Non-Insulin Novel Antidiabetic Drugs Mechanisms in the Pathogenesis of COVID-19.

The present study aimed to analyse the published data and to realize an update about the use and pathogenesis of the novel antidiabetic drugs, respectively, dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP-4i), glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 Ra), and sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT-2i), in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Literature research in the PubMed and Web of Science database was performed in order to identify relevant published clinical trials and meta-analyses that include information about the treatment with novel antidiabetic agents in patients with T2DM and COVID-19. A total of seven articles were included, and their primary and secondary outcomes were reported and analysed. DPP-4i has mixed results on mortality in T2DM patients with COVID-19 but with an overall slightly favourable or neutral effect, whereas GLP-1 Ra seems to have a rather beneficial impact, while SGLT-2i may be useful in acute illness. Even if there are limited data, they seem to have favourable efficacy and safety profiles. The available evidence is heterogenous and insufficient to evaluate if the benefits of non-insulin novel antidiabetic drugs in COVID-19 treatment are due to the improvement of glycaemic control or to their intrinsic anti-inflammatory effects but highlights their beneficial effects in the pathogenesis and evolution of the disease.

Demographic, Anthropometric and Food Behavior Data towards Healthy Eating in Romania.

BACKGROUND: Each country has specific social, cultural, and economic characteristics regarding the motivations for improving health. The aim of this study was to evaluate demographic characteristics, anthropometric data, and elements related to food behavior and health, as well as Romanians' motivations towards healthy eating. METHODS: This is a descriptive cross-sectional questionnaire based study enrolling 751 Romanian participants, which was carried out in in 2017-2018. RESULTS: We obtained a positive correlation between age and Body Mass Index, and this was maintained also when we analyzed the two genders separately, being, however, even stronger for women. The number of hours/day spent watching TV or in front of the computer was positively correlated with both age and BMI. In general, with aging, there is an increasing concern regarding the practice of a healthy diet. The higher education level was significantly associated with healthier choices. CONCLUSIONS: The study of the three dietary dimensions, food properties, health attitudes, and dietary behavior, vis-à-vis various disorders revealed that the group most concerned of their diet was those who suffered from cardiovascular disorders.