Objective The present study has been designed to evaluate urinary nephrin that best predicts the occurrence of renal dysfunction in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients and its correlation with clinical parameters of nephropathy. Materials and Methods A total of 80 type 2 diabetes mellitus and 40 age- and gender-matched healthy controls were recruited. Biochemical and clinical parameters were analyzed in all the study participants. Analysis of variance was performed to compare the differences between the groups. Pearson's correlation analysis was used to analyze the association of nephrin with clinical parameters of nephropathy. Receiver operating characteristic curves were constructed to study the diagnostic accuracy of markers to identify diabetic nephropathy. Results The levels of nephrin were significantly elevated in both groups of type 2 diabetes mellitus patients when compared with healthy individuals (p = 0.0001). The urinary nephrin was positively correlated with hemoglobin A1c and urinary albumin creatinine ratio (r = 0.520, 0.657, p < 0.0001) and negatively correlated with estimated glomerular filtration rate (r = –0.539, p < 0.0001). The diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of nephrin for nephropathy were 100 and 88%, respectively, and urinary albumin creatinine ratio was 43 and 76%, respectively. Conclusion The study findings suggest that nephrin levels are strongly and positively associated with nephropathy in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients and it has a greater potential to be an early predictable marker of nephropathy than urinary albumin creatinine ratio.

Background: Both microvascular and macrovascular complications in diabetes are related to oxidative stress. Zinc which has antioxidant property, delays diabetic complications. The present study was conducted with the objective to study the relationship between serum Zinc level and HbA1C level in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus and to compare serum Zinc level with its risk factors. Methods: The present study was a cross sectional study, conducted on 100 patients attending the outpatient department at Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital and Madras Medical College, Chennai during the period from May 2015 to October 2015. Of them 50 were newly diagnosed type 2 diabetics and considered as diabetic group and other 50 were considered as controls, who attended the master health check-up. All patients were subjected to thorough general and systemic examination. Under strict aseptic precautions blood sample was collected from all the patients and the serum was investigated for creatinine, urea, zinc, HbA1c, cholesterol, triglycerides and fasting blood glucose. The data obtained were analysed using Microsoft excel software. Correlation was found out in SPSS by using regression equation. Results: The body mass index (BMI) and mean systolic blood pressure (SBP) was significantly higher (p<0.001) in diabetic group as compared to controls. Serum levels of HbA1C and fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels were found to be significantly higher in diabetic group than in controls (p<0.001). Serum zinc levels were significantly higher in control group (p<0.001). Mean zinc value decreases with increase in HbA1c, FBG, BMI, SBP, DBP, triglycerides and cholesterol and the difference was statistically significant (p value <0.01). The relation between Pearson correlation coefficient for zinc and the above parameters were higher in diabetics than controls. Conclusions: Lower serum zinc levels were found to be responsible for the development of macrovascular complications in type-2 diabetics. Hence there is a need for zinc supplementation in diabetic patients to prevent long term complications associated with it.

Objectives. To assess mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP) levels in patients ≥50 years with uncontrolled hypertension (HTN) and evaluate the correlation between BP and stroke risk. It also assessed therapeutic drug classes prescribed in these patients. Methods. A cross-sectional, observational study was conducted at 176 outpatient centers across India, including patients aged ≥50 years with elevated SBP (≥140 mmHg). The relationship between stroke risk, calculated using Stroke Riskometer™, and mean SBP, mean DBP, and other risk factors was evaluated using Pearson correlation coefficient and logistic regression analysis. Results. The study included 3791 patients (men, 60.0%; mean age: 62.1 ± 8.3 years; mean BMI: 27 kg/m2) with mean SBP 157.3 ± 12.8   mmHg and mean DBP 89.8 ± 9.7   mmHg . Five-year stroke risk in 33.9% and 10-year stroke risk in 70% patients were moderate to severe. A ~4% increase in both 5- and 10-year stroke risk with each 1 mmHg increase in mean SBP ( p < 0.0001 ) was seen. However, mean DBP did not exhibit any significant correlation with 5-year ( p = 0.242 ) or 10-year ( p = 0.8038 ) stroke risk. There was a positive correlation between mean SBP and patient age, comorbid diabetes, and smoking and alcohol habits ( p < 0.0001 ). Comorbid diabetes and smoking increased 5- and 10-year stroke risk by 2- to 5-fold. Irrespective of the risk category, most patients received antihypertensive therapy with an angiotensin receptor blocker. Conclusion. Findings corroborate an association between stroke risk and mean SBP. These real-world clinical findings indicate that efforts are required to improve primary prevention of stroke and reduce the prevalence of recurrent stroke in India.

Diabetic kidney disease is a common cause of end stage renal disease has a high incidence rate in population with type 2 diabetes mellitus patients. Adiponectin is an adipocytokine shown to strive anti-diabetic, anti-oxidative as well as anti-inflammatory. The present study aimed to determine the serum adiponectin levels in type 2 diabetes mellitus and explore its association with nephropathy. This cross sectional study recruited 90 type 2 diabetes mellitus patients with (n = 60) and without nephropathy (n = 30). Additionally 30 age-, gender, and body mass index matched healthy controls were included. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay method were used to determine adiponectin concentration. Blood sugars, glycated hemoglobin, body mass index all sounded to be brawny risk factors for nephropathy and microalbumin, e GFR showed a significant association with kidney disease progression in type 2 diabetes mellitus with nephropathy. Both the groups of type 2 diabetes mellitus patients had elevated adiponectin concentrations than controls. Serum adiponectin concentrations were significantly higher in type 2 diabetes mellitus without nephropathy and there was a significant association with nephropathy activity (P<0.0001**). The receiver operating characteristics curve analysis was used to examine the diagnostic performance of adiponectin for nephropathy shown a significant area under the curve 0.998 with sensitivity 100% and specificity 93.33% (P<0.0001**). Hence our study findings concluded that serum adiponectin concentrations considered for the early predictable and prognostic marker for nephropathy.

Change is the necessary part of life. In fact, "the only thing constant in the world is-CHANGE". Change happens in every aspect of our lives. In today's world where digital devices have caused a new era to begin, this has caused a tremendous change in each and every field present. The change from telephone to mobile/smart phone; from letters to email; from hard copy to soft copy form of storage; from low resolution to high resolution camera and so on. The change is drastic. Now the question is will these technologies bring any change in contemporary dentistry? The present article surveys the impact of smart electronic devices in contemporary dentistry.