Relationship between gamma-glutamyl transferase and glucose intolerance in first degree relatives of type 2 diabetics patients

Background: Considering that serum gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) activity could reflect several different processes relevant to diabetes pathogenesis and the increasing rate of type 2 diabetes worldwide, the aim of this study was to assess the association between serum GGT concentrations and glucose intolerance, in the first-degree relatives (FDR) of type 2 diabetic patients. Methods: In this descriptive study, 30-80 years old, non diabetic FDRs of type 2 diabetic patients were studied. Serum GGT was measured by enzymatic photometry method in all studied population. The relationship between GGT and glucose intolerance status (normal, prediabetic and diabetics) was evaluated. Results: During this study 551 non-diabetic FDRs of type 2 diabetic patients were studied. Mean of GGT was 25.3 ± 12.1 IU/L. According to glucose tolerance test, 153 were normal and 217 and 181 were diabetic and prediabetic respectively. Mean of GGT in normal, prediabetic and diabetic patients was 23.5 ± 15.9 IU/L, 29.1 ± 28.1 IU/L and 30.9 ± 24.8 IU/L respectively (p = 0.000). The proportion of prediabetic and diabetic patients was higher in higher quartile of GGT and there was a significant correlation between GGT and BMI, HbA1c, FPG, cholesterol, LDL-C, and triglyceride (p < 0.05). There was a significant relation between GGT and area under the curve (AUC) of oral glucose tolerance test (p = 0.00). Conclusions: Measurement of GGT in FDRs of type 2 diabetic patients may be useful in assessing the risk of diabetes; those with chronically high levels of GGT should be considered as high risk group for diabetes

Visual acuity in an Iranian cohort of patients with type 2 diabetes: the role of nephropathy and ischemic heart disease

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the risk factors of low vision in type 2 diabetic patients and the prevalence of ischemic heart diseases and nephropathy for different visual acuities. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, data from 738 type 2 diabetic patients including evidences for nephropathy and ischemic heart disease, demographic characteristics, blood pressure and body mass index were collected, and then patients were divided into 3 groups based on their best corrected visual acuity in the better-seeing eye. Analysis of variance was used to compare basic characteristics according to different levels of visual acuity. Results: The prevalence of blindness and low vision was 5.5% and 13.3% respectively, and as age, duration of diabetes, systolic blood pressure and body mass index increased, the visual acuity decreased. The prevalence of hypertension and obesity in patients with visual disabilities was significantly higher than in patients with not impaired visions (p = 0.008 and p = 0.02, respectively). We also found that with greater decline in visual acuity, the prevalence of neph-ropathy and ischemic heart diseases increased. Conclusions: The factors related to retinopathy play a role in affecting the degree of visual impairment in diabetic patients. Therefore, controlling risk factors can be useful in decreasing impairment of vision and blindness