Study: Diabetes May Not Increase Risk of Eye Disease

It may not be obvious that Diabetes patients will have an increased risk of developing eye disease, revealed a new study led by Dr Jennifer Sun, at the Beetham Eye Institute at Joslin Diabetes Center. However, this claim is against general medical opinion.

The research claims that Diabetes patients may even be protected against proliferative diabetic retinopathy.

Study

97 patients who had lived with Diabetes for over 50 years were analyzed.

Results

The majority of them escaped vision loss despite the extremely long duration of the disease.

Dr Jennifer Sun said that this data may help identify other factors that protect against retinopathy complications.

For those who opt for eye therapies like intravitreous injection and chemotherapy drugs, another study revealed that the therapies do not open risk for heart disease. This study was led by Dr Lesley Curtis and colleagues at the Duke University School of Medicine in North Carolina.

Rise in Magnesium Intake Lowers Risk of Diabetes

According to a 20 year study undertaken by Dr. Ka He of the University of North Carolina, USA, and his colleagues, the risk of diabetes is 47% less in people who consumed magnesium and vitamin supplements in their food. However, he mentioned that large clinical trials should be carried out to validate the relationship between magnesium and diabetes.

The study explains the association of whole grains, a rich source of magnesium, with lower risk of diabetes. The other options for rich content of magnesium include green leafy vegetables like spinach; the chlorophyll molecule in the leafy vegetable contains magnesium. In legumes, beans and peas, nuts and seeds, and whole, unrefined grains also contain magnesium. In addition, tap water is a good source of magnesium as it contains natural minerals.

Supporting this study, the National Institutes of Health, said, “Magnesium plays an important role in carbohydrate metabolism. It may influence the release and activity of insulin, the hormone that helps control blood glucose (sugar) levels. Low blood levels of magnesium (hypomagnesemia) are frequently seen in individuals with type 2 diabetes. Hypomagnesemia may worsen insulin resistance, a condition that often precedes diabetes, or may be a consequence of insulin resistance. Individuals with insulin resistance do not use insulin efficiently and require greater amounts of insulin to maintain blood sugar within normal levels. The kidneys possibly lose their ability to retain magnesium during periods of severe hyperglycemia (significantly elevated blood glucose). The increased loss of magnesium in urine may then result in lower blood levels of magnesium. In older adults, correcting magnesium depletion may improve insulin response and action.”

FDA Yet to Approve Diabetes Drug “Bydureon”

United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has declined to approve Amylin’s Diabetes drug “Bydureon” as more tests were expected to be run on the drug, revealed the drugs company Amylin Pharmaceuticals in a statement. The FDA has decided that it would like to run a QT test to know how the drug affects patients’ heart rate.

The Food and Drug Administration has requested the results of a study which would evaluate the efficiency and safety of the drug. According to the company that has produced the Diabetes drug, it is aiming to respond to the FDA’s requests by the end of next year. Hence, only when the company’s response comes, it can be said that whether the drug will be approved or not.

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Linked with Colorectal Cancer among Men

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus is linked with increased risk of incident colorectal cancer (CRC) among men, revealed a study. The risk was higher for those participants with Type 2 Diabetes regardless of whether or not they used insulin. Though the linkage between the two conditions is evident, it is not clear if this association varies by gender or other factors.

Hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia, which are especially prominent during the early stages of Type 2 Diabetes, have been proposed as mediators for the association between the two diseases.

However, as far as women are concerned, the study revealed that Type 2 Diabetes and insulin use were not associated with CRC risk among them.

Peter T. Campbell, lead author of this study, said, "While our study supports an association of Type 2 Diabetes with colorectal cancer incidence among men, our results also suggest that insulin use is associated with a slight, but not a substantially increased, risk of colorectal cancer among men with Type 2 Diabetes.”

The author added, "Prevention strategies should emphasize adherence to guidelines intended for the general population such as smoking cessation, weight management, exercise and regular early detection exams.”

Study: Phone Communication with Peer Helps Diabetes Patients

Phone calls with a peer who is going through the same self-management challenges helped Diabetes patients manage their conditions, revealed a new research from the University of Michigan Health System which was based on a peer partnership established by the Veterans Affairs Ann Arbor Health System and the University of Michigan Medical School.

Study

Each peer pair received initial brief training in peer communication skills. They were expected to communicate by telephone at least once a week about their mutual efforts to improve Diabetes control.

Results

The peer partner program produced lower glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels after six months among men with uncontrolled Diabetes. Results also showed that the activity improved blood sugar levels in Diabetes patients better than those who used traditional nurse care management services alone.

Comments from Study Lead Author Michele Heisler

"Our model was testing the hypothesis that a good way to activate patients was to give them some skills and encouragement to both help and be helped. Just as in education they say that the best way to learn something is to try to teach it."

"Our programme hoped to mobilize patients themselves to realize how much they themselves had to offer another person with Diabetes and enjoy the sense of meaning and pleasure that being needed and helping another can provide. That's why I think people did well – they were very motivated when they felt they were helping someone else."

The findings of the study are published in the October 19 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.