Low-carbohydrate, low-GI, Mediterranean, and high-protein diets are effective in improving various markers of cardiovascular risk in people with diabetes and should be considered in the overall strategy of diabetes management.

Childhood obesity predicts the risk of adult adiposity, which is associated with the earlier onset of cardiovascular disease [adult atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, ACVD: hypertension, increased carotid intima media thickness (CIMT) stroke, ischemic heart disease (IHD)] and dysglycaemia. Because it is not known whether childhood obesity contributes to these diseases, we conducted a systematic review of studies that examine the ability of measures of obesity in childhood to predict dysglycaemia and ACVD. Data sources were Web of Science, MEDLINE, PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane, SCOPUS, ProQuest and reference lists. Studies measuring body mass index (BMI), skin fold thickness and waist circumference were selected; of 1,954 studies, 18 met study criteria. Childhood BMI predicted CIMT: odds ratio (OR), 3.39 (95% confidence interval (CI), 2.02 to 5.67, P < 0.001) and risk of impaired glucose tolerance in adulthood, but its ability to predict ACVD events (stroke, IHD; OR, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.02 to 1.07; P < 0.001) and hypertension (OR, 1.17, 95% CI 1.06 to 1.27, P = 0.003) was weak-moderate. Body mass index was not predictive of systolic BP (r -0.57, P = 0.08) and weakly predicted diastolic BP (r 0.21, P = 0.002). Skin fold thickness in childhood weakly predicted CIMT in female adults only (r 0.09, P < 0.05). Childhood BMI predicts the risk of dysglycaemia and abnormal CIMT in adulthood, but its ability to predict hypertension and ACVD events was weak and moderate, respectively. Skin fold thickness was a weak predictor of CIMT in female adults.

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Context: The insulin tolerance test (ITT) is the gold standard for assessment of the pituitary adrenal axis but its use is limited because of concerns relating to the risk of hypoglycaemia. Objective: This study examined the depth and duration of hypoglycaemia achieved during the test in a large cohort of patients. Design: Two hundred and twenty ITTs were performed from 2005 to 2010. Setting: A 1200-bed University Teaching Hospital. Patients: Two hundred and twenty ITTs were carried out in patients with suspected or known pituitary disorders. Interventions: Intravenous insulin was administered to achieve nadir plasma glucose (NPG) of 2.2 mmol/l (39.6 mg/dl). Blood chemistry to show the cortisol and GH response to hypoglycaemic stress was measured. Main outcome measures: Predictors of depth and duration of hypoglycaemia, adverse events and within-subject variability of nadir glucose, peak cortisol and peak GH were studied. Results: Thirty percent of the cohort achieved a nadir glucose of !2.0 mmol/l (36 mg/dl) that lasted for 60 min or more. The NPG correlated positively with fasting plasma glucose (FPG; rZ0:56; P!0.0005), insulin dose (rZ0.27; P!0.0005) and weight (rZ0.21; P!0.004). The within subject variability of nadir glucose was 15.2%, peak cortisol was 11.7% and peak GH was 6.4%. The factors determining nadir blood glucose were FPG (bZ0.56, P!0.0005, 20% contribution) and weight (bZ0.14, P!0.05, 2% contribution). The five patients with adverse events had NPG and insulin dose comparable with the rest of the population. Conclusions: The hypoglycaemia achieved during the ITT is much lower than the target required. However, adverse events are few and do not relate to the depth of hypoglycaemia.

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