May 2003 Articles

May 2003 News Article Index

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• Israeli-US Team Create Insulin-Producing Cells From Stem Cells (05/30/03) Tel Aviv University and American researchers have managed to cure diabetes in mice by creating insulin- producing cells from stem cells taken from the liver of a four-month-old miscarried human embryo and implanting them into Type I (insulin-dependent) diabetic mice. Researchers hope that eventually such cells could be transplanted into human diabetics - if a way is found to protect them from rejection through an autoimmune attack.
• Does Adult Diabetes Trace Back To The Womb? (05/30/03) A small, French study found that adult children of mothers with type 1 diabetes, in which the body produces no insulin, show a weakened response to sugar that could be a precursor of type 2 diabetes. It's not genetics, but something in the environment of the womb that might be responsible, the researchers say.
• Diabetics' Education Level May Sway Death Risk (05/28/03) Type 2 diabetics with a college degree may have a lower risk of premature death than those with only a high school diploma. The findings support the idea that education level makes a difference in how well people with type 2 diabetes are able to control their blood sugar -- and, therefore, prevent diabetes complications, according to the report in the May issue of Diabetes Care.
• Laughter Cuts Blood Sugar in Diabetics (05/28/03) A study shows that diabetics may be better able to process the sugar they consume during meals if they order a side of laughter with their food. Laughter is also thought to improve circulation, stimulate the nervous system, heighten the immune system and make the heart stronger.
• The Secret(e) Life of Fat Cells  (05/28/03) According to several new studies, Acrp30, a protein that is produced and secreted exclusively by fat cells, is involved in regulating the way tissues handle sugar and fat. Acrp30 levels are reduced in obesity. This opened speculation that reduced Acrp30 levels might be a link between obesity and diabetes. Acrp30 reduces fat accumulation in tissues other than adipose, including muscle and liver. There’s still a lot to be learned about Acrp30, including how it exerts its effects.
• The Safety of Nutrient Supplements (05/28/03) Generally speaking, nutrient supplements are safer (and less expensive) than pharmaceutical drugs, which often can have serious side effects. Therefore, nutrient supplements usually can be tried first before medications in beginning or mild cases of diabetes. Many nutrients can also be used together with prescription medications to support patients in later stages of the disease. Some nutrient supplements are safer than others.
• Vitamins May Cut Risk of Birth Defects in Diabetics (05/28/03) Regular use of multivitamins may reduce the risk of birth defects in infants born to mothers with diabetes. Women of childbearing age are already advised to take supplements containing folic acid to protect against certain birth defects, but this study highlights the need for diabetic women to take multivitamins.
• Inhaled Insulin Has No Adverse Effects Found After Two-Year Study (05/28/03) Treatment with inhaled insulin (INH) is associated with an increase in insulin antibodies, but continuing studies indicate that the insulin antibodies are not associated with increased hemoglobin A1c (HA1c), increased need for insulin, hypoglycemia, or allergic reactions.
• Irregular Menses Predict Gestational Diabetes (05/28/03) A history of irregular menses is an independent predictor of gestational diabetes mellitus.
• Warning Against Concomitant Use of Repaglinide and Gemfibrozil (05/28/03) European drug regulators warned on Wednesday that Novo Nordisk's oral antidiabetic Prandin/NovoNorm (repaglinide) can cause severe hypoglycemia if patients take the lipid-lowering agent gemfibrozil at the same time. The agency said concomitant use of the two products is contraindicated. It advises that patients receiving repaglinide and gemfibrozil contact their doctor who should consider alternative combination treatments.
• Suboptimal Glycemic Control Increases Risk of Stillbirth (05/28/03) Women with pregestational type 1 diabetes who experience stillbirths are more likely to have suboptimal glycemic control during pregnancy. The team also found that the incidence of diabetic nephropathy was six times higher in the stillbirth group than the reference group. Low educational level, high unemployment, and smoking also characterized the stillbirth group.
• Repaglinide + Metformin Vs. Nateglinide + Metformin in Treating Type 2 Diabetes (05/28/03) Patients with type 2 diabetes have significantly better fasting plasma glucose levels (FPG) and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels when treated with metformin combined with repaglinide rather than combined with nateglinide.
• Control of Gestational Diabetes Has Little Effect on Birth Weight (05/28/03) Prompt diagnosis of gestational diabetes mellitus appears to have no bearing on whether the fetus is large or small for its gestational age. Although there was no correlation between fetal weight and gestational diabetes in this study, early screening and diagnosis of gestational diabetes is still an important factor in prenatal care, since control of gestational diabetes is associated with a reduced risk of other pregnancy complications.
• Symlin Passes Test for Glucose Control with FDA Gets Closer to Market (05/28/03) The test showed that people with Type 1, or childhood-onset diabetes, who take insulin daily were better able to control their blood glucose when they also took Symlin. People who took it were able to take less insulin, and they lost weight. Typically people taking only insulin gain weight.
• Factors Contributing To Complications Of Weight Loss Surgery (05/23/03) Gastric bypass surgery is an effective way of reducing weight, but certain factors increase the risk of complications.Surgeon experience, sleep apnea, and high blood pressure were the main risk factors linked with complications. But most of those who had the surgery experienced profound weight loss and a corresponding decrease in diabetes.
• Researchers Move One Step Closer To A Cure - Type 1 Diabetes (05/23/03) Medicine has moved a bit closer to curing a form of diabetes by learning how to make a body accept the insulin-producing cells it once destroyed. Scientists at the Jackson Laboratory, in conjunction with collaborators at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, discovered a way to protect insulin-producing cells from the immune responses that cause type 1 diabetes.
• Low-Carb Guru May Have Been Right, Tests Show Controversial Atkins Diet (05/23/03) A month after his death, two scientific studies suggest Dr. Atkins was right -- steak and lobster can be slimming. Diabetics in particular did very well on the low-carbohydrate diet.
• Promising Results For Islet Cell Transplantation To Treat Diabetes May Lead To Potential Cure (05/23/03) Early data shows that transplanting healthy, insulin producing islet cells by infusion into the portal vein to the liver enables uncontrolled type 1 diabetic patients to become insulin free.
• Latinos at Risk for Diabetic Eye Complications (05/23/03) Nearly one in 10 Latinos age 40 or older has a potentially sight-robbing condition that is related to diabetes, according to a California survey. However, nearly 30 percent of those surveyed were unaware they had diabetes, much less a complication that can damage sight. The lack of awareness was 'the saddest thing' because the condition, known as diabetic retinopathy, is both treatable and preventable.
• Beer Bellys Triple Death Rate for Men with Type 2 Diabetes (05/23/03) A middle-aged man with a “beerbelly,” unhealthy cholesterol levels, high blood pressure and elevated blood glucose is 3 times more likely to die from cardiovascular problems and twice as likely to die from other causes as a man who doesn’t have this metabolic syndrome. The metabolic syndrome is characterized as insulin resistance, elevated blood glucose, excess weight with fat distribution in the abdominal area, abnormal lipid levels and high blood pressure.
• Health Literacy Group Targets U.S. Diabetes Epidemic (05/23/03) A task force of experts in cardiology, endocrinology, diabetes education and health literacy announced the launch of an initiative to help raise public awareness and understanding of type 2 diabetes. A study published last July in the Journal of the American Medical Association identified a link between low health literacy and poor blood sugar control in patients with type 2 diabetes. The challenge is really going to be to see if we can--and how we can--make a mark on these individuals.
• Caring for Elderly Diabetics: New Guidelines (05/23/03) New Guidelines stress the need to aggressively manage elevated blood pressure, cholesterol, even if that means being more flexible with blood glucose levels. The treatment of older adults should be based on a patient's functional status, together with age and blood-sugar numbers rather than on blood-sugar numbers alone, the guidelines state.
• Rofecoxib (Vioxx) Increases Systolic Blood Pressure in Hypertensives with Type 2 Diabetes (05/23/03) Rofecoxib (Vioxx) significantly increased systolic blood pressure, while celecoxib (Celebrex) and naproxen did not.
• 10,000 Steps A Day Burns 2000 Calories a Week and Reduces Blood Glucose (05/23/03) Health and fitness experts say that taking 10,000 steps a day would burn 2000 calories a week -- and keep a person relatively fit. If you're interested in walking off those extra pounds, a good investment might just be a pedometer.
• Overweight America Costs $93 Billion/yr (05/22/03) This is the highest estimate yet of the medical costs of overweight and obesity. It's comparable to the annual medical bill for smoking, which was estimated at about $76 billion a few years ago. American government pays about half of that amount, a federally funded study shows. "The fact that Medicaid and Medicare, and ultimately taxpayers, are financing half the cost lends credence to the notion that obesity is not solely a personal issue."
• CGM (Continuous Glucose Monitoring) Aids Glycemic Control in Young Diabetics (05/22/03) A continuous subcutaneous glucose monitoring system improves metabolic control in pediatric patients with type 1 diabetes.
• Hypertension and Diabetes Cause Dramatic Increase in Stroke Hospitalizations (05/22/03) Hypertension, with diabetes, has contributed to a 39.5% increase in stroke hospitalizations in South Carolina from 1991 to 2000. South Carolina is an important region for the epidemiological study of stroke because it has the highest rate of cardiovascular disease in the United States.
• Primary Care Physicians Need to Improve Lipid Testing for Patients With Diabetes (05/22/03) The object of the study was to identify factors related to lipid testing among patients with diabetes who receive diabetes care from primary care physicians. Over 2 years, 31% had no lipid profile and 24% had only one lipid profile. it was concluded that adherence to lipid testing recommendations by primary care physicians for elderly patients with diabetes has much room for improvement.
• Battling Insulin Resistance in Elderly Obese People With Type 2 Diabetes ( 05/22/03) Exercise improves insulin resistance and has beneficial effects in preventing and treating type 2 diabetes. However, aerobic exercise is hindered in many type 2 diabetic patients because of advancing age, obesity, and other comorbid conditions. Weight lifting or progressive resistance training (PRT) offers a safe and effective exercise alternative for these people.
• Reducing Birth Defect Risk (05/19/03) Doctors recommend all women take a multivitamin in the months before becoming pregnant.The research finds women with diabetes who take a multivitamin before and during pregnancy reduce their risk of having children with birth defects.
• Diabetes in the Elderly Linked to Fewer "Power Plants" (05/19/03) In studies of young and elderly people, the researchers found that older people had lower levels of metabolic activity in their mitochondria, the “factories” that provide power to cells. The findings suggest that reduced mitochondrial activity underlies insulin resistance, which is a major contributor to type 2 diabetes in the elderly.
• Poorly Controlled Diabetes Could Lead to Dementia in Elderly  (05/16/03) Researchers determined that the main reason why diabetic people age 60 and older scored low on a cognitive function test was because of improper management of their disease. It turned out that only those participants with poorly controlled diabetes had low scores on the cognitive abilities test. The next step is to find out if getting mismanaged diabetes under control can reverse dementia associated with the disease.
• Walk, Don't Run (05/16/03) It's simple, it's cheap, and studies show that walking may be the best exercise for reducing the risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes. Walking, in fact, may be the perfect exercise. For starters, it's one of the safest things you can do with your body. It's much easier on the knees than running and, beyond an occasional stitch in the side, doesn't trigger untoward side effects.
• One in Seven California Adults Suffers From or is at Risk for Diabetes (05/16/03) The findings, put California ahead of national diabetes rates for every population segment under 65 years of age and show heightened disparities for communities of color, people with low income, or those in rural areas.
• Man Takes 3-Year Walk Against Diabetes (05/14/03) Six years after nearly losing his vision, his mobility, and his life to diabetes, Andrew Mandell started walking west from Madeira Beach, Florida to tell people how to fight the disease. When he hit the Pacific Ocean he turned right. Earlier this month he walked under the arch into Willits on his way north. The white haired former producer of educational toys, who now calls himself Mr. Diabetes, plans to circle the country in 20 million steps, one for every diabetic or pre-diabetic in the United States.
• Blood Sugar Control Overrated In the Development of Heart Disease in Type 1’s (05/14/03) Researchers say insulin resistance -- the hallmark of Type 2 diabetes -- is a better indicator of who's going to get heart disease among Type 1 diabetics. And while those with insulin resistance may be at higher risk, medications and lifestyle changes can boost the body's ability to use insulin.
• What is the Risk of Complications for Children with Type 2? (05/14/03) Pima Indians who developed type 2 diabetes before they were 20 years old later developed kidney disease at the same rate as those who got type 2 as adults. The rate of retinopathy, however, was not as great amount those with youth-onset type 2.
• Suboptimal Glycemic Control Increases Risk of Stillbirth (05/14/03) Women with pregestational type 1 diabetes who experience stillbirths are more likely to have suboptimal glycemic control during pregnancy. They are also more likely to have diabetic nephropathy, to smoke and to have low educational and social attainment.
• A Country Limits Diabetes Dialysis Treatment! (05/14/03) With diabetes becoming an epidemic in the world, countries are having to make some difficult decisions to limit care, they are just running out of resources.  Each year, hundreds of Pacific Islanders seek treatment and thousands of dollars in unpaid bills are left for the New Zealand tax-payer to pick up. The Health Ministry offered up guidelines telling clinicians to give foreign renal failure patients two weeks to make alternative arrangements, then stop giving them dialysis. But some argue that may be illegal.
• Skipping Meals May Help, Not Hurt, Health (05/14/03) A report found that a diet in which mice ate only every other day appeared to protect them more from diabetes and the memory-robbing Alzheimer's disease than either a low-calorie diet or eating as much food as they wanted every day. Although the research was conducted in another species, Mattson said the findings appear to suggest that, for healthy adult humans, forgoing a meal now and then may not be such a bad idea, "and it may be beneficial." "It may be okay to skip breakfast, for example," he said.
• Active Diabetic Men Live Longer (05/14/03) Looking at data on thousands of men with type 2 diabetes, researchers found that men who walked regularly were less likely to die than those who were more sedentary. What's more, the faster the men walked, the less likely they were to develop heart disease or to die from any cause, including heart attack and stroke.
• Coffee Reduces the Risk For Type 2 Diabetes and Alzheimer’s Disease (05/14/03) Coffee is a complex brew, containing antioxidants and other chemicals that have health benefits. Researchers at Harvard say coffee lowers the risk of Parkinson's disease and might prevent gallstones in women. Additionally, European researchers say coffee might reduce the chance of type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer's disease.
• Twins Have A Greater Risk for Diabetes (05/14/03) New Zealand doctors have made a discovery that could have implications for twins across the world. Twins make up less than 2% of births, but the fact that they share a womb appears to give them a 40% chance of getting Type 2 diabetes as adults - at least double the risk of single babies.
• Overworked Nurses Put Patient Care at Risk: Study (05/14/03) Survey results by a national healthcare labor union indicate hospital nurses in America are caring for too many patients and that understaffing is resulting in poor patient care and nurse burnout. Hospital leaders blame a severe national nursing shortage -- not intentional understaffing -- for the stresses being felt by patients and nurses across the country. A study reported last October in the Journal of the American Medical Association found a strong connection between higher patient-to-nurse ratios and increased risk of patient death.
• FDA Approves Flexible Administration Schedule For Lantus (05/14/03) Lantus is the first and only basal insulin analog that provides 24-hour glucose lowering activity with just one injection. Aventis announced that its basal insulin, Lantus®, has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for flexible administration at any time of day.
• Anti-Psychotic Drugs May Reduce & Not Increase Diabetes Risk in Mentally Ill (05/14/03) The incidence of diabetes and related conditions among patients suffering from schizophrenia or bipolar disorder indicate that it is the illness -- not the atypical antipsychotic medications used to treat the disorders -- that contributes to the increased incidence of diabetes in these patients.
• Nutritional Approaches for Combating Insulin Resistance and Diabetes (05/14/03) Diet, stress reduction and physical activity go a long way toward promoting healthy blood sugar and insulin levels. However, nutrient supplements can further enhance blood sugar and insulin function and provide health benefits far beyond simply preventing nutrient deficiencies in those with prediabetes and diabetes.
• Task Force Targets U.S. Diabetes Epidemic (05/13/03) A task force of experts in cardiology, endocrinology, diabetes education and health literacy on Monday announced the launch of an initiative to help raise public awareness and understanding of type 2 diabetes. The newly created Diabetes Literacy Board said it intends to develop educational materials to help patients and families recognize the symptoms, risk factors and long-term complications of type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance.
• NIH Says Only 11 Stem-Cell Lines Are Available For Research (05/09/03) The director of the National Institutes of Health reports today that only 11 human stem-cell lines are available for research, far fewer than originally estimated. NIH Director Elias Zerhouni, writing in today's issue of the journal Science, says his agency is giving a high priority to research using stem cells because of the potential for treatment of diseases such as diabetes and Parkinson's.
• The Role of Culture in Patient Care (05/09/03) It’s not enough to be able to diagnose the disease and provide the treatment — physicians must be able to understand how a patient’s culture will impact the care. There's a patient population which has some distrust of health systems; one which often has traditional home remedies that need to be considered when providing care; and a group with deep religious convictions which need to be respected. The legacy of slavery and segregation also shape the patients’ attitudes toward seeking care or following regimens.
• Metformin's Diabetes Preventive Effects Persist After Drug Withdrawal (05/09/03) The benefits of metformin in preventing diabetes appear to persist in some patients after the drug has been discontinued, a substantial 25% after withdrawal. How long the effects of metformin on the underlying pathophysiology of diabetes might last is unknown, since the washout period rarely exceeded 14 days.
• Calcium Channel Blocker Rivals Beta Blocker in Preventing Death, Stroke and Diabetes (05/08/03) A calcium channel blocker-based antihypertensive treatment strategy in patients with coronary artery disease is as effective as a -blocker-based strategy in preventing death, acute MI, and stroke—and significantly better at preventing new-onset diabetes, according to a landmark clinical trial.
• Modem Transmission of Glucose Values Reduces the Costs and Need for Clinic Visits (05/08/03) Electronic transmission of blood glucose levels data —in lieu of a clinic visit—results in a similar level of glucose control and incidence of acute diabetes complications when compared with current standard care. The occurrence of mild-to-moderate hypoglycemic events were similar in the two groups, and there were no severe hypoglycemic events. The average cost of care for a clinic visit was $305.00, whereas the cost for 6 months of modem transmission was $163.00.
• New Anti-Inflammatory Drug May Help Prevent Diabetes (05/08/03) A novel anti-inflammatory compound, reduces the incidence of diabetes in mice prone to developing the condition. " Our hope is that, one day, a clinician can use lisofylline to slow down or prevent this disease in people at high-risk for type 1 diabetes."
• Vigorous Exercise Vs. Walking to Prevent Heart Attacks (05/08/03) Only vigorous exercise lowers the risk of early death from heart disease. While government recommendations say that 30 minutes of moderate daily activity, such as brisk walking, will ward of heart disease.
• Advanced Heart Failure Associated With Development of Diabetes (05/08/03) Patients with advanced heart failure appear have a significantly increased risk of developing diabetes, starting at 6 years after diagnosis of heart failure.
• Risk of Birth Defects Greater for Overweight Mothers (05/08/03) Compared with normal-weight women, those who were obese or overweight before pregnancy faced double the risk of having babies with heart defects and double the risk of multiple birth defects. Watkins said normally 3 to 5 percent of infants are born with major birth defects. Obese women faced an even higher risk — more than triple that of normal-sized women — of having babies with a defect known as omphalocele, in which intestines or other abdominal organs protrude through the navel.
• Major Shortage of Endocrinologists in the United States (05/08/03) The number of endocrinologists being trained is insufficient to maintain access to endocrinologist services at current levels, 12% lower than demand.
• Childhood Obesity Underdiagnosed (05/08/03) Children are becoming obese as young as 3 years old, and obese 10-year-olds are showing abnormal liver function and abnormally high insulin levels, which may lead to type 2 diabetes. The data show it is very important for obesity intervention to begin at the preschool level. It is also crucial to monitor all potential comorbidities in obese children, such as liver function and insulin levels, to prevent early onset of chronic disease.
• Sesame Oil Improves Antihypertensive Effect of Nifedipine (05/08/03) Sesame oil has a significant antihypertensive and antihyperlipidemic effect. Dr. Sankar noted that the study results indicate that sesame oil has a synergistic effect with nifedipine. "We encourage hypertensive patients to use sesame oil as the sole edible oil because of its antihypertensive effect," he said.
• Glitazone Not Contraindicated in Diabetics With Heart Failure (05/08/03) There appears to be no direct connection between thiazolidinedione-related fluid retention and cardiac dysfunction in diabetic patients with chronic heart failure.  Although one out of five patients with chronic heart failure developed some degree of weight gain and signs of worsening fluid retention after starting thiazolidinediones, the rest of the patients tolerated [them] well.
• Crops Grown In Upper Great Plains Of The U.S.A. Have Natural Edge (05/08/03) Upper Great Plains soils and crops have some inherent nutritional advantages. Soils in some of central and northern North Dakota, for example, are high in selenium. Crops grown here could have a marketing advantage if further research bears out early indications, that proper intake could cut some cancer rates by half to two-thirds. Likewise, buckwheat is a crop with the potential to improve insulin production.
• New Inhaled Insulin Study (05/08/03) CAP (calcium phosphate nanoparticulate) technology not only allows certain medications to be inhaled rather than injected, but may substantially reduce the size and frequency of dosing required. The innovative technology is also being used to develop insulin that can be administered orally rather than by injection.

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