European review for medical and pharmacological sciences最新文献

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is highly prevalent and associated with a significant impact on individuals' well-being. Initial management involves various medications, but their benefits can be limited by side effects, particularly concerning young people. In this context, novel and better-tolerated therapeutic strategies have been proposed, thus including the modulation of the gut microbiome through probiotic ingestion. We aimed to examine the available evidence linking the urinary microbiome to lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and to evaluate the possible usefulness of probiotic supplementation as a novel treatment option for LUTS/BPH. A narrative review design was preferred to fulfill our purpose. The search strategy included a range of terms, e.g., "microbiome," "microbiota," "urobiome," AND/OR "probiotics" AND "benign prostatic hyperplasia," "benign prostatic enlargement," "lower urinary tract symptoms." A range of studies aimed to investigate the possible impact of urinary microbiome on BPH. Gut and/or urinary dysbiosis can alter the gut permeability and initiate/maintain inflammatory and oxidative processes in the prostate, which may contribute to the cell-hyper-proliferation leading to BPH. The modulation of the urinary and/or gut microbiome through probiotic supplementation seems to provide levels of clinical effectiveness in the management of BPH. Although different probiotics have been tested, a combination of B. Longum and F. Psychaerophilum seems to be particularly promising due to their capability of modulating both the inflammatory pathway and the intestinal barrier permeability. Gut and/or urinary microbiome dysbiosis is most likely contributing to the BPH pathogenesis. Even though only scarce evidence on the potential usefulness of probiotic supplementation in the management of BPH is currently available, the available studies seem to provide encouraging results. Further prospective trials are warranted in order to confirm these findings and to clarify which probiotic strains are more suitable for supplementation in this setting.

Objective: Solanum sisymbriifolium Lam. is a native perennial plant with chemical characteristics of therapeutic importance. In Paraguayan traditional medicine, it is attributed to antihypertensive and diuretic activities. For this reason, the objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of acute oral administration of the ethanolic extract and fraction enriched in saponins obtained from the root of S. sisymbriifolium on the diuresis profile of rats.

Materials and methods: Male Wistar rats were used, randomly distributed in 6 groups to evaluate the diuretic activity. The control group received distilled water; the diuretic group was treated with 20 mg/kg of furosemide. Two groups were treated with 50 and 100 mg/kg of the ethanolic extract of S. sisymbriifolium, and two other groups were treated with 1 and 10 mg/kg with the fraction enriched in saponins. The animals were placed in individual metabolic cages for a period of 24 h. Urine volume was determined at 5 and 24 h, and urinary electrolytes, pH, and glomerular filtration rate at 24 h.

Results: The findings indicated that both doses of the ethanolic extract and the saponin-enriched fraction significantly increased diuresis after 24 hours of treatment. Urinary pH was not affected. A significant increase in the urinary excretion of Na+ and Cl- was observed without affecting the elimination of K+ with both doses of the extracts. In addition, a significant increase in GFR was evidenced.

Conclusions: Both ethanolic extract and saponins enriched fraction, presented natriuretic and saluretic effects with a possible mechanism of action mediated, at least partially, by the inhibition of carbonic anhydrase. Furthermore, it was possible to demonstrate the participation of the COX/PG pathway in the diuretic mechanism of the extracts in male rats.

Objective: Type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM1) and obesity represent two chronic pediatric diseases characterized by increased risk for renal impairment and cardiovascular disease. The potential usefulness of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), two novel biomarkers, for predicting early kidney injury or increased cardiovascular risk in children and adolescents with DM1 or obesity, was investigated in this cross-sectional study.

Patients and methods: Serum samples were obtained from children and adolescents aged 12.7 ± 3.8 years old with DM1 (n = 38) or obesity (n = 34) and normal renal function, as well as from healthy controls (n = 24). NGAL and MMP-9 concentrations were measured using commercially available sandwich ELISA kits (NGAL: DY1757-05, MMP-9: DMP900; R&D systems, Minneapolis, MN, USA).

Results: NGAL serum values were found significantly higher in patients with obesity but not in those with DM1. A positive correlation was found in patients with DM1 with diabetes duration, and in the total population with body mass index (BMI) z-score. Also, serum MMP-9 levels were significantly increased in patients with DM1 and in patients with obesity compared to controls.

Conclusions: Circulating NGAL and MMP-9 levels may prove useful as surrogate biomarkers to creatinine, glomerular filtration rate (GFR), and albumin excretion rate for early detection of kidney injury and cardiovascular complications in children and adolescents with DM1 or obesity.

Objective: Currently, there is a limited amount of published data on the incidence of bloodstream infections (BSI) caused by both methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) in most parts of the Arabian Peninsula. Thus, it is extremely important to have information concerning the distribution and prevalence of MRSA and MSSA to better handle and manage future epidemics.  This study aimed to investigate the correlation between MRSA and/or MSSA with BSI at King Abdulaziz University Hospital (KAUH), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Patients and methods: This investigation took place at King Abdulaziz University Hospital in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, for four years. During this period, we meticulously collected and documented clinical data on blood cultures that tested positive for MRSA or MSSA.

Results: BSI caused by S. aureus bacteria was found in 461 individuals; 232 (50.3%) of these patients had MSSA, and 229 (49.7%) had MRSA. The data showed that patients with diabetes, renal, and heart disease were most at risk of contracting S. aureus associated with BSI (at 46%, 37%, and 23%, respectively). Hospital-acquired (HA) MRSA was associated with higher rates of BSI compared to HA-MSSA. Device and procedure-related infections were mostly associated with HA-BSI, whereas superficial skin and soft-tissue infections were more commonly connected to community-acquired BSI (CA-BSI).

Conclusions: Such information will probably lead to a reduction in hospital-acquired infections and will improve hospital infection-preventative procedures. Based on the data obtained, diabetic patients are most at risk of contracting S. aureus BSI.  To prevent the spread of MRSA infection among healthcare centers, patients with MRSA must undergo MRSA screening tests, appropriate therapeutic follow-up, and contact precautions. Moreover, appropriate therapeutic management of diabetes may protect the patients from getting infected with S. aureus.

Objective: COVID-19, first identified in December 2019, quickly became a global pandemic and remains a significant public health concern. Robust data is rare, especially in pregnant women. The symptoms of this disease range from mild to severe respiratory distress syndrome and mortality. The present study aimed to evaluate the factors influencing COVID-19 severity in women to be better prepared in case of a new epidemic.

Patients and methods: This retrospective matched case-control study based on body mass index, smoke, and drug use was conducted on all women hospitalized with COVID-19 at Afzalipour Hospital in Kerman, Iran from the beginning of 2020 to 2021. In this study, 130 female patients with COVID-19 were included, with 65 patients in the case group (moderate and severe cases of COVID-19) and 65 patients in the control group (mild cases of COVID-19). The data were entered into the Stata software, and to determine the effective risk factors for the severity of COVID-19 disease, both univariate and multivariable conditional logistic regression analyses were utilized, assuming individual matching. Finally, the odds ratios (OR), along with 95% confidence intervals (CI), were estimated.

Results: The average age of women in the case group was 36.92 ± 7.07 years, compared to 30.12 ± 6.27 years in the control group. Among all patients, 50% were pregnant, with a mean gestational age of 30.03 weeks. Significant factors affecting disease severity included age, education, employment status, place of residence, insurance coverage, comorbidities, and pregnancy status. The highest adjusted odds ratio for severe COVID-19 was associated with comorbidities (OR = 7.8, 95% CI: 2.3-11.1), while the lowest was associated with urban residence (OR = 2.8, 95% CI: 1.02-4.5). Overall, significant predictors of severe COVID-19 included age over 30, urban residence, lack of insurance, a short duration between diagnosis and hospitalization, comorbidities, and non-pregnancy.

Conclusions: The study identified several significant predictors of severe COVID-19 among women, including age over 30, urban residency, lack of insurance coverage, presence of comorbidities, and non-pregnancy, all of which were associated with a heightened risk of severe illness. Notably, comorbidities emerged as the strongest predictor. These findings underscore the critical need for targeted interventions to protect vulnerable populations.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effect of psoralidin, a natural phenolic coumarin compound, on MK-801-induced neurotoxicity that may cause Alzheimer's disease and to determine the phosphodiesterase (PDE)-related molecular mechanism of action.

Materials and methods: In this study, neurotoxicity was performed using the MK-801 in the HT-22 cell line. The effects of compounds on the proliferation of HT-22 cells were determined by Real-Time Cell Analysis (RTCA). After measuring the total protein concentration, the PDE4A protein level was determined using the Western blot method.

Results: Psoralidin (100, 200, 400 µM) has been shown to have a neuroprotective effect against MK-801-induced neurotoxicity, as indicated by Real-Time Cell Analysis. In HT-22 cells, the half maximal effective concentration (EC50) value of psoralidin was calculated to be 230.4 µM, IC50 value of MK-801 was calculated to be 62.4 µM at 24 hours. It has been determined that psoralidin (200, 400 µM) inhibits PDE4A by using the Western blot method.

Conclusions: This research uncovers that psoralidin has neuroprotective effects in MK801-associated accumulation of the excitatory amino acid glutamate neurodegeneration and Alzheimer's disease.

The article "Aldose reductase inhibitor Epalrestat alleviates high glucose-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis via ROS" by X. Wang, F. Yu, W.-Q. Zheng, published in Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci 2019; 23 (3 Suppl): 294-303-DOI: 10.26355/eurrev_201908_18660-PMID: 31389594 has been retracted by the Editor in Chief. The authors contacted the journal in June 2024, requesting to withdraw the article. Following this request, the journal discovered that the article was commented on PubPeer (link: https://pubpeer.com/publications/DE4E22B2B9E506EDC2E650C58152E0). The journal started an investigation and asked the authors to provide answers to the concerns raised as well as to send the raw data. Following the journal's requests, the authors neither responded nor provided the raw data. The journal's investigation revealed duplications between panels Blank, HG+1 umol/l, and HG+10 umol/l of Figure 4A. Consequently, the Editor in Chief mistrusts the results presented and has decided to retract the article. This article has been retracted. The Publisher apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause. https://www.europeanreview.org/article/18660.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the expression levels of the MKNK2 gene in pan-cancer, its prognostic significance, and its relationship with the tumor immune microenvironment, as well as to assess its potential as an immunological and prognostic biomarker.

Materials and methods: The research utilized data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx), and Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia (CCLE), including clinical and mutational information. Bioinformatic tools were employed to analyze the association of MKNK2 with carcinogenesis, including its links to prognosis, immune cell infiltration, tumor immune microenvironment, gene mutation, and the stemness of various tumor cells. A variety of statistical software and analytical tools were applied, including R software, SPSS 27.0, TIMER, CIBERSORT algorithm, and EPIC algorithm.

Results: The study found that MKNK2 is abnormally expressed in pan-cancer and is associated with a poor prognosis. The levels of MKNK2 are highly related to immune cell infiltration and tumor stemness. Notably, in liver hepatocellular carcinoma, glioblastoma multiforme, low-grade gliomas, and acute myeloid leukemia, MKNK2 expression shows a strong correlation with clinical outcomes and immune infiltration. Furthermore, the expression of MKNK2 shows significant correlations with immune cell infiltration, immune checkpoints, tumor mutational burden (TMB), microsatellite instability (MSI), and stemness scores across various cancers.

Conclusions: The abnormal expression of MKNK2 is associated with tumor progression, immune checkpoint genes, immune cell infiltration, microsatellite instability (MSI), tumor mutational burden (TMB), and stemness in a variety of tumors, especially in glioblastoma multiforme low-grade gliomas (GBMLGG). Therefore, MKNK2 may serve as a potent prognostic physiological marker and provide new avenues for the development of tumor mechanisms and therapeutic strategies targeting MKNK2 to enhance the efficacy of immunotherapy.

The Editor in Chief and the Publisher are issuing an expression of concern to alert readers that the following article is under investigation due to a potential ethical breach regarding lack of transparency in the transplantation procedure as outlined in the article published by Rogers W et al (DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2018-024473): - Chen J, Zhong L. Clinical significance of serum hepcidin-25 levels in predicting invasive fungal disease in patients after transplantation. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci 2013; 17 (13): 1769-1773-PMID: 23852902. Further updates will be provided once the investigation is completed. The authors have been notified about the ongoing investigation and the publication of this expression of concern.

Objective: Next-generation sequencing (NGS) has been offered as a large-scale and effective genomic analyzing tool. In this research, we seek to examine the possible benefits of an actionable mutation panel in association with clinical and pathological features in the treatment of esophageal cancer.

Patients and methods: In our study, 85 cases whose diagnosis of carcinoma was confirmed histopathologically either by endoscopic biopsy or esophageal surgery between 2010 and 2020 were identified from the hospital database. In formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tumor samples, a total of 20 genes of AKT1, ALK, BRAF, DDR, EGFR, ERBB2, ERBB3, ESR1, FGFR1, KIT, KRAS, MAP2K1, MET, NRAS, NTRK, PDGFRA, PIK3CA, PTEN, RICTOR and ROS1 were analyzed via NGS for actionable mutations.

Results: Of 85 cases, 47 patients (55.3%) were men and 38 (44.7%) were women, and the mean age of the patients was 58.01±11.45 years. There were substantial distinctions in the variables of pathogenicity of variant, operation type, stage, and both lymphovascular and perineural invasion (p<0.05). Most of the primary tumors were situated in the lower thoracic esophagus (n=23; 27%). PIK3CA variant was the highest in number among the variant types (n=17) and was detected in 41.2% of the lower thoracic tumors. The increases in mutation numbers of >2 were especially concentrated in the lower thoracic esophageal carcinomas.

Conclusions: The utility of an actionable multigene panel revealed the value of a well-designed NGS workflow in the practical use of clinical outcomes via the prediction of responsiveness to therapeutic agents or indications for novel treatment modalities in addition to the estimation of prognosis.