A Complementary Therapy with Whey Protein in Diabetes: A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and its complications can cause severe morbidity and mortality. The researchers and clinicians’ attention has been toward finding the efficient treatment for T2DM to decrease its heavy burden on the people and countries. Whey protein (WP) is a known glucose-lowering treatment of traditional Persian medicine. This randomized controlled clinical trial aimed to evaluate the efficacy of the WP on the improvement of the glycemic index of the patients with T2DM in Fars, Fasa, Iran. A total of 58 people with T2DM met the inclusion criteria and were randomly assigned to one of two groups: intervention or placebo. For 12 weeks, they were given 1 sachet of WP or 1 sachet of placebo. Before and after the trial, fasting blood sugar, lipid profile, and liver enzymes were tested. Finally, 35 patients completed the study (18 in the whey group and 17 in the placebo group). The mean ± standard deviation of age, BMI, and the disease duration in placebo group were: 52.1±9.2 years, 26.8±3.9 kg/m2 and 102.9±67.7 months and in WP group were 51.2±8.2 years, 25.7±3.7 kg/m2 and 74.2±51.1 months. There were no significant differences among the study groups at the beginning (P>0.05). Meanwhile, the WP and placebo groups were the same by means of the amount of anti-diabetic drugs that participants consumed (P=0.242). After 12 weeks: the fasting blood sugar (FBS) and hemoglobin A1C amounts showed important decreases in the WP group compared to its starting point (P=0.011 and P=0.001 respectively), while in the placebo group, there was no significant difference in this matter (P>0.05).  No severe complications were reported in both groups. In conclusion, we found that whey protein would be a promising complementary therapy to control hyperglycemia in the patients with T2DM

Association between inter-arm blood pressure difference and cardiovascular disease: result from baseline Fasa Adults Cohort Study

The inter-arm blood pressure difference has been advocated to be associated with cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. Our study aimed to investigate the association between Inter-arm systolic and diastolic blood pressure differences and Cardio Vascular Disease (CVD). A total of 10,126 participants aged 35–70 years old were enrolled in a prospective Fasa Persian Adult Cohort. In this cross-sectional study, the cutoff values for inter-arm blood pressure difference were less than 5, greater than 5, greater than 10, and greater than 15 mm Hg. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were used to analyze the data. Based on the results the prevalence of ≥ 15 mmHg inter-arm systolic and diastole blood pressure difference (inter-arm SBPD and inter-arm DBPD) were 8.08% and 2.61%. The results of logistic regression analysis showed that inter-arm SBPD ≥ 15 and (OR<5/≥15 = 1.412; 95%CI = 1.099–1.814) and inter-arm DBPD ≥ 10 (OR<5/≥10 = 1.518; 95%CI = 1.238–1.862) affected the risk of CVD. The results showed that the differences in BP between the arms had a strong positive relationship with CVD. Therefore, inter-arm blood pressure could be considered a marker for the prevention and diagnosis of CVD for physicians

EFFECT OF ENHANCED EXTERNAL COUNTER PULSATION ON PLAS-MA LEVEL OF NITRIC OXIDE AND VASCULAR ENDOTHELIAL GROWTH FACTOR

Abstract &nbsp;&nbsp; BACKGROUND: Endothelial dysfunction contributes to the manifestation of stable and unstable coronary syndromes in patients with established coronary artery disease (CAD). Enhanced external counterpulsation (EECP) is a noninvasive therapeutic modality for patients with CAD, non responsive to medical and/or surgical treatment. The aim of this research was to determine the long-term effect of EECP on endothelial function via releasing angiogenic factors, NO (nitric oxide) and VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor), in patients with CAD. &nbsp;&nbsp; METHODS: The study was performed on 19 consecutive patients with ischemic coronary artery disease. All subjects were treated with EECP 1-h per day, 5 days a week, over 7 weeks (totally 35 h). Serum level of VEGF and nitrite (stable NO metabolite) concentration was measured before EECP, after 24th day, at the end of course (35th day), and at 1 and 3 months after completion of EECP treatment. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; RESULTS: After 35 hours of EECP, there was a trend toward increase (31.5 &plusmn; 14.7%) in nitrite level compared with baseline (11.12&plusmn;3.17vs 9.65&plusmn;1.36mg/L) but it wasn&rsquo;t significant. Results of 1and 3 month follow-up after treatment showed that, the nitrite levels significantly increased compared with the baseline. During the course of EECP therapy, plasma VEGF levels increased progressively .Significant increase in plasma levels of VEGF were began from second sampling session of our study (24th day) and reached to maximum 3 month after EECP therapy. &nbsp;&nbsp; CONCLUSION: In this prospective study that assessed the effects of EECP on plasma nitrite and VEGF levels, it has been demonstrated that EECP progressively increases nitrite and VEGF levels during the course of therapy. These significant changes continued 3 months after EECP therapy.</p

Prevalence and factors associated with inter-arm systolic and diastolic blood pressure differences: results from the baseline Fasa Adult’s Cohort Study (FACS)

Abstract Background One of the modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular diseases is the inter-arm blood pressure difference (IAD), which can be easily measured. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and factors related to the Iranian population’s inter-arm differences in systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Method This cross-sectional study was conducted on the baseline data of participants who had Iranian nationality, were at least 1 year of residence in the area, aged within the age range of 35–70 years, and willed to participate from the Fasa Persian Adult Cohort Study (FACS). IAD for systolic and diastolic blood pressure was measured and categorized into two groups of difference < 10 and ≥ 10 mmHg. Logistic regression was used to model the association between independent variables and IAD. Results The prevalence of systolic and diastolic IAD ≥ 10 mmHg was 16.34% and 10.2%, respectively, among 10,124 participants. According to the multivariable logistic regression models, age (adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 1.019 [95% CI: 1.013, 1.025]), body mass index (BMI) (aOR: 1.112 [95% CI: 1.016, 1.229]), having type 2 diabetes (aOR Yes/No: 1.172 [95% CI: 1.015, 1.368]), having chronic headaches (aOR Yes/No: 1.182 [95% CI: 1.024, 1.365]), and pulse rate (aOR: 1.019 [95% CI: 1.014, 1.024]) significantly increased the odds of systolic IAD ≥ 10 mmHg. Additionally, high socio-economic status decreased the odds of systolic IAD ≥ 10 mmHg (aOR High/Low: 0.854 [95% CI: 0.744, 0.979]). For diastolic IAD, age (aOR: 1.112 [95% CI: 1.015, 1.210]) and pulse rate (aOR: 1.021 [95% CI: 1.015, 1.027]) significantly increased the odds of diastolic IAD ≥ 10 mmHg. Moreover, high socioeconomic status decreased the odds of diastolic IAD ≥ 10 mmHg (aOR High/Low: 0.820 [95% CI: 0.698, 0.963]). Conclusion The noticeable prevalence of systolic and diastolic IAD in general population exhibits health implications due to its’ association with the risk of cardiovascular events. Sociodemographic and medical history assessments have potentials to be incorporated in IAD risk stratification and preventing programs