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Background: Metabolic syndrome (MS) comprises a cluster of risk factors for the development of cardiovascular diseases, which are among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Many studies have shown that neck circumference (NC) has validity in the measure of MS since it correlates positively with the traditional components. For these reasons, this study aimed at comparing waist circumference (WC) and NC for identifying MS parameters in patients treated at a cardiology unit. Methods: This study included 309 patients assisted in a Cardiology Unit. Biochemical and anthropometric parameters were evaluated. Correlations between neck and WC with anthropometric, biochemical, and atherogenic indices were evaluated. The diagnostic ability of neck and WC was assessed by using the receiver operating characteristics curve. Results: The patients had a mean age of 57.2 years, and 56% were men. The diagnosis of MS was present in 48% of men and 39% of women. Neck and WC showed a positive correlation with each other, and both showed positive correlations with the criteria for MS. Moreover, NC showed a positive correlation with body mass index (BMI), insulin, homeostatic model assessment (HOMA)-β, and C-reactive protein. WC showed a positive correlation with BMI, HOMA of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), and Castelli Index I. Both neck and WC showed the ability to identify the presence of the MS. Conclusion: Both neck and WC showed a significant correlation with several of the metabolic parameters, including some used as criteria for the diagnosis of MS. In addition, both measures demonstrated a good ability to predict MS, making these measures promising for screening patients with this syndrome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To evaluate the association between parameters of hyperferritinemia (HF) and metabolic syndrome (MS) in patients at cardiovascular risk. Patients and Methods: This is a cross-sectional analytical observational study that included 269 patients who attended a cardiology unit. Biochemical and anthropometric parameters were evaluated to identify the presence of HF and MS. The presence of MS was evaluated according to NCEP ATP III. Biochemical parameters (glycemia, triglycerides, HDL-c) were assessed according to the manufacturer's protocols. Anthropometric measurements and blood pressure measurements were made by a trained professional. The chi-square (X2) test, odds ratio, normality distribution (verified by the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test), and Levene's test were used to analyze the variables. To evaluate the effect of MS, HF, and the interaction between MS and HF, two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed based on the homogeneity of the variances, followed by Bonferroni's post hoc comparisons. Spearman correlation analysis was performed to evaluate the relationship between quantitative variables. A multiple linear regression model was used to analyze the effect of covariables. A logistic regression model was built to analyze the variables that contribute significantly to predict the outcome (HF) using the backward method. Results: Our results showed that 57% of men and 49.5% of women presented with MS; 44% of men and 11% of women presented with HF. The presence of MS and hypertriglyceridemia increase the probability of having HF by up to 2.1 and 1.88 times, respectively, while for male sex it is increased by 6.2 times. Patients with HF have higher values of C-reactive protein, ferritin, and transferrin saturation, regardless of the presence of MS. The linear regression analysis model indicated that the variables considered in this study explain less than 30% of the variation in ferritin and that the presence of MS in men is responsible for 22% of the variation in the probability of the occurrence of HF. Conclusion: Our results show that hyperferritinemia is closely associated with the components of MS (positive correlation with glycemia, triglycerides levels, blood pressure, and waist circumference, and negative correlation with HDL-c values) in the studied population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are characterized by a chronic and recurrent gastrointestinal condition, including mainly ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD). Cannabis sativa (CS) is widely used for medicinal, recreational, and religious purposes. The most studied compound of CS is tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). Besides many relevant therapeutic roles such as anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, there is still much controversy about the consumption of this plant since the misuse can lead to serious health problems. Because of these reasons, the aim of this review is to investigate the effects of CS on the treatment of UC and CD. The literature search was performed in PubMed/Medline, PMC, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases. The use of CS leads to the improvement of UC and CD scores and quality of life. The medical use of CS is on the rise. Although the literature shows relevant antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects that could improve UC and CD scores, it is still not possible to establish a treatment criterion since the studies have no standardization regarding the variety and part of the plant that is used, route of administration and doses. Therefore, we suggest caution in the use of CS in the therapeutic approach of IBD until clinical trials with standardization and a relevant number of patients are performed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]