DSpace Collection: 55-158

Branched-chain amino acids in obesity and diabetes: Implications and insights

Wed, 01 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Title: Branched-chain amino acids in obesity and diabetes: Implications and insights Authors: Prabha Kannaiyan, Suria Abstract: Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), such as leucine, isoleucine, and valine, are vital in metabolic processes and in regulating energy equilibrium. In obesity and diabetes, BCAAs have been implicated in various metabolic dysfunctions, such as insulin resistance and altered glucose metabolism. Elevated BCAA levels are often observed in individuals with these conditions, suggesting a potential link between BCAA metabolism and the etiology of obesity and diabetes. Understanding the implications of BCAAs in these disorders could provide insights into novel therapeutic strategies to improve metabolic health and manage these chronic diseases. Previous reviews on BCAAs in the context of obesity and diabetes have often lacked a comprehensive analysis of their dual role in metabolic pathways. These reviews have focused solely on their positive effects, such as muscle protein synthesis, or potential negative impacts, like insulin resistance. Considering recent research findings and clinical studies, a thorough evaluation of the nuanced effects of BCAAs is necessary. This review seeks to fill these gaps by offering an impartial viewpoint on the metabolic consequences of BCAAs in individuals with obesity and diabetes, highlighting areas for future research and covering the metabolic role of BCAAs, their impact on feed intake patterns, and biochemical insights into BCAA metabolism. The review also delves into leucine's role in diabetes, examining its therapeutic potential and clinical implications. It also investigates mechanisms linking BCAAs to insulin resistance and BCAAs' relationship to mitochondrial dysfunction in obesity, providing a comprehensive understanding of BCAAs' metabolic effects. Given the rising prevalence of obesity and diabetes, this review is crucial for informing therapeutic strategies and identifying areas for future research. Keywords: Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), diabetes, insulin resistance, metabolic dysfunction, obesity, therapeutic strategies

Association of hematological inflammatory indices and monocyte/HDL ratio with plaque formation in patients with atherosclerotic heart disease

Wed, 01 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Title: Association of hematological inflammatory indices and monocyte/HDL ratio with plaque formation in patients with atherosclerotic heart disease Authors: Fevziye Misirlioglu, Naile; Bicakhan, Burcu Abstract: Objectives: There are insufficient studies on the combined effect of neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), systemic immune- inflammation (SII) index and monocyte-to-high-density lipoprotein ratio (MHR) on plaque status and risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) occurrence. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the feasibility of using NLR, SII index and MHR, which are preferable markers in terms of favorable cost/benefit ratio and easy measurement, to monitor and evaluate the severity of the disease, considering that CVD is an inflammatory disease. Methods: Two thousand two hundred seventy-three patients presenting with complaints of shortness of breath or chest pain who were followed up in the Cardiovascular Surgery outpatient clinic of Gaziosmanpaşa Training and Research Hospital between January 2024 and October 2024 were retrospectively included in the study. Results: Lymphocyte levels were significantly higher in the deceased patients (p=0.02). Conversely, the NLR and the SII were higher in the surviving patients compared to the deceased patients (p<0.001; p<0.001). LDL levels and plaque status were statistically significantly different between the groups. Patients in the moderate-risk group had significantly lower LDL levels compared to those in the mild-risk group (p<0.001). Conclusion: These results suggest that MHR, a novel biomarker derived from the inflammatory marker monocyte and the antiatherogenic HDL, may be associated with CAD. Given that CVD is an inflammatory disease, NLR, SII and MHR may be preferable in terms of favorable cost/benefit ratio and easy measurement. These markers can also be calculated practically and inexpensively from whole blood and HDL values, which are routine tests that can be performed in primary health care centers. It also demonstrates NLR and MHR are associated with plaque formation in patients with atherosclerotic heart disease. Keywords: Monocyte-to-high-density lipoprotein ratio, neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio, plaque formation, systemic immune- inflammation index

Unnecessary serum protein electrophoresis test requests in the follow-up of multiple myeloma patients can be prevented

Wed, 01 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Title: Unnecessary serum protein electrophoresis test requests in the follow-up of multiple myeloma patients can be prevented Authors: Aydin, Ozgur; Karakus, Volkan Abstract: Objectives: Appropriate testing is a part of good laboratory practices. “Requesting the right test with the right method, at the right time, to the right patient, to produce the right result at the right cost” has been defined as an appropriate test request. This study was intended to measure the impact of an attend to regulate requests for serum protein electrophoresis tests before and after applying rejection rules and clinical management. Methods: In a meeting in December 2022, hematologists declared to be more careful about proper testing in electrophoresis. In addition, the laboratory was decided to be involved in test request management through test rejection rules. Multiple myeloma patients with measurable M protein spikes in the gamma regions of serum protein electrophoresis tests were chosen due to relatively well-defined follow-up protocols. Number of hospital visits of the patients and electrophoresis test requests were compared with the year before (2022) and the year after (2023) the meeting. Results: Selected 92 patients visited our hospital 493 times in 2022 and 583 times in 2023 (number of visits). A total of 423 serum protein electrophoresis (SPE) and 416 serum immunofixation electrophoresis (SIFE) tests were requested in 2022 while 427 SPE and 470 SIFE tests were requested in 2023. In 2023, 51 SPE and 36 SIFE test requests were rejected according to the defined test rejection rules. Conclusion: From 2022 to 2023 total patient visits increased by 18%, while SPE test requests increased by less than 1% and SIFE test requests increased by 13%. The common will by the Hematology Clinic and the Clinical Biochemistry Laboratory to reduce unnecessary electrophoresis test requests achieved their goal as the rise in test requests were under the rise in hospital visits. After a year of experience, we could confidently propose that our test rejection rules can be adopted by laboratories and used for electrophoresis test management. Keywords: Continuous quality management, electrophoresis, good laboratory practices, medical laboratory, multiple myeloma

Association of serum Maresin-1 levels with insulin-resistance indices in obese individuals

Wed, 01 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Title: Association of serum Maresin-1 levels with insulin-resistance indices in obese individuals Authors: Deniz, Levent Abstract: Objectives: This study aimed to investigate serum Maresin-1 (MaR1) levels among obese, overweight, and normalweight groups, as well as to evaluate their association with various metabolic parameters, including insulin resistancerelated indices and lipid profiles. Methods: Ninety subjects were classified into three distinct groups in terms of body mass index (BMI). Using a median MaR1 value of 608 pg/mL as the threshold, the participants were also categorized into two distinct groups. Serum MaR1 levels were quantified via an ELISA. The study also evaluated several other indicators: metabolic score for insulin resistance (METS-IR), triglyceride glucose-body mass index (TyG-BMI), HbA1c, and various components of the lipid profile. Results: MaR1 levels were significantly lower in the obese and overweight categories compared to the normal-weight categories. Nevertheless, no statistically significant difference was observed in the MaR1 levels between the obese and overweight groups. MaR1 levels were negatively linked to METS-IR (r=-0.444, p<0.001) and TyG-BMI (r=-0.427, p<0.001), whereas quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (r=0.318, p=0.002) levels were positively correlated. METS-IR had the highest AUC value (0.706), with 73.3% sensitivity and 57.8% specificity to identify high levels of MaR1 (p<0.001). Conclusion: Ordinal logistic regression revealed a significant independent relationship between MaR1 levels and BMI categories. The close association between MaR1 and metabolic indices such as METS-IR and TyG-BMI suggests its role in insulin sensitivity and obesity-associated metabolic disorders. Keywords: Insulin resistance, Maresin-1, METS-IR, obesity, specialized pro-resolving mediators, TyG-BMI