Higher global diet quality score is inversely associated with odds of metabolic syndrome among Iranian adults.

BACKGROUND: Growing research underscores the significance of diet quality in the development of Metabolic Syndrome (MetS). Our study investigates the correlation between the Global Diet Quality Score (GDQS) and MetS, along with its components, in Iranian adults. METHODS: This study utilizes data from the Yazd Health Study (YaHS) and includes a final analysis of 2,904 participants aged 20-70 years. Dietary data were gathered using food frequency questionnaires. MetS was defined in line with the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP ATP III) criteria. GDQS was derived by totaling the points across all 25 food groups, with scores ranging from 0 to 49. To examine the association between GDQS and MetS, multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted in both crude and adjusted models. RESULTS: Participants who had the highest adherence to GDQS had a 20% lower chance of having MetS than those who had the lowest adherence after adjusting for confounding variables in Model II (T3 vs. T1: OR = 0.80; 95% CI: 0.46-0.99, P-trend = 0.045). There was no association between GDQS and MetS components including increased blood pressure, fasting blood glucose (FBG), triglyceride, abdominal obesity and reduced high-density lipoprotein (HDL) in crude and adjusted models. CONCLUSION: higher adherence to GDQS was inversely related to odds of MetS. Further longitudinal and clinical trials investigations are required to confirm these associations.

The association between score of plant-based diet and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in adults.

BACKGROUND: Plant-based diet (PDI) as resource of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory phytochemicals, that was considered to protect against onset and development of Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). AIM: To investigate the association between plant-based diet and NAFLD in adults. METHODS: The present case control study was conducted on 240 individuals (120 with NAFLD and 120 control) aged 20-69 years. Provided recommendations by the American College of Gastroenterology and the American Gastroenterological Association were used for NAFLD diagnosis. Dietary intake was assessed using 178-food item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Also, plant-based diet score was evaluated based on 18 food groups classified into animal foods, healthy and unhealthy plant foods. A multiple logistic regression model was used to examine the relationship between fatty liver disease and tertiles of PDI. RESULTS: The results of this study showed that we did not observe any association between tertiles of PDI and NAFLD in crude model (OR: 1.29, 95%CI:0.66-2.52, P:0.44) and after adjustment for confounders including age, energy intake, physical activity, body mass index (OR:0.76, 95%CI: 0.31-1.86, P:0.52). Also, there were not any association of tertiles of healthy PDI (hPDI) (OR:1.14, 95%CI: 0.50-2.60, P:0.74) and unhealthy PDI (uhPDI) (OR:0.89, 95%CI:0.36-2.18, P: 0.79) with NAFLD after full adjustment for potential confounders. CONCLUSION: There was not any association of PDI, hPDI, and uPDI with NAFLD in adults. More research needs to examine whether this specific diet may impact and improve NAFLD.

The associations between plant-based dietary indices with depression and quality of life and insomnia among Iranian adolescent girls in 2015.

Although previous research has explored the link between plant-based diets and mental health outcomes, there has been limited study on the quality levels of plant foods in this context. This study was conducted on 733 adolescent girls from cities in northeastern Iran. The validated Iranian version of the Insomnia Severity Index, SF-12v2 questionnaire and Persian version of the Beck Depression Inventory used to assess insomnia and poor quality of life (QoL) and depression, respectively. Dietary intakes assessed using a valid and reliable food frequency questionnaire. The association of scores of plant based dietary index (PDI) and poor QoL, depression and insomnia explored by binary logistic regression. The unadjusted model showed subjects in the highest quartile of healthy PDI had lower chances of insomnia than those in the lowest quartile (OR: 0.50; 95% CI 0.27-0.91, P = 0.024). The association persisted across various adjusted models. Subjects in the highest quartile of unhealthy PDI (uPDI) had higher chances of depression than those in the lowest quartile (OR: 1.83; 95% CI 1.09-3.08, P = 0.022). The significance of the association was maintained after adjusting for other confounders. A healthy plant-based dietary index is associated with a lower odds of insomnia. An unhealthy plant-based dietary index was associated to an increased chance of depression. Findings need to be confirmed by future studies.

Cholesterol Ester Transfer Protein Taq1B Polymorphism and Its Association with Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Patients Undergoing Angiography in Yazd, Eastern Iran: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Several studies assessed the relationship between the cholesterol ester transfer protein (CETP) Taq1B gene polymorphism (rs708272) with risk factors of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). However, their findings were inconsistent. The present study investigated the relationship between CVD risk factors and the Taq1B variant in patients undergoing coronary angiography. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 476 patients aged 30-76 years old of both sexes from 2020-2021, in Yazd (Iran). The Taq1B polymorphism genotypes were evaluated using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) on DNA extracted from whole blood. Standard protocols were used to measure cardio-metabolic markers. To determine the association between CVDs risk factors and the rs708272 variant, binary logistic regression was used in crude and adjusted models. Results: Taq1B polymorphism genotype frequencies were 10.7% for B1B1, 72.3% for B1B2, and 17% for B2B2. There was no significant association between abnormal levels of CVDs risk factors and different genotypes of the Taq1B variant, Gensini score (P=0.64), Syntax score (P=0.79), systolic blood pressure (P=0.55), diastolic blood pressure (P=0.58), and waist circumference (P=0.79). There was no significant association between genotypes of the rs708272 variant and any abnormal serum lipid levels. After adjusting for confounders, the results remained non-significant. Conclusion: There was no significant association between CVDs risk factors and CETP rs708272 polymorphism. The relationship between CETP gene variants and CVD occurrences varied across groups, implying that more research in different regions is required.A preprint version of this manuscript is available at https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-2575215/v1 with doi: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2575215/v1.

Dietary antioxidant status indices may not interact with CETP Taq1B polymorphism on lipid profile and severity of coronary artery stenosis in patients under coronary angiography.

The association of CETP Taq1B polymorphism with some metabolic traits is still controversial. The interaction of adherence to dietary indices with this polymorphism on the severity of coronary artery stenosis and serum lipid parameters needs to be investigated. This study aimed to test this hypothesis. This cross-sectional study included 453 patients who were referred from Afshar Hospital of Yazd and undergoing coronary angiography from 2020 to 2021. Dietary intake was evaluated by a 178-item validated and reliable dietary questionnaire. Dietary indices such as dietary antioxidant index (DAI), dietary antioxidant quality score (DAQS), and dietary phytochemical index (DPI) are determined according to dietary guidelines. The Taq1B variant was genotyped by the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method (PCR-RFLP). Two-way ANOVA was used to test the interaction between Taq1B polymorphism and dietary indices. The results of the frequency analysis of Taq1B genotypes showed that 10.4% were B1B1, 72.4% B1B2, and 17.2% B2B2. No significant interaction was found between the Taq1B variant with high adherence to DAQS, DAI, and DPI on total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), triglyceride (TG) levels, and Gensini score (GS) and Syntax score (SS). In high-adherence dietary indices, lipid profile and coronary artery stenosis scores did not differ significantly in Taq1B genotypes. Due to the insignificant results in this research, further studies are needed to investigate the role of Taq1B SNP in modulating dyslipidemia and the severity of the CAD in interaction with dietary indices.

The association between lifelines diet score (LLDS) with depression and quality of life in Iranian adolescent girls.

BACKGROUND: It has been proposed that a greater degree of adherence to a healthy dietary pattern is associated with a lower risk of depression and a poor quality of life (QoL). The Lifelines diet score (LLDS) is a new, evidence-base scoring system to define the quality of diet. We designed a cross-sectional study to investigate the association between LLDS with depression and QoL in Iranian adolescent girls. METHODS: A total of 733 female adolescents were recruited from Mashhad and Sabzevar cities, Iran. Depression and QoL were assessed utilizing the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and SF-12v2 questionnaires, respectively. The LLDS was defined by dividing intakes of 12 food groups with negative or positive health effects into quintiles ranging 12 to 60 points. To explore the association between LLDS with QoL and depression, logistic regression was used in crude and adjusted models. RESULTS: The prevalence of depression and poor QoL was 24% and 49%, respectively. After adjusting for confounding factors, adolescent girls in the highest quartile of LLDS compared with the participants in the lowest quartile had a 42% lower probability of reporting depressive symptoms (OR: 0.58; 95% CI: 0.35-0.97, P = 0.03). In addition, the participants in the highest quartile of LLDS had lower odds of poor QoL compared with the subjects in the lowest quartile (OR: 0.65; 95% CI: 0.42-0.92, P = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: There is an inverse relationship between LLDS with risk of depression and poor QoL. Prospective and interventional investigations are needed to reach a clear vision.

Dietary nitrate intake and association with markers of cardiometabolic risk in Iranian female adolescents.

Dietary nitrates are thought to confer several cardiometabolic health benefits, including improvements in blood pressure and the plasma lipid profile. However, existing data from Iran is conflicting and there is a dearth of literature focusing on non-adult populations. A total of 988 adolescent girls were recruited from schools in different areas of Mashhad and Sabzevar, Iran. Dietary nitrate intake was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire and participants were categorized into quartiles based on this. Differences in participant characteristics between quartiles were assessed using one-way ANOVA and associations between total nitrate intake, nitrate intake from vegetables and cardiometabolic risk markers (blood lipid profile, fasting blood glucose, systolic and diastolic blood pressure) were assessed using linear regression. Nitrate intake from vegetables was positively correlated with triglycerides, even after adjusting for several variables (ß = 0.086, 95% CI = 0.002-0.097; P = 0.043). Total nitrate intake was also significantly positively associated with serum triglycerides (ß = 0.097, 95% CI = 0.010-0.084; P = 0.012); however, this relationship disappeared after adjusting for several variables. Significant interaction effects were observed between total nitrate intake, nitrate intake from vegetables, and vitamin C upon triglycerides (P < 0.01). No significant relationships were found between total nitrate intake, nitrate intake from vegetables, and other cardiometabolic risk markers. Our findings suggest there may be neutral or possibly detrimental cardiovascular effects of dietary nitrate and/or vitamin C intake which are not in agreement with contemporary literature and warrant further investigation.

Interaction between CETP Taq1B polymorphism and dietary patterns on lipid profile and severity of coronary arteries stenosis in patients under coronary angiography: a cross-sectional study.

AIM: Evidence indicates there are still conflicts regarding CETP Taq1B polymorphism and coronary artery disease risk factors. Current findings about whether dietary patterns can change the relationship of the Taq1B on lipid profile and the severity of coronary arteries stenosis appears to be limited. The present research made an attempt to investigate this possible relationship. METHODS: This cross-sectional study involved 453 male and female participants with a mean age of 57 years. A validated 178-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was used to assess dietary usual intake. Dietary patterns were extracted through principal component analysis (PCA). Taq1B variant was genotyped by the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method. Two-way ANOVA was used to test the interaction between Taq1B polymorphism and dietary patterns. RESULTS: Two dietary patterns were detected: the western dietary pattern (WDP) and the traditional dietary pattern (TDP). The frequency of Taq1B genotypes turned out to be 10.4, 72.4, and 17.2% for B1B1, B1B2, and B2B2, respectively. A significant difference was observed in TG and TG/HDL-C levels among TaqIB genotypes in higher adherence to TDP (P = 0.01 and P = 0.03, respectively). Taq1B showed a significant interaction with TDP for modulating TG levels and TG/HDL-C ratio (P = 0.02 and P = 0.04, respectively). Greater compliance to WDP demonstrated a significant difference in TG and TG/HDL-C levels across rs708272 genotypes (P = 0.03) after adjusting for confounding factors. Other lipid components and coronary arteries stenosis scores failed to show any relationship or significant difference across Taq1B genotypes or dietary patterns. CONCLUSION: Adherence to TDP may adjust the association between the Taq1B variant and TG and TG/HDL-C levels in patients undergoing coronary angiography. To better understand the relationships, we suggest prospective studies in different race groups with multivariate approaches.

Therapeutic effects and mechanisms of action of ginger and its bioactive components on inflammatory response, oxidative stress, the immune system, and organ failure in sepsis: a comprehensive systematic review.

CONTEXT: Sepsis refers to a usually lethal medical condition that results from an extreme, uncontrolled, and multifaceted immune system response to infection. Ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe; Zingiberaceae) is 1 of the most popular spice. It is widely used as a traditional herb and as medicine in the treatment of some inflammatory conditions, such as vomiting, pain, cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases, because of its varied medical characteristics, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antitumor effects. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to demonstrate the potential roles of ginger and its elements in sepsis. DATA SOURCES: This systematic review article was conducted and reported by following the guideline of the Preferred Reporting for Systematic Reviews (PRISMA). Electronic databases, including Web of Sciences, Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, and ProQuest, were searched using related key words up to January 2023. DATA EXTRACTION: Among 141 found articles, 48 eligible articles were included and reviewed for their details. Data were extracted, including the first author's name, year of publication, name of origin country, study design, number and type of subject, dosage and type of intervention, study duration, assay, and main results. DATA ANALYSIS: The data from the included articles showed that ginger and its bioactive elements, such as gingerol (1-300 µg/mL or 1-100 mg/kg for 24 hours to 14 days), shogaol (0.2-100 µg/mL or 10-40 mg/kg body weight for 24 hours to 8 days), gingerdione (1-100 µg/mL for 20-48 hours), and zingerone (2-20 µM for 4 hours to 8 days), can be effective in sepsis via suppressing the gene expression and production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and oxidant agents, downregulating immune response, and protecting against sepsis-induced organ failures in experimental and animal models. CONCLUSION: Ginger has potential therapeutic effects in sepsis. Human clinical trials are recommended. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO registration no. CRD42023373613.

Dietary phytochemical index and psychological disorders in a large sample of Iranian adults: a population-based study.

BACKGROUND: Intake of plant foods and phytochemicals can decrease the odds of mental health. AIM: The aim of study is to investigate the association between Dietary Phytochemical Index (DPI) with symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress in a large sample of Iranian adults. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, a total of 7385 adults aged 20-50 years old were provided from the recruitment phase of Yazd Health Study, a population-based cohort research on Iranian adults. Food intakes were assessed via a validated and reliable food frequency questionnaire. Symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress were assessed using a validated Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scales questionnaire with 21-items. DPI was calculated by the percent of daily energy intake taken from phytochemical-rich foods. RESULTS: After adjustment for potential confounders, normal weight subjects in the highest tertile of DPI had lower odds of depression (OR 0.65; 95% CI 0.44-0.97) and anxiety symptoms (OR 0.65; 95% CI 0.45-0.93) compared with those in the lowest tertile. However, the apparent association was not found between depression, anxiety and stress in overweight and obese subjects. CONCLUSION: We found a significant association between DPI and mental health in normal weight adults. Prospective studies are required to approve these conclusions.

Association of NFKB1 gene polymorphism (rs28362491) with cardiometabolic risk factor in patients undergoing coronary angiography.

Introduction: Genetic and environmental factors are involved in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). The aim of the study was to investigate between the genotype of the NFKB1 gene and the cardiometabolic risk factor in patients undergoing coronary angiography. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 462 adults (male and women) aged between 35 and 75 years who referred to Afshar Hospital for coronary angiography in 2021- 2022. The polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism method was used to detect the genotype of rs28362491. Biochemical parameters were measured using commercial kits. Gensini and Syntax scores were calculated using the angiography result to assess the extent of coronary artery stenosis. We used multivariate logistic regression analysis to examine the relationship between genotype variants and cardiometabolic risk factors. Results: There was no association between variant genotypes and abnormally levels of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (P value=0.51), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (P value=0.99), triglyceride (TG) (P value=0.48), total cholesterol (P value=0.79), low density lipoprotein-cholestero (LDL-C) (P value=0.31), high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) (P value=0.53), fast blood sugar (FBS) (P value=0.39), systolic blood pressure (P value=0.14), diastolic blood pressure (P value=0.64), Gensini score (P value=0.48) and syntax score (P value=0.74) in the crude model even after adjustment for confounding factors. Conclusion: We found no association between the ATTG polymorphism and cardiometabolic risk factors in patients who had coronary angiography. Further investigations are needed to assess the association between variants of 28362491 and cardiometabolic markers.

Higher global diet quality score is related to lower prevalence of depression and poor quality of life among adolescent girls.

BACKGROUND: Adolescence is a key time for the development of depression symptoms and the diet quality may be associated with mental health conditions. The present study examined the association between depression and quality of life (QoL) and the global diet quality score (GDQS) as a simple and standardized metric diet quality in Iranian adolescents. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 733 adolescent girls recruited using a random cluster sampling method. A 147-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was used for dietary intake assessment. The GDQS is gained by summing points of all the 25 food groups, ranged from 0 to 49. Depression symptoms were assessed using a Persian version of the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). For assessment of health-related QoL, the Short Form 12 Survey-version 2 (SF-12v2) questionnaire was employed. Multivariable logistic regression examined the association of depression and QoL with GDQS in crude and adjusted models. RESULTS: Adolescent girls in the highest tertile of GDQS score compared with the lowest tertile had a 41% lower odds of depressive symptoms (OR: 0.59; 95% CI: 0.39-0.90, P = 0.01). The participants in the third tertile of GDQS score had lower odds of poor QoL compared with the first tertile (OR: 0.56; 95% CI: 0.37-0.85, P < 0.01). These associations remained significant (both P = 0.01) after adjustment for age, energy intake, body mass index (BMI), physical activity, and menstruation (depressive symptoms: OR: 0.59; 95% CI: 0.38-0.92; QoL: OR: 0.59; 95% CI: 0.38-0.91, P = 0.01). CONCLUSION: We found that adolescent girls with a higher score of the GDQS had lower odds of depression and poor QoL Prospective and interventional investigations are needed to reach a clear vision.

Interaction of dietary patterns with rs28362491 on severity of coronary artery stenosis in patients undergoing coronary angiography.

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is one of the most important cardiovascular diseases. Lifestyle and genetic factors play important roles in the development of CAD. The aim of the study is to examine the interaction of dietary patterns and genes on the likelihood of abnormal lipid profile and coronary artery stenosis in Iranians undergoing coronary angiography. This cross-sectional study was performed on 440 patients who underwent coronary angiography. The factor analysis method was used to extract dietary patterns. Commercial kits have been used to assess biochemical parameters. The detection of the rs28362491 genotype was carried out by the method of restriction fragment length polymorphism. Traditional (TDP) and western dietary pattern (WDP) were extracted. We observed an interaction of adherence to TDP and rs28362491 on the odds of having a high Gensini score. These interactions indicated that higher adherence to TDP was associated with higher odds of having a high Gensini score for patients with DD genotype than for those with II genotype. (OR 2.33, 95%CI 1.00-5.44; P = 0.05). These interactions remained statistically significant even after confounder variables. We observed an interaction between higher adherence to TDP and rs28362491 variants on the odds of high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels (P = 0.04) in the unadjusted model. We found a significant interaction of this polymorphism and higher adherence to WDP on the odds of having a high Gensini score in the unadjusted model (P = 0.04). This study provides a basis for future research on NF-KB1 gene and diet interaction. More large-scale longitudinal studies are needed to validate these findings.

Dietary inflammatory index and risk of gallstone disease in Iranian women: a case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Considering inflammation as a primary occurrence in gallstone formation, this study aimed to determine the relation between serum biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress, and dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) score with the risk of gallstone disease (GD) among Iranian women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Present BMI-matched case-control study was performed among 75 women with GD and 75 healthy controls. Biochemical parameters were measured by standard laboratory methods. A validated food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was used to assess the usual intake of participants. DII score was calculated for all participants. The linear and logistic regression were used to examine the association of DII with serum inflammatory biomarkers and the odds ratio of GD, respectively. RESULTS: The mean serum levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and Malondialdehyde (MDA) were significantly (P < 0.001) higher in GD patients compared to control subjects. Women in the highest tertile of DII compared to the lowest tertile had lower intake of macronutrients, minerals, vitamins garlic, onion, pepper and fiber. Moreover, the odd of GD was significantly higher in the third tertile of the DII versus the first tertile after adjustment of potential confounders (OR: 17.47; 95% CI: 4.64-65.72). Also, a positive and significant relationship was found between the serum level of inflammatory biomarkers with the risk of GD and the inflammatory score of the diet (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Our data indicate that higher DII score, and serum inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers are related to higher risk of GD in Iranian women.

Adherence to low carbohydrate diets and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a case control study.

BACKGROUND: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is defined as the excessive accumulation of fat in the liver cells of people who do not drink alcohol. The aim of study is investigated the association between low carbohydrate diets (LCDs) and NAFLD. METHODS: This age and gender-matched case-control study was conducted on 120 patients newly diagnosed with NAFLD and 120 adults without NAFLD. Diagnosis of NAFLD based on laboratory tests and abdominal ultrasound. Low carbohydrate diets score calculated on the percentage of energy as carbohydrate, fat, and protein. Participants in the highest rank intake of fat and protein and lowest intake of carbohydrate received 10 points. Multivariable logistic odds ratio was used for examine the relation between LCDs and NAFLD. RESULTS: This study showed subjects in the highest tertile of LCD has more intake of zinc and vitamin B12 compare to lowest. Also, intake of protein (p = 0.02) carbohydrate (p < 0.02) and cholesterol (p = 0.02) were significantly higher in patient with NAFLD compare to control subjects. There was no significant association between LCD and risk of NAFLD (OR: 1.36; 95% CI: 0.97-1.92; P-trend = 0.13) in crude and adjusted (OR: 1.31; 95% CI: 0.84-2.04; P-trend = 0.23) model. CONCLUSION: However, we showed that intake of protein, carbohydrate and cholesterol are higher in NAFLD, but our results of study showed that LCDs with higher proportion intakes of protein and fat was not associated with NAFLD. Further prospective studies are required for confirm these associations.

Major Dietary Patterns in Association with the Grades of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Newly Diagnosed Patients Living in North of Iran.

Background: Evidence suggests that dietary pattern is related to incidence and grades of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between major dietary patterns and hepatic histologic features of newly diagnosed patients with NAFLD. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 260 newly diagnosed NAFLD patients. Hepatic fibrosis and steatosis were diagnosed using Fibroscan. Dietary information was obtained using a validated 168-item semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire. The association between dietary patterns and odds ratio of the grade of fibrosis and steatosis was examined by multinomial logistic regression. Results: The mean ± SD age participant was 46.53 ± 11.71 years. Fifty-seven percent of the participants were women. Two major dietary patterns were recognized: "Western dietary pattern" and "Mediterranean dietary pattern." After adjustment for various confounders, adherence to the two extracted dietary patterns was not associated with odds of fibrosis and steatosis (P > 0.05). However, P was not significant. Patients in the second quartile of the Mediterranean dietary pattern had a higher risk for being in the F1 grade compared to those in the reference group in the crude and adjusted model. Conclusions: The major dietary patterns of NAFLD patients living in Gilan were not related to the severity of their disease. More precise study design such as cohort or interventional studies is suggested to reveal the strength of this study findings.

Coenzyme Q10 improves ovarian histology and attenuates the expression of angiogenesis-associated proteins in the ovary of rats with experimental hyperstimulation syndrome.

Objectives: Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) is an iatrogenic complication characterized by many side effects. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a protective lipophilic molecule with an extensive range of biological functions, but its possible protective effect on the ovary in OHSS has not as yet been studied. The present study aimed to investigate the potential protective effects of CoQ10 on ovarian histological and molecular alterations in an experimental model of OHSS in rats. Materials and Methods: Thirty female (2 months old) Wistar rats were randomly divided into 6 equal groups: control, OHSS, OHSS+CoQ10 (OHSS+ 200 mg/kg CoQ10 for 10 days), OHSS+ cabergoline (CAB) (OHSS+ 100 µg/kg CAB for 6 days), and CoQ10 and CAB (rats receiving similar doses to treatment groups.( In the end, the effects of treatments were assessed by measuring expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in the ovary via western blotting, ovarian histomorphological alterations assessments, and serum estradiol and progesterone levels via ELISA. Results: There were histological alterations in OHSS groups, including the elevation of diameter and numbers of the corpus luteum and atretic follicles, and decreasing follicular reserve count, hyperemia, and hemorrhage at ovarian stroma. Treatment of OHSS groups with CAB and CoQ10 could decrease histological changes, serum estrogen and progesterone, and overexpression of VEGF and COX-2 proteins. Conclusion: Our results showed that ovarian histological and molecular alterations observed in experimental OHSS can be ameliorated by administration of CoQ10, indicating that CoQ10 can be used as new supportive care for OHSS patients.

Dietary phytochemical consumption is inversely associated with liver alkaline phosphatase in Middle Eastern adults.

BACKGROUND: The hepatoprotective effects of phytochemicals are controversial. A dietary phytochemical index (DPI) has been suggested as an alternative method for quantifying the phytochemical content of foods. AIM: To assess the DPI in relation to liver function tests among a representative sample of Iranian adults. METHODS: A total of 5111 participants aged 35-70 years old were included in this cross-sectional study by a multistage cluster random sampling method. Dietary intakes were collected by a validated and reliable food frequency questionnaire with 121 items. DPI was calculated by the percent of daily energy intake taken from phytochemical-rich foods. Fasting serum concentrations of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT) were determined. Linear regression was used to investigate the association between DPI and levels of liver enzymes using crude and adjusted models. RESULTS: There was an inverse association between DPI score and serum ALP in the crude model (ß = -0.05; P < 0.001). This association remained significant after adjustment for body mass index, age, smoking, energy intake, history of diabetes, and education (ß = -0.03; P = 0.01). No significant associations were found between DPI score and serum levels of AST, ALT, and GGT. The individuals with the highest DPI scores consumed significantly higher amounts of fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and cereals, yet were shown to have significantly higher serum total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, as well as several other metabolic abnormalities. CONCLUSION: Higher adherence to phytochemical-rich foods was associated with lower levels of ALP, but no change in other liver enzymes. Those with higher DPI scores also consumed food items associated with a healthier overall dietary pattern; however, they also presented several unexpected metabolic derangements. Additional randomised trials are needed to better determine the effects of phytochemical-rich foods on liver function.

The Association between Ultra-Processed Foods, Quality of Life and Insomnia among Adolescent Girls in Northeastern Iran.

Ultra-processed foods have been associated with increased risk of chronic disease, poor overall health and psychological outcomes. This study explored the association of ultra-processed foods with quality of life in adolescent girls from northeastern Iran. In an interdisciplinary cross-sectional study, n = 733 adolescent girls were recruited by random cluster sampling. Assessments were completed for demographics, physical activity, anthropometric and biochemical parameters, psychological health and dietary intake. The participants were categorized into quartiles of ultra-processed food intake, and multivariable logistic regression was used in several models to investigate the association between ultra-processed food intake and psychological health. The mean age of the participants was 14 years. There were no significant differences in participant demographics for the quartiles of ultra-processed food intake including weight, waist-hip ratio, waist circumference, depression, insomnia and cardiometabolic markers related to cardiovascular disease risk. Adjusted logistic regression showed participants in the highest category of ultra-processed food consumption had an increased likelihood of reduced quality of life (OR: 1.87, 95% CI: 1.13-3.11), with a greater chance for insomnia (OR: 4.04, 95% CI: 1.83-8.94) across all models. However, no significant associations were observed between consumption of ultra-processed foods and daytime sleepiness. We highlight the association between ultra-processed food consumption and poor quality of life and insomnia amongst adolescent girls. Large longitudinal integrated public health studies in different ethnicities are needed to confirm these associations and evaluate their possible impact for optimizing health promotion programs.

Adherence to Mediterranean diet and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children: A case control study.

OBJECTIVE: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders. The Mediterranean diet as a plant-based diet has a beneficial effect on mental health. The present study was designed to investigate the association between adherence to Mediterranean diet and odds of ADHD in Iranian children. METHODS: This age and gender matched case-control study was conducted on 360 children 7-13 years old in Yazd, Iran. Children were categorized into new diagnosed case (n = 120) and control groups (n = 240). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSMIV-TR) was used to diagnose ADHD. A validated food frequency questionnaire was used to measure food intake. The association of adherence to the Mediterranean with the odds ratio of ADHD examined by logistic regression. RESULTS: After adjusting for potential confounders including energy intake, parents' educational level, economic status, family history ADHD and physical activity, the children in the highest tertile of adherence to Mediterranean diet had a lower odd of ADHD (odds ratio [OR]: 0.49; 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 0.27-0.89) compared to the children in the lowest. In addition, an association was observed between increasing trend adherence to Mediterranean diet and decrease odds of ADHD after full adjustments (P for trend <0.001). CONCLUSION: We found that higher adherence to Mediterranean diet containing vegetables, legumes, fruits and nuts, grains, and fish could decrease the odds of ADHD in primary school children. Further studies are suggested to approve our vision.