Obesity is strongly associated with an increased risk of heart failure. Recent studies indicate that epicardial adipose tissue plays a critical role in the development of obesity-related cardiomyopathy. This distinct visceral fat depot, located between the myocardium and the visceral pericardium, is involved in direct cross-talk with the adjacent myocardium, influencing both its structural integrity and electrophysiological function. This review aims to provide an up-to-date overview of the morphological, metabolic, immunological, and functional alterations of this adipose compartment in the context of obesity, and to explore its contribution to the pathogenesis of heart failure. Moreover, the article synthesizes current evidence on the potential cardioprotective effects of emerging anti-obesity pharmacotherapies—particularly GLP-1 and dual GLP-1/GIP receptor agonists—on metabolic pathways associated with epicardial fat that are implicated in obesity-induced cardiomyopathy. Further clinical trials are required to clarify the impact of these therapies on the course and prognosis of heart failure, as well as on the epidemiology and societal burden of the disease.

Research on the therapeutic use of parasites has been ongoing since the development of the “hygiene hypothesis”. Parasites can stimulate the Th2-dependent response and suppress the Th1-dependent response, which is intensified in many diseases, especially allergic and autoinflammatory ones. In this review, we present the types of parasites used in helminth therapy and the range of diseases in which they may be useful. We also present the results of clinical trials conducted so far, which confirm the safety of such therapy and provide promising outcomes.

The increasing prevalence of Lyme disease, tick-borne encephalitis (TBE), and other tick-borne infections such as Babesia, Ehrlichia, Rickettsia, and Anaplasma is a growing public health concern. Existing tick bite prevention strategies are insufficient; therefore, vaccines represent a promising preventive measure. At the moment, only a vaccine for tick-borne encephalitis is available on the market. A vaccine for Lyme disease, however, is at an advanced stage of clinical trials. In this article, we focus on describing the progress in the invention of vaccines for tick-borne diseases. This article analyzes their development and effectiveness.

Background: Hypothyroidism is defined as a deficiency of thyroid hormones and is further classified into primary, secondary, and tertiary types, based on the root cause of the deficiency. Migraine is a primary headache disorder, characterized by unilateral, pulsating pain, lasting from 4 to 72 h, accompanied by symptoms such as photophobia, phonophobia, nausea, and emesis and sometimes preceded by specific aura phenomena. Both diseases are more prevalent in women than in men. While the primary focus of this systematic review was on the relationship between hypothyroidism and migraine, we also included relevant data on headaches in general when they provided valuable context or mechanistic insight. Methods: This systematic review aimed to summarize the current knowledge about the relationship between migraine and hypothyroidism. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews (PRISMA) guidelines were applied. Screening of two databases led to including 29 relevant studies in the review. Results: Studies demonstrated that migraine and disturbed thyroid function may influence one another. The positive correlation between migraine and hypothyroidism, mainly Hashimoto’s disease, was presented in several studies. Moreover, some research identified this correlation in pediatric populations. Finally, the effects of levothyroxine use, a treatment applied in hypothyroidism, on migraine course were presented. Conclusions: A better understanding of the correlation between migraine and hypothyroidism may lead to an increase in the understanding of the pathogenesis of both disorders and positively impact clinical practice.

Background: Pediatric hypertension is an increasingly recognized health concern and is commonly influenced by modifiable factors such as dietary sodium intake and obesity and non-modifiable factors like family history of hypertension. Urinary sodium excretion provides an objective surrogate marker of sodium consumption and may be associated with blood pressure severity. This study aimed to evaluate urinary sodium excretion in children with primary hypertension (PH) and to test the hypothesis that higher sodium excretion is associated with less favorable clinical, biochemical, and blood pressure parameters. Methods: This retrospective, cross-sectional, single-center study analyzed data from 369 hypertensive patients and 59 healthy children. Patients with a confirmed diagnosis of PH and ambulatory blood pressure monitoring results were included in the study group. Clinical, anthropometric, laboratory, echocardiographic, and blood pressure data were examined, and sodium excretion was evaluated using both the spot urine sodium-to-creatinine ratio and 24-h urinary sodium per kilogram of body weight. Results: Children with hypertension exhibited higher urinary sodium excretion compared to the control group. Sodium excretion of the hypertensive group, measured using the sodium/creatinine ratio and 24 h urinary sodium excretion per kilogram, was positively correlated with 25-hydroxyvitamin D, the urinary potassium/creatinine ratio, and the urinary uric acid/creatinine ratio. Moreover, negative correlations were observed for both parameters with age, body weight, serum uric acid, and left ventricular mass. In the multivariate analysis, weighted Z-score (beta = −0.393), age (beta = −0.293), 25-OHD (beta = 0.182), and arterial hypertension in the father (beta = 0.166) predicted 24 h urinary sodium excretion. Children with excessive sodium excretion had a significantly higher systolic blood pressure load over 24 h. Conclusions: Urinary sodium excretion is elevated in children with PH. Children with a lower weight for their age, who are younger, and who have a father with arterial hypertension might be at higher risk of excessive urine excretion. Our findings underscore the clinical importance of dietary sodium reduction as a non-pharmacological therapeutic target, especially in these patient populations. Prospective studies are needed to evaluate its impact on long-term cardiovascular outcomes in this population.