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Biomedical subjects

R C Turner

Publications and source records attributed to R C Turner.

At least 181 records · Page 10Linked to original sources

Beta-cell dysfunction, rather than insulin insensitivity, is the primary defect in familial type 2 diabetes.

Continuous infusion of glucose with model assessment was used to measure glucose tolerance, beta-cell function, and insulin sensitivity in 154 first-degree relatives of 55 patients with type-2 diabetes. The plasma glucose achieved at 1 h was normally distributed in normal control subjects, but 31 (20%) of relatives of type-2 diabetics had values above the normal distribution mean +2 SD. Insulin secretion, assessed from the first or second phase plasma-C-peptide responses, was significantly lower in the glucose-intolerant relatives than in normoglycaemic relatives of similar sex, age, and obesity. beta-cell function, estimated by means of model analysis, was severely impaired in the glucose-intolerant relatives but was not impaired in the normoglycaemic relatives (geometric mean 41% and 109% of normal beta-cell response, respectively). Reduced beta-cell function was found with all degrees of glucose intolerance, whereas only the more severely hyperglycaemic relatives had impaired insulin sensitivity. This suggests that the primary defect in familial type-2 diabetes is beta-cell dysfunction.

Adult↗

Hypoglycaemia and antimalarial drugs: quinidine and release of insulin.

Life threatening hypoglycaemia has been closely associated with the use of quinine, but the effect of quinidine and the synthetic antimalarials on the homoeostasis of glucose has not been investigated. In volunteers given a fixed dose of 500 mg base and patients with malaria given a quinidine loading dose (15 mg base/kg) mean (SEM) plasma insulin concentrations rose from 6.1 (1.5) mU/l to 10.9 (4.4) mU/l (p less than 0.02) and 10.4 (2.0) mU/l to 18.5 (5.3) mU/l (p less than 0.04), respectively. Plasma glucose concentrations fell from 4.5 (1.1) mmol/l (81 (20) mg/100 ml) to 4.0 (0.3) mmol/l (72 (5) mg/100 ml) in volunteers (p less than 0.04) and from 5.7 (1.3) mmol/l (102 (23) mg/100 ml) to 4.8 (1.6) mmol/l (86 (29) mg/100 ml) in patients (p less than 0.05). One of two patients with cerebral malaria and acute renal failure became profoundly hypoglycaemic (plasma glucose concentration 1.4 mmol/l (25 mg/100 ml), plasma insulin concentration 3.1 mU/l). Hypoglycaemia may occur in any severely ill fasting patient given parenteral quinidine. The other antimalarials tested, chloroquine, amodiaquine, mefloquine, and halofantrine, did not stimulate the release of insulin, an important advantage that should be taken into account when treatment is chosen for Plasmodium falciparum malaria.

Amodiaquine↗

Effectiveness of SMS 201-995, a synthetic, long-acting somatostatin analogue, in treatment of quinine-induced hyperinsulinaemia.

SMS 201-995, a new long-acting, synthetic somatostatin analogue, dose 50 micrograms/h, given as a continuous intravenous infusion, completely abolished quinine-induced insulin release in 9 healthy Thai volunteers. Hyperinsulinaemia, which caused sustained hypoglycaemia in a 32-year-old post-partum Thai patient who was receiving intravenous quinine for falciparum malaria, was suppressed within 30 min of starting SMS 201-995, and the patient became fully conscious. This octapeptide antagonises the stimulatory effect of quinine on the pancreatic beta cell and is a specific therapy for life-threatening hyperinsulinaemic hypoglycaemia complicating falciparum malaria.

Adult↗

Quantifying early diabetic retinopathy.

A precise and accurate method of numerically quantifying diabetic retinopathy, on standardised retinal colour photographs, has been developed which allows small changes and trends to be monitored. Colour slides are projected onto a screen and features noted on an acetate sheet which provides a permanent record. Sector analysis showed microaneurysms and haemorrhages to occur most often at the temporal-to-macula area, exudates at the macula and cotton wool spots on the nasal side of the retina. Seventy percent of microaneurysms appeared in the previous year, irrespective of the severity of the retinopathy. In proportion to their usual relative prevalences, after normalisation of distribution, the various features can be combined to provide a single value, the Retinopathy Index. This provides an overall assessment of retinopathy which is suitable for comparing the progress of mild retinopathy in prospective studies.

Aneurysm↗

Rocky Mountain spotted fever presenting as thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura.

A patient presented with findings compatible with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura. The diagnosis of Rocky Mountain spotted fever was also considered because the patient was a hunter in a tick-infested area. He was treated for both diagnoses. The patient recovered and a diagnosis of Rocky Mountain spotted fever was confirmed by serologic methods. Clinical symptoms and hematologic parameters of severe Rocky Mountain spotted fever may resemble thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, implying that there may be similarities in the pathophysiology of both disorders.

Adult↗

Diabetic retinopathy and its association with limited joint mobility.

Limited joint mobility (LJM) of the small joints of the hands was studied in 63 adult insulin-dependent diabetics to determine whether LJM might serve as an indicator to the presence of diabetic retinopathy in diabetics of long duration. In 123 non-diabetic controls, and in the 63 diabetics, the prevalence of LJM increased with age. In the diabetics, LJM was not associated with retinopathy, long-term glycaemic control or HLA type. The hypothesis that LJM is useful as a predictor of the development of retinopathy in young diabetics does not extend to older diabetics of long duration. LJM and retinopathy may have a different pathophysiology.

Adult↗

Platelet aggregation in non-insulin-dependent diabetes is associated with platelet fatty acids.

Platelet aggregation was measured in 15 patients having non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) at the time of diagnosis and after three months of dietary treatment. Mean fasting plasma glucose fell from 13.0 to 8.8 mmol/l (p less than 0.0002), glycosylated haemoglobin fell from a mean of 11.3% to 9.0% (p less than 0.005) and insulin levels fell from a mean of 17.5 to 13.8 mU/l (p less than 0.005). Platelet aggregation showed a variable response and did not correlate with plasma glucose, glycosylated haemoglobin or plasma insulin. Multiple linear regression analysis was carried out on the aggregation values against the biochemical variables and platelet phospholipid fatty acid levels following logarithm transformation. Platelet linolenic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid levels were significantly inversely associated with aggregation but the difference between the relationship at diagnosis and after three months was not statistically significant. The association between platelet omega 3 fatty acids and platelet aggregation suggest that dietary change aimed at increasing the proportions of these fatty acids might favourably influence vascular disease in NIDDM via an effect on platelet function.

Adult↗

Glycosylated haemoglobin: comparison of five different methods, including measurement on capillary blood samples.

Glycosylated haemoglobin was measured in venous blood samples and in blood collected in 'Unistep' bottles by isoelectric focusing (IEF), as the reference method, and by electroendosmosis (EEO), the thiobarbituric acid method (TBA), ion-exchange chromatography (IEC) and affinity chromatography (AC). Isoelectric focusing, electroendosmosis and thiobarbituric acid gave similar results. Affinity chromatography gave lower results than isoelectric focusing for normal values but similar results for diabetics. Ion-exchange chromatography gave 24% lower results than isoelectric focusing across the range. Using Unistep collected blood samples and comparing multiple samples from the same patient, electroendosmosis gave the best results (coefficient of variation 4%) and thiobarbituric acid gave slightly less good precision that other methods. Re-use of affinity chromatography columns gave less good precision. Collection of blood samples into a Unistep bottle gave similar results to venous sample results. Storage of venous capillary blood samples in Unistep bottles over 1 week at 21 degrees C gave similar results to immediate assay. Electroendosmosis of blood samples in Unistep bottles gave stable results over 2 weeks. Home collection by a patient of a capillary blood sample into a Unistep bottle allows glycosylated haemoglobin results to be available when seen in the clinic.

Capillaries↗

Glycosylated plasma protein measurement by a semi-automated method.

A semi-automated method for determination of glycosylation of plasma proteins using the thiobarbituric acid method is described. Plasma samples (100 microL) and a plasma pool used as a secondary standard were incubated in 0.3 M oxalic acid at 100 degrees C for exactly 2 h. The hydroxymethyl furfural released and the total protein were measured concurrently on a Technicon AAII Autoanalyzer. Addition of 10 or 20 mmol glucose to plasma samples caused a minimal increase in the measured glycosylated protein. Within-batch and between-batch coefficients of variation were 3.1% and 4.9% respectively. The mean glycosylated protein levels for 52 normals and 48 maturity-onset diabetics were (+/- 1SD) 0.96 +/- 0.13 and 1.75 +/- 0.32 nmol HMF/mg protein/2 h incubation.

Autoanalysis↗

Quinine and severe falciparum malaria in late pregnancy.

Quinine dihydrochloride was given intravenously to 12 women with severe falciparum malaria in the third trimester of pregnancy. The initial dose consisted of 10 or 20 mg salt/kg over 4 h and was followed by 10 mg salt/kg every 8 h until patients were fit to swallow, when quinine sulphate tablets were given. Uterine activity showed little or no change despite rising quinine concentrations. Of 3 patients in labour, 2 proceeded normally while a third had a successful caesarean section for fetal distress. Late (type II) decelerations of the fetal heart rate were recorded in 6 patients before treatment but in most patients signs of fetal distress diminished as the maternal temperature fell. Hypoglycaemia and hyperinsulinaemia developed in 7 patients, in 2 before quinine was started. The important toxic effect of quinine in late pregnancy is not an oxytocic action but rather its capacity to release insulin.

Adolescent↗

Platelet sensitivity in vitro to adenosine-5'-diphosphate and prostacyclin and diabetic retinopathy.

Platelet sensitivity to adenosine diphosphate and prostacyclin in diabetes has been assessed using collision theory and the concept of 'sticking probability' (the probability of particle union). Twenty Type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetic men (10 with no or minimal retinopathy and a matched group of 10 with proliferative retinopathy) and 10 age-matched nondiabetic men were studied. Platelets from the 20 diabetic patients required, on average, 37% less adenosine diphosphate to achieve a sticking probability of 0.5 (ED50) compared with platelets from the non-diabetic subjects (medians 1.50 and 0.95 mumol/l, respectively; p less than 0.01). The platelet prostacyclin response was assessed by the dissociation constant (Ki) for inhibition of adenosine diphosphate-induced aggregation. Platelets from the diabetic patients had similar prostacyclin sensitivity to those from the non-diabetic subjects (medians 0.42 and 0.42 respectively). Diabetic patients with and without retinopathy had similar platelet sensitivity to both adenosine diphosphate and prostacyclin.

Adenosine Diphosphate↗

Continuous infusion of glucose with model assessment: measurement of insulin resistance and beta-cell function in man.

Continuous infusion of glucose with model assessment (CIGMA) is a new method of assessing glucose tolerance, insulin resistance and beta-cell function. It consists of a continuous glucose infusion 5 mg glucose/kg ideal body weight per min for 60 min, with measurement of plasma glucose and insulin concentrations. These are similar to postprandial levels, change slowly, and depend on the dynamic interaction between the insulin produced and its effect on glucose turnover. The concentrations can be interpreted using a mathematical model of glucose and insulin homeostasis to assess insulin resistance and beta-cell function. In 23 subjects (12 normal and 11 with Type 2 (non-insulin-dependent diabetes) the insulin resistance measured by CIGMA correlated with that measured independently by euglycaemic clamp (Rs = 0.87, p less than 0.0001). With normal insulin resistance defined as 1, the median resistance in normal subjects was 1.35 by CIGMA and 1.39 by clamp, and in diabetic patients 4.0 by CIGMA and 3.96 by clamp. In 21 subjects (10 normal and 11 Type 2 diabetic) the beta-cell function measured by CIGMA correlated with steady-state plasma insulin levels during hyperglycaemic clamp at 10 mmol/l (Rs = 0.64, p less than 0.002). The CIGMA coefficient of variability was 21% for resistance and 19% for beta-cell function. CIGMA is a simple, non-labour-intensive method for assessing insulin resistance and beta-cell function in normal and Type 2 diabetic subjects who do not have glycosuria during the test.

Body Weight↗

Homeostasis model assessment: insulin resistance and beta-cell function from fasting plasma glucose and insulin concentrations in man.

The steady-state basal plasma glucose and insulin concentrations are determined by their interaction in a feedback loop. A computer-solved model has been used to predict the homeostatic concentrations which arise from varying degrees beta-cell deficiency and insulin resistance. Comparison of a patient's fasting values with the model's predictions allows a quantitative assessment of the contributions of insulin resistance and deficient beta-cell function to the fasting hyperglycaemia (homeostasis model assessment, HOMA). The accuracy and precision of the estimate have been determined by comparison with independent measures of insulin resistance and beta-cell function using hyperglycaemic and euglycaemic clamps and an intravenous glucose tolerance test. The estimate of insulin resistance obtained by homeostasis model assessment correlated with estimates obtained by use of the euglycaemic clamp (Rs = 0.88, p less than 0.0001), the fasting insulin concentration (Rs = 0.81, p less than 0.0001), and the hyperglycaemic clamp, (Rs = 0.69, p less than 0.01). There was no correlation with any aspect of insulin-receptor binding. The estimate of deficient beta-cell function obtained by homeostasis model assessment correlated with that derived using the hyperglycaemic clamp (Rs = 0.61, p less than 0.01) and with the estimate from the intravenous glucose tolerance test (Rs = 0.64, p less than 0.05). The low precision of the estimates from the model (coefficients of variation: 31% for insulin resistance and 32% for beta-cell deficit) limits its use, but the correlation of the model's estimates with patient data accords with the hypothesis that basal glucose and insulin interactions are largely determined by a simple feed back loop.

Adult↗

Sulphonylurea therapy doubles B-cell response to glucose in type 2 diabetic patients.

The effect of sulphonylurea therapy for 3 weeks on glucose-stimulated insulin secretion and insulin resistance was studied in Type 2 diabetic patients. The fasting plasma insulin and C-peptide concentrations on diet alone were compared with each subject's fasting concentrations on sulphonylurea treatment at a lower fasting plasma glucose and at the original diet-alone glycaemic level obtained by the hyperglycaemic clamp technique. At this isoglycaemic level (mean 11 mmol/l), plasma insulin levels increased from 6.9 mU/l on diet alone to 12.1 mU/l on sulphonylurea treatment (p less than 0.01). The subjects were also studied by the hyperglycaemic clamp technique at mean glycaemic levels of 13 mmol/l before and after sulphonylurea treatment; the incremental insulin response was similarly enhanced from 7.6 +/- 3.5 to 13.7 +/- 6.9 mU/l (p less than 0.02) respectively. Sulphonylureas appear to reduce glycaemia by enhancing B-cell function two-fold. In the patients studied this was from approximately 21% to 37% of a normal response. Insulin resistance assessed by the same hyperglycaemic clamps as endogenous plasma insulin concentrations divided by glucose infusion rates was unchanged by sulphonylurea therapy (mean 4.37 compared to 4.40 mU X 1(-1) X mg-1 X kg X min on diet alone).

Aged↗

Glucose and insulin homeostasis during the Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction.

Plasma concentrations of glucose and insulin were measured in ten patients during the Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction of tetracycline-treated louse-borne relapsing fever. Plasma glucose fell significantly in eight of the ten patients associated with the peak of the reaction, but plasma insulin remained low. Glucoregulation by insulin was therefore normal. This evidence questions the role of macrophage mediator-induced pancreatic insulin release in causing hypoglycaemia in borreliosis or bacterial endotoxicosis.

Adolescent↗

CIGMA assessment of insulin resistance and pancreatic beta cell function in the elderly.

Ten elderly subjects aged 71-85 years and with no indication of diabetes had an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and a one hour's continuous infusion of glucose with model assessment (CIGMA) to assess the pathophysiology of glucose intolerance. All had fasting plasma glucose less than 6 mmol/l and glycosylated haemoglobin levels less than 8.8%, but seven had impaired glucose tolerance during the OGTT. The CIGMA similarly assessed glucose tolerance (rs = 0.65, P less than 0.02), and in addition showed increased insulin resistance and low normal beta cell function.

Aged↗

The half-life of endogenous insulin and C-peptide in man assessed by somatostatin suppression.

The in-vivo half-lives of insulin and C-peptide have been assessed in normal man by a method which examines the decline of endogenously produced insulin and C-peptide after somatostatin suppression of secretion. Venous blood samples were taken each minute from seven normal subjects: i.v. glucose (0.1 g/kg ideal body weight) was given over 1 min to stimulate secretion, followed by a bolus of 250 micrograms of somatostatin-14 and an infusion of a further 250 micrograms somatostatin-14 over the subsequent 30 min. Plasma samples were analysed for C-peptide, glucose and insulin. The initial mono-exponential half-lives over 8 min were 3.9 +/- 0.3 and 10.2 +/- 0.7 min respectively (mean +/- SEM), with subsequent slower declines. Log transformed insulin and C-peptide yielded biphasic declinations which were assessed by a two-pool model. The rate constant of clearance of insulin implied avid uptake, while the kinetics of C-peptide clearance were slower, and irreversible loss might be explained by glomerular filtration alone. The somatostatin suppression method of measuring hormone kinetics could be used for newly described hormones which are not available for in-vivo studies.

Adult↗