Zinc Plasma Status and Sensory Perception in Nondialysis Chronic Kidney Disease Patients.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between zinc plasma levels and sensory perception in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). METHODS: A cross-sectional study with 21 nondialysis CKD patients (11 men, 51.1 ± 7.1 years, body mass index 27.9 ± 7.1 kg/m2, estimated glomerular filtration rate 32.7 ± 19.9 mL/min) and 22 non-CKD volunteers (10 men, 49.8 ± 8.3 years, body mass index 28.5 ± 5.4 kg/m2) was conducted. Blood samples were collected to obtain plasma for zinc analysis. Anthropometric and biochemical parameters, as well as food intake and salivary flow rate, were also evaluated. Taste sensory perception for sweet, acidic, bitter, and salty flavors was determined by the "three-drop method," with 4 concentrations of the 4 basic tastes. RESULTS: As expected, zinc plasma levels were significantly lower in CKD patients (70.1 ± 19.2ug/dL) when compared with the control group participants (123.2 ± 24.6 µg dL) (P ˂ .0001). The bitter taste perception was lower in the CKD group (p˂0.0001). Our findings showed that sensitivity to sour (P = .047), salty (P = .03), and bitter tastes was significantly lower in participants with lower zinc plasma levels. Also, bitter taste sensitivity was lower in participants with less zinc intake (P = .038). When grouping control subjects and CKD patients, significant correlations were observed between zinc plasma levels and the number of correct answers for bitter taste (r = 0.49, P = .001), number of correct answers for salty taste (r = 0.30, P = .048), and total score of correct answers (r = 0.30, P = .044). CONCLUSIONS: Reduced zinc plasma levels in nondialysis CKD patients may be associated with lower perception of bitter, sour, and salty tastes and strategies to restore these levels are crucial due many factors, including food preferences and intake.

Essential thrombocythemia: nutritional management in weight loss and malnutrition.

Essential thrombocythemia is the category of myeloproliferative syndromes, generally characterized by a group of clonal stem cell diseases that present a disturbance in the growth of one or more sets of hematopoietic cells. All long clinical treatment, patients may experience gastrointestinal disorders and other metabolic processes that can lead to weight loss and malnutrition. Cytokine is involved in the control of appetite, digestive, and metabolic processes in the body, it can be assumed that increased stimulation could impair the control of these processes leading to loss of body mass. Effective and systematic nutritional intervention is required to ensure patient compliance with treatment and improved nutritional status.

Cinnamon: an aromatic condiment applicable to chronic kidney disease.

Cinnamon, a member of the Lauraceae family, has been widely used as a spice and traditional herbal medicine for centuries and has shown beneficial effects in cardiovascular disease, obesity, and diabetes. However, its effectiveness as a therapeutic intervention for chronic kidney disease (CKD) remains unproven. The bioactive compounds within cinnamon, such as cinnamaldehyde, cinnamic acid, and cinnamate, can mitigate oxidative stress, inflammation, hyperglycemia, gut dysbiosis, and dyslipidemia, which are common complications in patients with CKD. In this narrative review, we assess the mechanisms by which cinnamon may alleviate complications observed in CKD and the possible role of this spice as an additional nutritional strategy for this patient group.

Consumption of oils and anthocyanins may positively modulate PPAR-γ expression in chronic noncommunicable diseases: A systematic review.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPAR-γ) plays a central role in health and is an essential cardioprotective factor because of its effect on lipid and glucose metabolism, inflammation, and oxidative stress. We hypothesized that nutritional strategies positively regulate PPAR-γ expression in patients with noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). A systematic search was conducted using PubMed, Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO), and LILACS databases from May 2020 to January 2021. Eligibility criteria included placebo-controlled randomized clinical trials in adults with chronic diseases involving nutritional strategies, which performed PPAR-γ analysis (majority on mononuclear cells) before and after the intervention. The exclusion criteria included studies published more than 10 years ago, studies not published in English or Spanish, theses, reviews, and other study designs. The review was developed according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Methodological quality was assessed based on 7 criteria obtained from the Cochrane Handbook. A total of 7 studies were included that reported the effects of different nutritional strategies (such as anthocyanins, fish oil, Berberis vulgaris juice, ketogenic diet, flaxseed oil, olive oil) on 346 patients with NCDs (such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and cancer) between 18 and 85 years of age. These results suggest that anthocyanins, flaxseed oil, and olive oil may function as putative PPAR-γ agonists.