No abstract

Over the last two years, many countries have enforced confinement to limit both the spread of COVID-19 and the demand for medical care. Confinement has resulted in a disruption of work routines, boredom, depression, and changes in eating habits, among them consumption of coffee and tea. Following six databases, we examined articles tracking consumption of these beverages. Out of 472 articles, including 23 beverage entries, 13 matched our criteria. While no clear trend in coffee consumption during the coronavirus pandemic emerged (7 of 13 studies indicated an increase, accounting for 53.8%), tea consumption clearly increased (70% versus 30%). Considering the global health emergency continuum, more research is needed to better understand the paths underlying food choices and the ways those changes may influence health outcomes, including those related to COVID-19 disease.

Background: Testosterone (T) deficit, either in prepubertal or postpubertal form of hypogonadism, seems to play a key role in impairing cognitive function, including memory, attention, language and visuospatial abilities, especially in elderly men.Objective: Several studies have recently showed the association between low serum T levels and important cognitive dysfunctions in ageing male as well as in subjects suffering from Alzheimer's disease (AD), mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and even depression, suggesting that T could exert an active neuroprotective role.Methods: By searching PubMed and recent patents (ranging from 2010 to 2015), we identified several observational and intervention studies dealing with T and cognitive function in adult and ageing men. Findings were reviewed, thoroughly examined and, finally, summarized herein.Results: Although a large number of studies have been carried out so far, conclusive evidence cannot be drawn, in particular, for cognitive disorders in males. Conversely, T supplementation has been suggested for depressive syndrome in young and ageing men. To date, no clinical data have been carried out on cognitive dysfunctions employing the quoted patents in men. Conclusions:Studies aiming to evaluate the role of serum T and its supplementation in adult and ageing men with T deficiency syndrome need to be encouraged, given that subjects affected by overt hypogonadism, either in prepubertal (i.e. Klinefelter syndrome) or postpubertal forms (chemical castration in subjects affected by prostate cancer), often complain of cognitive dysfunction, and seem to considerably benefit from T replacement therapy.

Chronic heart failure (CHF) leads to an excess of urgent ambulatory visits, recurrent hospital admissions, morbidity, and mortality regardless of medical and non-medical management of the disease. This excess of risk may be attributable, at least in part, to comorbid conditions influencing the development and progression of CHF. In this perspective, the authors examined and described the most common endocrine disorders observed in patients with CHF, particularly in individuals with reduced ejection fraction, aiming to qualify the risks, quantify the epidemiological burden and discuss about the potential role of endocrine treatment. Thyroid dysfunction is commonly observed in patients with CHF, and sometimes it could be the consequence of certain medications (e.g., amiodarone). Male and female hypogonadism may also coexist in this clinical context, contributing to deteriorating the prognosis of these patients. Furthermore, growth hormone deficiency may affect the development of adult myocardium and predispose to CHF. Limited recommendation suggests to screen endocrine disorders in CHF patients, but it could be interesting to evaluate possible endocrine dysfunction in this setting, especially when a high suspicion coexists. Data referring to long-term safety and effectiveness of endocrine treatments in patients with CHF are limited, and their impact on several “hard” endpoints (such as hospital admission, all-cause, and cardiovascular mortality) are still poorly understood.

We evaluated the clinical impact, in daily clinical practice, of sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP1RA) therapies in patients with type 2 diabetes. Data from 500 unselected consecutive patients were retrospectively analyzed. Only those with a full assessment at baseline (T0) and after 3 (T3), 6 (T6), and 12 (T12) months of treatment with SGLT2i or GLP1RA were included in the study (n = 167). At baseline, patients had a high mean body weight (BW), abdominal circumference (AC), body mass index (BMI), and HOMA index. Despite normal C-peptide values, 39 patients were being treated with insulin (up to 120 IU/day). During therapy, a progressive improvement in BW, BMI, and AC was observed with both the molecules. Fasting glucose and glycated Hb decrease was already significant at T3 in all patients, while the HOMA index selectively improved with SGLT2i therapy. Renal function parameters remained stable regardless of the drug used. Finally, SGLT2i reduced serum uric acid and improved the lipid profile, while GLP1RA reduced serum levels of liver enzymes. Both the therapeutic regimens allowed a significant reduction or complete suspension of unnecessary insulin therapies. Our real life data confirm the results obtained from randomized clinical trials and should be taken as a warning against inappropriate use of insulin in patients with preserved β-cell function.