The socioeconomic gradient in overweight and obesity among Colombian adult and pediatric populations: A scoping review.

Background: The imminent increase in overweight and obesity prevalence constitutes a pervasive concern for the adult and pediatric Colombian population. Nonetheless, the unequal distribution across distinct social groups limits the implementation of public health policies targeting these escalating rates. Aim: This study aimed to compile existing evidence regarding the prevalence of overweight and obesity in relation to the socioeconomic status (SES) of the Colombian population. Methods: A scoping review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews parameters in MEDLINE (PubMed), EMBASE, and LILACS databases for inclusion of investigations published up to January 2024. Results: Twenty-two cross-sectional studies were included. A higher prevalence of overweight and obesity was documented in adults with lower SES defined by social stratum and monetary income, while in particular for nonpregnant adult women, the prevalence of excess weight was higher in the medium-low socioeconomic stratum. In the pediatric population, higher SES defined by social stratum was directly related to an increased prevalence and risk of overweight and obesity. The ownership of household assets, however, was positively related to the risk of overweight in both adult and pediatric populations. Conclusion: The findings of this investigation disclose a socioeconomic gradient in overweight and obesity in Colombia that resembles the epidemiological distribution in high-income countries for adults, though similar to low-income countries for the pediatric population. Further intersectoral interventions aimed at the most vulnerable groups are imperative to mitigate the inequalities that condition their predisposition to overweight and obesity.

Cerebrospinal fluid levels of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis hormones in MCI and dementia due to Alzheimer's disease: a systematic review.

Underlying the neuropsychological manifestations of Alzheimer's disease (AD), hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysregulation and subsequent hypercortisolemia have been proposed as major mechanisms driving AD progression from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to the onset of dementia. Nonetheless, changes in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of HPA axis hormones remain controversial despite their potential in AD diagnosis and prognosis testing. Objective: This study aimed to review the evidence of the variation in CSF levels of CRH, ACTH, and cortisol in subjects with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and AD compared with subjects without cognitive disorders. Methods: A systematic review was conducted in MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases on July 5, 2022. Results: Seventeen observational studies were included. The results from the compiled investigations showed that individuals with AD exhibit a significant elevation of CSF cortisol levels which appear to correlate with the presence of the ApoE-ε4 allele, being higher in those homozygous for this allele. The variation of CSF CRH and ACTH levels in AD, on the other hand, is still inconclusive. Moreover, most studies found no significant difference in CSF cortisol levels in individuals with MCI compared to healthy subjects and patients with AD. Conclusion: The findings gathered in this review disclose a significant elevation of CSF cortisol levels in AD. Future investigations are warranted to elucidate the potential use of CSF cortisol as a biomarker in AD-associated dementia.

Subjacentes às manifestações neuropsicológicas da doença de Alzheimer (DA), a desregulação do eixo hipotálamo-pituitária-adrenal (HPA) e a subsequente hipercortisolemia foram propostas como mecanismos principais que conduzem a progressão da DA desde o comprometimento cognitivo leve (CCL) até o início da demência. No entanto, as alterações nos níveis do líquido cefalorraquidiano (LCR) dos hormônios do eixo HPA permanecem controversas, apesar de seu potencial no diagnóstico da DA e nos testes de prognóstico. Objetivo: Este estudo teve como objetivo revisar as evidências da variação nos níveis de CRH, ACTH e cortisol em indivíduos com comprometimento cognitivo leve (CCL) e DA em comparação com indivíduos sem distúrbios cognitivos. Métodos: Uma revisão sistemática foi realizada nas bases de dados MEDLINE, EMBASE e Web of Science em 5 de julho de 2022. Resultados: Dezessete estudos observacionais foram incluídos. Os resultados compilados mostraram que os indivíduos com DA apresentam uma elevação significativa dos níveis de cortisol no LCR que parecem correlacionar-se com a presença do alelo ApoE-ε4, sendo maior nos homozigotos para este alelo. A variação dos níveis de CRH e ACTH no LCR na DA, por outro lado, ainda é inconclusiva. Além disso, a maioria dos estudos não encontrou diferença significativa nos níveis de cortisol no LCR em indivíduos com CCL em comparação com indivíduos saudáveis e pacientes com DA. Conclusão: Os resultados reunidos nesta revisão revelaram uma elevação significativa dos níveis de cortisol no LCR na DA. Investigações futuras são necessárias para elucidar o uso potencial do cortisol no LCR como biomarcador na demência associada à DA.

Preservation of Fertility in Transgender Men on Long-Term Testosterone Therapy: A Systematic Review of Oocyte Retrieval Outcomes During and After Exogenous Androgen Exposure.

Testosterone therapy prompts the development of male secondary sexual characteristics coupled with numerous physiological changes; however, the effect of prolonged androgen exposure on transgender men's fertility remains to be fully elucidated. Multiple clinical consensuses advise assisted reproduction before hormone treatment and state that fertility preservation following androgen therapy entails the suspension of testosterone administration. Although the desire for reproduction among transgender men is prevalent, the discontinuation of gender-affirming hormone therapy poses a major challenge due to the anxiety, unease, and gender dysphoria that follow androgen withdrawal. The present investigation aimed to explore the feasibility and outcomes of oocyte retrieval in adult transgender men undergoing testosterone administration before or during fertility preservation. Seven case reports, four cohort studies, and two cross-sectional studies were identified following a systematic literature search on the PubMed/Ovid MEDLINE, Scopus, and ScienceDirect databases. The findings gathered in this review disclose the viability of oocyte retrieval after prolonged androgen exposure and suggest the absence of a direct relationship between the duration of testosterone suspension and fertility preservation outcomes. Although the reports are limited, recent evidence shows that continuous testosterone administration and the use of aromatase inhibitors during ovarian stimulation could potentially reduce the distressing effects of hormonal ovulation induction. New approaches to fertility preservation in transgender men must be further explored to ensure interventions aligned both with the reproductive desire and avoidance of gender dysphoria exacerbation that follow hormone therapy suspension.

Maternal Serum Activin A, Inhibin A and Follistatin-Related Proteins across Preeclampsia: Insights into Their Role in Pathogenesis and Prediction.

BACKGROUND: Within the endocrine-paracrine signalling network at the maternal-foetal interface, the activin-inhibin-follistatin system modulates extravillous trophoblast invasion, suggesting a potential role in preeclampsia pathogenesis. This study aimed to compile the evidence published in the last decade regarding the variation in maternal serum activins, inhibin- and follistatin-related proteins in preeclamptic pregnancies compared to healthy pregnancies, and to discuss their role in predicting and understanding the pathophysiology of preeclampsia. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A scoping review was conducted in MEDLINE, EMBASE and LILACS databases to identify studies published within the last ten years (2012-2022). RESULTS: Thirty studies were included. None of the studies addressed maternal serum changes of isoforms different from activin A, inhibin A, follistatin, and follistatin-like 3. Sixteen studies evaluated the potential of these isoforms in predicting preeclampsia through the area under the curve from a receiver operating characteristic curve. CONCLUSIONS: In preeclampsia, inhibin A is upregulated in all trimesters, whereas activin A increases exclusively in the late second and third trimesters. Serum follistatin levels are reduced in women with preeclampsia during the late second and third trimesters. However, changes in follistatin-like 3 remain inconclusive. Inhibin A and activin A can potentially serve as biomarkers of early-onset preeclampsia based on the outcomes of the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. Further investigations are encouraged to explore the feasibility of quantifying maternal serum levels of activin A and inhibin A as a clinical tool in early preeclampsia prediction.

Metastatic differentiated thyroid cancer: worst prognosis in patients with metachronous metastases.

PURPOSE: To describe the overall survival and progression-free survival in patients diagnosed with differentiated thyroid carcinoma with synchronous and metachronous metastatic involvement. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted with 101 patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) who had metastatic involvement at diagnosis or during follow-up, who were treated at the National Cancer Institute between January 1, 2010 and December 31 of 2015. RESULTS: 81 patients (80.2%) were women and the mean age at diagnosis was 49 years (12-80). Synchronous metastases were detected in 54.5% of patients and metachronous metastasis was diagnosed in 45.5% of patients, in whom the mean time between initial diagnosis and the finding of distant metastases was 5 years. Pulmonary involvement occurred in almost all patients, with 131I uptake in 58% of synchronous metastases and in 21% of metachronous. There were 10 events in the patients with 131I-avid metastases with a median time to progression that was not reached, and there were 23 events in patients with 131I-refractory metastases with a median time to progression of 96 months; The median time to progression was significantly longer in patients with synchronous metastases compared to those with metachronous metastases (Not reached vs 95 months, P = 0.017) The 5-year overall survival rate was 95% to the entire cohort. CONCLUSIONS: The present study contributes to the expansion of the knowledge about this clinical course of DTC with the finding of a worst prognosis in patients with metachronous metastases.

Cerebrospinal fluid levels of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis hormones in MCI and dementia due to Alzheimer's disease: a systematic review / Níveis dos hormônios do eixo hipotálamo-pituitária-adrenal no líquido cefalorraquidiano de pacientes com CCL e demência devido à doença de Alzheimer: uma revisão sistemática

ABSTRACT Underlying the neuropsychological manifestations of Alzheimer's disease (AD), hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysregulation and subsequent hypercortisolemia have been proposed as major mechanisms driving AD progression from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to the onset of dementia. Nonetheless, changes in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of HPA axis hormones remain controversial despite their potential in AD diagnosis and prognosis testing. Objective: This study aimed to review the evidence of the variation in CSF levels of CRH, ACTH, and cortisol in subjects with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and AD compared with subjects without cognitive disorders. Methods: A systematic review was conducted in MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases on July 5, 2022. Results: Seventeen observational studies were included. The results from the compiled investigations showed that individuals with AD exhibit a significant elevation of CSF cortisol levels which appear to correlate with the presence of the ApoE-ε4 allele, being higher in those homozygous for this allele. The variation of CSF CRH and ACTH levels in AD, on the other hand, is still inconclusive. Moreover, most studies found no significant difference in CSF cortisol levels in individuals with MCI compared to healthy subjects and patients with AD. Conclusion: The findings gathered in this review disclose a significant elevation of CSF cortisol levels in AD. Future investigations are warranted to elucidate the potential use of CSF cortisol as a biomarker in AD-associated dementia.

RESUMO Subjacentes às manifestações neuropsicológicas da doença de Alzheimer (DA), a desregulação do eixo hipotálamo-pituitária-adrenal (HPA) e a subsequente hipercortisolemia foram propostas como mecanismos principais que conduzem a progressão da DA desde o comprometimento cognitivo leve (CCL) até o início da demência. No entanto, as alterações nos níveis do líquido cefalorraquidiano (LCR) dos hormônios do eixo HPA permanecem controversas, apesar de seu potencial no diagnóstico da DA e nos testes de prognóstico. Objetivo: Este estudo teve como objetivo revisar as evidências da variação nos níveis de CRH, ACTH e cortisol em indivíduos com comprometimento cognitivo leve (CCL) e DA em comparação com indivíduos sem distúrbios cognitivos. Métodos: Uma revisão sistemática foi realizada nas bases de dados MEDLINE, EMBASE e Web of Science em 5 de julho de 2022. Resultados: Dezessete estudos observacionais foram incluídos. Os resultados compilados mostraram que os indivíduos com DA apresentam uma elevação significativa dos níveis de cortisol no LCR que parecem correlacionar-se com a presença do alelo ApoE-ε4, sendo maior nos homozigotos para este alelo. A variação dos níveis de CRH e ACTH no LCR na DA, por outro lado, ainda é inconclusiva. Além disso, a maioria dos estudos não encontrou diferença significativa nos níveis de cortisol no LCR em indivíduos com CCL em comparação com indivíduos saudáveis e pacientes com DA. Conclusão: Os resultados reunidos nesta revisão revelaram uma elevação significativa dos níveis de cortisol no LCR na DA. Investigações futuras são necessárias para elucidar o uso potencial do cortisol no LCR como biomarcador na demência associada à DA.

Early menarche in visually impaired girls: evidence and hypothesis of light-dark cycle disruption and blindness effect on puberty onset.

Puberty onset is tightly regulated by a broad spectrum of neuroendocrine signals and peripheral stimuli which coordinate the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis activation. Numerous studies suggest that light stimulation influences HPG axis function; however, the effect of blindness on puberty timing remains controversial. Given that menarche is a suitable marker for sexual development initiation, the evaluation of the age at which blind girls attain it allows to indirectly assess the effect of light-dark cycle disruption on pubertal development. The present investigation aimed to review the evidence regarding menarcheal age drift in visually impaired girls, as well as to discuss the findings based on the existing hypotheses of the physiological mechanisms linking the light-dark cycle and photic sensitivity loss to the onset of puberty. Eleven studies were retrieved from a literature search conducted in PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, and Google Scholar databases. Eight studies concluded that light perception impairment is related to a moderately earlier age at menarche. Moreover, the evidence gathered in this review suggests a positive association between the degree of light perception loss and precocious menarcheal onset; yet, no conclusive outcomes were found regarding menarche advancement in acquired versus congenital blindness. We encourage further research aiming to elucidate the physiological mechanism underlying photosensitive regulation and blindness effect on the neuroendocrine pathways involved in human sexual maturation.