Circulating resistin and follistatin levels in obese and non-obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

This meta-analysis was performed to resolve the inconsistencies regarding resistin and follistatin levels in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) by pooling the available evidence. A systematic literature search using PubMed and Scopus was carried out through November 2020 to obtain all pertinent studies. Weighted mean differences (WMDs) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to evaluate the strength of the association between the levels of resistin and follistatin with PCOS in the overall and stratified analysis by obesity status. A total of 47 publications, 38 for resistin (2424 cases; 1906 controls) and 9 studies for follistatin (815 cases; 328 controls), were included in the meta-analysis. Resistin levels were significantly higher in PCOS women compared with non-PCOS controls (WMD = 1.96 ng/ml; 95%CI = 1.25-2.67, P≤0.001) as well as in obese PCOS women vs. obese controls, and in non-obese PCOS women compared with non-obese controls, but not in obese PCOS vs. non-obese PCOS patients,. A significantly increased circulating follistatin was found in PCOS patients compared with the controls (WMD = 0.44 ng/ml; 95%CI = 0.30-0.58, P≤0.001) and in non-obese PCOS women compared with non-obese controls and in obese PCOS women vs. obese controls, but, no significant difference in follistatin level was observed in obese PCOS compared with non-obese PCOS women. Significant heterogeneity and publication bias was evident for some analyses. Circulating levels of resistin and follistatin, independent of obesity status, are higher in women with PCOS compared with controls, showing that these adipokines may contribute to the pathology of PCOS.

Birth Weight and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease Incidence in Adulthood: a Dose-Response Meta-analysis.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Studies have revealed a relation between birth weight (BW) and later risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). This meta-analysis aimed to report the dose-response relationship between BW and risk of CVDs. RECENT FINDINGS: The relation of BW to CVD subtypes was found to be U-shaped as BW below ~ 2500 g and above ~ 4000 g affected positively CVD risk (OR = 1.14 = 95%CI 1.03-1.27 and OR = 1.08; 95%CI 0.99-1.18, respectively). Regarding CVD subtypes, low BW was directly linked to greater risk of CHD (OR = 1.15; 95%CI 1.02-1.29) and stroke (OR = 1.28; 95% CI 1.05-1.55), while high BW was related to increased risk of arterial fibrillation in adulthood. A U-shaped nonlinear relationship was specifically demonstrated between BW and overall CVD and its subtypes. There is a U-shaped association between BW and all CVD subtypes.

The Association of Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) Diet with the Risk of Colorectal Cancer: A Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies.

Background: The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet has been associated with reduced hypertension and risk of cardiovascular diseases, nevertheless DASH diet is rich in foods that are recommended to be inversely associated with cancer risk. The objective of the present study was to conduct the first meta-analysis of studies investigating the associations between DASH diet and risk of colorectal cancer.Methods: Relevant studies were identified in PubMed and Scopus (up to April 2019). Meta-analysis was conducted to calculate the summary relative risk (RR) estimates based on the highest versus the lowest category of DASH scores.Results: Six articles (four prospective cohorts and two case-controls) were eligible. The pooled adjusted RR of Colorectal cancer for the highest DASH score versus the lowest category was 0.81 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.75-0.88).Conclusions: Our findings suggest that adherence to the DASH diet was associated with a lower risk of colorectal cancer. These results support the need to promote healthy diet with higher intake of whole grain, vegetables, fruits, and low-fat dairy products and lower intake of salt, sweets and saturated fat to reduce colorectal cancer risk.

Association between Dietary Inflammatory Index and the Risk of Prostate Cancer: A Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Diet is a known source of pro- and anti-inflammatory mediators, and inflammatory markers have been associated with mechanisms involved in prostate cancer initiation and progression. The Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII®) is a tool to assist researchers in determining the inflammatory potential of diet. The aim of this study was to conduct a meta-analysis to assess the association between DII and prostate cancer. METHODS: EMBASE and MEDLINE were searched from inception to February 2018, for relevant observational studies. The random effects model was used to calculate the overall relative risks (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: Data from five case-control and one cohort study were eligible for inclusion. The adjusted pooled RR of prostate cancer for the highest (the most pro-inflammatory diet) versus lowest (the most anti-inflammatory diet) DII categories was 1.74 (95% CI: 1.24-2.43). The analysis in the DII score as a continuous variable was also performed and the results showed that the risk of prostate cancer was 9% higher for each one-point increase in the score. CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis suggests that promoting diets rich in anti-inflammatory food components (i.e., whole grains, fish, green vegetables, and fruits) should help in reducing preventing prostate cancer.

Common Variants of Vitamin D Receptor Gene Polymorphisms and Susceptibility to Coronary Artery Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: ApaI, FokI, TaqI, and BsmI polymorphisms in the vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene have been reported to be associated with the risk of coronary artery disease (CAD), although the results of previous studies have been inconsistent. The aim of this study was to explore whether these polymorphisms play a role in the genetic susceptibility to CAD. METHODS: A comprehensive search of Medline and Embase databases was conducted for studies evaluating the association between the VDR polymorphisms and CAD risk. Odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals were calculated to assess the strength of association in the dominant model, recessive model, allelic model, and genotypes contrast. RESULTS: Nine studies involving a total of 5,259 cases and 1,981 controls were finally included in this meta-analysis. Overall, no significant associations were found between ApaI, FokI, TaqI, and BsmI polymorphisms and the risk of CAD in any of the genetic models (all p ˃ 0.05). Moreover, a subgroup analysis by ethnicity did not reveal a significant relationship between any of the examined polymorphisms and CAD risk in Caucasians and East-Asians for any model (all p ˃ 0.05). CONCLUSION: Current evidence suggests that the ApaI, FokI, TaqI, and BsmI polymorphisms of the VDR gene might not be associated with genetic susceptibility to CAD. Further well-designed studies with large sample sizes are needed to confirm our results.

Relationship between major dietary patterns and sarcopenia among menopausal women.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Dietary habits have been associated with the prevalence of the sarcopenia and limited data are available in this field for menopausal women. This study focused on the relationship between dietary patterns and prevalence of the sarcopenia in menopausal women. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was done in 250 menopausal women 45 years old or older. Dietary data were collected using a food-frequency questionnaire and physical activity was assessed by International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Height, weight, skeletal muscle mass, hand grip, and gait speed were measured and sarcopenia was defined based on European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP) guidelines. RESULTS: Using factor analysis, two major dietary patterns were found: a Western pattern (high in commercial beverage, sugar and dessert, snacks, solid fat, potato, high fat dairy, legume, organ meat, fast food, and sweets) and a Mediterranean pattern (high in olive, low-fat dairy, vegetable, fish, nut, and vegetable oil). After adjusting for confounding variables, for the highest vs the lowest tertiles, the Odds Ratio (OR) for sarcopenia was 1.06 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.47-2.37] in the Western pattern and 0.40 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.17-0.89] in the Mediterranean pattern. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that Mediterranean dietary pattern has a favorable role in the prevention of sarcopenia.

DNA damage by the sulfate radical anion: hydrogen abstraction from the sugar moiety versus one-electron oxidation of guanine.

The products of oxidative damage to double-stranded (ds) DNA initiated by photolytically generated sulfate radical anions SO4(•-) were analyzed using reverse-phase (RP) high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Relative efficiencies of two major pathways were compared: production of 8-oxoguanine (8oxoG) and hydrogen abstraction from the DNA 2-deoxyribose moiety (dR) at C1,' C4,' and C5' positions. The formation of 8oxoG was found to account for 87% of all quantified lesions at low illumination doses. The concentration of 8oxoG quickly reaches a steady state at about one 8oxoG per 100 base pairs due to further oxidation of its products. It was found that another guanine oxidation product identified as 2-amino-5-(2'-alkylamino)-4H-imidazol-4-one (X) was released in significant quantities from its tentative precursor 2-amino-5-[(2'-deoxy-ß-d-erythro-pentofuranosyl)amino]-4H-imidazol-4-one (dIz) upon treatment with primary amines in neutral solutions. The linear dose dependence of X release points to the formation of dIz directly from guanine and not through oxidation of 8oxoG. The damage to dR was found to account for about 13% of the total damage, with majority of lesions (33%) originating from the C4' oxidation. The contribution of C1' oxidation also turned out to be significant (17% of all dR damages) despite of the steric problems associated with the abstraction of the C1'-hydrogen. However, no evidence of base-to-sugar free valence transfer as a possible alternative to direct hydrogen abstraction at C1' was found.

Identification of the C4'-oxidized abasic site as the most abundant 2-deoxyribose lesion in radiation-damaged DNA using a novel HPLC-based approach.

A novel analytical high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-based method of quantification of the yields of C4'-oxidized abasic sites, 1, in oxidatively damaged DNA has been elaborated. This new approach is based on efficient conversion of 1 into N-substituted 5-methylene-Δ(3)-pyrrolin-2-ones, 2, upon treatment of damaged DNA with primary amines in neutral or slightly acidic solutions with subsequent quantification of 2 by HPLC. The absolute and relative radiation-chemical yields of 1 in irradiated DNA solutions were re-evaluated using this method. The yields were compared with those of other 2-deoxyribose degradation products including 5-methylene-2(5H)-furanone, malondialdehyde, and furfural resulting from the C1', C4' and C5'-oxidations, respectively. The yield of free base release (FBR) determined in the same systems was employed as an internal measure of the total oxidative damage to the 2-deoxyribose moiety. Application of this technique identifies 1 as the most abundant sugar lesion in double-stranded (ds) DNA irradiated under air in solution (36% FBR). In single-stranded (ss) DNA this product is second by abundance (33% FBR) after 2-deoxyribonolactones (C1'-oxidation; 43% FBR). The production of nucleoside-5'-aldehydes (C5'-oxidation; 14% and 5% FBR in dsDNA and ssDNA, respectively) is in the third place. Taken together with the parallel reaction channel that converts C4'-radicals into malondialdehyde and 3'-phosphoglycolates, our results identify the C4'-oxidation as a prevalent pathway of oxidative damage to the sugar-phosphate backbone (50% or more of all 2-deoxyribose damages) in indirectly damaged DNA.