Association between dietary inflammatory index scores and the increased disease activity of rheumatoid arthritis: a cross-sectional study

Background

Diet plays an important role in regulating inflammation, which is a hallmark of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Our aim was to investigate the association between the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) scores and RA activity.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted on 184 patients with RA in rheumatology clinic in Kermanshah city, Iran, in 2020. RA was diagnosed according to the criteria of the 2010 American College of Rheumatology/ European League against Rheumatism. The overall inflammatory potential of the diet was extracted from a validated 168-item food frequency questioner (FFQ) using the DII. RA disease activity was assessed using Disease Activity Score 28 (DAS-28) scores. Logistic regression and one-way ANOVA/ ANCOVA were conducted.

Results

Individuals in the highest DII quartile had the significantly higher odds of positive C-reactive protein than those in the lowest quartile of the DII scores (OR 4.5, 95% CI 1.16 – 17.41, P = 0.029). A statistically significant downward linear trend in fat-free mass and weight were observed with increasing the DII quartiles (P = 0.003, P = 0.019, respectively). Patients in the highest DII quartile had higher DAS-28 scores than those in the first quartile (Mean difference: 1.16, 95% CI 0.51 – 1.81, P < 0.001) and second quartile of the DII scores (Mean difference: 1.0, 95% CI 0.34 – 1.65, P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Our results indicated that reducing inflammation through diet might be one of the therapeutic strategies to control and reduce the disease activity in RA patients.

Probiotic supplementation: A prospective approach in the treatment of COVID-19

Background: Despite strategies based on social distancing, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) expands globally, and so far, many attempts have been made to achieve effective treatment for patients with COVID-19. This disease infects the lower respiratory tract and may lead to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV). COVID-19 also can cause gastrointestinal infections. Therefore, COVID-19 patients with gastrointestinal symptoms are more likely to be complicated by SARS-CoV. In this disease, acquired immune responses are impaired, and uncontrolled inflammatory responses result in cytokine storms, leading to acute lung injury and thrombus formation. Probiotics are living microorganisms that contribute to the health of the host if administered in appropriate doses. Aim: This study aimed to provide evidence to show the importance of gut dysbiosis in viral disease, especially COVID-19. Therefore, we have focused on the impact of probiotics consumption on preventing severe symptoms of the disease. Methods: We have entirely searched SCOPUS, PubMed, and Google Scholar databases to collect evidence regarding the relationship between probiotics and viral infections to expand this relationship to the COVID-19. Results: It has been shown that probiotics directly counteract SARS-CoV in the gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts. Moreover, probiotics suppress severe immune responses and prevent cytokine storms to inhibit pathologic inflammatory conditions in the body via modulation of immune responses. Conclusion: According to available evidence based on their antiviral and respiratory activities, using probiotics might be an adjuvant therapy to reduce the burden and severity of this disease.

Body composition and risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: A case control study

BACKGROUND: While evidence has been a highlight that obesity may be associated with the increased incidence of Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), these data have depended on defective measures of obesity such as body mass index (BMI), and usually have not the well-known relationship between body composition with NAFLD. METHODS: In a case-control study of people aged 20– 65 years, we directly measured body composition (using bioelectrical impedance analysis), height, weight, and waist and hip circumferences who referred to radiology clinics in Kermanshah, Iran. Dietary intake was assessed by the food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). RESULTS: Among 221 people examined, 103 cases with NAFLD and 119 as control were established. The risk of NAFLD was positively associated with higher BMI and the components of the body composition. These associations were strengthened after adjusting for potential confounders including gender, age, marital status, education, smoking, alcohol consumption, and physical activity CONCLUSION: An increasing prevalence of obesity may be associated with the increasing incidence of NAFLD as observed in many populations. We observed an increased risk of NAFLD associated with increased BMI, central adiposity, and the fat component of weight, but found no association with nonfat mass.

Spontaneous regeneration of the mandible after hemimandibulectomy: report of a case

Mandibular defects may result from many conditions such as trauma, inflammatory diseases and tumors. There are rare cases reported in the literature that have demonstrated spontaneous bone regeneration after resection of the mandible. Several factors such as age, preservation of the periosteum and genetics seem to influence spontaneous bone regeneration capacity in individuals. Evaluation of these factors may lead to a better understanding of the mechanism of spontaneous bone regeneration and also help to create new methods for bone reconstruction. The purpose of this article was to describe the spontaneous regeneration of the hemi-mandible with a well shaped condyle and coronoid after resecting a mandibular pathologic lesion in a young man.