BackgroundWhereas an increase of neck circumference (NC) had been recently identified as a new independent cardiovascular disease (CVD) and metabolic syndrome risk factor, similar assessments concerning screen-detected diabetes mellitus (SDDM) have not been made. Thyroid gland volume (ThV) can potentially affect NC however the significance of this influence concerning the risk of NC-related disease is unknown.MethodsWe performed a ThV-adjusted evaluation of NC within a population-based investigation of SDDM and impaired glucose regulation (IGR) prevalence. This study contains fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and 75 g 2-h glucose tolerance test results (2-hPG) of 196 residents of Kyiv region, Ukraine, randomly selected from the rural population older than 44 y.o. who were not registered as diabetes mellitus patients. Standard anthropometric (height; weight; blood pressure; waist, hip circumferences), NC and ultrasonography ThV measurements were performed, hypotensive medication, CVD events and early life nutrition history considered. HbA1c was measured, if FPG/2-hPG reached 7.0/11.1 mmol/l respectively; HbA1c level 6.5 % was considered to be SDDM diagnostic; IGR if FPG/2-hPG reached 6.1/7.8 but less than 7.0/11.1 mmol/l respectively.ResultsNeck circumference among women with normal FPG/2-hPG was 35 (33–36) cm, IGR 36 (34.5–38) cm, SDDM HbA1c < 6.5 % 42 (40–43) cm, HbA1c > 6.5 % 42.5 (40–44) cm, p < 0.001, and for men from the same groups 38.5 (36.5–41.5) cm; 39 (37–42) cm; 42 (40–43) cm; 42.5 (40–44) cm, p = 0.063; medians (QI–QIII). Gender-adjusted logistic regression OR for SDDM HbA1c > 6.5 % vs. normal FPG/2-hPG category depending of NC as a continued variable, equaled to 1.60 (95 % CI 1.27–2.02) per cm. Additional adjusting by ThV, body mass or waist/hip index, high blood pressure, acute CVD events, or starvation history did not significantly influence this risk.ConclusionNeck circumference is a new risk factor of SDDM that is independent from other indicators of adipose tissue distribution as well as from the ThV.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13098-016-0129-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is characterized by shorter leukocyte telomere length, but the relationship between leukocyte telomere length and type 2 diabetes mellitus development is rather questioned. Fasting and post-load glycaemia associated with different types of insulin resistance and their relation with leukocyte telomere length remains unknown. We compared leukocyte telomere length and fasting or post-load glucose levels in persons who do not receive glucose lowering treatment. For 82 randomly selected rural residents of Ukraine, aged 45+, not previously diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus, the WHO oral glucose tolerance test and anthropometric measurements were performed. Leukocyte telomere length was measured by standardized method of quantitative monochrome multiplex polymerase chain reaction in real time. Spearman's or Pearson's rank correlation was used for correlation analysis between fasting plasma glucose or 2-h post-load plasma glucose levels and leukocyte telomere length. Logistical regression models were used to evaluate risks of finding short or long telomeres associated with fasting plasma glucose or 2-h post-load plasma glucose levels. No association of fasting plasma glucose and leukocyte telomere length was revealed, whereas 2-h post-load plasma glucose levels demonstrated a negative correlation ( P < 0.01) with leukocyte telomere length. Waist circumference and systolic blood pressure were negatively related ( P = 0.03) with leukocyte telomere length in men. Oral glucose tolerance test result-based glycemic categories did not show differences between mean leukocyte telomere length in categories of normal fasting plasma glucose and 2-h post-load plasma glucose (NGT, n = 33); diabetes mellitus (DM), n = 18 and impaired fasting glucose/tolerance (IFG/IGT, n = 31) levels. A correlation relationship between leukocyte telomere length and 2-h post-load plasma glucose level in NGT; IFG/IGT and DM groups ( P = 0.027; 0.029 and 0.049, respectively) was revealed; the association between leukocyte telomere length and fasting plasma glucose was confirmed in DM group only ( P = 0.009). Increase of 2-h post-load plasma glucose (but not fasting plasma glucose) level improves the chances of revealing short telomeres: OR 1.52 (95% CI 1.04-2.22), P = 0.03. After the adjustment for age, gender, waist circumference, systolic blood pressure, and fasting plasma glucose, these phenomena remain significant. We conclude that 2-h post-load plasma glucose but not fasting plasma glucose is inversely associated with leukocyte telomere length. Impact statement • Contradictory epidemiologic data have been obtained about the link between the leucocyte telomere length (LTL) and diabetes. Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is likely to be pathophysiologically heterogeneous, but comparison of the association of LTL separately with fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and 2-h post-load plasma glucose (2hPG) levels has not been done before. Thus, the study of LTL changes associated with different types of hyperglycaemia, that largely determine th...

A relationship between childhood starvation and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) in adulthood was previously indicated. Ukraine suffered a series of artificial famines between 1921 and 1947. Famines of 1932 to 1933 and 1946 were most severe among them. Long-term health consequences of these famines remain insufficiently investigated. Type 2 diabetes mellitus screening was conducted between June 2013 and December 2014. A total of 198 rural residents of Kyiv region more than 44 years of age, not registered as patients with T2D, were randomly selected. In all, 159 persons answered the question about starvation of parental family, including 73 born before 1947. Among them, 62 persons answered positive. Anthropometric measurements and glucose tolerance tests were performed. A logistic regression model was used to evaluate results. Type 2 diabetes mellitus was detected in 7 of 62 persons (11.3%), who starved during childhood vs 6 of 11 (54.5%) who did not (P = .002), age-adjusted and sex-adjusted odds ratio (OR) (95% confidence interval): 0.063 (0.007-0.557). Analysis of the anthropometric data revealed a negative connection between adulthood height and neck circumference (cm, continued variables) and childhood starvation: age-adjusted and sex-adjusted ORs 0.86 (0.76-0.97) and 0.73 (0.54-0.97), respectively. Individuals who starved during famines of 1932 to 1933 and 1946 in Ukraine had a decreased T2D prevalence several decades after the famine episodes.

No abstract