Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are one of the most common, highly heritable neurodevelopmental diseases affecting 1-2% of children under the age of 3. Although studies have implicated genetic predispositions, environmental risk factors, and maternal depression as the pathophysiology of ASD, it remains unclear. The association between antidepressant (AD) usage during pregnancy and the likelihood of ASD in children is still debatable. We carried out a systematic review to determine the relation of ASD with AD in offspring exposed to ADs in utero. We used the following terms of medical subject heading (MeSH) and keywords separately and in combination: "antidepressants," "maternal/pregnancy depression," "autism spectrum disorders/autism," and "selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI)." Our data search was conducted on PubMed, PubMed Central, Google Scholar, and Cochrane, which resulted in 28,141 articles. We identified and eliminated duplicates and then screened 9,965 articles by title and abstract. We then applied eligibility criteria over 143 relevant articles; a quality assessment was performed, and finally we included 18 selected studies.Mothers who had taken ADs during pregnancy for at least two medication prescription cycles and children detected to have ASD from two years to 18 years of age were included. We excluded articles in languages other than English, grey literature, case reports, letters to the editor, books, documents, animal studies, and studies published before 2017. Out of 18 studies, 17 evaluated ASD as the primary outcome, and for one study, the outcome was child behavioral as well as neurodevelopmental changes. Other additional outcomes studied were attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), preterm birth, spontaneous abortion, small for gestational age, maternal mental illness, and persistent pulmonary hypertension. After adjusting for confounding factors, in six studies, the higher correlations between ASD and ADs were eliminated. Also, paternal AD use, maternal pre-conceptional AD drug use, and maternal depression itself are additional factors that raise the incidence of ASD.

Diabetes mellitus and depression are chronic debilitating disorders and can occur comorbidly. They are thought to be linked not only through environmental and behavioral factors but through molecular mechanisms as well. Antidepressant medication and psychological therapy, standard treatments for depressive symptoms in Type 2 diabetes mellitus, are linked to high rates of treatment failure and nonadherence; therefore, understanding the molecular mechanisms linking diabetes and depression could lead to discovering new targets and developing novel therapeutics. Metformin is considered a first-line antidiabetic medication for Type 2 diabetes mellitus, and several studies have discussed its antidepressant effect. Metformin is thought to promote neurogenesis, enhance spatial memory function and protect the brain against oxidative imbalance. This systematic review aims to compile information on metformin's effect on depression symptoms and assess current knowledge on the relationship between depression and diabetes. After reviewing several studies, we concluded that metformin might help treat comorbid depression in diabetic patients, but before it can be recommended as a depression medication, more extensive and betterdesigned trials are needed.

Deaths from colorectal cancer (CRC) are still rising, and various links to etiology have been proposed. However, a direct link between microbial dysbiosis and colorectal cancer has not been postulated. This study aimed to identify the role of microbes in the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer. This systematic review was based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. A systematic search was done considering papers published over the past 12 years, using PubMed, PubMed Central, Cochrane, Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect databases. Studies were selected based on the following predefined eligibility criteria: English-language systematic reviews, meta-analysis, randomized controlled trials (RCTs), and clinical trials, which included papers on microbes playing roles in colorectal cancer with the derived data transferred to a template. Following this, quality assessment was done using each study's relevant assessment tool. The initial search generated 128 studies. From the study, we found the ratio of Fusobacterium, when compared between healthy and colorectal cancer patients' guts, was the highest, although it was not the most predominant gut organism. Enterotoxigenic Bacteroides fragilis (ETBF), Clostridium and Salmonella, and Peptostreptococcus showed links with colorectal cancer and described pathways that could explain its implication in colorectal cancer. However, overt conclusions cannot be drawn because further research needs to be conducted.Categories: Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology Keywords: microbes or ("microbiota" [all fields] or "microbiome" [all fields]) and ("colorectal cancer" [all fields] or "colorectal carcinogenesis" [all fields] or "colon cancer" [all fields] or "rectal cancer" [all fields]), microbes associated with crc, colerectal carcinogenesis, microbial dysbiosis, microbes and colorectal cancer

With the increasing prevalence of obesity, the worldwide risk of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) has also increased. Abdominal obesity increases intragastric pressure, disturbing the integrity of the gastroesophageal junction, thus facilitating reflux. Other than obesity, some lifestyle factors also cause GERD, including smoking, consumption of alcohol and caffeine, late-night meals, and high fat intake. This review study aimed to assess the impact of weight loss and lifestyle modifications on GERD. In this systematic review, the databases used were PubMed, PubMed Central (PMC), Science Direct, and Google Scholar. Boolean system and Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) strategy were used to form suitable keywords. Patients from the pediatric and geriatric populations were excluded from the study and quality assessment was done using different assessment tools. A positive association between obesity and GERD was found. It was also found that the long-term use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) causes complications, so lifestyle interventions should be used more than PPIs for treating GERD, especially in obese patients. We concluded that weight loss could lead to the resolution of gastroesophageal reflux disease, and therefore, conservative measures, including dietary modifications such as reducing the consumption of alcohol, caffeine, and chocolate, behavioral changes such as smoking cessation and elevation of the head of the bed, and weight loss, should be used as first-line management for GERD. Although awareness has increased regarding the adverse effects of proton pump inhibitors, future studies are required to assess these negative effects.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) primarily affects the immune systems, which, if progressed, will lead to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Currently, there is no effective cure for the disease, and patients are affected lifelong, but there are antiretroviral medications that can control the disease's symptoms and progression. In addition, taking precautions during sexual contact, especially in the male homosexual population, while handling the patient's bodily fluids such as blood and saliva, and during childbirth by an infected mother is necessary to prevent the transmission of the virus. We used 15 studies, including systematic reviews and meta-analyses, observation studies, randomized clinical trials, and comprehensive reviews, to determine how HIV interferes with heart disease, increasing morbidity and mortality. We have used specific inclusion and exclusion criteria, focusing on specified age groups within a particular timeline. Some of the included studies found that many side effects from antiretroviral drugs can impact heart conditions, along with HIV, while others did not show a strong correlation between HIV and some heart diseases. In conclusion, after reviewing the literature, the results are inconclusive. More extensive trials focusing on the impact HIV has on heart disease are required to establish a strong correlation between HIV and heart disease to prevent morbidity and mortality.