Does the peroral chromium administration in young Hariana calves reduce the risk of calf diarrhea by ameliorating insulin response, lactose intolerance, antioxidant status, and immune response?

BACKGROUND: The reduction in insulin sensitivity during rumen development may predispose dairy calves towards lactose intolerance, which could be the reason behind neonatal calf diarrhea (NCD). Chromium (Cr) results in a range of effects when fed to ruminants, but most studies have shown improved insulin sensitivity. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of Cr supplementation on insulin sensitivity, lactose intolerance, diarrhoea and antioxidant, and immune response in young Hariana calves. METHODS: A total of 20 milk-fed Hariana calves were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 treatments, each consisted of 10 calves: (1) a control group without supplemental Cr and (2) a 0.15 mg Cr as Cr-picolinate (CrPic)/kg BW0.75 supplemented group (Cr0.15). RESULTS: A more rapid glucose disappearance with unaltered insulin kinetics during intravenous glucose tolerance test (IVGTT) and oral lactose tolerance test (OLTT) indicates greater insulin sensitivity in Cr supplemented calves. Better insulin sensitivity in Cr supplemented calves was further confirmed by higher values of the quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI), revised quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (RQUICKI) and insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) and lower (P < 0.05) values of homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and glucose-to-insulin ratio in Cr supplemented calves during IVGTT. Cr supplementation resulted in a lower (P < 0.05) serum cortisol concentration, whereas serum non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) concentrations during IVGTT did not differ among the groups. The rise in serum glucose concentrations within 2 h post lactose infusion during OLTT peaked at more than twice the basal glucose concentration, therefore calves were not considered as lactose intolerant. Within monthly blood samples, concentrations of serum insulin were similar among treatments, whereas the Cr supplemented group had lower (P < 0.05) serum glucose concentration and glucose-to-insulin ratio compared with the control group. No treatment differences were detected in the biomarkers of antioxidant status and immunity. Serum Cr concentrations were higher (P < 0.05) in Cr supplemented calves while concentrations of other studied minerals were remained unaltered. The incidence, duration of diarrhea, and faecal score were better (P < 0.05) in calves fed on Cr supplemented diet whereas, no treatment effect was observed on average daily gain (ADG). During the study period, no calves died, and no calves were found to have pneumonia, navel or joint disease. CONCLUSION: Feeding a Cr-supplemented diet improved insulin sensitivity and reduced the risk of diarrhoea in milk-fed young calves, but had no or minimal effects on lactose intolerance, antioxidant status, immune response, and growth performance.

Public Knowledge, Awareness, and Vaccination Rates for Hepatitis B in India: A Cross-Sectional Survey.

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a considerable public health concern in India, characterized by a significant number of chronically infected individuals. India falls into the category of an intermediate HBV endemic country, with approximately 40 million people chronically infected. Public awareness and knowledge about HBV are crucial for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. This study aimed to assess the knowledge and vaccination status of the general public regarding hepatitis B in India. METHODS: An online cross-sectional survey was conducted with 3,545 participants, excluding healthcare workers and individuals below 18 years old. The survey evaluated knowledge in four domains: cause and spread of the disease (Domain A), organ affected and consequences (Domain B), treatment (Domain C), and vaccination (Domain D). The survey used a scoring scale from -20 to +22 points. Vaccination status was also assessed. RESULTS: The mean knowledge score of the respondents was 6.89 (±5.88). Only 25% of the respondents demonstrated good knowledge (score ≥12), while 31% had fair knowledge (score 6-11), 40% had poor knowledge (score 0-5), and 4% had incorrect knowledge (score <0). Males, individuals aged 18-60 years, respondents with higher education levels, and urban residents had significantly higher mean knowledge scores (p < 0.01). In the domain-specific analysis, 47% of the respondents had good knowledge in Domain B, while 43% of the respondents had good knowledge in Domains C and D. Only 17% of the respondents had good knowledge in Domain A. Overall, 22.7% of the respondents had received all three doses of the HBV vaccine, with higher vaccination rates among males, individuals aged 18-60 years, those with higher education levels, and urban residents. CONCLUSION: The study revealed limited knowledge about HBV among the general public in India. Vaccination rates were also suboptimal. Public health interventions, including educational campaigns and targeted vaccination programs, are needed to improve awareness and vaccination coverage, ultimately reducing the burden of HBV infection.

Dietary Chromium Picolinate Supplementation Improves Glucose Utilization in Transition Calf by Ameliorating Insulin Response.

The decrease in insulin sensitivity during the transition of preruminant calves into ruminant animals is the common denominator. Meanwhile, this adaptation predisposes dairy calves towards various health issues and metabolic disorders that occur in later life. Chromium (Cr) has been shown to potentiate insulin functioning and is thereby helpful in reducing the risk of these metabolic disorders. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of Cr supplementation on the insulin sensitivity and health status in Hariana calves during their transition period. A total of 24 preruminant Hariana calves were randomly allocated into four groups (6 calves per group) for a period of 90 days. Calves either received a basal diet devoid of supplemental Cr (control; Cr0.0 group) or were supplemented with 0.05 mg (Cr0.05 group), 0.10 mg (Cr0.10 group), and 0.15 mg (Cr0.15 group) of Cr per kg BW0.75 as Cr-picolinate (Cr-Pic). To determine the effect of Cr supplementation on the insulin response, glucose-insulin-non-esterified fatty acids (NEFAs) kinetics was studied during the intravenous glucose tolerance test (IVGTT) and oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). A rapid glucose disappearance (p < 0.05) with unaltered insulin kinetics during IVGTT and OLTT indicates greater insulin sensitivity in calves supplemented with 0.10 and 0.15 mg of Cr per kg BW0.75. Improved insulin sensitivity in the Cr0.10 and Cr0.15 groups was further confirmed by higher (p < 0.05) values of the insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI), revised quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (RQUICKI), and lower (p < 0.05) values of the homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) during IVGTT. Mean serum non-esterified fatty acids (NEFAm), and insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) levels were the highest (p < 0.05) and cortisol concentrations were the lowest (p < 0.05) in the Cr0.15 groups. Unlike IVGTT, there was no effect of treatment, period, and treatment × period interaction on mean serum glucose and insulin levels during OGTT. However, Cr-supplemented calves had a higher (p < 0.05) glucose clearance rate (gCR). Serum IRS-1 concentrations during OGTT were also higher (p < 0.05) in the Cr0.10 and Cr0.15 groups than in the other groups. Serum Cr levels increased dose dependently and were the highest (p < 0.05) in calves fed a diet supplemented with 0.15 mg Cr per kg BW0.75. There was no effect of treatment on average daily gain (ADG) and body condition score (BCS) while frequency and duration of diarrhea were lower and fecal score was better in Cr-supplemented calves. The current findings show that Cr supplementation improved glucose utilization and health status in calves during their transition period by improving insulin sensitivity.

Diagnostic accuracy of transient elastography in diagnosing clinically significant portal hypertension in patients with chronic liver disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: Liver stiffness measurement using transient elastography (TE-LSM) is a promising noninvasive alternative to hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) for diagnosing clinically significant portal hypertension (CSPH). However, previous studies have yielded conflicting results. We evaluated the correlation between TE-LSM and HVPG and the performance of TE-LSM in diagnosing CSPH (HVPG ≥ 10 mmHg). METHODS: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis by searching PubMed and Scopus databases for relevant literature evaluating the clinical usefulness of TE for diagnosing CSPH in patients with chronic liver disease. RESULTS: Twenty-six studies (4337 patients with valid TE and HVPG) met our inclusion criteria. The median correlation coefficient of TE with HVPG was 0.70 (range 0.36-0.86). The weighted mean of optimal cut-off of liver stiffness value for diagnosing CSPH was 22.8 kPa (95% CI 22.7-23.0 kPa). The summary sensitivity and specificity were 79% (95% CI 74-84%) and 88% (95% CI 84-91%), respectively. The area under the hierarchical summary receiver operating characteristic (HSROC) curve was 0.91 (95% CI 0.88-0.93) according to the bivariate model. One limitation of the study was significant heterogeneity in the results of summary sensitivity and specificity (I2 83 and 74%, respectively). The heterogeneity could be explained by the variable liver stiffness cut-offs used in studies. The meta-regression plot revealed that as the optimal cut-off increased, the sensitivity decreased, the specificity increased, and vice versa. CONCLUSIONS: Liver stiffness measurement using TE correlates well with HVPG, and a liver stiffness cut-off value of 22.8 kPa shows a high accuracy for diagnosing CSPH. Thus, use of TE should be integrated into clinical practice for noninvasive diagnosis of CSPH.

Gastrointestinal and hepatic manifestations of Corona Virus Disease-19 and their relationship to severe clinical course: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Many case series on Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) have reported gastrointestinal (GI) and hepatic manifestations in a proportion of cases; however, the data is conflicting. The relationship of GI and hepatic involvement with severe clinical course of COVID-19 has also not been explored. OBJECTIVES: The main objectives were to determine the frequency of GI and hepatic manifestations of COVID-19 and to explore their relationship with severe clinical course. METHODS: We searched PubMed for studies published between January 1, 2020, and March 25, 2020, with data on GI and hepatic manifestations in adult patients with COVID-19. These data were compared between patients with severe and good clinical course using the random-effects model and odds ratio (OR) as the effect size. If the heterogeneity among studies was high, sensitivity analysis was performed for each outcome. RESULTS: We included 62 studies (8301 patients) in the systematic review and 26 studies (4676 patients) in the meta-analysis. Diarrhea was the most common GI symptom (9%), followed by nausea/vomiting (5%) and abdominal pain (4%). Transaminases were abnormal in approximately 25%, bilirubin in 9%, prothrombin time (PT) in 7%, and low albumin in 60%. Up to 20% patients developed severe clinical course, and GI and hepatic factors associated with severe clinical course were as follows: diarrhea (OR 2), high aspartate aminotransferase (OR 1.4), high alanine aminotransferase (OR 1.6), high bilirubin (OR 2.4), low albumin (OR 3.4), and high PT (OR 3). CONCLUSIONS: GI and hepatic involvement should be sought in patients with COVID-19 since it portends severe clinical course. The pathogenesis of GI and hepatic involvement needs to be explored in future studies.

Performance of Non-invasive Blood Parameters for Ruling Out Significant Liver Fibrosis in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis B.

Background and Aims: Evaluation of significant liver fibrosis is important for treatment decision and treatment response evaluation in patients with chronic hepatitis B. Since liver biopsy is invasive and transient elastography (TE) has limited availability, various non-invasive blood parameters need evaluation for their capabilities for detection of significant fibrosis. Methods: In this retrospective study, records of patients who had undergone liver biopsy for treatment-naïve chronic hepatitis B were evaluated to obtain various non-invasive blood parameters (aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index [referred to as APRI], Fibrosis-4 score [referred to as FIB-4], gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase-to-platelet ratio [referred to as GPR], and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase-to-albumin ratio [referred to as GAR]), in addition to TE, to assess significant liver fibrosis and compare these to fibrosis stage in liver biopsy. Results: A total of 113 patients were included in the study (median age 33 [interquartile range: 11-82 years], 74% males). Most (75%) patients were HBeAg-negative. The liver biopsy revealed significant fibrosis (Ishak ≥3) in 13% of the patients and nil or mild fibrosis (Ishak <3) in 87% of the patients. TE findings were available for 85 patients, APRI and FIB-4 for 95 patients, GPR for 79 patients, and GAR for 78 patients. The median values of all the parameters were significantly higher in patients with significant fibrosis, as compared to patients with non-significant fibrosis, and all the blood parameters as well as TE were able to identify patients with significant fibrosis significantly well (p<0.05). All non-invasive parameters had low positive predictive value but negative predictive value above 92%. Compared to TE, all the non-invasive blood parameters had similar area under the curve for detecting significant fibrosis, with excellent negative predictive value (≥93%). Conclusions: Non-invasive blood parameters (APRI, FIB-4, GPR, and GAR) with negative predictive values above 93% are excellent parameters for ruling-out significant fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B. These can be used at bedside in place of TE.

Clinical Features of COVID-19 and Factors Associated with Severe Clinical Course: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Background: COVID-19 is a new disease which has become a global pandemic, and is caused by a novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2. The disease is still not very well characterized, and factors associated with severe clinical course are not well known. Methods: The main objectives were to determine the demographic, clinical and laboratory manifestations of COVID-19 and to identify the factors associated with severe clinical course. We searched the PubMed for studies published between Jan 1, 2020 and Mar 17, 2020, and included them if they were in English language, published in full, were retrospective or prospective observational or case control study with data on clinical, laboratory and imaging features of adult patients with COVID-19 disease from single or multiple centers. Studies that included exclusively pediatric patients were excluded. The demographic, clinical and laboratory data was displayed as n (%) or mean (SD). The meta-analysis on factors associated with severe clinical course was performed using the random effects model, and odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated as the effect sizes. Findings: We included 58 studies (6892 patients) for the systematic review on clinical manifestations and 21 studies (3496 patients) for meta-analysis on factors associated with severe clinical course. The mean age of patients with COVID-19 is 49.7±16.3 years with a male to female ratio of 1.2:1. Common symptoms and their frequency are: fever (83.4%), cough (60.5%), fatigue (33.8%), sputum (28.9%), dyspnea (22.1%), myalgia (20.6%), chest tightness / pain (16.3%), sore throat (13.5%), headache (11.2%), diarhhea (7.5%), nasal congestion / rhinorrhea (6.7%), nausea / vomiting (5.6%), pain abdomen (4.6%), and hemoptysis (1.7%). The comorbidities associated with COVID-19 are: hypertension (18.4%), diabetes mellitus (9.8%), cardiovascular diseases (8.8%), endocrine diseases (5.8%), gastrointestinal diseases (5%), CLD (3%), and COPD (2.8%). Among the laboratory parameters WBC was low in 27%, high in 9%, platelets were low in 22.9%, creatinine was high in 6.5%, AST was high in 25.3%, ALT was high in 22.7%, bilirubin was high in 8.8%, albumin was low 60.1%, CT chest was abnormal in 89%, CRP was high in 67.5%, LDH was high in 52%, D-dimer was high in 34.8%, CK was high in 14.4%, and procalcitonin was high in 15.4%. Factors significantly associated severe clinical course (with their ORs) are as follows: High CRP (5.78), high procalcitonin (5.45), age >60 (4.82), dyspnea (4.66), high LDH (4.59), COPD (4.37), low albumin (4.34), high D-dimer (4.03), cardiac disease (3.88), low lymphocyte count (3.22), any associated comorbidity (3.16), diabetes mellitus (3.11), high WBC count (2.67), high bilirubin level (2.55), high creatinine (2.34), high AST (2.31), hypertension (2.30), low platelets (1.78), High ALT (1.69), high CK (1.66), fever spikes ≥39°C (1.59), diarrhea (1.55), male gender (1.47), and sputum (1.35). Interpretation: Identification of these factors associated with severe COVID-19 will help the physicians working at all levels of healthcare (primary, secondary, tertiary and ICU) in determining which patients need home care, hospital care, HDU care, and ICU admission; and thus, prioritize the scarce healthcare resource use more judiciously. Many of these identified factors can also help the public at large in the current COVID-19 epidemic setting, to judge when they should seek immediate medical care.

Is diabetes mellitus associated with mortality and severity of COVID-19? A meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Many studies on COVID-19 have reported diabetes to be associated with severe disease and mortality, however, the data is conflicting. The objectives of this meta-analysis were to explore the relationship between diabetes and COVID-19 mortality and severity, and to determine the prevalence of diabetes in patients with COVID-19. METHODS: We searched the PubMed for case-control studies in English, published between Jan 1 and Apr 22, 2020, that had data on diabetes in patients with COVID-19. The frequency of diabetes was compared between patients with and without the composite endpoint of mortality or severity. Random effects model was used with odds ratio as the effect size. We also determined the pooled prevalence of diabetes in patients with COVID-19. Heterogeneity and publication bias were taken care by meta-regression, sub-group analyses, and trim and fill methods. RESULTS: We included 33 studies (16,003 patients) and found diabetes to be significantly associated with mortality of COVID-19 with a pooled odds ratio of 1.90 (95% CI: 1.37-2.64; p < 0.01). Diabetes was also associated with severe COVID-19 with a pooled odds ratio of 2.75 (95% CI: 2.09-3.62; p < 0.01). The combined corrected pooled odds ratio of mortality or severity was 2.16 (95% CI: 1.74-2.68; p < 0.01). The pooled prevalence of diabetes in patients with COVID-19 was 9.8% (95% CI: 8.7%-10.9%) (after adjusting for heterogeneity). CONCLUSIONS: Diabetes in patients with COVID-19 is associated with a two-fold increase in mortality as well as severity of COVID-19, as compared to non-diabetics. Further studies on the pathogenic mechanisms and therapeutic implications need to be done.