Endocrinology

Approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) just over 4 years ago, linagliptin (Tradjenta) can help protect against renal injury in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Oxidative stress plays an important role in the ability for dapagliflozin, a sodium glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor, to effectively ease diabetic nephropathy, according to lead author Takashi Hatanaka of Nagoya University. The study will be presented in a poster session on June 6 at the American Diabetes Association 75th Scientific Sessions in Boston, MA.

The global pandemic of diabetes poses a huge public health challenge to every nation. In 2014 more than 380 million people around the world were living with diabetes-8.3% of the adult population. That number is expected to increase to 592 million by 2035.

Overt hyperthyroidism is a known risk factor for osteoporosis and fractures. More subtle alterations in thyroid function, such as those that occur in subclinical thyroid dysfunction, may also be associated with increased fracture risk and bone loss, but until recently no clinical trials have adequately explored that issue.

A recent Chinese study of antibiotic use in primary care settings found that up to 93% of respiratory tract infections (RTIs) were treated with antibiotics, with more than 60% reported as inappropriate.

Small case study shows limited positive benefits in 2 children with Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome who were treated with growth hormone.

A meta-analysis of peer-reviewed articles published after 2000 that looked at the economic consequences of type 2 diabetes mellitus treatment intensification produced several interesting findings.

With certain strains already proving to be resistant to treatment with antibiotics, Staphylococcus aureus is posing another major health threat.

Danish researchers conducted a meta-analysis that looked at possible associations between coffee intake and obesity, metabolic syndrome, and type 2 diabetes. They reported finding only a low risk of these conditions in coffee drinkers, but no genetic variance to explain the relationships.

With the global boom in type 2 diabetes mellitus, many patients have greatest access to and are well-cared for by their primary care practitioners (PCPs). For those with basic, predictable, garden-variety diabetes, PCPs are perfectly capable of helping them. It's unclear when referral to a specialist for consultation or chronic management is most sensible.

Extended use of paracetamol by pregnant women might impact male fetal testosterone development, according to research published in Science Translational Medicine.

A recent review article summarized the socioeconomic consequences of Klinefelter syndrome, which is the most frequent chromosomal aberration in humans and is associated with hypogonadism and neurocognitive deficits.

Obesity rates have climbed nearly 50 percent since 1997, with as much as 30 percent of the population classified as obese. There is strong belief within the health care industry that obesity should be treated as a primary medical condition, with physicians playing a major role. Evidence suggests that patients are more likely to lose weight when they are advised by their primary care physicians to do so.

GLP-1 receptor antagonists have been associated with thyroid cancer in rodents, and in fact carry a boxed warning about the potential for cancer in humans. This leads many clinicians to ask if they should be concerned about using these drugs in patients who have or develop specific types of thyroid cancer

Dementia is linked to comorbid diabetes and psychiatric conditions like depression, according to research from University College London.

With the help of a 3-D printer researchers are working on developing a new overtube that can be used during endoscopic submucosal dissection.

Sitagliptin appears to have beneficial systemic and adipose anti-inflammatory effects in combination antiretroviral therapy-treated HIV-positive adults with impaired glucose tolerance. The drug may prevent cardiovascular problems by reducing inflammation linked to heart disease and stroke in this patient population.

The results of the largest study of its kind to date indicate that new antipsychotic medications-including quetiapine, olanzapine, and risperidone-do not appear to put women at additional risk of developing gestational diabetes, hypertensive disorders, or major blood clots that obstruct circulation, all conditions that often develop during pregnancy or with the use of older antipsychotic medications.

In most cases when a patient undergoes a biopsy on their esophagus any cancer found is located too late to be treated. A recent development could help doctors find the disease before it is too late.

While there have been some concerns raised about computer assisted propofol sedation studies have shown it to be a safe and effective method when conducted by properly trained healthcare professionals. Work is also being done to ensure better results in the future.

According to research done on computer assisted propofol sedation patients see a faster recovery time by approximately 6 minutes on average. This can help not only the patients to leave the recovery area faster, but can also put less of a burden on the staff and location of their endoscopic procedure.

When undergoing endoscopic procedures it is important that patients receive the proper pain medication. A recent study looked at whether a computer can assist in the process to keep the patients comfortable allow them to continue on their day after the procedure.

Obesity associated with metabolic syndrome can be treated when patients adhere to a high-protein diet, a team of researchers from University of California, Los Angeles found.

Patients with gastroparesis may be helped with a combination of gastric electrical stimulation and surgery to widen the pylorus, a Texas team reports.

Patients who are obese may have a genetic makeup that causes their stomachs to empty faster than those of normal-weight people. Investigators say there is a drug that can help.

Edward Damiano, PhD, Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University shared his 2013-2015 research results surrounding the acclaimed bionic pancreas at the 24th American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists Nashville, TN.

More than 13,000 physicians and cardiovascular team members attended the ACC 2015 meeting in San Diego on March 14-16, 2015. In this issue of Cardiology Review, we focus on 6 important studies presented at ACC 2015: LEGACY, OSLER, PEGASUS, EMBRACE-STEMI, MATRIX, and CoreValve.

Mortality in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is higher than in the general population, and whether mortality improves or alters with glycemic control is unknown.

Testosterone Replacement Therapy may be the way to go for some patients, but for others bioidenticals and other medications may provide better treatment over a shorter period of time.