Nutrition
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Age-related macular degeneration: Effects of a short-term intervention with an oleaginous kale extract--a pilot study.
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a multifactorial degenerative disease of the retina, which accounts for slowly progressive visual impairment in the elderly. An increased dietary intake of xanthophylls is suggested to be inversely related to the risk of macular disease. ⋯ The distribution of the xanthophylls in the macula seems to be more dynamic than originally assumed.
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Review
Presentation and interpretation of food intake data: factors affecting comparability across studies.
Non-uniform, unclear, or incomplete presentation of food intake data limits interpretation, usefulness, and comparisons across studies. In this contribution, we discuss factors affecting uniform reporting of food intake across studies. The amount of food eaten can be reported as mean portion size, number of servings or total amount of food consumed per day; the absolute intake value for the specific study depends on the denominator used because food intake data can be presented as per capita intake or for consumers only. ⋯ Mixed dishes, reported as such or in terms of ingredients and items added during food preparation remain challenging. Comparable presentation of food consumption data is not always possible; presenting sufficient information will assist valid interpretation and optimal use of the presented data. A checklist was developed to strengthen the reporting of food intake data in science communication.
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Review Case Reports
Effect of coenzyme Q10 evaluated by 1990 and 2010 ACR Diagnostic Criteria for Fibromyalgia and SCL-90-R: four case reports and literature review.
Recently, Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) deficiency has been implicated in the pathophysiology of fibromyalgia (FM). It is our objective to present the findings of the FM evaluation before and after oral CoQ10 treatment using the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Diagnostic Criteria of 1990 and 2010, and Symptom Checklist-Revised (Scl-90-R). Four patients with FM were examined using the trigger points, the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire, visual analog scale (pain, fatigue, and sleep), Widespread Pain Index, symptom severity scale, and Scl-90-R. ⋯ After treatment, all patients showed an important improvement in clinical symptoms in all evaluation methods. According to our results, and evaluated by three methods, patients with FM are candidates for treatment with CoQ10. However, more controlled clinical trials and investigations are needed to clarify the precise mechanism(s) by which CoQ10 may contribute in pathological and therapeutic processes of FM and to provide data on its effectiveness in FM.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Influence of a nutritional intervention on dietary intake and quality of life in cancer patients: a randomized controlled trial.
Weight loss is common in patients with malignant tumors and it can adversely affect quality of life and survival. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of a nutritional intervention in cancer patients in an outpatient setting. ⋯ Individual nutritional counseling significantly and positively influenced energy and protein intake, but did not improve nutritional or physical outcome or quality of life. These results indicate that nutritional therapy alone is of limited efficacy in cancer patients whose nutritional status has already deteriorated.
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Secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure increases the risk for coronary heart disease (CHD) by an estimated 25% to 30% via oxidative stress and inflammatory mechanisms that may be ameliorated by dietary components. The aim of this study was to evaluate the hypothesized modifying role of nutrients with known antioxidant and/or anti-inflammatory properties on the relationship between SHS exposure and CHD mortality. ⋯ We provide evidence that a diet high in fiber may ameliorate the harmful effects of SHS exposure on risk for CHD mortality.