Causal impact of statins on susceptibility to osteoarthritis: insights from a two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis.

BACKGROUND: Osteoarthritis is a widely prevalent cause of pain and disability among older adults. It is an incurable condition, and most treatments are aimed at alleviating symptoms. AIM: This study aimed to investigate the impact of statins on osteoarthritis by using a two-sample Mendelian randomization approach, using genetic variants associated with statin use as instrumental variables. METHOD: Information on single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with statin medication was obtained from the FinnGen study, and data on osteoarthritis were sourced from the UK Biobank. The inverse variance weighted method was used as the primary analytical approach for the Mendelian randomization analysis. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to evaluate horizontal pleiotropy and heterogeneity. To examine the genetic relationship between statins and osteoarthritis, linkage disequilibrium score regression-based estimates were used. RESULTS: Mendelian randomization analysis indicated a positive effect of statin use on the treatment of osteoarthritis (odds ratio 0.951, 95% confidence interval 0.914-0.99, p < 0.05). This conclusion was supported by various Mendelian randomization methods. Sensitivity analyses revealed no significant directional pleiotropy or influential single nucleotide polymorphisms that could compromise the overall causal inference. Linkage disequilibrium score regression-based estimates suggested a modest genetic correlation between statin use and osteoarthritis (Rg = 0.098, Se = 0.034, p < 0.05), thus reinforcing the robustness of the Mendelian randomization analysis. CONCLUSION: Statins reduce the risk of osteoarthritis, aligning with the results of observational studies. Further research is essential to validate these results and explore the underlying mechanisms in detail.

Chemerin influences blood lipid of aged male mice under high fat diet and exercise states through regulating the distribution and browning of white adipose tissue.

BACKGROUND: With aging, white adipose tissue (WAT) undergoes distribution change and browning inhibition, which could be attenuated by exercise. Adipokine chemerin exerts roles in the above changes of WAT, and our previous studies demonstrated the effect of decreased chemerin on exercise-induced improvement of glucose and lipid metabolism in high fat diet (HFD) feeding male mice, so this study is to clarify whether chemerin's effects on glucose and lipid metabolism are associated with the distribution and browning of WAT. METHODS: After diet and exercise interventions, body weight and adipose tissue contents in different depots of male mice were weighed, body composition and energy metabolism parameters were determined by Echo MRI Body Composition Analyzer and metabolic cage, respectively. The levels of serum adiponectin and leptin were detected by ELISA, and the protein levels of PGC-1α, UCP1, adiponectin and leptin in WAT were measured by Western blot. RESULTS: Chemerin knockout exacerbated HFD-induced weight gain, upregulated the increases of visceral and subcutaneous WAT (vWAT and sWAT, especial in sWAT), and inhibited WAT browning, but improved blood lipid. Exercise reduced the body weight and WAT distribution, increased sWAT browning and further improved blood lipid in aged HFD male mice, which were abrogated by chemerin knockout. Detrimental alterations of leptin, adiponectin and adiponectin/leptin ratio were discovered in the serum and WAT of aged HFD chemerin(-/-) mice; and exercise-induced beneficial changes in these adipokines were blocked by chemerin knockout. CONCLUSION: Chemerin influences blood lipid of aged male mice under HFD and exercise states through regulating the distribution and browning of WAT, which might be related to the changes of adiponectin, leptin and adiponectin/leptin ratio.

Relationship between carotid atherosclerosis and lipoprotein (a) in patients with acute ischemic stroke.

Objective: This study aimed to examine the relationship between lipoprotein (a) (Lp[a]) and other blood lipid indexes and carotid artery atherosclerosis in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Methods: A total of 2,018 patients were selected from the hospital "acute stroke intervention and secondary prevention registration database" by identifying blood fat indexes (cholesterol, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and Lp[a]). Based on the results of carotid artery ultrasound examinations, the patients were divided into a "no plaque" group, comprising 400 patients, a "plaque and no stenosis" group, comprising 1,122 patients and a "carotid stenosis" group, comprising 496 patients. The relationship between Lp(a) and blood lipid indexes and carotid artery atherosclerosis was then investigated using multi-factor logistics regression analysis. Results: There were 400 patients (19.8%) with no carotid plaque, 1,122 patients (55.6%) with plaque and no carotid stenosis and 496 patients (24.6%) with carotid stenosis. As the degree of carotid artery atherosclerosis increased, the Lp(a) level gradually increased; Lp(a) and cholesterol were identified as independent risk factors for carotid atherosclerosis. Conclusion: Lipoprotein (a) and cholesterol are independent risk factors for patients with AIS with carotid atherosclerosis, and their levels increase with the degree of carotid artery atherosclerosis; therefore, attention should focus on levels of cholesterol and Lp(a) in acute stroke patients to control atherosclerosis effectively.

Bidirectional causality between the levels of blood lipids and endometriosis: a two-sample mendelian randomization study.

BACKGROUND: Observational studies have found a correlation between the levels of blood lipids and the development and progression of endometriosis (EM). However, the causality and direction of this correlation is unclear. This study aimed to examine the bidirectional connection between lipid profiles and the risk of EM using publicly available genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary statistics. METHODS: Eligible exposure variables such as levels of triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) were selected using a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis method following a series of quality control procedures. Data on EM were obtained from the publicly available Finnish database of European patients. Inverse variance weighted (IVW), MR Egger, weighted median, and weighted mode methods were used to analyze the causal relationship between lipid exposure and EM, exclude confounders, perform sensitivity analyses, and assess the stability of the results. Reverse MR analyses were performed with EM as exposure and lipid results as study outcomes. RESULTS: IVW analysis results identified HDL as a protective factor for EM, while TG was shown to be a risk factor for EM. Subgroup analyses based on the site of the EM lesion identified HDL as a protective factor for EM of the uterus, while TG was identified a risk factor for the EM of the fallopian tube, ovary, and pelvic peritoneum. Reverse analysis did not reveal any effect of EM on the levels of lipids. CONCLUSION: Blood lipids, such as HDL and TG, may play an important role in the development and progression of EM. However, EM does not lead to dyslipidemia.

Occupational noise and genetic variants in stress hormone biosynthesis-based genes and rates of blood lipid changes in China: A five-year longitudinal study.

Lipid profiles are influenced by both noise and genetic variants. However, little is known about the associations of occupational noise and genetic variants with age-related changes in blood lipids, a crucial event in the initiation and evolution of atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases. We aimed to evaluate the associations of blood lipid change rates with occupational noise and genetic variants in stress hormone biosynthesis-based genes. This cohort was established in 2012 and 2013 and was followed up until 2017. A total of 952 participants were included in the final analysis and all of them were categorized to two groups, the exposed group and control group, according to the exposed noise levels in their working area. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in stress hormone biosynthesis-based genes were genotyped. Five physical examinations were conducted from 2012 to 2017 and lipid measurements were repeated five times. The estimated annual changes (EACs) of blood lipid were calculated as the difference in blood lipid levels between any 2 adjacent examinations divided by their time interval (year). The generalized estimating equations for repeated measures analyses with exchangeable correlation structures were used to evaluate the influence of exposing to noise (versus being a control) and the SNPs mentioned above on the EACs of blood lipids. We found that the participants experienced accelerated age-related decline in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels as they were exposed to noise (ß = -0.38, 95% confidence interval (CI), -0.66 to -0.10, P = 0.007), after adjusting for work duration, gender, smoking, alcohol consumption, and pack-years. This trend was only found in participants with COMT-rs165815 TT genotype (ß = -1.19, 95% CI, -1.80 to -0.58, P < 0.001), but not in those with the CC or CT genotypes. The interaction of noise exposure and rs165815 was marginally significant (Pinteraction = 0.010) after multiple adjustments. Compared with DDC-rs11978267 AA genotype carriers, participants carrying rs11978267 GG genotype had decreased EAC of triglycerides (TG) (ß = -5.06, 95% CI, -9.07 to -1.05, P = 0.013). Participants carrying DBH-rs4740203 CC genotype had increased EAC of total cholesterol (TC) (ß = 1.19, 95% CI, 0.06 to 2.33, P = 0.039). However, these findings were not statistically significant after multiple adjustments. These results indicated that Occupational noise exposure was associated with accelerated age-related decreases in HDL-C levels, and the COMT-rs165815 genotype appeared to modify the effect of noise exposure on HDL-C changes among the occupational population.

Correction of plasma fat-soluble vitamin levels by blood lipids in elderly patients with coronary heart disease.

This study aims to investigate the correlation between plasma fat-soluble vitamin levels and blood lipid in elderly patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). A total of 120 participants were enrolled, including 60 CHD patients and 60 controls without CHD. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was used to quantify plasma levels of vitamins A, D3, E, and K. Data analysis was conducted using the statistical analysis system module of MetaboAnalyst 5.0. The CHD group showed significantly higher levels of plasma total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) but not high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) compared to controls. The CHD group exhibited significantly higher plasma levels of VA and VE, positively correlating with TC, TG, and LDL-C. After adjusted by TG levels, the CHD group had significantly lower plasma levels of VA and VE, negatively correlating with TC, TG, and LDL-C. The CHD group also had significantly lower concentrations of VD3, independent of TG modification, compared to controls. VD3 negatively correlated with TC, TG, and LDL-C. Elderly individuals with CHD display abnormal blood lipid metabolism, and fat-soluble vitamins adjusted by TG levels can more accurately and timely response to implicit fat-soluble vitamins deficiency in CHD patients.

Adoption of the cardiopulmonary exercise test in the exercise ability and cardiopulmonary function rehabilitation of coronary artery disease (CAD) patients.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to explore the application of cardiopulmonary exercise testing in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients, evaluate its impact on exercise ability and cardiopulmonary function in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD), and promote the application of cardiopulmonary exercise testing in CAD management. METHODS: Fifty CHD patients after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) were recruited and randomly enrolled into the control (Ctrl) group and intervention (Int) group. Routine health education and health education combined with RT training were carried out for the two groups. Blood lipid levels and lung function were compared between the two groups after intervention. Cardiac function was evaluated by Doppler ultrasonography, and cardiopulmonary fitness and exercise ability were evaluated by a cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET). The self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) and self-rating depression scale (SDS) were employed to evaluate negative emotions. The 36-item short-form (SF-36) was adopted to evaluate quality of life. RESULT: Compared with those in the Ctrl group, the levels of serum total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TGs), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) decreased in the Int group, while the levels of high-density lipoprotein increased (P < 0.05). The quantitative load results showed that compared with the Ctrl group, the heart rate (HR) and self-perceived fatigue degree of the Int group decreased, and the ST segment increased (P < 0.05). Compared with the Ctrl group, the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), forced expiratory volume at 1 s (FEV1), ratio of forced expiratory volume to forced vital volume (FEV1/FVC%), and maximum chase volume (MVV) increased in the Int group, while the left ventricular end diastolic diameter and left ventricular end contractile diameter decreased (P < 0.05). The results of the CPET showed that compared with the Ctrl group, minute ventilation/carbon dioxide production slope, VE/VCO2 - Peak, anaerobic threshold (AT), peak oxygen pulse (VO2/HR peak), oxygen uptake efficiency platform (OUEP), increasing power exercise time (IPEt), HR recovery 1 min after exercise, peak load power (Watt peak), and value metabolic equivalent (Watt peak) increased in the Int group (P < 0.05). Compared with the Ctrl group, the SAS and SDS scores in the Int group decreased (P < 0.05). The results of the quality of life evaluation showed that compared with the Ctrl group, the score of the SF-36 dimensions increased in the Int group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: RT training can reduce postoperative blood lipid and quantitative load levels in CAD patients and improve adverse mood. Furthermore, it can improve patients' cardiopulmonary function, cardiopulmonary fitness, exercise ability, and quality of life.

Comment on Flatscher et al. Impact of Mediterranean Diet on Lipid Composition in the Colaus-PsyColaus Study. Nutrients 2023, 15, 4659.

With great interest, we read the article by Flatscher et al [...].

Risk Factors for Pelvic Organ Prolapse: Wide-Angled Mendelian Randomization Analysis.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: We hypothesized that some metabolic factors, lifestyle factors, and socioeconomic factors may have a causal effect on pelvic organ prolapse (POP). METHODS: We selected instruments from corresponding genome-wide association studies (GWAS), which identified independent single nucleotide polymorphisms strongly associated with 12 potential risk factors. Summary statistics for POP were derived from two GWAS datasets, serving for discovery and replication stage. The primary analysis involved the use of the inverse-variance weighting mendelian randomization (MR) method, with additional sensitivity MR analyses conducted. RESULTS: The univariable mendelian randomization (UVMR) analysis in both the discovery and replication stage provided evidence for significant causal effects between higher waist-to-hip ratio adjusted for body mass index (WHRadjBMI) levels, lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels, and lower educational attainment and higher POP risk, as well as a suggestive positive causal effect between triglycerides and POP. The multivariable mendelian randomization (MVMR) analysis showed that only HDL-C among the three blood lipid fractions could reduce the risk of POP. Mediation analysis indicated that HDL-C may partially mediate the effect of WHRadjBMI on POP risk, and the causal effect between educational attainment and POP may be mediated through WHRadjBMI and HDL-C. CONCLUSIONS: Our study's evidence supported a causal relationship between WHRadjBMI, triglycerides, HDL-C, educational attainment, and POP risk. This highlights that clinicians may guide the general female population to control obesity and blood lipid levels to reduce the risk of POP.

The association between alcohol consumption and blood lipids in Chinese children and adolescent: findings from the China Health and Nutrition Survey.

BACKGROUND: Alcohol consumption by children and adolescents is receiving increasing attention. It may cause dyslipidemia, a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. However, the association between alcohol consumption and blood lipids in children and adolescents is unclear, and so we aimed to characterize this association. METHODS: Data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey were extracted from children and adolescents aged 7-18 years for whom information was available on alcohol consumption. The population was divided into drinking and nondrinking groups. The χ2, Student's t, or Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare groups. Univariate and multivariate linear regression and propensity score matching (PSM) analysis were used to identify the association between alcohol consumption and blood lipids. RESULTS: This study included 408 children and adolescents with 35 drinkers and 373 nondrinkers. The drinkers had significantly lower values of total cholesterol (TC) (3.8 mmol/L for nondrinkers versus 3.5 mmol/L for drinkers, p = 0.002) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (1.3 mmol/L for nondrinkers versus 1.2 mmol/L for drinkers, p = 0.007), but not for low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (2.1 mmol/L for nondrinkers versus 2.0 mmol/L for drinkers, p = 0.092) or triglyceride (TG) (0.9 mmol/L for nondrinkers versus 0.8 mmol/L for drinkers, p = 0.21). The univariate and multivariate analyses led to the same conclusions. After PSM there was still a significant negative association between alcohol consumption and TC or HDL-C. CONCLUSION: Alcohol consumption in children and adolescents exhibited significant negative associated with TC and HDL-C, but not with LDL-C or TG. These findings need to be confirmed in future prospective research, and the health effects of blood lipid changes caused by drinking in children and adolescents need to be clarified.

Uncovering the characteristics of the gut microbiota in patients with ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic stroke.

This study aimed to explore the gut microbiota characteristics of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke patients. A case-control study was conducted, and high-throughput sequencing of the V4-V5 region of 16S rRNA was used to analyze the differences in gut microbiota. The results showed that Proteobacteria was significantly increased in the ischemic stroke group compared with the healthy control group, while Fusobacteria was significantly increased in the hemorrhagic stroke group. In the ischemic stroke group, Butyricimonas, Alloprevotella, and Escherichia were significantly more abundant than in the healthy control group. In the hemorrhagic stroke group, Atopobium, Hungatella, Eisenbergiella, Butyricimonas, Odonbacter, Lachnociostridium, Alistipes, Parabacteroides, and Fusobacterium were significantly more abundant than in the healthy control group. Additionally, Alloprevotella, Ruminococcus, and Prevotella were significantly more abundant in the ischemic stroke group than in the hemorrhagic stroke group. The gut microbiota of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke patients has significant diversity characteristics. These results provide new theoretical basis for exploring the prevention and treatment of different types of stroke through gut microbiota research.

Metal exposure and blood lipid biomarkers in early pregnancy: A cross-sectional study.

Recognizing the risk factors for dyslipidemia during pregnancy is crucial for safeguarding the health of both the mothers and the offspring. Growing evidence emerged and suggested links between environmental factors, including metals, and alteration in lipid levels or dyslipidemia in general populations. However, knowledge of the associations during pregnancy remains extremely lacking. Herein, we aimed to explore whether elevated metal exposure constitutes a risk factor for dyslipidemia in pregnant women. Based on the Tongji-Shuangliu Birth Cohort (TSBC), a total of 663 pregnant women were recruited and their urinary levels of 17 metals and blood lipid biomarkers in early pregnancy were measured, namely triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). The multivariable linear regression models revealed that exposure to selected metals during early pregnancy was significantly associated with some important biomarkers. In particular, after natural log-transformed for the levels of lipid biomarkers and metals, copper (Cu) exposure was positively associated with HDL-C (ß = 0.024, 95% CI: 0.001, 0.046), while zinc (Zn) was associated with TG (ß = 0.062, 95% CI: 0.013, 0.110) and selenium with TC (ß = 0.028, 95% CI: 0.004, 0.054). Exposure to rubidium (Rb) was positively associated with multiple lipid biomarkers, including HDL-C (ß = 0.020, 95% CI: 0.002, 0.037) and LDL-C (ß = 0.022, 95% CI: 0.001, 0.042). Mixture exposure analysis further identified significant associations between Cu and HDL-C, Zn and TG, Rb and HDL-C, when multiple metal exposures were considered in the Bayesian kernel machine regression model simultaneously. Our findings showed that exposure to several metals during early pregnancy was associated with an increased prevalence of blood lipid abnormalities in pregnant women. These findings underscore the potential impact of metal combinations on lipid metabolism and increase our understanding of the risk factors associated with abnormal lipid metabolism during pregnancy.

Blood lipid levels mediating the effects of sex hormone-binding globulin on coronary heart disease: Mendelian randomization and mediation analysis.

Observational studies indicate that serum sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) levels are inversely correlated with blood lipid levels and coronary heart disease (CHD) risk. Given that dyslipidemia is an established risk factor for CHD, we aim to employ Mendelian randomization (MR) in conjunction with mediation analysis to confirm the mediating role of blood lipid levels in the association between SHBG and CHD. First, we assessed the causality between serum SHBG levels and five cardiovascular diseases using univariable MR. The results revealed causality between SHBG levels and reduced risk of CHD, myocardial infarction, as well as hypertension. Specifically, the most significant reduction was observed in CHD risk, with an odds ratio of 0.73 (95% CI 0.63-0.86) for each one-standard-deviation increase in SHBG. The summary-level data of serum SHBG levels and CHD are derived from a sex-specific genome-wide association study (GWAS) conducted by UK Biobank (sample size = 368,929) and a large-scale GWAS meta-analysis (60,801 cases and 123,504 controls), respectively. Subsequently, we further investigated the mediating role of blood lipid level in the association between SHBG and CHD. Mediation analysis clarified the mediation proportions for four mediators: high cholesterol (48%), very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (25.1%), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (18.5%), and triglycerides (44.3%). Summary-level data for each mediator were sourced from the UK Biobank and publicly available GWAS. The above results confirm negative causality between serum SHBG levels and the risk of CHD, myocardial infarction, and hypertension, with the causal effect on reducing CHD risk largely mediated by the improvement of blood lipid profiles.

Exploring the bi-directional relationship between periodontitis and dyslipidemia: a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis.

AIM: As periodontitis and dyslipidemia are diseases that occur with high incidence, the relationship between them has attracted much attention. Previous studies on these diseases have tended to focus on lipid parameters and periodontitis, we aimed to investigate the relationship between dyslipidemia and periodontitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A comprehensive search to identify the studies investigating the relationship between dyslipidemia and periodontitis was performed on PubMed, Web of Science and Cochrane Library before the date of August, 2023. Studies were considered eligible if they contained data on abnormal blood lipid parameters and periodontitis. Studies that reported mean differences and 95% confidence intervals or odds ratios were used. RESULTS: A total of 73 publications were included in the meta-analysis. Hyper total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TGs), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) and lower high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels are risk factors for periodontitis. Periodontal disease is a risk factor for high TG and low HDL levels. Three months after periodontal treatment, the levels of TC, TG and HDL were significantly improved, and statin treatment only improved gingival index (GI) levels compared to that of the dietary control. CONCLUSIONS: The findings reported here suggest that the mutual promotion of periodontitis and dyslipidemia can be confirmed. Non-surgical periodontal therapy may improve lipid abnormalities. It can't be demonstrated whether systematic application of statins have a better effect on the improvement in periodontal status in patients with dyslipidemia compared to that of the control.

Blood lipids mediate the effects of gut microbiome on endometriosis: a mendelian randomization study.

BACKGROUND: There is evidence for an association between the gut microbiome and endometriosis. However, their causal relationship and the mediating role of lipid metabolism remain unclear. METHODS: Using genome-wide association study (GWAS) data, we conducted a bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to investigate the causal relationships between gut microbiome and endometriosis. The inverse variance weighted (IVW) method was used as the primary model, with other MR models used for comparison. Sensitivity analysis based on different statistical assumptions was used to evaluate whether the results were robust. A two-step MR analysis was further conducted to explore the mediating effects of lipids, by integrating univariable MR and the multivariate MR method based on the Bayesian model averaging method (MR-BMA). RESULTS: We identified four possible intestinal bacteria genera associated with the risk of endometriosis through the IVW method, including Eubacterium ruminantium group (odds ratio [OR] = 0.881, 95% CI: 0.795-0.976, P = 0.015), Anaerotruncus (OR = 1.252, 95% CI: 1.028-1.525, P = 0.025), Olsenella (OR = 1.110, 95% CI: 1.007-1.223, P = 0.036), and Oscillospira (OR = 1.215, 95% CI: 1.014-1.456, P = 0.035). The further two-step MR analysis identified that the effect of Olsenella on endometriosis was mediated by triglycerides (proportion mediated: 3.3%; 95% CI = 1.5-5.1%). CONCLUSION: This MR study found evidence for specific gut microbiomes associated with the risk of endometriosis, which might partially be mediated by triglycerides.

Plantago consumption significantly reduces total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Plantago is rich in soluble fiber, known for its beneficial health effects. Given this, we hypothesized that Plantago consumption might positively influence blood lipid in adults. Researchers have conducted numerous randomized controlled trials (RCTs), revealing the impacts of Plantago consumption on various blood lipid parameters. However, findings regarding specific blood lipid parameters have shown variability. This study aimed to comprehensively assess the effect of Plantago consumption on blood lipid parameters. Eligible studies evaluating the effects of Plantago consumption on blood lipid were searched in 5 electronic databases published up to August 2023. Analysis used a random effects model to determine weighted mean difference and 95% confidence intervals. In total, 29 RCTs including 2769 participants were included. Compared with the control group, Plantago consumption significantly reduced total cholesterol (TC) by 0.28 mmol/L and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) by 0.35 mmol/L, correlating to an estimated 7% decrease in cardiovascular event risk. Conversely, no substantial effects were observed on high-density lipoprotein cholesterol or triglycerides. Subgroup analyses of 29 RCTs revealed that TC concentrations were significantly lowered in studies that included male participants, those who were healthy, or had lipid disorders. Additionally, TC and LDL-C were significantly lower in participants consuming Plantago husk or psyllium, and soluble fiber intake was specifically effective in lowering TC, LDL-C, and triglycerides. In conclusion, Plantago consumption can significantly lower TC and LDL-C concentrations. The findings will provide crucial insights into the potential of Plantago in dietary strategies for blood lipid management.

Efficacy of polyethylene glycol loxenatide for type 2 diabetes mellitus patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: Some studies have proved that polyethylene glycol loxenatide (PEG-Loxe) has significant effects on controlling blood glucose and body weight in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), but there is still some controversy over the improvement of blood lipid profiles (BLP) and blood pressure (BP), and more evidences are needed to verify such effects. Therefore, this study was conducted to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the efficacy of PEG-Loxe in improving blood glucose (BG), BLP, BP, body mass index (BMI), and body weight (BW) in patients with T2DM for clinical reference. Methods: Randomized controlled trials (RCT) in which PEG-Loxe was applied to treat T2DM were retrieved by searching PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, China Scientific Journal, Wanfang Data, and SinoMed databases. Outcome measures included BG, BLP, BP, BMI, and BW. RevMan 5.3 software was used to perform data analysis. Results: Eighteen trials were identified involving 2,166 patients. In experimental group 1,260 patients received PEG-Loxe alone or with other hypoglycemic agents, while in control group 906 patients received placebo or other hypoglycemic agents. In the overall analysis, PEG-Loxe significantly reduced the levels of glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), 2-h postprandial blood glucose (2-h PBG), BMI, and BW compared with control group. However, it had no obvious effect on total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), systolic blood pressure (SBP), and diastolic blood pressure (DBP). Conclusion: PEG-Loxe has better hypoglycemic effects compared with placebo in patients with T2DM, but could not significantly improved TG, LDL-C, HDL-C, SBP, and DBP. And the combination of conventional hypoglycemic drugs (CHD) and PEG-Loxe could more effectively improve the levels of HbA1c, FPG, 2-h PBG, TC, TG, BMI, and BW compared with CHD in T2DM patients. Systematic Review Registration: www.inplasy.com, identifier INPLASY202350106.

Association between Serum Phytosterols and Lipid Levels in a Population-Based Study.

The association between phytosterols and lipid levels remains poorly assessed at a population level. We assessed the associations between serum levels of six phytosterols (campesterol, campestanol, stigmasterol, sitosterol, sitostanol and brassicasterol) and of lipids [total, low-density lipoprotein (LDL)- and high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol, triglycerides, apolipopoprotein A-IV and lipoprotein Lp(a)] in two cross-sectional surveys of a population-based, prospective study. Data from 910 participants (59.1% women, 70.4 ± 4.7 years) for the first survey (2009-2012) and from 721 participants (60.2% women, 75.1 ± 4.7 years) for the second survey (2014-2017) were used. After multivariable adjustment, all phytosterols were positively associated with total cholesterol: slope and (95% confidence interval) 1.594 (1.273-1.915); 0.073 (0.058-0.088); 0.060 (0.044-0.076); 2.333 (1.836-2.830); 0.049 (0.033-0.064) and 0.022 (0.017-0.028) for campesterol, campestanol, stigmasterol, sitosterol, sitostanol and brassicasterol, respectively, in the first survey, and 1.257 (0.965-1.548); 0.066 (0.052-0.079); 0.049 (0.034-0.063); 1.834 (1.382-2.285); 0.043 (0.029-0.057) and 0.018 (0.012-0.023) in the second survey, all p < 0.05. Similar positive associations were found between all phytosterols and LDL cholesterol. Positive associations were found between campesterol and sitosterol and HDL-cholesterol: slope and (95% CI) 0.269 (0.134-0.405) and 0.393 (0.184-0.602) for campesterol and sitosterol, respectively, in the first survey, and 1.301 (0.999-1.604) and 0.588 (0.327-0.849) in the second survey, all p < 0.05. No associations were found between phytosterols and triglyceride or lipoprotein Lp(a) levels, while a positive association between campesterol and apolipoprotein A-IV levels was found: 2.138 (0.454-3.822). Upon normal dietary intakes, serum phytosterol levels were positively associated with total and LDL cholesterol levels, while no consistent association with other lipid markers was found.

Evaluating the hypolipidemic effect of garlic essential oil encapsulated in a novel double-layer delivery system.

The limited application of garlic essential oil (GEO) is attributed to its pungent taste, poor water solubility and low bioavailability. Liposomes are nontoxic, biodegradable and biocompatible, and ß-cyclodextrin can inhibit undesirable odors and improve the stability and bioavailability. Thus a promising dual-layer GEO ß-cyclodextrin inclusion compound liposome (GEO-DCL) delivery system with both advantages was designed and prepared in this study. Experimental results indicated that the encapsulation efficiency of GEO-DCLs was 5% higher than that of GEO liposomes (GEO-CLs), reaching more than 88%. In vitro release experiment showed that the release rate of GEO in GEO-DCLs was 40% lower than that of GEO-CLs after incubation in gastric juice for 6-h, indicating that the stability of GEO-DCLs was better than GEO-CLs. Evaluation of the effects of GEO-DCLs on lowering blood lipid levels in hypercholesterolemia mice. GEO-DCLs could reduce the weight and fat deposition in hypercholesterolemia mice. Inhibiting the increase of TC, LDL-C, and decrease of HDL-C in mice. The degree of liver injury was decreased, the number of round lipid droplets in liver cytoplasm was reduced, and the growth of fat cells was inhibited. The lipid-lowering effects of GEO-DCLs were dose-dependent. GEO-DCL can improve the bioavailability of GEO and improve dyslipidemia. Based on GEO's efficacy in lowering blood lipids, this study developed a kind of GEO-DCL compound pomegranate juice beverage with good taste, miscibility and double effect of reducing blood lipids. This study lays a foundation for the application of GEO in the field of functional food.

The Effects of Cranberry Consumption on Glycemic and Lipid Profiles in Humans: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

This study aims to update the evidence and clarify whether cranberry possesses lipid-lowering and hypoglycemic properties in humans. PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus were searched to identify relevant articles published up to December 2023. In total, 3145 publications were reviewed and 16 of them were included for qualitative synthesis and meta-analysis. Stata 15.0 and Review Manager 5.4 were applied for statistical analyses. The results revealed a significant decrease in the total cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (TC/HDL-C) (MD = -0.24; 95% CI: -0.45, -0.04; peffect = 0.02) and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (MD = -0.59; 95% CI: -1.05, -0.14; peffect = 0.01) with cranberry consumption. However, it did not influence total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglyceride (TG), fasting blood glucose (FBG), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), and fasting insulin. In subgroup analysis, cranberry consumption in dried form (capsules, powder, and tablets) was found to significantly decrease the fasting insulin level (three studies, one hundred sixty-five participants, MD = -2.16; 95% CI: -4.24, -0.07; peffect = 0.04), while intervention duration, health conditions, and dosage of polyphenols and anthocyanins had no impact on blood lipid and glycemic parameters. In summary, cranberry might have potential benefits in regulating lipid and glucose profiles.