• Impact of Health Promotion Programs on Incarcerated Individuals in Northern Mexico.
    4 days ago
    Individuals deprived of liberty exhibit high health vulnerability due to limited access to medical services and insufficient health promotion efforts. Implementing education and self-care programs constitutes an essential strategy to improve their wellbeing. The objective of this study was to evaluate changes in clinical parameters following the implementation of health promotion programs among incarcerated individuals.

    A prospective pre-post intervention study was conducted between February 2023 and July 2024 at the Male Social Reintegration Center No. 1 in Aquiles Serdán, Chihuahua, Mexico. Fifteen male inmates with type 2 diabetes mellitus and arterial hypertension participated in a structured health promotion program that included educational workshops on nutrition, physical activity, and chronic disease self-management. Anthropometric and biochemical data were collected before and after the intervention. Statistical analysis included paired Student's t-test and McNemar's test (P < 0.05).

    Significant reductions were observed in blood glucose (174.1 ± 123.2 vs. 111.1 ± 57.4 mg/dL; P = 0.0017), systolic blood pressure (140.7 ± 18.3 vs. 117.3 ± 9.6 mmHg; P < 0.001), diastolic blood pressure (92.0 ± 10.8 vs. 84.0 ± 7.4 mmHg; P = 0.0013), and waist circumference (83.6 ± 37.6 vs. 80.3 ± 35.7 cm; P = 0.0005), with a favorable trend in body mass index (P = 0.065).

    Health promotion programs had a positive impact on the control of chronic diseases among the incarcerated population studied. These findings highlight the need to strengthen sustainable interdisciplinary strategies that uphold the right to health in prison settings.
    Diabetes
    Diabetes type 2
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  • Diabetic Foot Ulcer-Associated Versus Other Lower-Extremity Necrotising Soft-Tissue Infections: A Retrospective Cohort Study.
    4 days ago
    To compare clinical characteristics, microbiology, treatment burden and outcomes between lower-extremity necrotising soft tissue infections associated with diabetic foot ulcers (DFU) and lower-extremity necrotising soft tissue infections not associated with DFU. We retrospectively reviewed 86 surgically treated patients at a single tertiary hospital from 2015 to 2025. Twenty patients had diabetic foot ulcer-associated infections and 66 had infections from other causes. Baseline characteristics, laboratory findings, microbiology, resource utilisation, wound healing, amputation and mortality were compared between the cohorts. The diabetic foot ulcer-associated group had a longer diabetes duration, higher glycated haemoglobin and a greater prevalence of hypertension, coronary heart disease and chronic kidney disease. Microbiological profiles showed overlapping distributions of major pathogens. The proportion of patients who were alive with a healed wound at 90 days was lower in the DFU-associated group (35.0% vs. 80.3%), and overall amputation was more frequent (55.0% vs. 15.2%), primarily driven by minor amputation (40.0% vs. 1.5%). Major amputation (15.0% vs. 13.6%) and mortality (10.0% vs. 4.5%) did not differ statistically, although estimates were imprecise. Lower-extremity necrotising soft tissue infections associated with DFU were associated with greater comorbidity, resource utilisation, minor amputation and a lower proportion of patients alive with a healed wound at 90 days. This retrospective study cannot determine whether minor amputation improves survival or prevents major amputation.
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    Cardiovascular diseases
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  • Plasma Homocysteine as a Biomarker for Cardiovascular Risk Stratification in Children and Adolescents With Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus: A Cross-Sectional Study From Western Algeria.
    4 days ago
    Background Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of premature morbidity and mortality among individuals living with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). Although overt cardiovascular events are uncommon during childhood, endothelial dysfunction and subclinical atherosclerosis develop early, making timely cardiovascular risk assessment essential. Plasma homocysteine has emerged as a potential biomarker of vascular injury; however, its clinical value in pediatric T1DM remains controversial, and evidence from African populations is scarce. This study aimed to evaluate plasma homocysteine concentrations in children and adolescents with T1DM and to investigate their relationship with cardiovascular risk profiles and diabetes-related complications. Methods A cross-sectional observational study was conducted at the Department of Pediatrics B, in the university hospital center of Oran, Algeria. A total of 50 children and adolescents aged 5-19 years with confirmed T1DM were included. Demographic, anthropometric, clinical, and laboratory data were retrospectively collected from medical records. Plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) concentrations, glycemic control, lipid profile, diabetes duration, insulin therapy, nephropathy, and cardiovascular risk factors were analyzed. Hyperhomocysteinemia prevalence was determined, and its association with cardiovascular risk stratification was assessed using descriptive and inferential statistical analyses. Results The study included 27 male (54%) and 23 female patients (46%), and hyperhomocysteinemia was identified in 17 of 50 participants (34%). Plasma tHcy concentrations were significantly higher in participants with HbA1c >7.5% than in those with HbA1c ≤7.5% (18.9 ± 5.8 vs. 11.8 ± 3.9 μmol/L; Student's t-test, t = 4.44, p < 0.001). Plasma tHcy concentrations were positively correlated with HbA1c (r = 0.61, p < 0.001), diabetes duration (r = 0.49, p = 0.001), LDL cholesterol (r = 0.42, p = 0.004), and triglycerides (r = 0.35, p = 0.015). Participants with diabetic nephropathy had significantly higher plasma tHcy concentrations than those without nephropathy (21.1 ± 5.9 vs. 15.2 ± 5.3 μmol/L; Student's t-test, t = 2.53, p = 0.015). In exploratory multivariable analysis, poor glycemic control (HbA1c >7.5%; aOR = 3.26, 95% CI: 1.18-9.02; p = 0.021) and diabetes duration ≥5 years (aOR = 2.54, 95% CI: 1.01-6.42; p = 0.047) were independently associated with hyperhomocysteinemia. Plasma tHcy showed good discriminative ability for the study-specific moderate-to-high cardiovascular risk classification (AUC = 0.82, 95% CI: 0.69-0.94; p < 0.001). Conclusion Hyperhomocysteinemia was prevalent among children and adolescents with T1DM in our cohort and was associated with an unfavorable cardiovascular risk-factor profile. These findings suggest that plasma homocysteine may represent a potential investigational adjunctive marker of cardiovascular risk-factor burden in pediatric T1DM. Prospective multicenter studies are warranted to validate these associations and determine their incremental clinical value beyond established cardiovascular risk factors.
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    Diabetes type 1
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  • Prevalence and Microbial Association of Onychomycosis in Patients with Diabetic Foot Ulcers: A Retrospective Observational Study.
    4 days ago
     Onychomycosis is a common fungal nail infection among individuals with diabetes mellitus and may contribute to diabetic foot complications by altering the local microbial environment and increasing the risk of secondary bacterial infection. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of onychomycosis and evaluate its association with clinical and microbiological characteristics among patients with diabetic foot ulcers.

     This retrospective observational study included 226 adult patients with diabetic foot ulcers treated at a tertiary referral center in South Kerala, India. Clinical records were reviewed to obtain demographic, clinical, and microbiological data. Onychomycosis was diagnosed based on compatible clinical findings with microbiological confirmation using potassium hydroxide microscopy and/or fungal culture. Categorical variables were summarized using frequencies and percentages. Univariate binary logistic regression was performed to identify factors associated with onychomycosis.

     Of the 226 patients included in the study, 85 (37.6%) had confirmed onychomycosis. Among patients with onychomycosis, 35 (41.2%) were aged 61-70 years, 54 (63.5%) were male, and 60 (70.6%) had diabetes duration >10 years. Poor glycemic control (HbA1c >9%) was observed in 43 (50.6%) patients, while peripheral neuropathy was present in 73 (85.9%). Polymicrobial ulcer cultures were identified in 44 (51.8%) patients with onychomycosis. Gram-negative bacilli were isolated in 49 (57.6%) patients, Pseudomonas aeruginosa in 30 (35.3%), and osteomyelitis was present in 35 (41.2%). On univariate binary logistic regression analysis, diabetes duration >10 years (OR: 2.30, 95% CI: 1.24-4.28; p=0.008), peripheral neuropathy (OR: 2.67, 95% CI: 1.33-5.34; p=0.005), polymicrobial infection (OR: 2.26, 95% CI: 1.30-3.91; p=0.004), Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolation (OR: 2.10, 95% CI: 1.14-3.86; p=0.017), and osteomyelitis (OR: 2.38, 95% CI: 1.33-4.26; p=0.003) were significantly associated with onychomycosis.

     More than one-third of patients with diabetic foot ulcers had concomitant onychomycosis. Longer duration of diabetes, peripheral neuropathy, polymicrobial infection, Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolation, and osteomyelitis were significantly associated with onychomycosis. Routine nail examination and timely identification of fungal nail infection may complement comprehensive diabetic foot assessment and help identify patients at increased risk of complicated foot infections.
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  • Productivity loss associated with type 2 diabetes in China: the trend and projection from 1990 to 2050.
    4 days ago
    Type 2 diabetes (T2D) has become increasingly prevalent among young adults in their prime working years. This study aimed to estimate the productivity-adjusted life years (PALYs) loss associated with T2D among working-age Chinese adults from 1990 to 2021, with projections to 2050.

    Leveraging data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021 database, the United Nations, and the China Chronic Disease and Risk Factors Surveillance study, we quantified individual- and population-level PALYs loss associated with T2D between 1990 and 2021 and projected trends through 2050 using a projection model. Loss of PALYs was calculated by combining productivity losses from excess mortality (years of life lost, YLL) with reductions in labour force participation, presenteeism, and absenteeism (years of productivity lost, YPL). Gross domestic product (GDP) loss was estimated by valuing each lost PALY using China's annual GDP per worker.

    In 2021, 39.8 million working-age Chinese men and 23.3 million women had T2D. Over their working lifetime, T2D was associated with 53.42 (95% uncertainty interval (UI) = 51.25-55.59) million PALYs loss in men and 33.56 (95% UI = 31.59-35.52) million in women, equivalent to 1.34 (95% UI = 1.29-1.40) and 1.44 (95% UI = 1.36-1.53) PALYs loss per man and woman, respectively. Loss of GDP reached USD 1035.31 billion for men and USD 650.38 billion for women. Total PALYs loss is projected to increase from 1990 to 2050, although per-person losses decline in both sexes. Women with T2D experience greater per-person PALYs loss than men in 2030 and 2050.

    T2D among working-age population is associated with substantial PALY and economic losses, underscoring urgent need for targeted interventions.
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    Diabetes type 2
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  • Comparative analysis of serious adverse effects of antidiabetic drugs and complications associated with type II diabetes mellitus.
    4 days ago
    Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a major global health problem for which a wide range of antidiabetic medications are available. Adverse effects of antidiabetic medications may negatively affect patients' health and treatment adherence. In Egypt, limited data are available regarding the adverse-effect profiles of antidiabetic agents.

    This study aimed to compare safety profiles, treatment-related adverse effects, and diabetes-related complications associated with commonly prescribed antidiabetic medications.

    A multicenter, cross-sectional observational study was conducted across diabetes outpatient clinics in Egypt from February 2024 to May 2024. Adult patients with type 2 diabetes on antidiabetic regimens were enrolled. Data was collected through medical records and patient interviews, including demographics, clinical history, laboratory results, diabetes complications, and treatment-related adverse events. Univariate logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the associations between antidiabetic medications and diabetes-related complications and adverse outcomes. Unadjusted odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals were reported. Statistical significance was set at p-value ≤ 0.05.

    Several statistically significant associations were observed between the use of different antidiabetic medications and the prevalance of side effects and diabetes-related complications. Among 1,534 participants, insulin was associated with increased odds of cardiovascular, renal, and peripheral complications. Metformin, liraglutide, and empagliflozin were linked to gastrointestinal issues. Various mental disorders were notably associated with insulin. Empagliflozin and sitagliptin showed higher infection risks, while insulin and sulphonylureas were linked to some organ damage and retinopathy.

    Understanding the safety profiles of antidiabetic drugs is essential for optimizing treatment. The observed associations may help inform clinical decision-making and improve patient outcomes. However, they should be interpreted as associations rather than causal relationships and warrant further investigation in well-designed prospective studies.
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    Mental Health
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  • Nationwide trends in dementia subtypes and in-hospital mortality among hospitalizations with type 2 diabetes in Spain, 2021-2024: A focus on sex disparities.
    4 days ago
    The co-occurrence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and dementia represents a major public health challenge in Spain, where prevalence among hospitalized patients rose from 6.9% in 2011 to 10.6% in 2020. However, post-pandemic trends and sex-specific clinical outcomes remain under-characterized. We aimed to evaluate the frequency and temporal trends of dementia subtypes, clinical profiles, and predictors of in-hospital mortality (IHM) among T2DM-related hospitalizations in Spain (2021-2024).

    We conducted a nationwide retrospective observational study using the Spanish National Hospital Discharge Database (RAE-CMBD) and analyzed 2,786,184 T2DM-related hospital discharge episodes recorded between 2021 and 2024. The unit of analysis was the hospitalization episode rather than the unique individual; therefore, recurrent admissions for the same person could be included as separate observations. Multivariable logistic regression identified independent predictors of dementia presence and IHM.

    All-cause dementia was coded in 180,623 hospital episodes, corresponding to 6.48% of T2DM-related hospitalizations. This proportion was higher among hospitalizations involving women than among those involving men. Regarding specific subtypes, AD was the most frequent diagnosis with 80,174 cases (2.88% prevalence), presenting an IHM of 16.3% across the study period. VaD affected 1.44% of the sample. A remarkably strong association was found between prior stroke/TIA and the presence of VaD (aOR 5.89; 95% CI 5.69-6.09). Hospitalizations involving all-cause dementia had higher in-hospital mortality (17.06% vs. 7.22%), lower ICU admission rates (1.33% vs. 7.58%), and higher frequencies of palliative-care coding (3.76% vs. 1.65%) than hospitalizations without dementia (Table 3). They also had shorter hospital stays and lower median estimated hospitalization costs (€6,129.3 vs. €8,602.94). A comprehensive breakdown of in-hospital mortality according to specific concomitant conditions and dementia status is available in S3 Table.

    Among T2DM-related hospitalizations with dementia, female sex was associated with lower adjusted odds of in-hospital mortality. Prior stroke or transient ischemic attack was strongly associated with vascular dementia coding. Lower ICU admission and higher palliative-care coding were observed among hospitalizations involving dementia; however, the clinical reasons underlying these patterns cannot be determined from administrative discharge data.
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  • Effects of Ramadan Fasting on Intradialytic Hypoglycemia and Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Diabetes on Maintenance Hemodialysis: A Multicenter Prospective Cohort Study in Southern Thailand.
    4 days ago
    Patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) and diabetes undergoing maintenance hemodialysis (HD) may be at increased risk of metabolic disturbances and intradialytic complications during Ramadan fasting. However, evidence regarding the safety of fasting in this population remains limited. This study evaluated the association between Ramadan fasting and intradialytic hypoglycemia and other clinical outcomes.

    This multicenter prospective cohort study included 153 patients with ESKD and diabetes undergoing maintenance HD at four centers in Thailand during the pre-Ramadan and Ramadan periods in 2024. Participants were categorized as non-fasting, partial fasting, or full fasting. All underwent HD using glucose-containing dialysate (100 mg/dL) and received standardized pre-Ramadan medication adjustments, including insulin dose reduction and oral glucose-lowering medication modification. The primary outcome was intradialytic hypoglycemia, defined as a blood glucose level <70 mg/dL. Secondary outcomes included HD-related complications, blood pressure, interdialytic weight gain (IDWG), dialysis adequacy, and laboratory parameters.

    Among 153 participants, 73 were non-fasting, 44 were partial fasting, and 36 were full fasting. No intradialytic hypoglycemia occurred in the full- or non-fasting groups, whereas one episode (0.2%) occurred in the partial-fasting group. HD-related complications, blood pressure, IDWG, and dialysis adequacy (Kt/V) were comparable across groups. Serum potassium and parathyroid hormone levels increased during Ramadan in the full- and non-fasting groups without reported clinical events. Overall, participants remained clinically stable under the standardized protocol.

    In this cohort, Ramadan fasting was not associated with an observed increase in major intradialytic hypoglycemic events and hemodialysis-related complications, indicating that the practice is clinically feasible and well-tolerated under strictly supervised protocols. Therefore, fasting may be considered for carefully selected patients with ESKD and diabetes receiving maintenance hemodialysis, provided it is accompanied by individualized medication adjustments, meticulous monitoring, and shared decision-making.
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  • Dietary vitamin C intake and the risk of islet autoimmunity and type 1 diabetes: The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young (TEDDY) Study.
    4 days ago
    We explored the associations between vitamin C intake and the risk of islet autoimmunity (IA) and/or type 1 diabetes in genetically at-risk children. Furthermore, we explored associations between vitamin C metabolism-related single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and type 1 diabetes outcomes.

    The current study within Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young (TEDDY) cohort included 8478 children followed up every 3-6 months for relevant autoantibodies and diet. Dietary vitamin C intake was assessed longitudinally throughout childhood using age-specific dietary assessment methods and analysed using repeated measurements. Cox regression was used for the primary analyses and Bayesian joint longitudinal-survival models as sensitivity analyses.

    A total of 777 (9.2%) children developed IA, including 292 (3.4%) with IAA-first and 337 (4.0%) with GADA-first autoimmunity; 319 (41.0%) progressed to type 1 diabetes. Mean (SD) vitamin C intake was 60.7 (38.8) mg/1000 kcal. Higher vitamin C intake was associated with an increased risk of IAA-first autoimmunity (adjusted hazard ratio 1.04; 95% confidence interval 1.00-1.07, per 10 mg/1000 kcal increase) while lowest and highest tertiles of intake were associated with increased risk of GADA-first autoimmunity as compared to mid-tertile [(1.65; 1.20-2.27) and (1.42; 1.02-1.98), respectively]. Sensitivity analyses using Bayesian joint longitudinal-survival models supported the primary findings and suggested nonlinear associations between vitamin C intake and the risks of IA and multiple IA. Associations between vitamin C-related SNPs and study outcomes did not withstand correction for multiple testing.

    Vitamin C intake was not consistently associated with IA or progression to type 1 diabetes. However, the observed nonlinear association, with lowest risk for moderate intakes, merits further investigation.

    NCT00279318, 06/09/2004.
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    Diabetes type 1
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  • Overcoming Cross-Sensitivity for the Accurate Identification of Acetone, Isopropanol, and Clinical Mixtures Using a MEMS Dual-Sensor Array and Multi-task Deep Learning.
    4 days ago
    Accurate detection of exhaled acetone (ACE) and isopropanol (IPA) mixtures is critical for the non-invasive screening of diabetic ketoacidosis and the continuous monitoring of lipid metabolism in type 1 diabetes mellitus. However, the broad clinical application of this approach remains severely constrained by the inherent cross-sensitivity of metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) sensors. To address this, a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) dual-sensor array integrating PdO-modified SnO2/ZnO and MoS2/ZIF-67 nanocomposites was developed for simultaneous gas identification and concentration regression. By pioneering the extraction of distinct transient thermokinetic responses of the materials, combined with a multi-task learning architecture featuring a 1D Convolutional Neural Network and a Bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory (CNN-BiLSTM) network, the system efficiently analyzed dynamic sensing data using a sliding time window (K). At an optimal 15-s window, the model demonstrated robust real-time predictive capabilities, achieving 95.4% classification accuracy and a regression mean absolute error (MAE) of 0.625 ppm across clinical IPA/ACE ratios. This deep learning-enabled framework circumvents traditional steady-state limitations, providing a scalable, low-power solution for precise clinical breathomics and metabolic disease screening.
    Diabetes
    Diabetes type 1
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