The association between gut microbiota and circulating zonulin level, a marker of intestinal permeability, has not been studied yet. The aim of the study is the assessment of plasma zonulin, haptoglobin and proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-αand IL-6) levels in relation to composition of gut microbiota in obese and normal weight subjects. Circulating inflammation markers, such as TNF-α, sTNFR1, sTNFR2, IL-6, zonulin, and haptoglobin levels were measured and semiquantitative analysis of gut microbiota composition was carried out in 50 obese and 30 normal weight subjects without concomitant diseases. Higher circulating zonulin, TNF-α, sTNFR1, sTNFR2, and IL-6 levels were found in the obese subjects. Plasma zonulin level correlated positively with age (r=0.43,P<0.001), body mass (r=0.30,P<0.01), BMI (r=0.33,P<0.01), fat mass and fat percentage (r=0.31,P<0.01andr=0.23,P<0.05, resp.). Positive correlations between bacterial colony count and sTNFR1 (r=0.33,P<0.01) and plasma zonulin (r=0.26,P<0.05) but not haptoglobin levels were found. Additionally, plasma zonulin level was proportional to daily energy intake (r=0.27,P<0.05) and serum glucose concentration (r=0.18,P<0.05) and inversely proportional to diet protein percentage (r=-0.23,P<0.05). Gut microbiota-related systemic microinflammation in the obese is reflected by circulating zonulin level, a potential marker of interstitial permeability.

Objective: The aim of this large survey was to evaluate non-compliance with compression stockings in chronic venous disorder (CVD) patients. Method: A total of 16,770 CVD patients participated in this study. Results: Compression stockings were used by 25.6% of CVD patients and 46.6% of the patients were never prescribed compression therapy. Compression stocking use was found to increase with the clinical stage of CVD. The percentage of patients using compression stockings during control visits increased to 37.4%. Furthermore, 5.3% of the patients coming to control visits discontinued the use of compression stockings owing to high cost, sweating, itching, cosmetic reason, oedema exacerbation, exudation lesions of lower legs and application difficulty. Past episodes of vein thrombosis (OR = 0.80), of stroke (OR = 0.28) and of varicose veins surgery (OR = 0.28) were decreasing, while the management by a general practitioner was increasing the risk (OR = 1.36) of compression therapy cessation. Conclusion: (1) Compression stockings are too rarely prescribed and often unaccepted at early stages of CVD; (2) The common reason for discontinuation of compression therapy is its high cost.

Iodine deficiency is an ongoing problem. The implementation of salt iodization has significantly reduced the effects of iodine deficiency worldwide in recent years, and the remaining iodine deficiency is mild to moderate. Iodine is an essential substrate for the synthesis of thyroid hormones in the thyroid gland. It can also act as an antioxidant, as well as an anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic factor. Pregnant women, breastfeeding women, and children are particularly affected by iodine deficiency. It leads to thyroid diseases and metabolic and developmental disorders, as well as cancer. However, an excessive iodine intake may, similarly to iodine deficiency, lead to the development of goiter, and toxic amounts of iodine can lead to thyroiditis, hyperthyroidism, and hypothyroidism, and even to the development of papillary thyroid cancer. Correcting iodine deficiency potentially reduces the chance of developing malignancies. Additional research is needed to better understand both the effect of iodine on carcinogenesis and the clinical outcome of iodine deficiency compensation on cancer patients’ prognosis. The upcoming public health challenge appears to be reducing salt consumption, which could result in a lower iodine intake. Thus, an iodine enrichment vehicle other than salt could be considered if salt iodine levels are not increased to compensate, and urine iodine levels should be monitored more frequently.

Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) is a disorder between gynecology and psychiatry which includes cognitive, affective, and somatic symptoms from mild to severe. The most severe form of PMS is premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) and it is considered a form of depressive disorder. An association between diet composition and the occurrence of PMS and its severity have been suggested. As such, this manuscript discusses the relationships between diet composition, dietary patterns and eating behaviors, and PMS. PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, and Web of Science databases were searched for related studies up to 18 January 2024. A text search with the following keywords singly or in combination was conducted: “Premenstrual syndrome”, “Nutrition”, “Diet composition”, “Dietary patterns”, and “Eating behaviors”. Studies published so far showed that low intake of simple carbohydrates, fats, salt, and alcohol, and high of fresh, unprocessed foods rich in B vitamins, vitamin D, zinc, calcium, and omega-3 fatty acids may help prevent the onset of PMS and reduce the severity of its symptoms. However, further studies are needed to formulate definitive recommendations for the use of vitamins, micronutrients and other dietary ingredients supplementation in women with PMS to improve functioning, overall well-being, and physical health. Large, randomized, double-blind clinical trials across diverse populations are necessary to formulate clear recommendations for supplementation in women with PMS.