Vitamin D and cardiovascular diseases: A narrative review.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and vitamin D deficiency are becoming highly prevalent among general populations. Despite plausible biological mechanisms for the role of vitamin D in cardio-protection, a cause-and-effect relationship has not yet been established. The interest in vitamin D as a potential therapeutic target to attenuate cardiovascular risk has been raised.

Relationship Between Metabolic Syndrome and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome with Special Reference to C-Reactive Protein.

Objectives: To estimate C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in Saudi women with and without polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and to investigate the associations between CRP and metabolic syndrome (MetS) components.

Methods: We randomly recruited 200 women with and without PCOS, between 18 and 38 years, in this age-matched case-control study. Study subjects were allocated to 1 of 4 groups according to the presence or absence of MetS.

Direct Medical Cost of Pediatric Asthma in Jordan: A Cost-of-Illness Retrospective Cohort Study.

Objectives: This study aimed to estimate and analyze the direct medical costs of pediatric patients with asthma in Jordan from the provider's perspective.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of a cohort of pediatric patients with asthma treated during 3 years in a teaching hospital was conducted. The prevalence-based, bottom-up approach has been used to estimate the cost-of-illness of asthma.

Directly measured free and total 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels in relation to metabolic health in multi-ethnic postmenopausal females in Saudi Arabia.

Background: Measurement of free 25-hydroyvitamin D (25(OH)D) status has been suggested as a more representative marker of vitamin D status than that of total 25(OH)D. Previously, free 25(OH)D could only be calculated indirectly; however, a newly developed direct assay for the measurement of free 25(OH)D is now available. The aim of this study therefore was to investigate directly measured total and free vitamin D levels association with metabolic health in postmenopausal healthy women living in Saudi Arabia.

Association between vitamin D and glycaemic parameters in a multi-ethnic cohort of postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes in Saudi Arabia.

Background: The relationship between vitamin D (VitD) and insulin sensitivity and secretion in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) has been shown to be different amongst different ethnic populations. In Saudi Arabia, where both T2D and VitD deficiency are highly prevalent health concerns, little is known about the relationship between VitD, insulin sensitivity, resistance and the relative importance of ethnicity. Our primary aim in this study was to investigate influence of ethnicity on VitD association with glycaemic profile and to measures of obesity as a secondary outcome, among multiethnic postmenopausal women with T2D in Saudi Arabia.

Association of SNPs in GC and CYP2R1 with total and directly measured free 25-hydroxyvitamin D in multi-ethnic postmenopausal women in Saudi Arabia.

Background: Group-specific component () and cytochrome P450 Family 2 Subfamily R Member 1 () genes are one of the vital genes involved in the vitamin D (vitD) metabolic pathway. Association of genetic polymorphisms in these two genes with 25-hyroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) level has been reported in several studies. However, this association has been reported to be discrepant among populations from different ethnicities.

Whole-Exome Sequencing for Identification of Genetic Variants Involved in Vitamin D Metabolic Pathways in Families With Vitamin D Deficiency in Saudi Arabia.

Background: Numerous research studies have found an association between vitamin D (vitD) status and single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes involved in vitD metabolism. It is notable that the influence of these SNPs on 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels might vary in different populations. In this study, we aimed to explore for genetic variants in genes related to vitD metabolism in families with vitD deficiency in Saudi Arabia using whole-exome sequencing (WES).

Role of inflammatory markers in polycystic ovaries syndrome: In relation to insulin resistance.

Objective: To evaluate the relationship between plasma levels of the inflammatory markers tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), C reactive protein (CRP), and interlukin-6 (IL-6) with insulin resistance in Saudi women with polycystic ovaries syndrome (PCOS).

Methods: One hundred eighty Saudi women with and without PCOS, aged 22-38 years, were randomly recruited in this age and body mass index matched case-control study. Clinical assessment, anthropometric measurements, and biochemical parameters were determined for all study participants.

Impact of interlukin-6 on central obesity measures in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome.

Our aim was to investigate the relationship between plasma interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels with different measures of central obesity among Saudi women with and without polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). One hundred and sixty-four Saudi females, between 22 and 38 years of age, with and without PCOS were enrolled in this case-control study. Physical examination and laboratory tests were completed for every subject.

Relationship between pediatric adiposity and cardiovascular risk factors in Saudi children and adolescents.

Background: The etiology of childhood obesity is growing at alarming rates in developed and developing countries. The aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors (hypertension, dyslipidemia, and hyperglycemia) in a sample of Saudi children and to assess their association with different measures of body adiposity.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted of 200 Saudi children, who were randomly selected from the pediatric clinics at King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Relationship between serum resistin, body fat and inflammatory markers in females with clinical knee osteoarthritis.

Objectives: Adipokines have gained much interest in osteoarthritis (OA) pathogenesis studies over the past years in that they play crucial roles in bone and cartilage homeostasis. Obesity is known to be one of the well-recognized and modifiable causes of OA burden. Key mediators in this metabolic link between obesity and OA could be resistin, among other cytokines secreted by the adipose tissue.

Dietary intake of fatty acids and antioxidants in relation to radiographic knee osteoarthritis: results from a case-control study.

Background: The present study aimed to investigate levels of nutrient intakes, including dietary antioxidant quality (DAQ) score, among Saudi females with and without knee osteoarthritis (OA). We also aimed to examine the relationship between nutrient intakes and knee OA severity.

Methods: One hundred female participants with symptomatic primary knee OA were matched for age with 100 apparently healthy females and were sequentially recruited from the Orthopaedics Department, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Saudi Arabia, in a case-control study design.

Association of smoking with direct medical expenditures of chronic diseases in north of Jordan: a retrospective cohort study.

Objective: This study aimed to estimate the association of smoking with the direct medical expenditures for chronic disease management in north of Jordan.

Design, Setting And Participants: Retrospective cohort study using hospital database. Patients who were diagnosed with at least one chronic disease,were aged 18 years or older and had attended King Abdullah University Hospital for disease management and procedures from 1 July 2015 through 30 June 2016 were included in the study.

Association between serum resistin, adiposity measures and inflammatory makers in women without cardiovascular diseases.

Aims: The convergence of obesity and inflammation in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) has been recognized over the past decade. Resistin has emerged as a novel secreted protein with links to both insulin resistance and inflammation. We aimed to investigate the relationship between changes in serum resistin levels with metabolic parameters, including obesity and inflammatory markers in women free of CVD.

Relationship between diet quality and carotid intima-media thickness in people with and without carotid atherosclerosis.

Background: Dietary assessment and management appear to be essential to limit the impact of cardiovascular risk.

Aim: This study aims to assess the association between diet quality as measured by Alternate Healthy Eating Index (AHEI) and coronary risk as determined by carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT) among Saudi adults.

Methods: A case-control study was conducted in 210 participants who were matched for age and sex and recruited sequentially from King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Relationship between serum gamma-glutamyltransferase activity and cardiometabolic risk factors in metabolic syndrome.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to examine the associations of serum gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) levels with the metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its components in Saudi adults.

Methods: The study comprised 400 participants (70 men and 330 women), aged between 40 and 88 years, randomly selected from the medicine clinics at the King Abdulaziz University Hospital in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in a cross-sectional study design. A standardized questionnaire was used to determine demographics variables, general health, lifestyle habits, and medical history.

Serum progranulin levels in relation to insulin resistance in childhood obesity.

Background: Progranulin is an adipokine that is involved in the inflammatory response, glucose metabolism, insulin resistance, and may therefore be involved in chronic subclinical inflammation associated with the pathogenesis of childhood obesity. We aimed to investigate the association of circulating progranulin levels with metabolic parameters in children and to assess the importance of progranulin as a biomarker for metabolic diseases.

Methods: A total of 150 children were consecutively recruited from the Pediatric Nutrition Clinics at King Abdulaziz University Hospital in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Role of omentin-1 and C-reactive protein in obese subjects with subclinical inflammation.

Background: While chronic subclinical inflammation is now considered to be a predisposing risk factor of cardiovascular diseases, the extent by which adipokines induce metabolic abnormalities in humans is not fully resolved. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between insulin resistance and serum inflammatory markers in obese subjects.

Methods: One hundred and five subjects without any clinically evident CVD were classified into 3 coronary risk levels according to Framingham risk score.

Bone mineral density and cardiovascular risk factors in postmenopausal women with coronary artery disease.

It has been suggested that osteoporosis and coronary artery disease (CAD) have overlapping pathophysiological mechanisms and related risk factors. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between several traditional cardiovascular risk factors and measures of bone mineral density (BMD) in postmenopausal women with and without clinically significant CAD defined angiographically. A case-control study was undertaken of 180 postmenopausal women (aged between 48 and 88 years) who were recruited from King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Saudi Arabia.

Dietary fruits and vegetables and cardiovascular diseases risk.

Diet is likely to be an important determinant of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. In this article, we will review the evidence linking the consumption of fruit and vegetables and CVD risk. The initial evidence that fruit and vegetable consumption has a protective effect against CVD came from observational studies.

Bronchial asthma and hypovitaminosis D in Saudi children.

Background: Asthma, a common lung disease in children, is caused by excessive immune responses to environmental antigens.

Objective: Given the immuno-modulatory properties of vitamin D, the aim of the current study was to investigate the relationship between vitamin D levels and markers of asthma severity.

Methods: This was investigated in a 70 Saudi children with and without asthma and were recruited from the King Abdul Aziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, over the period of 11 months (May 2011-April 2012).

Insulin resistance in Saudi postmenopausal women with and without metabolic syndrome and its association with vitamin D deficiency.

Background: There is increasing interest in the non-skeletal effects of vitamin D and the relationship between vitamin D deficiency and chronic conditions such as diabetes mellitus. We aimed to investigate the relationship between surrogate indices of insulin resistance (IR), and vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency in postmenopausal Saudi women with and without metabolic syndrome.

Methods: The study population consisted of 300 postmenopausal women aged 46-88 years enrolled consecutively from women attending the Outpatient Clinics of King Abdulaziz University Hospital.

Serum osteocalcin is associated with dietary vitamin D, body weight and serum magnesium in postmenopausal women with and without significant coronary artery disease.

Osteoporosis and atherosclerosis often present atypically in postmenopausal women, making clinical recognition difficult. Prospective studies suggest independent associations between bone mass and vascular calcification through vitamin D deficiency as an established predictor of both conditions. We aimed to examine the relationship between serum osteocalcin and vitamin D status in postmenopausal women with and without angiographic evidence of coronary artery disease (CAD).

Relationship between nutritional profile, measures of adiposity, and bone mineral density in postmenopausal Saudi women.

Background: Osteoporosis remains a major health problem in all developed countries and is a condition in which several dietary factors have been implicated.

Objective: To assess the nutritional status and levels of adiposity of postmenopausal women in relation to bone mineral density.

Design: A cross-sectional study in which dietary intake was estimated by a food frequency questionnaire in 300 Saudi postmenopausal women aged 46-88 years.

Medicinal herbs and therapeutic drugs interactions.

People mistakenly think that all herbs are safe, because of the fact that they are natural, and the use of herbal medication is growing. Aspects of the efficacy, safety, and quality of herbal or natural products are the subjects of on-going debates. Concurrent administration of herbs may interfere with the effect of drugs.