Diabetic macular ischaemia- a new therapeutic target?

Diabetic macular ischaemia (DMI) is traditionally defined and graded based on the angiographic evidence of an enlarged and irregular foveal avascular zone. However, these anatomical changes are not surrogate markers for visual impairment. We postulate that there are vascular phenotypes of DMI based on the relative perfusion deficits of various retinal capillary plexuses and choriocapillaris. This review highlights several mechanistic pathways, including the role of hypoxia and the complex relation between neurons, glia, and microvasculature. The current animal models are reviewed, with shortcomings noted. Therefore, utilising the advancing technology of optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) to identify the reversible DMI phenotypes may be the key to successful therapeutic interventions for DMI. However, there is a need to standardise the nomenclature of OCTA perfusion status. Visual acuity is not an ideal endpoint for DMI clinical trials. New trial endpoints that represent disease progression need to be developed before irreversible vision loss in patients with DMI. Natural history studies are required to determine the course of each vascular and neuronal parameter to define the DMI phenotypes. These DMI phenotypes may also partly explain the development and recurrence of diabetic macular oedema. It is also currently unclear where and how DMI fits into the diabetic retinopathy severity scales, further highlighting the need to better define the progression of diabetic retinopathy and DMI based on both multimodal imaging and visual function. Finally, we discuss a complete set of proposed therapeutic pathways for DMI, including cell-based therapies that may provide restorative potential.     

Sickle cell nephropathy: A review of novel biomarkers and their potential roles in early detection of renal involvement

Whether the underlying mutations are homozygous, heterozygous, or co-inherited with other hemoglobinopathies, sickle cell disease is known to afflict the kidneys, leading to the clinical entity known as sickle cell nephropathy (SCN). Although common, SCN remains diagnostically elusive. Conventional studies performed in the context of renal disorders often fail to detect early stage SCN. This makes the quest for early diagnosis and treatment more challenging, and it increases the burden of chronic kidney disease-related morbidity among patients. Novel diagnostic tools have been employed to overcome this limitation. In this study, we discuss various biomarkers of SCN, including those employed in clinical practice and others recently identified in experimental settings, such as markers of vascular injury, endothelial dysfunction, tubulo-glomerular damage, and oxidative stress. These include kidney injury molecule-1, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, N-acetyl-B-D-glucosaminidase, ceruloplasmin, orosomucoid, nephrin, and cation channels, among others. Furthermore, we explore the potential of novel biomarkers for refining diagnostic and therapeutic approaches and describe some obstacles that still need to be overcome. We highlight the importance of a collaborative approach to standardize the use of promising new biomarkers. Finally, we outline the limitations of conventional markers of renal damage as extensions of the pathogenic process occurring at the level of the organ and its functional subunits, with a discussion of the expected pattern of clinical and biochemical progression among patients with SCN.     

Diabetic foot ulcers: A devastating complication of diabetes mellitus continues non-stop in spite of new medical treatment modalities

Diabetic foot ulcer is a devastating complication of diabetes mellitus and significant cause of mortality and morbidity all over the world and can be complex and costly. The development of foot ulcer in a diabetic patient has been estimated to be 19%-34% through their lifetime. The pathophysiology of diabetic foot ulcer consist of neuropathy, trauma and, in many patients, additional peripheral arterial disease. In particular, diabetic neuropathy leads to foot deformity, callus formation, and insensitivity to trauma or pressure. The standard algorithms in diabetic foot ulcer management include assessing the ulcer grade classification, surgical debridement, dressing to facilitate wound healing, off-loading, vascular assessment (status and presence of a chance for interventional vascular correction), and infection and glycemic control. Although especially surgical procedures are sometimes inevitable, they are poor predictive factors for the prognosis of diabetic foot ulcer. Different novel treatment modalities such as nonsurgical debridement agents, oxygen therapies, and negative pressure wound therapy, topical drugs, cellular bioproducts, human growth factors, energy-based therapies, and systematic therapies have been available for patients with diabetic foot ulcer. However, it is uncertain whether they are effective in terms of promoting wound healing related with a limited number of randomized controlled trials. This review aims at evaluating diabetic foot ulcer with regard to all aspects. We will also focus on conventional and novel adjunctive therapy in diabetic foot management.     

基于真实世界数据探讨中医药治疗糖尿病肾病用药规律的研究＊

目的 基于临床信息系统分析总结真实世界的数据，采用数据挖掘的方法探讨中医药治疗糖尿病肾病的用药规律。方法 收集2018年1月-2020年12月上海中医药大学附属曙光医院宝山分院健康信息系统确诊的糖尿病肾病的门诊或住院患者的诊疗信息，建立Excel数据库，采用Excel 2010软件统计高频药物的四气、五味、归经及功效；使用SPSS Modeler 18.0软件中的Apriori算法分析关联规则，采用web节点建构药对关联网状图；运用SPSS 25统计软件进行因子分析。结果 本研究最终纳入477例接受中药饮片治疗的DKD患者，在1203条方剂信息中，涉及中药462种；使用频数排名前5位的中药分别是黄芪、黄精、石斛、山茱萸、麦冬；使用频数前5类的中药类别分别是补气药、补阴药、清热燥湿药、活血调经药、息风止痉药；在30味高频药物中，苦、甘、辛药味最为常见；药性寒、温数量接近；归脾经、肝经、肺经、肾经居多；关联规则提示，药物组合中置信度最高的组合为地龙-当归-僵蚕，因子分析共得到5个有效因子，累积贡献率为47.33%。结论 中医药治疗DKD在补益气血阴阳的同时，兼顾对瘀血、湿邪和痰饮的治疗，结合证型，可考虑使用黄芪、黄精、石斛、山茱萸、麦冬、金蝉花等药物的使用，清热燥湿药物如黄连、黄芩、黄柏可适当加入，为使邪有去处，大黄、车前子或可增添疗效。     

2型糖尿病患者扫描式葡萄糖监测系统指标与尿白蛋白/肌酐比值的相关性研究

背景 随着血糖监测技术的发展，近些年来人们开始使用扫描式葡萄糖监测系统（FGMS）"全景式"地观察2型糖尿病（T2DM）患者的血糖水平，明确FGMS指标与T2DM并发症之间的关系有助于提高其临床应用价值，但目前相关研究较少。 目的 探究佩戴FGMS的T2DM患者葡萄糖在目标范围内时间（TIR）等指标与尿白蛋白/肌酐比值（UACR）的相关性。 方法 选取2019年1月至2021年10月于北京大学人民医院老年科就诊并佩戴FGMS的T2DM患者79例，以尿液检查中UACR是否<30 mg/g将患者分为无白蛋白尿组（n=50）和白蛋白尿组（n=29）。比较两组患者的临床特征、实验室检查指标及FGMS指标等。采用Pearson相关、Spearman秩相关分析探讨TIR、高血糖时间（TAR）与糖化血红蛋白（HbA1c）的相关性。分别采用Pearson相关、Spearman秩相关、偏相关分析探讨FGMS指标与lnUACR的相关性。使用多因素Logistic回归分析探究T2DM患者发生白蛋白尿的影响因素，采用受试者工作特征（ROC）曲线评估TIR对白蛋白尿的预测价值。 结果 白蛋白尿组T2DM病程长于无白蛋白尿组，三酰甘油（TG）、HbA1c、平均血糖（MBG）、TAR、平均血糖标准差（SDBG）、最大葡萄糖波动幅度（LAGE）、平均葡萄糖波动幅度（MAGE）、连续每隔2 h血糖净作用（CONGA2）高于无白蛋白尿组，TIR低于无白蛋白尿组（P<0.05）。Pearson相关、Spearman秩相关分析结果显示，TIR与HbA1c呈负相关（P<0.001），TAR与HbA1c呈正相关（P<0.001）。Pearson相关、Spearman秩相关、偏相关分析结果均表明，TIR与lnUACR呈负相关（P<0.001），MBG、TAR、SDBG、LAGE、MAGE、CONGA2与lnUACR呈正相关（P<0.001）。多因素Logistic回归分析结果显示，TIR>70%〔OR=0.038，95%CI（0.003，0.467）〕是T2DM患者出现白蛋白尿的保护因素（P<0.05），TAR升高〔OR=1.046，95%CI（1.000，1.094）〕是T2DM患者出现白蛋白尿的危险因素（P<0.05）。TIR预测T2DM患者出现白蛋白尿的ROC曲线下面积（AUC）为0.784〔95%CI（0.674，0.894）〕（P=0.003），灵敏度为78%，特异度为83%，最佳切点为69.71%。 结论 在FGMS指标中，TIR>70%是T2DM患者出现白蛋白尿的保护因素，TAR升高是T2DM患者出现白蛋白尿的危险因素。同时，SDBG、LAGE、MAGE、CONGA2等多种反映血糖波动的指标也与UACR密切相关。对TIR水平较低及TAR、SDBG、LAGE、MAGE、CONGA2水平较高的T2DM患者进行FGMS筛查有助于早期识别及预防白蛋白尿的发生、发展。     

Exosome-cargoed microRNAs: Potential therapeutic molecules for diabetic wound healing

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泄浊消癥法治疗晚期糖尿病肾脏病的临床研究

背景 糖尿病肾脏病（DKD）的发病率逐年升高，已成为全世界终末期肾病的主要病因。然而DKD起病隐匿，进入临床蛋白尿期后进展迅速，当肾功能明显受损后，常规治疗难以延缓疾病进展。因此，探究能够延缓晚期DKD疾病进展的切实有效的治疗方法是亟待解决的临床问题。王耀献教授针对DKD晚期浊毒与癥瘕为主的病机特点，提出泄浊消癥法治疗晚期DKD，在临床实践中取得了良好疗效。 目的 以"伏热"理论和"肾络癥瘕"理论为基础，探讨泄浊消癥法治疗晚期DKD的临床疗效。 方法 采用基于真实世界的前瞻性队列研究设计，2016—2020年，于北京中医药大学东直门医院、中国中医科学院广安门医院、首都医科大学附属北京中医医院、中国中医科学院望京医院、中国中医科学院西苑医院、北京市中西医结合医院、北京市房山区中医医院就诊并符合本课题纳入标准的DKD患者为研究对象，以泄浊消癥法作为暴露因素，分为对照组和试验组。对照组予西医基础治疗，试验组在西医基础治疗的基础上联合泄浊消癥法治疗。观察周期为24周，分别于0、4、12、24周时检测两组血肌酐（Scr）、尿素氮（BUN）、24小时尿蛋白定量（24 hUTP）、总胆固醇（TC），计算估算肾小球滤过率（eGFR），记录中医症状积分；于0、12、24周时检测两组糖化血红蛋白（HbA1c）。记录试验期间记录不良事件，评价安全性。 结果 本研究共59例患者完成试验，其中试验组36例、对照组23例。时间对两组受试者eGFR、Scr、BUN水平主效应显著（P<0.05）。组间与时间对两组受试者中医症状积分变化存在交互作用（P<0.05）。组内比较发现，相较于0周，对照组在24周时Scr水平、中医症状积分升高，在12周和24周时BUN水平升高（P<0.05）；相较于0周，试验组在4周时eGFR水平升高（P<0.05）。组间比较发现，24周时试验组eGFR水平高于对照组，Scr、BUN水平和中医症状积分低于对照组（P<0.05）。对照组不良事件发生率为21.74%（5/23），试验组不良事件发生率为8.33%（3/36），两组间不良事件发生率比较，差异无统计学意义（χ2=2.15，P=0.14）。 结论 在晚期DKD治疗中，泄浊消癥法联合西医常规治疗相较于单纯西医常规治疗在延缓eGFR降低，减缓Scr、BUN水平升高，保护肾脏功能，降低热证积分，改善中医症状方面具有优势，能够提高临床疗效。     

基于深度神经网络原理构建糖尿病视网膜病变辅助诊断模型

  目的  基于深度神经网络原理，通过对糖尿病视网膜病变(diabetic retinopathy, DR)的眼底图像分级，构建DR辅助诊断模型，为人群中该类疾病筛查提供方便快捷的方法。  方法  利用图像增强技术对图像数据进行预处理，并使用Focal Loss损失函数、余弦退火学习率、加权随机采样、图像高斯滤波混合加权方法优化深度卷积神经网络Inceptionv4和SENet154，构建出DR的眼底图像分级模型，并用公开发表的Messidor数据集中包含的DR和糖尿病黄斑水肿(diabetic macular edema, DME)的眼底图像对所得到模型进行验证; 最后用类激活图(class activation map, CAM)来标记出病灶区域，实现分级的可视化，辅助医生快速诊断。  结果  DR分级模型中，经过多种优化方法后，等级为0、1、2、3类的曲线下面积(area under curve, AUC)分别为0.925(95% CI: 0.898~0.952)、0.738(95% CI: 0.711~0.764)、0.873(95% CI: 0.848~0.898)、0.977(95% CI: 0.957~0.997);DME分级模型中，等级为0、1、2类的AUC分别为0.965(95% CI: 0.948~0.981)、0.881(95% CI: 0.852~0.909)、0.963(95% CI: 0.941~0.985)，并输出眼底图像的CAM。  结论  通过多种优化方式构建出DR和DME模型取得了较高的AUC，模型绘制出CAM能够准确定位可疑病灶区域，能直观辅助医生方便快捷诊断。