Comprehensive Approach to Medical Nutrition Therapy in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: From Diet to Bioactive Compounds.

In the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), diet plays a key role. Individualized medical nutritional therapy, as part of lifestyle optimization, is one of the cornerstones for the management of T2DM and has been shown to improve metabolic outcomes. This paper discusses major aspects of the nutritional intervention (including macro- and micronutrients, nutraceuticals, and supplements), with key practical advice. Various eating patterns, such as the Mediterranean-style, low-carbohydrate, vegetarian or plant-based diets, as well as healthy eating plans with caloric deficits have been proven to have beneficial effects for patients with T2DM. So far, the evidence does not support a specific macronutrient distribution and meal plans should be individualized. Reducing the overall carbohydrate intake and replacing high glycemic index (GI) foods with low GI foods have been shown as valid options for patients with T2DM to improve glycemic control. Additionally, evidence supports the current recommendation to reduce the intake of free sugars to less than 10% of total energy intake, since their excessive intake promotes weight gain. The quality of fats seems to be rather important and the substitution of saturated and trans fatty acids with foods rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats lowers cardiovascular risk and improves glucose metabolism. There is no benefit of supplementation with antioxidants, such as carotene, vitamins E and C, or other micronutrients, due to the lack of consistent evidence showing efficacy and long-term safety. Some studies suggest possible beneficial metabolic effects of nutraceuticals in patients with T2DM, but more evidence about their efficacy and safety is still needed.

Probiotics and Prebiotics: Any Role in Menopause-Related Diseases?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The aim of this review is to provide an overview of the menopause-related changes in microbiota and their role in the pathogenesis of menopause-related diseases. In addition, evidence on probiotic supplementation as a therapeutic strategy is discussed. RECENT FINDINGS: The human microbiota is a complex community that lives in a mutualism relationship with the host. Menopause is associated with dysbiosis, and these changes in the composition of microbiota in different sites (gut, vaginal, and oral microbiota) might play a role in the pathogenesis of menopause-related diseases (i.e., osteoporosis, breast cancer, endometrial hyperplasia, periodontitis, and cardiometabolic diseases). The present review highlights the pivotal role of microbiota in postmenopausal women health, in particular it (a) may increase intestinal calcium absorption thus preventing osteoporosis, (b) is associated with reduced risk of breast cancer and type 1 endometrial hyperplasia, (c) reduces gingival inflammation and menopausal periodontitis, and (d) beneficially affects multiple cardiometabolic risk factors (i.e., obesity, inflammation, and blood glucose and lipid metabolism). However, whether oral probiotic supplementation might be used for the treatment of menopause-related dysbiosis requires further clarification.

Clinical and nutritional management of very-low-calorie ketogenic diet (VLCKD) in patients with psoriasis and obesity: a practical guide for the nutritionist.

Psoriasis is an immune-mediated inflammatory skin disease associated with multiple comorbidities. Considered one of the most common inflammatory skin diseases among the general population, it not only affects the skin, but also negatively impacts other organs and joints. In addition, psoriasis has been associated with several chronic cardio-metabolic diseases such as obesity, which would seem to be (i) a risk factor for the onset of psoriasis and (ii) a worsening factor of the severity of the disease. Weight loss appears to improve severity in overweight patients. Recently proposed as an obesity management nutritional strategy, the very-low-calorie ketogenic diet (VLCKD) has demonstrated significant effects in reducing inflammatory processes. In the current review, we describe the evidence available on psoriasis and VLCKD, and provide a practical guide to the prescription of VLCKD in the different phases, evaluation and management of possible adverse events, and the importance of physical activity as a lifestyle modification to reduce psoriasis and associated comorbidities. Randomized control trials are, however, necessary to determine the most effective VLCKD protocol for patients with obesity and psoriasis, optimal protocol duration, composition of micronutrients and macronutrients, choice of special supplements, and management of carbohydrate reintroduction.

Nutritional management of type 2 diabetes in subjects with obesity: an international guideline for clinical practice.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and obesity represent a global public health problem. Current nutritional recommendations focused on weight loss and overall dietary quality. However, there is no consensus on the optimal macronutrient composition of the diet, particularly for the long-term management of T2DM in subjects with obesity. An international panel of experts reviewed and critically appraised the updated literature published on the topic. This review primarily examines the evidence for areas of consensus and uncertainty about nutritional therapy in patients with T2DM and obesity. The aim of this article is to provide nutritional advice to manage these patients in clinical practice.

Coffee consumption, health benefits and side effects: a narrative review and update for dietitians and nutritionists.

Coffee is one of the most popular beverages worldwide; however, its impact on health outcomes and adverse effects is not fully understood. The current review aims to establish an update about the benefits of coffee consumption on health outcomes highlighting its side effects, and finally coming up with an attempt to provide some recommendations on its doses. A literature review using the PubMed/Medline database was carried out and the data were summarized by applying a narrative approach using the available evidence based on the literature. The main findings were the following: first, coffee may contribute to the prevention of inflammatory and oxidative stress-related diseases, such as obesity, metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes; second, coffee consumption seems to be associated with a lower incidence of several types of cancer and with a reduction in the risk of all-cause mortality; finally, the consumption of up to 400 mg/day (1-4 cups per day) of caffeine is safe. However, the time gap between coffee consumption and some drugs should be taken into account in order to avoid interaction. However, most of the data were based on cross-sectional or/and observational studies highlighting an association of coffee intake and health outcomes; thus, randomized controlled studies are needed in order to identify a causality link.

Vitamin D: A Role Also in Long COVID-19?

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has quickly become a global pandemic. Reports from different parts of the world indicate that a significant proportion of people who have recovered from COVID-19 are suffering from various health problems collectively referred to as "long COVID-19". Common symptoms include fatigue, shortness of breath, cough, joint pain, chest pain, muscle aches, headaches, and so on. Vitamin D is an immunomodulatory hormone with proven efficacy against various upper respiratory tract infections. Vitamin D can inhibit hyperinflammatory reactions and accelerate the healing process in the affected areas, especially in lung tissue. Moreover, vitamin D deficiency has been associated with the severity and mortality of COVID-19 cases, with a high prevalence of hypovitaminosis D found in patients with COVID-19 and acute respiratory failure. Thus, there are promising reasons to promote research into the effects of vitamin D supplementation in COVID-19 patients. However, no studies to date have found that vitamin D affects post-COVID-19 symptoms or biomarkers. Based on this scenario, this review aims to provide an up-to-date overview of the potential role of vitamin D in long COVID-19 and of the current literature on this topic.

Dietary Recommendations for Post-COVID-19 Syndrome.

At the beginning of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, global efforts focused on containing the spread of the virus and avoiding contagion. Currently, it is evident that health professionals should deal with the overall health status of COVID-19 survivors. Indeed, novel findings have identified post-COVID-19 syndrome, which is characterized by malnutrition, loss of fat-free mass, and low-grade inflammation. In addition, the recovery might be complicated by persistent functional impairment (i.e., fatigue and muscle weakness, dysphagia, appetite loss, and taste/smell alterations) as well as psychological distress. Therefore, the appropriate evaluation of nutritional status (assessment of dietary intake, anthropometrics, and body composition) is one of the pillars in the management of these patients. On the other hand, personalized dietary recommendations represent the best strategy to ensure recovery. Therefore, this review aimed to collect available evidence on the role of nutrients and their supplementation in post-COVID-19 syndrome to provide a practical guideline to nutritionists to tailor dietary interventions for patients recovering from COVID-19 infections.

Polycystic ovary syndrome and obesity: clinical aspects and nutritional management.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a multifactorial endocrine and metabolic disorder characterized by androgen excess, oligo-anovulatory infertility, polycystic ovaries in ultrasound examination, insulin resistance, and cardiometabolic disorders, with overweight/obesity and visceral adiposity. This review aims to provide an overview of the clinical characteristics and nutritional therapy of PCOS and obesity. The authors analyzed the updated and relevant publications found on PubMed about clinical aspects and nutritional management of PCOS and obesity in studies done in animal and human models. It is crucial an early detection and intervention in PCOS patients to avoid the more challenging control of the onset of more impaired-health conditions that this pathology causes. It is presented evidence that clearly shows the close interaction among oxidative stress, low-grade inflammation, and PCOS. It is also analyzed the relevance of treating metabolic and nutritional correlations of PCOS with a complete therapeutic strategy that includes individualized medication, diet, and healthy habits. By an integral approach and treatment that includes not only medications for PCOS symptoms, supplementation of minerals and vitamins to control PCOS complications but an anti-inflammatory diet, nutritional education, exercise individualized program, lifestyle changes, it is possible to improve insulin resistance, sustained weight loss, ovulation rates, among other goals for the management of this disease. Further studies are needed to clarify mechanisms, beneficial effects, and doses of supplements and precise medication to determine the best combination of diets and exercise programs according to these patients' specific requirements.

Nutrition and immune system: from the Mediterranean diet to dietary supplementary through the microbiota.

The interaction between nutrition and the immune system is very complex. In particular, at every stage of the immune response, specific micronutrients, including vitamins and minerals play a key role and often synergistic, and the deficiency of only one essential nutrient may impair immunity. An individual's overall nutrition status and pattern of dietary intake (comprised of nutrients and non-nutritive bioactive compounds and food) and any supplementation with nutraceuticals including vitamins and minerals, can influence positively or negatively the function of the immune system. This influence can occur at various levels from the innate immune system and adaptive immune system to the microbiome. Although there are conflicting evidence, the current results point out that dietary supplementation with some nutrients such as vitamin D and zinc may modulate immune function. An update on the complex relationship between nutrition, diet, and the immune system through gut microbiota is the aim of this current review. Indeed, we will provide the overview of the link among immune function, nutrition and gut microbiota, paying particular attention at the effect of the Mediterranean diet on the immune system, and finally we will speculate the possible role of the main one functional supplements on immune function.

Recomendaciones en el tratamiento nutricional para pacientes oncológicos ante Covid - 19 / Recommendations in the nutritional treatment for cancer patients before Covid ­ 19

Los pacientes con cáncer tienen alto riesgo de infección y muerte por Covid-19 tras exposición a dicho virus. En estos pacientes confluyen la edad avanzada, inmunodepresión, desnutrición, anemia, exposición a varios prestatarios de cuidados de salud durante el tratamiento citorreductor, estadía en hospitales y unidades cerradas, y los tiempos dilatados de los esquemas terapéuticos como factores de riesgo para desarrollar una infección por dicho virus. Esta revisión presenta recomendaciones sobre acciones requeridas para la identificación, evaluación del impacto sobre el estado de salud y la respuesta terapéutica, e intervención de la desnutrición presente en el paciente con cáncer. Las intervenciones alimentarias y nutricionales se adecúan a la etapa del tratamiento citorreductor, y las terapias empleadas, se orientan a la restauración de una inmunocompetencia requerida para prevención de la infección y la continuidad de los tratamientos antineoplásicos. Se prevén acciones nutricionales en aquellos pacientes con cáncer en caso de la ocurrencia de la Covid-19 a fin de preservar la vida del enfermo y prevenir complicaciones mayores. El presente manuscrito enfatiza las medidas de protección personal, familiar y ambiental contra la Covid-19 que son aplicables con iguales propósitos en el paciente con cáncer. El objetivo de esta revisión narrativa es proporcionar recomendaciones nutricionales claras para el paciente con cáncer en situaciones de alta vulnerabilidad inmunológica y nutricional, para lograr una disminución del riesgo de contagio viral con sus consecuentes complicaciones, asegurando así la continuidad de las acciones citorreductoras en el enfermo con cáncer.

Cancer patients are at high risk of infection and death from Covid-19 after exposure to this virus. In these patients, advanced age, immunosuppression, malnutrition, anemia, exposure to several health care providers during cytoreductive treatment, length of stay in hospitals and closed units, and lengthy therapeutic regimens converge as risk factors to developed an infection by Covid-19. This review presents recommendations on actions required for the identification, evaluation of the impact on the health status and therapeutic response, and intervention of malnutrition present in cancer patients. The food and nutritional interventions are adapted to the cytoreductive treatment stage, and the therapies used aim to restore the immunocompetence required for the prevention of infection and the continuity of antineoplastic treatments. Nutritional actions are foreseen in cancer patients with Covid-19 in order to preserve the life of the patient and prevent major complications. This manuscript emphasizes the personal, family, and environmental protection measures against Covid-19 that are applicable to the same purposes in cancer patients. This narrative review aims to provide clear nutritional recommendations for the cancer patient in high immunological and nutritional vulnerability to achieve a reduction in the risk of viral infection with its consequent complications, thus ensuring the continuity of cytoreductive actions in cancer patients.

Medicina y Cirugía sin Sangre La Experiencia de Solca Guayaquil / Medicine and Surgery without Blood The Experience of Solca Guayaquil

Introducción: Los riesgos asociados con las Transfusiones de Sangre Alogénicas (TSA) son ampliamente conocidos y han contribuido a nuevos paradigmas de tratamiento para la medicina y cirugía sin sangre. Por tanto, es importante contar con estrategias terapéuticas efectivas y prácticas que sirvan como alternativas al uso de TSA. Este informe describirá las estrategias aplicadas a los pacientes de este reporte. Métodos: Estudio retrospectivo descriptivo de alternativas a la TSA utilizadas en SOLCA Guayaquil con pacientes que no aceptaron TSA bajo ninguna circunstancia, entre los años 2011 y 2017. La estrategia terapéutica se basó en un diagnóstico temprano y un tratamiento agresivo de la anemia y cualquier tipo de sangrado activo. Se utilizó eritropoyetina, hierro y folato, según requerimientos del paciente. Todos los pacientes quirúrgicos recibieron ácido tranexámico y otros hemostáticos tópicos según necesidad. Resultados: De 73 pacientes oncológicos, el 68.5 % eran no quirúrgicos, de este grupo el 62 % recibió quimioterapia. La hemoglobina aumentó hasta 12.6 g/dL. Por tratamiento global por paciente se administraron hasta 3000 mg de hierro, 140.000 unds de eritropoyetina y megadosis de vitamina C fue aplicada con una media de 24 gramos. Todos los pacientes aumentaron sus niveles de hemoglobina en un promedio de 25 días. Conclusión: Es esencial iniciar un tratamiento temprano, preventivo y coordinado con un equipo multidisciplinario comprometido a estos esquemas. Los pacientes respondieron bien a los medicamentos y las dosis recibidas y no se informaron efectos secundarios. También podemos ver que estas estrategias son efectivas y factibles de aplicar.

Introduction: Risks associated with the Allogeneic Blood Transfusions (ABT) are widely known and have contributed to new treatment paradigms for bloodless medicine and surgery. Therefore, it is essential to have effective therapeutic strategies that serve as alternatives to ABTs. This report describes the strategies applied to patients in this paper. Methods: A Retrospective descriptive study of ABT alternatives used in SOLCA Guayaquil with patients who did not accept ABTs under any circumstances, between 2011 and 2017. The therapeutic strategy was an early diagnosis and an aggressive treatment of anemia and any active bleeding. Erythropoietin, iron, and folate were applied, according to the patient's requirements. All surgical patients received tranexamic acid and other hemostatics as needed. Results: Of 73 cancer patients, 68.5% were non-surgical, 62% of the group received chemotherapy. For global treatment per patient, up to 3000 mg of iron was administered, 140,000 units of erythropoietin and megadoses of vitamin C were applied with an average of 24 grams. All patients increased their hemoglobin levels by an average of 25 days. All patients increased their hemoglobin levels by an average of 25 days. Conclusion: It is essential to start early treatment, prevent and coordinate with a multidisciplinary team committed to these schemes. The patients responded well to the medications, and the doses received, and no side effects were reported. We can also see that these strategies are practical and feasible to apply.