scholarly journals The Formidable yet Unresolved Interplay between Endometriosis and Obesity

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Athanasios Pantelis ◽  
Nikolaos Machairiotis ◽  
Dimitris P. Lapatsanis

Obesity and endometriosis are two very common entities, yet there is uncertainty on their exact relationship. Observational studies have repeatedly shown an inverse correlation between endometriosis and a low body mass index (BMI). However, obesity does not protect against endometriosis and on the contrary an increased BMI may lead to more severe forms of the disease. Besides, BMI is not accurate in all cases of obesity. Consequently, other anthropometric and phenomic traits have been studied, including body adiposity content, as well as the effect of BMI early in life on the manifestation of endometriosis in adulthood. Some studies have shown that the phenotypic inverse correlation between the two entities has a genetic background; however, others have indicated that certain polymorphisms are linked with endometriosis in females with increased BMI. The advent of metabolic bariatric surgery and pertinent research have led to the emergence of biomolecules that may be pivotal in understanding the pathophysiological interaction of the two entities, especially in the context of angiogenesis and inflammation. Future research should focus on three objectives: detection and interpretation of obesity-related biomarkers in experimental models with endometriosis; integration of endometriosis-related queries into bariatric registries; and multidisciplinary approach and collaboration among specialists.

2020 ◽  
Vol 90 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 346-352
Author(s):  
Vincenzo Pilone ◽  
Salvatore Tramontano ◽  
Carmen Cutolo ◽  
Federica Marchese ◽  
Antonio Maria Pagano ◽  
...  

Abstract. We aim to assess the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (VDD) in patients scheduled for bariatric surgery (BS), and to identify factors that might be associated with VDD. We conducted a cross-sectional observational study involving all consecutive patients scheduled for BS from 2017 to 2019. The exclusion criteria were missing data for vitamin D levels, intake of vitamin D supplements in the 3 months prior to serum vitamin D determination, and renal insufficiency. A total of 206 patients (mean age and body mass index [BMI] of 34.9 ± 10.7 years, and 44.3 ± 6.99 kg/m2, respectively) met the inclusion criteria and were enrolled for data analysis. VDD (<19.9 ng/mL), severe VDD (<10 ng/mL), and vitamin D insufficiency (20–29.9 ng/mL) were present in 68.8 %, 12.5 %, and 31.2 % of patients, respectively. A significant inverse correlation was found between vitamin D levels and initial BMI, parathyroid hormone, and homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (r = −0.280, p < 0.05; r = −0.407, p = 0.038; r = −0.445, p = 0.005), respectively. VDD was significantly more prevalent in patients with higher BMI [−0.413 ± 0.12, CI95 % (−0.659; −0.167), p = 0.006], whereas no significant association between hypertension [−1.005 ± 1.65, CI95 % (−4.338; 2.326), p = 0.001], and diabetes type 2 (T2D) [−0.44 ± 2.20, CI95 % (−4.876; 3.986), p = 0.841] was found. We observed significant association between female sex and levels of vitamin D [6.69 ± 2.31, CI95 % (2.06; 11.33), p = 0.006]. The present study shows that in patients scheduled for BS, VDD deficiency is common and was associated with higher BMI, and female sex.


Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 2653
Author(s):  
Matilde Roda ◽  
Natalie di Geronimo ◽  
Marco Pellegrini ◽  
Costantino Schiavi

Nutritional optic neuropathy is a cause of bilateral, symmetrical, and progressive visual impairment with loss of central visual acuity and contrast sensitivity, dyschromatopsia, and a central or centrocecal scotoma. The clinical features are not pathognomonic, since hereditary and toxic forms share similar signs and symptoms. It is becoming increasingly common due to the widespread of bariatric surgery and strict vegetarian or vegan diets, so even the scientific interest has recently increased. In particular, recent studies have focused on possible pathogenetic mechanisms, and on novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies in order to prevent the onset, make a prompt diagnosis and an accurate nutritional supplementation, and to avoid irreversible optic nerve atrophy. Nowadays, there is clear evidence of the role of cobalamin, folic acid, thiamine, and copper, whereas further studies are needed to define the role of niacin, riboflavin, and pyridoxine. This review aims to summarize the etiology, diagnosis, and treatment of nutritional optic neuropathy, and it is addressed not only to ophthalmologists, but to all physicians who could come in contact with a patient with a possible nutritional optic neuropathy, being a fundamental multidisciplinary approach.


2010 ◽  
Vol 95 (11) ◽  
pp. 4823-4843 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Heber ◽  
Frank L. Greenway ◽  
Lee M. Kaplan ◽  
Edward Livingston ◽  
Javier Salvador ◽  
...  

Objective: We sought to provide guidelines for the nutritional and endocrine management of adults after bariatric surgery, including those with diabetes mellitus. The focus is on the immediate postoperative period and long-term management to prevent complications, weight regain, and progression of obesity-associated comorbidities. The treatment of specific disorders is only summarized. Participants: The Task Force was composed of a chair, five additional experts, a methodologist, and a medical writer. It received no corporate funding or remuneration. Conclusions: Bariatric surgery is not a guarantee of successful weight loss and maintenance. Increasingly, patients regain weight, especially those undergoing restrictive surgeries such as laparoscopic banding rather than malabsorptive surgeries such as Roux-en-Y bypass. Active nutritional patient education and clinical management to prevent and detect nutritional deficiencies are recommended for all patients undergoing bariatric surgery. Management of potential nutritional deficiencies is particularly important for patients undergoing malabsorptive procedures, and strategies should be employed to compensate for food intolerance in patients who have had a malabsorptive procedure to reduce the risk for clinically important nutritional deficiencies. To enhance the transition to life after bariatric surgery and to prevent weight regain and nutritional complications, all patients should receive care from a multidisciplinary team including an experienced primary care physician, endocrinologist, or gastroenterologist and consider enrolling postoperatively in a comprehensive program for nutrition and lifestyle management. Future research should address the effectiveness of intensive postoperative nutritional and endocrine care in reducing morbidity and mortality from obesity-associated chronic diseases.


2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saba Kassim ◽  
Mohammed Jawad ◽  
Ray Croucher ◽  
Elie A. Akl

Khat, an “amphetamine-like green leaf,” may influence the consumption of tobacco. This study reviews the epidemiology of tobacco use among khat users. Electronic database searches using appropriate keywords/terms were conducted to identify observational studies of khat use. Assessment of quality and risk of bias of all included studies was conducted, and the results were synthesised descriptively. Nine eligible cross-sectional studies were identified. All assessed self-reported tobacco among khat users and were carried out in Africa and the Middle East. Eight reported cigarettes and one reported waterpipes as the mode of use. Methods of tobacco use prevalence assessment varied. Prevalence of “current” tobacco use among students and university teachers ranged from 29 to 37%; “lifetime” tobacco use in university teachers was 58% and “undefined” tobacco use in nonspecific adults and students ranged from 17 to 78%. Daily tobacco use among adults was reported as 17% whilst simultaneous tobacco and khat use was reported as between 14 and 30% in students. In conclusion, tobacco prevalence among khat users appears significant. Findings should be interpreted cautiously due to self-reported tobacco use, diversity in questions assessing tobacco use, and type of tobacco consumption. Future research should address the methodological shortcomings identified in this review before appropriate policy interventions can be developed.


2019 ◽  
Vol 92 (1099) ◽  
pp. 20190043 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sian Taylor-Phillips ◽  
Chris Stinton

Fatigue in radiologists may be responsible for a large number of medical errors. This review describes the latest research on fatigue in radiology. This includes measurement methods, and recent evidence on how fatigue affects accuracy in laboratory test conditions and in clinical practice. The extensive opportunities for future research in the area are explored, including testing interventions to reduce fatigue-related error, and further understanding of which fatigue measures correlate with errors. Finally we explore the possibility of answering these questions using large population-based observational studies and pragmatic integrated randomised controlled trials.


2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (7) ◽  
pp. 914 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aleksandra Diana Dwulit ◽  
Piotr Rzymski

This paper reviews the associations between pornography use and sexual dysfunction based on evidence from observational studies. The existing data in this regard mostly derive from cross-sectional investigations and case reports. There is little if no evidence that pornography use may induce delayed ejaculation and erectile dysfunction, although longitudinal studies that control for confounding variables are required for a full assessment. The associations between pornography use and sexual desire may differ between women and men although the existing data is contradictory and causal relationships cannot be established. The strongest evidence is available for the relation of pornography use with decreased sexual satisfaction, although the results of prospective studies are inconsistent. The paper outlines future research prospects beneficial in understanding the nature of associations between pornography use and sexual dysfunctions in men and women.


Author(s):  
Lauren Feldman

The “hostile media effect” occurs when opposing partisans perceive identical news coverage of a controversial issue as biased against their own side. This is a robust phenomenon, which has been empirically demonstrated in numerous experimental and observational studies across a variety of issue contexts and has been shown to have important consequences for democratic society. This chapter reviews the literature on the hostile media effect with an eye toward the theoretical explanations for it, its relationship to other psychological processes, and its broader implications for perceived public opinion, news consumption patterns, attitudes toward democratic institutions, and political discourse and participation. Particular attention is paid to how the hostile media phenomenon can help explain the public’s eroding trust in the news media and the recent polarization among news audiences. The chapter concludes with several suggestions for future research.


2020 ◽  
Vol 40 (03) ◽  
pp. 301-310 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luca Valerio ◽  
Nicoletta Riva

AbstractSeptic thrombophlebitis (STP) is a complex, cross-disciplinary clinical condition that combines a localized infection with a neighboring venous thrombosis. STP can occur at several possible anatomic sites, such as dural sinuses, jugular vein (Lemierre syndrome), portal vein (pylephlebitis), and pelvic veins. Its high mortality in the preantibiotic era improved considerably with the introduction of modern antibiotics. However, little evidence exists to date to guide its clinical management. The incidence of STP or its risk factors may be increasing, and its mortality may still be considerable. These trends would have far-reaching implications, especially in the setting of increasing resistance to antimicrobial agents. No clinical assessment tools exist to support patient screening or guide treatment in STP. Few interventional studies exist on the efficacy and safety of anticoagulation. Recommendations on its indications, duration, and the agents of choice are mostly based on evidence derived from small observational studies. While all forms of STP pose similar challenges, future research may benefit from the distinction between bacteria-associated, virus-associated, and mycosis-associated thrombophlebitis. Addressing these gaps in evidence would enhance our ability to diagnose this condition and treat patients effectively.


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