VOA标准英语2010年-Mixed Results from Major 5-Year US Dia

A five-year study aimed at finding ways to reduce some complications of diabetes¹ tried several approaches but failed to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke. But the study did identify some effective ways to reduce common vision, kidney, and nerve-related problems.

 The government-funded study is called ACCORD, which stands for Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes. The study included high-risk diabetes patients – typically older and obese², with a history of complications.

Some patients got medicine to aggressively reduce cholesterol³ or blood pressure or their blood sugar levels. They were compared with patients in a control group who got standard treatments.

None of the aggressive treatments significantly reduced the risk of heart attacks, strokes, or other cardiovascular complications.

In the blood pressure group, for example, ACCORD researcher William Cushman said the aggressively-treated group did lower their blood pressure.

"Despite that, our composite cardiovascular outcome of dying from cardiovascular events or having a non-fatal heart attack or a non-fatal stroke, that combined outcome was not significantly reduced."

One positive outcome from the ACCORD study was evidence supporting ways to improve what doctors call diabetes patients' microvascular conditions. The disease affects small blood vessels⁴ in a way that can damage nerves, kidneys and the eyes. So, Emily Chew of the National Eye Institute noted⁵ that aggressive lowering of blood sugar or cholesterol levels helped control the progression of eye disease.

"This is a very important outcome," Chew told reporters. "[Diabetes] is the leading cause of blindness in Americans, especially in the young, productive, working-age men and women. We have very effective treatments for it, but yet if we can prevent it, it's so much better than having laser [treatment] or vitrectomy."

Vitrectomy is a kind of eye surgery.

In another part of the ACCORD study, patients got intensive therapy to lower their blood sugar. After three-and-a-half years, the group getting intensive therapy was switched into the control group, to standard therapy, because they were dying at a higher rate.

Dr. Sue Kirkman of the American Diabetes Association says the study results leave open the possibility that aggressively lowering blood sugar can help younger patients who have suffered relatively⁶ few effects from the disease.

"On the other hand, if people have more advanced disease, known cardiovascular disease or suspected cardiovascular disease, known kidney disease, probably a shorter life expectancy⁷, it's probably not beneficial to that patient and may be harmful to really push intensive glycemic [blood sugar] controls," said Kirkman

Results of the ACCORD study were announced at a news conference at the American Diabetes Association's annual science meeting in Orlando, Florida, and were published in The Lancet and The New England Journal of Medicine.

 

1 diabetes   

n.糖尿病

参考例句：

• In case of diabetes, physicians advise against the use of sugar.对于糖尿病患者，医生告诫他们不要吃糖。
• Diabetes is caused by a fault in the insulin production of the body.糖尿病是由体內胰岛素分泌失调引起的。

2 obese   

adj.过度肥胖的，肥大的

参考例句：

• The old man is really obese,it can't be healthy.那位老人确实过于肥胖了，不能算是健康。
• Being obese and lazy is dangerous to health.又胖又懒危害健康。

3 cholesterol   

n.（U）胆固醇

参考例句：

• There is cholesterol in the cell of body.人体细胞里有胆固醇。
• They are determining the serum-protein and cholesterol levels.他们正在测定血清蛋白和胆固醇的浓度。

4 vessels   

n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人

参考例句：

• The river is navigable by vessels of up to 90 tons. 90 吨以下的船只可以从这条河通过。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• All modern vessels of any size are fitted with radar installations. 所有现代化船只都有雷达装置。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

5 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

6 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

7 expectancy   

n.期望，预期，（根据概率统计求得）预期数额

参考例句：

• Japanese people have a very high life expectancy.日本人的平均寿命非常长。
• The atomosphere of tense expectancy sobered everyone.这种期望的紧张气氛使每个人变得严肃起来。