Salt consumption and mortality risk in cirrhotic patients: results from a cohort study.

Since conducting a long-term randomised clinical trial is not logical and feasible to find the optimum dosage of salt intake in patients with cirrhosis, cohort studies are the best design to assess the long-term effects of dietary salt on the survival of cirrhotic patients. This cohort study aimed to evaluate the association between dietary intake of salt and mortality risk in cirrhotic patients. The present study was designed as a cohort in three referral hospitals in Iran in 2018. One hundred and twenty-one patients aged between 20 and 70 years with established cirrhosis were recruited. Dietary intakes, demographic data and disease severity were evaluated at the baseline. Participants were followed up annually. Crude survival was greater in patients with low-to-moderate salt consumption rather than in those with high consumption, and in non-consumers [34⋅26 (95 % CI 33⋅04, 35⋅49) v. 30⋅41 (95 % CI 27⋅13, 33⋅69) v. 32⋅72 (95 % CI 30⋅63, 34⋅80), P = 0⋅028; log-rank test]. Using the Cox proportional hazard model, it was shown that the risk of mortality in the high-salt consumption category was approximately 126 % higher than that of the reference category (non-consumers) [HR value 2⋅26, (95 % CI 0⋅91, 5⋅63)], while this risk for the low-to-moderate consumption group was about 28 % lower than the reference category [HR value 0⋅72, (95 % CI 0⋅26, 1⋅99), P-trend = 0⋅04]. In conclusion, a high daily dietary intake of salt might increase the rate of mortality and moderate salt restriction (instead of elimination of salt) decreases the risk of death.

The influence of fasting and energy-restricted diets on leptin and adiponectin levels in humans: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Fasting and energy-restricted diets have been evaluated in several studies as a means of improving cardiometabolic biomarkers related to body fat loss. However, further investigation is required to understand potential alterations of leptin and adiponectin concentrations. Thus, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to derive a more precise estimate of the influence of fasting and energy-restricted diets on leptin and adiponectin levels in humans, as well as to detect potential sources of heterogeneity in the available literature. METHODS: A comprehensive systematic search was performed in Web of Science, PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane, SCOPUS and Embase from inception until June 2019. All clinical trials investigating the effects of fasting and energy-restricted diets on leptin and adiponectin in adults were included. RESULTS: Twelve studies containing 17 arms and a total of 495 individuals (intervention = 249, control = 246) reported changes in serum leptin concentrations, and 10 studies containing 12 arms with a total of 438 individuals (intervention = 222, control = 216) reported changes in serum adiponectin concentrations. The combined effect sizes suggested a significant effect of fasting and energy-restricted diets on leptin concentrations (WMD: -3.690 ng/ml, 95% CI: -5.190, -2.190, p ≤ 0.001; I2 = 84.9%). However, no significant effect of fasting and energy-restricted diets on adiponectin concentrations was found (WMD: -159.520 ng/ml, 95% CI: -689.491, 370.451, p = 0.555; I2 = 74.2%). Stratified analyses showed that energy-restricted regimens significantly increased adiponectin (WMD: 554.129 ng/ml, 95% CI: 150.295, 957.964; I2 = 0.0%). In addition, subsequent subgroup analyses revealed that energy restriction, to ≤50% normal required daily energy intake, resulted in significantly reduced concentrations of leptin (WMD: -4.199 ng/ml, 95% CI: -7.279, -1.118; I2 = 83.9%) and significantly increased concentrations of adiponectin (WMD: 524.04 ng/ml, 95% CI: 115.618, 932.469: I2 = 0.0%). CONCLUSION: Fasting and energy-restricted diets elicit significant reductions in serum leptin concentrations. Increases in adiponectin may also be observed when energy intake is ≤50% of normal requirements, although limited data preclude definitive conclusions on this point.