Role of arterial stiffness and endothelial dysfunction on lower limb performance in older adults with type 2 diabetes: A cross-sectional study

AimTo verify whether arterial stiffness and endothelial dysfunction influence lower limb muscle strength and gait speed in older adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).MethodsCross-sectional study including seventy-eight older adults with T2DM (aged 67 ± 6 years and 42 % male). Arterial stiffness was assessed using pulse wave velocity (PWV), while endothelial function was measured by flow-mediated dilation (FMD). Lower limb muscle strength and gait speed were assessed using the 30-second chair stand test (30s-CST) and 10-Meter Walk Test, respectively.ResultsBoth PWV (m/s) and FMD (%) were univariately associated with number of repetitions in 30s-CST and gait speed (P < 0.05). After control for age, sex and body mass index, PWV remained associated with repetitions in 30s-CST (95 % CI: ?0.494 to ?0.054; P = 0.015) and gait speed (95 % CI: ?0.039 to ?0.002; P = 0.031). After adjustments for control variables, T2DM duration and glycemic control, FMD was associated with repetitions in 30s-CST (95 % CI: 0.008 to 0.324; P = 0.039) and gait speed (95 % CI: 0.011 to 0.038; P = 0.001).ConclusionIn older adults with T2DM, both arterial stiffness and endothelial dysfunction are associated with decreased leg muscle strength and slower gait speed.     

Gender difference in association between diabetes mellitus and all-cause mortality in atrial fibrillation patients

ObjectiveThere may be gender difference in correlation of diabetes mellitus (DM) and cardiovascular events. We attempt to investigate whether there is gender-heterogeneity in one-year outcomes of atrial fibrillation (AF) patients with DM or not.MethodsPatients who were diagnosed with AF admitted to the emergency departments in the Chinese AF Multicenter Registry study were enrolled. Basic demographics information, initial Blood Pressure and heart rate, medical histories, and treatments of each patient were collected. Follow-up was carried out with a mean duration of one year. The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality and systemic embolism.ResultsA total of 2016 patients were selected from September 2008 and April 2011. All-cause mortality was significantly higher in male AF patients with DM than those without (21.8 % & 13.6 %, P = 0.014). Cox regression analysis showed that there was an interaction between gender and DM for one-year all-cause mortality (P = 0.049). DM was significantly associated with one-year all-cause mortality regardless of univariate analysis (HR = 1.436, 95%CI:1.079–1.911, P = 0.013) or multivariate analysis (HR = 1.418, 95%CI: 1.059–1.899, P = 0.019). For male patients with AF, DM was significantly associated with one-year all-cause mortality (P = 0.048), but not for female patients with AF (P = 0.362).ConclusionDM was independently associated with one-year all-cause mortality in the entire cohort of AF patients. This association was found mainly in male patients with AF, but not in female patients. DM management programs may need to reflect gender difference.     

Relationships between anthropometric adiposity indexes and bone mineral density in a cross-sectional Chinese study

Background ContextPrevious studies have reported conflicting results for the relationships between anthropometric adiposity indexes and bone mineral density, based on dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). However, few studies were published based on quantitative computed tomography (QCT), especially for Chinese population.PurposeTo evaluate the associations of spine bone mineral density (BMD) with body mass index (BMI), waist circumstance (WC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) and a body shape index (ABSI) using QCT.Study Design/SettingA Cross-sectional study.Patient SampleAround 3,457 participants in multiple communities across 7 administrative regions of China.Outcome MeasuresSpine BMD was measured using QCT, and the classification of osteoporosis was defined as follows: 1) osteoporosis if BMD <80mg/cm³, 2) osteopenia if BMD 80–119 mg/cm³, and 3) normal bone mass if BMD≥120 mg/cm³.MethodsThis study was conducted using convenient sampling between 2013 and 2017. Multivariable linear regression model and logistic regression models were used for the associations of continuous and categorical BMD, respectively.ResultsAround 3,405 participants were included in the final analyses, including 1,272 males and 2,133 females, with spine BMD of 111.00±35.47 mg/cm³ and 99.38±40.60 mg/cm³, respectively. Spine BMD decreased significantly with the increase of ABSI in females (adjusted β, ?5.74; 95% confidence interval [CI], ?8.50 to ?2.98), and this trend also was kept in females aged at less than 60 years (adjusted β, ?14.54; 95% CI, ?20.40 to ?8.68), and females with age ≥60 years (adjusted β, ?7.59; 95% CI, ?10.91 to ?4.28). However, this inverse association was observed only in males with age ≥ 60 years (adjusted β, ?5.19; 95% CI, ?10.08 to ?0.29). Except ABSI, negative associations of Spine BMD with WC (adjusted β, ?0.46; 95% CI, ?0.77 to ?0.15), WHR (adjusted β, ?6.25; 95% CI, ?10.63 to ?1.86), WHtR (adjusted β, ?6.80; 95% CI, ?11.63 to ?1.97) were shown in females aged at <60 years, and positive association with BMI in males with age ≥60 years (adjusted β, 0.92; 95% CI, 0.29–1.55).ConclusionsABSI had more remarkable association with spine BMD, compared with the other four indexes.