Arthritis patients often take fish oil supplements to alleviate symptoms, but limited evidence exists regarding their efficacy. The objective was to evaluate whether marine oil supplements reduce pain and/or improve other clinical outcomes in patients with arthritis. Six databases were searched systematically (24 February 2015). We included randomized trials of oral supplements of all marine oils compared with a control in arthritis patients. The internal validity was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool and heterogeneity was explored using restricted maximum of likelihood (REML)-based meta-regression analysis. Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) was used to rate the overall quality of the evidence. Forty-two trials were included; 30 trials reported complete data on pain. The standardized mean difference (SMD) suggested a favorable effect (−0.24; 95% confidence interval, CI, −0.42 to −0.07; heterogeneity, I² = 63%. A significant effect was found in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (22 trials; −0.21; 95% CI, −0.42 to −0.004) and other or mixed diagnoses (3 trials; −0.63; 95% CI, −1.20 to −0.06), but not in osteoarthritis patients (5 trials; −0.17; 95% CI, −0.57–0.24). The evidence for using marine oil to alleviate pain in arthritis patients was overall of low quality, but of moderate quality in rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Carbohydrate is the macronutrient that has the greatest impact on blood glucose response. Limited data are available on how carbohydrate distribution throughout the day affects blood glucose in women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). We aimed to assess how a high-carbohydrate morning-intake (HCM) versus a low-carbohydrate-morning-intake (LCM), affect glycemic variability and glucose control. In this randomized crossover study continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) was performed in 12 women with diet treated GDM (75 g, 2-h OGTT ≥ 8.5 mmol/L), who went through 2 × 3 days of HCM and LCM. A within-subject-analysis showed a significantly higher mean amplitude of glucose excursions (MAGE) (0.7 mmol/L, p = 0.004) and coefficient of variation (CV) (5.1%, p = 0.01) when comparing HCM with LCM, whereas a significantly lower mean glucose (MG) (−0.3 mmol/L, p = 0.002) and fasting blood glucose (FBG) were found (−0.4 mmol/L, p = 0.01) on the HCM diet compared to the LCM diet. In addition, insulin resistance, expressed as Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR), decreased significantly during HCM. Results indicate that a carbohydrate distribution of 50% in the morning favors lower blood glucose and improvement in insulin sensitivity in women with GDM, but in contrary gives a higher glycemic variability.

Concerns about detrimental renal effects of a high-protein intake have been raised due to an induced glomerular hyperfiltration, since this may accelerate the progression of kidney disease. The aim of this sub-study was to assess the effect of a higher intake of protein on kidney function in pre-diabetic men and women, aged 55 years and older. Analyses were based on baseline and one-year data in a sub-group of 310 participants included in the PREVIEW project (PREVention of diabetes through lifestyle Intervention and population studies in Europe and around the World). Protein intake was estimated from four-day dietary records and 24-hour urinary urea excretion. We used linear regression to assess the association between protein intake after one year of intervention and kidney function markers: creatinine clearance, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), urinary albumin/creatinine ratio (ACR), urinary urea/creatinine ratio (UCR), serum creatinine, and serum urea before and after adjustments for potential confounders. A higher protein intake was associated with a significant increase in UCR (p = 0.03) and serum urea (p = 0.05) after one year. There were no associations between increased protein intake and creatinine clearance, eGFR, ACR, or serum creatinine. We found no indication of impaired kidney function after one year with a higher protein intake in pre-diabetic older adults.

This study aimed to determine the incidence rates of refeeding phenomena (defined as a decline in p-phosphate) and refeeding syndrome (RFS; defined as development of clinical symptoms in addition to a decline in p-phosphate) in head and neck cancer patients, and to identify risk factors. Fifty-four head and neck cancer patients referred for surgery were included. Forty-six potential risk factors were registered at the baseline, and p-phosphate was measured at Days 2, 4, and 7. Eleven patients (20%) developed RFS, and twenty-eight (52%) developed refeeding phenomena. At baseline, these patients presented a higher prevalence of head and neck pain, eating difficulties, higher p-phosphate levels, lower p-transferrin levels, and, in men, lower b-hemoglobin levels. Patients who developed symptoms had a decline in p-phosphate ≥0.22 mmol/l. At baseline, these patients had higher p-phosphate levels, higher alcohol consumption, and lower p-transferrin and p-sodium levels, as well as a higher prevalence of eating difficulties, low handgrip strength (HGS), and a history of radiation therapy. The risk factors most strongly associated with the development of refeeding phenomena and RFS were pain, eating difficulties, low HGS, high alcohol intake, and previous radiation therapy.

Background and aims. Knowledge of the long-term prognosis of acute pancreatitis (AP) is limited. The aims were to investigate: (1) prognostic factors associated with long-term mortality in patients with AP; (2) whether or not the level of serum (S-)amylase at admission had an impact on the prognosis; (3) causes of death in these patients. Methods. During 1977–1982, patients who were admitted to the five main hospitals in Copenhagen with a diagnosis of AP or chronic pancreatitis (CP) were included in a prospective cohort, the Copenhagen Pancreatitis Study (CPS); in 2008, they were followed up by linkage to the Danish Registries. The analyzed subcohort consisted of 352 patients with probable AP (n = 54) or definite AP (n = 298). Results. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that significant factors associated with mortality were age, alcohol, and diabetes, whereas female gender, co-living and employment were associated with better survival. The S-amylase level had no impact on mortality. The most frequent causes of death were cardiovascular diseases, digestive diseases, and malignancies. Conclusions. Age, alcohol and diabetes had a significant impact on survival whereas the S-amylase level did not.