Low-density Lipoprotein Values Research Articles

Impact of Lp(a) on lipid control in patients with acute coronary syndrome

Abstract Background The lipoprotein(a) (Lp[a]) is a genetically determined low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-like particle. Lp(a) levels above 50mg/dl have been correlated to an increased risk of atherosclerosis and major adverse cardiovascular events. Thus, treatments designed to reduce Lp(a) levels are currently under investigation. However, it is unknown how high Lp(a) concentrations affect the control of lipid profile. Purpose The purpose of this project is to investigate how Lp(a) impacts lipid profile control in individuals with acute coronary syndromes (ACS). Methods We designed a single-center prospective registry including consecutive patients admitted for ACS. Lp(a) levels were obtained from all enrolled patients during hospitalization; lipid profile (total cholesterol (TC), LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides) was obtained at admission and at the 6-month follow-up (6MFU). Patients were stratified according Lp(a) concentration (low-Lp(a): Lp(a) < 50 mg/dL; high-Lp(a): Lp(a) ≥ 50 mg/dL). LDL-cholesterol (LDLcorr) levels corrected for concentration of Lp(a) were calculated as LDLcorr= LDLmeasured – 30%Lp(a). At discharge cholesterol lowering drugs were introduced or titrated as standard of care. The primary endpoint was the percentage of patients reaching target LDL and LDLcorr (<55 mg/dL) at 6MFU. The secondary endpoints were the correlations between Lp(a) levels and lipid profile, both at baseline and at 6MFU, as well as the correlation between Lp(a) levels and the total number of traditional cardiovascular risk factors in the study population. Results From February 2020 through September 2023, a total of 409 patients were included: 305 (74.6%) with Lp(a) < 50 mg/dL; 104 (25.4%) with Lp(a) ≥ 50 mg/dL (Table 1). High-Lp(a) patients showed a lower prevalence of diabetes (14.2% vs 27.87%, P = 0.0055), an overall lower number of traditional cardiovascular risk factors (>2 in 25.9% vs 38.1%, P=0.0244). High-Lp(a) patients showed higher level of LDL-cholesterol compared to the low-Lp(a) population both at baseline (124±52 mg/dL vs 110.4±44 mg/dL, P= 0.0263) and at 6MFU (70.5±21 vs 63.8±29, P= 0.0208) with fewer patients achieving the target LDL cholesterol levels (21.57% vs 40.13%, P=0.0184). Estimating the true LDL concentration (LDLcorr) the percentage of patients reaching target LDL cholesterol levels at FU significantly increased in the high-Lp(a) group (from 21.57% to 76.5%), with a minimal increase noticeable in the low-Lp(a) population (from 40.13% to 48.41%, p 0,1870). Conclusions In ACS population, patients with high Lp(a) concentrations have fewer traditional CV risk factors and a lower prevalence of diabetes. High-Lp(a) patients, furthermore, seem more challenging to meet LDL target at 6 month follow up, but not when the LDL values are adjusted for Lp(a).

Assessing the Influence of Long-Term Gender-Affirming Hormone Therapy on Cardiovascular Risk in Transgender Men through Carotid Intima-Media Thickness.

Background: Transgender men use exogenous androgen for male pattern virilization. Hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (HBSO) is performed to stop the endogenous estrogen secretion. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk has been shown to increase with long-term use of androgens and the removal of estrogen. We aimed to investigate the CVD risk in these individuals by measuring internal and common carotid artery intima-media thicknesses (CIMT). Methods: In this cohort study, data were collected from transgender men who had undergone HBSO and used androgens for at least two years (median treatment duration was 5 years in our research). Cisgender women in the same age range were selected as the control group. Demographics, vital signs, and hematological values of transgender patients and cisgender women subjects in the control group were noted. CVD markers were compared with sonographically measured CIMT values. Results: The mean age and body mass index (BMI) of the study group were 32.6 and 25.3, respectively. Weight, systolic-diastolic blood pressure, hemoglobin, hematocrit, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), serum triglyceride (TG), HbA1c levels, internal CIMT, and common CIMT values of the study group were higher, while the high-density lipoprotein (HDL) level was significantly lower compared the control group (p1 = 0.025, p2 = 0.010, p3 = 0.002, p4 = 0.001, p5 = 0.001, p6 = 0.012, p7 = 0.008, p8 = 0.007, p9 = 0.013, and p10 = 0.001). There was also an increase in the body weight, BMI, LDL, and TG levels of the study group after the testosterone treatment (p1 = 0.025, p2 = 0.019, p3 = 0.001, p4 = 0.001, and p5 = 0.001). Conclusions: We demonstrated that the use of testosterone therapy in transgender men is associated with higher CIMT values. While further investigation is needed to assess morbidity and mortality rates, we recommend that regular clinical and radiological examinations be performed in these individuals to accurately evaluate the risk of CVD.

Evaluation of Oxidative Stress, Thyroid Hormones, Trace Elements and Some Biochemical Markers in Goats Naturally Infected with Theileria ovis.

Theileriosis is a tick-borne disease caused by protozoon species in the Theileria genus of the Theileriidae family. The biochemical changes induced by infection are considered to be an important understanding of the pathophysiology of caprine theileriosis. In this study, it was aimed to determine oxidative stress, thyroid hormones, trace elements, and biochemical parameters in theileriosis infection. A sample of 14 goat was used for this purpose, of which 7 were healthy and 7 were infected with Theileria ovis. Theileria infection was diagnosed from the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Sera from blood samples was tested for total antioxidant capacity (TAC), total oxidant capacity (TOC), oxidative stress index (OSI), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT), total protein, albumin, triglyceride, cholesterol, high density lipoprotein (HDL), low density lipoprotein (LDL), urea, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), cobalt (Co), manganese (Mn), selenium (Se), iron (Fe). TOC, OSI, AST, ALT and GGT values were higher in the patient group than in the healthy group (P < 0.05). On the other hand, there were decreases in TAC, T3, T4, total protein, albumin, creatinine, Cu, Zn, Se, and Co values (P < 0.05). However, there was not found to be a statistical difference between the healthy and patient groups in terms of triglyceride, cholesterol, HDL, LDL, urea, BUN, Mn, and Fe values (P > 0.05). It can be stated that oxidative stress is a complication of caprine theileriosis and it may be accompanied with hypothyroidism and deficits in trace minerals.

Relative increase in production ratio of small dense low-density lipoprotein in acute coronary syndrome with high coronary plaque burden: an ex-vivo analysis.

The absolute value of small dense low-density lipoprotein (sd-LDL) including small LDL (s-LDL) and very small LDL (vs-LDL) has been shown to be associated with increased incidence of atherosclerosis. However, the impact of short-timeframe increases in sd-LDL on arteriosclerosis has not yet been elucidated. Therefore, we investigated the clinical roles of ex-vivo induced sd-LDL in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) using a novel method. This is a prospective, single-blind, and observational study that screened patients who underwent coronary angiography (CAG) for the treatment of ACS or investigation of heart-failure etiology between June 2020 and April 2022 (n = 247). After excluding patients with known diabetes mellitus and advanced renal disease, the patients were further divided into the ACS (n = 34) and control (non-obstructive coronary artery, n = 34) groups. The proportion of sd-LDL (s-LDL + vs-LDL) in total lipoproteins was observed before and after 2-h incubation at 37 ℃ (to approximate physiologic conditions) using 3% polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The coronary plaque burden was quantified upon CAG in the ACS group. There were no significant differences between the ACS and control groups in terms of clinical coronary risk factors. The baseline of large, medium, small, and very small LDL were comparable between the two groups. Following a 2-h incubation period, significant increases were observed in the ratios of s-LDL and vs-LDL in both the ACS and control groups (ACS, p = 0.01*; control, p = 0.01*). Notably, the magnitude of increase in sd-LDL was more pronounced in the ACS group compared to the control group, with s-LDL showing a significant difference (p = 0.03*) and vs-LDL showing a tread toward significance (p = 0.08). In addition, in both groups, there was a decrease in IDL and L-LDL, while M-LDL remained unchanged. The plaque burden index and rate of short-timeframe changes in both s-LDL (p = 0.01*) and vs-LDL (p = 0.04*) before and after incubation were significantly correlated in the ACS group. The enhanced production rate of sd-LDL induced under short-term physiologic culture in an ex-vivo model was greater in patients with ACS than in the control group. The increase in sd-LDL is positively correlated with coronary plaque burden. Short-timeframe changes in sd-LDL may serve as markers for the severity of coronary artery disease.

Physical activity, physical fitness and cardiometabolic health among Finnish military workers

IntroductionThe Western lifestyle challenges national defence. Inactivity, obesity, high BP and elevated lipid and glucose levels as well as tobacco use all increase cardiometabolic risk. The present study was thus...

Appraisal of Olezarsen for Treatment of Hypertriglyceridemia

Olezarsen is antisense antinucleotide under investigation that inhibits synthesis of apolipoprotein C3 (ApoC3) resulting in reduction of plasma triglycerides levels. In a phase 3 clinical trial of patients having familial chylomicronemia syndrome (FCS) with extreme hypertriglyceridemia at baseline (mean plasma triglycerides 2,630 mg/dl), olezarsen 80 mg administered subcutaneously every 4 weeks decreased triglycerides by 43.5 percentage points (95% CI, 69.1 to 17.9; P&lt;0.001) after 6 months compared with placebo. By 53 weeks, 1 episode of acute pancreatitis occurred in olezarsen group versus 11 episodes in the placebo group, rate ratio (RR) 0.12 (95% CI, 0.02 TO 0.66). Two phase 2 trials evaluated olezarsen in patients with moderately elevated triglycerides (&lt;500 mg/dl) and high cardiovascular (CV) risk recorded similar magnitude of reduction of triglycerides. Olezarsen reduced levels of atherogenic lipoproteins such as ApoC3 by 73%, non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C) by 17-23% and increased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels by 30-40%. Meanwhile, olezarsen increased mean values of low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C) from 22.8 to 37.6 mg/dl in patients with FCS but had no significant effects in patients with high CV risk having higher baseline LDL-C levels. Discontinuation rates due to adverse effects of olezarsen were 9-12% versus 0% with placebo. The most common adverse effects of olezarsen were elevation of liver enzymes, mostly below 3 times the upper limit of normal, and injection-site reactions. Platelet count &lt; 140,000/µl occurred in 18% in patients receiving olezarsen versus 3% with placebo (risk ratio 6.8; 95% CI, 0.91 to 51.3; P=0.03). No patient had severe thrombocytopenia with platelet number &lt; 75,000/µl. Overall, olezarsen is a promising new therapy for hypertriglyceridemia and for prevention of hypertriglyceridemia-induced pancreatitis. Long-term randomized trials are urgently needed to examine the effects of olezarsen on CV events and mortality and establish its long-term safety.

Effect of whole-body vibration on blood pressure in obese postmenopausal women. A randomized controlled study

Background. Menopause constitutes a natural biological process that reflects the end of the reproductive life of women and has been related to elevated risk factors for multiple strokes. Multiple studies have revealed that healthy women during menopause have increased abdominal obesity, triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), fasting blood glucose, body mass index (BMI), and blood pressure (BP) besides reduced high-density lipoprotein (HDL). Aim. We aim to determine the impact of whole body vibration (WBV) on BP and blood lipid profile in obese postmenopausal women. Subjects and methods. Our study enrolled 30 postmenopausal women with hypertension (HTN) who were aged 55–65 years old and had a BMI of 30–34.9 Kg/m2. An experienced physician diagnosed the participants with either pre-HTN or stage 1 HTN, with BP measurements of 140/90–159/99 mmHg. The participants were assigned into two equal groups (n = 15) in a random manner. Group A received a dietary regimen, whereas Group B received the dietary regimen along with a two-month whole body vibration (WBV) training program for 30 min, 3 sessions/week. Measurements were obtained for all participants, including their BP and serum TC, TG, HDL, and LDL levels pre- and post-therapy. Results. The results demonstrated that average systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), TC, TG, and LDL values significantly decreased in both groups, with a significant reduction favoring group B. Additionally, the average HDL value exhibited a statistically significant increase in both groups, with a significant increase favoring group B. Conclusion. WBV conjugated with a suitable nutritional intervention is considered a safe, user-friendly, and highly efficient physical therapy strategy for ameliorating blood lipid levels and lowering BP in postmenopausal women with HTN.

Effect of Sorbitol on Some Physiological and Biochemical Parameters in Diabetic Rats

This study aims to estimate the role of sorbitol consumption in diabetic rats. Sixty male rats were purchased, acclimatized and divided into four groups; negative-control rats were received distilled water, positive-control rats were administered glucose orally, experimental-1 diabetic rats were administered sorbitol 100 mg and experimental-2 rats were administered sorbitol 200 mg orally. After 60 days, sera were collected and tested quantitatively by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Glucose elevation was seen in experimental-2 but not in experimental-1; while insulin was increased significantly in rats of both experimental-1 and experimental-2 but decreased in rats of positive-control when compared to those of negative-control. Although catalase, glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase were decreased significantly in experimental-1, experimental-2 and positive-control, malondialdehyde was elevated significantly in these groups when compared to values of negative-control. For lipid profile, lower high-density lipoprotein were showed in experimental-1 and experimental-2 and more severely in the positive-control than negative-control group; while values of low-density lipoprotein were elevated significantly in positive-control but not in experimental-1 and experimental-2 when compared to negative-control. Values of triglyceride varied insignificantly in experimental-1 and experimental-2; however, they increased significantly in comparison with negative-control but not to positive-control. To our knowledge, this experiment represented the first in vivo study to evaluate the effect of sorbitol on biochemical and biomarkers of diabetic rats. Our findings revealed the safety of sorbitol at low dose but the risk might increase at a higher dose. Therefore, it was necessary to investigate the effects of sorbitol consumption in healthy and diseased individuals.

The metabolic profiles of patients with autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation with graft versus host disease.

e24010 Background: Graft versus host disease (GvHD) is a serious inflammatory complication of hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) and a leading contributor to morbidity and mortality in HSCT patients. Previous studies have identified increased risk of cardiovascular death in HSCT patients who develop GvHD and characterized echocardiographic changes associated with chronic GvHD. However, details of the metabolic derangements in HSCT patients who develop GvHD remain poorly studied. Methods: This is a retrospective study of patients who underwent HSCT at H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and later developed severe chronic GVHD at 1 year. Metabolic data including weight, blood pressure, and lipid profile were recorded at baseline and at 1 year after HSCT. Results: Between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2020, 1805 patients who received allogeneic HSCT were reviewed. At 1 year, 371 patients (20.5%) had severe GVHD. Compared to baseline, patients had higher total cholesterol (209 vs 183 mg/dL, P &lt; 0.001), high-density lipoprotein (61 vs 47 mg/dL, P &lt; 0.001), and triglycerides (211 vs 163 mg/dL, P &lt; 0.001) at 1 year of follow up. Low-density lipoprotein values were not significantly different (107 vs 102 mg/dL, p = 0.15). Patient weight was significantly less at 1 year (163 vs 183 lbs, p &lt; 0.001). Although blood pressure was not significantly different between baseline and 1 year, more patients were placed on antihypertensive medications at 1 year (50% vs 31%). Conclusions: This study finds that patients who undergo allogeneic HSCT and subsequently develop severe GVHD are at risk for metabolic derangements that may worsen cardiovascular health. We specifically demonstrate an increased need for antihypertensive therapy and elevations in total cholesterol and serum triglycerides. Further research is needed on the impact of these derangements on major adverse cardiac events and the role of cardiovascular risk factor management in these patients.

The Essence of Lipoproteins in Cardiovascular Health and Diseases Treated by Photodynamic Therapy.

Lipids, together with lipoprotein particles, are the cause of atherosclerosis, which is a pathology of the cardiovascular system. In addition, it affects inflammatory processes and affects the vessels and heart. In pharmaceutical answer to this, statins are considered a first-stage treatment method to block cholesterol synthesis. Many times, additional drugs are also used with this method to lower lipid concentrations in order to achieve certain values of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. Recent advances in photodynamic therapy (PDT) as a new cancer treatment have gained the therapy much attention as a minimally invasive and highly selective method. Photodynamic therapy has been proven more effective than chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy alone in numerous studies. Consequently, photodynamic therapy research has expanded in many fields of medicine due to its increased therapeutic effects and reduced side effects. Currently, PDT is the most commonly used therapy for treating age-related macular degeneration, as well as inflammatory diseases, and skin infections. The effectiveness of photodynamic therapy against a number of pathogens has also been demonstrated in various studies. Also, PDT has been used in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, such as atherosclerosis and hyperplasia of the arterial intima. This review evaluates the effectiveness and usefulness of photodynamic therapy in cardiovascular diseases. According to the analysis, photodynamic therapy is a promising approach for treating cardiovascular diseases and may lead to new clinical trials and management standards. Our review addresses the used therapeutic strategies and also describes new therapeutic strategies to reduce the cardiovascular burden that is induced by lipids.

Women and familial hypercholesterolemia

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of death worldwide. One of the risk factors of CVDs is dyslipidemia, defined as the imbalance of lipids in the blood. Early diagnosis and treatment of the disease is important. However, there appears to be a gender disparity, with women less likely to be diagnosed and start lipid-lowering therapy. In addition, it is difficult for them to continue treatment without interruptions, such as for reasons of childbearing, and as a result they do not achieve the target Low Density Lipoproteins (LDL) levels. Heterozygous Familial Hypercholesterolaemia (FH) is thought to occur in 1 in 500 people in most ethnicities in the world. However, in most cases, these figures are derived from limited numbers of data from selected populations or specific subgroups in the general population and therefore may lack the precision of more modern estimates. About 1 in 200 people have familial hypercholesterolemia, but the vast majority are undiagnosed. Women with untreated FH are at very high risk for early-onset atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. In untreated women with FH, 30% will develop Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease (ASCVD) by age 60. The onset of ASCVD occurs 20 years earlier in life for women with FH than for women without FH. Regarding women with FH during menopause, they had similar LDL values to premenopausal women and higher levels compared to men in the same age group. Postmenopausal women with FH may suffer the consequences of high LDL either from delayed diagnosis or because of interruptions in management they may have experienced during childbearing. The last 2 decades have seen the development of new therapies to lower LDL-cholesterol levels and delay premature atherosclerosis, especially in combination with lifestyle modifications. Management of patients with familial hypercholesterolemia requires a multiprofessional approach, including primary care providers, cardiologists, endocrinologists, dietitians, pharmacists, and nurses, to improve outcomes. Treatment strategies should be discussed extensively at diagnosis. Close follow-up to monitor treatment response and development of side effects from lipid-lowering agents is essential to optimize care. The representation of women in studies concerning the diagnosis and treatment of familial hypercholesterolemia must be improved, so that there is a more effective treatment of this disease.

Exploring the effects and possible mechanisms of nutritional selenium nanoparticles on production performance and stress recovery in the Arabian yellowfin seabream (Acanthopagrus arabicus) model

This work examines the impacts of nutritional selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) on growth, physiological and immunological parameters, antioxidant defense capacity, gene expression, and stress response of fingerling Arabian yellowfin seabream (Acanthopagrus arabicus). SeNPs were added to the basal diet at different dosages of 0 (control), 0.5 (SeNPs-0.5), 1 (SeNPs-1), and 2 (SeNPs-2) mg/Kg diet. The fish with an average weight of 5 ±0.0 g were indiscriminately distributed in 12 tanks (20 fish/ tank) to represent four experimental groups in triplicate that received the diets for 60 days. The results revealed that the SeNPs-1 and SeNPs-2 diets improved growth, feed intake, and feed conversion ratio. Supplemental SeNPs enhanced the expression levels of insulin-like growth factor I, interleukin-1β, and lysozyme genes. Although supplementing SeNPs had no significant effect on superoxide dismutase activity and malondialdehyde concentration, it enhanced the catalase activity in the SeNPs-1 group and the glutathione peroxidase activity in groups supplemented with SeNPs at 0.5 and 1 mg/Kg. The immune parameters improved in fish fed with the SeNPs-1 diet. While SeNPs had no significant impact on plasma total protein, albumin, globulin, alanine aminotransferase, and triglyceride contents in different groups, the SeNPs-1 group had the highest content of plasma high-density lipoprotein and simultaneously the lowest values of cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein. The SeNPs-0.5 and SeNPs-1 diets reduced plasma aspartate aminotransferase content, and the SeNPs-2 diet increased its value. Additionally, SeNPs significantly decreased blood cortisol and lactate levels in fish challenged with acute stress by being confined at the fish density of 200 kg/m3 for 45 min. According to these data, SeNPs at 1 mg/Kg diet is recommended to enhance growth, immunity, and stress resistance in the fish under study.

Effects of HCV Clearance with Direct-Acting Antivirals (DAAs) on Liver Stiffness, Liver Fibrosis Stage and Metabolic/Cellular Parameters.

Chronic hepatitis C (CHC) is a clinical and pathological syndrome with various causes and is characterized by varying degrees of hepatocellular necrosis and inflammation. It is a significant cause of liver transplantation and liver-related death worldwide. The hepatic manifestations of CHC are typically characterized by slowly progressing liver fibrosis, which is a non-specific and often disproportionate response to tissue damage. A large majority of HCV patients have extrahepatic manifestations with varying degrees of severity. HCV infection is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and diabetes mellitus, which increases insulin resistance, oxidative stress, and iron overload and causes chronic systemic inflammation. HCV infection is treated using direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) with cure rates of over 95 percent, minimal side effects, and shorter therapeutic courses. Despite the effective elimination of the virus, it seemed pertinent to understand to what extent HCV clearance eliminates or attenuates all the systemic alterations already induced by the virus during infection and chronicity. Our study aimed to determine whether eliminating HCV with DAAs alters the severity of liver disease (liver stiffness and liver fibrosis stage by TE) and the metabolic/cellular profile of patients with CHC. A group of 329 CHC patients from a Gastroenterology and Hepatology outpatient department were prospectively studied. Of these, 134 were also studied with DAAs. The liver fibrosis stage was evaluated by transient elastography (TE) using a FibroScan® device, and two groups were established for the analysis of liver stiffness (LS): mild and moderate stiffness (fibrosis F1 and F2; F1/2) and severe stiffness (fibrosis and cirrhosis F3 and F4; F3/4). Metabolic/cellular parameters were evaluated before and after antiviral treatment using standard methods: alkaline phosphatase (ALP), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), γ-glutamyl-transpeptidase (γ-GT), haptoglobin (Hp), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), triglycerides (TG), free iron (Fe), transferrin saturation (TS), total iron binding capacity (TIBC), ferritin (Ft), glycemia, insulin, Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) and platelets count. The results were statistically analyzed using SPSS 24.0 for Windows. Comparing the fibrosis stage before and after DAAs treatment, we verify a reduction in LS in 85.7% of patients and an improvement in liver fibrosis stage in 22.2% of them after DAAs treatment. Before DAAs treatment, patients showed a 2.410 risk for higher fibrosis stages (F3/4). Comparing metabolic/cellular parameters before and after DAAs treatment, patients showed lower ALP, AST, ALT, γGT, TG, Fe, TIBC, and Ft values and higher TC, LDL, and Hp values after treatment. As such, HCV elimination reduces iron overload and insulin resistance. On the other hand, it caused dyslipidemia, raising total cholesterol and LDL to levels outside the reference values. The improvement in the liver fibrosis stage by TE was mainly associated with higher baseline platelet count and HDL values and lower insulin resistance. With this study, we were able to contribute to the knowledge of the effects of HCV elimination with DAAs on liver disease and metabolic profile to improve the quality of treatment and follow-up of these patients after HCV elimination.

Efficacy of nutritional selenium nanoparticles on growth performance, immune response, antioxidant capacity, expression of growth and immune-related genes, and post-stress recovery in juvenile Sobaity seabream (Sparidentex hasta)

This study evaluated the impacts of nano-Se on the growth, immunity, antioxidant capacity, physiological parameters, gene expression, and stress resistance of fingerling Sobaity seabream (Sparidentex hasta). The fish with an average weight of 21.5 ± 0.1 g were divided into four treatment groups in triplicates that received one of the test diets supplemented with varying levels of nano-Se: 0 (control), 0.5 (Se-0.5), 1 (Se-1), and 2 (Se-2) mg/Kg for 60 days. The results showed that final weight, weight gain rate, specific growth rate, feed intake, and feed conversion ratio improved with significant linear and quadratic trends (P < 0.05) in response to nano-Se-supplemented diets, and the best values were measured in the Se-2 group. Superoxide dismutase activity level remained unaffected among the four groups (P > 0.05). Catalase activity increased in nano-Se-supplemented groups, with the highest level measured in fish fed the Se-0.5 diet. Glutathione peroxidase activity levels were not significantly different between the control and nano-Se groups, but the lowest malondialdehyde concentration was detected in the Se-2 group. Nano-Se had no marked effect on total plasma Ig levels; however, the highest lysozyme activity and alternative complement activity (ACH50) were observed in the Se-0.5 and Se-2 groups, respectively. No significant differences (P > 0.05) were observed in plasma total protein, albumin, globulin, triglyceride, and thyroid hormone (T3 and T4) contents among the groups. However, the lowest cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein values and the highest high-density lipoprotein concentration were measured in the Se-2 group. The Se-0.5 and Se-1 groups exhibited significantly lower levels of aspartate aminotransferase activity, and the lowest alkaline phosphatase activity level was detected in the Se-1 group. The expression level of insulin-like growth factor I gene in all nano-Se-fed groups was significantly higher than the control. Also, the expression of interleukin-1β and lysozyme genes was significantly upregulated in nano-Se-supplemented groups, with the highest values in the Se-2 group. Following acute crowding stress, plasma cortisol and lactate levels at all post-stress time intervals were not significantly different among the experimental groups. Fish fed the Se-0.5 and Se-2 diets tended to have lower plasma glucose concentrations than other groups. In conclusion, dietary nano-Se at 2 mg/kg is recommended to promote growth performance and enhance antioxidant and immune parameters in Sobaity juveniles.

1166A&gt;C polymorphism of the &lt;i&gt;AGTR1&lt;/i&gt; gene as a marker metabolic disorders in the North residents

BACKGROUND: dyslipidemia is currently considered to be one of cardiovascular risk factors. Angiotensin II receptor type I (AGTR1) genetic polymorphisms are known as candidate genes for hypertension, diabetes, as well as for diabetes and obesity complications. Until now, there are not much data on how 1166A&gt;C (rs5186) polymorphism of the AGTR1 gene correlates with Northerners’ carbohydrate and lipid metabolism disorders. In addition, the data are contradictory. Following on from this, we see it is relevant to study the subject.AIM: this research assessed variants of 1166A&gt;C (rs5186) polymorphism of the AGTR1 gene as a predictor of dyslipidemia, carbohydrate metabolism disorders, overweight, and hypertension.MATERIALS AND METHODS: the North residents from Magadan Region, Caucasian by ethnicity, aged from 24 to 56 (average age 43.7± 1.4 yrs) participated in the survey. By real-time polymerase chain reaction we determined the single nucleotide polymorphism of the AGTR1 (rs5186) gene. We also analyzed physical development and cardiovascular variables as well as the concentrations of glucose, insulin, glycosylated hemoglobin, C-reactive protein, total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. The insulin resistance index and the atherogenicity coefficient were calculated using standard methods.RESULTS: the examined subjects were one hundred and one volunteers. According to the results of genetic analysis, 55 people were assigned to the group of homozygotes for the wild type (AA) and 46 people were assigned to the group of the AGTR1*C allele variant carriers (heterozygotes and homozygotes AC+CC). Our findings contributed to the evidence on more unfavorable lipid pictures showed by the AGTR1*C allele variant carriers: significantly high values of total cholesterol (5,77±0,11, р=0.045), low-density lipoproteins (3,87±0,09, р=0.009), triglycerides (1,43±0,06, р=0.035), and atherogenicity coefficient (3,61±0,10, р=0.001), along with significantly low values of high-density lipoproteins (1,30±0,03, р=0,008). The above indicators were observed as opposed to significantly high fasting glycemia (5,74±0,14, р=0.006) and glycosylated hemoglobin (5,74±0,09, р=0.001) exhibited by the AA homozygotes subjects whose indices could be defined as the state of prediabetes. No intergroup differences were found in anthropometric or cardiovascular variables.CONCLUSION: thus, we could see impairments in the lipid pictures of the AGTR1*С polymorphic variant carriers along with the optimization of carbohydrate metabolism and no effect on the blood pressure or anthropometric characteristics.

The Cardioprotective Effect of Polysaccharide Sulphate Isolated from Brown Algae (Sargassum polycystum)

The incidence of atherosclerosis is characterized by an increase in the value of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and a decrease in the value of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) as well as an increase in the total white blood cell count which can indicate the occurrence of atherosclerosis. This study used 18 rats which were divided into 6 groups of 3 each, namely a normal control group, a negative control group (CMC 0.5%), a positive control group (Simvastatin 20 mg/kg BW), and 3 groups given a sulfate polysaccharide isolate compound test material (dosage of 250, 50, and 10 mg/kg of body weight). The results showed that sulfated polysaccharide isolates had an effect in reducing white blood cells significantly between doses of 250 mg/kg BW and 50 mg/kg BW as well as reducing SGOT levels. Unfortunately it did not reduce the SGPT level. The results of the Mann-Whitney post hoc test showed that administration of sulfated polysaccharides at an optimal dose of 250 mg/kg BW reduced the number of foam cells in the atherosclerotic white rats' (Rattus norvegicus) aortas that were given a high-fat diet and had activity in reducing CKMB levels compared to other doses.

Correlation between Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio and Diabetic Neuropathy in Chinese Adults with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Using Machine Learning Methods.

One of the most frequent consequences of diabetes mellitus has been identified as diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN), and numerous inflammatory disorders, including diabetes, have been documented to be reflected by the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR). This study aimed to explore the correlation between peripheral blood NLR and DPN, and to evaluate whether NLR could be utilized as a novel marker for early diagnosis of DPN among those with type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM). We reviewed the medical records of 1154 diabetic patients treated at Tongji Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University from January 2022 to March 2023. These patients did not have evidence of acute infections, chronic inflammatory status within the past three months. The information included the clinical, laboratory, and demographic characteristics of the patient. Finally, a total of 442 T2DM individuals with reliable, complete, and accessible medical records were recruited, including 216 T2DM patients without complications (DM group) and 226 T2DM patients with complications of DPN (DPN group). One-way ANOVA and multivariate logistic regression were applied to analyze data from the two groups, including peripheral blood NLR values and other biomedical indices. The cohort was divided in a 7 : 3 ratio into training and internal validation datasets following feature selection and data balancing. Based on machine learning, training was conducted using extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) and support vector machine (SVM) methods. K-fold cross-validation was applied for model assessment, and accuracy, precision, recall, F1-score, and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) were used to validate the models' discrimination and clinical applicability. Using Shapley Additive Explanations (SHAP), the top-performing model was interpreted. The values of 24-hour urine volume (24H UV), lower limb arterial plaque thickness (LLAB thickness), carotid plaque thickness (CP thickness), D-dimer and onset time were significantly higher in the DPN group compared to the DM group, whereas the values of urine creatinine (UCr), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), fasting c-peptide (FCP), and nerve conduction velocity and wave magnitude of motor and sensory nerve shown in electromyogram (EMG) were considerably lower than those in the DM group (P < 0.05, respectively). NLR values were significantly higher in the DPN group compared to the DM group (2.60 ± 4.82 versus 1.85 ± 0.98, P < 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that NLR (P = 0.008, C = 0.003) was a risk factor for DPN. The multivariate logistic regression model scores were 0.6241 for accuracy, 0.6111 for precision, 0.6667 for recall, 0.6377 for F1, and 0.6379 for AUC. Machine learning methods, XGBoost and SVM, built prediction models, showing that NLR can predict the onset of DPN. XGBoost achieved an accuracy of 0.6541, a precision of 0.6316, a recall of 0.7273, a F1 value of 0.6761, and an AUC value of 0.690. SVM scored an accuracy of 0.5789, a precision of 0.5610, a recall of 0.6970, an F1 value of 0.6216, and an AUC value of 0.6170. Our findings demonstrated that NLR is highly correlated with DPN and is an independent risk factor for DPN. NLR might be a novel indicator for the early diagnosis of DPN. XGBoost and SVM models have great predictive performance and could be reliable tools for the early prediction of DPN in T2DM patients. This trial is registered with ChiCTR2400087019.

Optical coherence tomography-angiography findings of prediabetic patients.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate prediabetic patients for microvascular changes using optical coherence tomography-angiography (OCT-A) and compare with diabetic patients and healthy controls. OCT-A images of 60 eyes of 30 patients with diabetes mellitus (DM), 72 eyes of 36 prediabetic patients, and 108 eyes of 54 healthy controls were retrospectively evaluated and compared in this study. A swept-source OCTA (Triton, Topcon) instrument was used for collecting OCT-A images. Duration of the diabetic or prediabetic period, glycated hemoglobin, fasting blood glucose level, postprandial glucose (PPG) level, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, triglyceride, and creatinine values of all participants were recorded. Microaneurysm, nonperfusion areas, perifoveal capillary disruption, and capillary network disorganization were detected in both prediabetics and diabetics but statistically more common in diabetic patients. Neovascularization and intraretinal microvascular anomalies were detected only in diabetic patients. OCT-A seemed to be effective in detecting microvascular changes in diabetic patients. More importantly, results showed us that in prediabetic patients, microvascular changes can be seen before the onset of DM and before or concurrently with neurodegenerative changes.

Protective role of olive oil extract of propolis on short and long-term administration of tamoxifen in rats.

Tamoxifen (TAM) is an antiestrogenic agent used for adjuvant treatment in estrogen receptor-positive breast cancers in the pre/post-menopausal period. This study, it was aimed to determine the effect of olive oil extract of propolis (OEP) on short and long-term administration of TAM in rats. Wistar albino rats were divided into groups with eight animals in each. Groups: control, OEP, TAM, and OEP + TAM. At the end of the experiment, oxidative stress tests were performed with Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay (ELISA)on blood and tissue samples (liver, kidney, and ovary) taken from rats. After single-dose TAM administration, there was a significant increase in red blood cell, hematocrit, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration levels compared to the control group, a decrease in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) value, a significant increase in liver enzymes and fasting glucose values was detected compared with the control and propolis groups. A normalizing effect was observed in the group given OEP and TAM combined. The increase in Malondialdehyde (MDA) and the decrease in enzyme activities in tissues are also noteworthy. Propolis application reduced the tissue damage caused by TAM. In addition, improved cytokine levels, which increased with TAM administration. It has been concluded that OEP can be given in supportive treatment, as it improves hematological and antioxidant parameters in TAM treatment.

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Liraglutide on Metabolic Parameters in the Treatment of Obesity.

Background One of the essential chronic diseases is obesity, which negatively affects the individual and society. Liraglutide (LG) is an effective treatment for both obesity treatment and metabolic control. This study aims to show the effect of a 3.0 mg dose of LG, injected subcutaneously once a day, on weight loss and metabolic parameters. Methods This retrospective single-center study included 67 patients (60 women and seven men) with a BMI of at least 27 kg/m2 with comorbidities or a BMI of at least 30 kg/m2. Demographic characteristics, anthropometric measurements, and biochemical data of the participants were evaluated at the end of the four and 16 weeks. Results The mean body weight (BW) loss of patients using LG at 16 weeks was -11.71±2.21 kg. After the four and 16 weeks of beginning the LG use, the patients who lost more than 5% of initial BW were 38.8% vs. 76.1%, respectively (p=0.034). The mean baseline Homeostatic Model Assessment-Insulin Resistance Index, hemoglobin A1c, low-density lipoprotein, and triglycerides values were significantly higher than the 4 and 16 weeks (p<0.001). Twenty-two (32.8 %) patients experienced side effects (SE) after starting LG treatment, and the most common SE was found to be nausea (29.4%). Conclusion The use of LG, which is not covered by insurance, together with diet and exercise, has been shown to have clinically significant weight loss and a positive effect on glycemic values ​​and lipid profile.