Plantar fascia thickness is longitudinally associated with retinopathy and renal dysfunction: A prospective study from adolescence to adulthood

Aim: The aim was to study the longitudinal relationship between plantar fascia thickness (PFT) as a measure of tissue glycation and microvascular (MV) complications in young persons with type 1 diabetes (T1DM). Methods: We conducted a prospective longitudinal cohort study of 152 (69 male) adolescents with T1DM who underwent repeated MV complications assessments and ultrasound measurements of PFT from baseline (1997-2002) until 2008. Retinopathy was assessed by 7-field stereoscopic fundal photography and nephropathy by albumin excretion rate (AER) from three timed overnight urine specimens. Longitudinal analysis was performed using generalized estimating equations (GEE). Results: Median (interquartile range) age at baseline was 15.1 (13.4-16.8) years, and median follow-up was 8.3 (7.0-9.5) years, with 4 (3-6) visits per patient. Glycemic control improved from baseline to final visit [glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) 8.5% to 8.0%, respectively; p = .004]. Prevalence of retinopathy increased from 20% to 51% (p \u3c .001) and early elevation of AER (\u3e7.5 μg/min) increased from 26% to 29% (p = .2). A greater increase in PFT (mm/year) was associated with retinopathy at the final assessment (ΔPFT 1st vs. 2nd-4th quartiles, χ2 = 9.87, p = .02). In multivariate GEE, greater PFT was longitudinally associated with retinopathy [odds ratio (OR) 4.6, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.0-10.3] and early renal dysfunction (OR 3.2, CI 1.3-8.0) after adjusting for gender, blood pressure standard deviation scores, HbA1c, and total cholesterol. Conclusions: In young people with T1DM, PFT was longitudinally associated with retinopathy and early renal dysfunction, highlighting the importance of early glycemic control and supporting the role of metabolic memory in MV complications. Measurement of PFT by ultrasound offers a noninvasive estimate of glycemic burden and tissue glycation. © Diabetes Technology Society

Higher frequency of cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy in youth with type 2 compared to type 1 diabetes : Role of cardiometabolic risk factors

Objective Cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy (CAN) is an overlooked but common and serious diabetes complication. We examined CAN in youth with diabetes and associations with cardiovascular risk factors. Research Design and Methods This was a prospective cohort of youth aged <20 years with type 2 or type 1 diabetes (n = 66/1153, median age 15.4/16.5 years, duration 1.7/8.0 years), assessed between 2009 and 2020. CAN was defined as ≥2 abnormal heart rate variability measures across time, geometric, and frequency domains. Obesity was defined as BMI ≥ 95th percentile and severe obesity as ≥120% of 95th percentile. Multivariable generalized estimating equations (GEE) were used to examine putative risk factors for CAN, including diabetes type, obesity, and HbA1c. Results At most recent assessment, youth with type 2 versus type 1 diabetes had median: HbA1c 7.1% (54 mmol/mol) versus 8.7% (72 mmol/mol) and BMI SDS (2.0 vs. 0.7); frequency of CAN (47% vs. 27%), peripheral nerve abnormality (47% vs. 25%), hypertension (29% vs. 12%), albuminuria (21% vs. 3%), and severe obesity (35% vs. 2%). In multivariable GEE, CAN was associated with type 2 diabetes: Odds Ratio 2.53, 95% CI 1.46, 4.38, p = 0.001, higher BMI SDS: 1.49, 95% CI 1.29, 1.73, p < 0.0001, and obesity: 2.09, 95% CI 1.57, 2.78, p < 0.0001. Conclusions Youth with type 2 diabetes have a higher frequency of CAN, peripheral nerve abnormality, hypertension, albuminuria and severe obesity despite shorter diabetes duration and younger age. Our findings highlight the importance of targeting modifiable risk factors to prevent cardiovascular disease in youth with diabetes

Vitamin D Deficiency Is Not Associated with Changes in Retinal Geometric Parameters in Young People with Type 1 Diabetes

Changes in retinal geometric parameters predict risk and progression of diabetic retinopathy (DR). We have shown that vitamin D deficiency (VDD) is associated with DR. We hypothesized that VDD mediates changes in retinal geometric parameters. Retinal vascular geometric parameters were assessed using a semiautomated computer program in photographs from young people with type 1 diabetes (T1D) (n=481) and summarized as central retinal arteriolar and venular equivalents (CRAE, CRVE), fractal dimension, length-diameter ratio, branching angle and curvature tortuosity. Parameters were compared between those with and without DR and VDD (25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration ≤ 50 nmol/L). Retinal vascular geometric parameters were also compared across quartiles of vitamin D levels. Median CRVE was higher in patients with DR compared with those without (median (IQR) CRVE 247.3 μm (31.3) versus 238.8 μm (23.5), P=0.01). Fractal dimension was marginally greater in patients without VDD (1.49 (0.06) versus 1.47 (0.07) P=0.03). There was no difference in CRAE, CRVE, length-diameter ratio, branching angle, and curvature tortuosity between those with and without VDD and across quartiles of 25OHD. In conclusion, DR is associated with higher CRVE in young people with T1D; however, VDD is not associated with changes in retinal vascular geometric measures, suggesting an earlier role in the time course of DR pathogenesis