A BSTRACT Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate the possibility of using visceral adiposity index (VAI), serum leptin, and lipid profile as indicators of impaired glucose tolerance in Iraqi obese patients. Subjects and Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed in Iraqi obese patients of both sexes. Body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, hip circumference, triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), VAI, waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), serum leptin, and 2-h glucose tolerance test (2-h GT) were determined and compared with those of healthy non-obese control group. A correlation analysis was performed to determine the strength of association between the studied markers. Data were adjusted to determine gender differences in this regard. Statistical Analysis: Kolmogorov–Smirnov, Shapiro–Wilk analyses, Mann–Whitney U test, and unpaired t test were used for the two-group comparisons once applicable. Pearson’s and Spearman’s correlation analyses were used to measure the relationship levels between the studied variables. Results: A total of 144 obese patients were included; the mean age was 37.11 ± 8.2 years and 92 (63.9%) were females. Compared with non-obese subjects, the participants had significantly higher levels of BMI, WC, WHR, VAI, TG, leptin, and 2-h GTObese male subjects had significantly higher values of body weight, WC, HC, VAI, and TG compared with obese females. Elevated 2-h GT was significantly associated with VAI ( r = 0.291, P = 0.0004), TG ( r = 0.319, P = 0.0001), and LDL-C/HDL-C ratio ( r = 0.435, P < 0.0001) in the obese patients only. Conclusions: The results provide evidence that VAI, TG, and LDL-C/HDL-C ratio can be suggested as potential markers for the risk assessment of impaired glucose tolerance in Iraqi obese patients.
The aim of pharmacotherapy for moderate cognitive impairment (MCI) is to reduce the present clinical signs and delay the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD). There is currently no viable pharmacological therapy for the treatment of AD. Early intake of nutraceuticals, on the other hand, may help to alleviate and delay MCI. The goal of this study was to see how silibinin (SIL) supplementation affected cognitive function in older people with memory problems. A total of 85 subjects with memory impairment were randomly assigned to one of two groups: SIL (n = 42) supplied with 250 mg twice daily, or placebo (n = 43) for 16 weeks. A computerized neurocognitive function test was used to assess cognitive function (CNT). When comparing the SIL group to the placebo group, the "verbal learning test index" items of the CNT were significantly improved in the SIL arm (P < 0.05). Supplementing older people with memory impairment with SIL for 16 weeks appears to have a positive impact on their state of "verbal memory." Further studies are highly recommended.
Background: Dietary supplements (DS) are products that are intended to be consumed orally and serve the purpose of supplementing one's diet. Although, these products are very popular, their usage among undergraduate students in Iraq is still obscure. Aim: To evaluate the pattern, type, and reasons for supplement usage among Iraqi undergraduate students and to detect the source of information about dietary supplements. Methods: A sample of 442 students at different colleges in Baghdad were surveyed through a questionnaire composed of 13 questions and divided into four sections: socio-demographic, dietary supplement (DS) knowledge, DS intake, and reasons behind their usage. Descriptive statistics were conducted to determine the frequency and percentages of respondents for each variable. Results: A total of 442 participants were included in the study; 160 (36.2%) were males and 282 (63.8%) were females. Out of the total number of the participants, 329 (74%) were dietary supplement users, 139 (42.25%) were males, and 190 (57.75%) were females. Most of the participants (72%) used vit. D3 supplement, and the mean reason for using DS was to overcome nutritional deficiency. Conclusion: Most of the participants are dietary supplement users, with a higher percentage of females. The main reasons for both genders' resorting to dietary supplement use are to improve their health and improve their immunity.
Background: Lycopene has demonstrated favorable impacts on diverse health conditions, particularly those of an inflammatory nature. Objective: To evaluate the impact of topical application of lycopene on the spleens of mice with psoriasis induced by imiquimod (IMQ). Methods: The study employed a sample size of 48 mice, divided into six groups of eight mice each. The experimental protocol involved the application of IMQ to each of the five groups twice. The first application was administered for six days to induce psoriasis, followed by a second application for another six days while the tested medications were concurrently administered, with the exception of the first group, which served as the control group. Following the six-day induction phase, group 2 was treated exclusively with petrolatum jelly. On the other hand, groups 3-6 were subjected to different treatments, including clobetasol propionate, lycopene at concentrations of 0.125 mg/ml and 0.25 mg/ml, and a combination of 0.05% clobetasol and 0.25 mg/ml of lycopene. Each of the examined pharmaceutical substances was administered topically once daily for a duration of six days at the IMQ application site. Results: Lycopene at a concentration of 0.25 mg/ml resulted in a significant reduction in the spleen index and a restoration of the tissue levels of inflammatory mediators (TNF-α, IL-23, NF-κB, and IL-17) that were close to normal. Conclusion: The anti-inflammatory properties of lycopene can significantly aid in the normalization of spleens in patients who have developed psoriasis due to imiquimod.matory capabilities.
Objective: In many type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients, metformin is prescribed concomitantly with hypolipidemic agents, particularly statins. Meanwhile, variability in response to metformin is one of the most important problems in the efficacy of this combination. The present study aims to evaluate the effect of adding atorvastatin with metformin on the glycemic control, adiposity indices, and lipid profile of overweight patients newly diagnosed with type T2DM.Methods: A total of 50 overweight patients with T2DM were allocated into two groups, the first one received 850 mg/day of sustained release metformin and the second group received 10 mg/day atorvastatin in addition to the metformin. The patients were followed for 90 days through evaluating fasting serum glucose (FSG), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), body mass index (BMI), visceral adiposity index (VAI), and the lipid profile at baseline and after 90 days. In addition, the safety of the protocol was monitored through the evaluation of the renal and liver functions.Results: HbA1c, FSG, BMI, and VAI values were significantly decreased in both treatment groups compared with baseline. Meanwhile, the combination improves all the lipid profile components with respect to the baseline. No significant differences reported between the two groups regarding all the measured parameters. The addition of atorvastatin produced a slight but significant negative impact on the renal and liver functions.Conclusion: Addition of 10 mg/day atorvastatin with metformin in the treatment of newly diagnosed T2DM overweight patients did not produce significant improvement in glycemic control, adiposity index, and lipid profile compared with the use of metformin alone.
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