The role of renin-angiotensin system and angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) in the development and course of viral infection COVID-19 in patients with diabetes mellitus

The role of renin-angiotensin system (RAS) in general and angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) in particular in the  pathogenesis and course of viral infection caused by SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) is of particular interest. This is due not only to the fact that ACE2 is a receptor for the virus the target cells. RAS hyperactivation in patients with arterial hypertension, cardiovascular disease and diabetes mellitus, is considered one of the most important factors for a more severe infection in persons with concomitant pathology. In addition, the effects of PAS blockage with angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE inhibitors) and angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) remains one of the most discussed topics in the literature on COVID-19. This review presents the data on the interaction between the virus and the main components of RAS and the factors influencing their expression level, the impact of ACE ­inhibitors and ARBs therapy on the disease outcome, and presents the perspectives of the treatment with recombinant ACE 2

Renal effects of glucagon-like peptide receptor agonists in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus

The purpose of our study is to assess the effects of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1R agonists) on early markers of kidney damage in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM). Materials and methods. The study included 27 patients with type 1 diabetes with normo- (n=16) and microalbuminuria (n=11) on intensive insulin injection regimen with insulin analogs. Patients were divided into two groups: 15 patients continued insulin therapy throughout the follow-up period, 12 patients were given 1.2 mg GLP-1R agonist (Liraglutide) once a day in addition to the insulin therapy for 6 months. HbA1c, lipid profile, classic markers of kidney damage (albuminuria, creatinine, glomerular filtration rate); plazma (neutrophilic gelatinase-associated lipoxalin - NGAL, molecule renal damage of type 1 - KIM-1, cystatin C, osteopontin) and urinary kidney biomarkers (nephrin, podocyne, uromodulin, NGAL, KIM-1, collagen type IV, cystatin C) were evaluated prior and in dynamics at 6 months. Kidney biomarkers levels were assessed by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results. We observed a significant decrease in the urinary excretion of type IV collagen, cystatin C, increased uromodulin excretion and decrease in the plasma levels of osteopontin, NGAL and cystatin C in the group of combined insulin and GLP-1R agonist therapy. Conclusions. Changes in the level of sensitive kidney biomarkers indicate a possible renoprotective effect of GLP-1R agonist therapy in patients with type 1 diabetes at an early stages of kidney damage

The role of neurohumoral factors in the persistence of aseptic bone inflammation in patients with diabetic neuroosteoarthropathy

BACKGROUND: Diabetic neuroosteoarthropathy (DNOAP, Charcot foot) is a relatively rare complication of diabetes mellitus (DM), which can lead not only to impaired support function of the lower limb in such patients, but also to high amputation. DNOAP is characterized by persistent aseptic inflammation of the bone structures of the foot, which creates significant ­difficulties in planning therapeutic measures. In the medical literature, there are data demonstrating the role of individual ­cytokines and neurohumoral factors in the prolongation of the inflammatory process in diabetes, however, there are currently very few studies that determine reliable markers of aseptic inflammation in DNOAP.AIM: To study the effect of neurohumoral factors and advanced glycation end products on the activity of aseptic inflammation in the bone structures of the foot in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) and diabetic neuroosteoarthropathy.MATERIALS AND METHODS. The study included 88 patients with type 2 diabetes (45 men, 43 women). Group 1 consisted of patients with DM2 and inactive DNOAP (n= 43), group 2 (n= 45) consisted of patients with DM2 and distal diabetic neuropathy without osteoarticular pathology. The diagnosis of diabetic neuropathy was based on the analysis of the clinical picture and indicators of peripheral sensitivity. Diagnosis of DNOAP and determination of its stage was based on clinical data, the results of infrared thermometry and radiology tests of the foot bones. General clinical assessment was used, radiology tests (X-ray, MRI), evaluation of CRP, calprotectin, copeptin, glutathione peroxidase 1 (GP1).RESULTS. According to the results of examination and palpation of the feet, as well as the analysis of the temperature gradient of the skin of the affected and contralateral limb (infrared thermometry), DNOAP was detected and the stage of this complication was determined. The diagnosis of the chronic stage of DNOAP was confirmed by the results of MRI and the clinical picture (no difference in skin temperature on the symmetrical areas of the feet). According to the results of laboratory analysis, a statistically significant difference in copeptin values was revealed — in group 1 — 0.232 µg/ml [0.147; 0.342], in group 2 — 0.115 µg/ml [0.065; 0.203] (p>0.05) and CRP — in group 1 — 7.113 mg/l [2.453; 16.505], in group 2 — 2.187 mg/l [1.131; 5.567] (p>0.05), leukocyte levels in the groups did not differ significantly: group 1 — 7.86 [6.40; 9.00]*10^9, group 2 — 7.00 [6.00; 8.15] (p>0.05). There was a trend towards an increase in the level of calprotectin and glutathione peroxidase-1 in the DNOAP group, however, the differences were not significant. calprotectin — in group 1 — 1.948 [1.229; 2.969], in group 2 — 1.692 [1.16; 2.514] μg/ml and glutathione peroxidase-1 in group 1 — 24.72 [20.1; 31.82], in group 2 — 22.98 [18.94; 31.2] ng/ml.CONCLUSION. In the study, statistically significant differences were obtained in the levels of copeptin and C-reactive protein: in patients with DNOAP, their values were significantly higher, which indicates the persistence of the aseptic inflammatory process in the bone tissue of patients even in the chronic stage of DNOAP. These data may help in deciding whether to use one or another method of unloading the affected joints, which will affect the clinical prognosis. The study of neurohumoral markers of arthropathy in the blood serum of patients with DM2 is carried out for the first time, and therefore it is difficult to compare with the results of other authors. It can be assumed that copeptin and CRP are significant markers of persistent inflammation of the osteoarticular structures of the foot in DNOAP

Long-term β-cells autoimmune destruction markers persistence and residual C-peptide secretion in type 1 diabetes mellitus

Backgraund: It believed that autoimmune process maintained only during the first 5 years of diabetes mellitus type 1 (T1D). Recently scientists discovered the high levels of islet autoantibodies (Ab) in long-standing T1D and some of these patients had residual insulin secretion, determined by the level of C-peptide. According to various sources, the prevalence of such observations ranges from 12 to 48%.Aims: The aim of our study was to assess the duration of autoimmune β-cells destruction markers persistence and residual fasting C-peptide secretion in the long-standing T1D, as well as to determine the possible causes and patterns of these processes.Materials and methods: In the study included 237 patients (91 men, 146 women) with T1D. Patients divided in 4 groups, according to disease duration: а — up to 1 year, n=69 (29%); b — 1–5 years, 52 (22%); c — 5–10 years, 57 (24%); d — more than 10 years, 59 (25%). Ab to glutamic acid decarboxylase (GADA), tyrosine phosphatase-like IA-2 (IA2) and zinc T8 (ZnT8A) were detected by Enzyme Immunoassay. Also detected C-peptide levels and retrospectively HbA1с.Results: Antibodies to antigens of β-cell components were detected in 26 (37%) patients in group A, in 17 patients (33%) in group B, in 15 (29%) in group C and in 14 (23%) — G.In the control group (n = 19), an increased level of antibodies was not revealed. Fasting C-peptide levels were as follows: in group «A» — 0.86 ng / ml [0.53; 1.4], «B» — 0.65 ng / ml [0.27; 0.98], « B «- 0.19 ng / ml [0.17; 0.33],» D «- 0.01 ng / ml [0.01; 0.01]. However, in 13 (22%) patients in group D, fasting C-peptide levels were more than 0.09 ng / ml.Conclusion: The data obtained indicate a long-term persistence of markers of the autoimmune process in patients with T1DM. In groups with a long (more than 5 years) course of T1DM, levels of fasting C-peptide more than 30 pmol/L (0.09 ng / ml or 0.03 nmol / L) were noted in 39 (33.6%) cases

The system of osteoprotegrin (OPG)/ligand of NF-kB receptor activator (RANKL) in patients with diabetes mellitus, mediacalcinosis and obliteratingatherosclerosis of lower leg arteries

Aim. To study the OPG/RANKL system in patients with diabetes mellitus, mediacalcinosis and obliterating atherosclerosis of lower leg arteries. Materials and methods. The study enrolled 70 patients including 20 with manifest diabetic neuropathy (DN) and mediacalcinosis of lower leg arteries(group 1). 29 patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) and clinical manifestations of obliterating atherosclerosis of lower leg arteries comprised group 2. Thecontrol group 3 consisted of 30 subjects without disturbances of carbohydrate metabolism. Immunoassays with Alkphase-B (Metra biosystems, USA),Osteoprotegrin (Biomedica, Austria), and sRANKL(Biomedica, Austria) kits were used to detect serum markers of bone formation (alkaline phosphatase(AP), OPG, and RANKL respectively). The patients underwent examination by digital X-ray of affected joints in frontal and lateral projections using anAxiom Iconos R 200 apparatus (Siemens, Germany). Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (Expert 1188,Lunar, USA). Ultrasound duplex scanning of lower leg arteries was performed with Sonoc-5500 (Agilent, USA). Results. OPG levels in diabetic patients were significantly higher than in controls (

C-peptide levels and the prevalence of islets autoantibodies in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus with different duration of the disease

BACKGROUND: Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is characterized by the development of absolute insulin deficiency. In some patients residual insulin secretion may persist for a long time. C-peptide is a widely used to measure the pancreatic beta cells function, in clinical practice and in research studies.AIM: To assess C-peptide levels and presence of islets autoantibodies (Ab) in children with different duration of T1DM and to identify factors associated with the preserved secretion.MATERIALS AND METHODS: Single-center cross-sectional study including data from 703 cases of children with T1DM, examined in the Endocrinology Research Center in 2016-2020, who was underwent a study of C-peptide levels and was positive for one or more islets antibodies (ZnT8, IA-2, GAD, ICA, IAA). There were 3 groups of patients: 1st — T1DM duration < 1 year, 2nd — from 1 to 5 years, 3rd — > 5 years.RESULTS: The median of the fasting C-peptide level in the 1st group was 0.6 ng/ml [0.27; 1.09]; in the 2nd group — 0.2 ng/ml [0.01; 0.8]; in the 3rd group — 0.01 ng/ml [0.01; 0.037]. The preserved secretion of C-peptide (> 0.6 ng/ml) was determined in 51.4% in the 1st group, in 31.4% — in the 2nd group and in 11.4% in the 3rd group. In patients with obesity during the first year from the T1DM diagnosis C-peptide levels above 1.1 ng/ml was determined significantly more often (65.2%), as well as at the period of 1 to 5 years of the disease (35.7%), compared with children with normal BMI (18.5% and 14.5%, respectively) or overweight (15.7% and 19%, respectively), p <0.01. A negative correlation was found between C-peptide levels and the duration of T1DM (r = -0.489, p = 0.000), the daily dose of insulin (r = -0.637, p = 0.000), a positive association was found with the age of diagnosis of T1DM (r = 0.547, p = 0.000). The frequency of the presence of one type of islets autoantibodies in all groups was 29.5%, 2 types — 33.6%, 3 and more types — 36.9%. The titer of IA-2, ZnT8 decreased with the disease duration (p <0.05 and p <0.01, respectively), while the titer of ICA increased (p <0.01). No associations between the types, number, antibodies titer and C-peptide levels, age of disease manifestation were found.CONCLUSION: C-peptide levels in children with T1DM in groups with older age at diagnosis and with obesity is significantly higher for the first 5 years of the disease. The study have shown the titer of IA-2, ZnT8 is decreasing with the disease duration, in turn, the frequency of detection of ICA increases. No association between C-peptide levels and the type, number and titer of antibodies were found

The role of specific pancreatic antibodies in the differential diagnosis of complete clinical and laboratory remission of type 1 diabetes mellitus and MODY in children

BACKGROUND: T1D is characterized by autoimmune destruction of pancreatic β-cells, which develops due to genetic and environmental risk factors. Shortly after initiating the treatment with insulin, 80% of children with T1D may require smaller doses of insulin and develop clinical and laboratory remission of the disease so called «honeymoon». The issue of whether there is a need of differential diagnosis between autoimmune DM and non-immune forms of DM raises in cases of preclinical diagnosis of T1D and laboratory remission for more than 6 months.AIM: To study the clinical, immunological, genetic characteristics of T1D remission phase and MODY in children, to determine the diagnostic criteria for T1D and MODY in children.MATERIALS AND METHODS: A single-centre, cross sectional noncontrolled comparative study of two independent cohorts. Data of 150 children examined in the Endocrinology Research Center (January 2016–June 2021). First cohort included patients with complete clinical and laboratory remission of T1D (n=36), second cohort included patients with MODY, confirmed by genetic study (n=114).RESULTS: The median age of diabetes manifestation was significantly higher in patients with T1D — 11.25 years [8.33; 13.78] than in patients with MODY — 7.5 years [4.6; 12.2] (p=0.004). In patients with T1D remission the level of glycated hemoglobin was 6.0% [5.6; 6.4], in group with MODY — 6.5% [6.2; 6.7] (p<0.001). Patients with monogenic diabetes had impaired fasting glucose — 6.27 mmol/l [5.38; 6.72], while patients with remission phase had normoglycemia — 5.12 mmol/l [4.17; 5.87]. The oral glucose tolerance test was perform to all patients, two-hour glucose level did not significantly differ in two groups (p=0.08). A strong family history of diabetes in patients with MODY registered more often (93% vs. 66.7%). A positive autoantibody titer detected more often in patients with remission of T1D (77.8%) than in patients with MODY (11.4%). In addition, no more than 1 type of autoantibodies was detected in patients with MODY.CONCLUSION: Antibodies ZnT8 and IA2 showed the greatest significance for the differential diagnosis of T1D and MODY in cases with long absents of insulin requirement in children with diabetes mellitus. Genetic test is recommended in seronegative cases. If only one type of AT is detected, specialist should decide on the need to do diagnostic genetic test based on a comprehensive analysis of the patient’s clinic characteristics, including family history, manifestation and blood glucose levels

COSTOYaNIE SISTEMY OSTEOPROTEGERIN (OPG) - LIGAND RETsEPTORA-AKTIVATORA YaDERNOGO FAKTORA KAPPA-V (RANKL)u patsientov s diabeticheskoy osteoartropatiey i mediakal'tsinozom arteriy nizhnikh konechnostey

That were 107 patients included. 33 patients with acute stage of diabetic osteoarthropathy, 24 patients with chronic stage; 20 patients with severe diabetic neuropathy and medial arterial calcification (MAC) of the low extremity, confirmed X-rays; control group included 30 persons with normal glucose tolerance. Significant increased level of OPG revealed in all groups of patients with diabetes (

Autoantibodies to 21-hydroxylase as a diagnostic marker of primary autoimmune adrenal insufficiency, including at its potential and latent stages

Rationale: In Russia, assessment of anti-P450c21 antibodies (AB) in the diagnosis of autoimmune adrenal insufficiency (AAI) has not been commonly used, and the disease screening has not been implemented.Aims: 1)  To determine the sensitivity and specificity of anti-P450c21 AB determination in the AAI diagnosis; 2)  To estimate the prevalence of anti-P450c21 AB carriage in patients without AAI.Materials and methods: Anti-P450c21 AB were assessed in 40  patients (group  1) with manifest AAI; 171  patients without established diagnosis of AAI, including 113  subjects with autoimmune thyroid disorders or type 1 diabetes mellitus (AID, group 2); 25 carriers of AB markers of thyroid AID and/or type  1 diabetes mellitus without any target organ dysfunctions (group 3); 33 patients with non-autoimmune endocrine disorders (group  4), and 25 healthy individuals (group 5).Results: Determination of anti-P450c21 AB for the diagnosis of AAI had 95%  sensitivity, with specificity of 100%, predictive value of a positive result of 100%, and predictive value of a negative result 92.6%. Anti-P450c21 AB were inversely correlated with the duration of glucocorticoid replacement therapy (r=-0.222, p<0.05). High levels of anti-P450c21 AB were found in 4 (3.5%) patients of group  2; based on the results of additional hormonal testing, 50%  cases were diagnosed with the latent stage of the disease and 50% cases with the potential stage.Discussion: The sensitivity of the anti-P450c21 AB determination for AAI diagnosis in our study was higher, than in the works by other authors. We have confirmed a  time-related reduction of anti-P450c21 AB levels, whereby the strength of the correlation was higher in the subgroups with autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type  II and, to a greater extent, autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type I. This might be related to their different pathogenesis, with an abnormality of central immune tolerance in autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type I and that of peripheral immune tolerance in autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type II. According to our data, in 50% of cases, the development of AAI was preceded by the manifestation of other AIDs (in 15% of cases being multiple). Among all patients with no AAI diagnosis at the study entry, increased anti-P450c21 AB levels were found exactly in those with pre-existing AID. Thus, we have confirmed the feasibility of AAI screening primarily in a cohort of patients with other AID (especially multiple) belonging to the risk group.Conclusion: The determination of blood anti-P450c21 AB is a highly sensitive and highly specific method to diagnose AAI. The frequency of anti-P450c21 AB detection might depend on the duration of glucocorticoid treatment. Screening for early AAI stages is relevant primarily in the risk groups with multiple autoimmune disorders