Half of the US population has a gene variant that impairs glucose tolerance, putting them at risk of diabetes.
Diabetes is an increasing problem, so there is great interest in predisposing factors. Although we know that lack of exercise and an unhealthy diet can contribute to diabetes, genetic factors may also be involved. A team at Saint Louis University has now discovered a gene variant that may increase the risk of diabetes.
They studied a variant of a gene called FABP2 which is involved in the absorption of fat from food. In the study, participants consumed a very rich milkshake and the researchers studied how their bodies processed its fat content. Those with the variant burned more fat, which may have hindered their ability to remove sugar from the bloodstream. This kind of inefficiency in removing sugar can raise the risk of diabetes. The researchers say that half of the US population probably has the FABP2 gene variant. But it does not, in itself, cause diabetes and other genes will also be involved. The study is another step forward in understanding how genes and lifestyle factors contribute to the development of diabetes.
Source
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition January 2007
Diabetics have traditionally had to inject themselves with insulin on a daily basis to manage their illness.
Current studies show that a fear of, or reluctance to use needles makes sufferers delay treatment of diabetes for an average of four years, leading to devastating and costly complications such as heart disease, kidney failure, or even blindness.
Now, with the arrival of Exubera, manufactured by Pfizer, diabetics in the UAE will be able to use the insulin inhalation dry powder and avoid the inconvenience of regular and often painful daily injections.
Pfizer has also welcomed the timely approval of the new medication, which has been hailed as one of the biggest steps forward since the discovery of insulin in 1922 by doctors who treat diabetes.
‘Many diabetics have to make the procedure of self-administering insulin by injection a major part of their daily routine, out of necessity rather than convenience or choice. The approval of an insulin inhaler which can be administered in a matter of seconds will undoubtedly impact the lives of diabetics,’ said Dr. Ahmed Al Hakim, external affairs and policy director for Pfizer Middle East.
The registration of Exubera was approved in January 2007 after it was examined by the Ministry’s Higher Drugs Registration Committee.
The approval is a major development in the fight against diabetes in the UAE, where 19.5 per cent of the population aged between 20 and 70 are diabetic. Studies predict the number of diabetes cases in the UAE will increase to approximately 22 per cent by the year 2025.
Exubera is expected to be available for the treatment of type 1 and type 2 diabetes among adults later this year. The inhalation powder was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for use at the beginning of 2006.