Background and objective: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by declining cognitive ability. Currently, there are no effective treatments for this condition. However, certain measures, such as nutritional interventions, can slow disease progression. Therefore, the objective of this systematic review was to identify and map the updates of the last 5 years regarding the nutritional status and nutritional interventions associated with AD patients.Study design: A systematic review.Methods: A search was conducted for randomized clinical trials, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses investigating the association between nutritional interventions and AD published between 2018 and 2022 in the PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Cochrane Library databases. A total of 38 studies were identified, of which 17 were randomized clinical trials, and 21 were systematic reviews and/or meta-analyses.Results: The results show that the western diet pattern is a risk factor for developing AD. In contrast, the Mediterranean diet, ketogenic diet, and supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids and probiotics are protective factors. This effect is significant only in cases of mild-to-moderate AD.Conclusion: Certain nutritional interventions may slow the progression of AD and improve cognitive function and quality of life. Further research is required to draw more definitive conclusions.
1 November 2023 in Vascular Health and Risk Management
Sexual dysfunction pertains to any issue that hinders an individual from attaining sexual contentment. This health issue can have a significant impact on the quality of life and psychological health of affected individuals. Sexual dysfunction can generate stress, anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem, which can lead to a reduction in overall life satisfaction and the quality of interpersonal relationships. Sexual dysfunction can manifest as erectile dysfunction in men or lack of sexual desire in women. Although both sexes can experience sexual problems, there are some significant differences in the manifestation of sexual dysfunction between men and women. In men, sexual dysfunction is usually physical and associated with problems such as erectile dysfunction, while in women, sexual dysfunction is usually related to psychological factors. Additionally, there was an association between hypertension and sexual dysfunction in both the sexes. In men, hypertension can cause erection problems, whereas in women, it can cause vaginal dryness and a decrease in sexual desire. Furthermore, antihypertensive drugs can negatively impact sexual function, which can decrease adherence to drug treatment. However, nebivolol, an antihypertensive drug, has beneficial effects on erectile dysfunction in men. This is believed to be because nebivolol improves blood flow to the penis by producing nitric oxide, which can help improve erections.
1 July 2024 in International Journal of Nanomedicine
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a common type of gastrointestinal tract (GIT) cancer and poses an enormous threat to human health. Current strategies for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) therapy primarily focus on chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and radiotherapy; however, their adverse reactions and drug resistance limit their clinical application. Advances in nanotechnology have rendered lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) a promising nanomaterial-based drug delivery system for CRC therapy. LNPs can adapt to the biological characteristics of CRC by modifying their formulation, enabling the selective delivery of drugs to cancer tissues. They overcome the limitations of traditional therapies, such as poor water solubility, nonspecific biodistribution, and limited bioavailability. Herein, we review the composition and targeting strategies of LNPs for CRC therapy. Subsequently, the applications of these nanoparticles in CRC treatment including drug delivery, thermal therapy, and nucleic acid-based gene therapy are summarized with examples provided. The last section provides a glimpse into the advantages, current limitations, and prospects of LNPs in the treatment of CRC.
25 November 2022 in Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology
Background/Aims: Malignant biliary strictures (MBS) are very aggressive and cannot be diagnosed in the early stages due to their asymptomatic nature. Stenting the stricture area of the biliary tree is palliative treatment but has poor survival time. Radiofrequency ablation plus stent (RFA+S) have been recently used to improve the survival and stent patency time in patients with MBS. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we tried to evaluate the efficacy and safety of radiofrequency ablation. Materials and Methods: Study search up to December 2021 was performed in different medical databases such as PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane library, etc. We selected eligible studies reporting survival time, stent patency time, and adverse events in patients with MBS. We compare the outcomes of RFA+S and stent-alone treatment groups. Results: A total of 15 studies (6 randomized controlled trials and 9 observational studies) with 1815 patients were included for meta-analysis of which 701 patients were in RFA+S group and 1114 patients in the stent-alone group. Pooled mean difference of survival time was 2.88 months (95% CI: 1.78-3.97) and pooled mean difference of stent patency time was 2.11 months (95% CI: 0.91-3.30) and clinical success risk ratio was 1.05 (95% CI: 1.01–1.09). Risk ratios for adverse events are given; Bleeding 0.84 (95% CI: 0.34-2.11), abdominal pain 1.06 (95% CI: 0.79-1.40), pancreatitis 0.93 (95% CI: 0.43-2.01), cholangitis 1.07 (95% CI: 0.72-1.59), and stent dysfunction 0.87 (95% CI: 0.70-1.07). Conclusions: Radiofrequency ablation is involved in increased survival and stent patency time for MBS patients. With the help of better techniques, adverse events can be limited.
Haemophilus influenzae (H. influenzae) is a significant pathogen responsible for causing respiratory tract infections and invasive diseases, leading to a considerable disease burden. The Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) conjugate vaccine has notably decreased the incidence of severe infections caused by Hib strains, and other non-typable H. influenzae (NTHi) serotypes have emerged as epidemic strains worldwide. As a result, the global epidemic trends and antibiotic resistance characteristics of H. influenzae have been altered. Researches on the virulence factors of H. influenzae, particularly the mechanisms underlying biofilm formation, and the development of anti-biofilm strategies hold significant clinical value. This article provides a summary of the epidemic trends, typing methods, virulence factors, biofilm formation mechanisms, and prevention strategies of H. influenzae. The increasing prevalence of NTHi strains and antibiotic resistance among H. influenzae, especially the high β-lactamase positivity and the emergence of BLNAR strains have increased clinical difficulties. Understanding its virulence factors, especially the formation mechanism of biofilm, and formulating effective anti-biofilm strategies may help to reduce the clinical impact. Therefore, future research efforts should focus on developing new approaches to prevent and control H. influenzae infections.
Background: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic recurrent inflammatory disease, and dupilumab, a human monoclonal antibody, is the firstly approved biological drug for AD. Psoriasiform erythema (PE) during dupilumab treatment in adults has been reported. This study describes the risk of PE in children after initiation of dupilumab treatment.Objectives: To evaluate the de novo cytokines gene expression in the transition of atopic dermatitis symptoms to psoriasiform erythema during dupilumab treatment in children.Methods: Two 17-year-old teenage twin patients with AD were included in this study who developed psoriasiform erythema after initiation of dupilumab. The lesional skin biopsy specimens were obtained for the histopathological investigation and RNA Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (RNA-FISH). Dermoscopy, cytometry (cytokine detection in the blood), and blood investigations were completed for the pedigree and the lesioned descriptions.Results: Two twin patients with AD presented with erythematic scaly plaques on the back, scalp, abdomen, and extensor extremities after 20 weeks of dupilumab treatment. The transitional change of AD to psoriasiform erythema treated with dupilumab was observed. Our subjects' dermoscopy showed pinpoint bleeding and white scales on pink background. Histopathology features showed psoriasiform hyperplasia, epidermal hyperplasia (acanthosis), ectatic capillaries, perivascular lymphocytes infiltration, and parakeratosis, with the absence of the granular cell layer. mRNA (RNA-FISH) cytokines gene expression showed a significantly high concentration of IL-17A. Blood investigation results showed a high concentration of (Immunoglobulin E) IgE and Eosinophils, and cytokines detection in blood showed IL-5,6 and IL-17 in one patient; however, only IL-5 in another patient. The dupilumab was discontinued and initiated with Baricitinib. Baricitinib showed a significant reduction in skin lesions.Conclusion: Psoriasiform erythema can appear during dupilumab treatment in atopic dermatitis children. Potently, by suppressing skewed Th2 activation in patients with AD, the balance might shift toward Th1/Th17 predominance, and psoriasis develops. Baricitinib is a potential drug for psoriasiform erythema with significant therapeutic effects.