Physical Activity Protocols in Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Management: A Systematic Review of Randomized Clinical Trials and Animal Models.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is closely associated with other metabolic disease and cardiovascular disease. Regular exercise reduces hepatic fat content and could be the first-line treatment in the management of NAFLD. This review aims to summarize the current evidence of the beneficial effects of exercise training and identify the molecular pathways involved in the response to exercise to define their role in the resolution of NAFLD both in animal and human studies. According to the inclusion criteria, 43 animal studies and 14 RCTs were included in this systematic review. Several exercise modalities were demonstrated to have a positive effect on liver function. Physical activity showed a strong association with improvement in inflammation, and reduction in steatohepatitis and fibrosis in experimental models. Furthermore, both aerobic and resistance exercise in human studies were demonstrated to reduce liver fat, and to improve insulin resistance and blood lipids, regardless of weight loss, although aerobic exercises may be more effective. Resistance exercise is more feasible for patients with NAFLD with poor cardiorespiratory fitness. More effort and awareness should be dedicated to encouraging NAFLD patients to adopt an active lifestyle and benefit from it its effects in order to reduce this growing public health problem.

Serum ghrelin and obestatin levels in HIV-infected patients: Effect of 36 weeks of antiretroviral treatment / Niveles séricos de Ghrelina y Obestatina en pacientes infectados con VIH: efecto de 36 semanas de tratamiento antirretroviral

Introduction: Patients with HIV+ often present lipid disturbances. The role of ghrelin and obestatin in these lipid disturbances is not clear. The effect of antiretroviral (ART) drugs on those molecules is also unknown. This study measured ghrelin and obestatin levels, as well as metabolic markers, in patients with HIV+ before and after 36 weeks of ART. Material and methods: Twenty HIV-positive, ART-naïve patients who started a scheme consisting of tenofovir/emtricitabine+lopinavir/ritonavir were enrolled. Plasma samples were collected before and after 36 weeks of treatment. Serum ghrelin and obestatin levels were quantitated by ELISA; glucose, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels were measured by colorimetric and enzymatic methods, and cardiovascular risk was calculated by the atherogenic index of plasma (AIP). Results: All patients completed 36 weeks of ART. Total cholesterol (p<0.001), LDL-C (p=0.019), HDL-C (p=0.003), VLDL-C (p=0.002), and triglyceride levels (p=0.021) significantly increased after treatment. AIP revealed increased cardiovascular risk at baseline, which remained high after treatment. There was a statistically significant increase in obestatin level in the unpaired and paired analyses, while ghrelin levels only showed a trend to increase. Changes in ghrelin and obestatin levels positively correlated, but no correlation was seen with any metabolic parameter. Conclusion: After 36 weeks of ART, patients showed an altered lipid profile, but there were no significant changes in cardiovascular risk. Ghrelin and obestatin levels increased after 36 weeks of ART, but the increase was only significant for obestatin. Changes in ghrelin and obestatin positively correlate

Introducción: Los pacientes con VIH+ frecuentemente presentan alteraciones del perfil lípidico. El papel de ghrelina y obestatina en estas complicaciones no está claro. El efecto del tratamiento antirretroviral (TAR) en dichas moléculas es desconocido. Este estudio determinó los niveles de ghrelina y obestatina, así como los parámetros metabólicos en pacientes VIH+ antes y después de 36 semanas del TAR. Material y métodos: Participaron 20 pacientes VIH+, vírgenes a TAR, que iniciaron con un esquema de tenofovir/emtricitabina + lopinavir/ritonavir. Se tomaron muestras de plasma antes y después de 36 semanas de tratamiento. Los niveles séricos de ghrelina y obestatina fueron cuantificados por ELISA, los parámetros bioquímicos fueron determinados por métodos colorimétricos, se evaluó el riesgo cardiovascular por medio del índice aterogénico del plasma (AIP). Resultados: Los pacientes completaron 36 semanas del TAR. Los niveles de colesterol total (p<0,001), c-LDL (p=0,019), c-HDL (p=0,003), c-VLDL (p=0,002) y triglicéridos (p=0,021) mostraron un incremento estadísticamente significativo posterior al tratamiento. El AIP reveló un riesgo cardiovascular alto. Los niveles de obestatina se incrementaron significativamente en el análisis pareado y no pareado; y ghrelina solo mostró tendencia al incremento. Los cambios en ghrelina y obestatina correlacionaron positivamente, sin embargo no correlacionaron con los parámetros metabólicos. Conclusión: Los pacientes VIH+ mostraron un perfil lipídico alterado después de 36 semanas del TAR. Los niveles de ghrelina y obestatina se incrementaron tras 36 semanas del TAR. El riesgo cardiovascular es persistente. Los cambios en ghrelina y obestatina mostraron una correlación positiva

Serum ghrelin and obestatin levels in HIV-infected patients: Effect of 36 weeks of antiretroviral treatment.

INTRODUCTION: Patients with HIV+ often present lipid disturbances. The role of ghrelin and obestatin in these lipid disturbances is not clear. The effect of antiretroviral (ART) drugs on those molecules is also unknown. This study measured ghrelin and obestatin levels, as well as metabolic markers, in patients with HIV+ before and after 36 weeks of ART. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty HIV-positive, ART-naïve patients who started a scheme consisting of tenofovir/emtricitabine+lopinavir/ritonavir were enrolled. Plasma samples were collected before and after 36 weeks of treatment. Serum ghrelin and obestatin levels were quantitated by ELISA; glucose, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels were measured by colorimetric and enzymatic methods, and cardiovascular risk was calculated by the atherogenic index of plasma (AIP). RESULTS: All patients completed 36 weeks of ART. Total cholesterol (p<0.001), LDL-C (p=0.019), HDL-C (p=0.003), VLDL-C (p=0.002), and triglyceride levels (p=0.021) significantly increased after treatment. AIP revealed increased cardiovascular risk at baseline, which remained high after treatment. There was a statistically significant increase in obestatin level in the unpaired and paired analyses, while ghrelin levels only showed a trend to increase. Changes in ghrelin and obestatin levels positively correlated, but no correlation was seen with any metabolic parameter. CONCLUSION: After 36 weeks of ART, patients showed an altered lipid profile, but there were no significant changes in cardiovascular risk. Ghrelin and obestatin levels increased after 36 weeks of ART, but the increase was only significant for obestatin. Changes in ghrelin and obestatin positively correlate.