Liraglutide and Dulaglutide Have Comparable HbA1c Reduction in Emirati Patients with T2DM

Glucagon like peptide-1 is responsible for the incretin effect after a meal or an oral glucose load. Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus have impairment of secretion and action of glucagon like peptide-1. This impairment can be overcome through pharmacological doses of glucagon like peptide-1 analogues. Aim of the Study: This study aimed at evaluation of the effect of treatment with glucagon like peptide-1 analogues;liraglutide and dulaglutide, in Emirati patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Glycemic control was the primary end point while the secondary end point was the effect on body mass index, blood pressure, heart rate, serum creatinine, lipid profile and estimated glomerular filtration rate. Patients & Methods: This is a retrospective study including 54 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Patients used Liraglutide or Dulaglutide as add on therapy to oral antidiabetic medications for one year. Thirty-four patients used liraglutide 1.8 mg once daily and 20 patients used dulaglutide 1.5 mg once weekly. All patients were older than 18 years and had estimated glomerular filtration rate (>90 ml/min/1.73 m2). Body mass index, sitting blood pressure and heart rate were collected. Fasting plasma glucose, HbA1c, lipid panel and other biochemical parameters were also collected. Data were analysed before and at 6 and 12 months of glucagon like peptide-1 analogue treatment. Results: At 12 months of treatment, liraglutide significantly reduced fasting plasma glucose (11.3 ± 4 vs 7 ± 1.7, p < 0.001), HbA1c (8.55 ± 1.6 vs 7.18 ± 1.04, p < 0.001) and body mass index (39.4 ± 6.4 vs 37.6 ± 6.7, p < 0.0005). Dulaglutide did not significantly reduce fasting plasma glucose (15.4 ± 3.5 vs 9.5 ± 5.4 mmol/L, p = 0.053), significantly reduced HbA1c (8.84 ± 1.8 vs 7.5 ± 0.79, p = 0.007), body mass index (38.8 ± 6.8 vs 37.2 ± 6.6, p = 0.004) and estimated glomerular filtration rate (123.6 ± 60 vs 104 ± 47.3, p = 0.008). Dulaglutide was more effective in reduction of body mass index than liraglutide. Both drugs did not show significant effect on blood pressure, heart rate or lipid profile. Conclusion: Over a period of one year, liraglutide and dulaglutide produced comparable reduction of HbA1c and hence diabetes control. Both drugs significantly reduced body mass index but this effect was more pronounced with Dulaglutide. Only liraglutide significantly reduced fasting plasma glucose. Dulaglutide significantly reduced estimated glomerular filtration rate. There was no significant effect of liraglutide or dulaglutide on blood pressure, heart rate or lipid profile.

Clinical Predictors of Iron Deficiency Anemia in Emirati Population with T2DM

Aim: To establish the prevalence of iron deficiency anemia and its clinical predictors in Emirati patients with type 2 diabetes. Patients & Methods: 237 patients were included in the study. A full blood count was obtained in addition to routine blood and urine tests for all patients. Hemoglobin level and iron studies were done for diagnosis of anemia. Statistical analysis was done to find out the prevalence and independent predictors of anemia in the study population of Emirati type 2 diabetic patients. Results: Of the studied 237 patients;36.3% had iron deficiency anemia as per the WHO criteria. Independent predictors of iron deficiency anemia were age ≥ 60 years, female gender and wide pulse pressure ≥ 60 mmHg. Hemoglobin level was directly proportionate to e GFR (p < 0.001). Participants with age ≥ 60 years had 4.2 times higher odds to exhibit anemia. Female participants had 1.95 times higher odds to exhibit anemia. Participants with wide pulse pressure ≥ 60 mmHg have 2.4 higher odds to exhibit anemia. Conclusion: Iron deficiency anemia is common in type 2 diabetic patients. Testing the patient for iron deficiency anemia should be considered in type 2 diabetes patients especially with age ≥ 60 years, female patients and those with wide pulse pressure ≥ 60 mmHg.

Role of color Doppler in differentiation of Graves' disease and thyroiditis in thyrotoxicosis

AIM:To evaluate the role of thyroid blood flow assessment by color-flow Doppler ultrasonography in the differential diagnosis of thyrotoxicosis and compare it to technetium pertechnetate thyroid scanning. METHODS:Twenty-six patients with thyrotoxicosis were included in the study. Clinical history was taken and physical examination and thyroid function tests were performed for all patients. Thyroid autoantibodies were measured. The thyroid glands of all patients were evaluated by gray scale ultrasonography for size, shape and echotexture. Color-flow Doppler ultrasonography of the thyroid tissue was performed and spectral flow analysis of both inferior thyroid arteries was assessed. Technetium99 pertechnetate scanning of the thyroid gland was done for all patients. According to thyroid scintigraphy, the patients were divided into two groups:18 cases with Graves' disease and 8 cases with Hashimoto's thyroiditis. All patients had suppressed thyrotropin. The diagnosis of Graves' disease and Hashimoto's thyroiditis was supported by the clinical picture and follow up of patients. RESULTS:Peak systolic velocities of the inferior thyroid arteries were significantly higher in patients with Graves' disease than in patients with thyroiditis (P = 0.004 in the right inferior thyroid artery and P = 0.001 in left inferior thyroid artery). Color-flow Doppler ultrasonography parameters demonstrated a sensitivity of 88.9% and a specificity of 87.5% in the differential diagnosis of thyrotoxicosis. CONCLUSION:Color Doppler flow of the inferior thyroid artery can be used in the differential diagnosis of thyrotoxicosis, especially when there is a contraindication of thyroid scintigraphy by radioactive material in some patients.

Effect of treatment of overt hypothyroidism on insulin resistance

AIM: To investigate the impact of hypothyroidism and thyroxine therapy on insulin sensitivity in patients with overt hypothyroidism.METHODS: The study included twenty seven overtly hypothyroid and fifteen healthy euthyroid South Western Asian females.Both groups had matching age and body mass index.Physiological and pathological conditions as well as medications that may alter thyroid function,glucose homeostasis or serum lipids were ruled out.Serum thyrotropin(TSH),free tetraiodothyronine(FT4),free triiodothyronine(FT3),fasting insulin(FI),fasting plasma glucose(FPG),total cholesterol and triglycerides were measured before and six months after initiating thyroxine therapy for hypothyroid patients and once for the control group.Insulin resistance(IR) was estimated using homeostasis model assessment(HOMA-IR) and Body mass index(BMI) was calculated.RESULTS: Both study groups,hypothyroid patients and euthyroid control subjects,had matching age and body mass index(P-value 0.444,0.607 respectively).No significant difference was found between the hypothyroid patients and the euthyroid control group regarding fasting plasma glucose,fasting insulin,insulin resistance,total cholesterol and triglycerides(P-values 0.432,0.621,0.883,0.586,0.05 respectively).In the hypothyroid patients,triglycerides showed direct correlation to TSH and inverse correlation to FT3.Similarly total cholesterol inversely correlated to FT3 but its direct correlation to TSH did not reach statistical significance.After thyroxine replacement and reaching an euthyroid state as confirmed by clinical and laboratory data,there was no significant change in fasting plasma glucose,insulin resistance or triglyceride level(P-value 0.216,0.204,0.175 respectively) while total cholesterol significantly decreased(P-value 0.043) and fasting insulin significantly increased(P-value 0.047).CONCLUSION: Hypothyroidism has no impact on insulin sensitivity.Correction of hypothyroidism is not associated with a significant change of insulin sensitivity or triglycerides,but with a significant reduction of total cholesterol.