Efficacy of n-3 fatty acid supplementation on rheumatoid arthritis' disease activity indicators: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trials.

Theoretical evidence and previous studies suggest that oralnutrient supplementation (ONS) with n-3 fatty acids for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has the potential to lower disease activity indicators and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) uptake. A systematic search was conducted on five databases/registries from inception until May 23, 2021 with the aim to identify randomized placebo-controlled trials comparing n-3 supplements to placebo on disease-specific outcomes. A total of 23 studies matched the criteria (PROSPERO: CRD42019137041). Pooled analyses revealed that n-3 ONS provided a small effect in reducing pain [standardized mean difference (SMD): -0.16, 95% confidence intervals (CI): -0.40 to 0.09], and tender (SMD: -0.20, 95% CI: -0.46 to 0.05) and swollen joint count (SMD: -0.10, 95% CI: -0.28 to 0.07). In sensitivity analyses, there was a small effect in the reduction of NSAIDs intake (SMD: -0.22, 95% CI: -0.90 to 0.46), and c-reactive protein was reduced only by 0.21 mg/dL (95% CI: -0.75 to 0.33). Similar findings were observed regarding other objective/subjective outcomes. The certainty of the evidence was mostly of "very low/low" quality. Overall, n-3 ONS in RA might have a limited clinical benefit. Previous findings suggesting a reduction in NSAID intake may have been biased from the inadequate blinding of interventions.

Tracing open data in emergencies: The case of the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic constitutes an ongoing, burning Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). In 2015, the World Health Organization adopted an open data policy recommendation in such situations. OBJECTIVES: The present cross-sectional meta-research study aimed to assess the availability of open data and metrics of articles pertaining to the COVID-19 outbreak in five high-impact journals. METHODS: All articles regarding the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), published in five high-impact journals (Ann Intern Med, BMJ, JAMA, NEJM and Lancet) until March 14, 2020 were retrieved. Metadata (namely the type of article, number of authors, number of patients, citations, errata, news and social media mentions) were extracted for each article in each journal in a systematic way. Google Scholar and Scopus were used for citations and author metrics respectively, and Altmetrics and PlumX were used for news and social media mentions retrieval. The degree of adherence to the PHEIC open data call was also evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 140 articles were published until March 14, 2020, mostly opinion papers. Sixteen errata followed these publications. The number of authors in each article ranged from 1 to 63, whereas the number of patients with a laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection reached 2645. Extensive hyperauthorship was evident among case studies. The impact of these publications reached a total of 4210 cumulative crude citations and 342 790 news and social media mentions. Only one publication (0.7%) provided complete open data, while 32 (22.9%) included patient data. CONCLUSIONS: Even though a large number of manuscripts was produced since the pandemic, availability of open data remains restricted.

Effects of lunch club attendance on the dietary intake of older adults in the UK: A pilot cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Lunch clubs are community-based projects where meals are offered with opportunities for social interaction, and a unique dining experience of dual commercial and communal nature. AIM: The aim of the present cross-sectional study was to assess differences in the dietary intake between lunch club and non-lunch club days among community-dwelling elderly, living in Dorset, UK. METHODS: A total of 39 elderly individuals attending local lunch clubs were recruited. Socioeconomic factors were recorded, anthropometric measurements were taken and the dietary intake was assessed in lunch club and non-lunch club days via 24 hour dietary recalls. RESULTS: For the majority of participants, having a hot meal (74.4%), meeting with friends (92.3%), dining outside home (76.9%), having a home-styled cooked meal (71.8%) and skipping cooking (43.6%) were considered as important factors for lunch club dining. Absolute energy intake, protein, fat, carbohydrate, saturated fatty acids, fibre, potassium, calcium, iron, vitamins A, C and folate and water from drinks were significantly greater on lunch club days. When intake was expressed as a percentage of the dietary reference values, all examined nutrients were consumed in greater adequacy during lunch club days, except potassium and vitamin D. CONCLUSIONS: Lunch clubs appear to be an effective means for ameliorating nutrient intake among older adults, while in parallel, offer the opportunity for socializing and sharing a hot meal with peers.

Nutrition Interventions in Pediatric Pancreatitis: Guidelines We Can Trust.

OBJECTIVE: Despite the fact that pediatric pancreatitis is an uncommon disease, its prevalence has increased in recent years. Nevertheless, until 4 years ago, the lack of nutritional guidelines for pediatric pancreatitis was evident, with all recommendations being based on clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for adults. The aim of the present study was to review and critically appraise guidelines for the medical nutrition therapy (MNT) of pediatric pancreatitis. METHODS: A comprehensive search was performed in electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence), the International Guidelines Network, BMJ best practice, and the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network to identify CPGs on the MNT of pediatric pancreatitis. The validated AGREE II tool was used for guidelines appraisal by a team of 3 independent multidisciplinary reviewers. RESULTS: A total of 4 CPGs were retrieved with pediatric pancreatitis MNT information. Out of the 4 advising bodies in total, the joint society paper published by the ESPGHAN/NASPGHAN received the highest score in almost all domains, whereas the Belgian consensus obtained the lowest score in all domains but stakeholder involvement, and was not recommended by 2 out of 3 reviewers. CONCLUSIONS: Pediatric pancreatitis guidelines appear heterogenous in quality, rigour, and transparency. Our study points out existing gaps and biases in the CPGs, and delineates the need for improving the domains identified as being of low-quality.

Food addiction, orthorexia, and food-related stress among dietetics students.

PURPOSE: Health sciences, and in particular Nutrition and Dietetics students, have been shown to exhibit an increased prevalence of disordered eating. The aim of the present cross-sectional study was to evaluate other specified feeding and eating disorders (OSFEDs), including stress-related eating, food addiction, and orthorexia, in relation to the dietary intake, among nutrition/dietetics students. METHODS: A total of 176 undergraduate students from a Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, in Greece, participated in the study. Dietary intake was recorded, and the prevalence of Eating and Appraisal Due to Emotion and Stress (EADES), food addiction (with the modified Yale Food Addition scale mYFAS), and orthorexia were assessed. Chi-square and t tests were performed between sexes, orthorexic and non-orthorexic students, as well as between food-addicted and non-addicted participants. Multiple linear regression analysis assessed relationships between energy intake, BMI or waist circumference, and the food-related psychometric scales. RESULTS: Among participating students, 4.5% had food addiction and 68.2% demonstrated orthorexia. No differences were observed between men and women, concerning the prevalence of food addiction and orthorexia, the sum of mYFAS symptoms, or individual EADES factors. Orthorexic students exhibited increased BMI, reduced energy, and saturated fat intake. In addition, orthorexic men consumed more vegetables. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that orthorexic behavior was associated with increased BMI, waist circumference and energy intake. Lower BMI was associated with increasing ability to cope with emotion-and-stress-related eating and increasing appraisal of ability and resources to cope with emotions and stress. Emotion-and-stress-related eating was negatively associated with BMI. Appraisal of ability and resources to cope with emotions and stress was associated with the energy intake. Finally, age was positively correlated with the appraisal of outside stressors/influences, indicating increased ability to cope with outside stressors among older students. CONCLUSIONS: The study shows that despite the suggested interventions, the problem of OSFEDs among nutrition and dietetics students is still valid. Regular screening, counseling, and education is needed to reduce its prevalence. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level V, cross-sectional descriptive study.

Mönckeberg sclerosis in patients with thyroid papillary carcinoma.

Background: Mönckeberg sclerosis is a form of calcification of the tunica media of small and medium size arteries. It occurs more often in the peripheral arteries of the lower limbs and it has been associated with diabetes and renal disease. Although there are a few reports of Mönckeberg sclerosis in thyroid vessels, there are no data regarding its significance in thyroid disease. Objective: The aim was to investigate the possible prognostic value of Mönckeberg sclerosis in thyroid vessels of patients with diagnosed thyroid cancer. Methods: We retrospectively studied patients with papillary thyroid cancer treated at the Theagenio Hospital of Thessaloniki from 2005 to 2021. The patients were divided into two groups based on the presence, or absence, of histopathological findings of Mönckeberg sclerosis in the thyroid vessels along with papillary thyroid cancer. Patient characteristics, histopathological details, personal history of thyroid disease, and metabolic parameters were compared between the two groups. Results: Thirty-three patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma and Mönckeberg sclerosis were identified and matched to 33 controls with papillary thyroid cancer, without evidence of Mönckeberg sclerosis. The metabolic profile of patients with Mönckeberg sclerosis was not significantly different from those who did not have Mönckeberg sclerosis. Moreover, the comparison between the two groups did not reveal any remarkable differences in terms of the aggressiveness of the disease. Conclusion: The presence of Mönckeberg sclerosis does not seem to impact on histological characteristics of patients with papillary thyroid cancer.

Beat the Clock: Assessment of Night Eating Syndrome and Circadian Rhythm in a Sample of Greek Adults.

The night eating syndrome (NES) is characterized by excessive food intake during the evening and night hours, with 25% of the daily intake being consumed post-dinner, paired with ep-isodes of nocturnal food intake, at a frequency of more than twice weekly. The NES has been associated with a misaligned circadian rhythm related to a delay in overall food intake, increased energy and fat consumption. The present cross-sectional study aimed to assess NES in a Greek population and evaluate possible links between NES and chronotype. NES was assessed using the Night Eating Questionnaire (NEQ), and circadian rhythm, sleep and mood were evaluated with the Sleep, Circadian Rhythms, and Mood (SCRAM) questionnaire. A total of 533 adults participated in the study. A relatively high prevalence of NES was revealed, with more than 8.1% (NEQ ≥ 30) of the participants reporting experiencing NES symptoms, depending on the NEQ threshold used. Most participants had the intermediate chronotype. NEQ score was positively associated with the morning chronotype, and SCRAM was negatively related to "Good Sleep". Each point increment in the depression score was associated with 6% higher odds of NES. The early identification of NES gains importance in clinical practice, in a collective effort aiming to reduce NES symptomatology and its detrimental health effects.

Fly Me to the Immune: Immunonutrition in Rheumatic Diseases.

Immunonutrition is the maintenance and induction of immune homeostasis with the use of nutritional factors, the so called, immunonutrients. Immunonutrition focuses on four "Is" representing an equal number of systemic responses with regards to: a) Immunity, b) Infection, c) Inflammation and d) Injury. Although at the early stages of the development of immunonutrition, its application was focused on malnourished patients, with a latter extension in the intensive care unit setting, today we acknowledge the great importance of immunonutrients in rheumatology. In rheumatic diseases (RDs), all the "Is" representing the four aims and targets of immunonutrition are fulfilled. Impaired Immunity is the hallmark of RDs, with both innate and adaptive immunity contributing to the development and course of each disease entity, representing distinct immunoregulation abnormalities, often paired with micronutrient deficiencies. Infections are both drivers and a frequent epiphenomenon of systemic RDs. Subclinical inflammation is propagated long before the first signs or symptoms of RDs and musculoskeletal conditions (injury) are apparent in all patients with RDs, accompanied by pain, underlying connective tissue disease and the consequent reduction in the function of musculoskeletal. Herein, the role of probiotics, curcumin, vitamins, Selenium, Zinc and n-3 fatty acids as immunonutrients is discussed.

Nutritional Aspects of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis: An A to Z for Dietitians.

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) represents a chronic, autoimmune, rheumatic musculoskeletal disease with a diagnosis before 16 years of age. Chronic arthritis is a common manifestation in all JIA subtypes. The nature of JIA, in combination to its therapy often results in the development of nutrition-, gastrointestinal (GI)- or metabolic-related issues. The most-common therapy-related nutritional issues involve methotrexate (MTX) and glucocorticosteroids (GCC) adverse events. MTX is a folic acid antagonist, thus supplementation with folic acid in required for improving GI side effects and correcting low serum levels. On the other hand, long-term GCC administration is often associated with hyperglycemia, insulin resistance and growth delay. This relationship is further aggravated when more joints are affected and greater doses of GCC are being administered. Apart from stature, body mass index z-scores are also suboptimal in JIA. Other signs of malnutrition include decreased phase angle and muscle mass, especially among patients with polyarthritis JIA. Evidence also points to the existence of an inverse relationship between disease activity and overweight/obesity. Specific dietary patterns, including the anti-inflammatory diet, might confer improvements in selected JIA outcomes, but the level of available research is yet insufficient to draw safe conclusions. The majority of patients exhibit suboptimal vitamin D status; hence, supplementation is recommended. Collectively, the evidence indicates that, due to the age of onset and the complexity of the disease, along with its pharmacotherapy, children with JIA are prone to the development of several nutritional problems, warranting expert monitoring. Vitamin deficiencies, oral and GI-problems limiting dietary intake, faltering growth, overweight and obesity, physical inactivity, or impaired bone health are among the many nutritional issues in JIA requiring dietitian support.

Orthorexia Nervosa Practices in Rheumatoid Arthritis: The DORA Study.

Medical nutrition therapy (MNT) is an indisputable component of the multidisciplinary therapeutic approach in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Previous research has suggested that in chronic disease where nutrition is an important effector of prognosis, healthy dietary choices might take an unhealthy turn, with patients developing disordered eating in the form of orthorexia nervosa (ON). ON is characterized by a pathological preoccupation with "healthy", "pure" eating, associated with restrictive dietary patterns, nutrient deficiencies and worsening disease outcomes. The aim of the present cross-sectional study was to evaluate ON tendencies in a sample of adult patients with RA. A total of 133 patients with RA were recruited, and completed the ORTO-15 questionnaire for the assessment of ON tendencies. Most of the patients were overweight/obese (53.4%). The results revealed ON tendencies in the sample, with the median ORTO-15 score reaching 36 (IQR: 33-39). Greater ON tendencies were associated with the female gender, and lowered ON tendencies with increasing age and body mass index. The present findings highlight the need for health professional awareness regarding the problem of ON in patients with RA and the importance of screening patients.

Mind the Gap: Tools for the Diagnosis and Assessment of Orthorexia Nervosa Based on the Recent Consensus Definition. Reply to Meule, A. Comment on "Sifakaki et al. Orthorexia Nervosa Practices in Rheumatoid Arthritis: The DORA Study. Nutrients 2023, 15, 713".

In a recent manuscript, our team published the results of an original pilot cross-sectional study assessing orthorexia nervosa (ON) tendencies among patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) [...].

Anorexia Nervosa in Juvenile Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE): A Causality Dilemma.

Juvenile-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (jSLE) is an autoimmune disorder with multifaceted clinical findings in different organ systems. Neuropsychiatric manifestations affect more than half of SLE patients, and there is increasing evidence that anorexia nervosa (AN), a feeding and eating disorder (FED) characterized by significantly reduced energy intake, is among them. Herein, a review of the literature on the potential association between jSLE and AN was performed. Reported clinical cases were identified, and putative pathophysiological mechanisms were sought that could potentially explain the observed relationship between these two pathological entities. Four reports of isolated cases and a case series including seven patients were identified. In this limited patient pool, the diagnosis of AN preceded that of SLE in the majority of cases, whereas in all cases both entities were diagnosed within a time span of two years. Many explanations for the observed relationships have been proposed. AN has been associated with the stress of chronic disease diagnosis; on the other hand, the chronic inflammation associated with AN may contribute to the development/appearance of SLE. Adverse childhood experiences, concentrations of leptin, shared autoantibodies, and genetic traits appear to be important factors in this well-established interplay. In essence, it seems important to increase clinician awareness of the concomitant development of AN and SLE and invite further research on the subject.

A Meta-Epidemiological Study of Positive Results in Clinical Nutrition Research: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of Statistically Significant Findings.

Positive (statistically significant) findings are easily produced in nutrition research when specific aspects of the research design and analysis are not accounted for. To address this issue, recently, a pledge was made to reform nutrition research and improve scientific trust on the science, encompass research transparency and achieve reproducibility. The aim of the present meta-epidemiological study was to evaluate the statistical significance status of research items published in three academic journals, all with a focus on clinical nutrition science and assessing certain methodological/transparency issues. All research items were published between the years 2015 and 2019. Study design, primary and secondary findings, sample size and age group, funding sources, positivist findings, the existence of a published research protocol and the adjustment of nutrients/dietary indexes to the energy intake (EI) of participants, were extracted for each study. Out of 2127 studies in total, those with positive findings consisted of the majority, in all three journals. Most studies had a published research protocol, however, this was mainly due to the randomized controlled trials and not to the evidence-synthesis studies. No differences were found in the distribution of positive findings according to the existence/inexistence of a published research protocol. In the pooled sample of studies, positive findings differed according to study design and more significant findings were reported by researchers failing to report any funding source. The majority of items published in the three journals (65.9%) failed to account for the EI of participants. The present results indicate that there is still room for the improvement of nutrition research in terms of design, analyses and reporting.

Effectors of Pregorexia and Emesis among Pregnant Women: A Pilot Study.

During pregnancy, women tend to improve their lifestyle habits and refine their dietary intake. Quite often, however, these dietary improvements take an unhealthy turn, with orthorexia nervosa (ON) practices being apparent. The aim of the present pilot cross-sectional study was to assess the prevalence of ON tendencies and the incidence of pica and record diet practices in a sample of pregnant women. A total of 157 pregnant women were recruited through private practice gynecologists during the first months of 2021. Nutrition-related practices were recorded, orthorexic tendencies were assessed using the translated and culturally adapted Greek version of the ORTO-15 questionnaire, pica practices were evaluated with a binary question and nausea and emesis during pregnancy (NVP) was evaluated using the translated modified Pregnancy-Unique Quantification of Emesis and Nausea (mPUQE). Only two women reported pica tendencies, with ice and snow being the consumed items. The majority (61.1%) of women reported improving their diet since conception was achieved. Folic acid and iron oral nutrient supplements (ONS) were reportedly consumed by the majority of participants (87.9% and 72.6%, respectively) and 9.6% reported using herbal medicine products. The ORTO-15 score was reduced with tertiary education attainment, ART conception, being in the third trimester of pregnancy, consumption of folic acid and MV supplements and was only increased among women who were at their first pregnancy. The majority of participants experienced severe NVP and the remaining experienced moderate NVP. NVP was associated with lower hemoglobin levels, lack of supplementary iron intake, avoidance of gluten-containing foods, as well as with increased gestational weight gain. The results highlight the need to screen pregnant women for disturbed eating behaviors and nutrition-related problems, in order to ensure a healthy pregnancy outcome.

Ketogenic therapy for Parkinson's disease: A systematic review and synthesis without meta-analysis of animal and human trials.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present systematic review was to assess the efficacy of ketogenic therapy in Parkinson's disease (PD), using all available data from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on humans and animal studies with PD models. DESIGN: Systematic review of in vivo studies. METHODS: Studies related to the research question were identified through searches in PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Scopus, clinicaltrials.gov and the gray literature, from inception until November 2021. Rayyan was employed to screen and identify all studies fulfilling the inclusion criteria. Cochrane's revised Risk of Bias 2.0 and SYRCLE tools evaluated bias in RCTs and animal studies, respectively. An effect direction plot was developed to synthesize the evidence of the RCTs. RESULTS: Twelve studies were identified and included in the qualitative synthesis (4 RCTs and 8 animal trials). Interventions included ketogenic diets (KDs), supplementation with medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil, caprylic acid administration and ketone ester drinks. The animal research used zebrafish and rodents, and PD was toxin-induced. Based on the available RCTs, ketogenic therapy does not improve motor coordination and functioning, cognitive impairment, anthropometrics, blood lipids and glycemic control, exercise performance or voice disorders in patients with PD. The evidence is scattered and heterogenous, with single trials assessing different outcomes; thus, a synthesis of the evidence cannot be conclusive regarding the efficacy of ketogenic therapy. On the other hand, animal studies tend to demonstrate more promising results, with marked improvements in locomotor activity, dopaminergic activity, redox status, and inflammatory markers. CONCLUSIONS: Although animal studies indicate promising results, research on the effect of ketogenic therapy in PD is still in its infancy, with RCTs conducted on humans being heterogeneous and lacking PD-specific outcomes. More studies are required to recommend or refute the use of ketogenic therapy in PD.

The Niche of n-of-1 Trials in Precision Medicine for Weight Loss and Obesity Treatment: Back to the Future.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The n-of-1 clinical trials are considered the epitome of individualized health care. They are employed to address differences in treatment response and adverse events between patients, in a comparative effectiveness manner, extending beyond the delivery of horizontal recommendations for all. RECENT FINDINGS: The n-of-1 design has been applied to deliver precision exercise interventions, through eHealth and mHealth technologies. Regarding personalized and precision medical nutrition therapy, few trials have implemented dietary manipulations and one series of n-of-1 trials has applied comprehensive genetic data to improve body weight. With regard to anti-obesity medication, pharmacogenetic data could be applied using the n-of-1 trial design, although none have been implemented yet. The n-of-1 clinical trials consist of the only tool for the delivery of evidence-based, personalized obesity treatment (lifestyle and pharmacotherapy), reducing non-responders, while tailoring the best intervention to each patient, through "trial and error". Their application is expected to improve obesity treatment and mitigate the epidemic.

Time to Deal with Rheumatoid Cachexia: Prevalence, Diagnostic Criteria, Treatment Effects and Evidence for Management.

Cachexia is an early result of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) (rheumatoid cachexia, RC), characterised mainly by involuntary loss of fat-free mass. RC is apparent in 1-67% of patients with RA, depending on the diagnostic criteria applied and the method used for the assessment of body composition. RC is associated with increased inflammation and disability, lower health perception, and greater mortality risk. These changes in body composition are driven by the inflammation process, the low levels of physical activity, the underlying testosterone deficiency and hypogonadism, and the pharmacotherapy required for RA. Chronic inflammation enhances resting energy expenditure as a response to stress, inducing an energy deficit, further propelling protein turnover. The use of corticosteroids and tumour necrosis factor α (TNF-α) inhibitors tend to increase fat accumulation, whereas other disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) appear to induce increments in fat-free mass. The present review presents all information regarding the prevalence of RC, diagnostic criteria, and comorbidities, as well as the effects of pharmacotherapy and medical nutrition therapy on body composition of patients with RA.

Moderators of Food Insecurity and Diet Quality in Pairs of Mothers and Their Children.

Research has suggested that maternal diet and characteristics may influence the diet of offspring during childhood. The present cross-sectional study aimed to assess the influence of distinct maternal characteristics and the diet quality of mothers on the prevalence of household food insecurity (FI) and the diet quality of children. A total of 179 mother-child pairs were recruited from two primary schools in the metropolitan area of Thessaloniki. The children were aged between 10 and 12 years old. Diet quality was assessed as the level of adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD), with the use of the KIDMED for the children and the MedDietScore for the mothers. The household FI and the social and demographic characteristics of the mothers were also recorded, and anthropometric measures of both the mothers and their children were collected. Approximately » (26.3%) of the pairs reported some degree of FI, with a greater prevalence (64.7%) within single-mother families. Moreover, FI affected the level of maternal MD adherence (p = 0.011). On the other hand, FI was decreased in households with a greater maternal educational level (OR: 0.25; 95% CI: 0.10-0.63) and conjugal family status (OR: 0.15; 95% CI: 0.87-0.52). Maternal adherence to the MD was inversely related to the respective adherence of their offspring (OR: 0.93; 95% CI: 0.86-0.997), suggesting that during periods of financial constraints, maternal diet quality is compromised at the expense of affording a better diet for the minors in the family.

Orthorexia nervosa: replication and validation of the ORTO questionnaires translated into Greek in a survey of 848 Greek individuals.

PURPOSE: The present study aimed to validate the ORTO-15 questionnaire for orthorexia nervosa (ON), translated by our group into the Greek language, and replicate the findings of the recently proposed 6-item ORTO-R. METHODS: The tool was translated into the Greek language (ORTO-15-GR) using the forward-backward-forward method. A total of 848 adults participated in the validation study by filling in the questionnaires and providing general characteristics (age, gender, educational level, body weight, and height). The internal consistency of the tool was assessed by the omega (ω) coefficient, and confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) examined its factorial structure. Using the original six items of the ORTO-15 tool, a separate CFA model examined the factorial structure of the proposed ORTO-R tool. Furthermore, regression models tested the association of ORTO-R with study variables. RESULTS: For ORTO-15-GR, the omega coefficient was 0.70 and for the ORTO-R 0.65. For the latter, the CFA revealed acceptable goodness-of-fit (standardized factor loadings from 0.36 to 0.64); however, all ORTO-15 models were characterized by a poor fit. In addition, there was a negative association between ORTO-R score and female gender, body mass index (BMI), and having a nutrition-related health problem. CONCLUSION: The replication of ORTO-R indicates that it is a reliable tool in the field of ON. Therefore, the use of a 6-item questionnaire for ON assessment appears promising in research and clinical settings.

Objective and Subjective Appetite Assessment in Patients with Gynecological Cancer: A Pre- and Post-Operative Pilot Study.

Although appetite and its disorders have been implicated in disease progression and outcomes, ghrelin concentrations, an objective appetite measure, are rarely assessed in patients with gynecological malignancies. The present study aimed to assess changes in post-operative versus pre-operative appetite levels in patients with gynecological cancers scheduled for tumor removal surgery (N = 53). Acylated ghrelin concentrations were assessed as an objective appetite proxy, whereas the Council of Nutrition appetite questionnaire (CNAQ) was employed as a subjective appetite measure. Ghrelin concentrations were increased post-operatively (median: 12.1 pg/mL, IQR: 0.67 to 23.5, p-value = 0.001) but the perceived appetite of patients (CNAQ) remained unchanged (median: -1, IQR: -3 to 1). Tumor removal surgery decreased all anthropometric indices (body weight, body mass index, waist and hips circumferences, triceps skinfolds, body fat, fat mass and fat mass index, p-value ≤ 0.001 for all) and doubled the risk of malnutrition among patients. No difference was recorded in the change in participants' objective and subjective appetite when they were classified according to the tumor type. No correlation was observed between ghrelin concentrations and CNAQ score pre-operatively (Spearman's rho correlation coefficient = -0.181, p-value = 0.298) or post-operatively (Spearman's rho correlation coefficient = 0.071, p-value = 0.684). The observed post-operative rise in ghrelin concentrations is associated with body weight loss and consists of a possible defense mechanism of the human body, aiming to prolong survival.