This study shows an association between deprivation and Type 2 diabetes prevalence, cardiovascular risk factors and chronic diabetic complications in Type 2 diabetes patients. Despite a greater use of health services by less wealthy patients, they showed worse glycaemic control and more chronic complications. Besides clinical variables, socio-economic status and environmental information need to be considered in the assessment of risk profile of diabetic patients by health professionals and by health service planners.

No abstract

This study is the first southern European validated population-derived model for predicting 5-year fatal/non-fatal CHD and CVD risk in patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes.

Hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular function was studied in 70 patients with myotonic dystrophy (MD). The diagnosis was confirmed by electromyography. The mean age of the patients was 36.2 +/- 13.2 yr and the duration of the disease was 11.17 +/- 8.01 yr. Testicular atrophy (testes less than or equal to 12 ml on a Prader orchidometer) was present in 65.5% of patients. Fertility among married patients was 66.6%. Mean testosterone plasma levels were 438 +/- 298 ng/dl vs 520 +/- 185 ng/dl in the control group (P = NS). Basal plasma FSH and LH levels, and their response after the administration of 100 mcg of LH-RH were significantly increased although a wide dispersion was observed. Sperm count was carried out in 27 cases, showing a normal count in 7, oligospermia in 12, and azoospermia in 8 patients. Testicular biopsy was performed in 45 patients being normal in 2, showing mild testicular damage in 8, moderate in 14, and severe in 18; it was nule in 3 of them. A significant relationship between testicular atrophy and the sperm count (p less than 0.01), testicular damage and testicular atrophy (p less than 0.025), and sperm count and testicular damage (p = 0.017) was found. Basal plasma FSH and LH level were significantly related to the degree of damage in the testicular biopsy. All these findings indicate a primary testicular pathology, prevailing tubular over interstitial damage. We have not found any association between the duration of the disease and gonadal dysfunction.