Objective To observe the effects of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 on the expressions of transforming growth factor-β1(TGF-β1), fibronectin(FN),and vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) in rats with diabetic nephropathy(DN), and to elucidate the protective mechanism played by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3. Methods DN models were estabolished by injecting streptozotoein ( STZ ) into male SD rats, which were divided into TGF-β1 overexpression group, TGF-β1 overexpression plus vitamin D3 group, TGF-β1 low-expression group, TGF-β1 low-expression plus vitamin D3 group, TGF-β1 normal-expression group, and TGF-β1 normal-expression plus vitamin D3 group. After 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 treatment for 37 days, renal function and blood biochemical parameters were evaluated. The morphology and fibrosis of kidney tissues were observed. The expressions of TGF-β1, FN, and VEGF in kidney cortex were measured by immunohistochemistry, realtime PCR, and Western blotting. Results The levels of cholesterol, triglyceride, creatinine,plasma glucose, HbA1C , and 24 h urinary protein were lower in vitamin D3treated groups than those in corresponding control groups(P<0. 05). The degree of renal fibrosis was raised with the increased level of TGF-β1. Vitamin D3 treatment decreased the fibrosis in diabetic kidney. There were significant differences in the mRNA and protein expressions of TGF-β1 in three control groups(P<0. 05). With the increased levels of TGF-β1, the expressions of FN and VEGF were increased. The expressions of TGF-β1, FN, and VEGF were lowered by vitamin D3compared with the corresponding control groups(P<0. 05). Conclusion 1,25-dihydroxy-vitamin D3 may protect the renal tissure in diabetic rats via inhibiting the expressions of TGF-β1, FN, and VEGF in the kidney.

Objective To assess the effect of early menarche and treatment with gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogs ( GnRHa ) in girls with central precocious puberty ( CPP ) or early and fast puberty ( EFP ) on menstrual regularity. Methods Six hundred and ten healthy girls were recruited and their menarche age and menstrual cycle were recorded. 169 CPP or EFP girls treated with GnRHa were followed up, and their menarche age and menstrual cycle were also recorded. Results There were 129 girls with irregular menstruation among 610 healthy girls(21. 1%), with 10 in 44 early menarche girls(22. 7%) and 11 in 44 late menarche girls(25. 0%). Compared with normal menarche girls(17. 2%), no significant difference was found in the incidences of irregular menstruation in early and late menarche girls. The incidences of dysmenorrhea were 41. 1% in normal girls and 50. 0% in early menarche girls, without significant difference. There was a higher incidence of irregular menstruation in 113 CPP girls and 56 EFP girls treated with GnRHa compared with healthy girls (31. 4% vs 21. 1%, P<0. 05), but without difference compared with early menarche girls(P>0. 05). Fifty-seven cases treated with GnRHa(33. 7%) suffered from dysmenorrhea, and there was no significant difference as compared with healthy girls and girls with early menarche. Conclusion The incidence of irregular menstruation was similar in early menarche girls and normal girls. CPP and EFP girls with GnRHa treatment had a significantly higher incidence of irregular menstruation than normal girls, but no difference was found as compared with girls with early menarche. Early menarche and GnRHa treatment did not affect the incidence of dysmenorrhea.

[Summary] The genotypes of rs6832151 in the 4p14 were genotyped by Taqman probe technique on FluidigmEPl platform in 617 patients with Graves′disease( GD) and 4 915 health control subjects. The result showed thatRs6832151 Gin4p14wasstronglyassociatedwithGD(OR=1.39,P<0.01),withstatisticalsignificancefor three genetic models according to the locus genotyping ( additive model,dominant model,and recessive model,all P<0.01). There was no statistically significant difference in the sizes of goiter between the genotype subgroups(P>0. 05). The result suggests that rs6832151 G in 4p14 is the susceptibility genes of Graves′ disease in Bengbu population, and is related to the high risk of GD.

[Summary] A total of 215 pregnant women at mid-gestation were enrolled, and their serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels were measured. Of them, 38 (17. 7%) were classified as cases with vitamin D sufficiency, 70 (32. 5%) as insufficiency, and 107 (49. 8%) as deficiency. Compared with the sufficient group, parathyroid hormone level increased and osteocalcin level decreased significantly in the deficient group. Therefore, vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent among pregnant women and is associated with their potential disorder of bone turnover.

Objective To evaluate the utility of waist-to-height ratio ( WHtR ) in predicting metabolic syndrome ( MS) among non-overweight Chinese adults, and to investigate the difference by age and sex. Methods Based on a population-based cross-sectional survey on MS in Zhejiang province in 2010, data of 10 792 non-overweight (body mass index<24. 0 kg/m2 ) adults aged 18 years and older were analyzed by using the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve analysis and multiple logistic regression. Results The area under ROC curve (AUC) values of WHtR in MS prediction were 0. 765(95%CI 0. 740-0. 789) and 0. 786(95%CI 0. 765-0. 807), and odds ratios(OR) of WHtR for MS were 1. 23(95%CI 1. 20-1. 27) and 1. 22(95%CI 1. 20-1. 26) in non-overweight men and women, respectively. These two values were with significant difference among non-overweight adults with different agedandsexes(P<0.01). No-overweightmenhadsmallerAUCandORamong18-34agegroupwhilelargerAUCand OR among 35-49, 50-64, and 65-plus age groups than women. The AUC and OR showed slight difference among age groups in non-overweight men, while these two values decreased with age in non-overweight women. The optimal cutoff value was higher in non-overweight women (0. 509 vs 0. 498) than that in men. Non-overweight men aged 50-64 years old had higher cutoff value than those aged 18-34, 35-49, and 65-plus years, while among non-overweight women the cutoff values increased with age. Conclusion WHtR had preferable discriminatory power and association with MS among non-overweight Chinese adults. Further studies should be conducted to explore the difference by age and sex.

Objective To investigate whether sulfonylurea ( SU) increases the risk of stroke in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM). Methods A systemic meta-analysis including 17 random control trails(RCT) was performed to compare the risk of stroke between type 2 diabetic patients treated with SUs and comparators. Results 1 612 articles were retrieved, and finally 17 articles were included. Patients receiving SUs treatment had a higher relative risk of stroke (RR 1. 35, 95% CI 1. 13-1. 60) than those who received comparators. The I2 statistic for heterogeneity between 17 trails was 0. 0%(P=0. 687). No major asymmetry appeared in the funnel plot and Begg′adjusted rank correlation test(kendall′s score=22, P=0. 387). Conclusion The use of SUs may raise the risk of stroke which is already high in patients with T2DM.

Objective To investigate the incidence of newly-onset type 1 diabetes mellitus ( T1DM ) complicated with ketoacidosis(DKA) and its relevant factors in pediatrics. Methods Hospital records of 317 T1DM children below 18 years of age, diagnosed from 2010 to 2012 were reviewed. By using retrospectively analyzed data of inpatients with newly-diagnosed T1DM, the incidence of DKA was calculated. In this study, the influential factors of DKA included gender, age, residence, family history of diabetes mellitus, duration of symptoms, misdiagnosis or missed diagnosis, and delayed treatment. Patients were divided into two groups:group 1, aged<5 year and group 2, aged>5 year. Results Of all patients diagnosed with T1DM, 175 ( 55. 2%) presented with DKA, and mild, moderate, and severe DKA accounted for 26. 5%, 23. 9%, 49. 6%, respectively. The incidences of DKA in group 1 andgroup2were67.5% and48.0% (P=0.001),withthehighestfrequency(70.3%)inpatientsaged<2 years. The proportion of severe DKA in group 1 was significantly higher than that of group 2 (60. 0% vs 41. 3%, P=0. 048). The rates of misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis in the two groups were respectively 27. 4% and 12. 0%(P=0. 001), being 37. 8% in children<2 years. The HbA1C level of group 1 was lower than group 2 (11. 50% vs 12.54%,P=0.001). Intheacutemetabolicandhoneymoonperiod,Cpeptidelevelsofgroup1werebothlowerthan those of group 2 [(0. 36 vs 0. 55) ng/ml, P=0. 001;(0. 40 vs 0. 61) ng/ml, P=0. 02]. The DKA incidence of patients with misdiagnosis or missed diagnosis was significantly increased(83. 9% vs 49. 0%, P=0. 000). Compared with those without DKA, C peptide level of patients with DKA was lower in the acute metabolic period[(0. 56 vs 0.40)ng/ml,P<0. 01], but no difference in honeymoon period[(0. 67 vs 0. 59)ng/ml,P=0. 22]. Logistic regression showed that age, misdiagnosis or missed diagnosis were associated with the presence of DKA. The possibility of the occurrence of DKA in patients aged>5 years was half of patients aged<5 years ( OR=0. 448, P=0. 003), and the risk of DKA in patients with misdiagnosis or missed diagnosis was higher (OR=5. 640, P=0. 005). Conclusion DKA in patients with newly-onset T1DM is frequent and often severe. Multivariate analysis revealed that patients aged <5 years and those with misdiagnosis or missed diagnosis are encountered high risk of DKA.

Objective To investigate the expression levels of miR-146a in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells ( PBMCs ) of patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy ( DPN ) and their correlation with the disease severity. Methods The expression levels of miR-146a in the PBMCs were measured by using real time PCR in 62 patients with type 2 diabetes (32 patients without DPN, 30 with DPN) and 33 healthy individuals. The correlation of miR-146a expression with clinical parameters was analyzed. Results The expression level of miR-146a in patients withtype2diabetesmellituswassignificantlylowerthanthatinthehealthyindividuals((1.92±1.99vs4.15±1.56, P<0. 05). Furthermore, the miR-146a level was significantly lowered in diabetic patients with DPN as compared with thosewithoutDPN(1.22±1.61vs2.51±2.00,P<0.05). TheexpressionlevelsofmiR-146ainpatientswithDPN were positively correlated with duration of diabetes, blood glucose, and Toronto clinical scoring system scores. Conclusion The decreased expression of miR-146a in patients with DPN is correlated with the severity of DPN.

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of epalrestat, an aldose reductase inhibitor, and epalrestat plus methylcobalamine on diabetic peripheral neuropathy, as compared with methylcobalamine. Methods A total of 444 subjects with diabetic neuropathy were enrolled in the study, and divided into methylcobalamine group ( n= 145 ) , epalrestat group ( n = 143 ) , and methylcobalamine combined with epalrestat group ( n = 156 ) . Therapeutic efficacay was assessed in terms of clinical symptoms and physical examinations by using Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument ( MNSI ) , and electrophysiological assessments. Results After 4 to 12-weeks′treatment, symptoms and signs of neuropathy ( using MNSI ) are significantly improved in the three groups ( P<0. 01). The mean changes of MNSI ( questionnaire) score from baseline were higher in epalrestat group and methylcobalamine combined with epalrestat group as compared with that of methylcobalamine group(P<0. 05), but no difference was detected in the change of MNSI ( physical examination ) score from baseline among three groups. After treatment for 12 weeks, motor nerve conduction velocity ( MNCV ) was significantly improved in epalrestat group and methylcobalamine combined with epalrestat group(P<0. 05), but no difference was detected in MNCV at 12 week among three groups(P>0. 05). Conclusion Epalrestat is effective and safe in the treatment of diabetic neuropathy. Furthermore, epalrestat is more efficacious in ameliorating symptoms and MNCV of neuropathy than methylcobalamine. However, while no improved efficacy is shown with the combined treatment.

[Summary] Neuroischemic diabetic foot ulcer ( NDFU) is characterized by infection, ulceration of deep tissues, neurological abnormalities, and various degrees of peripheral vascular disease in the lower limbs. The patients often have multiple risk factors such as older, longer duration, cardiovascular disease. The treatment is very difficult. The prognosis depends on the severity of complications, tissue range of infections, and the peripheral vascular disease. In this article, the treatment process of an old inpatient with NDFU and severe complications was reviewed and to propose a standard pathway for its management.