Cholesterol Status Research Articles

Evaluation of Blood Biochemical Indices and Egg Yolk Lipid Profile in Laying Hens Fed Diets with Black Pepper and Red Pepper Additives

This study evaluated the impact of dietary supplementation with black and red pepper on blood biochemical components and egg yolk lipid composition in laying hens. A total of 252 hens were divided into seven treatment groups, each with 36 birds, and replicated three times with 12 birds per replicate in a completely randomized design. The hens received standard diets with varying concentrations of black pepper and red pepper additives. Blood samples from each group were analyzed for haematological and biochemical parameters such as total protein, albumin, cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, and antioxidant status. Egg yolk samples were also analyzed for lipid composition, including triglycerides and cholesterol content. Significant variations in blood components were observed, with the control group showing a packed cell volume of 27.77% and serum cholesterol levels of 164 mg/dL, compared to 32% and 113 mg/dL in the treated groups, respectively. These findings indicate that black pepper and red pepper supplementation can affect the metabolic status of the hens. Moreover, triglyceride levels in the egg yolk were significantly reduced in the treated groups, averaging 1489 mg/100 g compared to 2058 mg/100 g in the control group. These results suggest that pepper additives can improve the quality and nutritional profile of the eggs, with alterations in fatty acid composition and cholesterol levels presenting potential benefits for consumers seeking healthier dietary options. Overall, the study suggests that dietary supplementation with black and red pepper positively impacts the blood biochemistry of laying hens and enhances the nutritional value of their egg.

A clinical audit on longer-term stroke management as a specific service in a primary care setting: Assessing adherence of service and clinical parameters.

Primary-care long-term stroke care service offers comprehensive management at the community level. A clinical audit was carried out to assess the services of this clinic as compared to the established standardized criteria for longer-term stroke care.A retrospective audit was performed to evaluate the adherence to service parameters based on eleven criteria adapted from the Canadian Post-Stroke Checklist. The following clinical parameters were audited using the Malaysian CPG on Cardiovascular Disease 2017 and Malaysian CPG on Ischemic Stroke 2020: systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), HbA1c, and weight, and smoking status. 113 registered patients from the 2022 clinic census were audited using paired Student's t-test and McNemar's test.Overall, only 2 out of 11 criteria for service parameters did not meet the standard: inquiring about patient fatigue (43.4%) and access to community resources (26.5%). The attainment of the target for BP and HbA1c meets the standards set for this audit. Patients experienced reduced SBP, DBP, LDL-C, and HbA1c levels, and a statistically significant reduction was observed in DBP (4.15 mmHg, p<0.05) and LDL-C (0.30 mmol/L, p<0.05). A notable reduction in the percentage of smokers (p<0.05) was also seen.Post-stroke patients at a specific-service clinic within the primary care setting benefited from clinicians' high adherence to clinical guidelines, observed from improved clinical parameters. These may serve as an impetus for clinicians to include long-term stroke service as a specialized service within primary care specialties.

Unlocking the Cardiovascular Benefits of Walnuts: Insights on Molecular Mechanism From Animal Studies.

The health-promoting benefits of walnut consumption are substantially ascribed to its fatty acid (FA) profile, which is rich in polyunsaturated FA with an exceptionally high n-3 to n-6 ratio. There are also phytonutrients in walnuts that are linked to health welfare. This review article integrates all studies on the effects of walnuts on the cardiovascular system performed on experimental animals, and thus is a source of data on the mechanisms underlying the observed effects. These studies, which are very diverse in experimental design, indicate that a diet enriched with walnuts or treating animals with walnut extract or chemical constituents of walnuts, has many favorable effects on heart and vascular system function. The cardiovascular effect of walnuts depends on the metabolic status of the organism. Among the cardiovascular effects of walnuts is that they improve the FA profile in the circulation and heart in favor of n-3 polyunsaturated FAs. In addition, a favorable effect on triglyceride and cholesterol status, which reduces cardiovascular disease risk, is observed. Intake of walnuts promotes FA catabolism and has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antiarrhythmic effects. Walnuts also have a beneficial effect on vascular tone, accompanied by a decrease in blood pressure and reduced risk for atherosclerosis. In conclusion, studies on experimental animals encourage the consumption of walnuts as a simple, convenient approach to improve cardiovascular health.

Epigenomic biomarkers of cardiometabolic disease: How far are we from daily practice?

Determining whether someone has cardiometabolic disease (CMD), especially in the early stages, can be complicated. Risk stratification ordinarily depends on an extended process relying on medical history that typically considers blood pressure, cholesterol, smoking and diabetes status. Physicians have long relied on these key patient characteristics to assess CMD risk. However, these widely used clinical assessments are often identified later in life and by definition, in those individuals with progressed disease. This is partly because the onset of CMD naturally occurs in adulthood, however, the underlying processes can occur much earlier in life, even in the absence of obvious symptoms. For one thing, the pathways towards pathology may exist for years before symptom onset. Thus, among other things, there are opportunities to provide doctors with better insights into future disease prediction especially in younger adults with diabetes. The rapid rise in CMD together with the increased rates of obesity and diabetes in this population only emphasises the importance of predictive molecular biomarkers. One notable aspect is that traditional risk scores, such as those based on cholesterol measurements, are frequently found to be within normal ranges in younger populations. At the same time, given the significant overlap in risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetes, the unmet clinical need is for early biomarkers of CMD that may help improve risk assessment in younger adults. This editorial highlights advances in the use of polygenic risk scores and emerging utility of genetic biomarkers to define intermediate CMD phenotypes discussing new classification criteria involving DNA methylation of genes to improve risk assessment. CMD is the number one cause of mortality and accounts for 31% of all global deaths. CMD is also multifactorial, comprising cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetes that have significant overlap in risk factors and disease biology. Diabetes is arguably the strongest risk factor for CVD development. Accounting for almost 90% of diabetes cases worldwide, type 2 diabetes (T2D) affects about 527 million people. The global economic burden is estimated at 1.3 trillion USD annually and is close to 1.8% of global GDP [1]. Despite the progress in preventive and therapeutic measures of CVD, the increasing CMD rates only underscore the important need of molecular biomarkers for early detection [2]. Determining whether someone has CMD usually involves an extended diagnostic process that has become essential for risk stratification and disease prevention [3]. While the onset of CMD typically occurs in adulthood, disease development commences much earlier, and this has scientists questioning whether molecular biomarkers could improve current prognostic risk scores. Predicting which people with T2D are most likely to develop CVD remains a significant challenge despite the recent advances in genetic mapping.Graphical abstract

Harnessing Digital Initiatives for Improved Health Outcomes in Diabetes Management: An Observational Patient Program.

Patients with diabetes have easy access to a wide range of digital applications that may help with self-management and lower barriers; however, robust evidence of their effectiveness remains somewhat elusive. Zyla is a medical artificial intelligence (AI)-based personalized care management app that assists the treating physician in improving the standard of patient care by offering the patients comprehensive and individualized care. This preliminary evaluation of data collected through the Zyla app aims to understand the impact of diabetes disease outcomes among patients subscribed to this app. This was a retrospective, observational program conducted through the Zyla app in the calendar year 2020. The Zyla app's objective is to assist the treating physician in improving the standard of patient care by giving them the choice of assembling a personalized team (consisting of clinical nutritionists, physiotherapists, and counselors over a virtual platform) that can offer patients comprehensive and individualized care. Data on parameters like glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), fasting blood sugar (FBS), post-prandial glucose (PPG), serum creatinine (SC), total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were collected through the Zyla app. Clinical outcomes assessed were the change from baseline to last reported levels of the mentioned parameters and are reported using descriptive analysis. The glycemic control parameters, HbA1c (change from baseline (CFB): -1.08), FBS (CFB: -15.93), and PPG levels (-18.42), were significantly lower (P<0.0001) at the last assessment compared with baseline. For the lipid profile, levels of TGs (P<0.0001) and TC (P = 0.0037) were significantly lower compared with baseline, while HDL-C levels were comparatively higher (CFB: 0.68) and LDL-C levels were lower (CFB:11.60), however non-significant. Serum creatinine was also lower compared to baseline (CFB: -0.25); however, the difference was not statistically significant. A significant improvement in all glycemic parameters was seen with the use of the Zyla app along with numerical improvements in kidney function parameters and cholesterol status among patients. These preliminary findings warrant further rigorous studies to validate the impact of medical apps in the management of diabetics in India.

Associations between various anthropometric indices and hypertension and hyperlipidaemia: a cross-sectional study in China

BackgroundThis study aims to explore the association and determine the distinguished potential of anthropometric adiposity indices in screening for hypertension and hyperlipidaemia in the Chinese population.MethodsA recent nationwide cross-sectional study, called the Thyroid Disorders, Iodine State, and Diabetes Epidemiological Survey (TIDE 2015–2017), provided the newest data on the relationships between anthropometric adiposity indices and hypertension and hyperlipidaemia and included 65,231 subjects. The area under the curve (AUC) was used to assess the feasibility of using these indices to distinguish hypertension and hyperlipidaemia. After age stratification, a restricted cubic spline (RCS) fitted for generalized linear regression was used to visualize the relationships of the body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), the waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), the body roundness index (BRI), and the “a body shape index” (ABSI) with hypertension and hyperlipidaemia.ResultsThe results showed that there were significant differences in the BMI, WC, the WHtR, the BRI, and the ABSI among the different age groups (P < 0.0001). After adjusting for sex, age, education, income, smoking status, urban or rural residence, and ethnicity in model, The WHtR and BRI had greater discriminatory power in identifying hypertension (AUC = 0.665, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.660–0.671 for both), hypercholesterolaemia (AUC = 0.629, 95% CI 0.624–0.634 for both), and high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C; AUC = 0.659, 95% CI 0.653–0.664 for both) status in the overall population. When distinguishing hypertriglyceridaemia among the general population, the BMI (AUC = 0.711, 95% CI 0.706–0.716) and WC (AUC = 0.715, 95% CI 0.710–0.720) had greater discriminatory ability than the other anthropometric indices did. The BMI (AUC = 0.631, 95% CI 0.625–0.637) had the highest power for low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) status in the general population.ConclusionsSeveral anthropometric indices show significant correlation with hypertension and hyperlipidaemia. The WHtR and BRI were better in distinguishing hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia and high LDL-C status, while the BMI was better in hypertriglyceridaemia and low HDL-C status. The use of combined indices, such as the BMI, WC, the WHtR and the BRI, can be included in an individual’s medical history and can be used as tools for cardiovascular health screening, which may yield superior results for public health.

Hepatic retinol dehydrogenase 11 dampens stress associated with the maintenance of cellular cholesterol levels

ObjectiveDysregulation of hepatic cholesterol metabolism can contribute to elevated circulating cholesterol levels, which is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Cholesterol homeostasis in mammalian cells is tightly regulated by an integrated network of transcriptional and post-transcriptional signalling pathways. Whilst prior studies have identified many of the central regulators of these pathways, the extended supporting networks remain to be fully elucidated. MethodsHere, we leveraged an integrated discovery platform, combining multi-omics data from 107 strains of mice to investigate these supporting networks. We identified retinol dehydrogenase 11 (RDH11; also known as SCALD) as a novel protein associated with cholesterol metabolism. Prior studies have suggested that RDH11 may be regulated by alterations in cellular cholesterol status, but its specific roles in this pathway are mostly unknown. ResultsHere, we show that mice fed a Western diet (high fat, high cholesterol) exhibited a significant reduction in hepatic Rdh11 mRNA expression. Conversely, mice treated with a statin (3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-coenzyme A reductase (HMGCR) inhibitor) exhibited a 2-fold increase in hepatic Rdh11 mRNA expression. Studies in human and mouse hepatocytes demonstrated that RDH11 expression was regulated by altered cellular cholesterol conditions in a manner consistent with SREBP2 target genes HMGCR and LDLR. Modulation of RDH11 in vitro and in vivo demonstrated modulation of pathways associated with cholesterol metabolism, inflammation and cellular stress. Finally, RDH11 silencing in mouse liver was associated with a reduction in hepatic cardiolipin abundance and a concomitant reduction in the abundance of proteins of the mitochondrial electron transport chain. ConclusionTaken together, these findings suggest that RDH11 likely plays a role in protecting cells against the cellular toxicity that can arise as a by-product of endogenous cellular cholesterol synthesis.

Abstract P167: Sex Dependent Associations of the Gut Microbiota with Hypertension – A Prospective Cohort

Background: Whilst there is emerging evidence that the associations of the gut microbiota (GM) with hypertension differ between sexes, it remains uncertain whether the GM 1) is altered with antihypertensive-use, 2) can predict blood pressure (BP) trajectories, and 3) whether these associations are also sex-dependent. We therefore aimed to determine the sex-dependent associations of the GM with baseline hypertensive state in untreated versus treated participants and BP changes over time. Methods: A total of 451 community-dwelling middle-aged Hong Kong Chinese without symptomatic cardiovascular diseases were recruited (50% men, 14% on antihypertensive agents, mean age, 54.6±6.5 years). Shotgun metagenomic sequencing of stool samples and 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) were performed. The 24hr-ABPM was repeated on 139 returned subjects after 4 years. Statistical analysis was conducted with 4 covariate models that include age, sex, menopause status, body mass index (BMI), smoking, fasting glucose, triglyceride, cholesterol, sodium intake, and fatty liver status. Results: Amongst the 389/451 subjects not on antihypertensive agents, 167/389 (42.9%) had newly diagnosed hypertension at baseline. Females drove the significantly different b-diversity of the GM composition ( p &lt;0.01) between the normotensives and hypertensives in the baseline study. Multiple GM species were significantly associated with hypertension. In sex stratified analysis, Faecalimonas umbilicate was significantly enriched in hypertensive females while Roseburia sp Am16-25 and Eubacterium ramulus were enriched in hypertensive males (all p &lt;0.05-0.01). When comparing the 62 treated and 167 nontreated hypertensive subjects, the GM abundance, a-, and b-diversity were not significantly different. However, there were significant GM species associated with the use of antihypertensive medication. Notably, Lachnospiraceae bacterium and Flavonifractor plautii were significantly enriched in treated and untreated individuals, respectively (all p &lt;0.05-0.001). During a mean follow up of 51.2±4.5 months, 73.2% of the 71 untreated subjects remained normotensive and were associated with enriched Bacteroides uniformis in their baseline metagenomic data under models adjusted for age, sex, and BMI. Conclusion: The GM displayed sex-dependent associations with hypertension within untreated and treated individuals and can potentially predict BP trajectory changes within a Chinese population.

Cardiovascular disease risk in people of African ancestry with HIV in the United Kingdom.

Our objective was to describe the prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in people of African ancestry with HIV in the UK. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of CVD risk factors in Black people with HIV aged ≥40 years and estimated the 10-year CVD risk using QRISK®3-2018. Correlations between body mass index (BMI) and CVD risk factors were described using Pearson correlation coefficients, and factors associated with 10-year CVD risk ≥5% were described using logistic regression. We included 833 Black people with HIV and a median age of 54 years; 54% were female, 50% were living with obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m2), 61% had hypertension, and 19% had diabetes mellitus. CVD risk >5% ranged from 2% in female participants aged 40-49 years to 99% in men aged ≥60 years, and use of statins ranged from 7% in those with CVD risk <2.5% to 64% in those with CVD risk ≥20%. BMI was correlated (R2 0.1-0.2) with triglycerides and diastolic blood pressure in women and with glycated haemoglobin, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and total:high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol ratio in men. In both female and male participants, older age, blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, and kidney disease were strongly associated with CVD risk ≥5%, whereas obesity, total:HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and smoking status were variably associated with CVD risk ≥5%. We report a high burden of CVD risk factors, including obesity, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus, in people of African ancestry with HIV in the UK. BMI-focused interventions in these populations may improve CVD risk while also addressing other important health issues.

Associations between patient portal use and electronic health record (EHR) data timeliness in type 2 diabetes mellitus care

Abstract Objective Patient data is subject to missingness and errors. Patient portals enable patients managing type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) to review and correct data to avoid retesting, medication errors, and diagnostic mistakes. We examined whether patient portal use was associated with electronic health record (EHR) data timeliness in T2DM care. Research Design and methods We analyzed EHR data from a panel of adult patients to determine whether portal use improved data timeliness. EHR data timeliness is measured as the number of days between patient encounters, accounting for mean attribute update periods, where available EHR attribute updates for T2DM measurements were present, including body mass, weight, glycated hemoglobin A1c, cholesterol, blood pressure, serum creatinine, and smoking status. We performed negative binomial regressions with fixed effects to estimate the association between patient portal use and EHR data timeliness. Sensitivity analyses were conducted using Poisson regressions. Results Nearly a third (31.3%) of patients in our sample actively used the health portal. There were fewer days (111.9 days vs. 136.7 days; p &lt; 0.001) between EHR attribute updates for patients who used health portals compared to patients who did not. Data timeliness was lower among female, non-Hispanic White Medicare beneficiaries. Based on regression analyses, portal use was associated with an expected 3.6 (p &lt; 0.001) percentage point decrease in days between attribute updates, indicating improved EHR timeliness. Conclusion Improving the quality of health information may streamline decision-making in partnership with patients who produce data points across clinical settings. Active use of patient portals and digital health tools in chronic disease care are critical for care management and clinical decision-making, especially for patients managing type 2 diabetes across clinical settings.

Performance of WHO-Updated Cardiovascular Disease Risk Prediction Charts among Doctors: Findings from a Tertiary Care Teaching Center in Puducherry, India.

The cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk prediction charts, updated by the World Health Organization for 21 regions in 2019. These charts-lab and non-lab versions-estimate a person's overall CVD risk; the non-lab version is intended for low-resource environments. Using the "non-lab" and "lab" versions of the WHO CVD risk prediction charts, we sought to estimate the burden of ten-year risk of a fatal or non-fatal CVD event in a tertiary care hospital of Puducherry and to assess the agreement between them. We included 255 doctors working in a tertiary care hospital in Puducherry. Age, gender, systolic blood pressure, and smoking status are all factors used in both charts. Moreover, a lab chart requires a person's total cholesterol and diabetes mellitus status, whereas a non-lab chart requires a person's body mass index. Proportions (95% confidence intervals) were used to portray the population at various CVD risk levels. Using Cohen's Kappa, the degree of agreement between the lab and non-lab charts was assessed (k). The majority of the study participants had <5% risk of CVD, and none had a risk of >20% in both the charts, which shows the better health-seeking behaviour of doctors. A good level of agreement was shown by the 95.2% (95%CI = 91.7 - 97.4 ) concordance in the risk categorization between the two charts (k = 0.934). When data are available and there is strong agreement between non-lab and lab-based charts, it is practical to apply WHO-updated CVD risk prediction charts.

Investigating the Relationship between Body Mass Index, Cholesterol, and Cancer in United States Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study.

The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the relationship between Body Mass Index (BMI), cholesterol, and cancer in United States (US) adults. Data were collected from the 2020 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS). Eligible participants were US adults (≥18 years) with data on BMI, cholesterol, and cancer status, who were alive at the end of the data collection period. An adjusted logistic regression model assessed associations between eight possible combinations of BMI and cholesterol status (independent variable) with cancer diagnosis (dependent variable). Among 27,805 individuals in the 2020 MEPS data, 20,818 met the eligibility criteria (weighted N = 252,340,615). Of these 2668 (weighted N = 29,770,359) had cancer and 18,150 (weighted N = 222,570,256) did not have cancer. In the adjusted logistic regression model, underweight and normal weight individuals with high cholesterol were associated with higher odds of cancer (odds ratio, OR = 2.002, and 95% confidence interval, CI = 1.032-3.885, and OR = 1.326 and 95% CI = 1.047-1.681, respectively), while obese individuals with normal cholesterol were associated with lower odds of cancer (OR = 0.681; 95% CI = 0.543-0.853) compared to normal weight individuals with normal cholesterol. This study offers insights into specific groups of individuals who may be prioritized for cancer prevention. Further research is required to investigate these findings in additional subpopulations.

Ten-year risk of cardiovascular events among the adult population of West Tripura District of India by the Framingham risk score: A cross-sectional study.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading causes of mortality worldwide. Predicting the 10-year risk of cardiovascular events (CVEs) may save lives through timely intervention. Framingham risk scoring (FRS) can effectively predict this risk. This study aimed to estimate the 10-year risk of CVE using FRS and to estimate the prevalence of CVD risk factors and their associations with FRS among adults in the West Tripura District of India. This community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from 1 November 2019 to 30 November 2021 in the West Tripura District of India, using FRS 2008 and a pretested interview schedule among 290 individuals aged ≥ 30 years chosen by multistage sampling. The majority, that is 61.7%, of the study subjects had low risk, 18.6% had intermediate risk and 19.7% had high risk of CVE within 10 years. The prevalence of hypertension was 55.6%; diabetes mellitus, 55.9%; smoking, 96.2%; dyslipidaemia, 34.3%; alcohol consumption, 96.2%; physical inactivity, 54%; and obesity, 64.6%. The bivariate analysis detected a significant association of FRS with age, sex, residence, literacy, marital status, obesity, smoking, alcoholism, blood pressure (BP), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and glycaemic status of the study subjects. The logistic regression analysis has identified age >50 years, male sex, hypertension, smoking and diabetes mellitus as significant determinants of high FRS. Adults living in the West Tripura District of India have a high prevalence of CVD risk factors. About one-fifth of this population has a high risk of CVE in 10 years. Controlling hypertension, smoking and diabetes mellitus may help reduce this risk.

The impact of sericin on inflammation, oxidative stress, and lipid metabolism in female rats with experimental knee osteoarthritis.

This study investigated the effects of sericin on inflammation, oxidative stress, and lipid metabolism in female rats with experimental knee osteoarthritis (KOA), focusing on evaluating its effectiveness via the sterol regulatory protein (SREBP)-1C and SREBP-2 pathways. The rats were randomly assigned to three experimental groups: the C group (control), the KOA group (KOA control), and the sericin group (KOA + sericin). The KOA model was created by injecting monosodium iodoacetate (MIA) into the knee joint. Sericin was administered intra-articularly to rats on days 1, 7, 14, and 21 (0.8g/kg/mL, 50 µL). After 21days, the rats were sacrificed, and serum samples were analyzed using an ELISA to measure tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), IL-10, SREBP-1c, SREBP-2, acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), fatty acid synthase (FAS), cholesterol, triglyceride, and total oxidant-antioxidant status (TOS-TAS) levels. The KOA group exhibited higher serum TNF-α, IL-1β, TOS, SREBP-1C, ACC, FAS, triglyceride, SREBP-2, and cholesterol levels than the C group (P < 0.05). However, the levels of these cytokines, except cholesterol, were significantly lower in the sericin group than in the KOA group. The KOA group exhibited significantly lower serum TAS and IL-10 levels than the C group (P < 0.05). In the sericin group, there was a statistically significant increase (P < 0.05). Sericin shows promising potential for reducing inflammation, oxidative stress, and lipid metabolism in experimental models of KOA in rats. However, further clinical research is necessary to validate the potential of sericin as a therapeutic agent for treating KOA. Key Points • Sericin can reduce knee osteoarthritis (KOA) symptoms in an experimental rat model. • In particular, in the serum of an experimental KOA rat model, sericin specifically reduces the levels of proinflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-1beta (IL-1β), and increases the levels of anti-inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-10. • Sericin reduced lipid metabolism via the sterol regulatory protein (SREBP)-1C and SREBP-2 pathways and oxidative stress in the serum of the experimental KOA rat model. • The intra-articular administration of sericin has been shown to significantly reduce lipid metabolism, oxidative stress, and inflammation, as supported by biochemical analysis. These findings suggest its promising potential as an alternative treatment option for KOA.

The Relationship Between Live Births and CVD Among African American Women in Jackson Heart Study

Background Previous studies have reported mixed results on the relationship between live births and cardiovascular disease among African American females, with few controlling for an inclusive list of major cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors and/or including a large population of African American female participants. Methods To help clarify this issue we examined the relationship between live births and cardiovascular events, including major CVD risk factors in a well-studied, exclusively African American cohort. Data was from 3367 African American women, 21 and older, in the Jackson Heart Study. Myocardial Infraction (MI), Self-reported history of cardiac procedures, Coronary Heart Disease Status/History, Self-reported history of Carotid Angioplasty, Cardiovascular Disease history, and Heart Failure History were obtained from 2000 to 2004 interviews. Live births were self-reported. Chi-square test indicated a significant association between live births and the presence of CVD (p =.000). Logistic regression estimated the relationship between live births and cardiovascular events, adjusting for major cardiovascular risk factors. Results After adjusting for hypertension status, current smoking status, cholesterol status, diabetes status, family history of heart diseases (mother), family history of heart disease (father), age, frequency of alcohol use in the past 12 months, and the average number of drinks per week in the past 12 months, there was no longer a significant relationship between live births and the risk of CVD (AOR 1.012, 95% CI, 1.009-1.015, p=.895). Discussion The unadjusted significant relationship between live births and CVD events disappeared after adjusting for major CVD risk factors, which suggests that an association between live births and CVD is indirect and based on the distribution of CVD risk factors. Conclusion Therefore, we propose more research on the use of live births as a CVD indicator in African American/Black women to ensure that African American/Black women obtain optimum cardiovascular health and make informed reproductive decisions.

Insulin-sensitizing and antioxidant effects of &lt;i&gt;Ethulia&lt;/i&gt; &lt;i&gt;conyzoïdes&lt;/i&gt; aqueous extract in dexamethasone-induced insulin resistant rats

Rising the prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus in sub-saharian Africa has necessitated surveys of antidiabetic medicinal plants. Ethulia conyzoïdes is a plant widely used in traditional medicine to treat diabetes. However, the different mechanisms by which it exerts its antidiabetic effects remain unknown. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the effect of Ethulia conyzoïdes aqueoux extract on dexamethasone-induced insulin resistance in Wistar rats. Insulin resistance was induced by intraperitoneal injection of dexamethasone (1mg/kg) for 8 days and the animals received simultaneously, orally, distilled water (insulin resistant control group) and, metformin (100 mg/kg) or Ethulia conyzoïdes aqueoux extract at doses of 133 and 266 mg/kg. Normal control rats received NaCl 0.9% (intraperitoneal by injection) and distilled water orally. Insulin sensitivity, total cholesterol, triglycerides, transaminases activity and redox status were evaluated. Results showed a significant reduction of insulin tolerance (p&lt;0.001), a drastic increased of transaminase activity (p&lt;0.05), hyperlipidemia, and a great potentiation of liver antioxidant enzymes (GSH, SOD and catalase) in insulin resistant control group. Ethulia conyzoïdes aqueoux extract markedly improved insulin sensitivity and reversed all the modified parameters. This study demonstrated the efficacy of Ethulia conyzoïdes aqueoux extract to improve insulin sensitivity and manage biochemical disorders induced by insulin resistance. Short term administration of dexamethasone appears to stimulate the first line antioxidant defense in order to counteract oxidative stress, meaning that Ethulia conyzoïdes aqueoux extract inhibited free radicals production.

Menopause and accelerated aortic stiffness

BackgroundThe menopausal transition is widely believed to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, based on the notion that estrogen is cardioprotective in women. While aortic stiffness is an independent predictor of cardiovascular disease, it has been unclear whether this risk increases during menopause. ObjectiveThis study aimed to determine the association between changes in menopausal status and aortic stiffness. Main outcome measuresMenopausal status was classified using the Stages of Reproductive Aging in Women criteria in a stratified random sample of Australian women aged 40–80 years, at three time-points over 14 years (n = 469 in 2001–02 and 2005, and n = 323 in 2014). Aortic stiffness was measured non-invasively via carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity at each time point. Mixed modeling was employed to determine the independent associations between menopausal status and aortic stiffness accounting for multiple covariates including age, systolic blood pressure, heart rate, medications, cholesterol, waist circumference, smoking and diabetes status. ResultsThere was no evidence to support an association between the menopausal transition and an acceleration of aortic stiffness. However, there was an acceleration of aortic stiffness in the late (8+ years) postmenopause phase, after accounting for age and traditional cardiovascular risk factors (0.122 [95%CI: 0.106, 0.139] m/s/year; p < 0.001). ConclusionsThe menopausal transition is not associated with major changes in aortic stiffness beyond normal age-related effects. However, the clinically significant acceleration in aortic stiffness observed in late postmenopause may contribute to greater cardiovascular risk in this later life phase.Study registered in the Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, reference ACTRN12618000005257.

Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid exposure and diabetes: a cross-sectional analysis of American adults and in vitro experiments

BackgroundPerfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) exposure has a negative impact on the environment and biological health. However, the relationship between PFOS exposure and diabetes in adults is not clear.ObjectiveIn this study, we included two distinct components: (1) in the cross-sectional analysis, we used data from the National Health and Nutrition Inspection Survey (NHANES) from 2015 to 2018 and eventually included 2539 subjects. The association between PFOS exposure and the risk of diabetes in adults was assessed by a logistic regression model, and further subgroup analysis was carried out according to sex, hypertension status and high cholesterol status. We adjusted for all covariates and found that the positive association between higher PFOS exposure and diabetes remained stable. (2) In vitro experiments were conducted as follows, rat insulinoma β cells (INS-1) were used as experimental materials; cell proliferation activity was detected using the MTT assay; quantitative real-time PCR was used to detect the mRNA expression of insulin; and Western blotting was used to detect insulin protein expression levels.ResultsCompared with Q1, the OR of the highest exposure level group (Q4) of PFOS was 1.342(95% CI 0.940, 1.916). We conducted a logistic regression analysis based on sex, hypertension, and high cholesterol stratification. Stratified by sex, we found that the exposure level of PFOS was significantly positively associated with diabetes (P for trend < 0.05). Subgroup analysis showed that the positive association between PFOS exposure and diabetes was more significant in nonhypertensive individuals (P for trend < 0.01) and those with normal cholesterol levels (P for trend < 0.001). To further determine the causal relationship between PFOS exposure and diabetes, we used rat insulinoma β cells (INS-1) as experimental materials to study the effect of PFOS exposure on insulin secretion. We found that PFOS exposure significantly affected insulin secretion and insulin mRNA and protein expression.ConclusionsIn summary, PFOS exposure is positively associated with the risk of diabetes. However, further studies are needed to confirm our results.

144 Personality’s association with the concordance of subjective and objective cholesterol measures: findings from the Irish longitudinal study on ageing (TILDA)

Abstract Background With Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) as a leading cause of death in older adults, examining risk factors for CVD is crucial. High cholesterol, often addressable by lifestyle changes and medication, is a main contributor to CVD. Despite a large portion of Ireland’s (and the world’s) population having high cholesterol, this chronic illness goes undiagnosed or untreated. Personality’s demonstrated associations with overall health, self-reported health, and health behaviours makes it a key facet to examine alongside cholesterol. Methods Through secondary analysis of data from Waves 1 and 3 of TILDA, this research explores the intricate relationships between personality, subjective (self-reported cholesterol), and objective (bloods-measured) cholesterol. The 5 domains of personality were first cross-sectionally and longitudinally examined in relation to each manner of cholesterol measure. Overall concordance between subjective and objective results was examined. Finally, personality’s association with levels of concordance was analysed. These analyses were conducted using bivariate analyses and multinomial logistic regression. Results Various personality traits were univariately associated with cholesterol, with associations varying by cholesterol measure. Neuroticism was higher in participants with high subjective cholesterol, and extraversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness were higher in those with high objective cholesterol. Overall agreement between objective and subjective high cholesterol was low and only partially explained by personality traits. While substantial percentage of participants improved their bloods-measured cholesterol over time, openness was the only trait that predicted any change in cholesterol status. Conclusion These findings demonstrate univariate effects of personality traits on cholesterol levels. There is also evidence of discordance between subjective and objective cholesterol levels, suggesting a vast amount of the population goes undiagnosed and untreated for high cholesterol. This study’s unique findings have crucial implications for the public health sphere, demonstrating the importance of diversifying healthcare approaches and laying the groundwork for exploring personality’s associations with other cardiometabolic risk factors.

Acute Vascular Events: Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death worldwide. An estimated 17.9 million individuals died from CVDs in 2019, representing 32% of all global deaths. Of these deaths, 85% were due to heart attack and stroke. Cardiometabolic risks, such as hypertension, excess weight, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and vascular diseases, contribute significantly to the progression of coronary artery disease. Known sequelae of events that lead to these cardiometabolic diseases include oxidative stress, inflammation, development of dysfunction of vascular adipose tissue, altered blood pressure and blood lipids, altered glucose metabolism, hardening of the arteries, endothelial dysfunction, development of atherosclerotic plaques, and activation of platelet and coagulation pathways. The Framingham Heart Study Group has developed a Risk Score that estimates the risk of developing heart disease in a 10-year period. This group of experts has developed mathematical functions for predicting clinical coronary disease events. These prediction capabilities are derived by assigning weights to major CVD risk factors such as sex, age, blood pressure, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, smoking behavior, and diabetes status. Currently, there is a growing interest in the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning applications. AI-based mimetic pattern-based algorithms seem to be better than the conventional Framingham Risk Score, in predicting clinical events related to CVDs. However, there are limitations to these applications as they do not have access to data on the specific factors that trigger acute vascular events, such as heart attack and stroke. This overview briefly discusses some salient cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in precipitating thrombotic conditions. Further improvements in emerging technologies will provide greater opportunities for patient selection and treatment options. Several clinical studies have demonstrated that most CVDs can be prevented by addressing behavioral risk factors such as tobacco use, unhealthy diet and obesity, physical activity, and harmful use of alcohol. Early detection and better management of the modifiable risks seem to be the only way to reduce, reverse, or prevent these diseases.