Frontiers in Endocrinology最新文献

Purpose: Ejaculatory abstinence (EA) duration is recognized to impact semen parameters. This study aims to evaluate the effects of varying EA durations on semen quality parameters, distinguishing between normospermic and sub-fertile men, and to provide insights into tailored abstinence recommendations for improved fertility outcomes.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 23,527 semen samples from men undergoing infertility evaluation from 2013 to 2024. Semen parameters, including sperm concentration, motility, and morphology, were assessed post-abstinence (2-7 days) according to WHO guidelines. Group differences were analyzed, focusing on sperm parameters across abstinence periods in normospermic versus patients with sperm abnormalities.

Results: In normospermic patients we found a trend increase from day 1 to day 7 of abstinence time regarding total sperm count (million) (92.4 vs. 191.1; p<0.01), sperm concentration (million/ml) (44.5 vs. 72.0; p<0.01) and morphology (6 vs. 12.5; p= 0.03) but not regarding motility (A+B) (50.0% vs. 48.0%; p=0.43). Conversely, in the population of patients with sperm abnormality, we found a significant trend increase from day 1 to day 7 of TSC (16.38 vs. 56.0; p<0.01), sperm concentration (million/ml) (8.0 vs. 18.0; p<0.01) and morphology (3.0 vs. 5.0; p<0.01). Interestingly, we found a significant trend decrease of motility (A+B) (28.0% vs. 21.0%; p<0.01) and pH (8.1 vs. 7.9; p<0.01) In patients affected by asthenospermia, motility (A+B) dropped significantly from day 1 to day 7 (11.8% vs. 6.1%; p<0.01) and also in patients with teratospermia morphology dropped significantly (2.13% vs. 1.26%; p<0.01).

Conclusion: The findings support the use of tailored abstinence guidelines to optimize semen quality based on patient-specific semen profiles, with normospermic men benefiting from longer abstinence durations to increase concentrations, while patients with motility or morphology impairments, may benefit from shorter abstinence periods to mitigate sperm quality declines.

Introduction: Maternal lifestyle impacts reproductive performance. Previously, we demonstrated that maternal environmental enrichment promotes pregnancy success in BALB/c mice. As progesterone regulates gestation, we decided to study the effect of maternal environmental enrichment on ovarian physiology during early gestation.

Methods: For this, six-week-old female mice were housed in enriched or control cages for six weeks and then mated with control fertile males. Females with a mucus plug were returned to their respective control or enriched cages. Pregnant mice were euthanized on day 7 of pregnancy, and ovaries and progesterone levels were investigated.

Results: Hematoxylin and eosin slices showed no differences in the area (μm²) of the ovaries between control and enriched females. Also, the number of primordial, primary, preantral, antral, and atretic follicles was similar for both treatments. However, the number and area (μm²) of corpora lutea were increased in the ovaries from the enriched group. Moreover, enriched females presented higher progesterone serum levels and increased 3β-HSD expression.

Discussion: Therefore, maternal environmental enrichment regulates ovarian physiology, and this could promote the benefits previously reported.

Objectives: Insulin resistance plays a critical role in the pathophysiology of diabetes mellitus and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Moreover, insulin resistance has a central role in atherogensis as the major leading cause of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The aim of the present study was to assess the frequency of pre-diabetes and evaluate the cardiometabolic risk factors among NAFLD patients, comparing those with pre-diabetes to those with normal glucose tolerance.

Methods: In the current retrospective case-control study, the data of 1031 NAFLD patients was retrieved. Based on blood glucose levels, 337 diabetics, 340 pre-diabetes, and, 354 normal glucose patients were diagnosed. After excluding diabetic NAFLD patients, 694 individuals were divided into two groups: normal glucose and pre-diabetes. Various variables, such as age, anthropometric measurements, hypertension, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and lipid profiles, were extracted from patient files. Statistical analysis was conducted to assess cardiovascular risk factors in NAFLD patients.

Results: Higher age, female gender, higher BMI, triglyceride, waist and hip circumference and waist-to-hip ratio were found in pre-diabetic NAFLD individuals compared with normoglycemic ones (P-value<0.05). Multivariable age-, sex-, BMI- and smoking- adjusted logistic regression showed a predicting role of pre-diabetes and NAFLD concurrence with metabolic syndrome (P-value<0.001, OR:4.31, 95% CI: 2.95- 6.29), but not CVD (P-value=0.353, OR:1.37, 95% CI: 0.71- 2.61).

Conclusion: In this study, nearly one-third of NAFLD patients had pre-diabetes. The mean value of age, BMI, TG, waist and Hip circumference was significantly higher in pre-diabetic patients. The concurrence of pre-diabetes and NAFLD was a predicting factor for metabolic syndrome, but not CVD events.

Introduction: Water-only fasting for one day or more may provide health benefits independent of weight loss. Human growth hormone (HGH) may play a key role in multiple fasting-triggered mechanisms. Whether HGH changes during fasting are independent of weight loss and how basal HGH and HGH change relate to other fasting-induced changes are unknown.

Methods: Apparently healthy individuals (N=30) were randomized by Latin square to begin two days with either 24-hour water-only fasting or a control of 24-hour ad libitum eating. On day 2, subjects were crossed over to control (if day 1 was fasting) or fasting (if they ate on day 1). HGH, weight, and other parameters were measured at baseline and at the end of the first and second days.

Results: Baseline HGH had median 0.50 ng/mL for females (n=20) and 0.04 ng/mL for males (n=10), and correlated inversely with weight, glucose, insulin, and triglycerides and positively with changes in insulin and HOMA-IR. The 24-hour fasting-induced HGH change was uncorrelated with weight loss (r= 0.01, p=0.98), but correlated with changes in glucose, HGB, and IGF-1. The percent increase in HGH was greater (p<0.001) for lower (females ≤0.15 ng/mL, males ≤0.05 ng/mL) vs. higher baseline HGH (median: 1,225% vs. 50.3%, respectively). Subjects with lower baseline HGH had a trend to greater reduction of HOMA-IR (median: -6.15 vs. -1.35 for lower vs. higher HGH, respectively, p=0.08).

Conclusions: Fasting increased HGH and the HGH changes were independent of weight loss. Basal HGH and fasting-induced HGH changes correlated inversely with cardiometabolic risk factors.Clinical Trial Registration: clinicaltrials.gov, identifier NCT01059760.

Purpose: Pneumatosis intestinalis (PI) is a rare but significant side effect associated with the use of alpha-glucosidase inhibitor (αGI) in the treatment of diabetes. This study aims to analyze the clinical features of PI induced by αGIs in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients diagnosed with PI between January 2018 and December 2023. Data collected included demographic characteristics, clinical symptoms and signs, laboratory findings, imaging results, endoscopic manifestations, treatments, and outcomes. Clinical characteristics were compared between patients who used acarbose and those who did not.

Results: A total of 48 patients with PI were included in the study, of whom 22 had used acarbose and 26 had not. The acarbose taken group was significantly older than the acarbose untaken group. Additionally, the prevalence of coronary heart disease and hypertension was markedly higher in patients taking acarbose. Importantly, total bilirubin levels were lower in those with PI who were on acarbose therapy.

Conclusion: Our findings highlight the need for increased vigilance regarding the potential development of PI in older diabetic patients with cardiovascular conditions following αGI administration. Timely intervention is crucial to prevent adverse outcomes. This study offers valuable insights for the future management of αGI in diabetes treatment.

Background: To investigate the value of serum adropin in predicting chronic kidney disease (CKD) progression in subjects with type 2 diabetes (T2D).

Materials and methods: Serum adropin levels were measured in normal control and T2D patients with various stage of CKD. CKD progression was defined as ≥ 30% decline from the baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate. Logistic regression analysis was applied to assess the association between adropin levels and CKD progression.

Results: The study included 58 subjects with T2D (18 early CKD and 40 advanced CKD) and 9 subjects without diabetes (control). Subjects with T2D had significantly higher adropin levels than controls (6393.10 ± 1611.84 vs. 3470.30 ± 1284.41 pg/ml; P < 0.001). Meanwhile, T2D patients with advanced CKD had higher adropin levels than those with early CKD (6848.89 ± 1287.04 vs. 5380.25 ± 1826.44 pg/ml; P = 0.003). Among T2D patients, subjects experienced CKD progression had higher adropin levels than those without (7520.15 ± 843.21 vs. 6151.16 ± 1661.61 pg/mL, P =0.003). Thus, adropin predicts CKD progression in T2D patients with 86% sensitivity and 70% specificity at 6872.24 pg/ml cutoff value. The association with CKD progression was still significant after adjusting for age, gender and body mass index (adjusted odds ratio = 27.188, 95% confidence interval 1.415-522.527, P =0.029).

Conclusions: The above findings suggest that serum adropin could be applied as a potential biomarker for predicting CKD progression in subjects with T2D. Further research is needed to validate these results and explore the underlying mechanisms.

Background: Hyperuricemia (HUA) is a significant public health issue, ranking second only to diabetes in prevalence. While existing research demonstrates a robust correlation between these two conditions, the precise etiological mechanisms remain inadequately elucidated. This study utilized scientometric analysis to investigate the global association between HUA and diabetes.

Methods: Data on HUA and diabetes were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection database, encompassing the period from its inception until September 30, 2024. Collaboration networks were examined using VOSviewer, cluster analysis was executed with CiteSpace, and systematic mapping was conducted using Bibliometrix.

Results: By September 30, 2024, 1,464 studies indicated a consistent yearly increase in publications connecting HUA and diabetes despite some fluctuations. The lead authors were Richard J. Johnson, Miguel A. Lanaspa, and Masanari Kuwabara, with most contributors from China, the United States, and Japan. Key institutions include China Medical University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and Capital Medical University. The most published journal was Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases (CVDs), whereas the most cited journal was Diabetes Care. The reference network from 1987 to September 30, 2024, identified 19 clusters highlighting key research areas in HUA and diabetes, such as metabolic syndrome, uropathology, chronic kidney disease (CKD), and CVD. Exploring pathological mechanisms and pharmacological interventions linked to diabetes concomitant with HUA has emerged as a focal point of research and a burgeoning trend within the field.

Conclusion: This study is the first scientometric analysis to synthesize research trends on HUA and diabetes, revealing molecular mechanisms and treatment strategies and providing theoretical insights for future clinical use.