8
NEWS
Detecting T2D via the voice
An international study, Colive
Voice, presented at the European
Association for the Study of Diabetes
(EASD) 2024 conference, shows that
patients with Type 2 diabetes (T2D)
have different voice characteristics
compared with healthy controls of
the same age and gender.
These results "open up
possibilities for developing a
first-line, non-invasive, and rapid
screening tool for T2D, feasible
with just a few seconds of voice
recording on a smartphone or during
consultations," explained the study's
principal investigator Guy Fagherazzi,
a diabetes epidemiologist at the
Luxembourg Institute of Health.
It's challenging to pinpoint a
single factor that would explain
why patients with T2D have
different voices from those without
diabetes. Several factors may be
involved, including some biological
mechanisms, especially those
affecting the vascular system,
influence symptoms in people with
metabolic diseases such as diabetes.
For example, people with T2D
have more frequent cardiorespiratory
fatigue. Obesity and overweight are
also key factors, as these conditions
can slightly alter vocal parameters
compared with people of normal
weight. Hypertension, common
in patients with T2D, adds to the
complexity. Neurologic complications
can also affect the nerves and
muscles involved in voice production,
particularly the vocal cords.
Respiratory fatigue, neuropathies,
and other conditions such as
dehydration and gastric acid reflux,
which are more common in patients
with diabetes, can also contribute to
differences in the voice.
While these differences might
not be noticeable to the human ear,
technological advancements in signal
processing and artificial intelligence
can help to extract a large amount
of information from these subtle
variations. By analyzing these small
differences, diabetes can be detected
with a reasonable degree of accuracy.
Read more, CLICK HERE.
Metformin and CVD in T2D
Metformin's value as a glucoselowering
agent has been established
for decades, but does it hold similar
promise for reducing rates of
cardiovascular disease (CVD)?
A presentation by Simon Griffin,
MD, leader of the Prevention of
Diabetes and Related Metabolic
Disorders in High Risk Groups
program at Cambridge University,
Cambridge, England, noted that trials
have shown that lifestyle interventions
alone in patients with Type 2
diabetes (T2D) reduce the risk for
cardiovascular disease (CVD) events
and death. Similarly, the 30-year
follow-up of the Da Qing study found
there was a significant reduction in
the risk for CV events associated with
a lifestyle intervention for people with
impaired glucose tolerance.
However, using rosiglitazone to
prevent diabetes does not have a
beneficial role in reducing the risk
for cardiovascular (CV) events, since
"the moment you stop the tablet
that lowers glucose, the incidence of
diabetes is the same as if you hadn't
given participants the tablet in the
first place," Griffin said. "The more
difficult conclusion to swallow is that
rosiglitazone actually increases the
risk of CV events." However, "unlike
rosiglitazone, metformin appears to
have a legacy effect; the moment you
stop the tablet, the benefits don't
appear to disappear."
So, does Metformin reduce CVD in
diabetes? To answer this, Griffin cited
the results of several meta-analyses:
• Selvin reported a significant
reduction in CV mortality of
26% with metformin, but a
nonsignificant 15% reduction in CV
morbidity
• Lamanna reported a nonsignificant
6.3% reduction in CV events and
a 10% reduction in the risk for
myocardial infarction.
• Griffin's group reported an 11%
reduction in the risk for myocardial
infarction.
• Minami reported a 48% reduction in
CV events and a nonsignificant 20%
reduction in all-cause mortality.
• The UKPDS reported a consistent
31% reduction in the risk for CV
events over time associated with
metformin.
Read more, CLICK HERE.
Sensor use in
some scans
The US Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) has
cleared the Abbott Libre 2 and 3
continuous glucose monitoring
(CGM) sensors for use during
most imaging procedures,
including MRI under certain
specifications.
These sensors may also now
be worn during CT or x-ray
procedures. Previously, they were
contraindicated for use during
MRI, CT, and high-frequency
electrical heat (diathermy)
treatment due to concern that
the exposure could potentially
damage the sensor and lead to
incorrect readings.
However, these
contraindications remain in place
for the older FreeStyle Libre
14-day Flash Glucose Monitoring
System, and the diathermy
contraindication remains for all
models.
Read more, CLICK HERE.