1.
A randomized Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial to Evaluate the Medium-Term Effects of Oat Fibers on Human Health: The Beta-Glucan Effects on Lipid Profile, Glycemia and inTestinal Health (BELT) Study.
Cicero, AFG, Fogacci, F, Veronesi, M, Strocchi, E, Grandi, E, Rizzoli, E, Poli, A, Marangoni, F, Borghi, C
Nutrients. 2020;(3)
Abstract
The Beta-glucan Effects on Lipid profile, glycemia and inTestinal health (BELT) Study investigated the effect of 3 g/day oat beta-glucans on plasma lipids, fasting glucose and self-perceived intestinal well-being. The Study was an 8-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over randomized clinical trial, enrolling a sample of 83 Italian free-living subjects, adherent to Mediterranean diet, with a moderate hypercholesterolemia and a low cardiovascular risk profile. Beta-glucans reduced mean LDL-Cholesterol (LDL-C) levels from baseline by 12.2% (95%CI: -15.4 to -3.8) after 4 weeks of supplementation and by 15.1% (95%CI: -17.8 to -5.9) after 8 weeks of supplementation (p < 0.01 for both comparison and versus placebo). Between baseline and 4 weeks Total Cholesterol (TC) levels showed an average reduction of 6.5% (95%CI: -10.9 to -1.9) in the beta-glucan sequence; while non-HDL-C plasma concentrations decreased by 11.8% (95%CI: -14.6 to -4.5). Moreover, after 8 weeks of beta-glucan supplementation TC was reduced by 8.9% (95%CI: -12.6 to -2.3) and non-HDL-C levels by 12.1% (95%CI: -15.6 to -5.3). Decreses in TC and non HDL-C were significant also versus placebo (respectively p < 0.05 and p < 0.01 to both follow-up visits). Fasting plasma glucose and self-perceived intestinal well-being were not affected by both beta-glucan and placebo supplementation.
2.
Acetate-free biofiltration reduces intradialytic hypotension: a European multicenter randomized controlled trial.
Tessitore, N, Santoro, A, Panzetta, GO, Wizemann, V, Perez-Garcia, R, Martinez Ara, J, Perrone, B, Mantovani, W, Poli, A
Blood purification. 2012;(3-4):354-63
Abstract
BACKGROUND Intradialytic hypotension (IH) is a common complication of bicarbonate hemodialysis (BD) and contributes to the intolerance of dialysis and the high cardiovascular morbidity and mortality among dialysis patients, the risk of which can be contained by convective therapies. AIMS/METHODS To assess whether acetate-free biofiltration (AFB), a hemodiafiltration technique found to improve intradialytic cardiovascular stability in short-term studies, can influence long-term IH rates, predialysis systolic blood pressure (SBP), cardiovascular morbidity and mortality by comparison with BD, we analyzed data from a randomized controlled trial enrolling 371 new-to-dialysis patients, 194 on BD and 177 on AFB. RESULTS During a 3-year follow-up, AFB carried a significantly lower risk of IH (incidence rate ratio 0.60 (95% CI 0.53-0.68), p < 0.0001). SBP dropped on AFB (p = 0.01), while it did not change on BD. Cardiovascular morbidity and mortality were similar between AFB and BD. CONCLUSION AFB carries a lower long-term IH rate and reduces SBP by comparison with BD.