(1) Background: Depression, metabolic alternations, and liver diseases are highly comorbid. Studies have shown that probiotics might be helpful in the treatment of the above-mentioned states. The aim of this secondary analysis was to search for possible predictors of probiotics’ efficacy on liver-related outcome measures. (2) Methods: Data from 92 subjects from a randomized clinical trial on the effect of probiotics on depression were analyzed. The shift in liver steatosis and fibrosis indices was assessed in the context of baseline immunometabolic, psychometric, dietary, and intestinal permeability factors. Correlation analysis and linear regression models were used. (3) Results: A total of 30% of the variance of the improvement in the score of the aspartate transferase to platelet ratio index was explained by probiotic use, higher pre-intervention triglycerides, cholesterol, C-reactive protein levels, increased cereal intake, and a lower consumption of sweets. Then, the model of the change in alanine transferase indicated that probiotics were efficient when used by subjects with higher basal levels of intestinal permeability markers. (4) Conclusions: Probiotics being used along with a healthy diet may provide additional benefits, such as decreased cardiovascular risk, for patients with measures consistent with the immunometabolic form of depression. Probiotic augmentation may be useful for liver protection among subjects with a suspected “leaky gut” syndrome. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04756544.

Background/Objectives: Influenza is a viral infection affecting up to 20% of the general population annually. Solid organ transplant recipients have a higher morbidity and mortality risk, as well as a greater likelihood of severe disease complications. Vaccination against the influenza virus is a safe and recommended prophylaxis; however, immunosuppression and high comorbidity burdens impair the immune response. We assessed the efficacy, safety, and humoral response to influenza vaccine in a population of kidney transplant recipients (KTx). Methods: Adult KTx recipients at least 6 months post-KTx were divided into vaccinated (vKTx) and non-vaccinated (nvKTx) groups based on consent for vaccination. The vKTx group received one dose of quadrivalent split virion inactivated vaccine (Vaxigrip Tetra Sanofi Pasteur). Subjective symptoms and side effects were recorded in paper journals. Antibody levels were assessed with ELISA prior to and 3 months following vaccination. Serum creatinine and proteinuria were assessed prior to vaccination as well as 3 and 6 months after. Results: Of 450 recruited KTx recipients, 91 in the vKTx group and 36 in the nvKTx group of comparable age, KTx vintage, and graft function were included in the study. Graft function and proteinuria remained stable in both groups. The vKTx group experienced no severe adverse events. The most common complaints were general malaise (20.5%) and injection site pain (10.3%). Overall infection rates were comparable, yet the vKTx group experienced significantly fewer serious infections (11.4% vs. 32.3%, p = 0.01); the vKTx group showed a greater increase of Influenza A IgM (p = 0.05) and Influenza B IgG (p = 0.01) compared with the nvKTx group. Conclusions: Influenza vaccination prevents severe infections in KTx recipients, with good serological response and no impact on graft function or severe adverse events.

Background: Super morbid obesity (SMO), defined as a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 50 kg/m², represents a distinct and increasingly prevalent subgroup of patients undergoing bariatric surgery. Compared to individuals with lower BMI, patients with BMI ≥ 50 kg/m² often exhibit unique clinical, psychological, and social characteristics that may influence treatment outcomes. Objective: This study aimed to compare demographic, metabolic, and psychiatric profiles of patients with BMI ≥ 50 kg/m² and non-super morbid obesity (NSMO; BMI < 50 kg/m²) who were evaluated prior to bariatric surgery. Methods: A total of 319 patients were recruited between December 2022 and December 2023 at a bariatric center in Gdansk, Poland. All participants underwent a comprehensive preoperative assessment, including laboratory testing, psychometric screening (BDI, PHQ-9), and psychiatric interviews. Patients were stratified into class IV obesity and NSMO groups for comparative analysis. Results: Patients with BMI ≥ 50 kg/m² were significantly older and more likely to report a history of lifelong obesity, family history of obesity, and childhood trauma. They had higher rates of obesity-related health problems such as hypertension, obstructive sleep apnea, and chronic venous insufficiency, as well as worse liver function and lipid profiles. Although the overall psychiatric burden was high in both groups, patients with BMI ≥ 50 kg/m² reported fewer prior diagnoses of depression and eating disorders, despite similar scores on screening tools. Conclusions: Patients with BMI ≥ 50 kg/m² represent a clinically distinct population with elevated metabolic risk, complex psychosocial backgrounds, and possibly underrecognized psychiatric burden. These findings underscore the need for multidisciplinary preoperative assessment and individualized treatment strategies in this group of patients.

Background/Objectives: The rising prevalence of severe adolescent obesity has increased the number of young patients referred for bariatric surgery. The psychiatric and psychosocial profiles of adolescents and of adult women undergoing this treatment remain insufficiently characterized. This study compared preoperative and postoperative psychiatric, psychosocial, and metabolic profiles of adolescents and adult women undergoing bariatric surgery. Methods: This prospective cohort study recruited 77 consecutive female patients (32 adolescents aged <18 years; 45 adult women aged 18–25 years) at a single bariatric center in Poland between December 2022 and December 2023. All participants underwent comprehensive preoperative and one-year postoperative assessments including laboratory testing, standardized psychiatric interviews, and psychometric screening with the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Results: Preoperatively, adolescents were more severely affected for their age (median BMI-for-age z-score 3.53) and waited longer between the first obesity clinic visit and surgery. Adolescents more frequently reported self-harm behaviors and moderate-to-severe depression on the BDI, whereas adult women more often reported psychoactive substance use. Both groups achieved comparable improvements in laboratory and comorbidity outcomes at one year, although relative weight loss was greater in adult women (median total weight loss 37.6% vs. 28.4%, p < 0.0001). Postoperatively, a greater proportion of adolescents than adult women improved with respect to social anxiety (50.0% vs. 13.3%, p = 0.0007) and BDI depression severity (53.1% vs. 24.4%, p = 0.02), whereas a greater proportion of adult women improved with respect to psychoactive substance use (46.7% vs. 12.5%, p = 0.003). Generalized anxiety and suicidal ideation declined within both groups, but the extent of improvement did not differ significantly between them. These differences persisted, and for several outcomes became larger, after adjustment for the reduction in BMI, which was smaller in adolescents. Conclusions: In this observational cohort, bariatric surgery was associated with distinct psychiatric and psychosocial outcome profiles in adolescents compared with adult women. Because the study was uncontrolled and included no non-surgical comparison group, these findings are hypothesis-generating and cannot establish a causal effect of surgery or of its timing; confirmation in larger, multicenter studies with appropriate comparison groups is required. Comprehensive multidisciplinary perioperative care and tailored postoperative psychological support appear important for both age groups.

Background: Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is one of the most frequently occurring chronic metabolic conditions in the pediatric and adolescent population. That is why our aim in this study was to compare metabolic control, eating habits, activity, and mental health in patients using insulin pumps with predictive low glucose suspend (PLGS) and advanced hybrid closed loop (AHCL) systems. Methods: We selected 37 patients and collected clinical, continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), and question-naire data (food frequency questionnaire (FFQ-6), physical activity questionnaire for children (PAQ-C), pediatric quality of life inventory (PedsQL). Additionally, all pa-tients participated in culinary workshops, which included education on a low-glycemic-index diet. Results: We observed a significant difference between the PLGS and the AHCL groups for mean glucose, coefficient of variation, and Time in Range (≤54, 70–140, 70–180, ≥180, and ≥250 mg/dL). Patients with higher Time Below Range consumed juices or sugary drinks more frequently. All participants had incor-rect eating habits and engaged in irregular physical activity. Conclusions: We observed no significant differences in the diabetes-specific quality of life scores between the PLGS and AHCL groups.