The prevalence of metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is increasing globally due to factors such as urbanization, obesity, poor nutrition, sedentary lifestyles, healthcare accessibility, diagnostic advancements, and genetic influences. Research on MAFLD and HCC risk factors, pathogenesis, and biomarkers has been conducted through a narrative review of relevant studies, with a focus on PubMed and Web of Science databases and exclusion criteria based on article availability and language. Steatosis marks the early stage of MASH advancement, commonly associated with factors of metabolic syndrome such as obesity and type 2 diabetes. Various mechanisms, including heightened lipolysis, hepatic lipogenesis, and consumption of high-calorie diets, contribute to the accumulation of lipids in the liver. Insulin resistance is pivotal in the development of steatosis, as it leads to the release of free fatty acids from adipose tissue. Natural compounds hold promise in regulating lipid metabolism and inflammation to combat these conditions. Liver fibrosis serves as a significant predictor of MASH progression and HCC development, underscoring the need to target fibrosis in treatment approaches. Risk factors for MASH-associated HCC encompass advanced liver fibrosis, older age, male gender, metabolic syndrome, genetic predispositions, and dietary habits, emphasizing the requirement for efficient surveillance and diagnostic measures. Considering these factors, it is important for further studies to determine the biochemical impact of these risk factors in order to establish targeted therapies that can prevent the development of HCC or reduce progression of MASH, indirectly decreasing the risk of HCC.

The objective of our study is to assess the correlation between inferior vena cava (IVC) diameters, central venous pressure (CVP) and the IVC collapsibility index for estimating the volume status in critically ill patients. This cross-sectional study used the convenient sampling of 100 adult medical intensive care unit (ICU) patients for a period of three months. Patients ≥ 18 years of age with an intrathoracic central venous catheter terminating in the distal superior vena cava connected to the transducer to produce a CVP waveform were included in the study. A Mindray diagnostic ultrasound system model Z6 ultrasound machine (Mindray, NJ, USA) was used for all examinations. An Ultrasonic Transducer model 3C5P (Mindray, NJ, USA) for IVC imaging was utilized. A paired sampled t-test was used to compute the p-values. A total of 32/100 (32%) females and 68/100 (68%) males were included in the study with a mean age of 50.4 ± 19.3 years. The mean central venous pressure maintained was 10.38 ± 4.14 cmH2O with an inferior vena cava collapsibility index of 30.68 ± 10.93. There was a statistically significant relation among the mean CVP pressure, the IVC collapsibility index, the mean maximum and minimum IVC between groups as determined by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) (p < 0.001). There was a strong negative correlation between CVP and IVC collapsibility index (%), which was statistically significant (r = -0.827, n = 100, p < 0.0005). A strong positive correlation between CVP and maximum IVC diameter (r = 0.371, n = 100, p < 0.0005) and minimum IVC diameter (r = 0.572, n = 100, p < 0.0005) was found. There is a positive relationship of CVP with minimum and maximum IVC diameters but an inverse relationship with the IVC collapsibility index.

Aim: Diabetes is an emerging health problem, both in developing and developed countries and has an enormous economic and social impact. The objective of our study was to find the impact of insulin pump on the quality of life of patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and compare it to the quality of life of patients with T2D using an insulin pen. Subjects and Methods: This is a case–control study which was conducted among patients with T2D presenting between November 2014 and November 2015. A total of 83 patients with T2D, using insulin pump were enrolled in the study as cases and 322 patients with T2D not using insulin pump but using insulin pens were enrolled as controls. Short form-36 quality of life questionnaire was used for data collection. Results: Mean age of patients using insulin pump was 52.49 ± 9.28 while the mean age of patients not using insulin pump was 54.72 ± 16.87. Mean score of all domains in the questionnaire was found to be higher in patients using insulin pump as compared to patients not using insulin pumps (P < 0.05). In 81.1% of the patients, the insulin pump decreased the frequency of hypoglycemic episodes. Conclusion: Insulin pump has significantly improved the quality of life of patients in terms of better self-esteem, decreased stress, and better mood. It has resulted in improved physical health, meal time flexibility, and ease of travel. It allows patient to have more active participation in social and recreational activities improving their personal and family life.

Abnormalities in serum magnesium levels have been seen in obesity and its related diseases. Our aim is to determine the mean magnesium levels in overweight and obese children as compared to the levels in normal weight controls to study its relationship with obesity and overweight. The study was done at a tertiary care hospital. A case-control study was conducted at the Department of Pediatrics, Combined Military Hospital, Peshawar, over a 12-month period from August 7, 2015 to August 6, 2016. A total of 140 children between 2-14 years of age were included in the study. They were divided into two equal groups of 70 children each. Both of the groups were matched according to their age and sex. Children with a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 85th centile and 95th centile were placed in the overweight and obese category, respectively, and termed as cases while the other 70 children with a BMI greater than or equal to 5th centile but less than 85th centile were categorized as the normal weight group and termed controls. The serum magnesium levels of both case and control groups were calculated. The serum magnesium levels were significantly lower in the overweight and obese group (2.08 ± 0.211 mg/dl) as compared to the normal weight group (2.55 ± 0.155 mg/dl, p<0.001). A significantly strong inverse relationship was seen between serum magnesium levels and body mass index. Mean serum magnesium levels in overweight and obese children are lower than those in normal weight children. Further studies are required to see the effect of supplementation of diet with this essential micronutrient on the weight of children.

The aim of this review article is to assess the connection between psychological stress and sex hormones and their effect on the development of autoimmune diseases. Psychological stress describes what people feel when they are under mental, physical, or emotional pressure. We searched for online articles using MEDLINE®, Embase, Cochrane Library and Google Scholar. Our research yielded a total of 165 articles out of which 30 articles were considered for further perusal. The articles were reviewed from February 2016 to February 2017. Case reports and patients suffering from hematolymphoid malignancies and active infections were excluded from the review. Estrogen and testosterone are potential physiological regulatory factors for the peripheral development of CD4+CD25+ T regulatory cells. Stress at any age leads to the depletion of estrogen and testosterone stores in the body, leading to the loss of expansion of T regulatory cells, making the immature B cells evade the negative selection at the germinal center, or in other words, leading to the loss of central tolerance, a triggering event in autoimmune diseases like systemic lupus erythematosus. Autoimmune diseases in women are most likely due to changes in estrogen levels during mental, physical, pre-menopausal, post-menopausal, and pregnancy-induced stress. We conclude that modulating estrogen in females (pre-menopausal and post-menopausal) and testosterone in males can be used to treat stress-related immune imbalance resulting in autoimmune diseases in both sexes.

Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is a rare but severe autoimmune disease and the usage of the Brighton criteria can be a source of great help in resource-limited settings. It encompasses all ages. Late diagnosis of GBS can have a significant negative impact on the prognosis. The Brighton criteria are used to assist in the diagnosis of GBS and help distinguish between low-risk and high-risk patients. In this article, we have discussed the challenges regarding the diagnosis of the GBS and the possible solutions that can help in the early diagnosis and management of GBS.