Current Diabetes Reviews - Volume 9, Issue 5, 2013

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are synthesized via the non enzymaticglycation and oxidation of proteins, lipids and nucleic acids. The production of AGEs is particularly enhanced in chronic hyperglycemia, as in diabetes mellitus (DM). The formation of irreversible AGEs affects the tissues by compromising the physiologic and mechanical functions, as a result of defective constitution of the extracellular matrix (ECM) Read More

Psychotropic drugs, like antipsychotics and antidepressants, are often associated with metabolic side effects such as weight gain and an increased risk of the development of diabetes and an atherogenic lipid profile. These adverse effects not only bear a high cardiovascular risk and lead to higher morbidity and mortality, but are an additional burden to mentally ill patients and can be a decisive factor for the compliance and, Read More

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) accounts for 90%–95% of all diabetes cases. The overarching goal in caring for patients with T2DM is to prevent microvascular and macrovascular complications with glycemic control. Several studies such as UKPDS, DCCT, and EDIC have been performed to evaluate the effects of glucose control on tissue complications in patients with diabetes. In recent diabetes trials including ACCORD, ADV Read More

Up to 50% of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have the so-called “cryptogenic cirrhosis.” Most of them are affected by at least one of the condition characterizing the metabolic syndrome, as obesity or diabetes. Recent observations found that type-2 diabetes mellitus (DM) confers a three-fold risk of HCC. Main molecular feature of the conditions of metabolic syndrome is insulin resistance, i.e. the reduced sensitivity Read More

β-cell dysfunction and apoptosis are recognized as a major cause of insufficient insulin secretion in response to high blood glucose and metabolic demand. As a consequence, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is known to occur. Taking into account the etiology of T2DM, to conduct investigational studies directly on human diabetic patients seems to be unsuitable; thereby, various animal models have been established to investigate Read More

Foot problem has been increasingly recognised as a major complication of diabetes, which is associated with a very high mortality and morbidity. Therefore Multi-Disciplinary Foot Clinics (MDFC) have been established all over the world to provide holistic care to these patients. There is a wide variation in the availability of a range of professional skills in the MDFC in different health economy. Therefore the care provided by thes Read More

The use of natural products is very common among non-industrialized societies because these remedies are more accessible and affordable than modern pharmaceuticals. In developed countries, use of herbal products has recently increased as scientific evidence about their effectiveness has become broadly available. For the past two decades many research articles in the field of ethno-pharmacology have focused on the anti Read More

Insulin resistance has been associated with the development of type 2 diabetes, obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, atherosclerosis, and thus with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Insulin resistance precedes the onset of type 2 diabetes by many years. Targeting the pathophysiologic defects that characterize the onset of diabetes is more likely to achieve a durable glucose control and to delay disease Read More

There have been a lot of discussions concerning the relationship between testosterone serum levels in males and diabetes. Low testosterone is commonly associated with type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Testosterone therapy alters the body composition in a metabolically favorable manner. In this article we shed some light on the bidirectional relation between hypotestosteronemia and diabetes discussing also the p Read More

Insulin resistance is closely associated with obesity and type 2 diabetes. Although the mechanisms of insulin resistance are not fully elucidated, recent studies suggest that a complex interaction between inflammation, endoplasmic reticulum stress, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction and autophagy dysregulation plays an important role in insulin resistance. The stress-activated c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) has been in Read More