Controlling nutritional status score is associated with renal progression, cardiovascular events, and all-cause mortality in biopsy-proved diabetic kidney disease

Background: The Controlled Nutritional Status (CONUT) score, calculated from albumin, total cholesterol, and lymphocyte count, is a useful indicator for immune-nutritional assessment and is associated with the prognosis of various diseases. However, its relationship with renal outcomes, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and all-cause mortality in patients with diabetic kidney disease is unclear.Methods: This retrospective single-center study enrolled 336 patients with biopsy-confirmed diabetic kidney disease from August 2009 to December 2018. The outcomes were progression to end-stage renal disease (ESRD), CVD events, and death. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed to estimate the association between confounding factors and outcomes. The Kaplan-Meier curve was used to compare the outcomes of the patients according to the median CONUT score. The area under the curve (AUC) evaluated with time-dependent receiver operating characteristics was used to test discriminative power of COUNT score.Results: During a median follow-up period of 5.1 years. The Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that patients in the high CONUT group (CONUT score > 3) had a significantly higher incidence of ESRD, CVD events, and all-cause mortality than those in the low CONUT group (CONUT score ≤ 3). The multivariate COX regression analysis indicated that, The CONUT score was an independent predictor of ESRD (hazards ration [HR] = 1.129, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.037-1.228, p = 0.005), CVD events (HR = 1.159, 95% CI 1.057-1.271, p = 0.002), and all-cause mortality (HR = 1.299, 95% CI 1.143-1.478, p < 0.001).Conclusion: The CONUT score is an independent risk factor for ESRD, CVD events, and overall death in patients with diabetic kidney disease

Protective Effect of <i>Lycium ruthenicum</i> Polyphenols on Oxidative Stress against Acrylamide Induced Liver Injury in Rats

Acrylamide (ACR) is formed during tobacco and carbohydrate-rich food heating and is widely applied in many industries, with a range of toxic effects. The antioxidant properties of Lycium ruthenicum polyphenols (LRP) have been established before. This study aimed to research the protective effect of LRP against ACR-induced liver injury in SD rats. Rats were divided into six groups: Control, ACR (40 mg/kg/day, i.g.), LRP (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg/day, i.g.) plus ACR, and LRP groups. After 19 days, we evaluated oxidative status and mitochondrial functions in the rat’s liver. The results showed that glutathione (GSH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels increased after LRP pretreatment. In contrast, each intervention group reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels compared to the ACR group. Meanwhile, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), liver mitochondrial ATPase activity, mRNA expression of mitochondrial complex I, III, and expression of nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and its downstream proteins were all increased. This study suggested that LRP could reduce ACR-induced liver injury through potent antioxidant activity. LRP is recommended as oxidative stress reliever against hepatotoxicity

Data_Sheet_1_Effect of fruit intake on functional constipation: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized and crossover studies.zip

Functional constipation (FC) is commonly treated with fruits whose efficacy remains unclear. We conducted a meta-analysis of fruit intervention for FC and provided evidence-based recommendations. We searched seven databases from inception to July 2022. All randomized and crossover studies on the effectiveness of fruits on FC were included. We conducted sensitivity and subgroup analysis. A total of 11 studies were included in this review. Four trials showed that kiwifruits have significantly increased stool frequency (MD = 0.26, 95% CI (0.22, 0.30), P 2 = 0%) than palm date or orange juice in the fixed-effect meta-analysis. Three high-quality studies suggested that kiwifruits have a better effect than ficus carica paste on the symptom of the FC assessed by the Bristol stool scale in the fixed-effect meta-analysis [MD = 0.39, 95% CI (0.11, 0.66), P 2 = 27%]. Besides, five trials showed that fruits can increase the amount of Lactobacillus acidophilus [MD = 0.82, 95% CI (0.25, 1.39), P 2 = 52%], analyzed with the random-effect model. Subgroup meta-analysis based on the types of fruits suggested that fruits including pome fruit, citrus fruit, and berries have increased the effect of Bifidobacterium t more than the stone fruits in the random effect meta-analysis [MD = 0.51, 95% CI (0.23, 0.79), P 2 = 84%]. Totally, fruit intake may have potential symptom alleviation on the FC as evidence shows that they can affect stool consistency, stool frequency, and gut microbiota. Further large-scale studies are needed to gain more confident conclusions concerning the association between fruit intake and FC in the future.</p