0000000000311971
AUTHOR
Loretta Cosentino
Effects of hypocaloric diets with different glycemic indexes on endothelial function and glycemic variability in overweight and in obese adult patients at increased cardiovascular risk
Background & aims: The role of glycemic index of the diet in glucose control and cardiovascular prevention is still not clear. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of hypocaloric diets with different glycemic indexes and glycemic loads on endothelial function and glycemic variability in nondiabetic participants at increased cardiovascular risk. Methods: Forty nondiabetic obese participants were randomly assigned to a three-month treatment with either a low glycemic index (LGI; n ¼ 19) or high glycemic index (HGI; n ¼ 21) hypocaloric diet with similar macronutrient and fiber content. Endothelial function was measured as flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) of the brachial artery befo…
Metabolic and Cardiovascular Effects of Switching Thiazides to Amlodipine in Hypertensive Patients With and Without Type 2 Diabetes (the Diuretics and Diabetes Control Study).
Background: Different studies have indicated that thiazide diuretics can increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D). Therefore, in this study, we investigated whether switching from hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) to amlodipine resulted in ameliorating different cardiovascular and metabolic measures in hypertensive patients with or without T2D. Methods: This study [Diuretics and Diabetes Control (DiaDiC)] was a 6-week, single-blind, single-center randomized controlled trial. The first 20 normal glucose-tolerant, 20 prediabetic, and 20 T2D consecutive patients were randomized to continue the previous antihypertensive treatment with HCTZ (12.5-25 mg/day) or to switch from HCTZ to amlodi…
Characterization of Metabolically Healthy Obese People and Metabolically Unhealthy Normal-Weight People in a General Population Cohort of the ABCD Study.
There is actually no consensus about the possibility that in some instances, obesity may be a benign metabolically healthy (MH) condition as opposed to a normal-weight but metabolically unhealthy (MUH) state. The aim of this study was to characterize MH condition and to investigate possible associations with metabolic and cardiovascular complications. One thousand nineteen people (range of age 18–90 years) of the cohort of the ABCD_2 study were investigated. Participants were classified as normal weight (BMI < 24.9 kg/m2) or overweight-obese (BMI ≥25 kg/m2); they were also classified as MH in the presence of 0-1 among the following conditions: (a) prediabetes/type 2 diabetes, (b) hyperte…
The complex interplay between vitamin D deficiency and diabetes
It has been recently highlighted the link between vitamin D and metabolic and immunological pro- cesses, which established its role as an essential component of human health preservation. Vitamin D has been defined as natural immune modulators, and through the activation of its receptors (VDRs), it regulates calcium metabolism, cellular growth, proliferation and apoptosis, and other immunological functions. In this setting, vita- min D has also been reported to influence glucose regulation via effects on insulin secretion and action. Vitamin D deficiency is strongly associated with obesity mostly due to the storage of vitamin D in adipose tissue because of its lipophilic properties. The dec…