The Integration of Artificial Intelligence Into Patient Care: A Case of Atrial Fibrillation Caught by a Smartwatch.

Artificial intelligence (AI) offers a wide range of applications in clinical practice, and new technologies are rapidly evolving the healthcare industry and enhancing outcomes. Smartwatches represent the most popular type of wearable AI device that can assist people in detecting cardiac arrhythmias via constant monitoring of heart activity. Numerous advantages result from integrating AI into healthcare systems, including improved patient care, lower rates of medical errors, better treatment recommendations, and more accurate diagnosis of diseases. However, doubts still remain regarding the adoption of AI into patient care due to the challenges it poses. In this paper, we report a case of atrial fibrillation (AF) in a young patient that was detected by his smartwatch. We also highlight some of the benefits and challenges of AI applications in healthcare.

Low fat diet versus low carbohydrate diet for management of non-alcohol fatty liver disease: A systematic review.

Although there is a consensus on beneficial effects of a low calorie diet in management of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, the optimal composition of diet has not yet been elucidated. The aim of this review is to summarize the results of current randomized controlled trials evaluating the effects of low fat diet (LFD) vs. low carbohydrate diet (LCD) on NAFLD. This is a systematic review of all the available data reported in published clinical trials up to February 2022. The methodological quality of eligible studies was assessed, and data were presented aiming specific standard measurements. A total of 15 clinical trial studies were included in this systematic review. There is an overall lack of consensus on which dietary intervention is the most beneficial for NAFLD patients. There is also an overall lack of consensus on the definition of the different restrictive diets and the percentage of macronutrient restriction recommended. It seems that low calorie diets, regardless of their fat and carbohydrate composition, are efficient for liver enzyme reduction. Both LCD and LFD have similar effects on liver enzymes change; however, this improvement tends to be more marked in LFD. All calorie restrictive dietary interventions are beneficial for reducing weight, liver fat content and liver enzymes in individuals with NAFLD. Low fat diets seem to be markedly successful in reducing transaminase levels. Further research is needed to explore diet intensity, duration and long-term outcome.

The effect of androstenedione supplementation on testosterone, estradiol, body composition, and lipid profile: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

OBJECTIVE: To date, no meta-analysis has been carried out to collect evidence from randomized placebo-controlled trials (RCTs) for the purpose of comprehensively summarizing the effect of androstenedione supplementation. Therefore, the aim of this research was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of all RCTs that explored the effect of androstenedione supplementation on individual hormonal, lipid, and anthropometric indices. METHODS: We searched five databases (Web of Science, SCOPUS, Embase, PubMed/MEDLINE, and Google Scholar) using a combination of medical subject headings (MeSH) and non-MeSH terms. Using the random-effects model, we summarized the outcomes as weighted mean difference (WMD) with 95% confidence interval (CI). RESULTS: Eight eligible articles were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled effect sizes suggested a significant effect of androstenedione supplementation on serum estradiol concentrations (WMD: 20.82 ng/ml, 95% CI: 7.25 to 34.38, p = 0.003), triglycerides (TG, WMD: -0.19 mg/dl, 95% CI: - 0.96, 0.57, p = 0.000), and high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol (WMD: - 0.13 mg/dl, 95% CI: - 0.23 to - 0.03, p = 0.009); however, it had no effect on testosterone (WMD: 0.098 ng/ml, 95% CI: - 0.499 to 0.696, p = 0.748), body weight (WMD: 0.579 kg, 95% CI: - 4.02 to 5.17, p = 0.805), body mass index (BMI, WMD: - 0.73 kg/m2, 95% CI: - 2.98, 1.50, p = 0.519), low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol (WMD: - 0.074 mg/dl, 95% CI: - 0.37 to 0.22, p = 0.622), and total cholesterol (TC, WMD: - 0.15 mg/dl, 95% CI: - 0.49, 0.17, p = 0.198). CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that androstenedione supplementation can lower TG and HDL-cholesterol and increase estradiol concentrations.

The effect of transdermal 17ß-estradiol combined with norethisterone acetate treatment on the lipid profile in postmenopausal women: A meta-analysis and systematic review of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The effect of transdermal 17ß-estradiol and norethisterone acetate co-administration on the lipid profile in postmenopausal women remains controversial as randomized controlled trials (RCTs) conducted to investigate this research question have produced conflicting results. Consequently, to clarify this issue, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs that evaluated the impact of transdermal 17ß-estradiol combined with norethisterone acetate treatment on the concentrations of serum lipids in postmenopausal women. METHODS: Relevant articles published before February 1st, 2022 were identified by searching the PubMed/Medline, Scopus, and Embase, and Web of Science electronic databases. A random-effects model, employing the method of DerSimonian and Laird, was used to evaluate effect sizes, and results were expressed as weighted mean difference (WMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: Pooled results from 7 RCTs with 9 intervention arms demonstrated that transdermal 17ß-estradiol combined with norethisterone acetate administration significantly decreased total cholesterol (TC) (WMD: -13.43 mg/dL, 95% CI: -18.11 to -8.75, P < 0.001) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (WMD: -13.90 mg/dL, 95% CI: -20.40 to -7.41, P < 0.001). In the subgroup analyses, a notable reduction in TC was observed in subjects with baseline TC concentrations ≥ 130 mg/dL (WMD -14.49 mg/dL), when treatment duration was ≤ 6 months (WMD: -17.21 mg/dL), and in participants with a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 25 kg/m2 (WMD: -21.71 mg/dL). Moreover, in the subgroup analyses, transdermal 17ß-estradiol combined with norethisterone acetate decreased triglycerides (TG) levels when the treatment duration was ≤ 6 months (WMD: -21.37 mg/dL). However, the prescription of transdermal 17ß-estradiol combined with norethisterone acetate in postmenopausal women did not change high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) values. CONCLUSIONS: Based on our findings, the co-administration of transdermal 17ß-estradiol and norethisterone acetate in postmenopausal females can decrease TC and LDL-C levels, as well as TG values, but does not influence HDL-C concentrations.