Nutrition
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Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease that can affect various organs and systems. Symptoms of SLE can vary widely from person to person and over time, including fatigue, joint pain, skin rashes, fever, and inflammation of multiple organs. The association between SLE and excess body weight has been the subject of study, with evidence suggesting that overweight and obesity can worsen the disease´s clinical presentation. ⋯ Obesity can also influence the quality of life of patients with SLE, making a holistic approach that considers the individual's nutritional status essential. Therefore, understanding the relationship between obesity and SLE is crucial for optimizing treatment, improving clinical outcomes, and enhancing patients' quality of life. Further research is needed to elucidate the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms, develop more precise and personalized management strategies, and identify biomarkers that can predict disease prognosis and treatment response.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Long-term clinical efficacy of dietary fiber supplementation in middle-aged and elderly prediabetic patients.
Dietary fiber (DF) can be separated from food and convenient to take, and has an important role in diabetes prevention, but long-term intervention data are lacking. This study evaluated the long-term benefits of DF supplementation on body composition, glucose-lipid metabolism, and clinical regression in middle-aged and elderly patients with prediabetes. ⋯ DF supplementation can reduce the degree of central obesity, the levels of FPG and 2h PG, and the incidence of diabetes in middle-aged and older patients with prediabetes.
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Assessment of malnutrition-related muscle depletion with computed tomography (CT) using skeletal muscle index (SMI) and muscle radiation attenuation (MRA) at the third lumbar vertebra is well validated. However, SMI and MRA values at other vertebral locations and interchangeability as parameters in different types of cancer are less known. We aimed to investigate whether adult patients with different types of cancer show differences in SMI and MRA at all vertebral levels. ⋯ SMI, but not MRA, was lower in HNC/EC/LC patients than in ME patients at most vertebral levels. This indicates that low muscle mass presents itself across the various vertebral muscle areas. MRA may less consistently mark muscle depletion in malnourished patients.
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This study investigated the therapeutic potential of Lactobacillus plantarum NCHBL-004 (NCHBL-004) in the treatment of obesity and associated metabolic disorders. ⋯ These findings underscore the potential of both live and inactivated NCHBL-004 as potential therapeutic approaches to managing obesity and metabolic disorders, suggesting avenues for further investigation and clinical applications.
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Gastrointestinal hormones, such as glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), gastric inhibitory polypeptide, and peptide YY (PYY) are important for reducing malnutrition at older ages because they are related to assimilation and feeding behavior. Medium-chain triacylglycerol (MCT) ameliorates metabolic symptoms and frailty in adults; however, whether it has the same effect in old age is unknown. To address this, we examined the changes in insulin and gastrointestinal hormones in aged Brd4 (+/-) mice exhibiting symptoms of old age. ⋯ Aged Brd4 (+/-) mice showed lower mRNA expression of Gcg and Pyy genes, and active GLP-1 protein secretion in the blood, which were as restored and enhanced with MCT feeding.