Associations between diet quality, demographics, health conditions and spice and herb intake of adults with chronic kidney disease.

Scant literature has been able to demonstrate an association between dietary habits and spice and herb consumption, especially for those who have chronic kidney disease. The objectives of this study were to 1) determine the frequency and quantity of spices and herbs consumed and 2) determine the associations between diet quality and its food components, demographics, and health conditions with spice and herb frequency and variety consumption of adults with chronic kidney disease. A cross-sectional online study was conducted with adults with various stages of chronic kidney disease (n = 71). Participants responded to an online demographic, diet and spice and herb questionnaire on RedCap. Diet quality was determined through the diet questionnaire. Descriptives, frequencies and Spearman correlations were conducted using SPSS v28 with a significance of p<0.05. Most participants were in chronic kidney disease stage 3 (42.3%) with a majority (98.6%) self-identifying as non-Hispanic white. On average, participants consumed black pepper more than once daily (47.9%) with the spice quantity at 5 g. The median diet quality score was 38.5 (range 31.5-48.5). Positive associations were identified with overall diet quality scores and certain spices such as basil (r = 0.33; p<0.01) and cinnamon (r = 0.37; p<0.002). Further associations were seen with food groups, self-identifying as white and health conditions with spice frequency and variety of spices and herbs consumed. Overall, positive associations were observed with diet quality and spice and herb intake, in which higher diet quality scores would indicate higher consumption of spices and herbs. Further research should focus on diet quality and spice and herb consumption in reducing progression of this disease.

Effects of a spice-blended honey muffin on salivary inflammation markers in adults with obesity: a feasibility trial.

BACKGROUND: Obesity is considered a low-grade chronically inflamed state that contributes to communicable chronic diseases. This inflammation may be modulated by consuming spices like turmeric daily. However, few studies have looked at the inclusion of spice within whole foods. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this feasibility pre/posttrial was to assess the influence of turmeric in a muffin on salivary IL-6 and CRP in adults who were obese. METHODS: Participants consumed one, 60-gram muffin containing 3 g turmeric for 10 days. Participants provided a urinary sample at baseline, a 2-ml saliva sample, and a 30-day food frequency and spice consumption questionnaire at baseline and post-trial. A one-sample t-test was conducted using SAS v 9.4 with significance determined at p < 0.05. RESULTS: A total of 14 participants, average BMI of 32.16 kg/m2 with 10 identifying as female, completed the trial after 5 dropped due to various reasons. The visit lengths and collection of data with participants adhering to the instructions were deemed a success. There was a significant decrease in salivary IL-6 (p = 0.03) but no statistical difference in salivary CRP (p = 0.46). Participants consumed fruits and vegetables at least once daily, chicken and eggs 5-6 times per week, and beef, pork, and fish at least once per week. Participants consumed chili pepper, garlic, cinnamon, cilantro, and ginger at least once per week. No changes were observed in dietary/spice habits during this trial. CONCLUSION: The feasibility pre/post study revealed that consumption of a muffin with turmeric reduced at least salivary IL-6 in 10 days. Modifications to the study design such as lengthier trial time to assess the impact of this muffin on CRP is necessary prior to implementing larger-scale randomized control trials.

Chronic inflammation in obese patients can be modulated with the use of spices.The consumption of a spiced muffin with turmeric (2mg) reduced salivary IL-6 in 10 days (p = 0.03).

Examining the Relationship between Dietary Intake, Socioeconomic Status, and Systolic Blood Pressure of Adults on Hemodialysis in Quito, Ecuador.

Background: In Ecuador, the number of adults on hemodialysis (HD) continues to rise. Currently, the effect dietary habits and socioeconomic status (SES) have on blood pressure is not known for those on HD. Objectives: The objectives of this study focused on adults on HD in Quito, Ecuador to 1) assess the relationship between dietary intake and SES; 2) compare dietary intake to the Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative (KDOQI) guidelines; and 3) explore the relationship between dietary intake and systolic blood pressure. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the dialysis center within Eugenio Espejo Specialties Hospital in Quito, Ecuador between May and June 2022 among 50 adults on HD. Three 24-h recalls were used to determine average dietary intake and the 25-item Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos-Stratification of SES was used to determine SES. Electrolytes and 2 blood pressure readings were collected. Qualitative narrative data analysis was performed to identify themes using NVivo v12. T-tests of independence, simple, and multiple linear regressions using age and sex as confounders were conducted using R and a P < 0.05 was deemed as statistically significant. Results: On an average, 76% of participants consumed <25 kcal/kg body weight energy and 64% consumed <1 g protein/kg body weight. Participants consumed less energy and protein compared with the KDOQI guidelines (P < 0.05). Positive relationships were observed with potassium and blood pressure (ß = 0.020, P < 0.05) and SES with energy, protein, and phosphorus (P < 0.05). Themes that were identified as contributing to dietary intake were limited knowledge, lack of consistency with dietary information, and limited appetite. Conclusions: Findings from this study indicate that the focus should be on improving energy and protein intake for this population.

Influence of Plant and Animal Proteins on Inflammation Markers among Adults with Chronic Kidney Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Proteins, especially plant proteins, may reduce inflammation among adults with chronic kidney disease (CKD). This systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to evaluate the effect protein types (animal or plant) have on inflammation markers (CRP, IL-6, TNF-α) among adults with varying stages of CKD. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) was conducted to identify articles from inception until January 2021, utilizing six databases. Controlled trials that compared the effects of different protein types were analyzed using random-effects meta-analysis. Quality assessment and risk of bias of the included articles were assessed by using Cochrane risk of bias instrument and ROBINS-I. Out of the 10 studies that met the criteria, there was a decreasing trend in CRP levels when consuming plant proteins compared to animal proteins among non-dialysis participants. There was a statistically significant decrease when comparing animal proteins to unspecified proteins in CRP levels among dialysis participants [Hedges' g = 2.11; 95% CI 1.12, 3.11; p ≤ 0.001], favoring unspecified proteins. Furthermore, animal proteins (eggs, red meat) showed increasing trends in CRP levels compared to whey protein isolate. Caution must be considered regarding these results as controlled, non-randomized, trials were included in the analysis, which may have contributed to high risk of bias. Future research should focus on protein types and the impact they have on kidney disease progression and inflammation markers.

Intervalos biológicos de referencia del hemograma en personas sanas, Medellín, 2012 / Complete blood count reference intervals in healthy people, Medellin, 2012

Introducción: Para la interpretación del hemograma se requieren intervalos biológicos de referencia que permitan orientar la toma de decisiones clínicas y epidemiológicas con base en las características específicas de la población en la cual serán aplicados. Objetivo: establecer los intervalos biológicos de referencia para los parámetros del hemograma en personas sanas de Medellín, 2012. Materiales y métodos: estudio descriptivo transversal en 70 donantes a repetición de sangre y hemocomponentes, y 65 vegetarianos. Las muestras fueron procesadas en el equipo Sysmex XE-2100®. La descripción se realizó con medidas de frecuencia y resumen; los intervalos biológicos de referencia se determinaron con intervalos de confianza del 95% para la media; además, se establecieron y compararon los resultados por sexo y grupo etario...

Introduction: Laboratory reference values are required for an adequate interpretation of complete blood count, in a way they can guide clinical and epidemiological decisions based on the specific the characteristics of the population to which they will be applied. Aim: To determine the reference values for blood cell count parameters in healthy individuals from Medellín, Colombia, during the year of 2012. Materials and methods: We conducted a cross sectional study that included 70 repetitive blood donors, and 65 vegetarians. Samples were processed in a Sysmex XE-2100® hematology analyzer. The data were described using frequency and summary measures, and reference values were determined applying a 95% confidence interval to the mean of each parameter; in addition, reference values were compared by sex and age...