BACKGROUND: It has been already known that each trophic hormone in combined pituitary responsiveness according to gender and age brings about variable response, but in Korea, there has been no actual data. In this study, in order to assess the pituitary responsiveness, a combined pituitary stimulation test was performed in Korean subjects with the variation in CRH, GHRH, GnRH, and TRH according to their age and gender. Were these the variables that were changed according to age and gender? Clarify that. Also, it might be good to write out the abbreviations.) METHOD: Fourteen physically and mentally healthy male subjects and fourteen female subjects, also physically and mentally healthy, underwent the combined anterior pituitary stimulation test by CRH, GHRH, LHRH, and TRH. Each gender group was divided further into young(meanSE; male: 231, female: 221) and old (mean; male: 513, female: 522) groups. RESULTS: There were significant differences between the gender and age groups. The Peak GH level and maximal GH increment were significantly increased in young men compared to old men. The Peak ACTH level and maximal ACTH increment were significantly increased in old men as opposed to young men. The Peak PRL level, maximal PRL increment, Peak TSH level, and maximal TSH increment were significantly increased in old women compared to old men. The Peak FSH level was significantly increased in the two old groups compared to the young groups, which showedindependence in gender, and the maximal FSH increment was significantly increased in old men when compared with the young men. CONCLUSION: These results show that in order to for accurate interpretation of the response from the combined pituitary stimulation test, it is necessary to consider age and gender of the subjects. We suggest response values of the combined pituitary stimulation test in terms of age and gender in healthy Korean subjects.
Adrenocorticotropic Hormone ; Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone ; Female ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone* ; Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone ; Humans* ; Korea ; Male

BACKGROUND: The Committee of the Korean Diabetes Association on the Epidemiology of Diabetes Mellitus performed a nationwide survey about the current status of glycemic control and diabetic complications in 2006. METHODS: The current study included 5,652 diabetic patients recruited from the rosters of endocrinology clinics of 13 tertiary hospitals in Korea. Age, gender, height, weight, waist circumference and blood pressure were investigated by standard method. Fasting and postprandial 2 hour glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), lipid profiles, fasting insulin and c-peptide levels were measured. Microvascular (microalbuminuria, retinopathy and neuropathy) and macrovascular (coronary artery disease [CAD], cerebrovascular disease [CVD] and peripheral artery disease [PAD]) complications were reviewed in their medical records. RESULTS: Mean age of total subjects was 58.7 (+/- 11.6) years and duration of diabetes was 8.8 (0~50) years. Mean fasting and postprandial 2 hour glucose levels were 145.9 +/- 55.0 and 208.0 +/- 84.4 mg/dL, respectively. Their mean HbA1c was 7.9 +/- 1.9%: the percentage of patients within target goal of glycemic control (< 7% of HbA1c) was 36.7%. In this study, 30.3%, 38.3% and 44.6% of patients was found to have microalbuminuria, retinopathy and nephropathy, respectively. Prevalence of CAD, CVD and PAD was 8.7%, 6.7% and 3.0%, respectively. Diabetic complications were closely related with age, duration of diabetes and glycemic control, and this relationship was stronger in microvascular complications than macrovascular ones. CONCLUSION: Only about one third of patients with diabetes was found to reach target glycemic control in tertiary hospitals of Korea. More tight control is needed to reduce deleterious complications of diabetes in Korea.
Arteries ; Blood Pressure ; C-Peptide ; Diabetes Complications ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Endocrinology ; Fasting ; Glucose ; Hemoglobin A, Glycosylated ; Humans ; Insulin ; Korea ; Medical Records ; Peripheral Arterial Disease ; Prevalence ; Tertiary Care Centers ; Waist Circumference

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to analyze the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in Korean type 2 diabetic patients. METHODS: A total of 4,240 diabetic patients (male 2,033, female 2,207; mean age 58.7 +/- 11.3 years; DM duration 8.9 +/- 7.6 years) were selected from the data of endocrine clinics of 13 university hospitals in 2006. Metabolic syndrome was defined using the criteria of the American Heart Association/National Heart Lung and Blood Institute and the criteria of waist circumference from the Korean Society for the Study of Obesity. RESULTS: The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 77.9% (76.7% of males, 78.9% of females). The average number of the components of metabolic syndrome was 2.4 +/- 1.1. Abdominal obesity was seen in 56.8% of the patients, hypertriglyceridemia in 42.0%, low HDL cholesterol in 65.1%, and high blood pressure in 74.9%. Abdominal obesity and high blood pressure were much more prevalent among females than males, and low HDL cholesterol was much more prevalent among males than females. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was not different according to the duration of diabetes. Metabolic syndrome was strongly related with obesity (odds ratio, 6.3) and increased age (odds ratio in the over 70 group, 3.4). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 77.9% in Korean type 2 diabetic patients. Its prevalence was greater in obese patients and in those over 40 years of age.
Cholesterol, HDL ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Female ; Heart ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Hypertriglyceridemia ; Lung ; Male ; Obesity ; Obesity, Abdominal ; Prevalence ; Waist Circumference

The potential relationship between vitamin D (VitD) status and metabolic control in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) warrants further study. We aimed to evaluate the relationship between the serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] level and various parameters in patients with T2DM. We analyzed retrospectively data from 276 Korean patients with T2DM whose serum 25(OH)D level was measured in our hospital. Nondiabetic healthy subjects who visited the hospital for health screening were selected as the control group (Non-DM, n=160). Compared with control subjects, patients with T2DM had a lower serum 25(OH)D level (15.4+/-0.5 vs. 12.9+/-0.4 ng/ml, p<0.01). Eleven percent of T2DM patients were VitD "insufficient" (20-29 ng/ml) and 87% of the patients were VitD "deficient" (<20 ng/ml). The serum 25(OH)D level was significantly related to serum fibrinogen, triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), ferritin, the urine albumin creatinine ratio, and hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C). In a multivariate logistic regression analysis, high levels of HbA1C, TG, and LDL-C were independently associated with VitD deficiency in T2DM patients. The results of the present study show that the majority of Koreans with T2DM are VitD deficient, and the serum 25(OH)D level in patients with T2DM is related to lipid and glucose parameters. Further studies are required of the relationship of VitD with fibrinogen and other related parameters.
Cholesterol ; Creatinine ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; Ferritins ; Fibrinogen ; Glucose ; Hemoglobins ; Humans ; Lipoproteins ; Logistic Models ; Mass Screening ; Retrospective Studies ; Vitamin D ; Vitamins

Background: We evaluated the achievement of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) targets in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) according to up-to-date Korean Diabetes Association (KDA), European Society of Cardiology (ESC)/European Atherosclerosis Society (EAS), and American Diabetes Association (ADA) guidelines. Methods: This retrospective cohort study collected electronic medical record data from patients with T2DM (≥20 years) managed by endocrinologists from 15 hospitals in Korea (January to December 2019). Patients were categorized according to guidelines to assess LDL-C target achievement. KDA (2019): Very High-I (atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease [ASCVD]) <70 mg/dL; Very High-II (target organ damage [TOD], or cardiovascular risk factors [CVRFs]) <70 mg/dL; high (others) <100 mg/dL. ESC/EAS (2019): Very High-I (ASCVD): <55 mg/dL; Very High-II (TOD or ≥3-CVRF) <55 mg/dL; high (diabetes ≥10 years without TOD plus any CVRF) <70 mg/dL; moderate (diabetes <10 years without CVRF) <100 mg/dL. ADA (2019): Very High-I (ASCVD); Very High-II (age ≥40+ TOD, or any CVRF), for high intensity statin or statin combined with ezetimibe. Results: Among 2,000 T2DM patients (mean age 62.6 years; male 55.9%; mean glycosylated hemoglobin 7.2%) ASCVD prevalence was 24.7%. Of 1,455 (72.8%) patients treated with statins, 73.9% received monotherapy. According to KDA guidelines, LDL-C target achievement rates were 55.2% in Very High-I and 34.9% in Very High-II patients. With ESC/EAS guidelines, target attainment rates were 26.6% in Very High-I, 15.7% in Very High-II, and 25.9% in high risk patients. Based on ADA guidelines, most patients (78.9%) were very-high risk; however, only 15.5% received high-intensity statin or combination therapy. Conclusion According to current dyslipidemia management guidelines, LDL-C goal achievement remains suboptimal in Korean patients with T2DM.