Adherence to Mediterranean Diet and Tendency to Orthorexia Nervosa in Professional Athletes

Among many lifestyle components that professional athletes have to follow, nutrition is gradually growing to be one of the key factors for achieving and maintaining optimal sport performance. The Mediterranean diet (MD) is recognized as one of the healthiest dietary patterns worldwide; however, data regarding adherence to the MD among professional athletes are still scarce. Moreover, with the imposed need for a healthy diet among professional athletes, orthorexia nervosa (ON) could become a rising issue. This cross-sectional study included 150 professional athletes and 150 matched recreational athletes from Croatia. Four questionnaires were used for the assessment: general information, a test for the diagnosis of ON (ORTO-15), the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and the Mediterranean Diet Serving Score (MDSS). Significantly more professional athletes were adherent to the MD (p < 0.001) and had a tendency to ON (p < 0.001). Moreover, there was a significant negative correlation between the ORTO-15 score and the total MET min/week score (r = −0.524, p < 0.001) and a significant positive correlation between the MDSS score and the total MET min/week score in the professional athlete group (r = 0.478, p < 0.001). All of these results imply that professional athletes are more concentrated on their dietary patterns than recreational athletes, and that due to this dedication, they possibly have a higher adherence to the MD but also possibly a higher risk for developing ON. However, the association between ON and the MD should be further addressed in the future

Oromaxillofacial Surgery: Both a Treatment and a Possible Cause of Obstructive Sleep Apnea—A Narrative Review

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a chronic, sleep-related breathing disorder. It is characterized by a nocturnal periodic decrease or complete stop in airflow due to partial or total collapse of the oropharyngeal tract. Surgical treatment of OSA is constantly evolving and improving, especially with the implementation of new technologies, and this is needed because of the very heterogeneous reasons for OSA due to the multiple sites of potential airway obstruction. Moreover, all of these surgical methods have advantages and disadvantages; hence, patients should be approached individually, and surgical therapies should be chosen carefully. Furthermore, while it is well-established that oromaxillofacial surgery (OMFS) provides various surgical modalities for treating OSA both in adults and children, a new aspect is emerging regarding the possibility that some of the surgeries from the OMFS domain are also causing OSA. The latest studies are suggesting that surgical treatment in the head and neck region for causes other than OSA could possibly have a major impact on the emergence of newly developed OSA, and this issue is still very scarcely mentioned in the literature. Both oncology, traumatology, and orthognathic surgeries could be potential risk factors for developing OSA. This is an important subject, and this review will focus on both the possibilities of OMFS treatments for OSA and on the OMFS treatments for other causes that could possibly be triggering OSA

Sport Dietary Supplements and Physical Activity in Biomedical Students

Biomedical students should have suitable knowledge about sport dietary supplements (SDS) usage as they are future medical professionals who will have SDS users in their care. The aim of this study was to assess the habits, opinions, and knowledge about SDS usage, along with the level of physical activity, in 386 biomedical students at the University of Split School of Medicine. A specialized questionnaire was developed by a group of experts for the assessment of habits, opinions, and knowledge about SDS and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire—Short Form (IPAQ-SF) was used to evaluate the level of physical activity. The results showed that 49.2% of students used SDS and there was a significant positive correlation between the knowledge questionnaire score and the level of physical activity (r = 0.744, p < 0.001). Moreover, SDS users had a higher knowledge questionnaire score (p < 0.001) and a higher level of physical activity (p < 0.001) compared to non-users. These results suggest that more physically active students are better informed about SDS, but these results also imply that SDS should be implemented in the study program of future medical professionals to ensure that they are informed for their own personal consumption and will be confident in giving advice about SDS usage to their future patients

Serum Adropin Levels in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

Adropin is a secretory protein that mainly modulates metabolic homeostasis and endothelial function. There is growing evidence supporting association of adropin with various inflammatory diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This study aimed to compare serum adropin levels between 70 patients with RA and 70 matched healthy controls. Furthermore, we explored adropin correlations with RA disease activity, glucose metabolism parameters and inflammatory biomarkers. Serum adropin levels were determined by a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Serum adropin levels were significantly lower in RA patients than in the control group (2.85 ± 0.91 vs. 4.02 ± 0.99 ng/mL, p < 0.001). In the RA group, serum adropin levels had a significant negative correlation with total cholesterol (r = −0.172, p = 0.043), HbA1c (r = −0.406, p < 0.001), fasting glucose (r = −0.377, p < 0.001) and HOMA-IR (the homeostasis model assessment-estimated insulin resistance; (r = −0.315, p = 0.008)). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that serum adropin levels retained a significant association with levels of fasting glucose (β ± SE, −0.450 ± 0.140, p = 0.002) and HbA1c (−0.528 ± 0.223, p = 0.021) after model adjustments. These findings imply that adropin could have an impact on metabolic homeostasis in RA, although further well-designed studies are warranted in order to establish this

Circulating Biomarkers Reflecting Destabilization Mechanisms of Coronary Artery Plaques: Are We Looking for the Impossible?

Despite significant strides to mitigate the complications of acute coronary syndrome (ACS), this clinical entity still represents a major global health burden. It has so far been well-established that most of the plaques leading to ACS are not a result of gradual narrowing of the vessel lumen, but rather a result of sudden disruption of vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques. As most of the developed imaging modalities for vulnerable plaque detection are invasive, multiple biomarkers were proposed to identify their presence. Owing to the pivotal role of lipids and inflammation in the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis, most of the biomarkers originated from one of those processes, whereas recent advancements in molecular sciences shed light on the use of microRNAs. Yet, at present there are no clinically implemented biomarkers or any other method for that matter that could non-invasively, yet reliably, diagnose the vulnerable plaque. Hence, in this review we summarized the available knowledge regarding the pathophysiology of plaque instability, the current evidence on potential biomarkers associated with plaque destabilization and finally, we discussed if search for biomarkers could one day bring us to non-invasive, cost-effective, yet valid way of diagnosing the vulnerable, rupture-prone coronary artery plaques

Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet and Its Association with the Level of Physical Activity in Fitness Center Users: Croatian-Based Study

The Mediterranean diet (MD) is based on the traditional cuisine of south European countries, and it is considered one of the healthiest dietary patterns worldwide. The promotion of combined MD and physical activity has shown major benefits. However, the association between physical activity and the MD in regular fitness center users is still insufficiently investigated. This cross-sectional survey-based study was conducted on 1220 fitness center users in Croatia. The survey consisted of three parts: general information, the Mediterranean Diet Serving Score (MDSS) and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form (IPAQ-SF). The results showed that 18.6% of fitness center users were adherent to the MD, and there was a significant positive correlation between the level of physical activity and the MDSS score (r = 0.302, p 3150 min/wk) had the most fitness center users (34.4%) adherent to the MD, while the first tertile (MET < 1750 min/wk) had the least (6.1%). These outcomes emphasize the importance of physical activity as they imply that, with higher levels of physical activity, people are also possibly more aware of the importance that a healthy and balanced diet has on their well-being

Role of Echocardiography in Diabetic Cardiomyopathy: From Mechanisms to Clinical Practice

It has been well established that diabetes mellitus (DM) is considered as a core risk factor for the development of cardiovascular diseases. However, what is less appreciated is the fact that DM may affect cardiac function irrespective of cardiac pathologies to which it contributes, such as coronary artery disease and hypertension. Although echocardiography provides accurate and reproducible diagnostic and prognostic data in patients with DM, its use in these patients is still underappreciated, resulting in progression of DM-related heart failure in many patients. Hence, in the present review, we aimed to discuss the role of echocardiography in the contemporary management of diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM), as well as the role of emerging echocardiographic techniques, which may contribute to earlier diagnosis and more appropriate management of this complication of DM. In order to improve outcomes, focus must be placed on early diagnosis of this condition using a combination of echocardiography and emerging biomarkers, but perhaps the more important thing is to change perspective when it comes to the clinical importance of DCM

Quality of Life and Aesthetic Satisfaction in Patients Who Underwent the “Commando Operation” with Pectoralis Major Myocutaneus Flap Reconstruction—A Case Series Study

The “commando operation” is an extensive surgical procedure used to treat patients with oral squamous carcinoma and metastasis in the cervical lymph nodes. While the procedure can be curative, it is also very mutilating, which consequently has a major impact on the patient’s quality of life. Several studies showed that the procedure is associated with loss of certain functions, such as impairments in speech, chewing, swallowing, and loss of taste and appetite. Furthermore, some of these impairments and their degree depend on the reconstruction method. However, the data regarding the functional impairments and aesthetic results in patients who underwent the “commando operation” along with the pectoralis major myocutaneus flap reconstruction are still inconclusive. This study included 34 patients that underwent partial glossectomy, ipsilateral modified radical neck dissection, pectoralis major myocutaneus flap reconstruction, and adjuvant radiotherapy. A structured questionnaire was used to evaluate aesthetical results and functional impairments as well as to grade the level of satisfaction with the functional and aesthetic outcomes both by the patients and by the operator. Most of the patients stated that their speech (N = 33; 97%) and salivation (N = 32; 94.2%) severely changed after the operation and that they cannot chew (N = 33; 97%) and swallow (N = 33; 97%) the same as before the operation. Moreover, almost half of the patients (N = 16; 47%) reported that they have severe sleep impairments. However, only few of the included patients stated that they sought professional help regarding the speech (N = 4; 11.7%), eating (N = 5; 14.7%), and sleeping (N = 4; 11.7%) disturbances. Additionally, there was a statistically significant difference between the operator and the patients in the subjective assessment of the aesthetic results (p = 0.047), as operators gave significantly better grades. Our results imply that this procedure and reconstructive method possibly cause impairments that have an impact on the patients’ wellbeing. Moreover, our outcomes also suggest that patients should be educated and rehabilitated after the “commando operation” since most of them were reluctant to seek professional help regarding their impairments. Lastly, sleep deficiency, which was observed after the procedure, should be further explored

Role of Echocardiography in Diabetic Cardiomyopathy: From Mechanisms to Clinical Practice

It has been well established that diabetes mellitus (DM) is considered as a core risk factor for the development of cardiovascular diseases. However, what is less appreciated is the fact that DM may affect cardiac function irrespective of cardiac pathologies to which it contributes, such as coronary artery disease and hypertension. Although echocardiography provides accurate and reproducible diagnostic and prognostic data in patients with DM, its use in these patients is still underappreciated, resulting in progression of DM-related heart failure in many patients. Hence, in the present review, we aimed to discuss the role of echocardiography in the contemporary management of diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM), as well as the role of emerging echocardiographic techniques, which may contribute to earlier diagnosis and more appropriate management of this complication of DM. In order to improve outcomes, focus must be placed on early diagnosis of this condition using a combination of echocardiography and emerging biomarkers, but perhaps the more important thing is to change perspective when it comes to the clinical importance of DCM

Effects of Olive Oil and Its Components on Intestinal Inflammation and Inflammatory Bowel Disease

With the rising global burden of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and the rising costs of novel biological drugs, there is an increasing need for dietary approaches and functional foods that could modulate the course of IBD. The Mediterranean diet has proven to be efficacious in managing chronic inflammatory diseases, and recent studies have also shown its benefits in the setting of IBD. Since olive oil and its compounds have been shown to provide a considerable anti-inflammatory effect, in this review, we aim to discuss the latest evidence concerning the impact of olive oil and its bioactive compounds on IBD. Numerous preclinical studies have exhibited solid evidence on the mechanisms by which polyphenol-rich extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) or specific polyphenols like hydroxytyrosol (HT) provide their anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, antitumour, and microbiota-modulation effects. Accordingly, several human studies that explored the effects of olive oil on patients with IBD further confirmed the evidence brought forward by preclinical studies. Nevertheless, there is a need for larger-scale, multicentric, randomized control trials that would finally elucidate olive oil’s level of efficacy in modulating the course of IBD