Current Therapeutic Research-clinical and Experimental最新文献

OBJECTIVES

The effects of heat-killed Enterococcus faecalis (HkEf), a lactic acid bacterium, on the growth of Porphyromonas gingivalis were evaluated in vitro by measuring the viable cell count of P. gingivalis and gingipain activity.

METHODS

HkEf solution (1.63 or 163 mg/mL) was added to 1 mL P. gingivalis culture to generate a final HkEf concentration of 0.64 or 64 mg/mL. The cultures were incubated anaerobically. The number of viable P. gingivalis cells and gingipain activity were measured after incubation for 0, 12, 24, 48, and 72 h. The number of viable P. gingivalis cells was calculated by counting the number of colonies after culture. Gingipain activity was quantified by adding a chromogenic substrate to P. gingivalis culture medium and measuring the absorbance of the reaction solution with a plate reader. Mean ± SE was calculated for viable cell counts and gingipain activity, and Wilcoxon rank sum test was used to test for significant differences.

RESULTS

The counts of viable P. gingivalis cells in the control group increased as incubation time progressed for 12, 24, 48, and 72 h; similar results were observed in the low-concentration HkEf group. In the high-concentration HkEf group, the increase in the viable cell count was significantly inhibited compared to that of the control group. Furthermore, gingipain activity in the low- and high-concentration HkEf groups was significantly inhibited over time compared to that of the control group. Although the pH of the culture solution tended to decrease in the high-concentration HkEf group, it was not considered to have affected the growth of P. gingivalis.

CONCLUSIONS

HkEf exhibits inhibitory effects on the growth of P. gingivalis and gingipain activity.

Background

Objective

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Introduction and Aim

Research on the effects of propolis consumption on body composition, and blood pressure (BP) has produced inconsistent results. This systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis was carried out to compile the data from the randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on how propolis supplementation affects body composition, and BP level in adults.

Materials and Methods

A systematic literature search was conducted using electronic databases, including PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane library, up to January 2024. The RCTs, evaluating the effects of propolis consumption on weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), hip circumference (HC), waist-hip ratio (WHR), fat mass (FM), systolic BP (SBP), and diastolic BP (DBP), were included in the study. We used the random-effects model to establish the pooled effect size.

Results

A total of 22 RCTs involving 1082 participants were included in the study. Propolis supplementation demonstrated significant reductions in weight (weighted mean difference [WMD]: –0.37 kg; 95% confidence interval [CI]: –0.63 to –0.12), and BMI (WMD: –0.11 kg/m²; 95% CI: –0.13 to –0.09). However, there were no significant effects on WC, WHR, FM, HC, SBP, and DBP levels. The dose-response analysis revealed a significant nonlinear relationship between propolis dosage and WC (P = 0.020). Moreover, the BMI (P = 0.047) and WC (P = 0.004) reduction trend continues until 8 weeks of intervention and then this impact plateaued.

Conclusions

Supplementation with propolis seems to be effective in reducing weight and BMI. However, it should be noted that the anti-obesity properties of propolis supplementation were small and may not reach clinical importance. Therefore, future well-designed studies with a large sample size are needed to investigate the effect of propolis on body composition and BP in adults.

Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system, during which vascular events, including atherosclerosis, are more common and progress faster. Teriflunomide (TFN) is an oral drug that studies have indicated has low side effects alongside high efficiency. In this article, a middle-aged woman with multiple sclerosis was introduced, whose medication was changed to TFN. Thirty-five days later, she presented with focal neurologic symptoms, and investigations reported a lacunar infarction. Having excluded potential causes of acute ischemic stroke, such as vascular and rheumatologic factors, the only identifiable factor was the introduction of a new medication. The process of conclusively attributing TFN as the causative agent requires further clarification in future studies.

Background

Concerns of intraocular inflammation associated with intravitreal administration of anti-VEGF drugs have been risen and the exact mechanism is not yet elucidated.

Objective

To explore the relationship between immunogenicity and intraocular inflammation in intravitreal anti-VEGF drugs.

Methods

This review examines the immunogenicity of individual intravitreal anti-VEGF drugs and their potential link to intraocular inflammation.

Results

We suggest that the main cause of intraocular inflammation is the presence of pre-existing and treatment-induced antidrug antibodies, along with considerations related to the molecular structure, which includes the drug's format and size.

Conclusions

Researchers and clinicians involved in the advancement of new anti-VEGF drugs should take into consideration the factors related to intraocular inflammation that have been discussed.

Background

Cardiovascular surgery is usually associated with higher degree of postoperative pain that influences a patient's physical recovery. Multiple clinical measures have been taken to avoid overuse of opioid agents for postoperative pain management, which led to the development of clinical pathways for analgesic drug treatment using a multimodal approach.

Objective

To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of a multimodal postoperative analgesic drug pathway (ADP) for pain management following cardiovascular surgery.

Methods

This retrospective, controlled, nonrandomized study evaluated a postoperative ADP in patients undergoing cardiovascular surgery in a tertiary general hospital in Qingdao, China. Effectiveness and safety outcomes were compared before and after the implementation of the ADP. Outcome indicators included postoperative pain scores, consumption of opioids in analgesic pumps, and incidence of adverse events.

Results

Patients who underwent cardiovascular surgery from September to November 2021 before the implementation of the ADP (n = 193) and from September to November 2022 after the implementation of the ADP (n = 218) were enrolled. Pain scores were reduced on day 1, 3, and 5 after surgery and the reduction was most significant in mild pain (P < .001). Opioids in analgesic pumps consumption was also significantly reduced and there was decreased incidence of adverse events such as nausea and vomiting (P = .026), respiratory inhibition (P = .027), and dizziness and headache (P = .028) in cardiovascular surgery patients after implementation of the ADP.

Conclusions

Improved effectiveness and safety were observed following the implementation of the ADP. Multimodal analgesic ADP methodology can be effectively used for postoperative pain management in patients undergoing cardiovascular surgery.

Background

There is an urgent need for pharmacological treatment for cocaine (COC) use disorder (CUD). Glutamatergic transmission in the prefrontal cortex is affected by addictive behaviors. Clavulanic acid (CLAV), a glutamate transporter GLT-1 (excitatory amino acid transporter) activator, is a clinical-stage medication that has potential for treating CUD.

Methods

In a pilot study, nine participants with CUD received 500 mg CLAV with dose escalations to 750 mg and 1000 mg over 10 days. In 5 separate magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sessions, brain anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) glutamate level and resting state network (RSN) functional connectivity (FC) were assessed using MR spectroscopy and functional MRI. Craving was assessed at the same time points, between baseline (before CLAV), 6 days, and 10 days of CLAV. Independent component analysis with dual regression was used to identify RSN FC changes from baseline to Days 6 and 10. Relationships among glutamate, craving, and resting state FC values were analyzed.

Results

Participants who achieved high ACC glutamate levels after CLAV treatment had robust decreases in COC craving (r = −0.90, P = 0.0009, n = 9). The salience network (SN) and executive control network (ECN) demonstrated an association between increased FC after CLAV treatment and low baseline ACC Glu levels (SN CLAV 750 mg, r = −0.82, P = 0.007) (ECN CLAV 1000 mg, r = −0.667, P = 0.050; n = 9).

Conclusions

Glutamate associated changes in craving and FC of the salience and executive control brain networks support CLAV as a potentially efficacious pharmacological treatment for CUD.

Objectives

Natural killer (NK) cells are important immune system effector cells providing innate defenses against intracellular infections, including viral infections, immune surveillance, and cancer immunoediting. The primary purpose of this study was to investigate whether modified ultra-filtrated colostrum (UC) and hydrolyzed whey (W) products or their combinations with other natural products with reported immunomodulatory properties will stimulate NK cell cytotoxic activity by activation of granzyme B and IFN-γ production.

Methods

The ability of study products to stimulate the cytotoxic activity of human-purified CD56⁺ NK cells and the production of granzyme B and IFN-γ by activated NK cells was evaluated in the cytotoxic assay.

Results

All study products significantly increased NK-cell cytotoxic activity at an E: T ratio of 20:1. Treatment of cells with UC had a maximal cytotoxic effect at the minimal dose of 10 µg/ml, which exceeded the cytotoxic activity of IL-2. In contrast, the addition of egg yolk (CE) or CE + botanical blend (CEB) to UC resulted in a dose-dependent cytotoxic response with a maximal response at 1000 µg/ml. The maximal activity of blend products was comparable to UC activity. W exerted minimal stimulatory activity on NK cells. The magnitude of granzyme B and IFN-γ production was closely associated with the cytotoxic activity of NK cells stimulated with the study products.

Conclusions

All study products demonstrated stimulatory activity on NK cells, with UC having a maximal effect on NK cell cytotoxicity. The study products can be used as dietary supplements to support NK cell activity in healthy individuals.

Background and aim

Conflicting results on the effect of magnesium supplementation on blood pressure have been published in previous meta-analyses; hence, we conducted this umbrella meta-analysis of RCTs to provide a more robust conclusion on its effects.

Methods

Four databases including PubMed, Scopus, EMBASE, and Web of Science were searched to find pertinent papers published on international scientific from inception up to July 15, 2024. We utilized STATA version 17.0 to carry out all statistical analyses (Stata Corporation, College Station, TX, US). The random effects model was used to calculate the overall effect size ES and CI.

Findings

Ten eligible review papers with 8610 participants studied the influence of magnesium on SBP and DBP. The pooling of their effect sizes resulted in a significant reduction of SBP (ES = -1.25 mmHg; 95% CI: -1.98, -0.51, P = 0.001) and DBP (ES = -1.40 mmHg; 95% CI: -2.04, -0.75, P = 0.000) by magnesium supplementation. In subgroup analysis, a significant reduction in SBP and DBP was observed in magnesium intervention with dosage ≥400 mg/day (ES for SBP = -6.38 mmHg; ES for DBP = -3.71mmHg), as well as in studies with a treatment duration of ≥12 weeks (ES for SBP = -0.42 mmHg; ES for DBP = -0.45 mmHg).

Implications

The findings of the present umbrella meta-analysis showed an overall decrease of SBP and DBP with magnesium supplementation, particularly at doses of ≥400 mg/day for ≥12 weeks.

Objective

This study aims to analyze a severe adverse reaction of pulmonary fibrosis induced by dronedarone hydrochloride tablets, and to provide a reference for clinical rational medication through drug precautions.

Methods

A case of pulmonary fibrosis induced by dronedarone hydrochloride tablets, along with related literature was retrospectively analyzed.

Results

Patients over 65 years old with a history of exposure to amiodarone may increase the incidence of pulmonary toxicity induced by dronedarone, and dronedarone should not be selected as a substitute treatment drug for patients with amiodarone-induced pulmonary toxicity.

Conclusions

It is recommended that clinicians monitor the diffusion capacity of carbon monoxide and lung ventilation function of patients before and after using dronedarone for treatment. For patients with a history of amiodarone exposure, intermittent monitoring of chest X-rays and lung function is necessary. If lung function decreases, dronedarone should be immediately discontinued.