Diabetes News December 24th 2009

Effect of glitazones on the progression of coronary artery disease in type 2 diabetes patients
This article reviews the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis in diabetes, the role that TZDs play in this process and the imaging trials looking at the progression or regression of atherosclerosis in patients treated with TZDs (Vascular Health and Risk Management)

Progression to diabetes in relatives of type 1 diabetic patients: mechanisms and mode of onset
In high-risk relatives, ß-cell glucose sensitivity is impaired and is a strong predictor of diabetes progression. The time trajectories of plasma glucose are frequently biphasic, a slow linear increase being followed by a rapid surge, and are anticipated by a further deterioration of ß-cell glucose sensitivity (Diabetes)

Diabetes-Related Medication-Induced Hypoglycemia
Following treatment of the episode, it is important to evaluate for the cause and, if medication related, adjust the patient’s treatment regimen (Journal of Pharmacy Practice)

Six months of diazoxide treatment at bedtime in newly diagnosed subjects with type 1 diabetes
Six months of low-dose diazoxide was without the side-effects, did not measurably affect insulin production, but was associated with improved metabolic control (Diabetes Care)

Exenatide Once Weekly Provided Superior Glucose Control Compared to Byetta in DURATION-5 Study
Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Eli Lilly and Company and Alkermes announce positive results from a head-to-head study comparing exenatide once weekly, an investigational diabetes therapy, to BYETTA® (exenatide) injection taken twice daily, in patients with type 2 diabetes (PharmaLive)

Medical Management of Hyperglycemia in Type 2 Diabetes
A Consensus Algorithm for the Initiation and Adjustment of Therapy (Diabetes Care)

GI Dynamics Gets European Approval
The company said it plans to begin selling the device, called the EndoBarrier, in Europe in the first half of 2010 (Xconomy, USA)

Adolescent type 1 Diabetes cardio-renal Intervention Trial (AdDIT)
AdDIT will provide important data on the potential renal and cardiovascular protective effects of ACEI and statins in high-risk adolescents (BMC Pediatrics)

Diabetic Kidney Disease: A Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System Focused Review
At this point in time, the mainstays of therapy are angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers. More research is currently needed to determine if renin inhibitors will have an active role in the management of diabetic kidney disease (Journal of Pharmacy Practice)

Aspirin and diabetes
Time to rethink aspirin in diabetes? (BMJ)

Researchers Re-Defining the Concept of a Cure for Diabetes
Much of the discussion surrounding diabetes concerns day-to-day treatment and how a patient can manage symptoms and keep the disease from progressing. Rarely does anyone discuss the possibility of a cure (U.S. Medicine)

CNS-targets in control of energy and glucose homeostasis
This review summarizes recent findings regarding the role of the CNS in sensing and transmitting nutritional and hormonal signals to control energy and glucose homeostasis and aims to define them as potential novel drug targets for the treatment of obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (Abstract Current Opinion in Pharmacology – via ScienceDirect)