THE EFFECTS OF REALSIL (SILYBIN-PHOSPHOLIPID-VITAMIN E COMPLEX) ON LIVER ENZYMES IN PATIENTS WITH NON-ALCOHOLIC FATTY LIVER DISEASE (NAFLD) OR NON-ALCOHOLIC STEATO-HEPATITIS (NASH): A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS OF RCTS.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to systematically review the effects of Realsil (silybin-phospholipid-vitamin E complex) on liver enzymes in patients with NAFLD or NASH. METHODS: We searched Web of Science, MEDLINE, Google Scholar, Cochrane Library, Science Direct, ProQuest, Scopus, and 1868 articles were found up to December 2018. Four studies that examined the effect of Realsil intake on liver enzymes among NAFLD or NASH patients were included. Exclusion criteria include: animal studies, studies with the design other than clinical trials, studies on non-adult individuals, studies that assess the effect of vitamin E, silybin, or phospholipid solely, studies that examined the effect of Realsil on other outcomes, or studies with insufficient data. RESULTS: The analysis demonstrated that Realsil intake led to a significant decrease in Gamma-Glutamyl Transpeptidase (GGT) levels (standardized mean difference (SMD) =-0.37; 95% confidence interval (CI]): -0.68 to -0.06). Realsil intake non-significantly decrease alanine transaminase (ALT) levels (SMD=-1.02 U/L; 95% CI: -2.23 to 0.20) and non-significantly increase aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels (SMD = 0.17 U/L; 95% CI: -0.26-0.61). CONCLUSION: Realsil intake was associated with a significantly decreased circulating GGT level without any significant effect on AST and ALT levels.

Effect of vitamin D and omega-3 on nocturnal enuresis of 7-15-year-old children.

INTRODUCTION: Nocturnal enuresis is known to be a common urinary bladder complication in children. Recent studies have associated vitamin D and omega-3 insufficiency with nocturnal enuresis. AIM: This was a 2-month randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial to measure the effects of vitamin D, omega-3 supplements, and their combination on nocturnal enuresis among 7-15-year-old children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Participants (180 children with nocturnal enuresis) were selected from children referred to the Pediatric ward of Imam Reza Clinic in Shiraz, Iran. Demographic information and anthropometric measures were taken. Fasting blood and urine samples were also collected, and serum vitamin D and urine prostaglandin E2 were measured before and after intervention. Enuretic children were randomly assigned to four groups: Group A, vitamin D (1000 IU/day); Group B, omega-3 (1000 mg/day); Group C, both omega-3 (1000 mg/day) and vitamin D (1000 IU/day); and Group D, placebo. RESULTS: The results suggested that the study groups were not significantly different regarding demographic and anthropometric measures at baseline. Comparison of different groups revealed that 44.4% of participants in Group A, 28.2% of Group B and 45% of Group C were cured from enuresis (P = 0.03). Serum 25(OH) D was significantly increased in Group A, but urine prostaglandin E2 was not significantly decreased in response to supplementation. Although supplementation with both Group A and Group B were found to be effective, the combined intervention did not increase the effect of each intervention solely. CONCLUSIONS: The results showed that supplementation with vitamin D and omega-3 could reduce the number of wet nights among 7-15-year-old children with nocturnal enuresis.

Evaluating the relationship between breakfast pattern and short-term memory in junior high school girls.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between breakfast pattern and short-term memory in guidance-school students. Memory improves for subjects who have eaten breakfast. It appears that breakfast consumption influences cognition via several mechanisms. What children eat for breakfast before going to school is very important. A total of 150 junior high school girls were taken from a subject pool in four schools in Shiraz (capital of the Fars Province in Iran). They filled out the socio-economic questionnaires as well as food frequency questionnaires for breakfast and provided two-three day breakfast records in two different seasons and their short-term memories were evaluated by Weksler test socio-economic conditions and dietary intakes were analyzed. The results of the study showed that there was no correlation between parents job, students mean age and their school grades with their memory scores. Dietary analysis demonstrated a negative correlation between local soup consumption in breakfast and memory scores. Food record analysis showed no correlation between fat, cholesterol, protein, vitamin B6, B12, calorie and iodine intake in breakfast and memory scores, but there was a positive correlation between carbohydrate, iron and vitamin B3 intake in breakfast and memory scores, similarly there was a positive correlation between B12 intake in the breakfast and students' average school grades during the year.

Blood lipid and lipoprotein profile of female athletes with respect to their jobs and nutrients intake.

There is general believe that exercise may results in changes that likely reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and may slow the progression of established coronary artery disease. Chronic cardiovascular training results in changes in lipoproteins and apolipoproteins that reflect adaptation to the increased metabolic demands imposed by frequent, vigorous exercise. Moreover, the alterations in lipoproteins vary according to level of physical conditioning and intensity of exercise. One hundred three pre-menopausal physically active women ages 20-50 years old which have been exercising for at least 6 months involve in this study. Upon entering the study subjects were asked to complete questionnaire, regarding personal health and diet history (24 h recall plus 7 days food frequency list). Total calorie intake, level of carbohydrate, protein and fat in the subjects' diet were analyzed. In addition the concentration of women's plasma triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL-C and HDL-C were also measured and compared with normal value. The results of the present study showed that, the mean total caloric intake of women were 1812.54 kilocalories, where their carbohydrate, protein and fat intake were 67.28, 12.83 and 19.89% of their total calories, respectively. The average age, weight, height and Body Mass Index (BMI) of the women involved in the study were, 30.81+/-8.87 years, 57.85+/-7.79 kg, 160.32+/-5.36 cm and 22.53+/-2.82 kg m(-2), respectively. Plasma lipid and lipoprotein concentration of women were also in normal range with the lowest in those who exercise for more than one year and physical education teacher.

Body mass index and thyroid function in adolescent girls.

The present research was conduted to examine the relationship between thyroid function and body mass index. A cross-sectional study was carried out in Lar province and its' vicinity in south of Iran. By stepwise random sampling from all public girls' high schools, 227 high school participants (aged 12-21) were selected. Serum samples were collected and assayed for Triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), reverse triiodothyronine (rT3), free thyroxine (FT4), free triiodothyronine (FT3). Weight and height were measured and body mass index (BMI) were calculated (weight (kg)/height2 (m)). Subgroup analysis was done according to body mass index. TSH, T4 and rT3 were correlated with BMI (r = 0.66, p = 0.001 and r = 0.12, p = 0.05 and r = 0.65, p = 0.001, respectively). Adolescent girls with BMI > or = 25 kg m(-2) showed higher serum TSH, T4 and rT 3 than subjects with BMI < 25 kg m(-2) (p = 0.001, p = 0.05 and p = 0.001, respectively). Present results showed that, although thyroid function was normal in the studied participants TSH and rT3 were positively correlated to BMI. TSH and rT3 could present a marker of altered energy balance in overweight and obese adolescent girls.

Effects of administration of iron, iodine and simultaneous iron-plus-iodine on the thyroid hormone profile in iron-deficient adolescent Iranian girls.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether iron supplementation can improve thyroid hormone function in iron-deficient adolescent girls. DESIGN: A double-blind randomized intervention study. SETTING: The study was performed from 2002 through 2003 in the Islamic Republic of Iran. SUBJECTS: 103 iron-deficient non-anaemic girls who fulfilled all inclusion criteria were included, and 94 subjects successfully completed the study. INTERVENTIONS: Patients were randomly assigned to one of four groups and treated with a single oral dose of 190 mg iodine plus 300 mg ferrous sulphate 5 times/week (n=24), 300 mg ferrous sulphate 5 times/week (n=23), a single oral dose of 190 mg iodine (n=25), or a placebo (n=22) for 12 weeks. RESULTS: All groups were comparable at baseline. After the intervention, there was a significant increase in ferritin and transferrin saturation in the iron+iodine group (17.6 vs 8.7 microg/dl, and 18.8 vs 7.2%, respectively, P<0.001 for both) and in the iron group (P<0.001 for both). Urinary iodine doubled in the iron+iodine group and in the iodine group (P<0.001 for both). Thyroid indices tT4, tT3 and T3RU increased and reverse RT3 decreased in the iron+iodine group (10 vs 8.9 microg/dl, P< 0.001; 143 vs 138 microg/dl, P<0.05; 32.3 vs 28.4%, P<0.001 and 24.8 vs 44.2 ng/dl, P<0.001, respectively) and in the iron group. These two groups did not differ for any of the four indices, but both differed significantly from the iodine and placebo groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that improvement of iron status was accompanied by an improvement in some indices of thyroid hormones. SPONSORSHIP: This study was supported by the Dean of Research Affairs of the Tehran University of Medical Sciences.