-
1.
Total-body PET Imaging: A New Frontier for the Assessment of Metabolic Disease and Obesity.
Chondronikola, M, Sarkar, S
PET clinics. 2021;(1):75-87
Abstract
Obesity and associated metabolic syndrome are a global public health issue. Understanding the pathophysiology of this systemic disease is of critical importance for the development of future therapeutic interventions to improve clinical outcomes. The multiorgan nature of the pathophysiology of obesity presents a unique challenge. Total-body PET imaging, either static or dynamic, provides a vital set of tools to study organ crosstalk. The visualization and quantification of tissue metabolic kinetics with total-body PET in health and disease provides essential information to better understand disease physiology and potentially develop diagnostic and therapeutic modalities.
-
2.
Research gaps in Ramadan fasting studies in health and disease.
Bandarian, F, Namazi, N, Atlasi, R, Nasli-Esfahani, E, Larijani, B
Diabetes & metabolic syndrome. 2021;(3):831-835
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIM Ramadan fasting is a religious fasting of Muslims and has many effects on health and disease. This study aim was to analyze Ramadan fasting research output during the past five years and identify research gaps in this field. MATERIALS AND METHODS A systematic search was performed in Web of Science, pubmed, Scopus, EMBASE and Cochrane databases by appropriate keywords. Documents published between January 2015 and January 2020 with English language were included. After removing duplicates, remained documents were screened and classified. RESULTS Finally, after screening, 393 documents remained and were classified. Of these documents, 53 were review article and 338 original articles. More than 96% of studies were clinical study while basic science studies were too limited. Among the study topics, diabetes mellitus with 31% was the most common topic followed by metabolic disorders and nutrition, respectively. CONCLUSION Ramadan fasting is an important religious issue that needs more attention. Research should be directed to clinical and basic studies in different health and disease conditions other than nutrition and metabolic disorders.
-
3.
Metabolic impact of current therapeutic strategies in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: a preliminary study.
De Diego, MV, Gómez-Pardo, O, Groar, JK, López-Escobar, A, Martín-Estal, I, Castilla-Cortázar, I, Rodríguez-Zambrano, MÁ
Archives of gynecology and obstetrics. 2020;(5):1169-1179
Abstract
PURPOSE To investigate the metabolic impact of currently used therapies in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). METHODS This is an observational, retrospective and transversal protocol. A small cohort of 133 patients, aged 14-48 years, diagnosed with PCOS was divided into four experimental groups: 1) untreated PCOS patients (n = 51); 2) PCOS patients treated with one of the following therapies (n = 82): a) combined oral contraceptives (COC, n = 35); b) metformin (n = 11); and c) inositols (n = 36). RESULTS Although only < 10% of patients included in this cohort can be strictly encompassed in the development of metabolic syndrome, approximately 20% had insulin resistance. In PCOS patients, COC treatment modified the hormonal profile and worsened lipid parameters (increasing cholesterol and triglyceride levels) and insulin resistance, whereas inositol therapies improved significantly insulin resistance and glycosylated hemoglobin, reducing cholesterol and triglyceride levels. In these women, obesity was associated with greater alterations in lipid and glycemic metabolism and with higher blood pressure levels. PCOS patients with phenotype A presented vaster alterations in lipid metabolism and higher values of glycosylated hemoglobin as well as blood pressure compared to other PCOS phenotypes. CONCLUSIONS Results in this paper suggest that inositol therapies (alone or combined with COC) are the most useful therapies with the best benefits against PCOS symptoms. Thus, integrative treatment may become a more efficient long-term choice to control PCOS symptoms. Furthermore, obesity can be considered as an adverse symptom and calorie restriction a key element of combined treatment in PCOS, not only for fertility management but also in long-term metabolic sequelae.
-
4.
The Pharmacological Activity of Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze on Metabolic and Endocrine Disorders: A Systematic Review.
Sánchez, M, González-Burgos, E, Iglesias, I, Lozano, R, Gómez-Serranillos, MP
Biomolecules. 2020;(4)
Abstract
Tea made from Camellia sinensis leaves is one of the most consumed beverages worldwide. This systematic review aims to update Camellia sinensis pharmacological activity on metabolic and endocrine disorders. Inclusion criteria were preclinical and clinical studies of tea extracts and isolated compounds on osteoporosis, hypertension, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, hypercholesterolemia, and obesity written in English between 2014 and 2019 and published in Pubmed, Science Direct, and Scopus. From a total of 1384 studies, 80 reports met inclusion criteria. Most papers were published in 2015 (29.3%) and 2017 (20.6%), conducted in China (28.75%), US (12.5%), and South Korea (10%) and carried out with extracts (67.5%, especially green tea) and isolated compounds (41.25%, especially epigallocatechin gallate). Most pharmacological studies were in vitro and in vivo studies focused on diabetes and obesity. Clinical trials, although they have demonstrated promising results, are very limited. Future research should be aimed at providing more clinical evidence on less studied pathologies such as osteoporosis, hypertension, and metabolic syndrome. Given the close relationship among all endocrine disorders, it would be of interest to find a standard dose of tea or their bioactive constituents that would be beneficial for all of them.
-
5.
New insights into purine metabolism in metabolic diseases: role of xanthine oxidoreductase activity.
Furuhashi, M
American journal of physiology. Endocrinology and metabolism. 2020;(5):E827-E834
Abstract
Xanthine oxidoreductase (XOR) consists of two different forms, xanthine dehydrogenase and xanthine oxidase (XO), and is a rate-limiting enzyme of uric acid production from hypoxanthine and xanthine. Uric acid is the end product of purine metabolism in humans and has a powerful antioxidant effect. The lack of ascorbic acid, known as vitamin C, in hominoids has been thought to cause a compensatory increase in uric acid as an antioxidant by unfunctional gene mutation of uricase to a pseudogene. Because XO is involved in an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) by generating superoxide and hydrogen peroxide, inadequate activation of XOR promotes oxidative stress-related tissue injury. Plasma XOR activity is associated with obesity, smoking, liver dysfunction, hyperuricemia, dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, and adipokines, indicating a novel biomarker of metabolic disorders. However, XOR activity in adipose tissue is low in humans unlike in rodents, and hypoxanthine is secreted from human adipose tissue. The concentration of hypoxanthine, but not xanthine, is independently associated with obesity in a general population, indicating differential regulation of hypoxanthine and xanthine. Treatment with an XOR inhibitor can decrease uric acid for preventing gout, reduce production of XO-related ROS, and promote reutilization of hypoxanthine and ATP production through the salvage pathway. It has recently been suggested that discontinuation of an XOR inhibitor causes adverse cardiovascular outcomes as XOR inhibitor withdrawal syndrome, possibly due to cardiac disturbance of conduction and contraction by reduced ATP production. New insights into purine metabolism, including the role of XOR activity in the past 5 yr, are mainly discussed in this review.
-
6.
Cancer Cachexia and Related Metabolic Dysfunction.
Fonseca, GWPD, Farkas, J, Dora, E, von Haehling, S, Lainscak, M
International journal of molecular sciences. 2020;(7)
Abstract
Cancer cachexia is a complex multifactorial syndrome marked by a continuous depletion of skeletal muscle mass associated, in some cases, with a reduction in fat mass. It is irreversible by nutritional support alone and affects up to 74% of patients with cancer-dependent on the underlying type of cancer-and is associated with physical function impairment, reduced response to cancer-related therapy, and higher mortality. Organs, like muscle, adipose tissue, and liver, play an important role in the progression of cancer cachexia by exacerbating the pro- and anti-inflammatory response initially activated by the tumor and the immune system of the host. Moreover, this metabolic dysfunction is produced by alterations in glucose, lipids, and protein metabolism that, when maintained chronically, may lead to the loss of skeletal muscle and adipose tissue. Although a couple of drugs have yielded positive results in increasing lean body mass with limited impact on physical function, a single therapy has not lead to effective treatment of this condition. Therefore, a multimodal intervention, including pharmacological agents, nutritional support, and physical exercise, may be a reasonable approach for future studies to better understand and prevent the wasting of body compartments in patients with cancer cachexia.
-
7.
Dietary linoleic acid and human health: Focus on cardiovascular and cardiometabolic effects.
Marangoni, F, Agostoni, C, Borghi, C, Catapano, AL, Cena, H, Ghiselli, A, La Vecchia, C, Lercker, G, Manzato, E, Pirillo, A, et al
Atherosclerosis. 2020;:90-98
Abstract
This narrative review aims to discuss the more relevant evidence on the role of linoleic acid (LA), a n-6 essential fatty acid that constitutes the predominant proportion of dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), in cardiovascular health. Although LA can be metabolized into Arachidonic Acid (AA), a 20 carbon PUFA which is the precursor of eicosanoids, including some with proinflammatory or prothrombotic-vasoconstrictor action, the large majority of experimental and clinical studies have assessed the potential benefit of increasing dietary intake of LA. Overall, data from clinical studies and meta-analyses suggest an association between high dietary intakes or tissue levels of n-6 PUFA, and specifically LA, and the improvement of cardiovascular risk (mainly of the plasma lipid profile), as well as long-term glycaemic control and insulin resistance. Most observational data show that elevated/increased dietary intake or tissue levels of LA is associated with a reduced incidence of cardiovascular diseases (mainly coronary artery diseases) and of new onset metabolic syndrome or type 2 diabetes. The effects of LA (or n-6 PUFA) in other physio-pathological areas are less clear. High quality clinical trials are needed to assess both the actual amplitude and the underlying mechanisms of the health effects related to dietary intake of this essential fatty acid.
-
8.
Pearls and Pitfalls of Metabolic Liver Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Pediatric Population.
Mojtahed, A, Gee, MS, Yokoo, T
Seminars in ultrasound, CT, and MR. 2020;(5):451-461
Abstract
Recent advances in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology have moved imaging beyond anatomical assessment to characterization of tissue composition. There are now clinically validated MRI-based quantitative techniques for assessing liver fat, iron, and fibrosis, and MRI is now routinely used in metabolic liver disease evaluation in both pediatric and adult patients. These MRI techniques provide noninvasive quantitation of liver metabolic biomarkers that are increasingly relied upon in the clinical management of pediatric patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, metabolic syndrome, and hemochromatosis and/or hemosiderosis. This article provides a review of the clinical indications and technical parameters for performing metabolic liver MRI in the pediatric population, along with common pearls and pitfalls encountered during its performance.
-
9.
Beneficial Effects of Pomegranate on Lipid Metabolism in Metabolic Disorders.
Hou, C, Zhang, W, Li, J, Du, L, Lv, O, Zhao, S, Li, J
Molecular nutrition & food research. 2019;(16):e1800773
Abstract
Pomegranate (Punica granatum Linn) is used in the prevention and treatment of metabolic syndrome in recent decades. Imbalances in lipid metabolism are profound features of metabolic disorders. In vivo and in vitro studies have shown that extracts of different pomegranate fractions (peels, flowers, juice, and seeds) regulate lipid metabolism in metabolic-disorder-associated diseases such as atherosclerosis, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and type 2 diabetes, helping to alleviate the development of diseases. Amelioration of oxidative stress and the inflammatory response is considered an important reason underlying the regulation of lipid metabolism by pomegranate extracts. Mitochondria, the major cellular site for lipid oxidation, are strongly associated with cellular oxidative and inflammatory status and are likely to be a target for pomegranate extract action. This review summarizes the main findings about the effects of different pomegranate fraction extracts on lipid metabolism in metabolic-disorder-associated diseases and analyses how pomegranate extracts achieve their effects. Furthermore, it also provides an important basis for the research and development of pomegranate-related nutrients or drugs.
-
10.
Psoriasis and metabolic and cardiovascular comorbidities in children: A systematic review.
Badaoui, A, Tounian, P, Mahé, E
Archives de pediatrie : organe officiel de la Societe francaise de pediatrie. 2019;(2):86-94
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Psoriasis is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular and/or metabolic comorbidity in adults, but discordant data have been reported in children. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the frequency of metabolic and cardiovascular comorbidity in children with psoriasis and to establish whether age at onset of psoriasis correlates with metabolic and cardiovascular comorbidity in adulthood. MATERIAL AND METHODS We conducted a systematic review on MEDLINE, using PubMed and Ovid. The search was limited to children (<18 years). The following key words were used: "psoriasis" with "children or childhood or adolescent" and "obesity" or "hypertension" or "diabetes" or "dyslipidemia" or "cardiovascular risk factor" or "myocardial infarction" or "stroke" or "coronaropathy" or "comorbidity". The reference lists of the articles retrieved were checked for additional relevant studies. RESULTS A total of 377 potential citations were analyzed. After removing duplicate articles and reviewing eligibility in titles and abstracts, 16 articles remained. The studies analyzed revealed significantly higher risk of overweight and obesity in children with psoriasis, despite the numerous definitions used. Four studies reported higher risk of abdominal obesity in children with psoriasis. Data on hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, metabolic syndrome, and major cardiovascular events suggested there was no higher risk of these comorbidities in children with psoriasis. Two studies suggested that age at onset of psoriasis did not increase the frequency of comorbidity in adulthood. CONCLUSION This systematic review suggests that psoriasis in children is not associated with metabolic and cardiovascular comorbidities, except overweight and obesity, for which higher prevalence is clearly demonstrated in the literature.