Dietary supplementation with magnesium (Mg) in addition to classical therapies for diabetes may help in prevention or delaying of diabetic complications.We aimed to evaluate the status of serum Mg in children with type 1 diabetes and assessing its relationship to glycemic control and lipid profile. Then evaluating the effect of oral Mg supplementation on glycemic control and lipid parameters.We included 71 children at Pediatric Endocrinology Outpatient Clinic, Zagazig University, Egypt with type 1 diabetes and assessed HBA1c, lipid profile, and serum Mg at the start of study. Patients with serum Mg level < 1.7 mg/dL were given 300 mg Mg oxide for 3 months. After that we reevaluated HBA1c, lipid profile, and serum Mg in all patients.The study included 71 patients with type 1 diabetes (32 males and 39 females); their mean age was 9.68 ± 3.99 years. The mean serum Mg level was 1.83 ± .27 mg/dL. Hypomagnesemia was detected in 28.2% study patients. Serum Mg was found to be positively correlated with high density lipoprotein, mean corpuscular volume and platelet count (P < 0.001), and negatively correlated with age, HbA1c, triglycerides, total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein, and duration of diabetes (P < 0.001). There was significant reduction in HBA1c in group given Mg supplementation. HBA1c was initially 10.11% ± 0.87%. After 3 months of oral Mg supplementation it is reduced to 7.88% ± 0.42% (P < 0.001). There was statistically significant difference in lipid parameters in hypomagnesemic diabetic patients before and after Mg supplementation with significant reduction in serum triglycerides, LDL, and total cholesterol following Mg supplementation with P < 0.001. Although HDL shows a significant increase after Mg supplementation in hypomagnesemic diabetic children with P < 0.001.Correction of hypomagnesemia in type 1 diabetic children with oral Mg supplements is associated with optimization of glycemic control and reduction of atherogenic lipid fraction as well as increase in protective lipid fraction.

Several lines of evidence suggest that gangliosides may play a role in the regulation of growth in many cell types. Here we describe the effects on growth of two different cell lines by the addition of two different chemicals which have been reported to elevate the cellular ganglioside content through different mechanisms. Growth of neuroblastoma (Neuro 2a) cells in medium containing fetal bovine serum was inhibited in a dose-dependent fashion by both exogenous GM1 ganglioside and NeuAc2en, an inhibitor of sialidase activity. In contrast, growth of glioma cells (U-1242 MG) was not affected by exogenous GM1 or NeuAc2en in the presence of as little as 1% calf serum. However, NeuAc2en inhibited growth of U-1242 MG cells stimulated by platelet-derived growth factor in serum-free medium. These results demonstrate that the growth inhibitory effects of ganglioside on U-1242 MG but not Neuro 2a cells can be counteracted by serum, suggesting that the mechanisms through which gangliosides affect cell growth may be different for different growth factors and cell types.

BackgroundThalassemia major or Cooley’s anemia is the most severe form of beta thalassemia in which the complete lack of beta protein in the hemoglobin causes a life-threatening anemia requiring regular blood transfusions and extensive ongoing medical care. These extensive, lifelong blood transfusions lead to iron-overload that must be treated with chelation therapy to prevent early death from organ failure. We compared serum iron and ferritin levels amongst infants aged up to one year with beta thalassemia major according to their feeding types, including exclusively breastfed, exclusively formula fed and combined (both breast and formula) fed types.MethodsSixty out of 176 screened infants with transfusion dependant beta thalassemia major were recruited from the outpatient clinic of thalassemia at Zagazig University Hospital in Egypt, between 2007 and 2014. Patients were classified into three groups (20 patients per group) according to type of feeding. Group 1: exclusive breastfeeding, around 6–8 feeds per day; group 2: exclusive infant formula feeding, 120–150 ml of formula per kilogram of body weight per day divided into 6–8 feeds and group 3: combined breastfeeding and formula per day.ResultsSerum iron and ferritin levels were lower in group 1 compared to groups 2 and 3. The mean serum iron for group 1 was 73, 87 and 96 ug/dl at 6, 9 and 12 months respectively, while that for group 2 was 85, 99 and 112 ug/dl at 6, 9 and 12 months respectively and for group 3 was 78, 92 and 99 ug/dl at 6, 9 and 12 months respectively. The mean serum ferritin for group 1 was 283, 327 and 497 ng/ml at 6, 9 and 12 months respectively, while that for group 2 was 310, 389 and 591 ng/ml at 6, 9 and 12 months respectively and for group 3 was 291, 345 and 515 ng/ml at 6, 9 and 12 months respectively. The differences were not statistically significant.ConclusionsBreastfed infants with beta thalassemia major may accumulate less iron than infants fed iron fortified formula anticipating later onset of iron overload in the breastfed infants. Larger studies are needed to support these findings.

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