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F A Gries

Publications and source records attributed to F A Gries.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

[Arachnoid cyst as the differential diagnosis of ischemic optic neuropathy in type-II diabetes].

HISTORY AND CLINICAL FINDINGS: A 71-year-old woman, a diabetic (type IIb) for 27 years, developed bilateral hemianopsia over a period of about 2 years. A few weeks before hospital admission the defect in her visual fields increased more rapidly and double vision occurred intermittently. The hemianopsia was demonstrated by finger perimetry. There was no evidence of heart failure or peripheral vascular disease. Muscle reflexes were normal, but there was a decrease in vibratory sensation in both feet. The cause of the visual disturbance was at first thought to be an ischaemic optic neuropathy. INVESTIGATIONS: Biochemical tests showed an HbA1 of 12.8%, blood sugar levels were between 230 and 359 mg/dl, and there was increased intravascular platelet activation. Ophthalmological examination confirmed bitemporal hemianopsia and early retinopathy. Magnetic resonance imaging of the skull revealed an intra- and suprasellar cystic space-occupying lesion extending to the right optic chiasma. These findings, taken together, indicated an arachnoidal cyst. TREATMENT AND COURSE: After the diabetic metabolic state had been normalized with insulin treatment (average of 30 IU of an intermediary insulin) and dietary measures, the cyst was evacuated stereotactically. The hemianopsia quickly improved markedly and the patient was discharged 4 days after the operation with her vision nearly fully restored.

Aged

Autoantibodies to the islet antigen ICA69 occur in IDDM and in rheumatoid arthritis.

Islet cell antigen (ICA) 69 is a newly-recognized islet cell antigen to which autoantibodies have been observed in prediabetic relatives of patients with insulin-dependent-diabetes mellitus (IDDM). Here we extend the earlier analysis of ICA69 antibodies to patients with recent-onset IDDM and to patients with other immune-mediated diseases. ICA69 antibodies were determined by Western blot using an affinity purified recombinant fusion protein of ICA69 and maltose binding protein. ICA69 antibody quantities were determined as titres using a titration curve of a standard serum as reference. Mean logarithmic ICA69 antibody titres were 3.4 (+/- 1.4) in 99 patients with acute IDDM compared to 2.8 (+/- 0.9) in 49 healthy blood donors (p < 0.001). A higher mean ICA69 antibody titre of 4.1 (+/- 0.8) was observed in 16 patients with rheumatoid arthritis in comparison to acute IDDM (p < 0.01) and healthy control subjects (p < 0.001). The percentage of sera with ICA69 antibody titres above the 2 SD level of normal subjects was 21% in IDDM, 31% in rheumatoid arthritis and 6% in healthy blood donors. None of the patients with autoimmune thyroid disease (n = 20), inflammatory bowel disease (n = 9) or multiple sclerosis (n = 7) had elevated ICA69 antibodies. In IDDM, presence of ICA69 antibodies persisted and the titre remained the same over 18 months of follow-up. The relationship of ICA69 antibodies to islet cell antibodies (ICA) or insulin autoantibodies (IAA) was tested. The production of ICA69 antibodies was not associated in diabetic patients with the presence of any of the two other autoantibodies.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent

Exposure of adhesion molecules on activated platelets in patients with newly diagnosed IDDM is not normalized by near-normoglycemia.

It has been suggested that platelet hyperactivity contributes to the early evolution of diabetic vascular disease per se. This study directly evaluates the level of intravascular platelet activation in newly diagnosed IDDM patients before and after tight metabolic control. Platelet activation was determined by the Duesseldorf-III flow cytometry assay in 21 recent-onset hyperglycemic IDDM patients before insulin, after 3 days of treatment with intravenous insulin, and after 14 and 60 days of intensified conventional insulin therapy. The intravasal platelet activation status was quantified by the percentage of platelets exposing the activation-dependent molecules CD62 (P-selectin), thrombospondin (TSP), and CD63 (GP53) as well as the activated fibrinogen receptor (GPIIB/IIIA). Fifty matched normal subjects served as control subjects. Fourteen patients completed the 60-day study design. After initial recompensation, near-normoglycemic control was achieved after 14 days (fasting blood glucose, 117.0 +/- 19.0 mg/dl), and the HbA1 concentration was 7.6 +/- 1.2% after 60 days. CD62+ (4.0 +/- 4.5%), TSP+ (2.0 +/- 1.8%), CD63+ (11.0 +/- 7.0%), and activated-GPIIB/IIIA+ (7.6 +/- 7.7%) platelet levels were initially 5, 3.3, 5.7, and 2.8 times higher than the mean level of normal. There was no correlation with any of the nearly normalized metabolic parameters. Thus, more activated platelets circulate in newly diagnosed IDDM patients, which supports the assumption of a prethrombotic condition even in disease stages without apparent vascular damage.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult

Platelet membrane activation markers are predictive for increased risk of acute ischemic events after PTCA.

BACKGROUND: We wished to investigate whether platelet activation is related to the clinical outcome during the 24 hours immediately after elective percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). METHODS AND RESULTS: In 102 patients with high-grade coronary stenosis admitted for elective PTCA, preprocedural platelet activation was characterized by flow cytometric measurement of the proteins CD62, CD63, and thrombospondin expressed on the platelet surface membrane. The prevalence of acute ischemic events during the 24 hours immediately after the procedure was then related to the pre-PTCA platelet activation status. Fifty-six patients were classified as "nonactivated," whereas 46 patients showed an increased percentage of activated platelets. Two patients developed acute occlusion (1.96%) and four patients high-grade restenosis (3.92%), as confirmed by second-look coronary angiography. All events occurred in patients classified as "activated" (six of 46, or 13%). None of these patients received beta-blocker medication, which was associated with lower expression of platelet membrane activation markers. In the nonactivated patient group, no clinical events were found (0 of 56, or 0%). This difference in prevalence is significant (p = 0.007). CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that analysis of platelet membrane activation markers may help to predict an increased risk of acute ischemic events after angioplasty.

Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary

The pharmacokinetics of two different concentrations of short-acting insulin, intermediate-acting insulin, and an insulin mixture following subcutaneous injection.

To compare the pharmacokinetics of two different concentrations, containing either 40 or 100 IU/ml of short-acting human insulin (Velasulin HM), intermediate-acting human insulin (Insulatard HM), or an insulin mixture (25% short-acting insulin, 75% intermediate-acting insulin; Mixtard HM), three randomized, single-blind, crossover trials were performed using the euglycemic clamp technique. Eighteen healthy volunteers received insulin of either formulation subcutaneously in each of the studies (15 IU Velasulin, 20 IU Insulatard, or Mixtard). The blood glucose levels were maintained constant by glucose infusions. In the trial using Velasulin, the two different insulin concentrations were equivalent regarding the total absorption [area under the curve (AUC) of serum insulin: 126 +/- 28 and 123 +/- 35 mU/l x 12 h for U40 and U100 (mean +/- SD)], but not in regard to the rate of absorption (t max 1.3 +/- 0.4 and 2.4 +/- 1.0 h for U40 and U100). In the case of Insulatard, total absorption was not equivalent (AUC 153 +/- 35 and 128 +/- 37 ml/l x 24 h for U40 and U100), but the rate of absorption was equivalent (t max 4.8 +/- 2.9 and 5.3 +/- 4.6 h). In the Mixtard series, total absorption was equivalent (AUC 142 +/- 32 and 128 +/- 22 mU/l x 24 h), but the rate of absorption was not (t max 2.2 +/- 0.9 and 3.2 +/- 4.2 h for U40 and U100). The glucose requirement was not equivalent in each of the three series.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult

Effects of previous glycaemic control on the onset and magnitude of cognitive dysfunction during hypoglycaemia in type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetic patients.

To determine whether the degree of previous glycaemic control may modify cognitive responses to hypoglycaemia, the glycaemic thresholds for, and magnitude of cognitive dysfunction as assessed by P300 event-related potentials as well as subjective and hormonal responses during hypoglycaemia were evaluated. Hypoglycaemia was induced by intravenous insulin infusion in 18 Type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetic patients, 7 of whom were strictly controlled (HbA1c: 6.3 +/- 0.3%; mean +/- SEM; Group 1) and 11 of whom were poorly controlled (HbA1c: 9.1 +/- 0.4%; Group 2). Within 60 min, mean blood glucose declined from 5.6 and 5.7 mmol/l (baseline) to a nadir of 1.6 and 1.8 mmol/l followed by an increase to 5.6 and 4.3 mmol/l after 120 min in Group 1 and 2, respectively. There was no significant difference between the groups in regard to P300 latency at baseline, but between 50 and 70 min a significant prolongation of this component was noted in Group 2 as compared with Group 1 at blood glucose levels between 1.6 and 2.3 mmol/l (p less than 0.05). The glycaemic thresholds at which a significant increase of P300 latency over baseline was first noted were 1.6 +/- 0.2 mmol/l in Group 1 and 3.5 +/- 0.2 mmol/l in Group 2 (p less than 0.05). The glucose thresholds at which this prolongation was no longer demonstrable were 1.9 +/- 0.1 mmol/l in Group 1 and 3.8 +/- 1.4 mmol/l in Group 2, respectively (p less than 0.05). The glycaemic threshold at which the P300 amplitude was first significantly reduced was 2.2 mmol/l in Group 2, whereas no such reduction was observed in Group 1.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent

The effect of etomoxir on insulin sensitivity in type 2 diabetic patients.

Oral application of 50 mg Etomoxir caused a significant rise (33.1%) of insulin-mediated glucose uptake. This was shown in a placebo-controlled, double-blind randomized study in 8 type 2 diabetic patients by using the euglycemic clamp technique. The mean metabolic clearance rate of glucose (MCR) was raised from 4.1 +/- 0.9 mg/(kg.min) to 5.4 +/- 1.2 mg/(kg.min) (x +/- SEM, P = 0.039). Plasma levels of free fatty acids (FFA), glucose counterregulatory hormones, lipids and C-peptide values during the clamps were not different after verum and placebo. We conclude that Etomoxir improves insulin sensitivity in type 2 diabetic patients.

Aged

Increased GPIIB/IIIA expression and altered DNA-ploidy pattern in megakaryocytes of diabetic BB-rats.

Hyperactive platelets contribute to angiopathic complications in diabetes mellitus. It is unclear whether the increased platelet function is a primary pathogenetic factor in diabetes or follows vascular injury. Increased platelet size and numbers of glycoprotein receptors on diabetic platelets suggest that thrombopoiesis is altered in diabetes mellitus. For further support of this hypothesis we studied whether megakaryocytes are changed with regard to the DNA-ploidy pattern and the GPIIB/IIIA expression in 10 acute diabetic (AD) and 24 insulin treated diabetic (ITD) BB rats in comparison with 22 diabetes resistant (ND) BB rats. In the AD group megakaryocyte size (P = 0.035) and the modal DNA-ploidy distribution dropped (P = 0.0001) concomitant with increased TNF-alpha activity (P = 0.001). GPIIB/IIIA expression and the peripheral platelet status were unchanged. After 4 weeks of insulin substitution metabolic parameters (glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides) were lowered, but remained still elevated. As compared to the AD group the modal DNA-ploidy pattern reversed, but the relative percentage of 64n megakaryocytes increased 2.3-fold and GPIIB/IIIA expression increased 1.6-fold. Simultaneously, the peripheral platelet count and size increased. From these results we conclude that alterations of the megakaryocyte compartment occur at early onset of diabetes. These changes could reflect a response to increased systemic cytokine production during inflammatory islet cell destruction. The peripheral platelet thrombotic potency increased with insulin treatment. This was associated with an increase of 64n-megakaryocytes with upregulated GPIIB/IIIA expression and could reflect a mitogenic effect of insulin upon the endomitotic cycle of the megakaryocytes.

Animals

Assessment of cardiovascular autonomic function: age-related normal ranges and reproducibility of spectral analysis, vector analysis, and standard tests of heart rate variation and blood pressure responses.

To establish normal ranges for assessment of autonomic dysfunction, a battery of cardiovascular reflex tests was performed in 120 healthy subjects aged 15-67 years using a computer-based technique. Tests of heart rate variation (HRV) included 8 measures at rest: coefficient of variation (CV), root mean squared successive difference (RMSSD), spectral analysis of HRV in the low frequency, mid frequency, and high frequency bands in the supine and standing postures; 5 measures during deep breathing: CVb, RMSSDb, Expiration-Inspiration (E-I) difference, E/I ratio, and mean circular resultant of vector analysis; Valsalva ratio, and max/min 30:15 ratio. In addition, the change in systolic and diastolic blood pressure in response to standing and the diastolic blood pressure response to sustained handgrip were determined. The results of all measures, the blood pressure tests excepted, declined significantly with increasing age (r = -0.16 to -0.59; p less than 0.05). Moreover, RMSSD, RMSSDb, and E-I difference decreased considerably with increasing heart rate (r = -0.37 to -0.52; p less than 0.001). The longest and shortest R-R intervals in response to standing were distributed within beats 21-39 and 6-24, respectively. All tests were independent of sex. Log transformation was used to define the age-related lower limits of normal at the 2.3 centile for all tests of HRV, except for the E/I, Valsalva, and max/min 30:15 ratios. The results of these tests had to be analysed using a log(y-1) transformation. The intra-individual reproducibility determined on two consecutive days in 20 healthy subjects and 21 diabetic patients indicated that there were no major differences between the two groups regarding the day-to-day variation of test results, which was highest for the Valsalva ratio. We conclude that: (1) all indices of spectral and vector analyses of HRV are age-dependent and have the advantage of being independent of heart rate; (2) RMSSD, E-I difference, and the 30:15 ratio as it was used previously are not suitable for evaluation of autonomic dysfunction in diabetes; (3) log(y-1) transformation is required to determine age-dependent normal ranges and reproducibility for the three ratios.

Adolescent

Prevalence of cardiovascular autonomic dysfunction assessed by spectral analysis, vector analysis, and standard tests of heart rate variation and blood pressure responses at various stages of diabetic neuropathy.

To establish a test battery for the detection and characterization of cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy (CADN) and to evaluate its prevalence, a number of autonomic function tests based on spectral analysis, vector analysis, and standard tests of heart rate variation and blood pressure responses were performed in 261 diabetic patients aged 11-76 years with various stages of peripheral neuropathy. The percentages of abnormal results in the individual tests based on heart rate variation were 6-31% in 115 patients without peripheral neuropathy, 16-45% in 61 patients with subclinical neuropathy, 22-59% in 73 patients with symptomatic peripheral neuropathy, and 67-100% in 12 patients with the latter in conjunction with autonomic symptoms (p < 0.05). The most frequently abnormal indices, each representing a different physiological basis, were the coefficient of variation, low-frequency and mid-frequency power spectrum at rest, mean circular resultant, postural change in systolic blood pressure, and, in particular, the max/min 30:15 ratio and Valsalva ratio. CADN, defined as the presence of > or = 3 abnormalities among these seven parameters was detected in none of 120 control subjects, 13.0% of the patients without peripheral neuropathy, 34.4% of those with subclinical neuropathy, 49.3% of those with symptomatic peripheral neuropathy, and in 100% of the subjects with the latter and concomitant autonomic symptoms (p < 0.05). The overall prevalence of CADN in 103 patients completing all parameters was 46.6%. The corresponding rate of CADN defined as > or = 2 abnormalities among the five tests included in an optimized version of the battery proposed by Ewing and Clarke was 38.8%.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent

Prevalence of cardiovascular autonomic dysfunction assessed by spectral analysis and standard tests of heart-rate variation in newly diagnosed IDDM patients.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of cardiovascular autonomic nerve dysfunction in patients with newly diagnosed insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) compared with healthy nondiabetic subjects. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: A battery of cardiovascular reflex tests was performed in 130 newly diagnosed IDDM patients aged 12-40 yr at mean blood glucose levels of 7.2 mM after insulin had been administered for 3-39 days. Age-dependent lower limits of normal of these tests were defined at the 2.3 percentile in 120 nondiabetic subjects. Tests of heart-rate variation (HRV) included the coefficient of variation (C.V.) and the low-frequency (LF), midfrequency (MF), and high-frequency (HF) bands of spectral analysis at rest, HRV during deep breathing (C.V., expiratory-inspiratory ratio, and mean circular resultant), Valsalva ratio, and maximum/minimum 30:15 ratio. In addition, spectral analysis on standing, the change in systolic blood pressure to standing, and diastolic blood pressure response to sustained handgrip were determined in 50 patients. RESULTS: A significantly higher percentage of abnormal test responses in the diabetic group compared with the control group was noted for power spectrum in the LF band (7.3 vs. 0.8%, P less than 0.05) and MF band (10.6 vs. 0%, P less than 0.001) at rest and HF band on standing (10.0 vs. 0.9%, P less than 0.05), maximum/minimum 30:15 ratio (25.4 vs. 5.0%, P less than 0.001), and Valsalva ratio (17.5 vs. 4.2%, P less than 0.001). There were no significant differences between both groups in regard to the remaining parameters. Ten (7.7%) diabetic patients but none of the nondiabetic subjects had cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy defined by the strict criterion of abnormal results in more than three of six tests (P less than 0.001). In addition, 12 (9.2%) patients but only 2 (1.7%) control subjects had abnormal results in two of six tests (P less than 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Cardiovascular autonomic nerve dysfunction is relatively common in newly diagnosed IDDM patients after correction of the initial metabolic imbalance. A combination of tests based on spectral and conventional analysis of HRV appears suitable for detection of early abnormalities in autonomic function in diabetes.

Adolescent

Reduced platelet thromboxane formation after long-term administration of a dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker: a prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled study with nitrendipine in borderline hypertensive patients with IDDM-type diabetes mellitus.

Twenty-nine IDDM patients with borderline hypertension were randomly allocated to placebo or nitrendipine treatment. Nitrendipine was given orally at a dosage of 20 mg once daily over 4 weeks. Stimulated platelet thromboxane formation at rest and after standardized, non exhausting exercise was measured by standard methods. In addition, plasma levels of platelet factor 4 and aggregation responses to collagen and ADP were determined. In the treatment group thromboxane formation after stimulation with collagen (0.3 and 1.0 micrograms/ml) and 1 mM arachidonic acid (AA) was reduced in the resting state. Exercise induced change of thromboxane synthesis in response to 1.0 micrograms/ml collagen was significantly lower as compared to placebo (p < 0.05). In parallel, PF4 plasma levels were significantly lowered (p < 0.05). Whole blood aggregation after collagen stimulation (1.0 micrograms/ml) was reduced after 4 weeks of nitrendipine treatment, but ADP (5 microM) induced aggregation was not. These effects of nitrendipine were not seen in platelet rich plasma. In conclusion long-term nitrendipine treatment may inhibit collagen dependent platelet activation in the blood of diabetic patients with borderline hypertension.

Adenosine Diphosphate

[Diabetes type II].

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Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2

Glucose counterregulation in type 1 diabetic patients with decreased symptoms of hypoglycemia after insulin pump treatment.

We were interested in studying whether impaired hypoglycemic awareness after intensified insulin treatment with insulin pumps is associated with impaired glucose counterregulation. Glucose counterregulatory hormones were measured in 7 type I diabetic patients with altered symptoms after 6 months of continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) (group 1) and in 9 patients with unchanged symptoms of hypoglycemia under CSII (group 2). The groups did not differ in diabetic control, duration of diabetes, or prevalence of neuropathy. Counterregulatory hormone response to an insulin-induced episode of hypoglycemia was measured before (first test) and after 6 months (second test) of CSII. Glucose nadirs and glucose recovery were similar in both groups and both tests. The mean plasma glucagon values demonstrate a lack of glucagon response in both groups and both tests. Growth hormone and cortisol increased in both groups and both tests without any difference between the groups or first and second tests. Epinephrine response was similar in both tests of group 2 (first test: 50 +/- 5 to 416 +/- 73; second test; 45 +/- 5 to 456 pg/ml), while in group 1 the response was not increased significantly in the second test [first test: 32 +/- 6 to 346 +/- 63; second test: 44 +/- 7 to 575 +/- 91 pg/ml; areas under curve (AUC) 11,977 and 16,345 pg x ml-1 x 90 min-1 (p = 0.36)].(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent