreflex sensitivity, neither in pooled analyses nor in type 2 diabetes., Conclusions: Cardiac angiogenesis, evaluated with 68 Ga-RGD PET, was similar in type 2 diabetes and CONs. Cardiac angiogenesis was not associated with kidney function or other risk markers in pooled analyses or in analyses restricted to type 2 diabetes., (© 2022 Diabetes UK.)

Heart failure (HF) remains one of the cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) associated with a high unmet medical need due to high morbidity and mortality rates and lack of efficacious interventions. HF is closely related to cardiometabolic diseases such as diabetes, obesity and chronic kidney disease, and strategies that address most or all these intertwined conditions are desirable. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) are approved for type 2 diabetes (T2D), and some are also indicated for reduction of the risk of atherosclerotic CVD in T2D and for weight management. As we summarise in this concise review, preliminary evidence suggests that the cardioprotective benefits of GLP-1 RAs may also extend to HF. The most robust clinical evidence arguably originates from the large cardiovascular outcomes trials (CVOTs) completed for most GLP-1 RAs, of which the latest showed a significant relative risk reduction (RRR) of 39% (HR) with once-weekly efpeglenatide on HF requiring hospitalisation, corroborating a meta-analysis which found a significant RRR across eight GLP-1 RA CVOTs of 11%. Further, although incompletely described, multiple studies are available to provide insights into the mechanistic underpinnings, which appear to be associated mostly with indirect cardioprotective benefits owing to the ability of GLP-1 RAs to address hyperglycaemia, and reduce body weight, and, amongst others, inflammation. In sum, current evidence positions GLP-1 RAs as a potential cardioprotective strategy in HF, with HF with preserved ejection fraction emerging as the clinically most relevant phenotype for the drug class, especially when occurring in people with obesity with and without diabetes., Competing Interests: FK and BvS were employees and shareholders of Novo Nordisk A/S. GH reports research grants from the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (vidi 016.156.445), CardioVascular Research Initiative, European Union and the Klinkerpad fonds, institutional research support from Aegerion, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly, Genzyme, Ionis, Kowa, Pfizer, Regeneron, Roche, Sanofi, and The Medicines Company; speaker’s bureau and consulting fees from Amgen, Aegerion, Sanofi, and Regeneron until April 2019 (fees paid to the academic institution); and part-time employment at Novo Nordisk A/S since April 2019. The work was funded exclusively by Novo Nordisk A/S., (Copyright © 2022 Kreiner, Hovingh and von Scholten.)

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects around 10% of the global population and is most often caused by diabetes. Diabetes with CKD (diabetic kidney disease, DKD) is a progressive condition that may cause kidney failure and which contributes significantly to the excess morbidity and mortality in these patients. DKD is treated with direct disease-targeting therapies like blockers of the renin-angiotensin system, sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors and non-steroidal mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists as well as indirect therapies impacting hyperglycaemia, dyslipidaemia, obesity and hypertension, which all together reduce disease progression. While no glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists (RAs) are currently indicated to improve kidney outcomes, accumulating evidence from cardiovascular outcomes trials (CVOTs) corroborates a kidney-protective effect in people with T2D and CKD, and GLP-1 RAs are now mentioned in international treatment guidelines for type 2 diabetes (T2D) with CKD. GLP-1 RAs are indicated to improve glycaemia in people with T2D; certain GLP-1 RAs are also approved for weight management and to reduce cardiovascular risk in T2D. Ongoing pivotal trials are assessing additional indications, including T2D with CKD. In this article, we review and discuss kidney outcomes from a multitude of completed clinical trials as well as real-world evidence and ongoing clinical trials., Competing Interests: Competing interests: PR has received research support and personal fees from AstraZeneca and Novo Nordisk, and personal fees from Eli Lilly and Company, Boehringer Ingelheim, Astellas Pharma Inc., Gilead, Merck, Merck Sharp and Dohme, Mundipharma, Sanofi and Vifor Pharma. All fees are given to Steno Diabetes Center Copenhagen., (© The Author(s), 2022.)

Introduction: Diabetes, chronic kidney disease (CKD) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) are cardiometabolic diseases that remain amongst the leading causes of morbidity and premature mortality. Here, we review the current understanding of how anti-inflammatory intervention via inhibition of the pro-inflammatory but pleiotropic cytokine interleukin (IL) 6 may benefit patients with these or related diseases or complications., Areas Covered: Based on a PubMed literature search, this review integrates and contextualizes evidence regarding the clinical utility of anti-IL-6 intervention in the treatment of cardiometabolic diseases, as well as of the associated condition nonalcoholic hepatosteatosis., Expert Opinion: Evidence implicates the pro-inflammatory effects of IL-6 in the pathophysiology of diabetes, CKD and CVD. Thus, targeting the IL-6 pathway holds a therapeutic potential in these cardiometabolic disorders. However, because IL-6 has multiple homeostatic roles, antagonizing this cytokine may be associated with side effects, such as increased risk of infection as seen with other anti-inflammatory drugs. Additional studies are required to establish the benefit-risk profile of anti-IL-6 intervention in the cardiometabolic diseases, whilst also considering alternative interventions such as lifestyle changes. IL-6 is also elevated in NASH, but the clinical usefulness of targeting IL-6 in this hepatic disorder remains largely unexplored.

Background: Liraglutide is a glucose-lowering medication used to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity. It is a GLP-1 receptor agonist with downstream metabolic changes beyond the incretin system, such as reducing the risk of cardiovascular complications. The understanding of these changes is critical for improving treatment outcomes. Herein, we present a post hoc experimental analysis using metabolomic phenotyping to discover molecular mecphanisms in response to liraglutide., Method: Plasma samples were obtained from The LiraFlame Study (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03449654), a randomized double-blinded placebo-controlled clinical trial, including 102 participants with type 2 diabetes randomized to either liraglutide or placebo treatment for 26 weeks. Mass spectrometry-based metabolomics analyses were carried out on samples from baseline and the end of the trial. Metabolites (n=114) were categorized into pathways and linear mixed models were constructed to evaluate the association between changes in metabolites and liraglutide treatment., Results: We found the free fatty acid palmitoleate was significantly reduced in the liraglutide group compared to placebo (adjusted for multiple testing p-value = 0.04). The activity of stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1 (SCD1), the rate limiting enzyme for converting palmitate into palmitoleate, was found significantly downregulated by liraglutide treatment compared to placebo (p-value = 0.01). These metabolic changes have demonstrated to be linked to insulin sensitivity and cardiovascular health., Competing Interests: EZ and BS are now employees of Novo Nordisk A/S, work related to this article was done when EZ was employed by Steno Diabetes Center Copenhagen. TH, RR, and PR have shares in Novo Nordisk A/S. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Wretlind, Zobel, de Zawadzki, Ripa, Curovic, von Scholten, Mattila, Hansen, Kjær, Vestergaard, Rossing and Legido-Quigley.)

Aims: To investigate to what extent multiple risk marker improvements confer lower risk of cardiovascular and kidney complications in a contemporary type 2 diabetes population., Materials and Methods: Post-hoc analysis of the LEADER (n = 8638; median follow-up 3.8 years) and SUSTAIN 6 (n = 3040; median follow-up 2.1 years) cardiovascular outcome trials. Participants were those with baseline and year-1 assessment of at least one of the parameters of interest; we pooled the liraglutide-/semaglutide- and placebo-treated groups and categorized them by number of risk markers with clinically relevant improvements after 1 year of study participation. We investigated risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), expanded MACE, cardiovascular death and nephropathy. Predefined clinically relevant changes: body weight loss ≥5%; reductions in: glycated haemoglobin ≥1%, systolic blood pressure ≥5 mmHg and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol ≥0.5 mmol/L; estimated glomerular filtration rate change ≥0 ml/min/1.73 m 2 and urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio change ≥30% of baseline value. Cox regression analysed risk of outcomes adjusted for baseline risk marker levels and treatment group and stratified by trial., Results: Participants with two, three, or four or more improved risk markers versus participants with no risk marker improvement had reduced risk of expanded MACE [hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) 0.80 (0.67-0.96); 0.80 (0.66-0.97); 0.82 (0.66-1.02)], cardiovascular death [0.66 (0.45-0.96), 0.67 (0.45-0.99), 0.60 (0.38-0.94)] and nephropathy [0.71 (0.52-0.97), 0.48 (0.34-0.68), 0.43 (0.29-0.65)]., Conclusions: In persons with type 2 diabetes, improvements in ≥2 risk markers conferred cardiovascular risk reduction versus none or one improved risk marker. The nephropathy risk decreased with improvement in more risk markers. These findings stress the importance of multifactorial interventions targeting all risk markers., (© 2021 The Authors. Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: The mechanisms linking cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy, diabetic kidney disease and cardiovascular mortality in type 2 diabetes are widely unknown. We investigated the relationship between baseline cardiovascular autonomic function and changes in kidney and myocardial function over six years in patients with type 2 diabetes and healthy controls., Methods: Post-hoc analysis of a cohort study in 24 patients with type 2 diabetes and 18 healthy controls. Baseline determinants were cardiovascular autonomic reflex tests (heart rate response to: standing (30:15); deep breathing (E:I); and the Valsalva test) and time- and frequency-domain heart rate variability indices. Outcomes were changes in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), albuminuria, myocardial flow reserve (MFR) measured by cardiac 82 Rb Positron emission tomography computed tomography (PET/CT), and coronary artery calcium score (CACS)., Results: Mean age at inclusion was 61 ± 10 years and 36% were female. Mean follow up time was 6 ± 0 years. A lower response in heart rate to the Valsalva test (corresponding to weaker autonomic function) was associated with a larger decline in eGFR (p=0.04), but not significantly after adjustment for sex, baseline age, smoking status, systolic blood pressure, heart rate, HbA 1c , body mass index and baseline eGFR (p=0.12). A higher baseline response in heart rate to standing (30:15) was associated with a larger decline in myocardial flow reserve in the unadjusted analysis (p=0.02) and after adjustment (p=0.02). A higher response in heart rate to the Valsalva maneuver was associated with a larger increase in CACS (p = 0.02), but the association became insignificant after adjustment (p = 0.16)., Conclusion: A lower response in heart rate to the Valsalva test was associated with a larger decline in kidney function, indicating that autonomic dysfunction may predict future loss of kidney function. However, we did not find any association between lower values in cardiovascular autonomic function at baseline and a worsening in albuminuria, myocardial function, or atherosclerotic burden., Competing Interests: PR reports having received research grants from Astra Zeneca and Novo Nordisk and given lectures for Astra Zeneca, Mundipharma and Boehringer Ingelheim and has served as a consultant for Astra Zeneca, Bayer, Eli Lilly, Boehringer Ingelheim, Astellas, Gilead, Sanofi Aventis Vifor, and Novo Nordisk, all fees given to Steno Diabetes Center. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Laursen, Rasmussen, Zobel, Hasbak, von Scholten, Holmvang, Ripa, Hansen, Frimodt-Moeller, Kjaer, Rossing and Hansen.)

Aim: To test the hypothesis that treatment with liraglutide can reduce cardiac adipose tissue., Materials and Methods: LIRAFLAME is a randomized placebo-controlled, double-blind, parallel clinical study. Participants with type 2 diabetes were randomized to treatment with liraglutide 1.8 mg/d or placebo for 26 weeks. Computed tomography was performed at baseline and at end of treatment to evaluate the cardiac adipose tissue volume, quantified automatically. We report the results of a secondary endpoint evaluating changes in cardiac adipose tissue., Results: A total of 102 participants were randomly assigned to liraglutide (n = 51) or placebo (n = 51). At baseline, the mean (SD) cardiac adipose tissue volume was comparable between the liraglutide and the placebo group (232.6 [112.8] vs. 227.0 [103.2] mL; P = 0.80). The mean change in body weight was -3.7 (-4.8, -2.6) kg in the liraglutide and -0.18 (-0.76, 0.40) kg in the placebo group. From baseline to end of treatment the mean cardiac adipose tissue change was -11.5 (95% confidence interval -17.6, -5.4) mL in the liraglutide (P < 0.001) and -0.01 (-5.3, 5.3) mL in the placebo (P = 1.00) groups. The reduction in cardiac adipose tissue was significantly greater in the liraglutide compared to the placebo group (mean difference -11.4 [-19.4, -3.3] mL; P = 0.006), but significance was lost after adjustment for changes in body mass index (P = 0.46)., Conclusion: Treatment with liraglutide for 26 weeks was associated with a reduction in cardiac adipose tissue compared to placebo. The reduction was not independent of weight loss, suggesting that this is not a drug-specific effect., (© 2021 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Aim: To evaluate 26 weeks of liraglutide treatment in type 1 diabetes (T1D) by subgroups in the ADJUNCT ONE and ADJUNCT TWO trials., Materials and Methods: ADJUNCT ONE and ADJUNCT TWO were randomized controlled phase 3 trials in 1398 and 835 participants with T1D treated with liraglutide (1.8, 1.2, or 0.6 mg) or placebo (adjuncts to insulin). This post hoc analysis evaluated treatment effects by subgroups: HbA1c (< or ≥8.5%), body mass index (BMI; < or ≥27 kg/m 2 ), and insulin regimen (basal bolus or continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion)., Results: In both trials at week 26, reductions in HbA1c, body weight, and daily insulin dose did not differ significantly (P > .05) by baseline HbA1c or BMI. Risk of clinically significant hypoglycaemia or hyperglycaemia with ketosis did not differ significantly (P > .05) by baseline HbA1c, BMI, or insulin regimen. At week 26 in ADJUNCT ONE, these risks did not differ (P > .05) between treatment groups. Placebo-adjusted reductions in HbA1c, body weight, and insulin dose (-0.30%-points, -5.0 kg, and -12%, respectively, with liraglutide 1.8 mg), were significant (P < .05), greater than at week 52, and similar to those in ADJUNCT TWO (-0.35%, -4.8 kg, and -10%, respectively, with liraglutide 1.8 mg)., Conclusions: In ADJUNCT ONE and ADJUNCT TWO, the efficacy and glycaemic safety of liraglutide did not depend on subgroups, leaving residual beta-cell function as the only identified variable impacting the effect of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) in T1D. These findings support a role for GLP-1 RAs as adjuncts to insulin in T1D, warranting further study., (© 2021 The Authors. Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Quantification of coronary artery inflammation and atherosclerosis remains a challenge in high-risk individuals. In this study we sought to investigate if the glucagon like peptide-1 receptor agonist liraglutide has a direct anti-inflammatory effect in the coronary arteries using positron emission tomography (PET) with a radioactive tracer targeting activated macrophages in the vessel-wall., Methods: Thirty randomly selected participants with type 2 diabetes from the placebo-controlled trial LIRAFLAME were enrolled in this sub-study. Participants were, prior to enrollment in this sub-study, randomized to either treatment with daily liraglutide (n=15) or placebo (n=15). Both groups underwent a combined [ 64 Cu]Cu-DOTATATE positron emission tomography and computed tomography scan of the heart at baseline and after 26 weeks of treatment. Coronary artery uptake of [ 64 Cu]Cu-DOTATATE were measured as maximum standardized uptake values (SUV max ); and means of the maximum values (mSUV max ), both values were calculated at the level of each participant and each individual coronary-segment., Results: SUV max and mSUV max values decreased significantly in the liraglutide group both at the participant level (SUV max : p=0.013; mSUV max : p=0.004) and at the coronary-segment level (SUV max : p=0.001; mSUV max : p<0.0001). No change was observed in the placebo group neither at the participant level (SUV max : p=0.69; mSUV max : p=0.67) or at the coronary-segment level (SUV max : p=0.49; mSUV max : p=0.30). When comparing the mean change in uptake values between the two groups at both the participant level (SUV max : p=0.076; mSUV max : p=0.077) and the coronary segment level (SUV max : p=0.13; mSUV max : p=0.11) a borderline significant difference was observed. Baseline SUV max [ 64 Cu]Cu-DOTATATE uptake values showed a weak positive correlation with the inflammatory biomarker high-sensitivity c-reactive protein (τ =0.26, p=0.045)., Conclusion: Liraglutide treatment for 26-weeks caused a significant reduction in [ 64 Cu]Cu-DOTATATE uptake in the coronary arteries whereas this was not seen in the placebo treated group. In addition, [ 64 Cu]Cu-DOTATATE PET/CT as a marker of coronary inflammation correlated with the systemic inflammation marker hs-CRP., Competing Interests: AK has received consultancy fees from Novo Nordisk and is an inventor on a patent of [64Cu]Cu-DOTATATE. RR, BS, TH, and PR have shares in Novo Nordisk A/S. BS and EZ are now employees of Novo Nordisk A/S. PR has received the following: Consultancy and/or speaking fees (to Steno Diabetes Center Copenhagen) from AbbVie, Astellas, AstraZeneca, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, MSD, Novo Nordisk and Sanofi Aventis; Research grants to institution from AbbVie, AstraZeneca and Novo Nordisk. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Jensen, Zobel, von Scholten, Rotbain Curovic, Hansen, Rossing, Kjaer and Ripa.)

Anti-inflammatory effects of glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) treatment in T2D may contribute to the cardiovascular benefits observed with GLP-1 RAs in outcome studies. We investigated if the GLP-1 RA liraglutide exerts anti-inflammatory effects through modulation of inflammatory gene expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). From 54 participants of a double-blinded trial where individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D) were randomized to liraglutide (1.8 mg/day) or placebo for 26 weeks, a sub-study was performed in which PBMCs were extracted from fresh blood at study start and at end-of-treatment. The expression of selected inflammatory genes in PBMCs were measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Moreover, the expression of the GLP-1 receptor (GLP1R) was examined in a subset (n = 40) of the PBMC samples. The human monocytic cell line THP-1 was used for in vitro GLP-1 exposure experiments. The expression of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFA) (p = 0.004) and interleukin-1β (IL1B) was downregulated (p = 0.046) in the liraglutide-treated group (n = 31), and unchanged in the placebo group (n = 21, p ≥ 0.11), with no significant differences between the two groups (p ≥ 0.67). The expression of interferon-γ (IFNG) and cluster of differentiation 163 (CD163) were upregulated in both groups (p ≤ 0.006) with no differences between groups (p ≥ 0.47). C-C Motif Chemokine Ligand 5 (CCL5) was upregulated in the liraglutide-treated group (p = 0.002) and unchanged in the placebo group (p = 0.14), with no significant difference between groups (p = 0.36). Intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM1) was unchanged in both groups (p ≥ 0.43). GLP1R expression in the PBMCs was undetectable. In vitro experiments showed no effect of GLP-1 treatment on inflammatory gene expression in THP-1 cells. GLP1R expression in THP-1 cells was not detectable. In summary, we observed a discrete modulatory effect of liraglutide on the expression of inflammatory genes in PBMCs. The lack of evidence for GLP1R expression in PBMCs and THP-1 cells suggests that possible effects of liraglutide on the PBMCs' gene expression are most likely indirect. Further investigations are needed to establish the anti-inflammatory potential of GLP-1 RAs., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Introduction: Treatment with glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) can reduce risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in persons living with type 2 diabetes, however the mechanisms explaining this cardiovascular benefit are still debated. We investigated changes in the plasma lipidome following treatment with the GLP-1 RA liraglutide., Research Design and Methods: In a double-blind placebo-controlled trial, we randomized 102 persons with type 2 diabetes to liraglutide or placebo for 26 weeks. Fasting blood plasma was collected at baseline and at end-of-treatment. The lipidome was measured using liquid-chromatography-coupled mass-spectrometry as a secondary end point in the study. Treatment response of each lipid was tested with lipid-specific linear mixed-effect models comparing liraglutide with placebo. Bonferroni p<7.1e-03 was employed. The independence of the findings from clinical covariates was evaluated with adjustment for body mass index, HbA 1c , fasting status, lipid-lowering treatment and change in lipid-lowering treatment during the trial., Results: In total, 260 lipids were identified covering 11 lipid families. We observed significant decreases following liraglutide treatment compared with placebo in 21 lipids (p<7.1e-03) from the following lipid families: ceramides, hexocyl-ceramides, phosphatidylcholines, phosphatidylethanolamines and triglycerides. We confirmed these findings in adjusted models (p≤0.01). In the liraglutide-treated group, the individual lipids were reduced in the range of 14%-61% from baseline level, compared with 19% decrease to 27% increase from baseline level in the placebo group., Conclusions: Compared with placebo, liraglutide treatment led to a significant downregulation in ceramides, phospholipids and triglycerides, which all are linked to higher risk of CVD. These findings were independent of relevant clinical covariates. Our findings are hypothesis generating and shed light on the biological mechanisms underlying the cardiovascular benefits observed with GLP-1 RAs in outcome studies, and further strengthen the evidence base for recommending GLP-1 RAs to prevent CVD in type 2 diabetes., Trial Registration Number: NCT03449654., Competing Interests: Competing interests: AW, VRC, TS and CL-Q declares no competing interests. AK has received consultancy fees from Novo Nordisk. RSR, BJvS, TWH and PR have shares in Novo Nordisk and BJvS and EHZ is now an employee of Novo Nordisk, but work related to this article was conducted while EHZ was employed by Steno Diabetes Center Copenhagen. PR has received the following: consultancy and/or speaking fees (to Steno Diabetes Center Copenhagen) from AbbVie, Astellas, AstraZeneca, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, MSD, Novo Nordisk and Sanofi Aventis; research grants to institution from AbbVie, AstraZeneca and Novo Nordisk., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2021. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Quantification of vascular inflammation before and after treatment with glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) may help reveal mechanistic pathways underlying the cardiovascular benefits of these drugs. We assessed change in vascular inflammation in the carotid arteries over 26 weeks by copper-64-labeled [1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-N,N',N″,N‴-tetraacetic acid]-D-Phe1, Tyr3-octreotate ([ 64 Cu]DOTATATE) PET in 30 participants included in a substudy of a double-blind trial where persons with type 2 diabetes (T2D) were randomized to liraglutide ( n = 15) or placebo ( n = 15) for 26 weeks. Mean age (SD) was 66.4 (7.2) years, HbA 1c 56.4 (9.2) mmol/mol and BMI 28.9 (4.6) kg/m 2 . Weight and HbA 1c were significantly reduced by liraglutide vs. placebo ( p ≤ 0.01). The [ 64 Cu]DOTATATE uptake (mean standardized uptake values) was significantly reduced in the liraglutide-treated group (-0.11 [95% confidence interval -0.19 to -0.03], p = 0.01) and not changed significantly in the placebo group (-0.07 [-0.14 to 0.01], p = 0.08). The mean difference between groups did not reach significance (-0.04 [-0.15 to 0.07], p = 0.44). In conclusion, [ 64 Cu]DOTATATE uptake was reduced in persons with T2D treated with liraglutide. However, the reduction compared to placebo did not reach statistical significance, perhaps due to limited power. A reduction in vascular inflammation with liraglutide could help explain the cardiovascular protection observed with GLP-1 RAs in outcome studies but warrants further and larger studies.

Purpose of Review: Update on antigen-specific immunotherapy (ASIT) in type 1 diabetes (T1D) with focus on deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)-induced immunization and the current obstacles to further research and clinical realization., Recent Findings: In T1D, immune system imbalances together with malfunctioning islet-specific processes cause autoreactive immune cells to destroy beta cells in the islets. ASIT may restore self-tolerance; however, the approach has yet to fully meet its promise and may require co-administration of antigen (preproinsulin) and suitable immune response modifiers., Summary: A self-tolerant immune system may be regained using ASIT where T effector cells are repressed and/or T regulatory cells are induced. Administration of exogenous antigens has been safe in T1D. Conversely, adequate and lasting beta cell preservation has yet to be tested in sufficiently large clinical trials in suitable patients and may require targeting of multiple parts of the immunopathophysiology using combination therapies. DNA-based induction of native antigen expression to ensure important posttranscriptional modifications and presentation to the immune system together with tolerance-enhancing immune response modifiers (i.e., cytokines) may be more efficacious than exogenous antigens given alone. Progress is limited mainly by the scarcity of validated biomarkers to track the effects of ASIT in T1D., (Copyright © 2021 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Background: The mechanism behind the cardiovascular protection observed with human GLP-1 RA (glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists) in type 2 diabetes is unknown. We hypothesized that treatment with the GLP-1 RA liraglutide had a positive effect on vascular inflammation., Methods: LIRAFLAME (Effect of liraglutide on vascular inflammation in type-2 diabetes: A randomized, placebocontrolled, double-blind, parallel clinical PET/CT trial) was a double-blind, randomized controlled trial performed at a single university hospital clinic in Denmark. Patients with type 2 diabetes were via computer-generated randomization list assigned (1:1) liraglutide up to 1.8 mg or placebo once daily for 26 weeks. The primary end point was change in vascular inflammation over 26 weeks assessed by [ 18 F]-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography. Analyses were based on intention-to-treat. Key secondary outcomes included change in other indices of atherosclerosis., Results: Between October 26, 2017, and August 16, 2019, 147 patients were screened and 102 were randomly assigned to liraglutide (n=51) or placebo (n=51) and 99 (97%) completed the trial. Change in the [ 18 F]-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography measure of vascular inflammation (active-segment target-to-background ratio) did not differ between treatment groups: change from baseline to 26 weeks was -0.04 (95% CI, -0.17 to 0.08) in the liraglutide group compared with -0.09 (-0.19 to 0.01) in the placebo group (mean difference, 0.05 [95% CI, -0.11 to 0.21], P =0.53). Secondary analyses restricted to [ 18 F]-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography of the carotid arteries as well as other indices of atherosclerosis confirmed the primary result. We performed an explorative analysis of interaction between treatment group and history of cardiovascular disease ( P =0.052)., Conclusions: In this low to moderate risk population with type 2 diabetes, liraglutide did not change vascular inflammation assessed as [ 18 F]-fluorodeoxyglucose uptake compared with placebo. An explorative analysis indicated a possible effect in persons with history of cardiovascular disease, in line with current guidelines where liraglutide is recommended to patients with history of cardiovascular disease. Registration: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT03449654.

The discovery of insulin has inspired several pivotal medical and scientific developments during the past 100 years. Here, we describe how insulin as a model protein will drive future advances in peptide- and protein-based therapies for chronic diseases., Competing Interests: Competing interestsThe authors declare the following competing interests: All authors are employees and shareholders of Novo Nordisk A/S, Denmark., (© The Author(s) 2021.)

Background: Cardiac Rubidium-82 ( 82 Rb) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) provides a measure of the myocardial blood flow and the myocardial flow reserve, which reflects the function of both large epicardial arteries and the myocardial microcirculation. Knowledge on changes in the myocardial microvascular function over time is lacking., Methods: In this cohort study, we recruited 60 persons with type 2 diabetes and 30 non-diabetic controls, in 2013; all free of overt cardiovascular disease. All underwent a cardiac 82 Rb PET/CT scan. In 2019, all survivors (n = 82) were invited for a repeated cardiac 82 Rb PET/CT scan using the same protocol, and 29 with type 2 diabetes and 19 controls participated., Results: Median duration between visits was 6.2 years (IQR: 6.1-6.3). In the total cohort, the mean age was 66.4 years (SD: 9.3) and 33% were females. The myocardial flow reserve was lower in persons with type 2 diabetes compared to controls (p = 0.002) but there was no temporal change in the myocardial flow reserve in participants with type 2 diabetes: mean change: -0.22 (95% CI: -0.47 to 0.02) nor in controls: -0.12 (-0.49 to 0.25) or when comparing type 2 diabetes to controls: mean difference: -0.10 (95% CI: -0.52 to 0.31). The temporal reduction in stress-induced myocardial blood flow did not differ within the groups but was more pronounced in type 2 diabetes compared to controls: mean difference: -0.30 (95% CI: -0.55 to -0.04)., Conclusion: The myocardial microvascular function was impaired in persons with type 2 diabetes compared to controls but did not change significantly in either of the groups when evaluated over 6 years., (© 2021 The Authors. Diabetic Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Diabetes UK.)

Glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists have shown cardioprotective effects which have been suggested to be mediated through inhibition of oxidative stress. We investigated the effect of treatment with a glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist (liraglutide) on oxidative stress measured as urinary nucleic acid oxidation in persons with type 2 diabetes. Post-hoc analysis of two independent, randomised, placebo-controlled and double-blinded clinical trials. In a cross-over study where persons with type 2 diabetes and microalbuminuria (LIRALBU, n = 32) received liraglutide (1.8 mg/day) or placebo for 12 weeks in random order, separated by 4 weeks of wash-out. In a parallel-grouped study where obese persons with type 2 diabetes (SAFEGUARD, n = 56) received liraglutide (1.8 mg/day), sitagliptin (100 mg/day) or placebo for 12 weeks. Endpoints were changes in the urinary markers of DNA oxidation (8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG)) and RNA oxidation [8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanosine (8-oxoGuo)]. In LIRALBU, we observed no significant differences between treatment periods in urinary excretion of 8-oxodG [0.028 (standard error (SE): 0.17] nmol/mmol creatinine, p = 0.87) or of 8-oxoGuo [0.12 (0.12) nmol/mmol creatinine, p = 0.31]. In SAFEGUARD, excretion of 8-oxodG was not changed in the liraglutide group [2.8 (- 8.51; 15.49) %, p = 0.62] but a significant decline was demonstrated in the placebo group [12.6 (- 21.3; 3.1) %, p = 0.02], resulting in a relative increase in the liraglutide group compared to placebo (0.16 nmol/mmol creatinine, SE 0.07, p = 0.02). Treatment with sitagliptin compared to placebo demonstrated no significant difference (0.07 (0.07) nmol/mmol creatinine, p = 0.34). Nor were any significant differences for urinary excretion of 8-oxoGuo liraglutide vs placebo [0.09 (SE: 0.07) nmol/mmol creatinine, p = 0.19] or sitagliptin vs placebo [0.07 (SE: 0.07) nmol/mmol creatinine, p = 0.35] observed. This post-hoc analysis could not demonstrate a beneficial effect of 12 weeks of treatment with liraglutide or sitagliptin on oxidatively generated modifications of nucleic acid in persons with type 2 diabetes.

In type 1 diabetes, insulin remains the mature therapeutic cornerstone; yet, the increasing number of individuals developing type 1 diabetes (predominantly children and adolescents) still face severe complications. Fortunately, our understanding of type 1 diabetes is continuously being refined, allowing for refocused development of novel prevention and management strategies. Hitherto, attempts based on immune suppression and modulation have been only partly successful in preventing the key pathophysiological feature in type 1 diabetes: the immune-mediated derangement or destruction of beta cells in the pancreatic islets of Langerhans, leading to low or absent insulin secretion and chronic hyperglycaemia. Evidence now warrants a focus on the beta cell itself and how to avoid its dysfunction, which is putatively caused by cytokine-driven inflammation and other stress factors, leading to low insulin-secretory capacity, autoantigen presentation and immune-mediated destruction. Correspondingly, beta cell rescue strategies are being pursued, which include antigen vaccination using, for example, oral insulin or peptides, as well as agents with suggested benefits on beta cell stress, such as verapamil and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists. Whilst autoimmune-focused prevention approaches are central in type 1 diabetes and will be a requirement in the advent of stem cell-based replacement therapies, managing the primarily cardiometabolic complications of established type 1 diabetes is equally essential. In this review, we outline selected recent and suggested future attempts to address the evolving profile of the person with type 1 diabetes.

Objective: A post hoc analysis to investigate the association between 1-year changes in albuminuria and subsequent risk of cardiovascular and renal events., Research Design and Methods: LEADER was a randomized trial of liraglutide up to 1.8 mg/day versus placebo added to standard care for 3.5-5 years in 9,340 participants with type 2 diabetes and high cardiovascular risk. We calculated change in urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) from baseline to 1 year in participants with >30% reduction ( n = 2,928), 30-0% reduction ( n = 1,218), or any increase in UACR ( n = 4,124), irrespective of treatment. Using Cox regression, risks of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and a composite nephropathy outcome (from 1 year to end of trial in subgroups by baseline UACR [<30 mg/g, 30-300 mg/g, or ≥300 mg/g]) were assessed. The analysis was adjusted for treatment allocation alone as a fixed factor and for baseline variables associated with cardiovascular and renal outcomes., Results: For MACE, hazard ratios (HRs) for those with >30% and 30-0% UACR reduction were 0.82 (95% CI 0.71, 0.94; P = 0.006) and 0.99 (0.82, 1.19; P = 0.912), respectively, compared with any increase in UACR (reference). For the composite nephropathy outcome, respective HRs were 0.67 (0.49, 0.93; P = 0.02) and 0.97 (0.66, 1.43; P = 0.881). Results were independent of baseline UACR and consistent in both treatment groups. After adjustment, HRs were significant and consistent in >30% reduction subgroups with baseline micro- or macroalbuminuria., Conclusions: A reduction in albuminuria during the 1st year was associated with fewer cardiovascular and renal outcomes, independent of treatment. Albuminuria monitoring remains an important part of diabetes care, with great unused potential., (© 2021 by the American Diabetes Association.)

Aims: The trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) pathway is related to intestinal microbiota and has been associated to risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). We investigated associations between four plasma metabolites in the TMAO pathway and risk of all-cause mortality, CVD and deterioration in renal function in individuals with type 2-diabetes (T2D) and albuminuria., Materials and Methods: Plasma concentrations of TMAO, choline, carnitine, and betaine were measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry at baseline in 311 individuals with T2D and albuminuria. Information on all-cause mortality and fatal/non-fatal CVD during follow-up was obtained from registries. The association of each metabolite, and a weighted sum score of all four metabolites, with the endpoints were examined. Serum creatinine was measured at follow-up visits and the renal endpoint was defined as eGFR-decline of ≥30%. Associations were analysed using proportional hazards models adjusted for traditional risk factors., Results: Baseline mean(SD) age was 57.2(8.2) years and 75% were males. Follow-up was up to 21.9 years (median (IQR) follow-up 6.8 (6.1-15.5) years for mortality and 6.5 (5.5-8.1) years for CVD events). The individual metabolites and the weighted sum score were not associated with all-cause mortality (n = 106) or CVD (n = 116) (adjusted p≥0.09). Higher choline, carnitine and the weighted sum score of the four metabolites were associated with higher risk of decline in eGFR (n = 106) (adjusted p = 0.001, p = 0.03 and p<0.001, respectively)., Conclusions: In individuals with T2D and albuminuria, higher choline, carnitine and a weighted sum of four metabolites from the TMAO pathway were risk markers for deterioration in renal function during long-term follow-up. Metabolites from the TMAO pathway were not independently related to risk of all-cause mortality or CVD., Competing Interests: I have read the journal’s policy and the authors of this manuscript have the following competing interests: PR reports having given lectures for Astra Zeneca, Bayer, Novo Nordisk and Boehringer Ingelheim, and has served as a consultant for AbbVie, Astra Zeneca, Bayer, Eli Lilly, Boehringer Ingelheim, Astellas, Gilead, Mundipharma, Vifor, and Novo Nordisk, all fees given to Steno Diabetes Center Copenhagen. SAW, TWH, BJvS, TSA and PR own stocks in Novo Nordisk A/S and TSA in Zealand Pharma A/S. Z.W. and S.L.H. are named as coinventors on pending and issued patents held by the Cleveland Clinic relating to cardiovascular diagnostics and therapeutics, and have the right to receive royalty payment for inventions or discoveries related to cardiovascular diagnostics or therapeutics from Cleveland Heart Lab, Quest Diagnostics and Proctor & Gamble. S.L.H. also reports having been paid as a consultant from Proctor & Gamble, and having received research funds from Proctor & Gamble and Roche. Novo Nordisk A/S provided support in the form of salaries for authors SAW, JO and BJvS. This does not alter our adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials. The other authors report no conflicts of interest.

Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) and pericardial adipose tissue (PAT) are metabolically active fat depots implicated in cardiovascular disease, and EAT has potential as a novel cardiac risk factor, suitable as a target for interventions. The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to investigate the evidence whether EAT and PAT volume can be reduced by weight-loss interventions (exercise, diet, bariatric surgery or pharmaceutical interventions). A systematic literature search identified 34 studies that were included in the qualitative synthesis (exercise, n = 10, diet, n = 5, bariatric surgery, n = 9 and pharmaceutical interventions, n = 10). Of the 34 studies, 10 reported sufficient data to be included in the meta-analysis. The meta-analysis was only conducted for changes in EAT volume, since only few controlled studies reported changes in PAT (n = 3) or total cardiac adipose tissue volume (n = 1). A significant pooled effect size (ES) for reduction in EAT volume was observed following weight-loss interventions as compared with control interventions (ES = -0.89, 95% CI: -1.23 to -0.55, P < 0.001). When comparing the effect of exercise training versus control on EAT volume reduction, there was a significant pooled ES favouring exercise training (ES: -1.11, 95% CI: -1.57 to -0.65, P < 0.001). Similarly, the ES of pharmaceutical versus control interventions on EAT volume reduction was significant, favouring pharmaceutical interventions (ES: -0.79, 95% CI: -1.37 to -0.21, P < 0.0072). In conclusion, this systematic review and meta-analysis provides evidence that exercise, diet, bariatric surgery and pharmaceutical interventions can reduce cardiac adipose tissue volume., (©2020 World Obesity Federation.)

Aim: To assess cardiorenal outcomes by baseline urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in the contemporary LEADER cohort., Materials and Methods: LEADER was a multinational, double-blind trial. Patients with type 2 diabetes and high cardiovascular (CV) risk were randomized 1:1 to the glucagon-like peptide-1 analogue liraglutide (≤1.8 mg daily; n = 4668) or placebo (n = 4672) plus standard care and followed for 3.5 to 5 years. Primary composite outcomes were time to first non-fatal myocardial infarction, non-fatal stroke or CV death. Post hoc Cox regression analyses of outcomes by baseline UACR and eGFR subgroups were conducted with adjustment for baseline variables., Results: In the LEADER population, 1598 (17.5%), 2917 (31.9%), 1200 (13.1%), 1611 (17.6%), 845 (9.2%) and 966 (10.6%) had UACR = 0, >0 to <15, 15 to <30, 30 to <100, 100 to <300 and ≥300 mg/g, respectively. Increasing UACR and decreasing eGFR were linked with higher risks of the primary outcome, heart failure hospitalization, a composite renal outcome and death (P-values for the Cochran-Armitage test for trends were all <.0001). Across UACR and eGFR subgroups, risks of cardiorenal events and death were generally lower or similar with liraglutide versus placebo., Conclusions: In a contemporary type 2 diabetes population, increasing baseline UACR and declining eGFR were linked with higher risks of cardiorenal events and death., (© 2020 The Authors. Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Aims: Lipoprotein(a)(Lp(a)) has emerged as an independent risk marker for cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the general population and among persons with existing CVD. We investigated associations between serum Lp(a)concentrations and renal function decline, incident CVD and all-cause mortality in individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and microalbuminuria., Methods: Prospective study including 198 individuals with T2D, microalbuminuria and no CVD. Yearly p-creatinine was measured after baseline in 176 of the participants. The renal endpoint was defined as decline in eGFR of >30% from baseline. CVD events and mortality were tracked from national registries. Cox regression analyses were applied both unadjusted and adjusted for traditional risk factors (sex, age, systolic blood pressure, LDL-cholesterol, smoking, HbA 1c , creatinine and urinary albumin creatinine ratio (UAER))., Results: Baseline mean (SD) age was 59 (9)years, eGFR 89 (17) mL/min/1.73 m 2 , 77% were male, and median [IQR] UAER was 103 [38-242] mg/24-h. Median Lp(a)was 8.04 [3.42-32.3] mg/dL. Median follow-up was 6.1 years; 38 CVD events, 26 deaths and 43 renal events were recorded. For each doubling of baseline Lp(a), the following hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) were found before and after adjustment respectively: 0.98 (0.84-1.15) and 1.01 (0.87-1.18) for decline in eGFR > 30%, 0.96 (0.81-1.13) and 0.99 (0.82-1.18) for CVD events, 1.04 (0.85-1.27) and 1.06 (0.87-1.30) for all-cause mortality., Conclusions: In this cohort of individuals with T2D and microalbuminuria, the baseline concentration of Lp(a)was not a risk marker for renal function decline, CVD events or all-cause mortality., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and heart failure, which highlights the need for improved understanding of factors contributing to the pathophysiology of these complications as they are the leading cause of mortality in T2D. Patients with T2D have high levels of epicardial adipose tissue (EAT). EAT is known to secrete inflammatory factors, lipid metabolites, and has been proposed to apply mechanical stress on the cardiac muscle that may accelerate atherosclerosis, cardiac remodeling, and heart failure. High levels of EAT in patients with T2D have been associated with atherosclerosis, diastolic dysfunction, and incident cardiovascular events, and this fat depot has been suggested as an important link coupling diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease. Despite this, the predictive potential of EAT in general, and in patients with diabetes, is yet to be established, and, up until now, the clinical relevance of EAT is therefore limited. Should this link be established, importantly, studies show that this fat depot can be modified both by pharmacological and lifestyle interventions. In this review, we first introduce the role of adipose tissue in T2D and present mechanisms involved in the pathophysiology of EAT and pericardial adipose tissue (PAT) in general, and in patients with T2D. Next, we summarize the evidence that these fat depots are elevated in patients with T2D, and discuss whether they might drive the high cardiometabolic risk in patients with T2D. Finally, we discuss the clinical potential of cardiac adipose tissues, address means to target this depot, and briefly touch upon underlying mechanisms and future research questions., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest statement: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest associated with this manuscript. PR has received consultancy and/or speaking fees (to his institution) from Astellas, AstraZeneca, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Eli Lilly, Merck, Novo Nordisk, Sanofi Aventis, and Vifor., (© The Author(s), 2020.)

Background and Objectives: The glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist liraglutide demonstrated cardiovascular and kidney benefits in the LEADER trial, particularly in participants with CKD., Design, Setting, Participants, & Measurements: This post hoc analysis evaluated the safety of liraglutide treatment in patients with CKD in LEADER. Overall, 9340 patients were randomized to liraglutide or placebo, both in addition to standard of care. Of those, 2158 patients had CKD versus 7182 without CKD (defined as eGFR <60 versus ≥60 ml/min per 1.73 m 2 , respectively); 966 patients had macroalbuminuria and 2456 had microalbuminuria (urine albumin-creatinine ratio >300 mg/g and ≥30 to ≤300 mg/g, respectively). At baseline, the mean eGFR in patients with CKD was 46±11 ml/min per 1.73 m 2 versus 91±22 ml/min per 1.73 m 2 in those without CKD. Time to first event within event groups was analyzed using Cox regression with treatment group, baseline eGFR group, or baseline albuminuria group as fixed factors., Results: Overall, serious adverse events were more frequently recorded in patients with CKD compared with those without CKD (59% versus 50%; interaction P =0.11); however, they occurred to the same extent in those on liraglutide versus placebo. Similarly, no interaction of adverse events with randomized therapy was observed in patients with micro- or macro- versus normoalbuminuria (interaction P =0.11). Risk of severe hypoglycemia was significantly reduced with liraglutide versus placebo in patients with CKD or with micro- or macroalbuminuria (hazard ratio, 0.63 [95% CI, 0.43 to 0.91] and 0.57 [95% CI, 0.40 to 0.82], respectively)., Conclusions: In LEADER, the use of liraglutide in those with CKD was safe, with no difference between patients with and without CKD., Clinical Trial Registry Name and Registration Number: ClinicalTrials.gov; NCT01179048 (https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01179048)., (Copyright © 2020 by the American Society of Nephrology.)

Background: Cardiac adipose tissue may have local paracrine effects on epicardial arteries and the underlying myocardium, promoting calcification and affecting myocardial microcirculation. We explored whether the total amount of cardiac adipose tissue was associated with coronary artery calcium score (CAC) and myocardial flow reserve in persons with type 1 or type 2 diabetes and healthy controls., Methods: We studied three groups: (1) 30 controls, (2) 60 persons with type 1 diabetes and (3) 60 persons with type 2 diabetes. The three groups were matched for sex and age. The three groups derived from retrospective analysis of two clinical studies. All underwent cardiac 82 Rb positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) scanning. Cardiac adipose tissue volume (the sum of epicardial and pericardial fat), CAC, and myocardial flow reserve (ratio of pharmacological stress flow and rest flow) were evaluated using semiautomatic software. We applied linear regression to assess the association between cardiac adipose tissue, CAC and myocardial flow reserve., Results: Mean (SD) cardiac adipose tissue volume was 99 (61) mL in the control group, 106 (78) mL in the type 1 diabetes group and 228 (97) mL in the type 2 diabetes group. Cardiac adipose tissue was positively associated with body mass index in all three groups (p ≤ 0.02). In the controls, cardiac adipose tissue was positively associated with CAC score (p = 0.008) and negatively associated with myocardial flow reserve (p = 0.005). However, cardiac adipose tissue was not associated with CAC or myocardial flow reserve in the groups including persons with type 1 or type 2 diabetes (p ≥ 0.50)., Conclusions: In contrast to what was found in healthy controls, we could not establish a relation between cardiac adipose tissue and coronary calcification or myocardial microvascular function in person with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. The role of cardiac adipose tissue in cardiovascular disease in diabetes remains unclear.

Background: Cardiac fat is a cardiovascular biomarker but its importance in patients with type 2 diabetes is not clear. The aim was to evaluate the predictive potential of epicardial (EAT), pericardial (PAT) and total cardiac (CAT) fat in type 2 diabetes and elucidate sex differences., Methods: EAT and PAT were measured by echocardiography in 1030 patients with type 2 diabetes. Follow-up was performed through national registries. The end-point was the composite of incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) and all-cause mortality. Analyses were unadjusted (model 1), adjusted for age and sex (model 2), plus systolic blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), smoking, diabetes duration and glycated hemoglobin (HbA 1c ) (model 3)., Results: Median follow-up was 4.7 years and 248 patients (191 men vs. 57 women) experienced the composite end-point. Patients with high EAT (> median level) had increased risk of the composite end-point in model 1 [Hazard ratio (HR): 1.46 (1.13; 1.88), p = 0.004], model 2 [HR: 1.31 (1.01; 1.69), p = 0.038], and borderline in model 3 [HR: 1.32 (0.99; 1.77), p = 0.058]. For men, but not women, high EAT was associated with a 41% increased risk of CVD and mortality in model 3 (p = 0.041). Net reclassification index improved when high EAT was added to model 3 (19.6%, p = 0.035). PAT or CAT were not associated with the end-point., Conclusion: High levels of EAT were associated with the composite of incident CVD and mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes, particularly in men, after adjusting for CVD risk factors. EAT modestly improved risk prediction over CVD risk factors.

The aim of this study was to investigate the association of epicardial (EAT) and pericardial (PAT) adipose tissues with myocardial function in type 2 diabetes (T2D). EAT and PAT were measured by ultrasound in 770 patients with T2D and 234 age- and sex-matched non-diabetic controls. Echocardiography was performed, including tissue Doppler imaging and 2D speckle tracking. Patients with T2D versus controls had increased EAT (4.6 ± 1.8 mm vs. 3.4 ± 1.2 mm, P < 0.0001) and PAT (6.3 ± 2.8 mm vs. 5.3 ± 2.4 mm, P < 0.0001). EAT and PAT were associated with structural cardiac measures both in T2D patients and controls (all P < 0.043), but only in T2D patients with functional measures: PAT was associated with impaired global longitudinal strain [beta coefficient (SE)] [0.11% (0.04), P = 0.002], while EAT was associated with reduced diastolic function by lateral early diastolic myocardial velocity (e' lat ) [-0.31 (0.05) cm/s, P = 0.001], mitral inflow velocities: peak early (E)/peak atrial (A) ratio [-0.02 (0.01), P = 0.001] and lateral E/e' lat [0.36 (0.10), P < 0.001]. However, no interaction was found between diabetes status and PAT (P = 0.75) or EAT (P = 0.45). Adipose tissue in intimate relation to the myocardium is higher in patients with T2D versus controls and is associated with functional myocardial measures in T2D., (© 2019 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Aims: To evaluate myocardial flow reserve (MFR) and coronary artery calcium (CAC) in persons with Type 1 diabetes with or without albuminuria and in non-diabetic controls. MFR reflects the function of large epicardial arteries and myocardial microcirculation. CAC represents structural aspects of atherosclerosis. In addition, we evaluated the association of MFR and CAC with retinopathy, another microvascular complication., Methods and Results: Cross-sectional study in Type 1 diabetes, stratified by normoalbuminuria (NORMO; n = 30) and macroalbuminuria (MACRO; n = 30), and in non-diabetic controls (n = 30). MFR (pharmacological stress flow/rest flow) was evaluated by cardiac 82Rb positron emission tomography/computed tomography. MFR was similar in patients with NORMO and controls (3.1 ± 0.79 vs. 3.0 ± 0.79; P = 0.74). Patients with MACRO had lower (impaired) MFR when compared with NORMO (2.1 ± 0.92 vs. 3.1 ± 0.79; P < 0.0001). The CAC score [median (interquartile range)] was higher in NORMO when compared with controls [72 (22-247) vs. 0 (0-81), P = 0.03], and comparable between MACRO and NORMO. MFR was comparable in patients with diabetes and simplex or no retinopathy (n = 24 and n = 12, 2.8 ± 0.84 vs. 3.3 ± 0.77, P = 0.11), but lower in proliferative (n = 24) compared with simplex retinopathy (2.1 ± 0.97 vs. 2.8 ± 0.84, P = 0.02). The CAC score was comparable between groups of retinopathy., Conclusion: Myocardial microvascular function was comparable in non-diabetic controls and patients with Type 1 diabetes and NORMO; but impaired in the presence of microvascular complications (MACRO and proliferative retinopathy). Coronary calcification was elevated in diabetes, however, not explained by albuminuria., (© The Author(s) 2018. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology.)

The link between cardiac autonomic neuropathy and risk of cardiovascular disease is highlighted as an area in which research is needed. This study was undertaken to evaluate the association between measures of cardiac autonomic function and cardiac vascular function in type 1 diabetes using new and sensitive methods. This was a cross-sectional study in patients with type 1 diabetes, stratified by normoalbuminuria ( n = 30) and macroalbuminuria ( n = 30), and in healthy control subjects ( n = 30). Cardiac autonomic function was evaluated using heart rate variability (HRV) indices, cardiovascular autonomic reflex tests (CARTs), and cardiac 123 I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) imaging. Cardiac vascular function was assessed as myocardial flow reserve (MFR) measured by cardiac 82 Rb-positron emission tomography/computed tomography. The measures of cardiac autonomic function (except low frequency-to-high frequency ratio and the Valsalva test ratio) were positively correlated to MFR in unadjusted analysis. All the HRV indices lost significance after adjustment for age and heart rate. After further adjustment for relevant cardiovascular risk factors, the late heart-to-mediastinum ratio directly measuring the function of adrenergic receptors and sympathetic integrity (from the MIBG scintigraphy) and the 30-to-15 ratio (a CART), remained positively associated with MFR ( P ≤ 0.04). Cardiac autonomic dysfunction, including loss of cardiac sympathetic integrity in type 1 diabetes, is associated with and may contribute to impaired myocardial blood flow regulation., (© 2019 by the American Diabetes Association.)

Liraglutide has pleiotropic effects favouring cardiovascular and renal risks. We investigated individual responses to liraglutide in six cardio-renal risk factors to examine whether responses in one risk factor are associated with changes in other risk factors (cross-dependency). We performed secondary analysis of the LIRA-RENAL trial (n = 279) in type 2 diabetes. HbA1c, body weight, systolic blood pressure (SBP) , low density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol, urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were measured at baseline and after 26 weeks of liraglutide/placebo treatment: "Good responders" had a change within the best quartile. In the liraglutide-treated group, good HbA1c responders showed similar changes in other risk factors analysed to low responders (P ≥ 0.17). Good body weight responders had a larger reduction in HbA1c than low body weight responders (-1.6 ± 0.94 vs. -1.0 ± 0.82%; P = 0.003), but similar changes in the other risk factors (P ≥ 0.11). Good and low responders in SBP, UACR, LDL-cholesterol or eGFR showed similar changes in other risk factors (P ≥ 0.07). Treatment response to liraglutide is largely individual; aside from an association between body weight and HbA1c reduction, there are no obvious cross-dependencies in risk factor response., (© 2019 The Authors. Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Aims: The aim was to investigate the prevalence of diabetic sensorimotor polyneuropathy (DSPN) and cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy (CAN) in a Danish population of young adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D) using both established and novel measuring modalities. Furthermore, to investigate the association between continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) treatment and these complications., Materials and Methods: CAN was assessed by cardiovascular autonomic reflex tests. DSPN was assessed not only by perception of light touch and pain, vibration perception threshold (VPT), Brief Pain Inventory (BPI), and Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument questionnaires but also by novel modalities: electrochemical skin conductance (ESC), sural nerve conduction velocity (SNCV), and sural nerve amplitude potential (SNAP)., Results: The study comprised 156 young adults with a mean age of 22 years (standard deviation 1.6). The prevalence of CAN and early CAN was 9% and 28.1%, respectively. Subclinical DSPN was 55.1% and confirmed DSPN was 2.6%. Prevalence of abnormal SNAP was 23.8%, SNCV was 37.1%, ESC on the hands and feet was 4% and 8%, respectively, VPT was 1.3%, and BPI questionnaire was 1.9%. No association was found between CSII treatment and the measures of DSPN and CAN., Conclusion: DSPN and CAN are prevalent in young adults with T1D with no association found with CSII treatment. The use of novel measuring modalities identified a higher number of subjects with DSPN compared with established measures. Screening for diabetic neuropathy in young adults may be beneficial to detect and prevent nerve damages at early stages.

Aims: Urinary levels of kidney injury molecule 1 (u-KIM-1) and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (u-NGAL) reflect proximal tubular pathophysiology and have been proposed as risk markers for development of complications in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). We clarify the predictive value of u-KIM-1 and u-NGAL for decline in eGFR, cardiovascular events (CVE) and all-cause mortality in patients with T2D and persistent microalbuminuria without clinical cardiovascular disease., Methods: This is a prospective study that included 200 patients. u-KIM-1 and u-NGAL were measured at baseline and were available in 192 patients. Endpoints comprised: decline in eGFR > 30%, a composite of fatal and nonfatal CVE consisting of: cardiovascular mortality, myocardial infarction, stroke, ischemic heart disease and heart failure based on national hospital discharge registries, and all-cause mortality. Adjusted Cox models included traditional risk factors, including eGFR. Hazard ratios (HR) are provided per 1 standard deviation (SD) increment of log2-transformed values. Relative integrated discrimination improvement (rIDI) was calculated., Results: During the 6.1 years' follow-up, higher u-KIM-1 was a predictor of eGFR decline (n = 29), CVE (n = 34) and all-cause mortality (n = 29) in adjusted models: HR (95% CI) 1.68 (1.04-2.71), p = 0.034; 2.26 (1.24-4.15), p = 0.008; and 1.52 (1.00-2.31), p = 0.049. u-KIM-1 contributed significantly to risk prediction for all-cause mortality evaluated by rIDI (63.1%, p = 0.001). u-NGAL was not a predictor of any of the outcomes after adjustment., Conclusions: In patients with T2D and persistent microalbuminuria, u-KIM-1, but not u-NGAL, was an independent risk factor for decline in eGFR, CVE and all-cause mortality, and contributed significant discrimination for all-cause mortality, beyond traditional risk factors.

Objective: Type 2 diabetes is a common risk factor for the development of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Enhanced de novo collagen type VI (COL VI) formation has been associated with renal fibrosis and CKD. We investigated the hypothesis that PRO-C6, a product specifically generated during COL VI formation, is prognostic for adverse outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes and microalbuminuria., Research Design and Methods: In a prospective, observational study, we measured PRO-C6 in the serum (S-PRO-C6) and urine (U-PRO-C6) of 198 patients with type 2 diabetes and microalbuminuria without symptoms of coronary artery disease. Patients were followed for a median of 6.5 years, and end points were a composite of cardiovascular events ( n = 38), all-cause mortality ( n = 26), and reduction of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of >30% (disease progression [ n = 42]). Cox models were unadjusted and adjusted for the conventional risk factors of sex, age, BMI, systolic blood pressure, LDL cholesterol, smoking, HbA 1c , plasma creatinine, and urinary albumin excretion rate., Results: Doubling of S-PRO-C6 increased hazards for cardiovascular events (hazard ratio 3.06 [95% CI 1.31-7.14]), all-cause mortality (6.91 [2.96-16.11]), and disease progression (4.81 [1.92-12.01]). Addition of S-PRO-C6 to a model containing conventional risk factors improved relative integrated discrimination by 22.5% for cardiovascular events ( P = 0.02), 76.8% for all-cause mortality ( P = 0.002), and 53.3% for disease progression ( P = 0.004). U-PRO-C6 was not significantly associated with any of the outcomes., Conclusions: S-PRO-C6 generated during COL VI formation predicts cardiovascular events, all-cause mortality, and disease progression in patients with type 2 diabetes and microalbuminuria., (© 2018 by the American Diabetes Association.)

Objectives: Two biomarkers, growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15) and fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF-23)), reflecting different aspects of renal pathophysiology, were evaluated as determinants of decline in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) and all-cause mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and microalbuminuria, but without clinical cardiac disease., Materials and Methods: Prospective study including 200 T2D patients. The predefined endpoint of chronic kidney disease (CKD) progression: A decline in eGFR of >30% at any time point during follow-up. Hazard ratios (HR) are provided per 1 SD increment of log2-transformed values., Results: Mean (± SD) age was 59 ± 9 years, eGFR 91.1 ± 18.3 ml/min/1.73m2 and median (IQR) UAER 103 (39-230) mg/24-h. During a median 6.1 years follow-up, 40 incident CVD events, 26 deaths and 42 patients reached the CKD endpoint after median 4.9 years. Higher GDF-15 was a determinant of decline in eGFR >30% and all-cause mortality in adjusted models (HR 1.7 (1.1-2.5); p = 0.018 and HR 1.9 (1.2-2.9); p = 0.003, respectively). Adding GDF-15 to traditional risk factors improved risk prediction of decline in renal function (relative integrated discrimination improvement (rIDI) = 30%; p = 0.037). Higher FGF-23 was associated with all-cause mortality in adjusted models (HR 1.6 (1.1-2.2); p = 0.011) with a rIDI of 30% (p = 0.024)., Conclusions: In patients with T2D and microalbuminuria, higher GDF-15 and FGF-23 were independently associated with all-cause mortality and higher GDF-15 improved risk prediction of decline in kidney function and higher FGF-23 of all-cause mortality, beyond traditional risk factors, but not independently of GDF-15.