Clinical Features, Complications and Mortality in Type 1 (Insulin-Dependent) Diabetic Patients in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 1976-1990

Clinical features, complications and prognosis of 431 consecutivelyregistered Ethiopian Type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetic patientsseen in the Diabetic Clinic in Yekatit 12 Hospital in AddisAbaba, Ethiopia, from 1976–1990 are reported. Male:femaleratio was 1.4:1; mean age at diagnosis was 18.1 years (confidenceinterval (CI) 1.6) in women and 21.4 (CI 1.2) in men. A historyof ketoacidosis at some time was present in 38 per cent, in11 per cent at diagnosis of diabetes. Tuberculosis was the mostcommon complicating illness, occurring at some time in 16.5per cent of patients. In addition, 9.5 per cent (CI 4 per cent)were known to have diabetic retinopathy, 6.0 per cent (CI 2per cent) nephropathy and 7.9 per cent (CI 2 per cent) neuropathyat their last clinic visit. During the 15 years of the study,9.7 per cent of the patients have died, with a mean durationof diabetes at death of 9.2 years (CI 1.8), and an overall mortalityrate of 15.5/1000 person-years of diabetes. Five-year survivalwas 96 per cent (CI 3 per cent), 15-year survival 82 per cent(CI 9 per cent), and 20-year survival 63 per cent (CI 17 percent), calculated using the Cox proportional hazards model;prognosis was better in those diagnosed at a younger age (p=0.029)and in those with a body mass index of > 19 kg/m² on treatment(p=0.096).     

Differential expression of galectin 3 and galectin 1 in colorectal cancer progression

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Galectins are beta-galactoside-binding proteins possibly involved in tumor progression. The aim of this study was to determine the pattern of galectin 3 and galectin 1 expression and involvement in colorectal cancer progression. METHODS: Galectin 3 expression was examined immunohistochemically in 39 samples of normal mucosae, 25 adenomas, 87 carcinomas, and 39 lymph node metastases. Galectin 1 was analyzed in 25 samples of mucosae, 15 adenomas, 25 carcinomas, and 11 metastases. Western blot analysis was also performed. RESULTS: All normal mucosae showed strong nuclear galectin 3 expression, which was down-regulated in the neoplastic progression, because only 60% of adenomas, 48% of carcinomas, and 44% of metastases were strongly positive (P < 0.0001). Cytoplasmic expression was down- regulated in adenomas (16%) but increased again in carcinomas (64%) (P < 0.0001). Galectin 1 expression was mainly detected in stromal cells and correlated with tumor progression from normal mucosae to adenomas and carcinomas (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Galectin 3 expression is down- regulated in the initial stages of neoplastic progression, whereas a dissociated cytoplasmic expression increases in later phases of tumor progression. Galectin 1 in colorectal mucosa is predominantly a stromal product whose overexpression is associated with the neoplastic progression of colorectal cancer. (Gastroenterology 1997 Dec;113(6):1906-15)