Serum Uric Acid/Serum Creatinine Ratio and Chronic Vascular Lesions on Renal Biopsy: A Retrospective Observational Study.

Introduction: Increased serum uric acid (SUA) levels are found in cardiovascular and kidney diseases, associated with the development of vascular injury. Uric acid stimulates the inflammatory pathways, promotes vascular smooth muscle cells proliferation, activates renin-angiotensin system leading to the development and progression of vascular damage. Renal function-normalized uric acid [SUA to serum creatinine ratio (SUA/SCr)] has been suggested to be a better indicator of uric acid.

Tryptophan metabolism and kynurenine metabolites in cancer: systemic nutritional and metabolic implications.

Purpose Of Review: To describe the role of Tryptophan (Trp) metabolism and Kynurenine (Kyn) metabolites in nutritional and metabolic changes in cancer.

Recent Findings: Trp is in part utilized for protein and neurotransmitters biosynthesis, but more than 95% is implicated in Kyn pathways. In this molecular cascade, metabolites are produced with distinct biological activities regulating the immune response and neurotransmission with potential implications in malnutrition/cachexia during cancer.

Evaluation of Anorexia in Cancer and Its Association with Autonomic Nervous System Activity Assessed by Heart Rate Variability.

Alterations in the central nervous system in cancer patients are pivotal in determining appetite dysregulation and body weight loss (BWL). Autonomic nervous system activity was tested by measuring heart rate variability (HRV) in cancer patients presenting with anorexia. We considered inpatients with different types of cancer and investigated anorexia using their FAACT scores.