Diabetes mellitus epidemiology

Chronic diseases are the most prevalent cause of death in the world, led by cardiovascular diseases and followed by cancer, chronic lung diseases, and diabetes mellitus. Epidemiological studies indicate that high serum cholesterol might have... 

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic disorder characterized by altered metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Epidemiological survey conducted in several developing countries show that prevalence rates of diabetes mellitus vary from two to four percent in different population groups. Roughly two percent of the world population suffers from diabetes mellitus. 

Diabetes Control and Complications Trial/Epidemiology of Diabetes Interventions and Complications Research Group Intensive diabetes therapy and carotid intima-media thickness in type 1 diabetes mellitus. N Engl 3 Med 2003 348 2294. 

Scorpiglione N, Belfiglio M, Carinci F, Cavaliere D, De Curtis A, Franciosi M, Mari E, Sacco M, Tognoni G, Nicolucci A. The effectiveness, safety and epidemiology of the use of acarbose in the treatment of patients with type II diabetes mellitus. A model of medicine-based evidence. Eur J Clin Pharmacol 1999 55(4) 239-49. 

In a systematic review of the experimental and epidemiological data, Navas-Aden et al. (2006) argue that the evidence to date is inconclusive for a role of arsenic in the development of diabetes mellitus. Pooling the results from the Taiwan and Bangladesh studies, which were from extreme arsenic exposures, there was a risk of 2.5 for the development of diabetes. However, they point out, because of the types of studies conducted, particularly with characterization of the exposures, it was hard to interpret the association. In addition, the occupational studies that they examined showed increased and decreased morbidity from diabetes due to arsenic exposure. The general population studies, which typically had much lower arsenic exposures, were inconclusive. 

Rahman, M., Tondel, M., Ahmad, S.A. and Axelson, O. (1998) Diabetes mellitus associated with arsenic exposure in Bangladesh. American Journal of Epidemiology, 148(2), 198-203. 

Henriksen GL, Ketchum NS, Michalek JE, et al. 1997. Serum dioxin and diabetes mellitus in veterans of operation ranch hand. Epidemiology 8 252-258. 

Bennett P, Rewers M, Knowler W. Epidemiology of diabetes mellitus. In Porte D Jr, Sherwin RS, eds. Ellenberg Rifkin s Diabetes Mellitus, 5th ed. Stamford, CT, Appleton Lange, 1997 373 00. 

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