Blood Glucose Control and Diabetic Complications
Authors: C. F. VAN DER MERWE
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1987)

Letters and Corrections1 February 1987Blood Glucose Control and Diabetic ComplicationsC. F. VAN DER MERWEC. F. VAN DER MERWESearch for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-106-2-331_2 SectionsAboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ExcerptTo the editor: To the hypotheses listed by Raskin and Rosenstock (1) in their recent review on blood glucose control and diabetic complications, I would like to offer a fourth. This hypothesis seems to be in the process of being supported by clinical findings and could have important implications for diabetic therapy.Diabetes is characterized by hyperglycemia, which is a known inhibitor of the enzyme delta-6-desaturase (2). Chronic inhibition of this enzyme will therefore lead to a reduced production of eicosanoids from the parent essential fatty acids, linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid. Eicosanoids have been recognized in recent times as...References1. RASKINROSENSTOCK PJ. Blood glucose control and diabetic complications. Ann Intern Med. 1986;105:254-63. LinkGoogle Scholar2. BOOYENSVAN DER MERWE JC. Chronic arachidonic acid inbalance: a common feature in coronary heart disease, hypercholesterolemia, cancer and other important diseases: significance of desaturase enzyme inhibition and of the arachidonic acid desaturase-independent pathway. Med Hypothesis. 1985;18:53-60. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. WEINEROCKENELEVINE BIP. Inhibition of atherosclerosis by cod-liver oil in a hyperlipidemic swine model. N Engl J Med. 1986;315:841-5. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. HOUTSMULLERVAN HAL-FERWERDAZAHNHENKES AJKH. Favourable influences of linoleic acid on the progression of diabetic microand macroangiopathy. Nutr Metab. 1980;24(suppl 1):105-18. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. JAMALCARMICHAELWEIR GHA. Gamma-linolenic acid in diabetic neuropathy. Lancet. 1986;1:1098. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar1. RASKINROSENSTOCK PJ. Blood glucose control and diabetic complications. Ann Intern Med. 1986:105:254-63. LinkGoogle Scholar2. LEEMAUERBROWNSUTHERLANDMICHAELNAJARIAN CSDDAJ. Renal transplantation in diabetes mellitus in rats. J Exp Med. 1974;139:793-800. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. ABOUNAAL-ADNANIKREMERKUMARDADDAHKUSMA GMGSSG. Reversal of diabetic nephropathy in human cadaveric kidneys after transplantation into non-diabetic recipients. Lancet. 1983;2:1274-6. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. SIPERSTEINUNGARMADISON MRL. Studies of muscle capillary basement membranes in normal subjects, diabetic and prediabetic patients. J Clin Invest. 1968;47:1973-99. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar This content is PDF only. To continue reading please click on the PDF icon. Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: Medical University of Southern Africa Medunsa 0204 South Africa PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics 1 February 1987Volume 106, Issue 2Page: 331-332KeywordsBloodEnzymesFatty acidsGlucoseHyperglycemia Issue Published: 1 February 1987 PDF DownloadLoading ...