Much effort has been focused on understanding the pathophysiology of the complications of diabetes mellitus. Nonetheless, there are still significant gaps in knowledge and evidence that the risk of death and morbidity from cardiovascular disease and stroke is increased in patients with diabetes. It is even thought that diabetes may be considered a cardiovascular disease.

In recent years, autonomic neural and inflammatory mechanisms in the heart and vasculature have emerged as crucial pathophysiological factors in the genesis and progression of diabetes. Abnormal cardiovascular autonomic function and increased markers of heart and vessels inflammation, as well as endothelial dysfunction and reduced vascular distensibility are all associated with worse clinical prognosis. Moreover, there is evidence that sleep patterns changes, both in terms of quantity or quality, are associated with the development of metabolic disturbances, probably through mechanisms medated by ANS. There is a challenge to develop new clinical tools and animal models to better characterize the pathophysiology of cardiovascular impairment in diabetes and to ultimately support to the development of therapeutic interventions.

We invite authors to submit original research and review articles that may contribute to the understanding of the association between the heart and vessels changes observed in diabetes and the autonomic nervous system . We are particularly interested in studies focusing on the autonomic modulation of molecular and inflammatory profile, including changes in renin angiyensin system, the use of heart rate and blood pressure variability as a markers of cardiovascular damage in clinical and animal models, new insights in the pathophysiology-based management of cardiovascular disease in diabetes using exercise, diet, and/or alternative therapies, and effects of sleep disorders on metabolic functions in physiological and pathophysiological conditions. Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

• Autonomic control of heart rate and blood pressure variability in diabetes
• Dietary sugars and metabolic models
• Sleep disturbances and diabetes
• Therapeutical interventions and their effects on autonomic, inflammatory, and biochemical markers in diabetes
• Use of different cellular and animal models to understand mechanisms relating ANS and heart and vascular disease in diabetes
• The renin angiotensin system as a communicative pathway linking changes in the ANS and inflammatory profile in diabetic heart and vessels

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