Search

Objective This study evaluated the lifestyle changes in patients with diabetes and their independent associations with glycemic and body weight control. In addition, the correlation between changes in mental health and lifestyles was evaluated. Methods This single-center cross-sectional study included 340 patients with diabetes who periodically visited our department. Changes in dietary habits, activities of daily living, and mental health before and during approximately six months after the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic were evaluated using a questionnaire, including the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form. Results Approximately 20%, 30%, and over 50% of patients had worsened dietary habits, decreased activities of daily living, and deteriorated mental health, respectively. A multiple regression analysis showed that irregular meal timing was significantly associated with change in HbA1c (s=0.328, p=0.001), and decreased walking time was significantly associated with changes in body weight (s=-0.245, p=0.025). The change in fear and anxiety was positively associated with changes in meal timing regularity (r=0.129, p=0.019) and carbohydrate consumption (r=0.127, p=0.021). Subsequently, the change in depressed mood was positively associated with changes in carbohydrate (r=0.142, p=0.010) and alcohol (r=0.161, p=0.037) consumption, and the change in psychological stress was positively associated with changes in carbohydrates (r=0.183, p=0.001) and snack (r=0.151, p=0.008) consumption as well as sedentary time (r=0.158, p=0.004). Conclusions The COVID-19 pandemic has had a considerable medium-term impact on the lifestyle and mental health of patients with diabetes. Lifestyle changes were associated with glycemic and body weight control, and mental health changes were associated with lifestyle changes. These findings may provide important information on diabetes care during the pandemic.

Introduction Treatment-related quality of life (QOL) is an important aspect of diabetes management. We evaluated the influence of a sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor, tofogliflozin, on treatment-related QOL in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods This is the prespecified subanalysis study of the “Using TOfogliflozin for Possible better Intervention against Atherosclerosis for type 2 diabetes patients (UTOPIA)” trial. Treatment-related QOL was evaluated at baseline, week 26, week 52, and week 104 after the initiation of the study using the Diabetes Therapy-Related QOL questionnaire (DTR-QOL). Among the 340 patients in the original UTOPIA study, a total of 252 patients (127, tofogliflozin group; 125, conventional treatment group) who completed the DTR-QOL questionnaire at baseline were the study subjects of the current subanalysis. Results The tofogliflozin and conventional treatment groups exhibited almost comparable baseline clinical characteristics, while the use of antihypertensive drugs and lipid-lowering agents was significantly lower in the tofogliflozin treatment group than in the conventional treatment group. Tofogliflozin treatment increased the total score of DTR-QOL7 from baseline (P

Aims/Introduction The present study aimed to clarify the prevalence and clinical characteristics of sarcopenia and dynapenia, which are muscle weakness with and without low muscle mass, respectively, in Japanese patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Materials and Methods This cross‐sectional study enrolled 1,328 participants with type 1 diabetes (n = 177), type 2 diabetes (n = 645) and without diabetes (n = 506). Sarcopenia was defined as a low grip strength and slow gait speed with low skeletal muscle mass index, whereas dynapenia was defined as low strengths of grip and knee extension with a normal skeletal muscle mass index. Participants without sarcopenia and dynapenia were defined as robust. Results Among participants aged ≥65 years, sarcopenia and dynapenia were observed in 12.2% and 0.5% of individuals without diabetes, 42.9% and 11.4% of type 1 diabetes patients, and 20.9% and 13.9% of type 2 diabetes patients. In both type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes patients, sarcopenic patients were significantly older and thinner, and showed a significantly higher rate of diabetic neuropathy than robust patients. In patients with type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes, dynapenic patients were older, and showed a higher rate of diabetic neuropathy and lower estimated glomerular filtration rate than robust patients. Patients complicated with sarcopenia and dynapenia showed a significantly lower physical quality of life and higher rate of incidental falls than robust patients. Conclusions Sarcopenia and dynapenia were more frequent in patients with type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes than in individuals without diabetes, which might contribute to their impaired quality of life and incidental falls., Sarcopenia was highly observed in type 1 diabetes patients compared with non‐diabetes and type 2 diabetes patients. In contrast, the prevalence of dynapenia was markedly higher in type 1 and type 2 diabetes patients compared with individuals without diabetes.

Hypoglycemia should be avoided when treating patients with diabetes. Repaglinide is an insulin secretagogue with a low hypoglycemic risk because of its rapid- and short-acting effects. However, its blood concentration has been reported to increase in combination with clopidogrel, an antiplatelet drug, and in patients with severe renal insufficiency. We herein report an elderly patient with type 2 diabetes mellitus and severe renal insufficiency who received repaglinide and hypoglycemia three days after starting clopidogrel. The concomitant use of repaglinide and clopidogrel can lead to hypoglycemia, especially in patients with severe renal insufficiency.

Metformin-associated lactic acidosis (MALA) is an extremely rare but life-threatening adverse effect of metformin treatment. The lifestyle changes associated with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic may increase the potential risk of MALA development in patients with diabetes. We herein report a 64-year-old Japanese man taking a small dose of metformin who presented with MALA accompanied by hypoglycemia secondary to increased alcohol consumption triggered by lifestyle changes during the pandemic. Physicians should prescribe metformin judiciously to prevent MALA development and pay close attention to lifestyle changes in patients at risk for MALA during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Primary aldosteronism (PA) is a state of renin-independent aldosterone secretion that can range from subclinical to overt. Some normotensive individuals for whom PA screening is not routinely recommended are reported to fulfill the loading test criterion used for the diagnosis of PA. Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by the development of various endocrine tumors. Cases of PA associated with MEN1 have been reported; however, there has been no previous report on renin-independent aldosterone secretion within a family with MEN1. Herein, we present the case of a normotensive family presenting with both MEN1 and renin-independent aldosterone secretion. A 49-year-old man was admitted to our hospital for PA evaluation owing to the plasma aldosterone concentration/plasma renin activity ratio being greater than the screening cut-off value; the patient was normotensive. The patient had a history of left nephrectomy and adrenalectomy for left renal carcinoma and adrenal tumor at the age of 39 years. Subsequently, he was diagnosed with MEN1 concurrent with primary hyperparathyroidism, insulinoma, and novel MEN1 gene mutations (c.655-5_655-4insC and c.818delC). The loading tests for PA confirmation, including saline infusion, and furosemide upright and captopril challenge tests, yielded positive findings, confirming a case of renin-independent aldosterone secretion. The patient’s mother, brother, and sister were also genetically or clinically diagnosed with MEN1. All of them were also normotensive and confirmed to have renin-independent aldosterone secretion. The coexistence of renin-independent aldosterone secretion and MEN1 within this family suggests a relationship between the 2 entities.

Our previous study revealed that sarcopenia was frequently observed in subjects with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). However, the factors associated with sarcopenia that are related to T1DM have not yet been clarified. Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) has been shown to play a role in skeletal muscle growth, differentiation, and regeneration. The present study, therefore, investigated the association between the serum IGF-1 level and sarcopenia and low skeletal muscle mass in subjects with T1DM.This cross-sectional study enrolled subjects with T1DM (n = 168) and without diabetes (n = 59) who had had their clinical data on serum IGF-1 collected in the iDIAMOND study.The z-score of serum IGF-1 was significantly lower in the subjects with T1DM than that in those without diabetes (p 0.001). Among subjects with T1DM, the z-score of serum IGF-1 was significantly lower in sarcopenic subjects than in non-sarcopenic subjects. The multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that the serum IGF-1 z-score was an independent determinant of sarcopenia and a low skeletal muscle mass index, but not low grip strength nor slow gait speed in subjects with T1DM.A low serum IGF-1 level is correlated with sarcopenia and low skeletal muscle mass in subjects with T1DM.

Additional file 3: Table S2. Between-group comparison of changes in clinical parameters during the treatment period.

Additional file 7: Table S6. Effects of tofogliflozin on brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity change in subgroups.

Additional file 4: Table S3. Changes in concomitantly used anti-diabetic agents.

Additional file 6: Table S5. Effects of tofogliflozin on brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity in individuals with all three measurements (baseline, week 52, and week 104).

Additional file 1: Table S1. Clinical characteristics of the participants of the multicenter prospective observational cohort study. Table S2. Comparisons of clinical parameters among thickened lesion-gray-scale median tertiles. Table S3. Comparisons of clinical parameters among plaque-gray-scale median tertiles. Table S4. Associations of the metrics of continuous glucose monitoring with thickened lesion-gray-scale median and plaque-gray-scale median. Table S5. Associations between the adjustment factors in the multivariable regression models. Table S6. Associations of the metrics of continuous glucose monitoring with intima-media thickness among the participants with hypertension. Table S7. Associations of the metrics of continuous glucose monitoring with gray-scale median among the participants with hypertension. Table S8. Associations of the metrics of continuous glucose monitoring with intima-media thickness among the participants without hypertension. Table S9. Associations of the metrics of continuous glucose monitoring with gray-scale median among the participants without hypertension. Table S10. Associations of the metrics of continuous glucose monitoring with intima-media thickness among the participants with dyslipidemia. Table S11. Associations of the metrics of continuous glucose monitoring with gray-scale median among the participants with dyslipidemia. Table S12. Associations of the metrics of continuous glucose monitoring with intima-media thickness among the participants without dyslipidemia. Table S13. Associations of the metrics of continuous glucose monitoring with gray-scale median among the participants without dyslipidemia. Table S14. Associations of the metrics of continuous glucose monitoring with intima-media thickness among participants using anti-diabetic medications. Table S15. Associations of the metrics of continuous glucose monitoring with gray-scale median among participants using anti-diabetic medications. Table S16. Associations of the metrics of continuous glucose monitoring with intima-media thickness among participants not using anti-diabetic medications. Table S17. Associations of the metrics of continuous glucose monitoring with gray-scale median among participants not using anti-diabetic medications. Table S18. Associations of the metrics of continuous glucose monitoring with intima-media thickness among participants using insulin therapy. Table S19. Associations of the metrics of continuous glucose monitoring with gray-scale median among participants using insulin therapy. Table S20. Associations of the metrics of continuous glucose monitoring with intima-media thickness among participants not using insulin therapy. Table S21. Associations of the metrics of continuous glucose monitoring with gray-scale median among participants not using insulin therapy. Table S22. Associations of the metrics of continuous glucose monitoring with intima-media thickness among participants using angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin II receptor blockers. Table S23. Associations of the metrics of continuous glucose monitoring with gray-scale median among participants using angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin II receptor blockers. Table S24. Associations of the metrics of continuous glucose monitoring with intima-media thickness among participants not using angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin II receptor blockers. Table S25. Associations of the metrics of continuous glucose monitoring with gray-scale median among participants not using angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin II receptor blockers. Table S26. Associations of the metrics of continuous glucose monitoring with intima-media thickness among participants using statins. Table S27. Associations of the metrics of continuous glucose monitoring with gray-scale median among participants using statins. Table S28. Associations of the metrics of continuous glucose monitoring with intima-media thickness among participants not using statins. Table S29. Associations of the metrics of continuous glucose monitoring with gray-scale median among participants not using statins. Table S30. List of sites and investigators.

Additional file 5: Table S4. Changes in concomitantly used cardiovascular medications.

Additional file 1: UTOPIA trial site investigators.

Additional file 2: Table S1. Clinical characteristics of patients with and without brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity data.

We encountered a 55-year-old Japanese man with advanced renal cell carcinoma and slowly progressive type 1 diabetes mellitus (SPT1DM), whose insulin secretory capacity was drastically reduced for a brief period after only one cycle of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) treatment. The patient had been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes at the age of 53 years and was treated using oral hypoglycemic agents. However, 2 years later, he was diagnosed with SPT1DM and autoimmune thyroiditis, based on the presence of anti-glutamic acid decarboxylase antibodies (GADA) and thyroid autoantibodies, which was accompanied by advanced renal cell carcinoma. At that time, his insulin secretory capacity was preserved (CPR 2.36 ng/mL), and good glycemic control was maintained using only medical nutrition therapy (HbA1c 6.3%). He subsequently developed destructive thyroiditis approximately 2 weeks after the first cycle of ICI treatment using nivolumab (a programmed cell death-1 inhibitor) and ipilimumab (a cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen-4 inhibitor) for advanced renal cell carcinoma. Three weeks later, his plasma glucose level markedly increased, and we detected absolute insulin deficiency and hypothyroidism. Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) analysis revealed haplotypes indicating susceptibility to type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) or autoimmune thyroiditis (HLA genotype, DRB1-DQB1 *09:01–*03:03/*08:03–*06:01). He showed a good antitumor response and is currently receiving permanent insulin therapy and levothyroxine replacement with the ICI treatment. Based on this case and the available literature, patients with preexisting islet autoantibodies or SPT1DM/LADA, plus a genetic predisposition to T1DM, may have an extremely high risk of developing ICI-related T1DM for a brief period after starting ICI treatment.

Introduction Sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors are anti-diabetic agents that improve glycemic control with a low risk of hypoglycemia and ameliorate a variety of cardiovascular risk factors. The aim of the ongoing study described herein is to investigate the preventive effects of tofogliflozin, a potent and selective SGLT2 inhibitor, on the progression of atherosclerosis in subjects with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) using carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), an established marker of cardiovascular disease (CVD), as a marker. Methods The Study of Using Tofogliflozin for Possible better Intervention against Atherosclerosis for type 2 diabetes patients (UTOPIA) trial is a prospective, randomized, open-label, blinded-endpoint, multicenter, and parallel-group comparative study. The aim was to recruit a total of 340 subjects with T2DM but no history of apparent CVD at 24 clinical sites and randomly allocate these to a tofogliflozin treatment group or a conventional treatment group using drugs other than SGLT2 inhibitors. As primary outcomes, changes in mean and maximum IMT of the common carotid artery during a 104-week treatment period will be measured by carotid echography. Secondary outcomes include changes in glycemic control, parameters related to β-cell function and diabetic nephropathy, the occurrence of CVD and adverse events, and biochemical measurements reflecting vascular function. Conclusion This is the first study to address the effects of SGLT2 inhibitors on the progression of carotid IMT in subjects with T2DM without a history of CVD. The results will be available in the very near future, and these findings are expected to provide clinical data that will be helpful in the prevention of diabetic atherosclerosis and subsequent CVD. Funding Kowa Co., Ltd. Clinical Trial Registration UMIN000017607. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s13300-017-0292-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the preventive effects of tofogliflozin, a selective sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor, on atherosclerosis progression in type 2 diabetes (T2DM) patients without apparent cardiovascular disease (CVD) by monitoring carotid intima-media thickness (IMT). Methods: This prospective, randomized, open-label, blinded-endpoint, multicenter, parallel-group, comparative study included 340 subjects with T2DM but no history of apparent CVD recruited at 24 clinical units. Subjects were randomly allocated to either the tofogliflozin treatment group (n=169) or conventional treatment group using drugs other than SGLT2 inhibitors (n=171). Primary outcomes were changes in mean and maximum common carotid IMT measured by echography during a 104-week treatment period. Findings: Although the mean IMT of the common carotid artery (mean-IMT-CCA), along with the right and left maximum IMT of the CCA (max-IMT-CCA), statistically significantly declined in both the tofogliflozin (-0.132 mm, SE 0.007; -0.163 mm, SE 0.013; -0.170 mm, SE 0.020; respectively) and the control group (-0·140 mm, SE 0·006; -0·190 mm, SE 0·012; -0·190 mm, SE 0·020; respectively), no significant difference was observed between the two groups. Relative to the control treatment effects, tofogliflozin statistically significantly reduced the HbA1c, blood glucose level, body weight/body mass index, abdominal circumference, and systolic blood pressure, and statistically significantly increased the HDL-C. Interpretation: A tofogliflozin treatment regimen of 104 weeks was not associated with improved inhibition of carotid wall thickening in T2DM patients without apparent CVD, as compared to the effect of the control treatment. Trial Registration: UMIN000017607. Funding Statement: Kowa Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan. Declaration of Interests: Naoto Katakami is a staff member of the endowed chair established by funds from Kowa Co., Ltd., and has received research funds from MSD, and lecture fees from Astellas Pharma Inc., AstraZeneca K.K., Boehringer Ingelheim, Daiichi Sankyo Inc., Eli Lilly, Kowa Pharmaceutical Co., Kyowa Hakko Kirin Co. Ltd., Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Co., Novartis Pharmaceuticals, Novo Nordisk Pharma, Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Taisho Toyama Pharmaceutical Co., Takeda Pharmaceutical Co., and Sanofi-Aventis, and Shionogi & Co. Tomoya Mita has received lecture fees from Astellas Pharma Inc., Daiichi Sankyo Inc., Eli Lilly, Kowa Pharmaceutical Co., Kyowa Hakko Kirin Co. Ltd., Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Co., Novo Nordisk Pharma, Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited and Sanofi-Aventis, scholarship donations from MSD K.K., Astellas Pharma Inc., AstraZeneca K.K., Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Kyowa Hakko Kirin Co. Ltd., Sanofi-Aventis K.K., Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited, Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Co., Ltd., Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation, Terumo Corporation, Nippon Boehringer Ingelheim Co., Ltd., Novo Nordisk Pharma Ltd., Pfizer Japan Inc., Benefit One Health Care Inc., Mochida Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., and Nitto Boseki Co., Ltd. as well as funds of endowed chair from MSD K.K., Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited. Toshihiko Shiraiwa has received lecture fees from Sanofi-Aventis K.K. and Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited and research funding from Novo Nordisk Pharma Ltd., Sanofi-Aventis K.K., Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, AstraZeneca K.K., Nippon Boehringer Ingelheim Co., Ltd., and Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation. Tetsuyuki Yasuda has received lecture fees from Nippon Boehringer Ingelheim Co., Ltd. and Sanofi-Aventis K.K. Yosuke Okada has received lecture fees from Astellas Pharma Inc., MSD K.K., Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation, Bayer Holding Ltd., Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp., Novo Nordisk Pharma Ltd., Eli Lilly Japan K.K., and Kissei Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. as well as research funding from Kowa Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. and Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation. Hideaki Kaneto has received lecture fees from Nippon Boehringer Ingelheim Co., Ltd., Sanofi-Aventis K.K., Novo Nordisk Pharma Ltd., Eli Lilly Japan K.K., MSD K.K., Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation, AstraZeneca K.K., Astellas Pharma Inc., Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp., and Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Co.; scholarship donations from Novo Nordisk Pharma Ltd., Nippon Boehringer Ingelheim Co., Ltd., Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Co., Ltd., Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Sanofi-Aventis K.K., Eli Lilly Japan K.K., Astellas Pharma Inc., Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation, MSD K.K., Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, AstraZeneca K.K., Mochida Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Taisho Toyama Pharmaceutical Co., Kissei Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., and Kyowa Hakko Kirin Co. Ltd; and research funding from Taisho Pharmaceutical Co., Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Co. Takeshi Osonoi has received lecture fees from Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Astellas Pharma Inc., Novo Nordisk Pharma Ltd., and Sanwa Kagaku Kenkyusho Co., Ltd.; manuscript fees from Sanwa Kagaku Kenkyusho Co., Ltd.; and research funding from Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Novo Nordisk Pharma Ltd., Astellas Pharma Inc., Sanwa Kagaku Kenkyusho Co., Ltd., Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation, Nippon Boehringer Ingelheim Co., Ltd., Taisho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Eli Lilly Japan K.K., Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited, Bayer Holding Ltd., Kowa Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., and AbbVie Inc. Nobuichi Kuribayashi has received lecture fees from Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Sanofi-Aventis K.K., Novo Nordisk Pharma Ltd., MSD K.K., and Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation. Satoru Sumitani has received lecture fees from Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Co., Ltd. Yasunori Sato has received lecture fees from Mochida Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. Hirotaka Watada has received lecture fees from Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma CO., Ltd., Bayer Yakuhin, Ltd. Sanofi-Aventis K.K., MSD K.K., Astellas Pharma Inc., Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Co., AstraZeneca K.K., Nippon Boehringer Ingelheim Co., Ltd., Eli Lilly Japan K.K., Novo Nordisk Pharma Ltd., Sanwa Kagaku Kenkyusho Co., Ltd., Kowa Co., Ltd., Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp., Daiichi Sankyo Company, Ltd, Kyowa Hakko Kirin Co. Ltd., Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., and Kissei Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. and research support from Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp., Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Eli Lilly Japan K.K., MSD K.K., Astellas Pharma Inc., Bayer Yakuhin, Ltd. Teijin Pharma Ltd., Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Kissei Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Kyowa Hakko Kirin Co. Ltd., Kowa Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Sanofi-Aventis K.K., Sanwa Kagaku Kenkyusho Co., Ltd., Daiichi Sankyo Company, Ltd, Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Co., Ltd., Taisho Toyama Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation, Nippon Boehringer Ingelheim Co., Ltd., Novo Nordisk Pharma Ltd., Pfizer Japan Inc., Shionogi & Co., Ltd. Yakult, and Kissei Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. Iichiro Shimomura has received lecture fees from Astellas Pharma Inc., AstraZeneca K.K., MSD K.K., Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd., Kowa Company, Ltd., Sanofi K.K., Sanwa Kagaku Kenkyusho Co., Daiichi Sankyo Co., Takeda Pharma K.K., Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Co., Teijin Pharma, Eli Lilly Japan K.K., Nippon Boehringer Ingelheim Co., Novartis Pharma K.K., Novo Nordisk Pharma, Mochida Pharmaceutical Co., Taisho Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Nippon Chemiphar Co., Ltd., Covidien Japan Inc., Amgen Astellas Biopharma K.K., KOBAYASHI Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma Co., Rohto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; and research funds from Astellas Pharma Inc., MSD K.K, Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Kaken Pharmaceutical Co., Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd., Sanofi K.K., Shionogi & Co., Daiichi Sankyo Co., Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma Co., Takeda Pharma K.K., Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Co., Teijin Pharma, Novartis Pharma K.K., Novo Nordisk Pharma, Eli Lilly Japan K.K, Kowa Company, Ltd.; and consulting fees from AstraZeneca K.K., MSD K.K., Taisho Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Novo Nordisk Pharma, Lotte Co., Ltd. Hidenori Yoshii, Yutaka Umayahara, Tsunehiko Yamamoto, Kazuhisa Maeda, Hiroki Yokoyama, Keisuke Kosugi, Kentaro Ohtoshi, Isao Hayashi, Mamiko Tsugawa, Kayoko Ryomoto, Hideki Taki, Tadashi Nakamura, and Satoshi Kawashima declare that they have no conflict of interest. Ethics Approval Statement: All procedures followed were in accordance with the ethical standards of the responsible committee on human experimentation (institutional and national) and with the Helsinki Declaration of 1964, as revised in 2013. Informed consent was obtained from all patients for being included in the study.

Additional file 1: Materials S1: Safety evaluation. List of UTOPIA trial site investigators. Table S1. Effects of tofogliflozin on intima-media thickness were analyzed using covariance models. Table S2. Changes in concomitantly used anti-diabetic agents. Table S3. Changes in concomitantly used cardiovascular medications.

Background: Among people with diabetes, those with kidney disease have exceptionally high rates of cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality and progression of their underlying kidney disease. Finerenone is a novel, nonsteroidal, selective mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist that has shown to reduce albuminuria in type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) while revealing only a low risk of hyperkalemia. However, the effect of finerenone on CV and renal outcomes has not yet been investigated in long-term trials. Patients and Methods: The Finerenone in Reducing CV Mortality and Morbidity in Diabetic Kidney Disease (FIGARO-DKD) trial aims to assess the efficacy and safety of finerenone compared to placebo at reducing clinically important CV and renal outcomes in T2D patients with CKD. FIGARO-DKD is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, event-driven trial running in 47 countries with an expected duration of approximately 6 years. FIGARO-DKD randomized 7,437 patients with an estimated glomerular filtration rate ≥25 mL/min/1.73 m2 and albuminuria (urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio ≥30 to ≤5,000 mg/g). The study has at least 90% power to detect a 20% reduction in the risk of the primary outcome (overall two-sided significance level α = 0.05), the composite of time to first occurrence of CV death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, or hospitalization for heart failure. Conclusions: FIGARO-DKD will determine whether an optimally treated cohort of T2D patients with CKD at high risk of CV and renal events will experience cardiorenal benefits with the addition of finerenone to their treatment regimen. Trial Registration: EudraCT number: 2015-000950-39; ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02545049.

Patients with diabetes occasionally develop diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN), which is characterized by both positive symptoms such as pain and negative symptoms such as numbness/dysesthesia. However, these symptoms have always been collectively analyzed to determine their risk factors. This study aimed to independently analyze the risk factors for neuropathic pain and numbness/dysesthesia in DPN patients. In total, 298 patients with diabetes (age: 61.1 ± 10.4 years; 176 male) were included. The relationships among the incidence of DPN and its clinical parameters were determined using logistic regression models. Then, the statistical model was applied in two groups of DPN patients: those with pain only or both pain and the negative symptoms (pain group; n = 25) and those with the negative symptoms only or both pain and the negative symptoms (numbness/dysesthesia group; n = 60). All logistic regression models were adjusted for the duration of diabetes, glycosylated hemoglobin levels, and age. The depression score was higher for patients with DPN than for those without, although it did not reach an abnormal level. An abnormal Achilles tendon reflex (ATR) and insulin treatment, but not smoking, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and diabetic retinopathy, were associated with DPN. Furthermore, female sex and an abnormal ATR and insulin treatment were significant clinical features in the pain and numbness/numbness groups, respectively. Overweight and obesity were the common clinical features in both groups. We conclude that the positive and negative symptoms of DPN possibly have independent risk factors, suggesting different underlying mechanisms and the need for separate diagnosis and treatment.

Aims Currently, inhibition of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) is widely used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Application of this strategy is awaited as a new therapeutic approach for type 1 diabetes, but the scientific basis is still lacking. This report describes the evaluation of serum DPP-4 activity in type 1 diabetes compared with control subjects, and assessment of relationships between DPP-4 activity and diabetic complication markers and metabolic variables in type 1 diabetes. Methods We examined serum DPP-4 activity in Japanese young-adult type 1 diabetes ( n =76, females 69.7%, age 30.9±6.2 years, duration of diabetes 16.5±11.1 years; mean±SD) and healthy controls ( n =22). Association of the enzymatic activity with diabetic micro- and macro- vascular complication markers and clinical parameters was also assessed. Results Subjects with type 1 diabetes displayed significantly higher serum DPP-4 activity than healthy controls (relative value, control: 1.00±0.28, T1D, 1.29±0.38; p =0.0011) independent of other clinical parameters. In type 1 diabetes, DPP-4 activity was positively correlated with duration of diabetes ( r =0.248, p =0.031), while not correlated with HbA1c level. In univariate correlation analysis of diabetic complication markers and other metabolic parameters, coefficient of variation of R-R intervals (CVR-R) and gamma (γ)-glutamyltransferase (GGT) levels were correlated with DPP-4 activity. GGT was extracted as an independent variable of DPP-4 activity in multivariate analysis ( β =0.213, p =0.035). Conclusions Serum DPP-4 activity is significantly elevated in Japanese type 1 diabetes, suggesting pathophysiological significance of the enzyme in type 1 diabetes.

Currently, the clinical dynamics of glucagon need to be revised based on previous data obtained from conventional glucagon radioimmunoassays. In the present study, we evaluated plasma glucagon levels in type 1 diabetes patients using a newly‐developed sandwich enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay, and its association with clinical parameters and markers of diabetes complications were statistically assessed. The plasma glucagon level in 77 Japanese type 1 diabetes patients was 28.1 ± 17.7 pg/mL, and comparable with that reported previously for type 2 diabetes patients. However, the values were widely spread and did not correlate with plasma glucose values. Additionally, the average glucagon levels in patients in a hypoglycemic state (glucose level

Aim: It remains unclear whether measures used in carotid ultrasonography such as the intima–media thickness (IMT) and ultrasonic tissue characterization of the carotid using the gray-scale median (GSM) can add prognostic information beyond the conventional cardiovascular risk markers in pati ents with diabetes. Methods: This study employed a combined analysis of data obtained in five longitudinal studies including a total of 3263 patients with diabetes but without apparent cardiovascular disease (CVD) at baseline. The associations between carotid ultrasonography measures and the first occurrence of CVD (488 cases), which were defined as cardiovascular death, coronary artery diseases, stroke, or peripheral artery disease, were analyzed. Results: Common carotid artery (CCA)-mean-IMT, CCA-max-IMT, Max-IMT, plaque-GSM, and the presence of low-GSM echolucent plaques at baseline were prognostic factors for CVD even after adjustment for conventional risk factors. Time-dependent receiver-operating-characteristic (ROC) curve analysis indicated that the use of CCA-mean-IMT, CCA-max-IMT, and Max-IMT in addition to the conventional risk factors improved significantly the prediction of occurrence of CVD. Increments in the CCA-mean-IMT (hazard ratio [HR] 2.37 for every 0.1-mm/year increment [95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.63–3.47], p < 0.001), Max-IMT (HR 1.51 for every 0.1-mm/year increment [95% CI: 1.07–2.14], p = 0.020), and Mean-GSM (HR 0.22 for every 10-U/year increment [95% CI: 0.06–0.76], p = 0.016) during the observation period were also prognostic factors for CVD even after adjusting for the baseline value of the respective measure. Conclusions: Addition of carotid ultrasonography measures to conventional risk factors significantly improved the stratification of patients by cardiovascular risk. Changes over time in carotid ultrasonography measures may be used as therapeutic outcome measures. Abbreviations: CAC, coronary artery calcium; CCA, common carotid artery; CVD, cardiovascular disease; DM, diabetes mellitus; FRS,Framingham Risk Score; GSM, gray-scale median; HR, hazard ratio; IMT, intima–media thickness; PAD, peripheral artery disease

Lineage conversion of non-beta cells into insulin-producing cells has been proposed as a therapy for the cure of diabetes. Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and its derivatives can induce beta cell neogenesis in vitro and beta cell mass expansion in vivo, but GLP-1 signalling has not been shown to regulate cell fate decisions in vivo. We therefore tested the impact of GLP-1 receptor (GLP1R) expression on beta cell differentiation in vivo. Mice overexpressing GLP1R in pancreatic exocrine cells were generated by Cre-mediated recombination in sex-determining region Y-box 9 (SOX9)-expressing cells and then treated with exendin-4 and/or gastrin. Histological analysis was performed to detect cellular reprogramming from the exocrine lineage into insulin-producing cells. Whereas no newly generated beta cells were detected in the mice treated with exendin-4 alone, treatment with gastrin only induced the conversion of exocrine cells into insulin-producing cells. Furthermore, the overexpression of GLP1R, together with gastrin and exendin-4, synergistically promoted beta cell neogenesis accompanied by the formation of islet-like clusters. These newly generated beta cells expressed beta cell specific transcription factors, such as pancreatic and duodenal homeobox 1 (PDX1), NK6 homeobox 1 (NKX6.1) and musculoaponeurotic fibrosarcoma oncogene family A (MafA). These mice showed no histological evidence of pancreatitis or pancreatic dysplasia in their acini and had normal plasma amylase levels. Activation of GLP-1 and gastrin signalling induces beta cell neogenesis in the exocrine lineage without any deleterious pancreatic changes, which may lead to a potential therapy to cure diabetes by generating surrogate beta cells.

An impaired awareness of hypoglycemia is a serious problem in diabetic patients, which can lead to life-threatening severe hypoglycemia. Recurrent hypoglycemia attenuates the function of the central, mainly hypothalamic, nervous system and it causes an impaired awareness of hypoglycemia. Vitamin B12 deficiency is also associated with the dysfunction of central nervous system. We report a 72-year-old type 1 diabetic patient with vitamin B12 deficiency whose impaired awareness of hypoglycemia improved after 4 weeks of vitamin B12 administration with an increased counter-hormone secretion in response to hypoglycemia. We should recognize vitamin B12 deficiency as one of the causes of an impaired awareness of hypoglycemia in diabetic patients.

Summary Background Limited evidence suggests that multifactorial interventions for control of glucose, blood pressure, and lipids reduce macrovascular complications and mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes. However, safe and effective treatment targets for these risk factors have not been determined for such interventions. Methods In this multicentre, open-label, randomised, parallel-group trial, undertaken at 81 clinical sites in Japan, we randomly assigned (1:1) patients with type 2 diabetes aged 45–69 years with hypertension, dyslipidaemia, or both, and an HbA 1c of 6·9% (52·0 mmol/mol) or higher, to receive conventional therapy for glucose, blood pressure, and lipid control (targets: HbA 1c 1c 1c , and history of cardiovascular disease. Neither patients nor investigators were masked to group assignment. The primary outcome was occurrence of any of a composite of myocardial infarction, stroke, revascularisation (coronary artery bypass surgery, percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, carotid endarterectomy, percutaneous transluminal cerebral angioplasty, and carotid artery stenting), and all-cause mortality. The primary analysis was done in the intention-to-treat population. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00300976. Findings Between June 16, 2006, and March 31, 2009, 2542 eligible patients were randomly assigned to intensive therapy or conventional therapy (1271 in each group) and followed up for a median of 8·5 years (IQR 7·3–9·0). Two patients in the intensive therapy group were found to be ineligible after randomisation and were excluded from the analyses. During the intervention period, mean HbA 1c , systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and LDL cholesterol concentrations were significantly lower in the intensive therapy group than in the conventional therapy group (6·8% [51·0 mmol/mol] vs 7·2% [55·2 mmol/mol]; 123 mm Hg vs 129 mm Hg; 71 mm Hg vs 74 mm Hg; and 85 mg/dL vs 104 mg/dL, respectively; all p vs 283 [22%] in the conventional therapy group, p vs 129 [10%], p=0·0001), the frequencies of major adverse events did not differ between groups. Interpretation Our results do not fully support the efficacy of further intensified multifactorial intervention compared with current standard care for the prevention of a composite of coronary events, cerebrovascular events, and all-cause mortality. Nevertheless, our findings suggest a potential benefit of an intensified intervention for the prevention of cerebrovascular events in patients with type 2 diabetes. Funding Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan, Asahi Kasei Pharma, Astellas Pharma, AstraZeneca, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Daiichi Sankyo, Eli Lilly, GlaxoSmithKline, Kissei Pharmaceutical, Kowa Pharmaceutical, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma, Mochida Pharmaceutical, MSD, Novartis Pharma, Novo Nordisk, Ono Pharmaceutical, Pfizer, Sanwa Kagaku Kenkyusho, Shionogi, Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma, Taisho Toyama Pharmaceutical, and Takeda.

The objective of the present study was to investigate the correlations between serum under-carboxylated osteocalcin (ucOC) or osteocalcin (OC) concentrations and %body fat, serum adiponectin and free-testosterone concentration, muscle strength and dose of exogenous insulin in patients with type 1 diabetes. We recruited 73 Japanese young adult patients with childhood-onset type 1 diabetes. All participants were receiving insulin replacement therapy. The correlations between logarithmic serum ucOC or OC concentrations and each parameter were examined. Serum ucOC and OC concentrations were inversely correlated with% body fat (r = -0.319, P = 0.007; r = -0.321, P = 0.006, respectively). Furthermore, multiple linear regression analyses were performed to determine whether or not serum ucOC or OC concentrations were factors associated with %body fat. Serum ucOC and OC concentrations remained significant factors even after adjusting for gender, HbA1c, body weight-adjusted total daily dose of insulin and duration of diabetes (β = -0.260, P = 0.027; β = -0.254, P = 0.031, respectively). However, serum ucOC and OC concentrations were not correlated with serum adiponectin or free-testosterone concentrations, muscle strength or dose of exogenous insulin. In conclusion, our study demonstrates the inverse correlation between serum ucOC or OC concentrations and body fat in patients with type 1 diabetes.

We herein report the case of a woman with aniridia and with a heterozygous PAX6 mutation. Pax6 is a transcription factor involved in the development of several organs, including the eye, pancreas and pituitary. The patient had been diagnosed with aniridia in childhood and was found to have impaired glucose tolerance with a heterozygous PAX6 mutation 12 years prior to the current admission. Hormone stimulating tests revealed a slightly impaired pituitary function, including subtle hypogonadotropic hypogonadism and borderline growth hormone (GH) deficiency. The present case is the first report of a slightly impaired pituitary function in an aniridia patient with a heterozygous PAX6 mutation.

Aims/Introduction The aim of the present study was to examine the short- and long-term effect of sitagliptin on glucose tolerance after near normalization of glycemic control with insulin in poorly controlled type 2 diabetic patients. Materials and Methods We consecutively enrolled a total of 30 type 2 diabetic patients whose glycated hemoglobin levels (National Glycohemoglobin Standardization Program) were ≥7.4%, stopped all oral antidiabetic drugs and started insulin therapy. When fasting plasma glucose levels became

It is still controversial whether circulating soluble form of receptor for AGE (sRAGE) is associated with atherosclerosis in diabetic patients. In this study, we enrolled 276 Japanese type 2 diabetic subjects without history of cardiovascular disease (CVD), assessed their baseline clinical and biochemical data including serum sRAGE levels, and prospectively evaluated the association between these parameters and CVD events. The median follow-up period was 5.6 years and there were 25 new CVD events. The tertile analysis showed that the risk for CVD events was higher as serum sRAGE levels were increased (p for trend = 0.046). A multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis revealed that serum sRAGE levels were independently associated with CVD (HR per 1SD = 1.59, 95% CI 1.04-2.45, p = 0.034), even after adjusting for conventional coronary risk factors. In summary, elevated sRAGE levels were associated with the increased risk of CVD in Japanese type 2 diabetic subjects.

We herein report the case of a patient with a juxtaglomerular cell tumor (JCT). Dynamic enhanced computed tomography revealed a small nodule on the surface of the lower pole of the right kidney. Selective renal venous sampling showed an elevated level of plasma renin activity (PRA) in the right lower pole renal vein only. We performed right partial nephrectomy and diagnosed the patient with JCT. Making a diagnosis of JCT is often difficult due to the small size of the tumor and the lack of lateralization of the PRA on renal venous sampling. This case highlights the importance of performing selective renal venous sampling for the preoperative diagnosis of JCT.

YKL-40 is a marker of inflammation and endothelial dysfunction, both of which play important roles in the progression of diabetic complications. However, little information has been obtained about serum YKL-40 levels in type 1 diabetic patients. We evaluated YKL-40 levels and its association with diabetic micro- and macroandgiopathy in 131 young Japanese type 1 diabetic patients without advanced diabetic complications (aged 24.7±5.9 years) and 97 age- and gender-matched healthy controls. YKL-40 levels were significantly elevated in type 1 diabetic patients than in healthy controls (median (range) 46.4 (20.3-136.7) and 52.3 (21.4-274.1) ng/mL, respectively, p = 0.003). There was a significant positive association between YKL-40 levels and urinary albumin creatinine ratio (UACR) (r = 0.226, p = 0.013). Furthermore, a multivariate regression analysis demonstrated that YKL-40 levels were a determinant of UACR independently of conventional risk factors. In addition, YKL-40 levels were significantly higher in participants with diabetic retinopathy compared to those without it (median (range) 55.5 (23.3-274.1) and 50.3 (21.4-237.4) ng/mL, respectively, p = 0.039). Serum YKL-40 levels were elevated in type 1 diabetic patients and associated with increasing level of albuminuria. YKL-40 could be a predictor to assess the risk of diabetic microangiopathy in the early stage in type 1 diabetic patients.

The 3243 A>G mutation in mitochondrial DNA is the most common cause of monogenic diabetes mellitus in Japan. A 45-year-old woman with mitochondrial diabetes and significant insulin resistance presented with hypoadiponectinemia despite a normal amount of visceral fat. Three months of treatment with pioglitazone (PIO) improved her blood glucose profile and response to the 75-g oral glucose tolerance test. These changes were accompanied by the amelioration of her insulin resistance and the impairment of early-phase insulin secretion. Her serum adiponectin levels increased to the normal range. In this case of mitochondrial diabetes, PIO was effective for glycemic control.

Aims/Introduction: Recently, dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors have become available in Japan. It has not yet been clarified what clinical parameters could discriminate DPP-4 inhibitor-effective patients from DPP-4 inhibitor-ineffective patients. Materials and Methods: We reviewed 33 consecutive patients with type 2 diabetes admitted to Osaka University Hospital for glycemic control. All of the patients were treated with medical nutrition therapy plus insulin therapy to improve fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and postprandial glucose below 150 and 200 mg/dL, respectively. After insulin secretion and insulin resistance were evaluated, insulin was replaced by DPP-4 inhibitors. The efficacy of DPP-4 inhibitors was determined according to whether glycemic control was maintained at the target levels. Results: Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors were effective in 16 of 33 patients. DPP-4 inhibitor-effective patients were younger than DPP-4 inhibitor-ineffective patients. Body mass index (BMI) was significantly higher in DPP-4 inhibitor-effective patients. Endogeneous insulin-secreting capacity, including insulinogenic index (II), fasting plasma C-peptide (F-CPR) and C-peptide index (CPI), was more sustained in DPP-4 inhibitor-effective patients than DPP-4 inhibitor-ineffective patients. Insulin resistance evaluated by homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was significantly higher in DPP-4 inhibitor-effective patients than DPP-4 inhibitor-ineffective patients. In receiver operating characteristic analyses, the cut-off values for predicting the efficacy of DPP-4 inhibitors were 0.07 for II, 1.5 ng/mL for F-CPR, 1.0 for CPI, 23.0 kg/m 2 for BMI, 1.3 for HOMA-IR and 67.5 years for age. Conclusions: Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors were effective in Japanese type 2 diabetic patients with sustained endogenous insulin-secreting capacity, a higher BMI and insulin resistance. (J Diabetes Invest doi: 10.1111/jdi.12016, 2013)

The aim of the present study was to compare the usefulness of premeal rapid‐acting and regular insulin in type 2 diabetes patients. A total of 56 type 2 diabetic patients were investigated during hospitalization. Premeal rapid‐acting insulin was applied instead of other medications. Premeal insulin was titrated to adjust premeal and bedtime blood glucose levels to 81–120 mg/dL. Premeal rapid‐acting insulin was changed to regular insulin just before a meal at the same dosage if the postmeal blood glucose level was lower than the premeal blood glucose level. A total of 15 patients changed to regular insulin, and 41 patients continued rapid‐acting insulin. The blood glucose level was comparable between these two groups. Body mass index was significantly lower in the patients using regular insulin. According to the multivariate logistic regression analysis, low body mass index was an independent variable accounting for the usefulness of regular insulin. Regular insulin, rather than rapid‐acting insulin, is a suitable choice for premeal insulin in lean type 2 diabetic patients.