BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: Artificial sweeteners were thought to be metabolically inactive, but after demonstrating that the gustatory mechanism was also localized in the small intestine, suspicions about the metabolic effects of artificial sweeteners have emerged. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of artificial sweeteners (aspartame and sucralose) on blood glucose, insulin, c-peptide and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) levels. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Eight newly diagnosed drug-naive type 2 diabetic patients (mean age 51.5 ± 9.2 years; F/M: 4/4) and eight healthy subjects (mean age 45.0 ± 4.1 years; F/M: 4/4) underwent 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). During OGTT, glucose, insulin, c-peptide and GLP-1 were measured at 15-min intervals for 120 min. The OGTTs were performed at three settings on different days, where subjects were given 72 mg of aspartame and 24 mg of sucralose in 200 ml of water or 200 ml of water alone 15 min before OGTT in a single-blinded randomized order. RESULTS: In healthy subjects, the total area under the curve (AUC) of glucose was statistically significantly lower in the sucralose setting than in the water setting (P = 0.002). There was no difference between the aspartame setting and the water setting (P = 0.53). Total AUC of insulin and c-peptide was similar in aspartame, sucralose and water settings. Total AUC of GLP-1 was significantly higher in the sucralose setting than in the water setting (P = 0.04). Total AUC values of glucose, insulin, c-peptide and GLP-1 were not statistically different in three settings in type 2 diabetic patients. CONCLUSIONS: Sucralose enhances GLP-1 release and lowers blood glucose in the presence of carbohydrate in healthy subjects but not in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetic patients.

No abstract

No abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D, vitamin B12, and folic acid (FA) levels in progressive and nonprogressive patients with keratoconus (KCN). Methods: Fifty-five patients with KCN (28 progressive and 27 nonprogressive) who were followed up for at least 12 months were recruited and separated into 2 groups according to corneal topographic progression criteria. Age- and sex-matched 30 healthy individuals formed the control group. Serum vitamin D, B12, FA, and Ca levels were compared among control, nonprogressive, and progressive groups. The effect of gender, age, vitamin D, B12, and FA parameters on KCN progression was investigated. Results: Serum vitamin D levels were 12.77 ± 5.52, 11.78 ± 4.32, and 17.40 ± 5.12 ng/mL in nonprogressive, progressive, and control groups, respectively. The serum vitamin D levels in KCN groups (nonprogressive and progressive) were significantly lower than the control group (P = 0.002 and P < 0.001, respectively). There was no significant difference between all groups in serum vitamin B12, FA, and Ca levels (P > 0.05). Decreased vitamin D levels significantly increased nonprogressive KCN probability 1.23 times and progressive KCN probability 1.29 times more than the control group (P = 0.002, 95% confidence interval, 0.708–0.925; P < 0.001, 95% confidence interval, 0.668–0.888, respectively). Conclusions: Serum vitamin D levels were significantly decreased in both KCN groups. However, serum vitamin B12, FA, and Ca levels were similar in all groups. Serum vitamin D evaluation of patients with KCN at onset and follow-up examinations may help to predict the course of the disease.

In the management of moderate acute asthma attack, nebulized CS (2000 mcg daily) was found to be as effective as systemic route with regard to clinical improvement. In addition, immunological parameters were more in favor of nebulized route which may imply a salutary effect of local CS usage.