Outcomes of Bariatric Surgery in Patients with Schizophrenia.

BACKGROUND: Outcomes of bariatric surgery (BS) in patients with schizophrenia are poorly understood. We aimed to analyze the effects of BS in patients with schizophrenia (SZ) or schizoaffective disorder (SZA). METHODS: This was a multicenter, retrospective case-control study in patients with SZ or SZA who had undergone BS in seven public referral hospitals in Spain. Controls without psychiatric comorbidity were selected in a 1:4 ratio. Detailed clinical and biochemical data were collected preoperatively and at 12, 24, 36, 48, and 60 months after BS. RESULTS: Twenty patients with SZ (n = 15; 75%) or SZA (n = 5; 25%) and 80 matched controls were studied. There were no differences between patients and controls concerning the evolution of the percentage of total weight loss. The remission rate of the main comorbidities was similar between groups except for hypertension, which was lower in patients with a psychotic disorder from year 3. There were no mortalities within 30 days of surgery in either group. The psychiatric medication burden did not change during follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: BS is safe and effective in carefully selected patients with SZ. The course of the psychiatric disease does not seem to be worsened by the procedure.

Recommendations on self-management interventions for adults living with obesity: COMPAR-EU project.

Self-management interventions (SMIs) may improve disease management in adults living with obesity. We formulated evidence-based recommendations for SMIs within the context of the COMPAR-EU project. The multidisciplinary panel selected critical outcomes based on the COMPAR-EU core outcome set and established decision thresholds for each outcome. Recommendations were informed by systematic reviews of effects, cost-effectiveness, and a contextual assessment. To assess the certainty of the evidence and formulate the recommendations, we used the GRADE approach guidance. Overall, SMIs were deemed to have a small impact, but the absence of harmful effects and potential cumulative benefits indicated a favourable balance of effects, despite low certainty. SMIs showed variations in structure, intensity, and resource utilisation, but overall are likely to be cost-effective. Adapting SMIs to local contexts would enhance equity, acceptability, and feasibility, considering patients' values, and availability of resources and teamwork. Consequently, the panel made conditional recommendations favouring SMIs over usual care. The rigorous and explicit recommendations demonstrated the effectiveness of SMIs for adults living with obesity. However, the gaps in the literature influenced the panel to make only conditional recommendations in favour of SMIs. Further research is needed to strengthen the evidence base and improve recommendations' certainty and applicability.

Apolipoprotein J protects cardiomyocytes from lipid-mediated inflammation and cytotoxicity induced by the epicardial adipose tissue of diabetic patients.

Diabetic patients present increased volume and functional alterations in epicardial adipose tissue (EAT). We aimed to analyze EAT from type 2 diabetic patients and the inflammatory and cytotoxic effects induced on cardiomyocytes. Furthermore, we analyzed the cardioprotective role of apolipoprotein J (apoJ). EAT explants were obtained from nondiabetic patients (ND), diabetic patients without coronary disease (DM), and DM patients with coronary disease (DM-C) after heart surgery. Morphological characteristics and gene expression were evaluated. Explants were cultured for 24 h and the content of nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA) and sphingolipid species in secretomes was evaluated by lipidomic analysis. Afterwards, secretomes were added to AC16 human cardiomyocytes for 24 h in the presence or absence of cardioprotective molecules (apoJ and HDL). Cytokine release and apoptosis/necrosis were assessed by ELISA and flow cytometry. The EAT from the diabetic samples showed altered expression of genes related to lipid accumulation, insulin resistance, and inflammation. The secretomes from the DM samples presented an increased ratio of pro/antiatherogenic ceramide (Cer) species, while those from DM-C contained the highest concentration of saturated NEFA. DM and DM-C secretomes promoted inflammation and cytotoxicity on AC16 cardiomyocytes. Exogenous Cer16:0, Cer24:1, and palmitic acid reproduced deleterious effects in AC16 cells. These effects were attenuated by exogenous apoJ. Diabetic secretomes promoted inflammation and cytotoxicity in cardiomyocytes. This effect was exacerbated in the secretomes of the DM-C samples. The increased content of specific NEFA and ceramide species seems to play a key role in inducing such deleterious effects, which are attenuated by apoJ.

[Strategies for the prevention and non-pharmacological treatment of obesity. Models of care]. / Estrategias para la prevención y el tratamiento no farmacológico de la obesidad. Modelos de atención.

The prevalence of obesity has increased in recent years worldwide. In this context, strategies for management obesity in primary care are essential. The first step in the treatment of obesity are lifestyle intervention programs. The three pillars of these programs, ideally of high intensity (high frequency of visits), are dietary intervention, exercise and behavioral therapy. There is no universal model of care for patients with obesity, but it must take into account key aspects, such as facilitating the access and adherence of the patient and a multidisciplinary and coordinated care among professionals at different levels of healthcare. The components of the model of care and its format should be defined according to the resources available and the characteristics of the population to be treated.

Weight loss benefits on HDL cholesterol persist even after weight regaining.

BACKGROUND: Obesity-related comorbidities may relapse in patients with weight regain after bariatric surgery. However, HDL cholesterol (HDLc) levels increase after surgery and seem to remain stable despite a gradual increase in BMI. The aim of this study is to analyze the effects of weight regain after bariatric surgery on HDL cholesterol. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective, observational, cohort study in patients who underwent bariatric surgery in the Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau (Barcelona) between 2007 and 2015. Patients without at least 5 years of follow-up after surgery, under fibrate treatment, and those who required revisional surgery were excluded from the analysis. Data were collected at baseline, 3 and 6 months after surgery, and then annually until 5 years post-surgery. RESULTS: One hundred fifty patients were analyzed. 93.3% of patients reached > 20% of total weight loss after surgery. At 5th year, 37% of patients had regained > 15% of nadir weight, 60% had regained > 10%, and 22% had regained < 5% of nadir weight. No differences were found in HDLc levels between the different groups of weight regain, nor in the % of change in HDLc levels between nadir weight and 5 years, or in the proportion of patients with normal HDLc concentrations either. CONCLUSION: HDLc remains stable regardless of weight regain after bariatric surgery.

PCSK9 plasma concentration is associated with epicardial adipose tissue volume and metabolic control in patients with type 1 diabetes.

Patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D) have a greater risk of cardiovascular disease. Proconvertase subtilisin-kexin 9 (PCSK9) is involved in the atherosclerosis process. This study aimed to determine the relationship between PCSK9 levels and epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) volume and cardiometabolic variables in patients with T1D. This was an observational cross-sectional study including 73 patients with T1D. Clinical, biochemical and imaging data were collected. We divided the patients into two groups according to their glycemic control and the EAT index (iEAT) percentile. We performed a correlation analysis between the collected variables and PCSK9 levels; subsequently, we performed a multiple regression analysis with the significant parameters. The mean age was 47.6 ± 8.5 years, 58.9% were men, and the BMI was 26.9 ± 4.6 kg/m2. A total of 31.5%, 49.3% and 34.2% of patients had hypertension, dyslipidemia and smoking habit, respectively. The PCSK9 concentration was 0.37 ± 0.12 mg/L, which was greater in patients with worse glycemic control (HbA1c > 7.5%), dyslipidemia and high EAT volume (iEAT > 75th percentile). The PCSK9 concentration was positively correlated with age (r = 0.259; p = 0.027), HbA1c (r = 0.300; p = 0.011), insulin dose (r = 0.275; p = 0.020), VLDL-C level (r = 0.331; p = 0.004), TG level (r = 0.328; p = 0.005), and iEAT (r = 0.438; p < 0.001). Multiple regression analysis revealed that 25% of the PCSK9 variability was explained by iEAT and HbA1c (p < 0.05). The PCSK9 concentration is associated with metabolic syndrome parameters, poor glycemic control and increased EAT volume in patients with T1D.

Hipovitaminosis D y síndrome metabólico / Hypovitaminosis D and metabolic syndrome

El síndrome metabólico y la hipovitaminosis D constituyen 2 trastornos con elevada prevalencia que comparten diversos factores de riesgo y existen amplias evidencias epidemiológicas que los relacionan. Aunque los mecanismos implicados en esta asociación no están bien establecidos, se ha relacionado la hipovitaminosis D con la resistencia a la insulina, la disminución en la secreción de insulina o la activación del sistema renina-angiotensina, mecanismos implicados en la fisiopatología del síndrome metabólico. Sin embargo, la aparente ineficacia de la suplementación con vitamina D sobre los componentes del síndrome metabólico, así como la escasa información acerca del efecto de la mejoría del control de los componentes del síndrome metabólico sobre las concentraciones de vitamina, no permiten establecer los mecanismos ni la dirección de la relación causal entre estas 2 afecciones. En general, por la alta prevalencia y la asociación epidemiológica de ambos procesos, podría considerarse la hipovitaminosis D un componente más del síndrome metabólico (AU)

Metabolic syndrome and hypovitaminosis D are 2 diseases with high prevalence that share several risk factors, while epidemiological evidence shows they are associated. Although the mechanisms involved in this association are not well established, hypovitaminosis D is associated with insulin resistance, decreased insulin secretion and activation of the renin-angiotensin system, mechanisms involved in the pathophysiology of metabolic syndrome. However, the apparent ineffectiveness of vitamin D supplementation on metabolic syndrome components, as well as the limited information about the effect of improving metabolic syndrome components on vitamin D concentrations, does not clarify the direction and the mechanisms involved in the causal relationship between these 2 pathologies. Overall, because of the high prevalence and the epidemiological association between both diseases, hypovitaminosis D could be considered a component of the metabolic syndrome (AU)

Insulina aspart en el tratamiento de la hiperglucemia hospitalaria / Insulin aspart for the treatment of hospital hyperglycemia

La hiperglucemia es común en los pacientes hospitalizados y se asocia con mayor morbimortalidad y costes. Dado que la mayor parte de los hipoglucemiantes son ineficaces y pueden ser perjudiciales, la insulina es el tratamiento de elección en los pacientes hospitalizados. En los pacientes no críticos, idealmente, la insulina debe administrarse por vía subcutánea en régimen basal-bolo, que incluye insulina basal, nutricional y correctora. Los análogos que proporcionan un perfil de acción más fisiológico se asocian con un menor riesgo de hipoglucemia y ofrecen mayor comodidad que las insulinas humanas. Los análogos de acción rápida, como la insulina aspart, se consideran de elección como insulina prandial y correctora por sus características farmacocinéticas y fármacodinámicas. La perfusión intravenosa de insulina regular es el método de elección para lograr y mantener el control glucémico en pacientes en estado crítico. Los análogos de la insulina de acción rápida, como la insulina aspart, se pueden administrar por vía intravenosa y son una alternativa eficaz y segura a la insulina regular

Hyperglycemia is common in the inpatient setting and is associated with higher morbidity, mortality and cost of care. Because most glucose-lowering agents are ineffective or may even be detrimental in this setting, insulin is the treatment of choice for most hospitalized patients. In non critically ill patients, ideally, insulin should be administered subcutaneously in a scheduled basal-bolus insulin regimen that includes basal, nutritional, and correctional insulin. Insulin analogues are the preferred form of insulin, as they provide a more physiologic action than human insulin, are associated with a lower risk of hypoglycemia, and are more convenient to administer than human insulins. Rapid-acting analogues, such as insulin aspart, are considered the drugs of choice as prandial and correctional insulin due to their pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic characteristics. Intravenous regular insulin infusions are the preferred method for achieving and maintaining glycemic control in critically ill patients, but rapid-acting insulin analogues, such as insulin aspart, can be given intravenously and are an effective and safe alternative to regular insulin for managing inpatient hyperglycemia