Nutrigenetic genotyping study in relation to Sleep Apnea Clinical Score.

BACKGROUND: Conflicting results regarding associations between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in IRS1, ACE, APOE, PPARG, MTHFR, 5HT2AR, BDNF, and FTO genes and obstructive sleep apnea have been reported in previous studies. OBJECTIVE: To assess pleiotropic associations between these gene polymorphisms that are commonly being studied in a nutrigenetic test and sleep apnea. METHODS: One hundred and nine subjects of Caucasian origin who have performed a commercially available nutrigenetic test that includes the aforementioned polymorphisms were divided into two groups depending on the results of their Sleep Apnea Clinical Score (SACS ≤ 15 or > 15). Statistical significant differences in the prevalence of the polymorphisms under study between the groups were assessed with the Chi-squared test. Possible associations of the polymorphisms with SACS and BMI were further evaluated with logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: From the polymorphisms studied, only variant rs9939609 in the FTO gene was more prevalent in people with high sleep apnea clinical score (χ2 = 7.1, P = 0.029). However, this association was attenuated after adjustment for body mass index (OR = 0.653, P = 0.178). CONCLUSION: We failed to confirm previously reported associations between the majority of the studied polymorphisms and sleep apnea. Body weight seems to be an important cofounding factor that needs to be accounted for, when genetic association studies are performed for sleep apnea.

Apolipoprotein A-I inhibits experimental colitis and colitis-propelled carcinogenesis.

In both humans with long-standing ulcerative colitis and mouse models of colitis-associated carcinogenesis (CAC), tumors develop predominantly in the distal part of the large intestine but the biological basis of this intriguing pathology remains unknown. Herein we report intrinsic differences in gene expression between proximal and distal colon in the mouse, which are augmented during dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)/azoxymethane (AOM)-induced CAC. Functional enrichment of differentially expressed genes identified discrete biological pathways operating in proximal vs distal intestine and revealed a cluster of genes involved in lipid metabolism to be associated with the disease-resistant proximal colon. Guided by this finding, we have further interrogated the expression and function of one of these genes, apolipoprotein A-I (ApoA-I), a major component of high-density lipoprotein. We show that ApoA-I is expressed at higher levels in the proximal compared with the distal part of the colon and its ablation in mice results in exaggerated DSS-induced colitis and disruption of epithelial architecture in larger areas of the large intestine. Conversely, treatment with an ApoA-I mimetic peptide ameliorated the phenotypic, histopathological and inflammatory manifestations of the disease. Genetic interference with ApoA-I levels in vivo impacted on the number, size and distribution of AOM/DSS-induced colon tumors. Mechanistically, ApoA-I was found to modulate signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) and nuclear factor-κB activation in response to the bacterial product lipopolysaccharide with concomitant impairment in the production of the pathogenic cytokine interleukin-6. Collectively, these data demonstrate a novel protective role for ApoA-I in colitis and CAC and unravel an unprecedented link between lipid metabolic processes and intestinal pathologies.

Relationship between adiposity, adipokines, inflammatory markers and lipid profile in hemodialysis patients.

OBJECTIVES: Our aim is to study the correlations of leptin and adiponectin with inflammation markers, body composition and lipid profile in end stage renal disease (ESRD) patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Phase angle values and fat mass as calculated using BIA, Malnutrition-Inflammation Score (MIS), leptin, adiponectin, IL-6, IL-8 triglycerides, cholesterol and other common serum markers' concentrations were analyzed using simple and multiple linear regression models in 47 hemodialysis patients. RESULTS: In contrast to leptin, adiponectin is inversely correlated to BMI and fat mass in hemodialysis patients. Triglycerides were the only parameter that retained its statistical correlation significance with adiponectin in the multiple regression model. CONCLUSIONS: Fat mass is of important consideration when calculating adipokines levels and their possible correlations with other variables. The inverse correlation of adiponectin with triglycerides levels should be further delineated due to the important role of vascular diseases in total mortality and morbidity of ESRD patients.

Quality of nutritional information on the Internet in health and disease.

BACKGROUND: Quality assessment of nutritional information on the internet may prove vital prior to providing public guidance on searching relative information. METHODS: The most popular web sites on four different topics ("Mediterranean diet", "sports nutrition", "nutrition, dysphagia and children" and "herbs and common cold") were assessed with the use of two validated questionnaires (EQIP and DISCERN). RESULTS: Medical categories produced significantly lower total quality scores when compared to "Mediterranean diet" and "sports nutrition" categories. (F=7.189, P<0.001). Commercial web pages had a significantly lower credibility score compared to institutional and other web page types (H=17.987, P<0.001). Ranking order of each web page was related to its total quality score (P=0.04) but not to its credibility (P=0.241). CONCLUSIONS: Monitoring the accuracy, comprehensiveness and consistency of health-related information on the internet is an important public health issue since there are popular web pages that are regarded as of high quality but they do not always provide reliable information. Health professionals and especially dieticians should provide consumer training on how to search for and appraise nutritional information from the internet.

Dietary habits of preschool aged children with tonsillar hypertrophy, pre- and post-operatively.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Tonsillectomy has been reported to have a positive effect on weight gain of children with tonsillar hypertrophy. This effect may be related to better respiration or/and feeding, immunological or metabolic factors. In this study we analyse the effect of tonsillectomy on the dietary habits of children. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Dietary habits of thirty 4-6 years old children were assessed before the operation and six months after it, using 24 hours dietary-recalls. In parallel, dietary habits of eighteen healthy children of the same age were assessed using the same method. RESULTS: Children with tonsillar hypertrophy were receiving greater amounts of daily calories overall from sugar products, soft drinks and edible fats (p = 0.01, t = 2.673). Post-operatively, they increased the calories they were consuming daily and consumed even greater amounts of these food (p < 0.001, t = 3.527) in relation to the control group, gaining weight significantly (p = 0.043). DISCUSSION: Parents should be aware of a possible weight increase after tonsillectomy which can be related to an over-consumption of products like candies and soft drinks.