Impaired awareness of hypoglycemia (IAH) is a frequent complication of insulin therapy. Up to half insulin-treated individuals with type 1 and type 2 diabetes report the problems with hypoglycemia awareness, and 1525% of patients have a permanent IAH. A recurrent hypoglycemia is a cornerstone in IAH formation. The repeated episodes of hypoglycemia impair neurohumoral response to hypoglycemia, reduce its symptoms and induce inadequate brain adaptation to low glucose levels. In this regard, the IAH phenomenon can be considered as an example of "metabolic memory" in diabetes. The IAH is associated with episodes of severe hypoglycemia, fear of hypoglycemia and cognitive dysfunction. These associates can be combined into IAH syndrome. Development of IAH becomes a serious barrier in diabetes management. A growing body of evidence indicates that IAH is a reversible condition. If the syndrome is present, the hypoglycemia avoidance should be primary goal of the treatment. Structured training under specialized programs with psychological support is the most reasonable therapeutic approach to IAH amending. Technological approaches, including continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion, real-time continuous glucose monitoring, closed-loop insulin delivery systems ("artificial pancreas"), and islet transplantation also showed efficacy in hypoglycemia awareness improvement in some clinical studies. The diabetes management in patients with IAH is time-consuming and expensive. Therefore, step-by-step approach, from insulin personalization and therapeutic training to advanced medical technologies, should be recommended for these patients.

Aims.  To determine the incidence and risk factors for hypoglycemia in elderly insulin-treated type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients by means of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). Materials and Methods.  We observed seventy-six hospitalized patients with T2DM, aged 65 to 79 years. Treatment with basal insulin (n=36), premixed insulin (n=12) or basal-bolus insulin regimen (n=28) was followed by metformin (n=44), glimepiride (n=14) and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (n=14). 2-days CGM with retrospective data analysis was performed in all patients. During CGM, three fasting and three 2-h postprandial finger-prick glucose values were obtained daily with portable glucose meter. Results.  Hypoglycemia (identified as blood glucose

Aim. To determine the diagnostic value of urinary excretion of type IV collagen in patients with type 1 diabetes with different stages of nephropathy.Methods. Urinary type IV collagen was determined in 60 patients with type 1 diabetes (23 with normal albuminuria, 28 with microalbuminuriaand 9 with macroalbuminuria) by an enzyme immunoassay. 10 healthy individuals were acted as the control group. Renal biopsy was performedin 22 patients. Deposits of type IV collagen were revealed by 11 individuals by immunohistochemistry. Results. The urinary excretion of type IV collagen increased with severety of diabetic nephropathy, correlating with the urinary albumin/creatinineratio, serum creatinine and parameters of daytime and nighttime systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Patients with excessive accumulation of typeIV collagen in the glomeruli had significantly higher level of type IV collagen in the urine. Conclusion. The determination of urinary type IV collagen can be used for early detection of renal fibrosis in patients with type 1 diabetes.

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Aim. To study the association between vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and cytokine (IL1B, IL4, IL6, IL10 and TNFA)gene polymorphism combinations with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in women. Materials and methods. 374 Caucasian women without carbohydrate metabolism disorders from 23 to 68 years of age and 212 womenwith T2DM from 28 to 69 years of age were included in the study. The combinations of polymorphism А-2578С, С+936Т in VEGFgene with polymorphism in IL1B С-31Т, IL4 С-590Т, IL6 G-174C, IL10 A-592C and А-1082G, TNFA А-238G, A-308G and A-863Cwere studied. Results. Analysis revealed 52 combined genetic variations with different rate of occurrence between diabetic and control groups(р