The metabolic syndrome (MS) is a multi-factorial disorder which includes a main risk factors associated with the development of cardiovascular, neurologic, renal and endocrine diseases, especially type 2 diabetes. This study has been conducted to estimate the prevalence of the MS in patients undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) and its association with cardiovascular morbidity. The study included 37 patients (25 type 2 diabetic patients and 12 non-diabetic patients), who had been on peritoneal dialysis for > 3 months. At the beginning of CAPD treatment (baseline) and at the end of follow-up, we measured: body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, triglycerides and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC) and defined the prevalence of the MS using the modified National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP; Adult Treatment Panel III) for peritoneal dialysis patients. The overall prevalence of the MS was 89.2%. The metabolic syndrome was estimated in all (100%) type 2 diabetic patients (vs. 60% patients on the beginning of CAPD treatment). In non-diabetic peritoneal patients, the MS was estimated in 50% cases, according to 33.3% at the beginning CAPD treatment. Development of the MS was significantly higher in the type 2 diabetic patients in compared with non-diabetic patients until the end of follow-up examination (p=0.0005). The prevalence of LVH in type 2 diabetic patients with the MS was significantly higher (p=0.002) than in non-diabetic peritoneal patients with the MS. We didn't found statistical significantly difference in the prevalence of ischemic heart disease between this two category of peritoneal dialysis patients (p=0.076). The results indicate that the metabolic syndrome is presented in high percentage in peritoneal dialysis patients, and it's also important risk factor of high cardiovascular morbidity rate in these patients, especially in type 2 diabetic patients.

Microvascular diabetic complications are the most common causes of morbidity and mortality of patients with type 1 disease. Diabetic nephropathy is becoming the single most common cause of end stage renal failure, while diabetic retinopathy is the most common cause of blindness in working-age population. The main aim of the study was to evaluate the progression of late microvascular complications in type 1 diabetic patients treated by conventional or intensified insulin regimen over the period of 10 years. We selected a random sample of 32 patients, including 14 males and 18 females, aged 30,6 +/- 11,8 years, with average duration of the disease of 4,8 +/- 3,2 years. They did not show signs of overt diabetic nephropathy, while 5 patients had background retinopathy. All the patients had their fasting and postprandial glycaemia, HbAlc, 24/hour proteinuria, blood pressure, height and weight measured and body mass index calculated (BMI). There was a trend towards increasing values of HbAlc (6.9 +/- 0.8 vs. 7.4 +/- 1.0 %, p < 0.05), fasting glycaemia (6.8 +/- 08 vs. 7.8 +/- 1.2 mmol/l, p < 0.05), postprandial glycaemia (9.2 +/- 1.5 vs. 11.3 +/- 1.9 mmol/l, p <0.01), systolic and diastolic blood pressure values (120.0 +/- 10.8 vs. 128.5 +/- 16.8 mmHg, p<0.05; and 73.4 +/- 8.1 vs. 79.8 +/- 9.8 mmHg, p< 0.05) although no hypertensive patient was diagnosed. There were 11 persons (34.4%) with persistent proteinuria of 200 mg/24 hour or more and significant difference in overall proteinuria in 10 yrs period (121.3 +/- 37.3 vs. 312.8 +/- 109.9 mg/24 h, p< 0.001). Overall, 9 persons (28.1%) were diagnosed with simple, background retinopathy, but 6 of them (18.8%) had signs of proliferative form of the disease. The results indicate significant changes in progression of proteinuria in both groups although retinopathic progression was observed but was not significant in the intensively treated group.

Osteoporosis (OP) is a generalized skeletal disorder characterized by low bone mineral density (BMD), deterioration of the microarchitecture of bone tissue and susceptibility to fracture. Most frequently it occurs in postmenopausal women and the aged. It is a chronic condition of multifactorial etiology and is a major global healthcare problem in developed and rising in developing countries. Patients with uncomplicated OP are usually asymptomatic which contributes to serious under-diagnosing of this potentially devastating condition. It is estimated that less than half of patients with OP are diagnosed in many developed countries. Therefore preventive measures and timely diagnosis have to be a key aspect of management of this disorder. In this article we briefly underline pato-physiology of the disorder, review current methods of measuring bone mineral density, describe risk factors and evaluate current and potential therapies.

INTRODUCTION Without sufficient insulin treatment, acceptable level of glycoregulation, avoidance of dislipoproteinaemia and maintenance of body mass is difficult to achieve in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM). On the other hand sometimes it is difficult to prevent weight gain, endogenous hyperlipidemia and iatrogenic insulin resistance. AIM To compare metabolic control indicators in patients with type 1 DM in patients treated conventionally to those on intensified insulin regimen. MATERIAL AND METHODS A sample of 52 persons with type 1 DM, without late complications and long duration of the disease, was selected. Among them 19 (36.5%) persons were treated with insulin in 4 or 5 doses, and 33 (63.5%) conventionally, in 2 doses. All the participants had biochemical indicators of metabolic control determined (glycosylated Hb , fasting and postprandial glycaemia, total cholesterol, triglycerides as well as lipoprotein fractions, HDLC and LDLC), body height (BH) and weight (BW) measured, body mass index calculated (BMI) and blood pressure measured (BP). RESULTS In the group treated conventionally we found significantly higher mean values of BMI as compared to those on intensified insulin treatment (23.2 +/- 2.0 kg/m2, and 21.2 +/- 1.2 kg/m2 respectively, p%<0.01) and proportion of those with overweight was as well significantly higher (27.3% versus 0%, p =0.012). We noted higher mean values of systolic (134.2 +/- 17.6 mmHg, versus 123.4 +/- 12.7. p<0.05) and diastolic (83.2 +/- 10.1, versus 74.0 +/- 9.7, p<0.01) BP. Biohemical indicators of glycoregulation were significantly worse with, at the same time, higher total dose of applied insulin ( 55.9 +/- 8.5 IU, versus 46.3 +/- 10.0 IU, p<0.01), and insulin units per kg of body weight (0.84 +/- 0.11 IU/kg versus 0.77 +/- 0.15 IU/kg, p<0.05). CONCLUSION Results indicate that intensified insulin treatment is more favourable variant of treatment, by which the certain level of insulin resistance, which might be present in patients treated with two higher insulin doses, is probably reduced. Therefore it improves metabolic outputs, blood pressure values and body mass index but also may have beneficial impact to economic aspect of insulin treatment as well.