Effect of dapagliflozin on the serum metabolome in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Objectives: SGLT-2 inhibitors have been shown to exert cardio- and renoprotective actions. We aimed to investigate the underlying mechanisms using H-NMR based metabolomics in patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus who received dapagliflozin.

Methods: 50 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, inadequately controlled on metformin monotherapy (HbA1c > 7%) received dapagliflozin for 3 months and 30 matched patients received insulin degludec for 3 months.

NMR-based metabolomic signature: An important tool for the diagnosis and study of pathogenesis of autoimmune hepatitis.

Background And Aims: Metabolomics is used to predict, diagnose, and monitor metabolic disorders but altered metabolomic signatures have also been reported in diverse diseases, including autoimmune disorders. However, the metabolomic profile in autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) has not been investigated in depth. Therefore, we investigated the metabolomic signature of AIH and its significance as a diagnostic and pathogenetic tool.

Effect of Clinical and Laboratory Parameters on HDL Particle Composition.

The functional status of High-Density Lipoprotein (HDLs) is not dependent on the cholesterol content but is closely related to structural and compositional characteristics. We reported the analysis of HDL lipidome in the healthy population and the influence of serum lipids, age, gender and menopausal status on its composition. Our sample comprised 90 healthy subjects aged between 30 and 77 years.

A Study of the Metabolic Pathways Affected by Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: Comparison with Type 2 Diabetes.

Background: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) remains incompletely understood and increases the risk of developing Diabetes mellitus type 2 (DM2). Metabolomics provides insights etiology and pathogenesis of disease and discovery biomarkers for accurate detection. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is a key platform defining metabolic signatures in intact serum/plasma.

Effect of fixed-dose combination of insulin degludec and liraglutide on apoB-containing lipoprotein subclasses and HDL lipidome in type 2 diabetes.

Aims: Administration of insulin degludec and liraglutide (IDegLira) correlates to fasting lipid profile changes of diabetic patients, while data concerning apoB-containing lipoprotein subclasses and HDL lipidome are scarce. We evaluated its effect on fasting lipid parameters, apolipoproteins, apoB-containing lipoprotein subclasses and HDL lipidome in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Methods: Sixty three patients with HbA1c > 7 % on oral glucose-lowering drugs received either IDegLira or insulin degludec for 3 months.

Omics Analysis of Chemoresistant Triple Negative Breast Cancer Cells Reveals Novel Metabolic Vulnerabilities.

The emergence of drug resistance in cancer poses the greatest hurdle for successful therapeutic results and is associated with most cancer deaths. In triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), due to the lack of specific therapeutic targets, systemic chemotherapy is at the forefront of treatments, but it only benefits a fraction of patients because of the development of resistance. Cancer cells may possess an innate resistance to chemotherapeutic agents or develop new mechanisms of acquired resistance after long-term drug exposure.

Progressive, Qualitative, and Quantitative Alterations in HDL Lipidome from Healthy Subjects to Patients with Prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes.

Prediabetes is a clinically silent, insulin-resistant state with increased risk for the development of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Since glucose homeostasis and lipid metabolism are highly intersected and interrelated, an in-depth characterization of qualitative and quantitative abnormalities in lipoproteins could unravel the metabolic pathways underlying the progression of prediabetes to T2D and also the proneness of these patients to developing premature atherosclerosis. We investigated the HDL lipidome in 40 patients with prediabetes and compared it to that of 40 normoglycemic individuals and 40 patients with established T2D using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy.

The Critical Role of the Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) Catabolism-Regulating Enzymes, Branched-Chain Aminotransferase (BCAT) and Branched-Chain α-Keto Acid Dehydrogenase (BCKD), in Human Pathophysiology.

Branched chain amino acids (BCAAs), leucine, isoleucine and valine, are essential amino acids widely studied for their crucial role in the regulation of protein synthesis mainly through the activation of the mTOR signaling pathway and their emerging recognition as players in the regulation of various physiological and metabolic processes, such as glucose homeostasis. BCAA supplementation is primarily used as a beneficial nutritional intervention in chronic liver and kidney disease as well as in muscle wasting disorders. However, downregulated/upregulated plasma BCAAs and their defective catabolism in various tissues, mainly due to altered enzymatic activity of the first two enzymes in their catabolic pathway, BCAA aminotransferase (BCAT) and branched-chain α-keto acid dehydrogenase (BCKD), have been investigated in many nutritional and disease states.

Elderly patients with non-cardiac admissions and elevated high-sensitivity troponin: the prognostic value of renal function.

Background: High-sensitivity cardiac troponin (hs-cTn) levels are frequently elevated in elderly patients presenting to the emergency department for non-cardiac events. However, most studies on the role of elevated hs-cTn in elderly populations have investigated the prognostic value of hs-cTn in patients with a specific diagnosis or have assessed the relationship between hs-cTn and comorbidities.

Aim: To investigate the in-hospital prognosis of consecutive elderly patients admitted to the Internal Medicine Department with acute non-cardiac events and increased hs-cTnI levels.

Altered RBC membrane lipidome: A possible etiopathogenic link for the microvascular impairment in Type 2 diabetes.

Aims: Disturbances in red blood cells' (RBCs) membrane structure, that result in altered rheological properties, have been implicated in the pathogenesis of microvascular complications of diabetes mellitus(T2DM). However, the compositional alterations in RBCs membranes of T2DM patients have not been characterized in detail.

Methods: NMR-based lipidomic approach used for the global investigation of the lipidome of RBCs membrane in 20 newly diagnosed T2DM patients.

Awareness, knowledge and trust in the Greek authorities towards COVID-19 pandemic: results from the Epirus Health Study cohort.

Background: To assess the level of knowledge and trust in the policy decisions taken regarding the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic among Epirus Health Study (EHS) participants.

Methods: The EHS is an ongoing and deeply-phenotyped prospective cohort study that has recruited 667 participants in northwest Greece until August 31st, 2020. Level of knowledge on coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) transmission and COVID-19 severity was labeled as poor, moderate or good.

Assessment of adrenal response in patients with stable cirrhosis and ascites using different short Synacthen tests and definitions.

Background And Aims: The definition of relative adrenal insufficiency (RAI) in patients with cirrhosis remains controversial. We investigated the serum and salivary cortisol (SalC) response after low-dose and standard-dose Synacthen test in patients with stable cirrhosis and ascites.

Methods: Ninety-five cirrhotic patients with ascites were prospectively evaluated from January 2014 to January 2018.

Effect of Dapagliflozin on Urine Metabolome in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes.

Context: Inhibitors of sodium-glucose cotransporters-2 have cardio- and renoprotective properties. However, the underlying mechanisms remain indeterminate.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of dapagliflozin on renal metabolism assessed by urine metabolome analysis in patients with type 2 diabetes.

The impact of dyslipidemia on early markers of endothelial and renal dysfunction in children.

Background: Dyslipidemia has been associated with endothelial dysfunction in childhood. Impairment of renal function has been demonstrated in dyslipidemic adults.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess markers of early endothelial and renal dysfunction in dyslipidemic children.

Early Signs of Atherogenic Features in the HDL Lipidomes of Normolipidemic Patients Newly Diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the major cause of death in patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), although the factors that accelerate atherosclerosis in these patients are poorly understood. The identification of the altered quantity and quality of lipoproteins, closely related to atherogenesis, is limited in routine to a pattern of high triglycerides and low HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C) and in research as dysfunctional HDLs. We used the emerging NMR-based lipidomic technology to investigate compositional features of the HDLs of healthy individuals with normal coronary arteries, drug-naïve; recently diagnosed T2DM patients with normal coronary arteries; and patients with recent acute coronary syndrome.

Lipidomics in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), the most common chronic liver disorder in Western countries, comprises steatosis to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), with the latter having the potential to progress to cirrhosis. The transition from isolated steatosis to NASH is still poorly understood, but lipidomics approach revealed that the hepatic lipidome is extensively altered in the setting of steatosis and steatohepatitis and these alterations correlate with disease progression. Recent data suggest that both quantity and quality of the accumulated lipids are involved in pathogenesis of NAFLD.

Are thyroid function tests in neonates born to mothers with hypothyroidism clinically useful?

Thyroid function tests from all babies born to mothers with hypothyroidism (381 neonates) during a 6-year period, were collected and examined against findings of the universal screening test. No difference was found between the results of bloodspot test and later blood test. Additional blood tests for thyroid function in this population of neonates seem to be without clinical value and may be discontinued.

Cardioprotective Properties of HDL: Structural and Functional Considerations.

Background: As Mendelian Randomization (MR) studies showed no effect of variants altering HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C) levels concerning Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) and novel therapeutic interventions aiming to raise HDL-C resulted to futility, the usefulness of HDL-C is unclear.

Objective: As the role of HDL-C is currently doubtful, it is suggested that the atheroprotective functions of HDLs can be attributed to the number of HDL particles, and their characteristics including their lipid and protein components. Scientific interest has focused on HDL function and on the causes of rendering HDL particles dysfunctional, whereas the relevance of HDL subclasses with CVD remains controversial.

Lipidome of plasma lipoproteins and liver is zinc- modulated in High fat diet treated mice.

Zinc (Zn) and Zn-transcription Factors regulate the metabolic pathways of lipids and glucose, consequently nutritional zinc deficiency or excess, activates stress pathways and deranges the hepatic metabolism of lipids. High fat diet (HFD) also leads to lipids' profile disorders as well as to intracellular free radicals (FR) accumulation and finally to metabolic stress-syndrome. Study of nutritional Zn effects on the lipidome of plasma lipoproteins and liver, in HFD-mice, was the aim of the present research.

The importance of characteristics of angina symptoms for the prediction of coronary artery disease in a cohort of stable patients in the modern era.

Objective: Angina is an important clinical symptom indicating underlying coronary artery disease (CAD). Its characteristics are important for the diagnosis and risk stratification of patients with CAD. Currently, we aimed to investigate the association of chest pain characteristics with the presence of obstructive CAD in a contemporary cohort of patients undergoing coronary angiography for suspected stable CAD.

Sitosterolemia: A multifaceted metabolic disorder with important clinical consequences.

Sitosterolemia is a metabolic disorder characterized by increased intestinal absorption and tissue accumulation of phytosterols. Although sitosterolemia is considered a rare disease, its prevalence may be significantly higher than initially thought. Indeed, accumulating evidence suggests that patients with unexplained hematologic abnormalities or premature cardiovascular disease in the absence of classic risk factors may exhibit disordered phytosterol metabolism.

Extent of coronary artery disease in patients undergoing angiography for stable or acute coronary syndromes.

Background: We aimed to investigate whether the angiographic extent of coronary artery disease (CAD) differs in patients undergoing coronary angiography for stable CAD or acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and identify predictors of CAD extent in these patients.

Methods: We enrolled 584 consecutive patients (463 with stable CAD, 121 with ACS) with angiographically established CAD (≥1 stenosis >25%). The Gensini score was used to assess the extent of coronary atherosclerosis.

The impact of metabolic syndrome and its components on perioperative outcomes after elective laparotomy - A prospective observational study.

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) represents a constellation of risk factors, including central obesity, elevated fasting blood glucose, high blood pressure and atherogenic dyslipidemia. This prospective observational study aimed to assess the impact of MetS on perioperative outcomes of patients undergoing elective abdominal surgery with laparotomy.

Methods: We included 105 consecutive non-diabetic patients undergoing elective abdominal surgery with laparotomy.