Division Faculty

Abbas Kitabchi, PhD, MD
Professor of Medicine & Molecular Sciences

Maston K. Callison Endowed Professor of Medicine in Endocrinology

Certification: Dr. Kitabchi is board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine.

Clinic Location:

Memphis Medical Center
1325 Eastmoreland Avenue, Suite 360
Memphis, Tennessee, 38104-3514
901-448-1095, Fax: 901-448-7579

Doctorate: Ph.D., Medical Sciences, Graduate College, University of Oklahoma Medical Center, Oklahoma City

Medical Degree (MD): University of Oklahoma School of Medicine, Oklahoma City

Internship: (Straight Medicine) University of Oklahoma Medical Center, Oklahoma City

Post-Doctoral: (Biochemistry) Oklahoma Medical Research Institute, Oklahoma City

Fellowship: (Senior fellow in Endocrinology) Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle

Academic Title: Professor of Medicine and Molecular Sciences; Maston K. Callison Endowed Professor of Medicine in Endocrinology; The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis

Clinical Interests:

Diabetes
Endocrinology
Obesity

Nutrition

Professional Memberships:

American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, Fellow
American College of Physicians, Fellow
American Diabetes Association
American Federation for Clinical Research
American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
American Society for Clinical Investigation
Association of American Physicians
Endrocrine Society
International Diabetes Federation
Memphis Academy of Internal Medicine
Southern Society for Clinical Investigation
Tennessee Diabetes Association
Tennessee Diabetes Prevention and Control Program, State Coalition

Awards & Honors:

Author, Pocket Reference Guide to Diabetes Management, Adelphi Inc., 2003
Listed as one of "The Best Doctors in America," 2000-2003
Golden Apple Award for Best Second Year Medical Student Lecturer, University of Tennessee Health Science Center
America's Top Physicians (2007)

National Institutes of Health (NIDDK) Grants on 1) Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT/EDIC); 2) Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) and its follow-up study (DPPOS); and 3) Action for Health in Diabetes (Look AHEAD): A multicenter trial to effect weight reduction in obese type 2 diabetes as relates to cardiovascular events and its epidemiological follow-up.
Attending physician and consultant to several Memphis area hospitals
Editorial board member and reviewer for several medical journals
Author of more than 200 publications

Invited speaker for many national and international medical organizations

Research Interests and Current Studies:

1. Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP): A multi-center NIH Sponsored (10 year) trial to investigate effects of 3 arm interventions (placebo, metformin or intense lifestyle [ILS]) on conversion of patients with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and high risk to diabetes and its long term follow-up studies (DPPOS) on cardiovascular events by the use of the 3 arm interventions (Diabetes 54:2404-2414; Diabetes Care 29:1997-2002, 2006).

2. Mechanisms of Action of Treatment in DPP: An NIH supported program (RO1 DK53061) multicenter grant inquiring into the role of ethnicity and gonadal (testosterone and androstenedione) versus adrenal (DHEA, DHEAS) androgens in regard to premenopausal IGT patients' response to three arm interventions of the DPP. (Diabetes Care 22:1524-1529, 1999)

3. Action for Health in Diabetes (Look AHEAD): A 11.5 year multi-center NIDDK funded grant to study various interventions for weight reduction in type 2 DM and effects of these on cardiovascular events as compared to a control group without such interventions. (U01DKES57078) (Diabetes Care 30: 1374-83, 2007)

4. Mechanisms of Action of Insulin in Insulin Resistant State: Using human isolated T-lymphocytes (T-cells) before and after activation by PHA we have demonstrated that activated cells metabolize insulin similar to human fibroblasts to smaller A and B chain peptides (J Biol Chem 1989; 264:20275-20282). Some of these intermediates have been synthesized and have been injected into the cells by electroporation to study their effects on insulin action. These intermediates are shown to stimulate DNA synthesis, protein synthesis and cytokine production (Current Drug Targets 4:493-503, 2003). The proposed studies will inquire into the role of these intermediates in PHA-activated T-lymphocytes from various insulin resistant states individuals such as obesity and PCOS. This is done in collaboration with Dr. Frankie Stentz.

5. Effect of hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia on denovo emergence of growth factor receptors (insulin, IGF, and IL2) in human T-lymphocyte (T-cells) and endothelial cells (E-cells). We have demonstrated that in vivo condition characterized by hyperglycemia or hyperlipidemia such as DKA is associated with activation of T-cells in vivo (Biochem Biophys Res Commun 315:404-7, 2004 & Diabetes 53:2079-2086, 2004). To further investigate mechanism of this phenomenon we studied effect of high glucose on T-cells (Biochem Biophys Res Commun 335:491-495, 2005) and endothelial cells (Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 290:E516-E522, 2006) as well as effect of palmitate and unsaturated fatty acids on both T-cells and endothelial cells (Biochem Biophys Res Commun 346:721-726, 2006). This study clearly demonstrated that both high glucose and high palmitate (but not unsaturated fatty acids) activate T and E-cells by generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) lipid peroxidation and conversion of these non-insulin responsive cells to insulin responsive cells.

6. Use of Bicarbonate in the Treatment of Severe DKA: A Prospective Randomized Trial. Effectiveness of NaHCO3 is being studied in severe diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). These patients (with pH < 7.0) will be admitted to ICU and randomized to receive IV bicarbonate or saline control. Their cardiac states will be monitored by the use of portable echocardiogram and compared in the two groups. In addition, the efficacy of bicarbonate in recovery and outcome of DKA by measuring various clinical and biochemical parameters during treatment of these patients will be assessed.

7. Factors Affecting Ketogenesis in Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA) and Hyperglycemic Hyperosmolar State (HHS). One major unresolved problem in pathogenesis of DKA vs HHS regardless of low levels of serum insulin and high levels of counter-regulatory hormones in both, is that HHS is characterized by low levels or absence of ketoacidosis (Diabetes Care 24:131-154, 2001). We propose to measure biochemical parameters in patients with DKA and HHS at baseline, including C-peptide, free insulin, counter-regulatory hormones, ketone bodies, leptin, FFA and lipid panel, pyruvate and lactate, as well as C-peptide in response to IV glucagon after recovery from DKA and HHS. These studies for the first time will provide us with available information on important components responsible for ketogenesis or lack of it in these two conditions. (J. Clin. Metabol., In Press 2008)

8. ACTOS NOW for Prevention of Diabetes ("ACT NOW"): This is a multi-center prospective double blind randomized protocol to study efficiency of Actos in prevention of diabetes in subjects with impaired glucose tolerance.

9. Glucommander Study: Comparative Trial Between Computer-Guided Intravenous Infusion Protocol (Glucommander) Versus a Standard Insulin Infusion Algorithm in the ICU. This protocol is used in any patients with admitting blood glucose of >140 mg/dl excluding those on insulin therapy, in DKA or hyperosmolar state (Metabolism 57: 116-120, 2008).

10. Effect of diet composition on weight change and metabolic parameters in premenopausal obese women without prediabetes or diabetes. The aims of this project are to 1) Compare the effects of high protein (HP) vs. high carbohydrate (HC) diet during energy restriction on weight loss and body composition (lean and fat body mass) and bone mineral density in a free living outpatient setting and 2) to assess the effect of HP vs. HC on metabolic parameters including insulin sensitivity, protein and lean muscle metabolism, lipoprotein metabolism and degree of oxidative stress and activation of T-lymphocytes during oral glucose tolerance and the two meal tolerance tests.

11. Risk of New Onset Diabetes in Men Undergoing Androgen Deprivation Therapy (ADT) for prostate cancer and protective effect of Vitamin D on risk of developing new diabetes (British Journal of Urology Int. 100: 1060-1065, 2007)