Background. Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a powerful risk factor for atherosclerosis (AT). The crucial method of minimizing the development of atherosclerosis and its clinical manifestations is lifestyle modifications, including following a healthy diet. The aim of the study was to check if the Central European Diet (CED) could be an alternative to the Mediterranean Diet (MED) in the prevention of AT in patients with a risk of MS. Methods. The randomized, single-blind nutritional trial involved 144 obese women with a risk of MS. The subjects were randomly assigned to two groups and followed MED (n = 72) or CED (n = 72) for 16 weeks. The concentrations of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and asymmetrical dimethylarginine (ADMA) were measured before and after nutritional intervention. Results. In both studied groups, the concentrations of hs-CRP decreased significantly after the nutritional intervention (CED: p = 0.0107; MED: p = 0.0002). The ADMA levels were significantly lower after nutritional intervention in the CED group (p = 0.0187) but not in the MED group (p = 0.8354). However, the observed changes of hs-CRP concentrations (Δhs-CRP) and ADMA levels (ΔADMA) were not different between the groups (p = 0.5307 and p = 0.0905, respectively). Conclusion.In the Central European post-menopausal obese population, a well-designed, energy-restricted diet with the use of food items traditional for the region (CED) could be a good alternative to MED in terms of AT prevention.
Background. Routine administration of vitamin A, recommended in CF patients, can help to prevent its deficiency. However, high vitamin A supplementation may lead to its excessive level and possible toxicity. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to assess the status of vitamin A and the determinants of its body resources in CF patients. Material and methods. In 196 CF patients aged from 4 months to 47 years, the following parameters were analysed: nutritional status (standardized body weight and height, serum albumin concentration) and clinical expression of disease (lung function − spirometry; biochemical markers of liver function − ALT, AST, GGT; respiratory tract colonization by Pseudomonas aeruginosa; diabetes; cirrhosis, non-cirrhotic liver disease; exocrine pancreatic function − fecal elastase-1 concentration; blood clotting-INR and vitamin A supplementation). Results. Median vitamin A concentration in the study group was 383.0 ng/ml (1 st-3 rd quartile: 316.5-457.0). Vitamin A deficiency was found in 32 (16.3%) subjects studied. Vitamin A concentrations above the reference range were observed only in 3 (1.5%) CF patients. CF patients with vitamin A deficiency were significantly older and had lower values of FEV1 compared to CF subjects with normal vitamin A status. Moreover, vitamin A deficiency occurred more frequently in CF patients with diabetes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa colonization, worse lung function and in those without vitamin A supplementation. However, in multiple linear regression analyses, none of the independent variables was documented to be important for predicting vitamin A status. Conclusions. Vitamin A body resources in CF patients are mostly normal. Moreover, there are no good determinants of vitamin A status in these patients. Further studies targeted at exploring potential toxicity and deficiencies of vitamin A in CF patients are needed.
Introduction. There is a growing body of evidence for the role of vitamin K in cardiovascular health. As a cofactor of carboxylation of the matrix Gla protein it prevents arterial calcification. However, the data on the relationship between vitamin K status and the blood pressure are scarce, and particularly so in persons without the burden of cardiovascular risk factors. Material and Methods. We performed a pilot cross-sectional study, in which we hypothesized that vitamin K deficiency is associated with a higher blood pressure in young, healthy people. The concentration of protein induced by vitamin K absence-II (PIVKA-II) larger than 2 ng/mL was chosen as a proxy for vitamin K deficiency; it was assessed in serum using ELISA. Blood pressure was measured using a validated, automated oscillometric monitor in triplicate.Results. Twenty-three healthy subjects were enrolled (16 female; mean age 21.3 ± 1.6 years; body mass index 20.6 ± 2.4 kg/m2). The diastolic blood pressure (DBP) was lower in vitamin K-deficient subjects (58 ± 9 vs. 67 ± 5 mmHg, p = 0.01). The mean arterial blood pressure also differed (75 ± 9 vs. 83 ± 6, p = 0.02). PIVKA-II levels correlated with DBP only (Pearson’s R = -0.41, p < 0.05; Spearman’s ? ns.). Stepwise regression identified PIVKA-II concentrations as the only independent parameter associated with DBP (adjusted R2 = 13.1%; PIVKA-II: ß = -0.41; 95%CI -1.87-(-0.00098), t = -2.08, p < 0.05).Conclusions. The relationship between vitamin K deficiency and low DBP in young adults should be investigated further.
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