ABSTRACT
We evaluated the effectiveness of a synbiotic in the treatment of childhood functional abdominal pain [FAP]. Probiotics are effective in the treatment of functional gastrointestinal disorders in adult patients, but there is lack of information in children. Children with FAP, based on the Rome III criteria [n= 115, aged 6-18 years], were randomized to receive either synbiotic [Bacillus coagulans, Unique IS-2, 150 million spore plus FOS, 100 mg] twice daily or placebo for four weeks. Treatment response was defined as >/= 2-point reduction in the 6-point self-rated pain scale or "no pain". Physician-rated global severity and improvement were also evaluated. Patients were followed for a total of 12 weeks. Eighty-eight patients completed the trial [45 with synbiotic]. Response rate was higher with synbiotic than placebo after medication [60% vs. 39.5%, P = 0.044], but was not different between the two groups at week 12 [64.4% vs. 53.4%, P = 0.204]. Difference between the two groups regarding the physician-rated global severity over the study period was not statistically significant [z = -1.87, P = 0.062]. There was no significant difference between the two groups in physician-rated global improvement [week 4, P = 0.437; week 12, P = 0.111]. Receiving synbiotic [OR 2.608, 95% CI: 1.01-6.68] and baseline pain score [OR 2.21, 95% CI: 1.19-4.10] were predictors of treatment response after medication. The synbiotic containing Bacillus coagulans and FOS seems to be effective in the treatment of childhood FAP. Further trials are recommended in this regard
ABSTRACT
Objective: to investigate the association between obesity indices, abdominal fat distribution, and lipid profile in patients with stable angina [SA]
Methods: body weight, height, waist circumference [WC], body mass index [BMI], and waist /height ratio [WHtR] of 123 patients with SA who underwent coronary angiography were measured. Fasting blood samples were taken to measure the levels of fasting blood sugar [FBS], total cholesterol [TC], low- and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol [LDL-C, HDL-C], apolipoproteins A and B [apo A and apo B], and triglycerides [TG]. According to angiography reports, the participants were divided into patients with or without coronary heart disease [CHD]. All patients underwent an abdominal computerized tomography [CT] scan to measure the visceral, superficial, and deep subcutaneous fat
Results: the mean ages of the patients with CHD [n = 73] and without CHD [n = 50] were 50.5 +/- 7.6 and 53.7 +/- 7.6 years, respectively [P = 0.03]. The patients with CHD had significantly higher levels of TC, TG, and superficial subcutaneous fat, while the patients without CHD had higher levels of apo A [P = 0.05]. Multivariate analyses showed a significant association of visceral fat with TC, LDL-C, TG, and apo B, in the patients without CHD, while significant inverse associations were found between WC and HDL-C, WHtR, and apo A as well as visceral fat and LDL-C in the patients with CHD
Conclusions: among anthropometrics and imaging indices of obesity, WC and WHtR have shown better association between central obesity with dyslipidemia in the patients with CHD, while CT-measured visceral adipose tissue area was the best correlate of dyslipidemia in the patients without CHD
ABSTRACT
Since weight management is affected by various factors, including social and behavioral ones, this study aimed to explore the peoples' experience of barriers and facilitators of weight management. This qualitative content analysis was conducted as the initial step of TABASSOM Study. Participants, who tried to reduce their weight at least once, were selected by purposeful sampling method from aerobic fitness clubs, parks, and public offices in Isfahan in 2010. Data saturation was reached after indepth unstructured interviews with 11 participants. Data analysis was done by conventional content analysis method. The participants have intermittently followed weight loss program. Barriers such as physical problems, lack of motivation, lack of work and family support and lack of time have resulted in their failures and outages. The main facilitator to start or restart after stopping such programs for a while was positive psychologic effect. Findings showed that many problems could prevent weight loss. It is important to identify obstacles that hinder weight management and regimen programs and to discuss them with people before planning for their weight management.