Beyond the Cold: Activating Brown Adipose Tissue as an Approach to Combat Obesity.

With a dramatic increase in the number of obese and overweight people, there is a great need for new anti-obesity therapies. With the discovery of the functionality of brown adipose tissue in adults and the observation of beige fat cells among white fat cells, scientists are looking for substances and methods to increase the activity of these cells. We aimed to describe how scientists have concluded that brown adipose tissue is also present and active in adults, to describe where in the human body these deposits of brown adipose tissue are, to summarize the origin of both brown fat cells and beige fat cells, and, last but not least, to list some of the substances and methods classified as BAT promotion agents with their benefits and side effects. We summarized these findings based on the original literature and reviews in the field, emphasizing the discovery, function, and origins of brown adipose tissue, BAT promotion agents, and batokines. Only studies written in English and with a satisfying rating were identified from electronic searches of PubMed.

How Dexamethasone Used in Anti-COVID-19 Therapy Influenced Antihypertensive Treatment in Patients with SARS-CoV-2.

BACKGROUND: During the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic period, in the treatment approved by the WHO, along with antivirals, antibiotics, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and anticoagulants, dexamethasone was always used. This study started from the professional concern related to the vasopressor effect of cortisone on blood pressure (BP). METHODS: The study group was achieved by selecting, from a total of 356 patients hospitalized in the clinic, the patients with known hypertensive status at admission for SARS-CoV-2. Dexamethasone was part of the anti-COVID-19 treatment, with an administration of 4-6-8 mg/day, depending on bodyweight, for 10 days. All patients with hypertension received antihypertensive treatment in adjusted doses according to the recorded BP values. RESULTS: Monitoring of BP in hospitalized patients was performed daily, in the morning and evening. If on the 2nd day of treatment, 84% of the patients partially responded to the treatment with a moderate decrease in BP, on the 3rd therapy day, the situation clearly improved: more than 75% of the patients had values of BP that can be classified as high-normal (38.23%) and normal (40.03%). CONCLUSIONS: Dexamethasone for treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection did not have a notable influence on increasing BP, because the doses were low-moderate and prescribed for a short time.

Obesity and Myocardial Infarction-The Place of Obesity Among Cardiovascular Risk Factors-Retrospective Study.

Since the 21st century, the leading cause of death is cardiovascular disease, with myocardial infarction being the most common. The incidence and prevalence of obesity has risen sharply in recent years, and it is commonly recognised as a cardiovascular risk factor among tobacco smoking, dyslipidemia (high LDL-C, high triglycerides, low HDL-C), hypertension, diabetes, age, gender, hereditary predisposition. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study is a retrospective study conducted at the Craiova Emergency Clinical Hospital between October 2020 and January 2023. Enrolled patients are 60, 36 patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction and 24 patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction. The data was collected from the hospital's official database and then analyzed using Microsoft Excel and the Toolbar Data Analysis. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients in the study was 62 years with a minimum of 34 years and a maximum of 84 years. 23(38.3%) of patients were smokers, 7(11.6%) were ex-smokers and 30(50%) were non-smokers. 49(81.6%) patients were hypertensive. 44(73%) had cholesterol greater than 200mg/dl. 54(90%) had LDL>100mg/dl, 18(30%) had HDL>45mg/gl, 24(40%) patients had serum TG>150mg/dl, 17(28%) were overweight and 13(22%) were obese, 30(50%) were normal weight. 18(30%) patients had type 2 diabetes. CONCLUSIONS: Among the cardiovascular risk factors in the patients studied, hypertension was the most common, followed by dyslipidemia, obesity, smoking, diabetes mellitus, and very rarely the use of drugs and anabolic substances.

Decrease of glutathione peroxidase in arrhythmic cardiac pathology in young individuals and its therapeutic implications.

Glutathione peroxidase (GPx), as an antioxidant enzyme, is involved in the regulation of processes that cause cellular oxidative stress, with implications in various pathologies. The aim of the present study was to evaluate GPx variations in patients with arrhythmic, non-structural cardiac disorders. The research was performed on 120 patients, with a mean age of 33 years old, divided into 3 equal groups, of which 2 groups included patients with cardiac arrhythmias, the first group, associated with dyslipidemia and the second one, without dyslipidemia, and a control group consisting of healthy individuals. The method for determining GPx was based on the GPx enzyme catalysis reaction of the reduced glutathione (GSH) oxidation reaction by cumene hydroperoxide. The results revealed that GPx variation was decreased in patients with cardiac arrhythmias, with or without dyslipidemia, up to 66 and 74% of mean control values, respectively, the differences being statistically significant, showing the existence of an oxidative stress imbalance, that may be involved in triggering arrhythmogenic electrochemical mechanisms. The GPx deficiency determined in relation to cardiac arrhythmias was in dyslipidemic and non-lipidemic patients as follows: 29-35% in sinus bradycardia, 31-35% in associated cardiac arrhythmias, 30-33% in sinus tachycardia, 27-33% in atrial fibrillation, 32-33% in atrial flutter, 27-32% in atrial extrasystolic arrhythmia, 28-30% in ventricular extrasystolic arrhythmia and 18-26% in paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia. Collectively, the results revealed that GPx, an antioxidant enzyme, is a specific biomarker, whose decrease indicated the existence of oxidative stress in young individuals with cardiac arrhythmias and its involvement in arrhythmogenic electrochemical processes. In addition, GPx deficiencies were between 18-35% in all types of cardiac arrhythmias, the highest being recorded in sinus bradycardia and the lowest in paroxysmal supraventircular tachycardia. Furthermore, the oxidative stress favored by the decrease of GPx induced lipid oxidation, regardless of the presence or absence of dyslipidemia, which triggered the formation of anti-lipid antibodies and a subclinical endothelial aggression, with early atherosclerotic potential. GPx evaluation may argue for the existence of oxidative stress in non-structural cardiac arrhythmias, and by its proper correction (antioxidants), prophylaxis of atherogenic dysfunction.

Variation of Total Antioxidant Activity in Young People with Non-Lesional Cardiac Arrhythmias.

Total antioxidant activity status (TAS) represents the body's response to oxidative stress, important in the pathogenic assessment of oxidations. AIM: To determine TAS variations in young subjects, with non-lesional cardiac arrhythmias, with/without dyslipidemia and to assess the risk of lipid oxidation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The research was performed on 120 young subjects (mean age 33 years), with various types of cardiac arrhythmias, on normal heart, without co-existing lesions. Subjects were divided into 3 groups (40 persons). The first 2 groups included subjects with cardiac arrhythmias. Group I also associated dyslipidemia; group II, without dyslipidemia and group III: control. Determination of TAS values was performed using ABTS (2-azino-di-3-ethylbenzthiazoline sulfonate) colorimetic method. Results were statistically processed. RESULTS: TAS values were decreased in all patients with cardiac arrhythmias, representing 52-54% of the values of healthy controls, the data being highly statistically significant. The variation of TAS decrease by types of arrhythmias was thus found in patients with arrhythmias and associated dyslipidemia and, respectively, without dyslipidemia, compared to controls. The deficit of antioxidant activity, between 48%-46% triggers electrochemical processes with implications in arrhythmogenesis and lipid oxidation. Coffee and vegetables-rich diet have antioxidant effect, reducing TAS deficiency. CONCLUSIONS: 1. TAS was decreased in all subjects with non-lesional arrhythmias. The study showed decreasing TAS level at 52-54% in patients with arrhythmias, with/without dyslipidemia, compared to controls. 2. TAS deficiency was associated with various types of dysrhythmias, ranging from 62% to 33%. 3. Decreased TAS also triggers lipid oxidation, as risk factor for early atherosclerotic lesions.