scholarly journals The Impact of Coconut Oil and Epigallocatechin Gallate on the Levels of IL-6, Anxiety and Disability in Multiple Sclerosis Patients

Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 305 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jose Luis Platero ◽  
María Cuerda-Ballester ◽  
Vanessa Ibáñez ◽  
David Sancho ◽  
María Mar Lopez-Rodríguez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Trait Anxiety ◽  
Functional Capacity ◽  
State Anxiety ◽  
Functional Disability ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Epigallocatechin Gallate ◽  
Coconut Oil ◽  
Control Group ◽  
The Impact

Background: Due to the inflammatory nature of multiple sclerosis (MS), interleukin 6 (IL-6) is high in blood levels, and it also increases the levels of anxiety related to functional disability. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) decreases IL-6, which could be enhanced by the anti-inflammatory effect of high ketone bodies after administering coconut oil (both of which are an anxiolytic). Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the impact of coconut oil and EGCG on the levels of IL-6, anxiety and functional disability in patients with MS. Methods: A pilot study was conducted for four months with 51 MS patients who were randomly divided into an intervention group and a control group. The intervention group received 800 mg of EGCG and 60 mL of coconut oil, and the control group was prescribed a placebo. Both groups followed the same isocaloric Mediterranean diet. State and trait anxiety were determined before and after the study by means of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). In addition, IL-6 in serum was measured using the ELISA technique and functional capacity was determined with the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) and the body mass index (BMI). Results: State anxiety and functional capacity decreased in the intervention group and IL-6 decreased in both groups. Conclusions: EGCG and coconut oil improve state anxiety and functional capacity. In addition, a decrease in IL-6 is observed in patients with MS, possibly due to the antioxidant capacity of the Mediterranean diet and its impact on improving BMI.

scholarly journals The Impact of Epigallocatechin Gallate and Coconut Oil Treatment on Cortisol Activity and Depression in Multiple Sclerosis Patients

Life ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 353
Author(s):  
Jose Luis Platero ◽  
María Cuerda-Ballester ◽  
David Sancho-Cantus ◽  
María Benlloch ◽  
Jose Joaquin Ceron ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Body Fat ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Epigallocatechin Gallate ◽  
Coconut Oil ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Mass Percentage ◽  
Fat Loss ◽  
Before And After ◽  
The Impact

(1) Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is pathogenically characterized by high oxidative stress and symptomatically by progressive muscle loss and increased body fat associated with the presence of depression. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) (particularly present in green tea) and ketone bodies (in particular beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB)), whose main source is coconut oil, have shown emotional benefits and body fat loss. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of EGCG and coconut oil on cortisol activity related to fat loss and depression in MS patients. (2) Methods: The study involved 51 MS patients who were randomly divided into an intervention group or a control group. The intervention group received 800 mg of EGCG and 60 mL of coconut oil, which were included in their daily diet for four months. The control group received placebo and all patients followed an isocaloric diet. A blood sample was collected before and after the four-month period, and levels of cortisol, albumin and BHB were measured in serum. In addition, immediately before and after the intervention, anthropometric variables were measured: waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), body fat mass percentage, fat weight, total weight, and muscle mass percentage. Depression was assessed with the Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II). (3) Results: No significant changes were obtained in cortisol levels in any of the groups, and there was a significant increase in albumin in the blood of the intervention group only that could lead to a decrease in serum free cortisol. In addition, it was observed a significant decrease in levels of depression and abdominal fat. (4) Conclusions: EGCG combined with coconut oil increase the concentration of albumin in blood and produce less depression in MS patients.

scholarly journals Possible Reduction of Cardiac Risk after Supplementation with Epigallocatechin Gallate and Increase of Ketone Bodies in the Blood in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis. A Pilot Study

Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. 3792
Author(s):  
María Benlloch ◽  
María Cuerda Ballester ◽  
Eraci Drehmer ◽  
Jose Luis Platero ◽  
Sandra Carrera-Juliá ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Fat Mass ◽  
Functional Disability ◽  
Ketone Bodies ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Epigallocatechin Gallate ◽  
Cardiac Risk ◽  
Paraoxonase 1 ◽  
Control Group ◽  
The Impact

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurodegenerative disease that causes anthropometric changes characterised by functional disability, increase in fat mass, and decrease in lean mass. All these variables are related to a greater cardiac risk. The polyphenol epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and an increase in ketone bodies in the blood have been shown to have beneficial effects on anthropometric and biochemical variables related to cardiovascular activity. The aim of this study was to analyse the impact of the intervention with EGCG and ketone bodies on cardiac risk in MS patients. A population of 51 MS patients were randomly assigned to a control group and an intervention group (daily dose of 800 mg of EGCG and 60 mL of coconut oil). Both groups followed an isocaloric diet for 4 months. Levels of beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), albumin, paraoxonase 1 (PON1) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured in serum before and after the intervention, as well as determining functional ability, waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), fat percentage and muscle percentage. After 4 months, in the intervention group there was a significant increase in BHB, PON1 and albumin, while CRP did not vary; a significant decrease in cardiac risk associated with a significant decline in WHR; as well as a significant increase in muscle percentage. By contrast, these changes were not observed in the control group. Finally, results from analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed a significant time–condition interaction effect, observing that WHtR and fat mass decreased in the intervention group, while they increased in the control group.

scholarly journals Possible Role of Butyrylcholinesterase in Fat Loss and Decreases in Inflammatory Levels in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis after Treatment with Epigallocatechin Gallate and Coconut Oil: A Pilot Study

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 3230
Author(s):  
Jose Enrique de la Rubia Ortí ◽  
Jose Luis Platero ◽  
Iván Hu Yang ◽  
Jose Joaquin Ceron ◽  
Asta Tvarijonaviciute ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Body Fat ◽  
Ketone Bodies ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Epigallocatechin Gallate ◽  
Coconut Oil ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Fat Percentage

(1) Background. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is characterised by the loss of muscle throughout the course of the disease, which in many cases is accompanied by obesity and related to inflammation. Nonetheless, consuming epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and ketone bodies (especially β-hydroxybutyrate (βHB)) produced after metabolising coconut oil, have exhibited anti-inflammatory effects and a decrease in body fat. In addition, butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE), seems to be related to the pathogenesis of the disease associated with inflammation, and serum concentrations have been related to lipid metabolism. Objective. The aim of the study was to determine the role of BuChE in the changes caused after treatment with EGCG and ketone bodies on the levels of body fat and inflammation state in MS patients. (2) Methods. A pilot study was conducted for 4 months with 51 MS patients who were randomly divided into an intervention group and a control group. The intervention group received 800 mg of EGCG and 60 mL of coconut oil, and the control group was prescribed a placebo. Fat percentage and concentrations of the butyrylcholinesterase enzyme (BuChE), paraoxonase 1 (PON1) activity, triglycerides, interleukin 6 (IL-6), albumin and βHB in serum were measured. (3) Results. The intervention group exhibited significant decreases in IL-6 and fat percentage and significant increases in BuChE, βHB, PON1, albumin and functional capacity (determined by the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS)). On the other hand, the control group only exhibited a decrease in IL-6. After the intervention, BuChE was positively correlated with the activity of PON1, fat percentage and triglycerides in the intervention group, whereas these correlations were not observed in the control group (4). Conclusions. BuChE seems to have an important role in lipolytic activity and the inflammation state in MS patients, evidenced after administering EGCG and coconut oil as a βHB source.

scholarly journals The Effect of Online Solution-Focused Brief Therapy on Parents with High Level of Anxiety in the COVID 19 Pandemic: A Randomized Controlled Study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mürşide Zengin ◽  
Ceyda Başoğul ◽  
Emriye Hilal Yayan
Keyword(s):  
Trait Anxiety ◽  
State Anxiety ◽  
Brief Therapy ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Solution Focused Brief Therapy ◽  
Anxiety Levels ◽  
High Level ◽  
Solution Focused

Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the anxiety levels of parents with children aged 3-6 years due to the COVID 19 pandemic and to examine the effects of Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) applied to parents with high level of anxiety. Methods: The study was conducted as a parallel-group, randomized controlled design. The sample of the study consisted of 77 parents who were randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups (control group n = 40; intervention group n = 37). One session of online SFBT was applied to the intervention group each week and 4 sessions were applied in total. No intervention was applied to the control group. The data were collected using introductory information form and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). SPSS programme and Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS) 23 application were used in the analysis of the data. Structural equation modeling was used to examine a hypothesized model that SFBT has both direct and indirect effects on anxiety levels of parents. Results: The state and trait anxiety mean scores of the intervention group decreased compared to the pre-intervention mean scores after the implemented programme. While this difference between state anxiety scores was statistically significant (p≤ .001), the difference between trait anxiety scores was not statistically significant (p> .05). There was no statistically significant difference between the pre-test and post-test STAI-S and STAI-T total scores of the control group. Conclusions: In the study, it has been found that SFBT applied to parents with high level of anxiety is an effective method in reducing the state anxiety levels of parents.

scholarly journals The Effect of Group Spiritual Care on Hope in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis referred to the MS Society of Zahedan, Iran

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mozhgan Rahnama ◽  
Malihe Rahdar ◽  
Mehdi Afshari
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Spiritual Care ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Sample Selection ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Chronic Inflammatory Condition ◽  
The Impact

Background and Aim: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is known as an autoimmune disease and a chronic inflammatory condition, inducing a wide variety of mood affective disorders, including depression and feelings of hopelessness in many aspects of patients’ quality of life (QoL). In view of the positive side effects of spirituality and spiritual care on finding appropriate strategies for further adaptation, this study aimed to determine the impact of group spiritual care (GSC) on levels of hope in patients suffering from MS. Materials and Methods: This clinical trial was conducted on a total number of 96 patients with MS, referring to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS) in the city of Zahedan, Iran. Following sample selection via the convenience sampling technique, the patients meeting the inclusion criteria were randomized into two groups, i.e., intervention and control. The data collection tools for this purpose included a demographic information form and the Adult Hope Scale (AHS, Snyder et al. 1991), completed by the subjects at the pre- and post-intervention stages. As well, the intervention group received five sessions of GSC during three weeks but the control group members only talked over daily issues along with their mental health problems. The data were also analyzed using the SPSS Statistics software (ver. 14). Results: The Kruskal-Wallis test results revealed that the GSC intervention could have a significant positive effect on raising hope in the patients with MS (p<0.001). Moreover, a significant growth was observed in the scores of hope dimensions including agency and pathway (p<0.001). Conclusion: GSC can effectively boost levels of hope in patients suffering from MS in all dimensions. Therefore, it is recommended to utilize this type of care in order to nurture hope in such individuals.

scholarly journals Razine anksioznosti kod prognanika i povratnika

2018 ◽  
Vol 36 (13) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Proroković ◽  
Ljiljana Gregov ◽  
Vera Ćubela ◽  
Zvjezdan Penezić ◽  
Renata Papić
Keyword(s):  
Trait Anxiety ◽  
State Anxiety ◽  
Perceived Threat ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Social Evaluation ◽  
War Stress ◽  
Related Stress ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The City ◽  
New Situation

This study aimed to examine the impact of war stress on some aspects of anxiety in refugees and returnees.The subjects were refugees from Eastern Slavonia (N=80) and returnees from the Dalmatian hinterland (N=80), whereas the citizens of the city of Split (N=81), who have been indirectly exposed to the war events, served as the control group.The subjects were given Endler's Multidimensional Anxiety Scales (EMAS-S and EMAS-T) that are designed to measure the state anxiety and the trait anxiety in usual, everyday situations and in situations of social evaluation. In addition, two scales were administered that were constructed for assessment of the perception of threatening aspects of war and of the exposure to war related stress (Gregov et al., 1995).The results showed that the anxiety level was higher in the returnees than the refugees, while the control group had the lowest degree of both state and the trait anxiety. This finding is in accordance with the hypothesis that the stress experienced during the refugee period and in the new situation of the return would have cumulative effects which could be manifested in short-term consequences (increased level of state anxiety and perceived threat of some war aspects) and in longterm consequences (increased level of trait anxiety).

scholarly journals The Effect of Online Solution-Focused Support Program on Parents with High Level of Anxiety in the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Randomized Controlled Study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mürşide Zengin ◽  
Ceyda Başoğul ◽  
Emriye Hilal Yayan
Keyword(s):  
Trait Anxiety ◽  
State Anxiety ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
The State ◽  
Support Program ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Anxiety Levels ◽  
High Level ◽  
Solution Focused

Aim:The aim of this study was to determine the anxiety levels of parents with children aged 3-6 years due to the Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and to examine the effects of Solution-Focused Support Program (SFSP) applied to parents with high level of anxiety. Methods: The study was conducted as a parallel-group, randomized controlled design. The sample of the study consisted of 77 parents who were randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups (control group n = 40; intervention group n = 37). One session of online SFSP was applied to the intervention group each week and 4 sessions were applied in total. No intervention was applied to the control group. The data were collected using introductory information form and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) programme and Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS) 23 application were used in the analysis of the data.  Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used to examine a hypothesized model that SFSP has both direct and indirect effects on anxiety levels of parents. Results: The state and trait anxiety mean scores of the intervention group decreased compared to the pre-intervention mean scores after the implemented programme. While this difference between state anxiety scores was statistically significant (p≤ .001), the difference between trait anxiety scores was not statistically significant (p> .05). There was no statistically significant difference between the pre-test and post-test STAI total scores of the control group. Conclusions: In the study, it has been found that SFSP applied to parents with high level of anxiety is an effective method in reducing the state anxiety levels of parents. Clinical trial number: NCT04609722 (Registration date: 30.10.2020)

The effect of the implementation of a good medical practice booklet on nursing home residents’ drug prescriptions: a difference-in-differences analysis based on data from electronic pill dispensers (Preprint)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stéphane Sanchez ◽  
Cécile Payet ◽  
Marie Herr ◽  
Anne Dazinieras ◽  
Caroline Blochet ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nursing Homes ◽  
Medical Practice ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Medication Use ◽  
Nursing Home Residents ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Multilevel Regression ◽  
Difference In Differences ◽  
Good Medical Practice ◽  
The Impact

BACKGROUND The elderly are particularly exposed to adverse events from medication. Among the various strategies to reduce polypharmacy, educational approaches have shown promising results. OBJECTIVE We aimed to evaluate the impact of the implementation of a good medical practice booklet on polypharmacy in nursing homes. METHODS We identified nursing homes belonging to a geriatric care provider that had launched a policy of proper medication use using a good medical practice booklet delivered to prescribers and pharmacists. Data were derived from electronic pill dispensers. The effect of the intervention on polypharmacy was assessed with multilevel regression models, with a control group to account for natural trends over time. The main outcomes were the average daily number of times when medication was administered and the number of drugs with different presentation identifier codes per resident per month. RESULTS 96,216 residents from 519 nursing homes were included between 1 January 2011 and 31 December 2014. The intervention group and the control group both decreased their average daily use of medication (-0.05 and -0.06). The good medical practice booklet did not have a statistically significant effect (exponentiated difference-in-differences coefficient 1.00, 95% confidence interval 0.99-1.02, P=.45). CONCLUSIONS Although the good medical practice booklet itself did not seem effective in decreasing medication use, our data show the effectiveness of a higher-level policy to decrease polypharmacy.

scholarly journals The Effect of Javanese Language Videos with a Community Based Interactive Approach Method as an Educational Instrument for Knowledge, Perception, and Adherence amongst Tuberculosis Patients

Pharmacy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 86
Author(s):  
Fauna Herawati ◽  
Yuni Megawati ◽  
Aslichah ◽  
Retnosari Andrajati ◽  
Rika Yulia
Keyword(s):  
Intervention Group ◽  
Personal Control ◽  
Control Group ◽  
P Value ◽  
Interactive Approach ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Tuberculosis Patients ◽  
Level Of Knowledge ◽  
The Impact

The long period of tuberculosis treatment causes patients to have a high risk of forgetting or stopping the medication altogether, which increases the risk of oral anti-tuberculosis drug resistance. The patient’s knowledge and perception of the disease affect the patient’s adherence to treatment. This research objective was to determine the impact of educational videos in the local language on the level of knowledge, perception, and adherence of tuberculosis patients in the Regional General Hospital (RSUD) Bangil. This quasi-experimental study design with a one-month follow-up allocated 62 respondents in the intervention group and 60 in the control group. The pre- and post-experiment levels of knowledge and perception were measured with a validated set of questions. Adherence was measured by pill counts. The results showed that the intervention increases the level of knowledge of the intervention group higher than that of the control group (p-value < 0.05) and remained high after one month of follow-up. The perceptions domains that changed after education using Javanese (Ngoko) language videos with the Community Based Interactive Approach (CBIA) method were the timeline, personal control, illness coherence, and emotional representations (p-value < 0.05). More than 95% of respondents in the intervention group take 95% of their pill compared to 58% of respondents in the control group (p-value < 0.05). Utilization of the local languages for design a community-based interactive approach to educate and communicate is important and effective.

Investigating the Impact of Cognitive Training for Individuals With Bothersome Tinnitus: A Randomized Controlled Trial

2021 ◽  
pp. 019459982199474
Author(s):  
Maggie Xing ◽  
Dorina Kallogjeri ◽  
Jay F. Piccirillo
Keyword(s):  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Cognitive Training ◽  
Mixed Model ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Functional Index ◽  
Open Label ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
The Impact

Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of cognitive training in improving tinnitus bother and to identify predictors of patient response. Study Design Prospective open-label randomized controlled trial. Setting Online. Methods Participants were adults with subjective idiopathic nonpulsatile tinnitus causing significant tinnitus-related distress. The intervention group trained by using auditory-intensive exercises for 20 minutes per day, 5 days per week, for 8 weeks. The active control group trained on the same schedule with non–auditory intensive games. Surveys were completed at baseline, 8 weeks, and 12 weeks. Results A total of 64 participants completed the study. The median age was 63 years (range, 25-69) in the intervention group and 61 years (34-68) in the control group. Mixed model analysis revealed that within-subject change in Tinnitus Functional Index in the intervention group was not different than the control group, with marginal mean differences (95% CI): 0.24 (–11.20 to 10.7) and 2.17 (–8.50 to 12.83) at 8 weeks and 2.33 (–8.6 to 13.3) and 3.36 (–7.91 to 14.6) at 12 weeks, respectively. When the 2 study groups were compared, the control group had higher Tinnitus Functional Index scores than the intervention group by 10.5 points at baseline (95% CI, –0.92 to 29.89), 8.1 at 8 weeks (95% CI, –3.27 to 19.42), and 9.4 at 12 weeks (95% CI, –2.45 to 21.34). Conclusion Auditory-intensive cognitive training was not associated with changes in self-reported tinnitus bother. Given the potential for neuroplasticity to affect tinnitus, we believe that future studies on cognitive training for tinnitus remain relevant.

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