Purpose: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an emerging disease that was first reported in Wuhan city, the capital of Hubei province in China, and has subsequently spread worldwide. Risk factors for mortality have not been well summarized. Current meta-analysis of retrospective cohort studies was done to summarize available findings on the association between age, gender, comorbidities and risk of death from COVID-19 infection. Methods: Online databases including Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library and Google scholar were searched to detect relevant publications up to 1 May 2020, using relevant keywords. To pool data, random-effects model was used. Furthermore, sensitivity analysis and publication bias test were also done. Results: In total, 14 studies with 29,909 COVID-19 infected patients and 1445 cases of death were included in the current meta-analysis. Significant associations were found between older age (≥65 vs <65 years old) (pooled ORs = 4.59, 95%CIs = 2.61–8.04, p < .001), gender (male vs female) (pooled ORs = 1.50, 95%CIs = 1.06–2.12, p = .021) and risk of death from COVID-19 infection. In addition, hypertension (pooled ORs = 2.70, 95%CIs = 1.40–5.24, p = .003), cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) (pooled ORs = 3.72, 95%CIs = 1.77–7.83, p = .001), diabetes (pooled ORs = 2.41, 95%CIs = 1.05–5.51, p = .037), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (pooled ORs = 3.53, 95%CIs = 1.79–6.96, p < .001) and cancer (pooled ORs = 3.04, 95%CIs = 1.80–5.14, p < .001), were associated with higher risk of mortality. Conclusions: Older age (≥65 years old), male gender, hypertension, CVDs, diabetes, COPD and malignancies were associated with greater risk of death from COVID-19 infection. These findings could help clinicians to identify patients with poor prognosis at an early stage.

Background: This randomized controlled trial investigated the role of omega-3 supplementation on C5L2 gene expression in type 2 diabetics. Methods: Subjects in the omega-3 group received 4 g omega-3 per day and subjects in the placebo group took four capsules of placebo per day for 10 weeks. Gene expression was measured by RT- PCR at the beginning and end of the study. Results: The results of this study show depletion in the omega-3 group, but the mean difference between two groups was not significant. Conclusions: Understanding the effect of the omega-3 pathway could contribute to targeting treatment of diabetes and its comorbidities.

Diabetes mellitus is the most common metabolic disorder in humans, and its incidence is increasing rapidly worldwide. Although polyunsaturated fatty acids have beneficial effects on diabetes mellitus, previous data regarding the possible positive effects of n-3 fatty acids on glycaemic indices were inconclusive. We conducted a double-blind randomised clinical trial to determine the effects of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), an n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid, on overweight patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This double-blind, placebo-controlled randomised clinical trial was conducted on a total of 67 overweight patients with T2DM for a duration of three months. Of these 67 patients, 32 received 2 g purified EPA daily, while 35 received a placebo of 2 g corn oil daily. The patients' fasting plasma glucose (FPG), serum insulin, glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) and insulin sensitivity indices were assessed. After three months of EPA supplementation, the group that received EPA showed significant decreases in FPG (p < 0.001), HbA1c (p = 0.01) and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (p = 0.032), when compared to the placebo group. EPA supplementation resulted in decreased serum insulin levels, with the levels between the EPA and placebo groups showing a significant difference (p = 0.004). The results of our study indicate that EPA supplementation could improve insulin sensitivity. It was able to decrease serum insulin, FPG, HbA1c and HOMA-IR. EPA could have beneficial effects on glycaemic indices in patients with T2DM.

Introduction: Migraine is a disabling neurovascular disorder characterized by increasing levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress biomarkers. Curcumin and coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) can exert neuroprotective effects through modulation of inflammation and oxidative stress. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the combined effects of nano-curcumin and CoQ10 supplementation on migraine symptoms and quality of life in migraine patients. Methods: One-hundred men and women (mean age 32 years) with episodic migraine based on the International Headache Society (IHS) criteria participated in this study. The subjects were randomly divided into four groups as (1) combination of nano-curcumin (80 mg) plus CoQ10 (300 mg), (2) nano-curcumin (80 mg), (3) CoQ10 (300 mg) and (4) the control (nano-curcumin and CoQ10 placebo included oral paraffin oil) beside usual prophylactic drugs for 8 weeks. Frequency, severity, duration of headache attacks, the headache diary results (HDR) and headache disability based on migraine-specific questionnaires were assessed at the baseline and end of the study. Results: Ninety-one of 100 patients completed the study. The results showed a significant effect of nano-curcumin and CoQ10 supplementation on frequency, severity, duration of migraine attacks and HDR compared to other groups (All P < 0.001). Nano-curcumin and CoQ10 group also had better scores in migraine-specific questionnaires at the end of the study compared to other groups (All P < 0.001). There were no side effects reported by the participants. Conclusions: These findings suggest a possible synergistic effect of nano-curcumin and CoQ10 on clinical features of migraine. Trial registration number: IRCT2017080135444N1.