THE EFFECT OF COENZYME Q10 ON PERIODONTITIS: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS OF CLINICAL TRIALS.

OBJECTIVE: Coenzyme Q10 gel might be beneficial for periodontitis. However, the results have been controversial. We designed a systematic review and meta-analysis to explore the efficacy of coenzyme Q10 in periodontitis patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A systematic review of controlled trials (PROSPERO: CRD42020212424) was performed from 1980 to August 2020 by 2 separate investigators through the following databases: Embase, CENTRAL, PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and ProQuest. Hand search of reference lists of the included studies was also performed. Of 269 records, eleven trials were included in the meta-analysis using a random-effect model. RESULTS: Coenzyme Q10 could significantly reduce Plaque Index (SMD, -0.64; CI, -1.03 to -0.26, P = .002; I2 = 85.7%), Bleeding Index (SMD, -1.05; CI, -1.70 to -0.41, P = .001; I2 = 89.5%), Pocket Depth (SMD, -0.96; CI, -1.35 to -0.58, P ˂ .001, I2 = 84.7%), clinical attachment level (SMD, -0.73; CI, -1.23 to -0.22, P = .005; I2 = 87.8%), and gingival index (SMD, -0.63; CI, -0.97 to -0.28, P = .001; I2 = 72.8%) in periodontitis. Subgroup analysis showed that coenzyme Q10 had a stronger reduction effect if administered intra-pocket rather than topical. Studies with high risk of bias reported a greater positive effect of coenzyme Q10 compared to studies with unclear risk. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings encourage administration of coenzyme Q10 gel in periodontitis based on its meaningful effect on Plaque Index, Bleeding Index, gingival index, clinical attachment level and Pocket Depth. Future studies with better qualities are required for a better conclusion.

The effect of black barberry hydroalcoholic extract on immune mediators in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis: A randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease associated with inflammation. In this trial, we aimed to investigate the Immunomodulatory effect of hydroalcoholic extract of black barberry on immune mediators in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis. In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, 80 women with active RA were randomly assigned into two groups of two capsules, each containing 1,000 mg black barberry extract (n = 40) or maltodextrin placebo (n = 40) daily for 12 weeks. Demographic indices, physical activity, dietary intake, and disease activity were investigated using suitable questionnaires. Concentration of cytokines IL-2, IL-4, IL-10, and IL-17 in blood sample were measured using PBMC method. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS (version 22). At baseline, there were no differences between the two groups in terms of demographic indices, physical activity, and dietary intake (p > .05). Black barberry supplementation reduced the severity of RA. It showed no significant effect on IL-2 and IL-4 cytokines (p > .05). IL-17 levels decreased significantly after the intervention within the black barberry group, while IL-10 had a significant increase in this group (p < .05). Barberry extract may reduce inflammatory and increase anti-inflammatory cytokines in RA, and stimulates the immune response by increasing Th2 production.

The Effects of Sumac Consumption on Inflammatory and Oxidative Stress Factors: A Systematic Review of Randomized Clinical Trials.

BACKGROUND: Rhus coriaria L., commonly known as Sumac, is a plant from the Anacardiaceae family that is known for its high phytochemical content. These phytochemicals have the potential to effectively manage inflammation and oxidative stress. To explore the existing evidence on the impact of Sumac consumption on inflammation and oxidative stress, we conducted a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. METHODS: We conducted a comprehensive search of Medline/PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science from inception to August 2023 to identify relevant studies examining the effects of Sumac on biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress. The selected studies were assessed for risk of bias using the Cochrane tool. RESULTS: A total of seven trials were included in this review. Among these trials, three focused on diabetes patients, while the remaining four involved individuals with fatty liver, overweight individuals with depression, and those with polycystic ovary or metabolic syndrome. Five studies reported the effects of Sumac on oxidative stress, with four of them demonstrating a significant reduction in malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and an increase in total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and paraoxonase 1 (PON1). Regarding inflammation, one study reported no significant difference in tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels between the intervention and control groups. The results for high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels, reported in five trials, were inconsistent. CONCLUSION: Sumac consumption over time may positively affect oxidative stress, although short-term use shows minimal impact. While one study found no significant effect on IL-6 and TNF-α, hs-CRP levels could decrease or remain unchanged. Further meta-analyses are needed to fully understand Sumac's potential benefits in managing metabolic diseases.

The Association between cognitive impairment and anthropometric indices among the elderly: birjand longitudinal aging study.

Background: The population of older adults has been consistently on the rise. We aimed to assess the possible relationship between cognitive decline and anthropometric indices in older adults, using data from the Birjand longitudinal aging study (BLAS). Methods: In this cross-sectional research, the association between cognitive impairment as determined by two tests (Six Item Cognitive Impairment Test (6-CIT)) and (Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE)) and anthropometric indices including waist circumference (WC), body mass index (BMI), waist to height ratio (WHtR), waist to hip ratio (WHR), body roundness index (BRI), and a body shape index (ABSI) were assessed among 1353 elderly ≥ 60 years old, participating in the BLAS cohort study (September 2018 to April 2019). Ordinal and binary logistic regression were used for analysis. Results: According to the MMSE test, 58.3% of participants had cognitive impairment, while this frequency was 64.2% based on the 6-CIT test. A significant reverse association was observed between cognitive decline according to the 6-CIT test and BMI, WHR, and WC (P < 0.05). Cognitive impairment, according to MMSE, was inversely associated with WC and directly associated with WHtR and ABSI in the crude model, which disappeared after adjustment for confounders. BRI was not significantly related to any of the cognitive tests. According to BMI and WC, overweight and obesity could reduce the risk of cognitive impairment. Conclusions: Overall, the result of this study showed that the risk of cognitive decline decreased among the elderly as BMI, WC, and WHR increased. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40200-024-01404-8.

Urolithiasis, growth and blood pressure in childhood: A case-control study.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Kidney stone is a life-threatening disease with subsequent complications, especially in children who overtake this disease in early ages. This study assessed the effect of kidney stone history on current blood pressure and growth parameters of children. METHODS: A two hundred children with (n = 100) and without (n = 100) a history of urolithiasis from Pediatric Urology clinics at the Aliasghar hospital, Tehran, Iran, participated in this case-control study. Several demographic data, height, weight, body mass index (BMI), BMI for age and blood pressure index were measured as the primary outcomes. RESULTS: type of birth and infancy feeding, carbohydrate and energy intake were significantly different between the two groups (P = 0.008, 0.002, 0.03 and < 0.001 respectively). Ordinal logistic regression analysis showed that the current weight (P = 0.001) and BMI for age (P = 0.02) of the stone formers were lower than the non-stone formers, while no significant association found between the blood pressure or current height and the history of urolithiasis. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that childhood urolithiasis has no significant effect on growth failure and blood pressure in childhood but it has a little impact on weight and BMI for age in older ages.

The Association between Maternal Dietary Protein Intake and Risk of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus.

BACKGROUND: The amount and type of dietary protein affect glucose metabolism. However, the association between dietary protein intake and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) risk is vague. We examined this association. Methods: We included 152 GDM and 168 non-GDM participants (total 320), age 18-45 years from Arash Women's Hospital, Tehran, Iran. Protein intake was ascertained from 168-item Food Frequency Questionnaire at 24-40 weeks' gestation. GDM was defined as fasting blood sugar >95 mg/dL and/or oral glucose tolerance test >155 mg/dL. Dietary data were assessed using N4 software and statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 21. We tested the association between the amount of protein consumed from red and processed meat, poultry, dairy, egg, seafood, and vegetable plus sociodemographic and lifestyle covariates and GDM risk using multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: There was a significant association between the physical activity (P < 0.035), socioeconomic status (P < 0.013), body mass index, age, and each trimester's weight (P < 0.001), and risk of GDM. No significant association was observed between the intake of protein from major protein sources and risk of GDM. The only significant association was observed for egg consumption which was lower in GDM participants (P = 0.004), yet this association turned nonsignificant after adjustment for confounders, except for the fourth quartile (odds ratio: 0.43, 95% confidence interval: 0.208, 0.893). CONCLUSIONS: According to our findings, dietary intake of total and major protein sources could not affect the GDM risk. Differences between Iranian and Western population and the reverse causality might be the main reasons for this nonsignificant association.