Effect of nanoparticles on gouty arthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of nanoparticles on gouty arthritis, and to provide evidence for the preclinical application of nanoparticles in gouty arthritis and ideas for nanomedicine improvement for nanoparticle researchers. METHODS: Five databases including the Cochrane Library, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Embase were searched for eligible studies until April 2022. The quality of the selected studies was assessed by SYRCLE's risk of bias (RoB) tool, and the random-effects model was used to calculate the overall effect sizes of weighted mean differences (WMD). RESULTS: Ten studies met the inclusion criteria. Results showed that nanoparticles were effective in reducing uric acid levels (WMD: -4.91; 95% confidence interval (CI): - 5.41 to - 4.41; p < 0.001), but were not better than allopurinol (WMD: -0.20; 95% CI: - 0.42 to 0.02; p = 0.099). It was worth noting that the nanoparticles were safer than allopurinol. Subgroup analyses indicated that nanoparticle encapsulated substance, animal species, nanoparticle dosage, animal quantity, and animal gender were all sources of heterogeneity. CONCLUSION: The nanoparticles are safe medications for gouty arthritis which can effectively reduce uric acid levels in rodents. Although the results are still uncertain, it is expected to have certain clinical application value. The nanoparticles may be the preclinical medications for gouty arthritis in the future.

Effects of telemedicine-based follow-up management on adults with obstructive sleep apnea: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: This meta-analysis aimed to investigate the effects of telemedicine-based follow-up management on adults with obstructive sleep apnea. METHODS: Publications were searched in the Cochrane Library, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Embase. Studies were selected according to the predefined screening criteria, and their qualities were assessed by the Revised Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials. The statistical analyses were performed using Stata12.0 software. It was registered in PROSPERO with the number: CRD42021276414. RESULTS: A total of 33 articles with 8,689 participants were included. Telemedicine-based follow-up management improved average daily continuous positive airway pressure usage by 36 min (weighted mean difference:0.61;95% confidence interval: 0.39 to 0.83), and the percentage of days with continuous positive airway pressure usage more than four hours by 10.67% in obstructive sleep apnea patients. The meta-analysis of good continuous positive airway pressure compliance showed telemedicine-based follow-up management did not lead to good continuous positive airway pressure compliance (odds ratio: 1.13;95% confidence interval: 0.72 to 1.76). The pooled mean difference of sleep quality was 0.15 (standardized mean difference:0.15; 95% confidence interval: -0.03 to 0.32), and daytime sleepiness was -0.26 (weighted mean difference: -0.26;95% confidence interval: -0.79 to 0.28). The pooled mean difference of apnea hypopnea index was -0.53 (95% confidence interval: -3.58 to 2.51). As for the overall quality of life, the pooled mean difference was -0.25 (standardized mean difference: -0.25;95% confidence interval: -0.25 to 0.76). CONCLUSION: Telemedicine-based follow-up management was beneficial for continuous positive airway pressure compliance of obstructive sleep apnea patients within six months. However, it could not improve sleep quality, daytime sleepiness, the severity of obstructive sleep apnea, and quality of life in obstructive sleep apnea patients compared with traditional follow-up. Moreover, it was more cost-effective, but there was no consensus on whether it would increase the workload of medical staff.

Flaxseed supplementation significantly reduces hemoglobin A1c in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Flaxseed is a functional food because of its high content of alpha-linolenic acid, lignans, and dietary fiber. We hypothesized that flaxseed supplementation would improve cardiometabolic parameters in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM); however, clinical trials have shown conflicting results. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to determine the impact of flaxseed supplementation in patients with T2DM. Randomized controlled trials were systematically searched in PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and Embase until 25 March 2022. A total of 13 studies were included, and the results showed that flaxseed supplementation significantly reduced hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) in participants with T2DM compared with the control group. In contrast, it had no effects on body weight, body mass index, blood pressure, fasting blood glucose (FBG), homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance, quantitative insulin sensitivity check index, and lipid parameters. In the subgroup analyses, FBG was significantly reduced with supplementation of flaxseed in participants with baseline FBG ≥8.0 mmol/L or baseline HbA1c ≥7.0%. And a significant decrease in HbA1c in participants with baseline HbA1c ≥7.0% after flaxseed supplementation. In addition, subgroup analyses indicated that whole flaxseed supplementation significantly increased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and reduced total cholesterol or low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in participants with T2DM. In conclusion, flaxseed supplementation significantly reduced HbA1c in participants with T2DM, especially those with poorly controlled blood sugar levels. However, larger scale studies with better designs are needed to confirm insignificant and/or ambiguous findings.

Effect of Oat Consumption on Blood Pressure: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

BACKGROUND: Current clinical trials have had controversial results regarding the effects of oat consumption on blood pressure (BP) in adults. OBJECTIVE: The meta-analysis was conducted to systematically evaluate the effects of oat consumption on BP in adults. METHODS: Electronic databases including PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and Embase were searched until December 13, 2021 for eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs). RCTs published in English and that explored the effects of oat consumption on BP in adults under matched total energy intake were included. Meta-analysis using a random-effects model was performed. The pooled effect size was expressed as mean difference and 95% CI. I2 statistics were used to quantify heterogeneity. The risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk-of-Bias Tool, version 2. RESULTS: Twenty-one RCTs involving 1,569 participants were included. The pooled results indicated that consuming oats reduced systolic blood pressure (SBP) significantly (mean difference = -2.82 mm Hg; 95% CI -4.72 to -0.93 mm Hg; P = .004). Subgroup analyses indicated that oat consumption reduced SBP significantly in hypertensive participants, or when compared with control group participants who consumed refined grains. No significant reduction in diastolic blood pressure (DBP) was observed after oat consumption (mean difference = -1.16 mm Hg; 95% CI -2.37 to 0.04 mm Hg; P = .060). However, the sensitivity analysis of DBP, removal of individual studies, or "leave one out meta-analysis," showed a significant reduction in DBP, suggesting that the pooled result in the main analysis was not robust. Subgroup analyses showed that oat consumption did significantly reduce DBP in participants with baseline BP in the prehypertensive range. Both SBP and DBP were significantly reduced when the dosage of oat consumption was ≥5 g/day ß-glucan, or the oat consumption duration was ≥8 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: Oat consumption is effective in reducing SBP levels, particularly in individuals whose baseline BP is in the hypertensive range or when compared with control group participants consuming refined grains at matched total energy intake.

Effects of the pre-existing coronary heart disease on the prognosis of COVID-19 patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Although studies have shown severe Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outcomes in patients with pre-existing coronary heart disease (CHD), the prognosis of COVID-19 patients with pre-existing CHD remains uncertain primarily due to the limited number of patients in existing studies. This study aimed to investigate the impacts of pre-existing CHD on the prognosis of COVID-19 patients. Five electronic databases were searched for eligible studies. This article focused on cohort and case-control studies involving the prognosis of COVID-19 patients with pre-existing CHD. The meta-analysis was performed using a random effects model. The odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used as valid indicators. The study was registered in PROSPERO with the identifier: CRD42022352853. A total of 81 studies, involving 157,439 COVID-19 patients, were included. The results showed that COVID-19 patients with pre-existing CHD exhibited an elevated risk of mortality (OR = 2.45; 95%CI: [2.04, 2.94], P < 0.001), severe/critical COVID-19 (OR = 2.57; 95%CI: [1.98, 3.33], P < 0.001), Intensive Care Unit or Coronary Care Unit (ICU/CCU) admission: (OR = 2.75, 95%CI: [1.61, 4.72], P = 0.002), and reduced odds of discharge/recovery (OR = 0.43, 95%CI: [0.28, 0.66], P < 0.001) compared to COVID-19 patients without pre-existing CHD. Subgroup analyses indicated that the prognosis of COVID-19 patients with pre-existing CHD was influenced by publication year, follow-up duration, gender, and hypertension. In conclusion, pre-existing CHD significantly increases the risk of poor prognosis in patients with COVID-19, particularly in those male or hypertensive patients.

High salt diet elevates the mean arterial pressure of SLC14α1 gene depletion mice.

AIMS: Urea transporter B (UTB) is encoded by the SLC14α1 gene, and exerts its activity in the choroid plexus (CP) by regulating [Na+] in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and maintaining normal blood pressure in mice fed on high salt diet. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of high salt diet on the mean arterial pressure (MAP) in SLC14α1 depletion mice and its possible molecular mechanism. MAIN METHODS: Adult male mice were divided into four groups: 1) UTB+/+(wild type) mice + normal salt diet (0.3% NaCl, NS); 2) UTB+/+ mice + high salt diet (8% NaCl, HS); 3) UTB-/- (SLC14α1 knockout) mice + NS; 4) UTB-/- mice + HS, each group consisted of 6 mice. The MAP of mice was measured by non-invasive detection method after HS diet for 4 weeks, followed by euthanization for brain and blood collection. KEY FINDINGS: HS significantly elevated the MAP and CSF [Na+] in UTB-/- mice in comparison with wild type mice; however, NS didn't alter the MAP and CSF [Na+] in either wild type mice or UTB-/- mice. HS also induced the expression of ENaC-α and α1-Na+-K+-ATPase in UTB-/- mice as confirmed by RT-PCR and Western blot. SIGNIFICANCE: These results suggest that the depletion of SLC14α1 gene in mice may contribute to the HS-induced abnormality of sodium transportation in the CSF, and lead to the elevation of MAP, which eventually promote the development of salt-sensitive hypertension.

The Effect of Lactobacillus Consumption on Human Blood Pressure: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

OBJECTIVES: Previous clinical studies have shown controversial results regarding the effect of Lactobacillus supplementation on blood pressure (BP). The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to examine the effect of Lactobacillus consumption on BP. METHODS: Eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were searched from five electronic databases until May 2020. In total, 18 studies were included in our meta-analysis. Quality of the selected studies was assessed, and a random-effects model was used to calculate the overall effect sizes of weighted mean differences (WMD). This systematic review was registered in PROSPERO with the number: CRD42019139294. RESULTS: Lactobacillus consumption significantly reduced systolic blood pressure (SBP) by -2.74 mmHg (95% confidence interval, -4.96 to -0.51) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) by -1.50 mmHg (95% confidence interval, -2.44 to -0.56) when comparing with the control group. Subgroup analysis showed that type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients, Asian individuals, or borderline hypertension participants were more sensitive to daily consumption of Lactobacillus. And the effect of Lactobacillus on BP-reduction was more significant in capsule form, with the dose was above 5 × 109 colony-forming unit (CFU)/day or lasted for more than 8 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: Our present study suggests that Lactobacillus consumption in capsule form when the daily dose is above 5 × 109 CFU for more than 8 weeks can decrease SBP or DBP in T2DM patients, borderline hypertension participants or Asian individuals.