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Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a group of physiological abnormalities characterized by obesity, insulin resistance (IR), and hypertriglyceridemia, which carry the risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) and type 2 diabetes (T2D). Immune and metabolic alterations have been observed in MetS and are associated with autoimmune development. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease caused by a complex interaction of environmental, hormonal, and genetic factors and hyperactivation of immune cells. Patients with SLE have a high prevalence of MetS, in which elevated CVD is observed. Among the efforts of multidisciplinary healthcare teams to make an early diagnosis, a wide variety of factors have been considered and associated with the generation of biomarkers. This review aimed to elucidate some primary biomarkers and propose a set of assessments to improve the projection of the diagnosis and evolution of patients. These biomarkers include metabolic profiles, cytokines, cardiovascular tests, and microRNAs (miRs), which have been observed to be dysregulated in these patients and associated with outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) describes a set of disorders that collectively influence cardiovascular health, and includes hypertension, obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes, and dyslipidemia. All these components (hypertension, obesity, dyslipidemia, and prediabetes/diabetes) have been shown to modify autonomic function. The major autonomic dysfunction that has been documented with each of these components is in the control of sympathetic outflow to the heart and periphery at rest and during exercise through modulation of the arterial baroreflex and the muscle metaboreflex. Many studies have described MetS components in singularity or in combination with the other major components of metabolic syndrome. However, many studies lack the capability to study all the factors of metabolic syndrome in one model or have not focused on studying the effects of how each component as it arises influences overall autonomic function. The goal of this review is to describe the current understanding of major aspects of metabolic syndrome that most likely contribute to the consequent/associated autonomic alterations during exercise and discuss their effects, as well as bring light to alternative mechanisms of study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Physical inactivity and mood disturbances are key issues in individuals with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) and may lead to poor clinical outcomes. Methods: We performed a pilot, observational study to explore the possible relationships between the self-reported level of physical activity (IPAQ) and the severity of mood disturbances (BDI score) in a cohort of 58 ESKD patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis (HD; n = 30) or peritoneal dialysis (PD; n = 28). Results: Overall, ESKD patients were severely inactive (median METs: 590 [460–1850]) and the intensity of overall and walking physical activity was mostly low to moderate. HD individuals appeared less active than PD (METs 550 [250–1600] vs. 1080 [750–1730]; p = 0.003) and were also less prone to walking (METs 180 ± 90 vs. 320 ± 100; p = 0.01), while a barely statistical difference was noticed for the time spent sitting. ESKD individuals displayed a median BDI score of 17 [12–21], which indicated, on average, the presence of borderline depression, which was apparently more evident among HD individuals. A strong, inverse correlation was found between self-reported METs and BDI scores (R = −0.78; p < 0.0001), while such scores paralleled the time spent sitting during a weekday (R = 0.45; p = 0.0004) and a weekend day (R = 0.40; p = 0.002). Conclusions: In ESKD patients on chronic dialysis, physical inactivity and mood disturbances might be significantly inter-connected, thereby amplifying their relative impact on quality of life, dysautonomia and long-term outcomes. Future studies on larger populations are recommended to confirm these preliminary observations. Promoting strategies to improve fitness, along with greater attention to physiological aspects, should be incorporated into the clinical management of ESKD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) emerges as an important global burden and Helicobacter pylori infection (Hp-I) has been suggested as a risk factor of NAFLD, although controversy exists. This retrospective study aimed to investigate a potential impact of active Hp-I on NAFLD severity in morbidly obese patients, subjected to bariatric surgery and gastric biopsy for documentation of Hp-I. Of 64 eligible participants, 15 (23.4%) were diagnosed with active Hp-I, showing higher rates of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) than those without Hp-I (86.7% vs. 26.5%, respectively; p < 0.001). Concerning histological lesions, steatosis grade (p = 0.027), ballooning (p < 0.001), lobular inflammation (p = 0.003), and fibrosis stage (p < 0.001) were also more severe in Hp-I positive patients. Likewise, liver function tests, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, and arterial hypertension were significantly higher in Hp-I positive patients. Hp-I was independently positively associated with NASH (beta = 3.27; p = 0.002), severe NASH (beta = 2.37; p = 0.018), and the presence of fibrosis (beta = 3.86; p = 0.001) in a binary regression model, after adjustment for potential confounders. In conclusion, active Hp-Ι was independently associated with NASH and fibrosis, findings offering potential clinical implication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]