Effect of cigarette smoking on serum methylarginine and α-klotho levels.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Smoking causes many diseases such as cardiovascular, lung diseases, stroke and premature aging. However, the role of smoking in the pathogenesis of these diseases is unclear. Increasing evidence suggests that methylarginine pathway metabolites and α-klotho may be strong markers for pathologies such as premature aging, endothelial dysfunction, and oxidant damage. Therefore, the study aimed to measure the serum levels of arginine, asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA), N-monomethyl-l-arginine (L-NMMA), and α-klotho levels in smokers. METHODS AND RESULTS: This case-control analytical study included 65 smokers and 71 non-smokers. Sociodemographic characteristics, routine biochemistry parameters, Framingham risk scores and Fagerström Nicotine Dependence Test (FTND) were recorded. Serum methylarginine and α-klotho levels were analyzed by tandem mass spectrometry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively. Serum ADMA (p < 0.001), L-NMMA (p = 0.024), SDMA (p < 0.001) levels of smokers were higher than non-smokers, and serum α-klotho (p < 0.001) and arginine levels (p < 0.001) were lower. There was a positive correlation between serum ADMA levels with FNDT, age and pack/year in smokers, while there was a negative correlation between klotho levels and age. A positive correlation was found between serum ADMA levels, Framingham risk score and age in non-smokers. CONCLUSION: Smoking is related to premature aging and is a strong risk factor for various diseases such as cardiovascular, inflammatory, and renal diseases. Elevated serum methylarginine and decreased serum klotho levels were found in smokers. Therefore, our findings suggest that smoking may be involved in the pathogenesis of these diseases by affecting α-klotho and methylarginine-related pathways.

Effects of COVID-19 Fear on Society's Quality of Life.

The COVID-19 pandemic is an important factor affecting the health of people worldwide, as well as a source of fear, stress, and anxiety. The aim of this study was to determine the level of fear caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in Turkish society and evaluate its effects on quality of life. The sociodemographic information form, COVID-19 Fear Scale (FCV-19S), and WHOQOL-BREF Quality of Life Scale were applied to the participants. A total of 705 people, who were accessed via the internet, responded willingly to the study, which was planned as a cross-sectional analytical study. The mean FCV-19S score was 17.4 ± 5.9 (7-32) points. Fear points were higher among females than males (p < 0.001), and among single individuals than among those who were married (p = 0.049). Fear scores were low for tradesmen, those with low educational status, and those with high income levels (p < 0.001). According to the WHOQOL-BREF Scale, the FCV19S of those with very good quality of life was low (p = 0.042), and the FCV-19S of those who were not satisfied with life was high (p < 0.001). Statistically, a weak negative correlation was detected between the fear scores, and physical health and psychological health (r = - 0.190, r = - 0.198, p < 0.001). Fear level varies according to gender, education, and income level, regardless of age. As fear increases, quality of life decreases, and physical and psychological health were negatively affected. The authors believed that the outcome of the study would help inform the public about COVID-19, as well as cope with the psychological effects and fears of COVID-19.

The Relationship between Mindful Eating and Body Mass Index and Body Compositions in Adults.

INTRODUCTION: Obesity and overweight are important public health problems. Mindfulness can promote healthier living and dietary habits, which might support weight loss. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between eating awareness and body mass index (BMI) and body composition in adults. METHODS: This cross-sectional analytical study was conducted with 446 volunteers. The heights, weights, and waist circumferences of the participants were measured, and bioelectrical impedance analyses were performed. A sociodemographic information form prepared by the researchers and the Turkish version of the Mindful Eating Questionnaire (MEQ) were administered to the volunteers. RESULTS: In this study, 31.2% (n = 139) of the participants were overweight and 46.9% (n = 209) were obese. There was no statistically significant relationship between gender and BMI. The total mean MEQ score was found to be 88.26 ± 13.3 (53-144). The awareness scores of women of normal weight were statistically significantly higher than those of women with obesity (p = 0.001). There was no difference between BMI categories and awareness scores among male participants. While participants with obesity had higher scores for eating disinhibition, their eating control, eating discipline, and interference scores were lower than those of participants with normal weight (p < 0.001). A weak statistically significant correlation was found between the awareness subdimension of the scale and the ages, BMIs, waist circumferences, and body fat rates of the participants. CONCLUSION: It was observed that mindful eating was lower in women with overweight and obesity than that in women with normal weight. We believe that it is important to increase awareness of eating in order to protect against the diseases caused by obesity and for a healthy life.

The Relationship between COVID-19 Severity and Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG)/ Mycobacterium tuberculosis exposure history in healthcare workers: a multi-center study.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought countries' health services into sharp focus. It was drawn to our group's attention that healthcare workers (HCWs) had a lower mortality rate against higher COVID-19 incidence compared to the general population in Turkey. Since risk of exposure to tuberculosis bacillus among healthcare workers are higher than the population, we aimed to investigate if there is a relationship between BCG and Mycobacterium tuberculosis exposure history with COVID-19 severity in infected HCWs. This study was conducted with 465 infected HCWs from thirty-three hospitals to assess the relationship between COVID-19 severity (according to their hospitalization status and the presence of radiological pneumonia) and BCG and Mycobacterium tuberculosis exposure history. HCWs who required hospital admission had significantly higher rates of chronic diseases, radiological pneumonia, and longer working hours in the clinics. Higher rates of history of contact and care to tuberculosis patients, history of tuberculosis, and BCG vaccine were observed in hospitalized HCWs. HCWs who had radiological pneumonia had a significantly increased ratio of history of care to tuberculosis patients and a higher family history of tuberculosis. The findings from our study suggest that the lower mortality rate despite the more severe disease course seen in infected HCWs might be due to frequent exposure to tuberculosis bacillus and the mortality-reducing effects of the BCG vaccine.

Importance of Measured Body Fat, Visceral Adiposity Index, and Lipid Accumulation Product Index in Predicting Cardiometabolic Risk Factors.

Background: Obesity, which is defined as excessive fat accumulation in the body, is an important public health problem. Objective: The aim of this study was to compare measured body fat and the visceral adiposity index (VAI) and lipid accumulation product (LAP) index used to predict cardiometabolic risk (CMR) factors. Methods: This study was performed retrospectively by scanning the files of 817 participants who had bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) results and routine blood tests. The VAI and the LAP index were calculated using the appropriate formulas. Results: Of the 817 participants included in the study, 67.9% (n = 555) were female, 32.1% (n = 262) were male, and the mean age was 36.14 ± 11.4 (18-65) years. The mean body mass index (BMI) was 29.90 ± 6.6 kg/m2 and 24.2% (n = 198) of the participants were of normal weight (BMI <25 kg/m2), while 75.8% (n = 619) were overweight or obese (BMI ≥25 kg/m2). Body fat quantity was higher in females than in males. As BMI increased, the body fat quantity measured by BIA also increased (P < 0.001). The mean LAP index of men was higher than the mean LAP index of women in both the normal-weight group and the obese group (P = 0.025 and P = 0.033, respectively). One unit increase in visceral fat percentage resulted in a 77.9% increase in CMR. Conclusions: It may not be sufficient to use only BMI to predict obesity and related cardiometabolic diseases. According to the study findings, it was determined that the increase in visceral fat percentage significantly increases the CMR.