Current Diabetes Reviews - Volume 8, Issue 3, 2012

Exposure of the fetus to the intrauterine milieu can have profound effects on the health of the offspring in adulthood. These observations are highly reproducible in many populations worldwide although the mechanisms behind them remain elusive. The ‘thrifty phenotype’ hypothesis proposes that poor fetal nutrition leads to programming of metabolism and an adult phenotype that is adapted to poor but not plentiful nutrition. Read More

Type 2 DM is associated with high rates of morbidity and premature mortality. Various potential health effects of coffee have been extensively studied, but data on habitual coffee consumption and the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus have only recently been published. We systematically reviewed cohort studies (identified after searching through MEDLINE) from the period of January 2001 to August 2011 to find out the rel Read More

Dipeptidyl peptidase -4 inhibitors represent a novel way to augment the incretin system and one of the newest class of medications in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Their mechanism of action is to decrease the inactivation of glucagon-like peptide 1 and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide, both of which are involved in maintaining euglycemia subsequent to carbohydrate intake. Currently investigat Read More

Diabetic nephropathy, a complex disorder with heterogeneous etiologies, remains one of the most threatening diseases worldwide. There were around 177 million people with diabetes mellitus worldwide, and it has been estimated to be increased to 360 million by 2030. Given that about 20-30% of these people develop diabetic nephropathy, the present treatment protocols primarily aim for an efficient glucose and blood pre Read More

Charcot neuroarthropathy (CN) is a devastating condition affecting the feet in patients with diabetes. The pathophysiology of (CN) is still incompletely understood, although main etiological components have been identified. The cornerstone of treatment of acute CN is immediate effective offloading, typically with total contact casting, and reduction in weight-bearing. The main current targets of pharmacological in Read More

Accurate identification of infection in diabetic foot lesions is essential as the alternative can result in complicated medical and/or surgical interventions. The aim should be the differentiation between colonization and infection to avoid premature initiation of antimicrobial therapy. Diabetic foot ulcers provide a suitable environment for a diversity of microorganisms to first contaminate then subsequently colonize th Read More

Diabetic retinopathy is one of the leading causes of vision loss worldwide. Fluorescein angiogram still plays a primary role in its diagnosis but new non-invasive technologies as optical coherence tomography, fundus autofluorescence and microperimetry are gaining popularity in the last years. Anatomical changes found with these devices have been widely described but their correlation with visual function needs to be assessed Read More

The diabetic foot remains a major cause of morbidity worldwide. Even though considerable progress has been achieved over the past years, there is still an urgent need for improvement. While established therapeutic modalities (revascularization, casting and debridement) remain the mainstay of management, there is, therefore, continuous development of new treatment options. This review provides an outlook of advances in Read More

The prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus has reached epidemic proportions and continues to grow in nations throughout the world. This disease is typically accompanied by other related conditions that each pose a hazard to the health of these patients and exacerbate the risk associated with diabetes for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Despite guideline recommendations for assessment and treatment of all of these re Read More

Diabetes can be associated with a number of peripheral nerve disorders. The commonest is slowly-progressive axonal distal symmetrical sensori-motor neuropathy. Sensory loss and positive sensory symptoms are its main manifestations. Lumbosacral radiculoplexus neuropathy (LSRPN) is a distinct entity, accompanied by severe lumbar, hip, leg pain and weight loss, with subsequent weakness. Although typically unilateral, bil Read More