The Effects of Raspberry Consumption on Glycemic Control and Inflammation Markers in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Despite observing the health benefits of raspberry consumption in some recent studies, there is still no consensus regarding this effectiveness on inflammatory markers and glycemic control. This study aimed to investigate this effectiveness by performing a meta-analysis. The PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases were comprehensively searched until December 2023 to find relevant randomized controlled trials. Eligible studies were screened, and relevant information was extracted. The overall effect size of raspberry consumption on each of the outcomes was estimated by following the random-effects model in the form of a 95% confidence interval (CI) and a weighted mean difference (WMD). Raspberry consumption led to a significant increase in insulin concentrations (WMD: 1.89 µU/mL; 95%CI: 1.45, 2.34; P < 0.001) and a significant decrease in tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) concentrations (WMD: -3.07 pg/mL; 95%CI: -5.17, -0.97; P = 0.004), compared with the control groups. Raspberry consumption did not have a significant effect on fasting blood glucose, insulin, hemoglobin A1C, glucose tolerance tests, homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance, C-reactive protein, and interleukin-6 concentrations. This review revealed that raspberry consumption led to a significant increase and decrease in insulin and TNF-α concentrations, respectively. However, to draw a more accurate conclusion, it is necessary to conduct studies with a larger sample size in the future. The current study's protocol has been registered in the PROSPERO system as CRD42023477559.

Essential dataset features in a successful obesity registry: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of obesity and the diversity of available treatments makes the development of a national obesity registry desirable. To do this, it is essential to design a minimal dataset to meet the needs of a registry. This review aims to identify the essential elements of a successful obesity registry. METHODS: We conducted a systematic literature review adhering to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis recommendations. Google Scholar, Scopus and PubMed databases and Google sites were searched to identify articles containing obesity or overweight registries or datasets of obesity. We included English articles up to January 2023. RESULTS: A total of 82 articles were identified. Data collection of all registries was carried out via a web-based system. According to the included datasets, the important features were as follows: demographics, anthropometrics, medical history, lifestyle assessment, nutritional assessment, weight history, clinical information, medication history, family medical history, prenatal history, quality-of-life assessment and eating disorders. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, the essential features in the obesity registry dataset were demographics, anthropometrics, medical history, lifestyle assessment, nutritional assessment, weight history and clinical analysis items.

The association between hyperuricemia and insulin resistance surrogates, dietary- and lifestyle insulin resistance indices in an Iranian population: MASHAD cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have reported insulin resistance (IR) to be associated with hyperuricemia. In this study, we aimed to assess the possible associations between the empirical dietary index for IR (EDIR), the empirical lifestyle index for IR (ELIR), and non-insulin-based surrogates (triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index, triglyceride-to-high-density-lipoprotein-cholesterol (TG/HDL-C) ratio, metabolic score for insulin resistance (METS-IR) and TyG with body mass index (TyG-BMI)) and hyperuricemia in an Iranian population. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 6457 participants aged 35-65 years were recruited as part of the MASHAD cohort study. EDIR and ELIR were calculated using dietary intakes, body mass index, and physical activity information. Insulin resistance surrogates including TyG, TyG-BMI, TG/HDL-C, and METS-IR were calculated for all participants. Hyperuricemia was defined as serum uric acid ≥ 7 mg/dl in men or ≥ 6 mg/dl in women. Multivariable logistic regression models were applied to determine the association between indexes of IR and hyperuricemia. RESULTS: The mean ELIR and IR surrogates (TyG, TyG-BMI, TG/ HDL, and METS-IR) were significantly higher in subjects with hyperuricemia compared to non-hyperuricemic subjects (p < 0.001). After adjusting for confounding variables, the association between hyperuricemia and EDIR was not significant, but ELIR had a significant association in all models (p < 0.001). All four IR surrogates (TyG, TyG-BMI, TG/ HDL, and METS-IR) showed a significant association with hyperuricemia (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: There was a significant association between indexes of insulin resistance: TyG, TyG-BMI, TG/HDL-c, METS-IR, and ELIR with hyperuricemia, in a population sample from northeastern Iran.

Higher dietary acid load is associated with the risk of hyperuricemia.

PURPOSE: Dietary acid load plays a key role in regulating serum uric acid levels. We hypothesized that dietary acid load indices would be positively associated with the odds of hyperuricemia. We aimed to test this hypothesis in a representative sample of Iranian adult population. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, a total of 6145 participants aged 35-65 years were recruited from MASHAD cohort study. Dietary intakes were assessed using a 24-h dietary recall. Diet-based acid load was assessed as the potential renal acid load (PRAL), net endogenous acid production (NEAP), and dietary acid load (DAL). Hyperuricemia was defined as serum uric acid greater than the 75th percentile. Multivariable logistic regression models were applied to determine the association between diet-based acid load scores and hyperuricemia. RESULTS: The mean age of participants was 48.89 ± 8.09 years. Overall, 25.7% had hyperuricemia. According to the full-adjusted model, there was a significant association between higher tertile of PRAL, and DAL and hyperuricemia (Q3 PRAL; OR (95% CI): 1.23 (1.05-1.43), Q3 DAL; OR (95% CI): 1.22 (1.05-1.42)). Regarding NEAP, there was no significant association with hyperuricemia. We also found that dietary intake of total sugars, fiber, calcium, and magnesium was associated with the odds of hyperuricemia in our population. CONCLUSION: This study showed a significant positive association between two indicators of dietary acid load (PRAL, and DAL) and odds of hyperuricemia among Iranian adults.

Association of ANGPTL3 polymorphisms with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol uptake capacity in patients with cardiovascular disease.

INTRODUCTION: Previous studies have shown the importance of angiopoietin-like 3 (ANGPTL3) as a modulator of lipid profiles. Cholesterol uptake capacity (CUC) is one means for assessing high-density lipoprotein (HDL) functionality. This study for the first time has investigated the relationship between genetic ANGPTL3 polymorphism and CUC in patients with cardiovascular disease. METHODS: Five hundred three subjects comprising 350 healthy subjects and 153 individuals who developed a cardiovascular disease (CVD) event during follow-up were recruited as part of the Mashhad Stroke and Heart Atherosclerotic Disorder (MASHAD) cohort study. A modified CUC method was used to determine the CUC of serum samples. Applied amplification refractory mutation system PCR was performed for ANGPTL3 variants genotyping including: rs10789117, rs1748195, and rs11207997. Sanger sequencing was applied to confirm the genotypes. RESULTS: The results showed that there was a significant relationship between the rs1748195 genotypes and HDL concentration in the CVD group (p = 0.02). Moreover, individuals with a GG genotype of the rs1748195 were associated with a lower risk of CVD (OR = 0.49, 95% CI = 0.24-0.98, p = 0.04) compared with CC genotype in the CUC ≤ 1.7 a.u subgroup. Moreover, the CT genotype of rs11207997 was associated with a lower risk of CVD (OR = 0.74, 95% CI = 0.41-1.3, p = 0.01) compared with CC genotype in CUC > 1.7 a.u subgroup. CONCLUSION: The results showed that the CT genotype of the rs11207997 variant was associated with a lower risk of incident CVD in patients with higher HDL functionality. As well, the rs1748195 gene variant may contribute to a reduced risk of CVD.

A pilot study of the effects of crocin on high-density lipoprotein cholesterol uptake capacity in patients with metabolic syndrome: A randomized clinical trial.

A randomized clinical trial high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol uptake capacity (CUC) is reduced in patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS). We have assessed the effect of crocin supplementation on HDL CUC in patients with MetS. Forty-four subjects with MetS were randomly allocated to one of two groups: one group received placebo and the other group received crocin at a dose of 30 mg (two tablets of 15 mg per day) for 8 weeks. Serum biochemical parameters were measured using an AutoAnalyzer BT3000 (BioTechnica). The modified CUC method is a cell free, simple, and high-throughput assay that used to evaluate HDL CUC of serum samples. The decision tree analysis was undertaken using JMP Pro (SAS) version 13. The mean age of the crocin and placebo groups were 38.97 ± 13.33 and 43.46 ± 12.77 years, respectively. There was a significant increase in serum HDL CUC in the crocin group compared to that of the placebo group in patients with MetS (p-value< 0.05). The decision tree analysis showed that serum HDL functionality was more important variable than HDL-C level in predicting patients with hypertension at baseline (p-value < 0.05). Crocin administration (30 mg for a period of 8 weeks) was found to improve serum HDL CUC in patients with MetS. TRIAL REGISTRATION: IRCT2013080514279N1.

Factors determining the serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D response to vitamin D supplementation: Data mining approach.

Vitamin D supplementation has been shown to prevent vitamin D deficiency, but various factors can affect the response to supplementation. Data mining is a statistical method for pulling out information from large databases. We aimed to evaluate the factors influencing serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels in response to supplementation of vitamin D using a random forest (RF) model. Data were extracted from the survey of ultraviolet intake by nutritional approach study. Vitamin D levels were measured at baseline and at the end of study to evaluate the responsiveness. We examined the relationship between 76 potential influencing factors on vitamin D response using RF. We found several features that were highly correlated to the serum vitamin D response to supplementation by RF including anthropometric factors (body mass index [BMI], free fat mass [FFM], fat percentage, waist-to-hip ratio [WHR]), liver function tests (serum gamma-glutamyl transferase [GGT], total bilirubin, total protein), hematological parameters (mean corpuscular volume [MCV], mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration [MCHC], hematocrit), and measurement of insulin sensitivity (homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance). BMI, total bilirubin, FFM, and GGT were found to have a positive relationship and homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance, MCV, MCHC, fat percentage, total protein, and WHR were found to have a negative correlation to vitamin D concentration in response to supplementation. The accuracy of RF in predicting the response was 93% compared to logistic regression, for which the accuracy was 40%, in the evaluation of the correlation of the components of the data set to serum vitamin D.

The effects of crocin on the symptoms of depression in subjects with metabolic syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Studies have suggested that metabolic syndrome (MetS) is associated with increased depressive symptoms, and reducing depression in subjects with MetS is important. Crocin, an active component of saffron, has useful properties for subjects with MetS, including antidepressant properties. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to assess the effect of a preparation of crocin on the symptoms of depression in subjects with MetS, and the relationship between changes in those symptoms and the serum pro-oxidant/anti-oxidant balance (PAB). MATERIAL AND METHODS: This sub-study was carried out on 34 subjects with MetS from the authors' previous randomized double-blind controlled clinical trial (RCT), all of whom met the inclusion criteria for this study. The subjects were randomly assigned to treatment and placebo groups (n = 17 in each group) and received each 30 mg of crocin (2 tablets of 15 mg) or placebo for 8 weeks. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). The BDI questionnaire was completed for each subject at the baseline and at the end of the 8th week of treatment. Blood samples were taken from the subjects before and after the intervention period. Statistical analyses were performed using the SPSS for Windows, v. 16 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, USA). RESULTS: Out of the 34 participants enrolled, 33 completed the trial. The degree of depression decreased significantly in the crocin group (p = 0.005), but not in the placebo group (p > 0.05), and the difference between the 2 groups was statistically significant (p = 0.013). No significant relationship was observed between changes in depression symptoms and changes in the serum PAB (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that at a dose of 30 mg per day for 8 weeks, crocin reduced the symptoms of depression in subjects with MetS compared to the control group, and this effect was independent of its effect on the serum PAB.

Effect of Crocin on Antibody Titers to Heat-Shock Protein 27 in Subjects with Metabolic Syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies have shown that antibody titers to heat shock protein 27 (anti-Hsp27) and serum hs-CRP concentrations are elevated in patients with MetS, and may be associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Crocin is a natural carotenoid with cardio protective effects. OBJECTIVE: Because of the previous evidence for the beneficial effects of saffron in patients with MetS, this study investigated the effect of supplementation with crocin, the active ingredient of saffron, on serum anti-Hsp27 and hs-CRP in patients with MetS. DESIGN: Sixty subjects with metabolic syndrome were randomized to receive crocin (n=30, 15 mg twice a day) or placebo (n=30, twice a day) for a duration of eight weeks. At the end of study, serum anti-Hsp27 and hs-CRP concentrations were measured and compared between the groups. RESULTS: Serum anti-Hsp27 titers fell by 13% (p>0.05) in the crocin group but it rose in the placebo group by 22% (p>0.05). The magnitude of change in serum anti-Hsp27 titers was not significantly different between the study groups (p = 0.28). In the crocin group, serum anti-Hsp27 changes had a borderline negative correlation with glucose (r= -0.35, p=0.06) and a positive correlation with waist circumference (r=0.39, p=0.035). Serum hs-CRP levels were significantly reduced in both groups but these reductions were not significantly different between the study groups (p = 0.31). CONCLUSION: There was no significant effect of crocin on serum anti-Hsp27 titers in subjects with MetS, but this needs further confirmation in larger-scale trials.

Effect of crocin, a carotenoid from saffron, on plasma cholesteryl ester transfer protein and lipid profile in subjects with metabolic syndrome: A double blind randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Metabolic syndrome is defined by insulin resistance and a clustering of other cardiovascular risk factors. Crocin is a carotenoid derived from the stigmas of the saffron flower and had previously been shown to affect lipid profile. However, the mechanism for this function is not well understood. The present trial aimed to investigate the possible effect of crocin on plasma levels of cholesteryl ester transfer protein and lipid profile in individuals with metabolic syndrome. METHODS: This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, clinical trial consisting of an 8-week treatment with crocin, or placebo tablets between April and June 2014, in the Nutrition Clinic of Ghaem Teaching Hospital, Mashhad, Iran. Participants were randomly assigned to take a 30 mg/day crocin (n = 22) in the intervention group or placebo (n = 22) in the control group. Anthropometric, hematological and biochemical parameters were measured and recorded during pre and post-treatment periods. RESULTS: Whilst plasma cholesteryl ester transfer protein was increased in the group taking the crocin tablet by 27.81% during the trial period (P = 0.013), the difference between the crocin and placebo groups was not significant (P = 0.116). Moreover, the percent changes in cholesterol (P = 0.702), triglyceride (P = 0.080), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) (P = 0.986), high-density lipoprotein (HDL) (P = 0.687) and fasting blood glucose (P = 0.614) did not differ significantly between intervention and control groups. CONCLUSION: Although crocin supplements increased the serum cholesteryl ester transfer protein in patients with metabolic syndrome, this change was not significant between treatment and placebo groups.