Frontiers in Nutrition最新文献

There are currently 1.2 million people living with HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) in the United States. Virally suppressed HIV patients commonly experience chronic inflammation which increases the risk for other chronic conditions. This inflammation can be quantified with a variety of biomarkers. Some current antiretroviral compounds bring about metabolic abnormalities and promote weight gain often associated with increases in visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and an increase in the risk of diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. Sulforaphane, an isothiocyanate found in cruciferous vegetables, has shown efficacy in animal models by reducing lipid levels, lowering inflammatory markers, and decreasing fat mass. A double-blind randomized controlled pilot study with 14 virally suppressed HIV patients was conducted to evaluate the effects of 40 mg (225 μmol) of sulforaphane, once daily, over 12 weeks, followed by a 4-week washout period. There was a significant decrease in C-reactive protein compared to the control group (p = 0.019). Sulforaphane has been studied in a multitude of conditions and diseases, but this is the first study in a human population of patients living with HIV.

Background: Sarcopenia and gut dysbiosis are common in cirrhosis. The aim is to study the correlations between the gut microbiota taxa and muscle mass level in cirrhosis.

Methods: The study included 40 cirrhosis patients including 18 patients with sarcopenia. The gut microbiota composition was assessed using amplicon sequencing of the hypervariable V3-V4 regions of the 16S rRNA gene. The skeletal muscle mass, subcutaneous and visceral fat levels were assessed with abdominal computed tomography as skeletal muscle, subcutaneous and visceral fat indices (SMI, SFI and VFI).

Results: Patients with sarcopenia had more relative abundance (RA) of Agathobacter, Anaerostipes, Butyricicoccus, Dorea, Eggerthella, Microbacteriaceae, Veillonella and less RA of Akkermansiaceae, Akkermansia muciniphila, Verrucomicrobiae and Bilophila compared to patients with normal muscle mass. SMI directly correlated with RA of Akkermansia, Alistipes indistinctus, Anaerotruncus, Atopobiaceae, Bacteroides clarus, Bacteroides salyersiae, Barnesiellaceae, Bilophila wadsworthia, Pseudomonadota, Olsenella, and Parabacteroides distasonis, and negatively correlated with RA of Anaerostipes and Eggerthella. Sarcopenia was detected in 20.0% patients whose gut microbiota had Akkermansia but not Eggerthella, and in all the patients, whose gut microbiota had Eggerthella but not Akkermansia. The Akkermansia and Eggerthella abundances were independent determinants of SMI. RA of Akkermansia, Akkermansia muciniphila, Akkermansiaceae, Bacteroides salyersiae, Barnesiella, Bilophila, Desulfobacterota, Verrucomicrobiota and other taxa correlated positively and RA of Anaerovoracaceae, Elusimicrobiaceae, Elusimicrobium, Kiritimatiellae, Spirochaetota, and other taxa correlated negatively with the SFI. RA of Alistripes, Romboutsia, Succinivibrio, and Succinivibrionaceae correlated positively and RA of Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron correlated negatively with VFI.

Conclusion: The muscle mass level in cirrhosis correlates with the abundance of several gut microbiota taxa, of which Akkermansia and Eggerthella seems to be the most important.

Purpose: To investigate the application value of the neutrophil to lymphocyte count ratio (NLR) in the prognostic analysis of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) after radical resection, and to offer guidance for the individualized perioperative diagnosis and treatment of ICC.

Methods: The clinical data of 360 patients diagnosed with ICC following radical surgery were retrospectively analyzed. The cut-off value of NLR was calculated using the minimum p-value method, and then divided into High-NLR (H-NLR) group and Low-NLR (L-NLR) group according to the NLR cut-off value. The prognostic value of NLR in ICC was analyzed. Subsequently, the patients were divided into the hepatolithiasis-related intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (HICC) group and the non-hepatolithiasis-related intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (NHICC) group based on whether they combined with hepatolithiasis. Multiple regression models were constructed based on NLR and clinicopathological indicators to verify the application value of prognostic models in the survival and recurrence of ICC patients after radical surgery.

Results: The cut-off value of NLR was 2.36, and the survival analysis disclosed that overall ICC patients with NLR ≥ 2.36 manifested a poor 5-year survival rate and a higher tumor recurrence rate (p < 0.001). In the HICC group, patients with H-NLR presented a poor 5-year survival rate and a higher tumor recurrence rate compared with L-NLR (p < 0.001). The NLR-based survival/recurrence prediction models in the HICC group demonstrated excellent predictive capacity (H-L test: 0.359/0.680, AUC: 0.764/0.791). In the NHICC group, patients with H-NLR exhibited a poor 5-year survival rate compared with L-NLR (p < 0.001), yet there was no significant difference in tumor recurrence between the two groups (p = 0.071). The NLR-based survival prediction model in the NHICC group demonstrated acceptable predictive ability (H-L test: 0.268, AUC: 0.729), while the NLR-based recurrence prediction model did not show an effective predictive ability (H-L test: 0.01, AUC: 0.649).

Conclusion: NLR is an independent risk factor influencing postoperative survival and recurrence in ICC patients, particularly in HICC patients. Preoperative NLR ≥ 2.36 suggests that patients might have a poor prognosis. The survival and recurrence prediction model constructed based on NLR and other clinical indicators demonstrates good prediction accuracy and can effectively predict the risk of postoperative adverse prognosis in patients with HICC. This study offers a novel idea for the clinical treatment of HICC patients.

Background: The global prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) is increasing, primarily characterized by abdominal obesity, which significantly heightens the risk of cardiovascular diseases, gastrointestinal disorders, and cancers. Constipation is a common gastrointestinal issue that impacts both physiological and psychological health and worsens with age. Calcium, an essential mineral vital for human health, has been proven to be crucial not only for bone health but also beneficial for gastrointestinal health. However, the results regarding its impact on constipation are inconsistent. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between dietary calcium intake and constipation in individuals with MetS.

Methods: This cross-sectional study utilized data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2005 to 2010. Participants were assessed for MetS based on the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) criteria. Dietary calcium intake was evaluated through 24-h dietary recalls, and constipation was defined based on the frequency of bowel movements recorded in the bowel health questionnaire. The relationship between calcium intake and constipation was explored using logistic regression models with adjustment for covariates, and restricted cubic spline analyses were also used to investigate nonlinear relationships.

Results: The study included 4,838 adult participants with MetS. Adjusted logistic regression revealed that an increase in dietary calcium intake was significantly associated with a reduced risk of constipation (OR: 0.562, 95% CI: 0.379 to 0.835, p = 0.006). Compared to the lowest quartile, the highest quartile of dietary calcium intake significantly decreased the risk of constipation (OR: 0.282, 95% CI: 0.115 to 0.691, p = 0.008). Results from the restrictive cubic spline analysis indicated a negative linear association between dietary calcium intake and constipation risk (non-linearity p = 0.704).

Conclusion: The findings suggested that increased dietary calcium intake is associated with a decreased risk of constipation among MetS patients, emphasizing dietary calcium as a potentially modifiable factor for managing gastrointestinal symptoms in this population.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the bidirectional causal relationships between trace elements (such as zinc, magnesium, phosphate, and folate) and upper gastrointestinal ulcers (including gastric and duodenal ulcers). We utilized a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to achieve this.

Methods: We conducted a two-sample MR analysis using summary-level data from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) obtained from public genomics repositories. We utilized a range of MR methods, including inverse-variance weighted (IVW), MR-Egger, and weighted median methods, and conducted a meta-analysis to synthesize results across different datasets. To ensure the robustness of our findings, we performed extensive sensitivity analyses, including pleiotropy assessment, heterogeneity tests, and leave-one-out analysis.

Results: Our findings are significant, indicating a positive causal relationship between increased zinc levels and the risk of gastric ulcers. Moreover, magnesium and folate appear to offer potential protective effects against gastroduodenal ulcers (p < 0.05). The meta-analysis further supports the causal relationship between zinc and gastric ulcers (p < 0.05), confirming zinc's significant causal impact on this condition.

Conclusion: The study confirms a positive causal relationship between zinc and gastric ulcers and highlights the complexity of how trace elements regulate the progression of upper gastrointestinal ulcers. These results provide a scientific basis for dietary recommendations regarding trace element intake in clinical and public health practices. They also offer new insights into effective prevention and treatment strategies for gastric and duodenal ulcers.

Amino acids are an essential source of human protein, and their content and composition are the main factors determining food protein utilization rate. Determining amino acids is essential in the component analysis of food. Therefore, a groundbreaking technique was developed utilizing ultra-high performance liquid chromatography interfaced with a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer (UHPLC-QQQ-MS/MS) for concurrently quantifying 18 amino acids across various types of meat. According to the test results, it can be known that the average content of glutamate (2.03 × 10⁴ ± 3.94 × 10³ μg/g in pig feet) was the highest in all meat samples, and the content of aspartate (0.0945 ± 0.0950 μg/g in pork) was the lowest, which was not detected in some samples such as beef and lean meat. Orthogonal partial least-squares discrimination analysis (OPLS-DA) showed: (1) 13 amino acids (arginine, valine, serine, alanine, lysine, glycine, asparagine, methionine, proline, threonine, glutamate, phenylalanine, and leucine, VIP > 1) were used as characteristic amino acids between pork and pig feet; (2) serine, threonine, alanine, histidine, asparagine, and arginine (VIP > 1) were used as signature amino acids in different components of pork (lean meat, fat, and pigskin); (3) asparagine, glutamate, histidine, tyrosine, and valine (VIP > 1) were considered as signature amino acids in different types of meats (pork, mutton, beef, and chicken). This study provides a new UHPLC-QQQ-MS/MS method for the determination of amino acid content in meat and also provides data support for the comprehensive evaluation of the nutritional value of foods containing amino acids.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the association between adherence to Mediterranean diet and the presence of atrial fibrillation (AF) in a Northern Chinese population.

Methods: This study was a single center, case-control study. A total of 952 low risk participants in Beijing Anzhen Hospital from 2016 to 2021 were collected, including 476 patients with first diagnosed of atrial fibrillation and 476 age and sex matched controls. According to the food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), the alternate Mediterranean diet score (AMED) was calculated, which was 0-9 points, indicating the adherence to the Mediterranean diet from low to high.

Results: The average age of the participants was 57.6 ± 9.1 years old, and 70.2% were men. After analyzing every component of AMED, vegetable consumption shows a negative correlation with the risk of AF, whereas alcohol consumption demonstrates a positive correlation with it (OR = 0.61, 95% CI 0.44-0.80, p < 0.001; OR = 1.99, 95% CI 1.48-2.58, p < 0.001). All patients were grouped according to AMED score. A significant inverse association between AMED and the risk of AF was observed. Compared with participants with AMED<4, the multivariable-adjusted ORs of AF were 0.75 (95% CI 0.55-1.06) for AMED 4-5 and 0.61 (95% CI 0.43-0.89) for AMED ≥6, with a trend in risk (p = 0.008). Results were consistent in stratified analyses of gender, age, BMI and smoking.

Conclusion: The Mediterranean diet was inversely associated with the risk of AF in this Northern Chinese population.

Background: Previous studies have demonstrated a significant association between serum vitamin A concentration and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) development. However, the long-term prognostic implications of serum vitamin A in patients with NAFLD remain underexplored. This study aims to investigate whether there exists a correlation between serum vitamin A concentrations and overall mortality among subjects diagnosed with NAFLD.

Methods: To investigate the association between serum vitamin A concentrations and NAFLD outcomes, we conducted prospective cohort studies using data from the 1999-2006 and 2017-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). We utilized a multivariate Cox regression model to explore the relationship between serum vitamin A levels and all-cause mortality. Survival curves related to serum vitamin A were constructed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Additionally, the restricted cubic splines (RCS) method was applied to examine potential nonlinear relationships between serum vitamin A concentrations and all-cause mortality of NAFLD.

Results: Over a median follow-up period of 10.3 years, a total of 1,399 all-cause deaths were recorded. The weighted average concentration of serum vitamin A was 61.48 ± 0.37 μg/dL. After adjusting for potential confounders, a significant U-shaped relationship was identified between serum vitamin A concentrations and the risk of all-cause mortality in NAFLD patients. This relationship was particularly pronounced in men and elderly individuals aged 60 to 85.

Conclusion: Our study reveals a significant non-linear relationship between serum vitamin A concentrations and the risk of all-cause mortality in patients with NAFLD. These findings underscore the importance of monitoring and maintaining optimal serum vitamin A levels to potentially improve survival outcomes in NAFLD patients.

Excess weight gain is a growing concern worldwide, fueled by increased consumption of calorie-dense foods and more sedentary lifestyles. Obesity in China is also becoming increasingly problematic, developing into a major public health concern. Obesity not only increases the risk of associated disease but also imposes a burden on health care systems, and it is thus imperative that an effective intervention approach be identified. Recent studies have demonstrated that the polyphenol-rich Mediterranean diet has considerable potential in this regard. Polyphenols can inhibit the production of adipocytes and reduce adverse reactions, such as inflammation, insulin resistance, and gut microflora imbalance. In this review, we examine four polyphenols (curcumin, ellagic acid, ferulic acid, and quercetin) in terms of their potential as interventions targeting obesity. The mechanisms that help promote adipocyte browning, increase thermogenic factors, increase thermogenesis, and regulate adipocyte differentiation are summarized, and key signaling pathways, including PPARγ, C/EBP-, and others, are reviewed.

Background: Vitamin D deficiency has been identified as a potential risk factor for various adverse health outcomes. However, its specific role in metabolic regulation and skeletal development in school-aged children is not fully understood. This study aimed to explore the correlation between vitamin D deficiency and childhood obesity rates, and its impact on serum calcium, alkaline phosphatase, and bone age in children.

Methods: The study analyzed clinical data from 159 school-aged children who underwent medical examinations. Participants were divided into the 25-hydroxyvitamin D₃ (25(OH)D₃) deficiency group and the 25(OH)D₃ normal group based on their serum levels. We compared body mass index (BMI), total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), Ca, ALP, bone age, fasting blood glucose (FBG), and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) between the two groups. Logistic regression and Spearman correlation analyses were performed to further investigate relationships between 25(OH)D₃ levels and metabolic and bone-related markers.

Results: This study showed that the 25(OH)D₃ deficiency cohort exhibited significantly higher BMI, TC, TG, and ALP levels, with lower Ca levels and delayed bone age compared to the normal group. Logistic regression analysis identified Ca, ALP, and bone age as significant predictors of 25(OH)D₃ deficiency. Subgroup analysis showed that in the 25(OH)D₃ deficient group, children with higher BMI had elevated TC, ALP levels, and delayed bone age, while Ca levels were lower. Correlation analysis confirmed the predictive value of these markers for 25(OH)D₃ deficiency.

Conclusion: Our findings demonstrate that 25(OH)D₃ deficiency is strongly associated with obesity in school-aged children and may negatively affect normal skeletal development. Regular monitoring of 25(OH)D₃ levels in school-aged children is essential for ensuring proper growth and development, especially in those at risk for obesity.