A growing body of evidence suggests that the consumption of foods rich in polyphenolic compounds, particularly cocoa, may have cardioprotective effects. No review, however, has yet examined the effect of flavonoid-rich cocoa (FRC) on all major cardiovascular risk factors or has examined potential dose-response relationships for these effects. A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized, controlled trials was performed to evaluate the effect of FRC on cardiovascular risk factors and to assess a dose-response relationship. Inclusion and exclusion criteria as well as dependent and independent variables were determined a priori. Data were collected for: blood pressure, pulse, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, TG, BMI, C-reactive protein, flow-mediated vascular dilation (FMD), fasting glucose, fasting insulin, serum isoprostane, and insulin sensitivity/resistance indices. Twenty-four papers, with 1106 participants, met the criteria for final analysis. In response to FRC consumption, systolic blood pressure decreased by 1.63 mm Hg (P = 0.033), LDL cholesterol decreased by 0.077 mmol/L (P = 0.038), and HDL cholesterol increased by 0.046 mmol/L (P = 0.037), whereas total cholesterol, TG, and C-reactive protein remained the same. Moreover, insulin resistance decreased (HOMA-IR: -0.94 points; P < 0.001), whereas FMD increased (1.53%; P < 0.001). A nonlinear dose-response relationship was found between FRC and FMD (P = 0.004), with maximum effect observed at a flavonoid dose of 500 mg/d; a similar relationship may exist with HDL cholesterol levels (P = 0.06). FRC consumption significantly improves blood pressure, insulin resistance, lipid profiles, and FMD. These short-term benefits warrant larger long-term investigations into the cardioprotective role of FRC.

Severe insulin resistance resulting from known or putative genetic defects affecting the insulin receptor or post-insulin receptor signalling represents a clinical spectrum ranging from Donohue's and Rabson-Mendenhall syndrome, where the genetic defect is identified, through to the milder phenotype of type A insulin resistance, where a genetic defect can only be detected in around 10% of cases. Paradoxically, subjects with these conditions may present with hypoglycaemia due to mismatch of post-prandial glucose excursion and compensatory hyperinsulinaemia. Ultimately, treatment with insulin and insulin sensitisers will be unsuccessful and subjects may succumb to diabetes or its complications. Recombinant human IGF-I alone or combined with its binding protein (IGFBP-3) provides an alternative therapy as IGF-I receptor shares structural and functional homology with the insulin receptor and recombinant human insulin-like growth factor I (rhIGF-I) therapy could improve glucose disposal by signalling through the IGF-I receptor, whilst reducing the adverse effects of high insulin concentrations. There are also data which indicate that IGF-I signalling through the IGF-I receptor on the pancreatic b-cell may be important in maintaining insulin secretion. Pilot studies confirmed that rhIGF-I could reduce glucose and insulin levels in subjects with type A insulin resistance and those with Rabson-Mendenhall syndrome with sustained beneficial effects on HbA1c. Continued study has confirmed efficacy of rhIGF-I when combined with IGFBP-3 in the treatment of Donohue's and type A insulin resistance subjects. Observations that IGF-I treatment can improve C-peptide levels in these subjects may indicate that it might be more valuable as a first line intervention to preserve b-cell function, rather than its current use as a medication of last resort in subjects where all other therapies have failed.European Journal of Endocrinology 157 S51-S56

rhIGF-I/rhIGFBP-3 is well tolerated and clinically effective in subjects with SIR.

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