Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Metabolic Syndrome in Women: Effects of Lifestyle Modifications

The Clinical Significance of Serum Interleukin-36α Levels in Patients with Gout

BACKGROUND

Gout is a chronic inflammatory diseases caused by monosodium urate crystal deposition. However, the role of interleukin (IL)-36 in gout has not dbeen elucidated.

METHODS

We enrolled 75 subjects, including 20 healthy controls (HC), 30 patients with acute gout attack and 25 patients in remission. Baseline data were obtained through clinical interrogation and laboratory data were obtained through tests of blood samples. Serum levels of IL-36α were detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Spearman correlation analysis was used to investigate the correlation of IL-36α with other parameters. The diagnostic value of IL-36α was demonstrated using a receiver operating characteristic curve.

RESULTS

The serum IL-36α level of gout patients in acute attack and remission stage was significantly higher than that of HC. Serum IL-36α was positively correlated with alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST). Serum amyloid A (SAA) levels positively correlated with C-reactive protein levels and erythrocyte sedimentation rates. Glutamyl transpeptidase levels positively correlated with AST and ALT levels.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, serum IL-36α levels were elevated in patients with gout and correlated with the clinical markers of inflammation. Our findings suggest that IL-36α may be a novel inflammatory indicator for gout.

Waist to height ratio in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease - Systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Current nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) guidelines do not provide any recommendations regarding the waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), a simple obesity metric calculated by dividing waist circumference by height. Therefore, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis aiming to evaluate WHtR in NAFLD.

METHODS

We performed a systematic electronic search on PubMed, Embase, and Scopus, identifying observational studies assessing WHtR in NAFLD. QUADAS-2 tool was used to evaluate the quality of included studies. The two main statistical outcomes were the area under the curve (AUC) and the mean difference (MD).

RESULTS

We included a total of 27 studies in our quantitative and qualitative synthesis, with a total population of 93,536 individuals. WHtR was significantly higher in NAFLD patients compared to controls with an MD of 0.073 (95% CI 0.058 - 0.088). This was also confirmed after conducting a subgroup analysis according to the hepatic steatosis diagnosis method, for ultrasound (MD 0.066 [96% CI 0.051 - 0.081]) and transient elastography (MD 0.074 [96% CI 0.053 - 0.094]). Moreover, NAFLD male patients presented significantly lower WHtR compared to female patients (MD -0.022 [95% CI -0.041 - -0.004]). The AUC of WHtR for predicting NAFLD was 0.815 (95% CI 0.780 - 0.849).

CONCLUSIONS

WHtR is considerably higher in NAFLD patients compared to controls. Female NAFLD patients present higher WHtR compared to NAFLD male patients. In comparison to other presently suggested scores and markers, the WHtR's accuracy in predicting NAFLD is considered acceptable.

Mechanism of immune attack in the progression of obesity-related type 2 diabetes

Obesity and overweight are widespread issues in adults, children, and adolescents globally, and have caused a noticeable rise in obesity-related complications such as type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Chronic low-grade inflammation is an important promotor of the pathogenesis of obesity-related T2DM. This proinflammatory activation occurs in multiple organs and tissues. Immune cell-mediated systemic attack is considered to contribute strongly to impaired insulin secretion, insulin resistance, and other metabolic disorders. This review focused on highlighting recent advances and underlying mechanisms of immune cell infiltration and inflammatory responses in the gut, islet, and insulin-targeting organs (adipose tissue, liver, skeletal muscle) in obesity-related T2DM. There is current evidence that both the innate and adaptive immune systems contribute to the development of obesity and T2DM.

Early and Long-Term Effects of Abdominal Fat Reduction Using Ultrasound and Radiofrequency Treatments

Background: Abdominal obesity, together with atherogenic dyslipidemia, increased blood pressure and impaired glucose tolerance, was included in the components of metabolic syndrome identifying patients at high risk of cardiovascular diseases. Subcutaneous adipose tissue is a buffer for dietary fatty acids (FAs). It was reported that the fatty acid composition of adipose tissue reflects the dietary intake of FAs in the previous 6 to 9 months. Therefore, we decided to evaluate the early and long-term metabolic effects of lipocavitation and/or thermolipolysis on abdominal fat reduction. Material and Methods: The study population comprised 60 women. Subjects were randomly allocated into one of three subgroups, 20 women per subgroup, and each subgroup received 10 treatments with ultrasound (U group), radiofrequency (RF group), or combined radiofrequency and ultrasound (RF/U group) for the abdominal region. Treatments were provided three times a week using the multifunctional device (Professional Beauty Equipment, HEBE, Warsaw, Poland). Each treatment to reduce adipose tissue, regardless of the method used, involved 20 min of massage with the dedicated applicator head on a rectangular 20 cm × 10 cm area of the abdominal region. Fatty acid composition and biochemical and anthropometric parameters were measured before the first, after 10 treatments and 6 months after the last treatment. Results and discussion: The series of 10 treatments to reduce abdominal adipose tissue using ultrasound, radiofrequency or both methods resulted in a cosmetic effect which was reflected in weight loss and BMI reduction. Reduced waist circumference was also found in patients who received radiofrequency or two types of intervention (RF + U) but not ultrasound treatments. The long-term cosmetic effect (lasting for at least 6 months) was achieved only with RF treatment and was reflected in reduced body weight, BMI and waist circumference. None of the treatments had a direct, short or long-term effect on the lipid profile, insulin resistance markers, inflammation markers, or blood pressure. Consequently, did not modify the risk of cardiovascular diseases.