A recently study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association has shown that surgical weight loss caused a remission of type 2 diabetes in 73% of obese individuals who underwent such procedures.
The study results show that among people with recently diagnosed diabetes who are obese, greater weight loss, and subsequent remission of type 2 diabetes, is achieved more quickly by laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding than by conventional exercise regimens.
Of the 60 individuals enrolled in the study, 55 completed the 2-year follow-up. Remission of type 2 diabetes was achieved by 22 (73%) of the surgical intervention group and 4 (13%) of the conventional therapy group. There were no serious adverse events in either group (30 in each group).
Remission of type 2 diabetes was defined as a fasting blood glucose level <7.0 mmol/l and an HbA1c <6.2%, while taking no diabetes medication. Remission was significantly linked to weight loss and lower baseline HbA1c (P<0.001 for both).
The Australia-based randomised controlled trial involved 60 obese individuals (BMI between 30–40 kg/m2) with type 2 diabetes diagnosed within the previous 2 years. These individuals were randomised to receive one of two interventions: conventional diabetes therapy with a focus on weight loss by lifestyle change, or laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding with conventional diabetes care.
The authors of the study have said that the ‘results need to be confirmed in a larger, more diverse population and have long-term efficacy assessed.’
The study ran from December 2002 until December 2006.
JAMA, 23 January 2008
Age-related macular degeneration linked to CVD
Researchers from the University of Sydney, Australia, have found that the risk of dying from cardiovascular conditions is doubled in people with age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
The results of the study, published in the British Journal of Opthalmology, indicated that people under 75 with early AMD had double the risk of dying from myocardial infarction or stroke in the subsequent decade, and those with late AMD had a 5-fold risk of myocardial infarction and a 10-fold risk of stroke.
The researchers speculated that anti-VEGF drugs used to treat AMD could be to blame for the increased risk of cardiovascular complications.
At the start of the study, 3600 people aged at least 49 years had their eye and general health assessed; 2335 were examined again 5 years later; and 1952 were assessed for a third time 10 years from baseline.
The authors of the study admitted that more research is needed.
BBC News, 28 February 2008
HEART UK welcomes guidance on detection and management of FH
The first guidance on the identification and management of familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) was issued on 8 February by NICE for a two-month consultation.
The condition is inherited and affects 1 in 500 people: it causes severely raised cholesterol levels which can result in premature illness and death from CVD. Very few cases are identified, despite FH being as common as type 1 diabetes.
Heart UK hope that the guidance will emphasise the importance of finding cases in primary care and tracing families to identify carriers of the responsible gene.
Heart UK, 4 February 2008
CARDIO LITE
Blood pressure goes sky high
The noise from the constant flux of planes at airports creates noise pollution that can only be gotten away from by relocating or going to sleep. However, it seems that going to sleep does not, in fact, provide any respite from the effects of planes taking off and landing.
Recently published research has shown that people living around airports are 40% more likely to develop high blood pressure. The study of 5000 people, including 600 living near Heathrow, showed that noise from night flights causes an immediate increase in blood pressure, even in those who are sleeping.
Cardio Lite is aware that this increase in blood pressure could be terminal.
The Guardian, 13 February 2008
The 4000 calorie diet that leads to weight loss!
A 4000 calorie diet and 12 hours of physical labour does not sound like the usual sort of diet and exercise regimen that would be suggested to keep people fit and healthy. However, for the medieval peasant this was what kept them fitter and healthier than the majority of people today (assuming that they survived plagues, wars and pestilence).
Each day the average medieval peasant would take in around 8oz of meat or fish, two loaves of bread and large quantities of vegetables – all this washed down with three pints of ale! However, there was very little refined sugar in a medieval peasant’s diet.
Dr Roger Henderson (GP, Shropshire) said: ‘If you put this together with the incredible workload, medieval man was at much less risk of coronary heart disease and diabetes than we are today.’
BBC News, 18 December 2007
Attempts to achieve remission, or at least a substantial improvement in glycaemic control, should be the initial focus at type 2 diabetes diagnosis.
9 May 2024