The Role of Natural Products in Rheumatoid Arthritis: Current Knowledge of Basic In Vitro and In Vivo Research.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disorder affecting a vast variety of the population. The onset of RA as well as the development of systematic immunization is affected by both genetic and environmental risk factors. This review aims to point out the role of natural products in the management of RA, focusing on the reports of basic research (in vitro and animal studies) emphasizing the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties considered in the field of RA. A systematic screening of the relevant literature was carried out on PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus with the following criteria: publication date, 2015-2020; language, English; study design, in vitro or animal models; and the investigation of one or several natural products in the context of RA, including, when available, the molecular mechanisms implicated. A total of 211 papers were initially obtained and screened. In vitro and animal studies referring to 20 natural products and 15 pure compounds were ultimately included in this review. The outcomes of this work provide an overview of the methods employed in basic research over the past five years, with emphasis on the limitations presented, while demonstrating the potential benefits of utilizing natural products in the management of RA as supported by in vitro and animal studies.

Unraveling innovation potential in the real-world setting: eighteen novel agents with twenty-six approved European indications, in the management of leukemias, lymphomas, and multiple myeloma.

Introduction: Real-world effectiveness of hemato-oncology pharmaceuticals may not necessarily mimic clinical trial efficacy results, mainly due to demographic and clinical practice variability. The aim of this review was to systematically assess the availability of real-world evidence (RWE) and the transferability of clinical trial (CT) efficacy results to real life, for novel agents recently approved to manage lymphomas, leukemias, and multiple myeloma. This is the largest cross-indication review comparing RWE to CT results, aspiring to inform clinical practice and decision-making when funding hemato-oncology pharmaceuticals.Areas covered: The review methodology focused on identifying all novel agents that entered EU landscape between 2012 and 2016 by using European Medicines Agency (EMA) database, while conducting a systematic PubMed literature review of RWE in the specific hematological malignancies, in order to compare RWE versus CT efficacy endpoints.Expert opinion: In total, 18 international nonproprietary names (INNs) that received EMA approval for any indication were included and the registrational efficacy results are presented. Eight (44%) INNs proved to have relevant RWE generated in at least one approved indication. The analysis of findings revealed high variability in terms of RWE availability and transferability of CT results to relevant real-life experience among the disease areas investigated.

Socio-demographic Factors Affecting Initiation and Duration of Breastfeeding in a Culturally Diverse Area of North Eastern Greece.

BACKGROUND: Breastfeeding is not only important for the bond between the mother and the child but is also associated with many health benefits. Socio-demographic factors have been found to be important for the initiation and longer duration of breastfeeding. AIM: To record the breastfeeding characteristics and to explore possible associations with socio-cultural and demographic factors in a culturally diverse area in Greece. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A questionnaire including information about breastfeeding characteristics, medical history and demographics was completed by parents of children in the primary schools of the area. RESULTS: The study included 700 school-age children (352 boys), mean age 9.4±1.9 years. Breastfeeding was reported in 54.9% of them, with median (IQR) duration of 120 (range 60-360) days. Prevalence of breastfeeding was slightly higher in semi-urban areas, versus rural or urban settlements, but the duration there was significantly lower (p<0.001). Better educated mothers tended to initiate or sustain breastfeeding for a longer period; however, this difference was not statistically significant. Children of the native Muslim minority had been breastfed for a longer time (median duration 360 vs. 120 days, p<0.001), however, no difference was noted in prevalence. CONCLUSION: Prevalence of breastfeeding in Greece is approximately 55%, similar to previous reports and along with duration is determined by certain socio-cultural factors.