About 40% of the population aged 55 to 74 years in the Augsburg region have disturbed glucose tolerance or diabetes. Half of the total cases with diabetes are undiagnosed. Cardiovascular risk factors worsen among glucose tolerance categories, indicating the need for screening and prevention. Screening for undiagnosed diabetes could be most efficient in individuals with abdominal adiposity (men), hypertriglyceridaemia (women), hypertension, and parental diabetes history.

OBJECTIVEThere is a dearth of long-term data regarding patient and limb survival in patients with diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs). The purpose of our study was therefore to prospectively investigate the limb and person survival of DFU patients during a follow-up period of more than 10 years.RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODSTwo hundred forty-seven patients with DFUs and without previous major amputation consecutively presenting to a single diabetes center between June 1998 and December 1999 were included in this study and followed up until May 2011. Mean patient age was 68.8 ± 10.9 years, 58.7% were male, and 55.5% had peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Times to first major amputation and to death were analyzed with Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox multiple regression.RESULTSA first major amputation occurred in 38 patients (15.4%) during follow-up. All but one of these patients had evidence of PAD at inclusion in the study, and 51.4% had severe PAD [ankle-brachial pressure index ≤0.4]). Age (hazard ratio [HR] per year, 1.05 [95% CI, 1.01–1.10]), being on dialysis (3.51 [1.02–12.07]), and PAD (35.34 [4.81–259.79]) were significant predictors for first major amputation. Cumulative mortalities at years 1, 3, 5, and 10 were 15.4, 33.1, 45.8, and 70.4%, respectively. Significant predictors for death were age (HR per year, 1.08 [95% CI, 1.06–1.10]), male sex ([1.18–2.32]), chronic renal insufficiency (1.83 [1.25–2.66]), dialysis (6.43 [3.14–13.16]), and PAD (1.44 [1.05–1.98]).CONCLUSIONSAlthough long-term limb salvage in this modern series of diabetic foot patients is favorable, long-term survival remains poor, especially among patients with PAD or renal insufficiency.

OBJECTIVE -␤-Cell function in type 1 diabetes clinical trials is commonly measured by C-peptide response to a secretagogue in either a mixed-meal tolerance test (MMTT) or a glucagon stimulation test (GST). The Type 1 Diabetes TrialNet Research Group and the European Cpeptide Trial (ECPT) Study Group conducted parallel randomized studies to compare the sensitivity, reproducibility, and tolerability of these procedures. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS -In randomized sequences, 148TrialNet subjects completed 549 tests with up to 2 MMTT and 2 GST tests on separate days, and 118 ECPT subjects completed 348 tests (up to 3 each) with either two MMTTs or two GSTs.RESULTS -Among individuals with up to 4 years' duration of type 1 diabetes, Ͼ85% had measurable stimulated C-peptide values. The MMTT stimulus produced significantly higher concentrations of C-peptide than the GST. Whereas both tests were highly reproducible, the MMTT was significantly more so (R 2 ϭ 0.96 for peak C-peptide response). Overall, the majority of subjects preferred the MMTT, and there were few adverse events. Some older subjects preferred the shorter duration of the GST. Nausea was reported in the majority of GST studies, particularly in the young age-group.CONCLUSIONS -The MMTT is preferred for the assessment of ␤-cell function in therapeutic trials in type 1 diabetes.

Aims/hypothesis. A population-based sample was studied to define immune abnormalities in individuals at risk of Type II (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus because of impaired glucose tolerance. Methods. A total of 1653 individuals aged 55 to 74 years participated in a population based survey in Southern Germany (KORA Survey 2000). Those without a history of diabetes were subjected to an OGTT. Randomly selected subjects with IGT (n=80) were compared with non-diabetic control subjects (n=77) and patients with Type II diabetes (n=152) of the same population-based sample after matching for age and sex. Immune parameters were analysed in serum with rigidly evaluated ELISA. Results. Serum pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin 6 (IL-6) concentrations were higher in subjects with IGT and Type II diabetes than in the control subjects (median 1.8 and 2.5 vs 0.8 pg/ml, p<0.0001). Soluble IL-6 receptors potentiate IL-6 bioactivity and their concentrations were mildly increased in Type II diabetes (p<0.05). These immune changes seem relevant because IL-6 dependent acute-phase proteins C-reactive protein, serum amyloid A protein and fibrinogen were also increased in IGT and Type II diabetes. Circulating concentrations of TNF-α and its two receptors sTNF-R60 and sTNF-R80 were not increased in IGT subjects compared with the control subjects. Conclusion/interpretation. Our study shows systemic up-regulation of selected inflammatory mediators in patients with Type II diabetes and IGT. The pattern observed is non-random and fits with an IL-6 associated rather than TNF-α associated response. [Diabetologia (2002) 45:805-812]