Obesity and Asthma: Implementing a Treatable Trait Care Model.

Recognition of obesity as a treatable trait of asthma, impacting its development, clinical presentation and management, is gaining widespread acceptance. Obesity is a significant risk factor and disease modifier for asthma, complicating treatment. Epidemiological evidence highlights that obese asthma correlates with poorer disease control, increased severity and persistence, compromised lung function and reduced quality of life. Various mechanisms contribute to the physiological and clinical complexities observed in individuals with obesity and asthma. These encompass different immune responses, including Type IVb, where T helper 2 cells are pivotal and driven by cytokines like interleukins 4, 5, 9 and 13, and Type IVc, characterised by T helper 17 cells and Type 3 innate lymphoid cells producing interleukin 17, which recruits neutrophils. Additionally, Type V involves immune response dysregulation with significant activation of T helper 1, 2 and 17 responses. Finally, Type VI is recognised as metabolic-induced immune dysregulation associated with obesity. Body mass index (BMI) stands out as a biomarker of a treatable trait in asthma, readily identifiable and targetable, with significant implications for disease management. There exists a notable gap in treatment options for individuals with obese asthma, where asthma management guidelines lack specificity. For example, there is currently no evidence supporting the use of incretin mimetics to improve asthma outcomes in asthmatic individuals without Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). In this review, we advocate for integrating BMI into asthma care models by establishing clear target BMI goals, promoting sustainable weight loss via healthy dietary choices and physical activity and implementing regular reassessment and referral as necessary.

Trends in Plant-Based Diets among United States Adults, 1999-March 2020.

BACKGROUND: Interest in plant-based eating has increased alongside increased variety and availability of highly processed plant-based meat and dairy alternatives. The impact of the shifting commercial landscape and public interest in plant-based eating on dietary intake is unknown. OBJECTIVES: To examine trends in the consumption and composition of plant-based diets in the United States adults. METHODS: Serial cross-sectional data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were used to assess trends in the proportion of United States adults aged ≥20 y consuming a plant-based diet (defined as ≥50% total protein from plants on a 24-h dietary recall) from 1999-2000 to 2017-March 2020 (n = 51,698). Trends in processing level (percentage energy intake from ultraprocessed foods) and diet quality [Healthy Eating Index (HEI)-2020 scores] were assessed in the subset of adults consuming plant-based diets (n = 8327). RESULTS: The proportion of United States adults consuming plant-based diets increased from 14.4% (95% CI: 12.9%, 16.0%) to 17.2% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 15.5%, 19.1%; P = 0.005 for trend). In all survey cycles, ultraprocessed foods accounted for the majority of energy intake, and ultraprocessed food intake in plant-based diets did not significantly change over time [50.7% kcal (95% CI: 47.3%, 54.1%) in 1999-2000 compared with 52.7% kcal (95% CI: 49.7%, 55.6%) in 2017-March 2020; P for trend = 0.34]. The quality of plant-based diets, measured by HEI-2020 scores, improved from 52.1 (95% CI: 49.7, 54.6) to 55.8 (95% CI: 54.1, 57.5; P for trend <0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Between 1999 and March 2020, the proportion of United States adults consuming a plant-based diet increased. Among people consuming plant-based diets, ultraprocessed foods contributed most to energy intake and there was no sustained change in intake over time. The mean diet quality was low but improved modestly.

Associations Between Dietary Patterns and Kidney Health Assessed in the Population-Based CHRIS Study Using Reduced Rank Regression.

OBJECTIVE: While diet plays a key role in chronic kidney disease (CKD) management, the potential for diet to impact CKD prevention in the general population is less clear. Using a priori knowledge, we derived disease-related dietary patterns (DPs) through reduced rank regression (RRR) and investigated associations with kidney function, separately focusing on generally healthy individuals and those with self-reported kidney diseases, hypertension, or diabetes mellitus. METHODS: Eight thousand six hundred eighty-six participants from the population-based Cooperative Health Research in South Tyrol study were split into a group free of kidney disease, hypertension and diabetes (n = 6,133) and a group with any of the 3 conditions (n = 2,553). Diet was assessed through the self-administered Global Allergy and Asthma Network of Excellence food frequency questionnaire and DPs were derived through RRR selecting food frequency questionnaire-derived sodium, potassium, phosphorus, and protein intake as mediators. Outcomes were creatinine-based estimated glomerular filtration rate, urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio, CKD and microalbuminuria. Multiple linear and logistic models were used to assess associations between RRR-based DPs and kidney outcomes separately in the 2 analytic groups. RESULTS: We identified 3 DPs, where high adherence reflected high levels of all nutrients (DP1), high potassium-phosphorus and low protein-sodium levels (DP2), and low potassium-sodium and high protein-phosphorus levels (DP3), respectively. We observed heterogeneous associations with kidney outcomes, varying by analytic group and sex. Kidney outcomes were much more strongly associated with DPs than with single nutrients. CONCLUSION: RRR is a feasible approach to estimate disease-related DPs and explore the combined effects of nutrients on kidney health. Heterogeneous associations across kidney outcomes suggest possible specificity to kidney function or damage. In individuals reporting kidney disease, hypertension or diabetes, specific dietary habits were associated with better kidney health, indicating that disease-specific dietary interventions can be effective for disease control.

Diet quality scores associated with improved cardiometabolic measures among African American adolescents.

BACKGROUND: The Reversing the Negative cardiovascular Effects on Weight (ReNEW) Clinic is a prospective cohort study in children and adolescents (≤21 years) at the Johns Hopkins Children's Center. METHODS: Cross-sectional analysis between diet quality using the Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI-2010), pro-inflammatory potential using the Children's Dietary Inflammatory Index (C-DII), and cardiometabolic outcomes. AHEI-2010 and C-DII scores were assessed by median intake determined from the sample distribution and associated with cardiometabolic measures using linear regression models. Changes in measures were evaluated in a sub-sample of participants invited to attend follow-up visits due to the presence of hypertensive blood pressure (n = 33). RESULTS: Participants (n = 90) reported an average energy intake of 1790 kcal/day (SD ± 734), AHEI-2010 score of 55.04 (SD ± 9.86) (range: 0 to 110) and C-DII score of -0.12 (±0.86) (range -5 to 5). Participants with higher quality/anti-inflammatory diets trended towards more favorable cardiometabolic measures at baseline. Among the sub-sample (n = 33), there was a significant reduction in total energy (m = -302 kcal/day; p-value= 0.03) but no change in AHEI-2010 (p-value = 0.73) or C-DII score (p-value = 0.85) over follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Despite stable diet quality scores, outpatient dietary and behavioral counseling may be an effective tool to reduce energy intake in youth with overweight/obesity and elevated blood pressure. IMPACT: Diet quality scores among obese, hypertensive, African American adolescents were low and reflect a pro-inflammatory diet. Reported intake was negligible for fruits, whole grains, nuts, and legumes, and well above the daily limit for sodium and saturated fat. Participants with high quality/anti-inflammatory diet quality scores trended toward improved cardiometabolic measures. Outpatient dietary counseling resulted in reduced total energy intake.

A review of the maternal iron and folic acid supplementation programme in Nepal: Achievements and challenges.

In the late 1990s, an estimated 75% of pregnant women in Nepal were anaemic. Although iron and folic acid (IFA) supplements were available free of charge, coverage among pregnant women was very low. In response, the Government of Nepal launched the Iron Intensification Programme (IIP) in 2003 to improve the coverage of IFA supplementation and anthelminthic treatment during pregnancy, as well as promote the utilization of antenatal care. This review examined how the IIP programme contributed to Nepal's success in increasing the consumption of IFA supplements during pregnancy. Nepal's cadre of Female Community Health Volunteers were engaged in the IIP to support the community-based distribution of IFA supplements to pregnant women and complement IFA distribution through health facilities and outreach services. As a result, the country achieved a fourfold increase in the proportion of women who took IFA supplements during pregnancy between 2001 and 2016 (from 23% to 91%) and a 12-fold increase in the proportion who took IFA supplements for at least 90 days during pregnancy (from 6% to 71%). The increase in coverage of IFA supplements accompanied an increase in the coverage of antenatal care during the same period. By 2016, the prevalence of anaemia in pregnant women decreased to 46%, highlighting the need to tackle other causes of anaemia and improve haemoglobin concentration before pregnancy, while maintaining the successful efforts to reach pregnant women with IFA supplements at the community level.

Higher Diet Quality in African-American Adolescents Is Associated with Lower Odds of Metabolic Syndrome: Evidence from the NHANES.

BACKGROUND: Development of clinical risk factors linked to metabolic syndrome (MetS) in adolescence is associated with higher incidence of atherosclerotic cardiovascular events in adulthood. Given the increasing burden of obesity and MetS in African-American (AA) youth, there is a need to establish the relation of MetS with modifiable risk factors such as diet quality, because these data may enhance preventative and treatment approaches. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to assess diet quality, measured by the Alternative Healthy Eating Index 2010 (AHEI-2010) and the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) pattern score, in AA adolescents and youth (aged 12-21 y) from the NHANES, and to investigate the association of diet quality with MetS and its components. METHODS: This study is a cross-sectional analysis of NHANES data from the 2005-2016 cycles (n = 2459). Survey-weighted logistic regression models were used to assess the association of diet quality with the prevalence of MetS and individual cardiometabolic components [overweight/obesity, hypertensive blood pressure (BP), impaired fasting glucose, low HDL cholesterol, hypertriglyceridemia]. RESULTS: The mean ± SD AHEI-2010 score was 38.9 ± 9.7 and DASH pattern score was 21.8 ± 4.4, which is equivalent to 35% adherence to recommendations to achieve an optimal diet quality and 45% adherence to the DASH-style dietary pattern, respectively. Compared with those within the lowest quartile of DASH pattern score, individuals in the fourth quartile group had 0.63 (95% CI: 0.41, 0.97) times the odds of having hypertensive BP. Among individuals with complete clinical measures (n = 1007), individuals within the highest-quartile AHEI-2010 group had 0.25 (95% CI: 0.06, 0.99) times the odds of having MetS compared with those within the lowest quartile. CONCLUSIONS: Diet quality in US AA youth is low. Higher DASH pattern scores were associated with lower odds of hypertensive BP and higher AHEI-2010 scores were associated with lower odds of MetS.

Higher diversity of vegetable consumption is associated with less airway inflammation and prevalence of asthma in school-aged children.

BACKGROUND: A diet rich in fruits and vegetables has been suggested to counteract the oxidative stress and inflammation that characterize asthma. We aimed to assess the association between vegetable and fruit diversity consumption and asthma and its related outcomes in school-aged children. METHODS: Participants included 647 children (49% females, aged 7-12 years) recruited from 20 public schools across the city of Porto, in Portugal. Vegetable intake and fruit intake were ascertained using a single self-reported 24-hour recall questionnaire. A diversity score was built taking into account the different number of individual vegetables and fruits consumed and categorized into two groups based on the total reported median consumption, which was rounded to the nearest whole number (≤3 and >3, for vegetables; and ≤1 and >1, for fruits). A questionnaire was used to enquire about self-reported medical diagnosis of asthma and respiratory symptoms. Airway inflammation was assessed measuring exhaled fractional nitric oxide concentration (eNO) and was categorized into two groups (<35 and ≥35 ppb). The association between fruit and vegetable diversity and respiratory outcomes was examined using logistic regression models, adjusting for confounders. RESULTS: A higher vegetable diversity consumption per day was negatively associated with having self-reported asthma (OR = 0.67; 95% CI 0.47, 0.95), while having a vegetable diversity consumption superior to 3 items per day was negatively associated with levels of eNO ≥ 35 ppb (OR = 0.38; 95% CI 0.16, 0.88) and breathing difficulties (OR = 0.39; 95% CI 0.16, 0.97). CONCLUSION: Eating a greater variety of vegetables was associated with a lower chance of airway inflammation and prevalence of self-reported asthma in school children.

Diet quality, general health and anthropometric outcomes in a Latin American population: evidence from the Colombian National Nutritional Survey (ENSIN) 2010.

OBJECTIVE: Colombia is experiencing a nutrition transition, characterised by nutritionally poor diets and an increased prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCD). We aimed to investigate the association between diet quality and general health outcomes related to the risk of NCD, in a nationally representative sample of Colombian adolescents and adults. DESIGN: Cross-sectional analysis. The Alternative Healthy-Eating Index (AHEI) was derived to calculate diet quality. Adjusted regressions were used to examine the association between AHEI, self-perceived general health status (GHS) and anthropometric variables (i.e. age-specific z-scores for height, and BMI for adolescents; waist circumference and BMI for adults). SETTING: Nationally representative data from the Colombian National Nutrition Survey (ENSIN) 2010. PARTICIPANTS: Adolescents aged 10-17 years (n 6566) and adults aged ≥18 years (n 6750). RESULTS: AHEI scores were similar between adolescents (mean 29·3 ± 7·2) and adults (mean 30·5 ± 7·2). In the whole sample, a better diet quality (higher AHEI score) was associated with worse self-perceived GHS (adjusted (a) ß-coefficient: -0·004; P < 0·001) and with a smaller waist circumference ((a) ß-coefficient: -0·06; P < 0·01). In adults, a higher AHEI score was negatively associated with BMI ((a) ß-coefficient: -0·02; P < 0·05), whilst in adolescents it was associated with a reduced height-for-age z-score ((a) ß-coefficient: -0·009; P < 0·001). CONCLUSIONS: A better diet quality was associated with reduced prevalence of predictors of NCD and with some indicators of general health in the Colombian population. In light of the high prevalence of overweight, our findings support the need for public health interventions focused on sustainable positive changes in dietary habits in the general population.

Body mass index and weight change are associated with adult lung function trajectories: the prospective ECRHS study.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have reported an association between weight increase and excess lung function decline in young adults followed for short periods. We aimed to estimate lung function trajectories during adulthood from 20-year weight change profiles using data from the population-based European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS). METHODS: We included 3673 participants recruited at age 20-44 years with repeated measurements of weight and lung function (forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1)) in three study waves (1991-93, 1999-2003, 2010-14) until they were 39-67 years of age. We classified subjects into weight change profiles according to baseline body mass index (BMI) categories and weight change over 20 years. We estimated trajectories of lung function over time as a function of weight change profiles using population-averaged generalised estimating equations. RESULTS: In individuals with normal BMI, overweight and obesity at baseline, moderate (0.25-1 kg/year) and high weight gain (>1 kg/year) during follow-up were associated with accelerated FVC and FEV1 declines. Compared with participants with baseline normal BMI and stable weight (±0.25 kg/year), obese individuals with high weight gain during follow-up had -1011 mL (95% CI -1.259 to -763) lower estimated FVC at 65 years despite similar estimated FVC levels at 25 years. Obese individuals at baseline who lost weight (<-0.25 kg/year) exhibited an attenuation of FVC and FEV1 declines. We found no association between weight change profiles and FEV1/FVC decline. CONCLUSION: Moderate and high weight gain over 20 years was associated with accelerated lung function decline, while weight loss was related to its attenuation. Control of weight gain is important for maintaining good lung function in adult life.

Dietary Patterns and Mortality in a Multinational Cohort of Adults Receiving Hemodialysis.

RATIONALE & OBJECTIVE: Clinical practice guidelines for dietary intake in hemodialysis focus on individual nutrients. Little is known about associations of dietary patterns with survival. We evaluated the associations of dietary patterns with cardiovascular and all-cause mortality among adults treated by hemodialysis. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING & PARTICIPANTS: 8,110 of 9,757 consecutive adults on hemodialysis (January 2014 to June 2017) treated in a multinational private dialysis network and with analyzable dietary data. EXPOSURES: Data-driven dietary patterns based on the GA2LEN food frequency questionnaire. Participants received a score for each identified pattern, with higher scores indicating closer resemblance of their diet to the identified pattern. Quartiles of standardized pattern scores were used as primary exposures. OUTCOMES: Cardiovascular and all-cause mortality. ANALYTICAL APPROACH: Principal components analysis with varimax rotation to identify common dietary patterns. Adjusted proportional hazards regression analyses with country as a random effect to estimate the associations between dietary pattern scores and mortality. Associations were expressed as adjusted HRs with 95% CIs, using the lowest quartile score as reference. RESULTS: During a median follow-up of 2.7 years (18,666 person-years), there were 2,087 deaths (958 cardiovascular). 2 dietary patterns, "fruit and vegetable" and "Western," were identified. For the fruit and vegetable dietary pattern score, adjusted HRs, in ascending quartiles, were 0.94 (95% CI, 0.76-1.15), 0.83 (95% CI, 0.66-1.06), and 0.91 (95% CI, 0.69-1.21) for cardiovascular mortality and 0.95 (95% CI, 0.83-1.09), 0.84 (95% CI, 0.71-0.99), and 0.87 (95% CI, 0.72-1.05) for all-cause mortality. For the Western dietary pattern score, the corresponding estimates were 1.10 (95% CI, 0.90-1.35), 1.11 (95% CI, 0.87-1.41), and 1.09 (95% CI, 0.80-1.49) for cardiovascular mortality and 1.01 (95% CI, 0.88-1.16), 1.00 (95% CI, 0.85-1.18), and 1.14 (95% CI, 0.93-1.41) for all-cause mortality. LIMITATIONS: Self-reported food frequency questionnaire, data-driven approach. CONCLUSIONS: These findings did not confirm an association between mortality among patients receiving long-term hemodialysis and the extent to which dietary patterns were either high in fruit and vegetables or consistent with a Western diet.

Operational Differences in Plant-Based Diet Indices Affect the Ability to Detect Associations with Incident Hypertension in Middle-Aged US Adults.

BACKGROUND: Several distinct plant-based diet indices (PDIs) have been developed to characterize adherence to plant-based diets. OBJECTIVE: We contrasted 5 PDIs in a community-based cohort by assessing characteristics of the diet and evaluating whether these PDIs are associated with risk of incident hypertension. METHODS: Using FFQ data from adults (45-64 y, n = 8041) without hypertension at baseline in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study, we scored participants' diets using the overall PDI (oPDI), healthy PDI (hPDI), less healthy (unhealthy) PDI (uPDI), provegetarian diet index, and PDI from the Rotterdam Study (PDI-Rotterdam). For the oPDI, provegetarian diet, and PDI-Rotterdam, higher intakes of all or selected plant foods received higher scores. For the hPDI, higher intakes of plant foods identified as healthful received higher scores. For the uPDI, higher intakes of less healthy plant foods received higher scores. All indices scored higher intakes of animal foods lower. We examined agreement between indices, and whether scores on these indices were associated with risk of hypertension using Cox proportional hazard models. RESULTS: The PDIs were moderately-to-strongly correlated and largely ranked subjects consistently, except for the uPDI. Over a median follow-up of 13 y, 6044 incident hypertension cases occurred. When adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics, other dietary factors, and health behaviors, the highest compared with the lowest quintile for adherence to the oPDI, hPDI, and provegetarian diet was associated with a 12-16% lower risk of hypertension (all P-trend <0.05). Highest adherence to the uPDI was associated with a 13% higher risk of hypertension, when clinical factors were further adjusted for (P-trend = 0.03). No significant association was observed with the PDI-Rotterdam. The oPDI, hPDI, and provegetarian diet moderately improved the prediction of hypertension. CONCLUSIONS: In middle-aged US adults, despite moderate agreement in ranking subjects across PDIs, operational differences can affect the ability to detect diet-disease associations, such as hypertension.

The inflammatory potential of diet impacts the association between air pollution and childhood asthma.

BACKGROUND: Inhalation of fine particulate matter (PM) can cause systematic inflammation and oxidative stress, which may further aggravate the development and progression of asthma. Although nutritional intake of fatty acids and antioxidants may attenuate some effects of fine PM, the role of the inflammatory potential of diet has not been addressed. Therefore, we aimed to investigate possible modulatory effects of dietary inflammatory potential on the association between indoor air pollution and childhood asthma-related outcomes. METHODS: In a sample of 501 children (48.1% females, aged 7-12 years) from 20 public schools located in Porto, Portugal, we evaluated airway reversibility, exhaled nitric oxide levels, atopy, and current respiratory symptoms. Dietary inflammatory index was calculated based on information collected through a reported 24-hour recall questionnaire, and participants were categorized as having an anti-inflammatory or pro-inflammatory diet. Concentrations of indoor PM2.5 and PM10 were measured to assess indoor air quality. Generalized linear mixed models were used to investigate the proportion of effects explained by the exposure to PM2.5 and PM10. RESULTS: After adjustment, the exposure effect of PM2.5 and PM10 levels on children with asthma was higher for those having a pro-inflammatory diet (OR = 1.44, 95% CI: 1.01-2.21; and OR = 1.29, 95% CI: 1.03-1.68, respectively) compared to those having an anti-inflammatory diet. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that the quality of diet might affect the association between indoor pollution and asthma in children, highlighting the relevance of children's diet as a potential protective factor to pollutant exposure in childhood asthma.

Dietary flavonoids and respiratory diseases: a population-based multi-case-control study in Italian adults.

OBJECTIVE: To analyse the associations between chronic respiratory diseases and intakes of total flavonoids and their major subclasses (flavanones, anthocyanins, flavan-3-ols, flavonols, flavones, polymers and proanthocyanidins). DESIGN: Multi-case-control study. SETTING: The analysis was conducted in the frame of the Genes Environment Interaction in Respiratory Diseases (GEIRD) study. The European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition FFQ was used to ascertain dietary intake. Multinomial regression models adjusting for age, sex, centre, BMI, smoking habit, alcohol intake, education, total energy intake, vitamin C intake and total fruit intake were used to examine the associations between dietary exposures and the relative risk ratio (RRR) of being a case. PARTICIPANTS: Individuals (n 990) hierarchically defined as follows: cases with asthma (current, n 159; past, n 78), chronic bronchitis (n 47), rhinitis (allergic rhinitis, n 167; non-allergic rhinitis, n 142) and controls (n 97). RESULTS: An increase of 1 sd in flavanones was associated with a reduced risk of non-allergic rhinitis (adjusted RRR = 0·68, 95 % CI 0·47, 0·97); a similar result was found comparing the highest v. lowest quartile of flavanones intake (adjusted RRR = 0·24, 95 % CI 0·10, 0·59). CONCLUSIONS: Flavonoids contained in fruits and vegetables, especially flavanones, might reduce the risk of non-allergic rhinitis. No associations were found between other flavonoids and the considered outcomes.

Biomarkers of Oxidative Stress and Inflammation in Chronic Airway Diseases.

INTRODUCTION: The global burden of chronic airway diseases represents an important public health concern. The role of oxidative stress and inflammation in the pathogenesis of these diseases is well known. The aim of this study is to evaluate the behavior of both inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers in patients with chronic bronchitis, current asthma and past asthma in the frame of a population-based study. METHODS: For this purpose, data collected from the Gene Environment Interactions in Respiratory Diseases (GEIRD) Study, an Italian multicentre, multicase-control study, was evaluated. Cases and controls were identified through a two-stage screening process of individuals aged 20-65 years from the general population. Out of 16,569 subjects selected from the general population in the first stage of the survey, 2259 participated in the clinical evaluation. Oxidative stress biomarkers such as 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG), 8-isoprostane and glutathione and inflammatory biomarkers such as Fractional Exhaled Nitric Oxide (FENO) and white blood cells were evaluated in 1878 subjects. RESULTS: Current asthmatics presented higher levels of FENO (23.05 ppm), leucocytes (6770 n/µL), basophils (30.75 n/µL) and eosinophils (177.80 n/µL), while subjects with chronic bronchitis showed higher levels of GSH (0.29 mg/mL) and lymphocytes (2101.6 n/µL). The multivariable multinomial logistic regression confirmed high levels of leucocytes (RRR = 1.33), basophils (RRR = 1.48), eosinophils (RRR = 2.39), lymphocytes (RRR = 1.26) and FENO (RRR = 1.42) in subjects with current asthma. Subjects with past asthma had a statistically significant higher level of eosinophils (RRR = 1.78) with respect to controls. Subjects with chronic bronchitis were characterized by increased levels of eosinophils (RRR = 2.15), lymphocytes (RRR = 1.58), GSH (RRR = 2.23) and 8-isoprostane (RRR = 1.23). CONCLUSION: In our study, current asthmatics show a greater expression of the inflammatory profile compared to subjects who have had asthma in the past and chronic bronchitis. On the other hand, chronic bronchitis subjects showed a higher rate of expression of oxidative stress biomarkers compared to asthmatic subjects. In particular, inflammatory markers such as circulating inflammatory cells and FENO seem to be more specific for current asthma, while oxidative stress biomarkers such as glutathione and 8-isoprostane appear to be more specific and applicable to patients with chronic bronchitis.

Age at introduction to complementary solid food and food allergy and sensitization: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: An infant's age at introduction of complementary solids may contribute to food allergy. We aimed to synthesize the literature on the association between age at introduction of complementary solids, excluding milk products, and food allergy and sensitization. DESIGN: We searched the electronic databases PubMed and EMBASE (January 1946-February 2017) using solid food, allergy and sensitization terms. METHODS: Two authors selected papers according to inclusion criteria, identifying 16 cohort studies, 1 case-control study and 8 randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Pooled effects across studies were estimated using random-effects meta-analysis. RESULTS: Cohort studies-Introducing complementary solids at age ≥ 4 months vs <4 months was not associated with food allergy (OR 1.22; 95% CI, 0.76-1.96) but was associated with food sensitization (OR 1.93; 95% CI 1.57-2.38). First exposure from age 4 to 6 months vs <4 months was not associated with food allergy (OR 1.01; 95% CI, 0.64-1.60) but was associated with food sensitization (OR 2.46; 95% CI 1.55-3.86). Randomized controlled trials-Egg exposure from age 4 months was associated with reduced egg allergy (OR 0.63, 95% CI, 0.44-0.90) and sensitization (OR 0.76, 95% CI, 0.51-0.95). Peanut exposure from age 4 months compared to delayed exposure was associated with reduced peanut allergy (OR 0.28, 95% CI 0.14-0.57). CONCLUSIONS: We found no evidence from observational studies that introducing solids before 4 months protected against food allergy, but there was evidence for protection against food sensitization. From RCTs, introducing egg from 4 to 6 months and peanut from 4 to 11 months reduced the risk of egg allergy, peanut allergy and egg sensitization. PROSPERO systematic review registry (CRD42016033473).

Dietary fats, olive oil and respiratory diseases in Italian adults: A population-based study.

BACKGROUND: Fat intake has been associated with respiratory diseases, with conflicting results. OBJECTIVE: We studied the association between asthma and rhinitis with dietary fats, and their food sources in an Italian population. METHODS: Clinical and nutritional information was collected for 871 subjects (aged 20-84) from the population-based multi-case-control study Genes Environment Interaction in Respiratory Diseases (GEIRD): 145 with current asthma (CA), 77 with past asthma (PA), 305 with rhinitis and 344 controls. Food intake was collected using the EPIC (European Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition) Food Frequency Questionnaire. The associations between fats and respiratory diseases were estimated by multinomial models. Fats and their dietary sources were analysed both as continuous variables and as quartiles. RESULTS: Monounsaturated fatty acids and oleic acid were associated with a reduced risk of CA in both continuous (RRR = 0.68, 95%CI: 0.48; 0.96; RRR = 0.69; 95%CI: 0.49; 0.97, per 10 g, respectively) and per-quartile analyses (p for trend = 0.028 and 0.024, respectively). Olive oil was associated with a decreased risk of CA (RRR = 0.80; 95%CI: 0.65; 0.98 per 10 g). An increased risk of rhinitis was associated with moderate total fat and SFA intake. CONCLUSIONS: High dietary intakes of oleic acid and of olive oil are associated with a lower risk of asthma but not of rhinitis.

Can dietary strategies in early life prevent childhood food allergy? A report from two iFAAM workshops.

Food allergy affects a small but significant number of children and adults. Food allergy is responsible for considerable morbidity and is the commonest cause of anaphylaxis in children. One of the aims of the European Union-funded "Integrated Approaches to Food Allergen and Allergy Risk Management" (iFAAM) project was to improve our understanding of the best way to prevent the development of food allergy. Groups within the project worked on integrating the current prevention evidence base as well as generating new data to move our understanding forward. This paper from the iFAAM project is a unique addition to the literature on this topic as it not only outlines the recently published randomized controlled trials (as have previous reviews) but also summarizes two iFAAM-associated project workshops. These workshops focused on how we may be able to use dietary strategies in early life to prevent the development of food allergy and summarized the range of opinions amongst experts in this controversial area.

The Association of Mediterranean and DASH Diets with Mortality in Adults on Hemodialysis: The DIET-HD Multinational Cohort Study.

Background Mediterranean and Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diets associate with lower cardiovascular and all-cause mortality in the general population, but the benefits for patients on hemodialysis are uncertain.Methods Mediterranean and DASH diet scores were derived from the GA2LEN Food Frequency Questionnaire within the DIET-HD Study, a multinational cohort study of 9757 adults on hemodialysis. We conducted adjusted Cox regression analyses clustered by country to evaluate the association between diet score tertiles and all-cause and cardiovascular mortality (the lowest tertile was the reference category).Results During the median 2.7-year follow-up, 2087 deaths (829 cardiovascular deaths) occurred. The adjusted hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) for the middle and highest Mediterranean diet score tertiles were 1.20 (1.01 to 1.41) and 1.14 (0.90 to 1.43), respectively, for cardiovascular mortality and 1.10 (0.99 to 1.22) and 1.01 (0.88 to 1.17), respectively, for all-cause mortality. Corresponding estimates for the same DASH diet score tertiles were 1.01 (0.85 to 1.21) and 1.19 (0.99 to 1.43), respectively, for cardiovascular mortality and 1.03 (0.92 to 1.15) and 1.00 (0.89 to 1.12), respectively, for all-cause mortality. The association between DASH diet score and all-cause death was modified by age (P=0.03); adjusted hazard ratios for the middle and highest DASH diet score tertiles were 1.02 (0.81 to 1.29) and 0.70 (0.53 to 0.94), respectively, for younger patients (≤60 years old) and 1.05 (0.93 to 1.19) and 1.08 (0.95 to 1.23), respectively, for older patients.Conclusions Mediterranean and DASH diets did not associate with cardiovascular or total mortality in hemodialysis.

Diet during pregnancy and infancy and risk of allergic or autoimmune disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: There is uncertainty about the influence of diet during pregnancy and infancy on a child's immune development. We assessed whether variations in maternal or infant diet can influence risk of allergic or autoimmune disease. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Two authors selected studies, extracted data, and assessed risk of bias. Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) was used to assess certainty of findings. We searched Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE), Excerpta Medica dataBASE (EMBASE), Web of Science, Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), and Literatura Latino Americana em Ciências da Saúde (LILACS) between January 1946 and July 2013 for observational studies and until December 2017 for intervention studies that evaluated the relationship between diet during pregnancy, lactation, or the first year of life and future risk of allergic or autoimmune disease. We identified 260 original studies (964,143 participants) of milk feeding, including 1 intervention trial of breastfeeding promotion, and 173 original studies (542,672 participants) of other maternal or infant dietary exposures, including 80 trials of maternal (n = 26), infant (n = 32), or combined (n = 22) interventions. Risk of bias was high in 125 (48%) milk feeding studies and 44 (25%) studies of other dietary exposures. Evidence from 19 intervention trials suggests that oral supplementation with nonpathogenic micro-organisms (probiotics) during late pregnancy and lactation may reduce risk of eczema (Risk Ratio [RR] 0.78; 95% CI 0.68-0.90; I2 = 61%; Absolute Risk Reduction 44 cases per 1,000; 95% CI 20-64), and 6 trials suggest that fish oil supplementation during pregnancy and lactation may reduce risk of allergic sensitisation to egg (RR 0.69, 95% CI 0.53-0.90; I2 = 15%; Absolute Risk Reduction 31 cases per 1,000; 95% CI 10-47). GRADE certainty of these findings was moderate. We found weaker support for the hypotheses that breastfeeding promotion reduces risk of eczema during infancy (1 intervention trial), that longer exclusive breastfeeding is associated with reduced type 1 diabetes mellitus (28 observational studies), and that probiotics reduce risk of allergic sensitisation to cow's milk (9 intervention trials), where GRADE certainty of findings was low. We did not find that other dietary exposures-including prebiotic supplements, maternal allergenic food avoidance, and vitamin, mineral, fruit, and vegetable intake-influence risk of allergic or autoimmune disease. For many dietary exposures, data were inconclusive or inconsistent, such that we were unable to exclude the possibility of important beneficial or harmful effects. In this comprehensive systematic review, we were not able to include more recent observational studies or verify data via direct contact with authors, and we did not evaluate measures of food diversity during infancy. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings support a relationship between maternal diet and risk of immune-mediated diseases in the child. Maternal probiotic and fish oil supplementation may reduce risk of eczema and allergic sensitisation to food, respectively.

Dietary patterns and respiratory health in adults from nine European countries-Evidence from the GA2 LEN study.

BACKGROUND: Dietary patterns defined using principal component analysis (PCA) offer an alternative to the analysis of individual foods and nutrients and have been linked with asthma and allergic disease. However, results have not been reproducible in different settings. OBJECTIVE: To identify dietary patterns common to different European countries and examine their associations with asthma and allergic symptoms. METHODS: In sixteen study centers in nine European countries, 3206 individuals aged 15-77 years completed a common, internationally validated, food frequency questionnaire and a respiratory symptoms questionnaire. The outcomes of interest were current asthma, asthma symptoms score (derived based on responses to 5 asthma symptom-related questions), atopy (positive skin prick test). Spirometry was used to estimate forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1 ), forced vital capacity (FVC), the FEV1 /FVC, spirometric restriction (FVC below the lower limit of normal (