Ethnic minorities in British diabetic clinics: a questionnaire survey

A questionnaire was sent by the British Diabetic Association to hospital consultant physicians caring for diabetic patients in the UK to estimate the number of ethnic minority patients attending British Diabetic clinics, and the availability of special facilities for their care. Sixty-two clinics were estimated to have at least 50 Asian patients, and 25 had at least 200 Asian patients. For Afro-Caribbeans the corresponding figures were 33 and 14 clinics, respectively. Clinics serving a relatively high proportion of these patient groups were situated primarily in Greater London, the Midlands and the North West. Approximately 40% of clinics with over 50 Asians had no specifically adapted diet sheets, and 34% had no hospital interpreter service. Tapes, slides or video presentations were available in only eight clinics. There is an urgent need to improve the provision of special facilities to clinics with substantial numbers of ethnic minority patients.     

Effect of morphological abnormalities on blood retinal barrier permeability in diabetic retinopathy

The morphological base for the impaired function of the blood retinal barrier was studied in 50 eyes of 10 insulin dependent and 21 non-insulin dependent patients with various levels of diabetic retinopathy. The permeability of the blood retinal barrier (P_BRB) was determined by vitreous fluorophotometry with correction for autofluorescence, lenstransmission and non-protein bound plasma fluorescein concentration. Morphological abnormalities of diabetic retinopathy assessed by fundus photography and fluorescein angiography were individually scored on a decimal scale and related to the P_BRB by multiple regression analysis. The P_brb was not correlated to morphological abnormalities of non-proliferative retinopathy [(1) microaneurysms, (2) hard exudates, (3) soft exudates, (4) intraretinal hemorrhages, (5) fluorescein leakage, and (6) capillary closure, p > 0.3]. The P_BRB was correlated to morphological abnormalities of (pre)proliferative retinopathy [(1) intraretinal microvascular abnormalities (S_irma) and (2) new vessels (S_neo): p_brb = A – B.S_IRMA – C.S_neo with P_BRB in nm/sec, A = 1.5 ± 0.5, B = 0.9 ± 0.2 and C = 1.7 ± 0.4, R² = 0.65, p < 0.0001]. It can be concluded that the increased blood retinal barrier permeability in diabetic patients is mainly due to (pre)proliferative abnormalities and not to non-proliferative abnormalities.     

血管内皮生长因子在糖尿病大鼠视网膜中的表达

目的 :利用糖尿病大鼠动物模型 ,通过大鼠视网膜中血管内皮生长因子 ( vascular en-dothelial growth factor,VEGF)的表达情况 ,探讨 VEGF在糖尿病视网膜病变 ( diabetic retinopa-thy,DR)发展过程中作用机理。方法 :复制链脲佐菌素 ( streptozocin,STZ)糖尿病大鼠动物模型 ,取不同组、不同时期大鼠视网膜 ,利用免疫组织化学及原位杂交方法 ,检测 VEGF蛋白质及 m RNA的表达情况。结果 :1正常对照组 ( M)、血糖恢复组及糖尿病 1个月组 ( M1)大鼠视网膜均无 VEGF蛋白质及 m RNA的阳性表达 ;2糖尿病 3个月组 ( M3 )未见 VEGF m RNA表达 ,而在内核层及节细胞层有 VEGF蛋白表达阳性 ( 34%) ,此表达与胶质纤维酸性蛋白 ( GFAP)染色阳性细胞相同 ;3糖尿病 5个月组 ( M5) VEGF m RNA表达阳性率为 67%,表达位于视网膜各层 ,内界膜中的表达与 GFAP免疫组化阳性分布相同 ,VEGF蛋白质表达强阳性 ( 89%) ,主要位于内核层、节细胞层的细胞及血管上。结论 :VEGF在 STZ大鼠视网膜中的表达与病程相关 ,而且 VEGF的产生存在着自分泌和旁分泌多种途径     

Simultaneous noninvasive evaluation of gastric emptying and orocaecal transit times

Summary The aim of the study was to use a novel combination of two methods for the simultaneous evaluation of two effects of oral cisapride in 10 diabetic patients with autonomic neuropathy; gastric emptying time was measured by following radio-opaque markers and orocaecal transit time by the sulphasalazine-sulphapridine method. The study was of double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, cross-over design.It was possible to evaluate the effect of a prokinetic drug on gastric emptying and orocaecal transit times using these two noninvasive techniques at the same time. Cisapride significantly reduced both the gastric emptying (1.2 h versus 2.1 h) and orocaecal tansit (5.9 h versus 7.7 h) times.     

Pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy and the renin-angiotensin system.

Despite the beneficial effects of good glycaemic control, loss of vision because of diabetic retinopathy (DR) still occurs. Recent studies have suggested that hypertension is a risk factor for the development and progression of DR and that blood pressure reduction can delay the progression of retinopathy. The renin-angiotensin system is activated by chronic hyperglycaemia, and the vitreous fluid level of angiotensin II (AII) is elevated in patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular oedema. AII increases vascular permeability and promotes neovascularization. It has been suggested that an autocrine-paracrine relationship may exist between AII and vascular endothelial growth factor in the ocular tissues. Accordingly, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or AII Type 1 (AT1) receptor blockers may be useful therapeutic agents for preventing the progression of DR.     

急进性后极部早产儿视网膜病变的临床进程及疗效观察

目的 描述急进性后极部早产儿视网膜病变(AP-ROP)的临床进程及特征,评价视网膜光凝及冷凝对急进性后极部早产儿视网膜病变的治疗效果.方法 前瞻性、非对比性、连续性病例.2006年1月至2008年6月经检查确诊为急进性后极部ROP的患儿8例16只眼.确诊后24h内行间接眼底镜下行视网膜光凝治疗联合或不联合直视下冷凝治疗.结果 急进性后极部早产儿视网膜病变以病变大部分位于后极部1区,所有象限视网膜血管扩张迂曲,病程进展快,若不及时治疗,迅速发生视网膜漏斗状全脱离为临床特征.本组8例16只眼视网膜光凝和(或)冷凝治疗后,9只眼病变完全退化或控制,占56.2%.7只眼病情未能控制,最终发展为4b至5期视网膜病变.结论 AP-ROP进展快,预后不良,部分患儿虽经严密观察和治疗,病情仍进展.视网膜光凝和(或)冷凝治疗能控制大部分AP-ROP患儿视网膜病变的发展,挽救患儿视功能.临床上需要加强观察和随访,早发现、早诊断、早治疗是减低该病致盲率的惟一方法.     

低铁与低热量饮食延缓糖尿病肾病的进展

目的探讨低铁与低热量饮食是否能延缓糖尿病肾病的进展。方法以168例Ⅱ型糖尿病肾病患者为研究对象,随机分为两组,对照组予以常规治疗,治疗组在进行同样常规治疗的同时,予低铁、低热量饮食。结果平均随访37±22个月,治疗组患者血清铁水平显著降低,与对照组比较,有显著差异(P<0.01);治疗组血清肌酐189±78μmmol/L,对照组257±115μmmol/L,两组比较,有显著差异(P<0.01)。治疗组有6例患者达到终止随访目标,血红蛋白低于80g/L和或红细胞压积<33%,需进行促红素治疗,占17.6%;对照组有10例达到终止目标,占35.7%,两组比较,有显著差异(P<0.01)。结论低铁饮食治疗能显著降低糖尿病肾病患者铁负荷,配合低热量饮食治疗,能明显延缓糖尿病肾病的进展。     

以新生儿重症监护病房为中心的早产儿视网膜病变筛查模式

目的：介绍一种较为完善的早产儿视网膜病变（ROP）筛查模式。方法：建立基本完善的ROP登记、会诊、筛查、转诊等制度,所有工作均在新生儿重症监护病房（N ICU）完成,形成以NICU为中心的ROP筛查模式,并按此模式开展筛查工作。结果：登记符合ROP筛查标准的患儿239例,其中接受至少一次筛查的患儿222例（占应筛查总数的92.89%）,按要求完成筛查的患儿176例（占应筛查总数的73.64%）。发现ROP患儿39例（占实际筛查数的17.57%）,其中阈值前期1型或阈值期病变11例（占实际筛查数的4.96%）。结论：这种以NICU为中心的ROP筛查模式,制度较为完善,临床中易于操作,能有效节约医疗资源,适合在中小城市中推广。