Journal of internal medicine
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Experimental trials in organisms ranging from yeast to humans have shown that various forms of reducing food intake (caloric restriction) appear to increase both overall and healthy lifespan, delaying the onset of disease and slowing the progression of biomarkers of aging. The gut microbiota is considered one of the key environmental factors strongly contributing to the regulation of host health. Perturbations in the composition and activity of the gut microbiome are thought to be involved in the emergence of multiple diseases. ⋯ There is substantial evidence for the efficacy of fasting in improving insulin signaling and blood glucose control, and in reducing inflammation, conditions for which, additionally, the gut microbiota has been identified as a site of both risk and protective factors. Accordingly, human gut microbiota, both in symbiont and pathobiont roles, have been proposed to impact and mediate some health benefits of fasting and could potentially affect many of these diseases. While results from small-N studies diverge, fasting consistently enriches widely recognized anti-inflammatory gut commensals such as Faecalibacterium and other short-chain fatty acid producers, which likely mediates some of its health effects through immune system and barrier function impact.
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Patients with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) display high levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c), endothelial dysfunction, and increased risk of premature atherosclerosis. We have previously shown that red blood cells (RBCs) from patients with type 2 diabetes induce endothelial dysfunction through increased arginase 1 and reactive oxygen species (ROS). ⋯ FH-RBCs induce endothelial dysfunction dependent on LDL-c levels via arginase 1 and ROS-dependent mechanisms.
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The occurrence and healthcare use trajectory of post COVID-19 condition (PCC) is poorly understood. Our aim was to investigate these aspects in SARS-CoV-2-positive individuals with and without a PCC diagnosis. ⋯ The differential association of age, sex, comorbidities, and healthcare use with the severity of the acute infection indicates different trajectories and phenotypes of PCC, with incomplete resolution 1 year after infection.
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Data on unrecognized liver cirrhosis in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are derived mainly from cohorts with a risk of selection bias. ⋯ Cirrhosis is often not recognized in patients with HCC. Unrecognized cirrhosis is associated with more advanced HCC at diagnosis and a worse prognosis. More efforts are needed to diagnose cirrhosis at an earlier stage.