Sarcopenia does not impact the outcome of patients with Multiple Mieloma consolidated with autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation.

Sarcopenia has been associated with chronic diseases and cancer. Aim of this study was to evaluate sarcopenia in Multiple Myeloma patients undergoing autologous stem cell trans-plantation. In 68 eligible patients' measurement of skeletal muscle area (cm2) on computed tomography scans at the level of the L3 vertebra (L3-SMI) was performed. 37(54%) patients were categorized as sarcopenic: 26 males with L3-SMI values < 52.4 cm2/m2, and 11 women with L3-SMI values < 38.9 cm2/m2. The majority of sarcopenic patients included were older than 60 years (69%, p=0.0005), and with BMI <25 (75%; p=0.0000). A significant association was found between sarcopenia and Sorror score value > 1 (p=0.02). The Kaplan Meyer curve showed a median OS of 73.5 months for non-sarcopenic patients vs. 86.5 months for sarcopenic patients, suggesting that sarcopenia is not an independent prognostic factor in this cohort of patients.

Exploring the Interplay between COVID-19 and Gut Health: The Potential Role of Prebiotics and Probiotics in Immune Support.

The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly impacted global health, leading to extensive research focused on developing strategies to enhance outbreak response and mitigate the disease's severity. In the aftermath of the pandemic, attention has shifted towards understanding and addressing long-term health implications, particularly in individuals experiencing persistent symptoms, known as long COVID. Research into potential interventions to alleviate long COVID symptoms has intensified, with a focus on strategies to support immune function and mitigate inflammation. One area of interest is the gut microbiota, which plays a crucial role in regulating immune responses and maintaining overall health. Prebiotics and probiotics, known for their ability to modulate the gut microbiota, have emerged as potential therapeutic agents in bolstering immune function and reducing inflammation. This review delves into the intricate relationship between long COVID, the gut microbiota, and immune function, with a specific focus on the role of prebiotics and probiotics. We examine the immune response to long COVID, emphasizing the importance of inflammation and immune regulation in the persistence of symptoms. The potential of probiotics in modulating immune responses, including their mechanisms in combating viral infections such as COVID-19, is discussed in detail. Clinical evidence supporting the use of probiotics in managing long COVID symptoms is summarized, highlighting their role as adjunctive therapy in addressing various aspects of SARS-CoV-2 infection and its aftermath.

Do neuroticism and efficacy beliefs moderate the relationship between climate change worry and mental wellbeing?

BACKGROUND: Research on the nature and prevalence of phenomena like climate anxiety (or eco-anxiety) is increasing rapidly but there is little understanding of the conditions under which climate change worry becomes more or less likely to significantly impact mental wellbeing. Here, we considered two plausible moderators of the relationship between climate change worry and mental wellbeing: neuroticism and efficacy beliefs. METHODS: Analysis was conducted with survey data gathered in six European countries in autumn 2019. Participants were recruited from universities in the participating countries using opportunity sampling. RESULTS: We found that climate change worry is negatively related to mental wellbeing at any level of perceived efficacy. In contrast, climate change worry is only significantly related to mental wellbeing at low and average levels of neuroticism. High neuroticism appears to have a masking, rather than amplifying, role in the relationship between climate change worry and mental wellbeing. LIMITATIONS: The cross-sectional design of the study precludes verification of causal relationships among variables. The brief measure of neuroticism employed also did not allow for nuanced analysis of how different facets of neuroticism contribute to the observed interaction with climate change worry. Findings cannot be indiscriminately generalised to less privileged groups facing the worst impacts of the climate crisis. CONCLUSION: Our findings lend to a view that harmful impacts of climate change worry on mental wellbeing cannot simply be ascribed to dispositional traits like neuroticism. We advocate for interventions that tackle negative climate-related emotions as unique psychological stressors.