Impaired wound healing is a well-documented phenomenon in experimental and clinical diabetes. Experimental evidence suggests that a defect in vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) regulation might be associated with wound-healing disorders. We studied the involvement of lipid peroxidation in the pathogenesis of altered VEGF expression in diabetes-related healing deficit by using an incisional skin-wound model produced on the back of female diabetic C57BL/KsJ db؉/ db؉ mice and their normal (db؉/؉m) littermates. Animals were then randomized to the following treatment: raxofelast (15 mg ⅐ kg -1 ⅐ day -1 i.p.), an inhibitor of lipid peroxidation, or its vehicle (DMSO/NaCl 0.9%, 1:1 vol: vol). The animals were killed on different days (3, 6, and 12 days after skin injury), and the wounded skin tissues were used for histological evaluation, for analysis of conjugated dienes (CDs), as an index of lipid peroxidation and wound breaking strength. Furthermore, we studied the time course of VEGF mRNA expression throughout the skin-repair process (3, 6, and 12 days after skin injury), by means of reverse transcriptasepolymerase chain reaction, as well as the mature protein in the wounds. Diabetic mice showed impaired wound healing with delayed angiogenesis, low breaking strength, and increased wound CD content when compared with their normal littermates. In healthy control mice, a strong induction of VEGF mRNA was found between day 3 and day 6 after injury, while no significant VEGF mRNA expression was observed at day 12 after injury. In contrast, VEGF mRNA levels, after an initial increase (day 3), were significantly lower in diabetic mice than in normal littermates, and light induction of VEGF mRNA expression was also present at day 12 after injury. Similarly, the wound content of the angiogenic factor was markedly changed in diabetic mice. Administration of raxofelast did not modify the process of wound repair in normal mice, but significantly improved the impaired wound healing in diabetic mice through the stimulation of angiogenesis, re-epithelization, and synthesis and maturation of extracellular matrix. Moreover, raxofelast treatment significantly reduced wound CD levels and increased the breaking strength of the wound. Lastly, the inhibition of lipid peroxidation restored the defect in VEGF expression during the process of skin repair in diabetic mice and normalized the VEGF wound content. The current study provides evidence that lipid peroxidation inhibition restores wound healing to nearly normal levels in experimental diabetes-impaired wounds and normalizes the defect in VEGF regulation associated with diabetes-induced skin-repair disorders. Diabetes 50:667-674, 2001

According to the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA), a high prevalence of malnutrition was found out in both genders: 26% of F and 16.3% of M were classified as being malnourished (MNA<17); 40.9% of F and 35% of M were at risk of malnutrition (MNA 17-23,5). The prevalence of malnutrition was significantly higher in NH subjects in both sexes. Moreover, a relationship was shown between malnutrition and inability to shop, prepare and cook meals because of a low income, distance from markets or supermarkets as well as impossibility to drive the car or to use public transportation. This study confirms the necessity to routinely perform nutritional status evaluation in elderly subjects, to carry out training courses for health workers (doctors, nurses, psychologists, dietitians), to implement nutritional education of the geriatric population, to develop tools and guidelines for health workers and caregivers, to identify and reduce clinical, functional, social or economic risk factors for malnutrition.

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The targeted use of scales specifically assessing BDDA of the caregiver and the identification of particular patient and caregiver characteristics are able to allow a precise and early definition of caregivers at high risk of burden and distress. This might be helpful in planning the correct social/clinical/rehabilitative approach.

The effects of recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) in diabetes-related healing defects were investigated by using an incisional skin-wound model produced on the back of female diabetic C57BL/KsJm ؉/؉ Lept db mice (db ϩ /db ϩ ) and their normoglycemic littermates (db ϩ/ϩ m). Animals were treated with rHuEPO (400 units/kg in 100 l s.c.) or its vehicle alone (100 l). Mice were killed on different days (3, 6, and 12 days after skin injury) for measurement of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) mRNA expression and protein synthesis, for monitoring angiogenesis by CD31 expression, and for evaluating histological changes. Furthermore, we evaluated wound-breaking strength at day 12. At day 6, rHuEPO injection in diabetic mice resulted in an increase in VEGF mRNA expression (vehicle ‫؍‬ 0.33 ؎ 0.1 relative amount of mRNA; rHuEPO ‫؍‬ 0.9 ؎ 0.09 relative amount of mRNA; P < 0.05) and protein wound content (vehicle ‫؍‬ 23 ؎ 5 pg/wound; rHuEPO ‫؍‬ 92 ؎ 12 pg/wound; P < 0.05) and caused a marked increase in CD31 gene expression (vehicle ‫؍‬ 0.18 ؎ 0.05 relative amount of mRNA; rHuEPO ‫؍‬ 0.98 ؎ 0.21 relative amount of mRNA; P < 0.05) and protein synthesis. Furthermore, rHuEPO injection improved the impaired wound healing and, at day 12, increased the wound-breaking strength in diabetic mice (vehicle ‫؍‬ 12 ؎ 2 g/mm; rHuEPO 21 ؎ 5 g/mm; P < 0.05). Erythropoietin may have a potential application in diabetes-related wound disorders.

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RESEARCH DESIGN -A multicenter study was performed in 70 diabetic patients. A microdialysis fiber was inserted subcutaneously into the periumbelical region and perfused with a buffer solution. Glucose concentrations in the dialysate were then measured every 3 min by the glucose sensor over a 24-h period, during which nine venous blood samples were also collected throughout the day.RESULTS -Both the insertion of the fiber and the wearing of the device were well tolerated by the patients. Subcutaneous glucose levels were well correlated with venous glucose measurements (r ϭ 0.9, P Ͻ 0.001) over a wide range (40 -400 mg/dl) for up to 24 h, with a single-point calibration. An analysis of 381 data pairs showed a linear relationship between the GlucoDay and serial venous blood glucose levels, and 97% of the data fell in the A and B regions of the error grid analysis. Percentage bias between the GlucoDay and the blood venous levels was Ϫ2.0% in the hypoglycemic range (Ͻ70 mg/dl), 6.9% in the euglycemic range (70 -180 mg/dl), and 11.2% in the hyperglycemic range (Ͼ180 mg/dl).CONCLUSIONS -The GlucoDay system demonstrated high reliability and reported values that closely agreed with venous blood glucose measurements. The system was well tolerated and thus constitutes a relatively easy method to monitor glucose excursions in diabetic patients. Diabetes Care 25:347-352, 2002T he benefits of strict metabolic control on microvascular complications of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes have been well established (1,2). In the last decade, self-monitoring of blood glucose levels has been the only available measure for diabetic patients to achieve a good metabolic control; however, glucose fluctuations during the day are often missed with this technique (3), and only continuous glucose measurements over prolonged periods can ensure optimal blood glucose management. Recently, minimally invasive techniques have been proposed for continuous monitoring of subcutaneous glucose in both normal and diabetic patients. Microdialysis of subcutaneous adipose tissue has been shown to identify glucose variations in vivo that closely mimic blood glucose patterns observed in patients on intensified insulin therapy. A monitoring system that provides automatic and frequent determinations would therefore identify the glycemic excursions and typical glucose trends in diabetic patients in a manner that is not possible even with frequent blood glucose meter readings. The ability to detect such fluctuations during the day, and particularly during the night, would enable appropriate changes in diabetes management in order to achieve the goal of optimal metabolic control in diabetic patients.We documented the efficacy of a new glucose sensor and its accuracy in monitoring glucose levels in type 1 and type 2 diabetic patients recruited in a multicenter study. The GlucoDay is composed of a subcutaneous microdialysis probe connected to a portable unit. The system takes a glucose measurement every second and stores an average value every 3 min, for a total of ...