Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BLa80 regulates the intestinal habit in adults with chronic constipation: a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

Treatment with probiotics can help manage chronic constipation by softening the stools and possibly acting synergistically with front-line treatments. We assessed the efficacy of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BLa80 in maltodextrin as a food supplement in regulating the intestinal habit of subjects with chronic constipation with type 1 or 2 stools on the Bristol scale index and/or less than three stools per week.

Primary care team reorganisation after the SARS-COV-2 pandemic. Differences between Catalonia and Spain in the PRICOV study.

Background: Spanish primary care services are managed differently by each region's authorities. Catalonia started its services provision and design nearly two decades before other Spanish regions and developed nurses' roles and task shifting in primary care.

Purpose: This work identifies differences in the Europe PRICOV-19 study answers between Catalonia and those submitted from the rest of Spain regarding how primary care teams (PCT) were organised during the SARS-CoV-2-2019 pandemic, how tasks and roles changed, and the pandemic's impact on the care providers.

Arterial stiffness is increased in patients with type 1 diabetes without cardiovascular disease: a potential role of low-grade inflammation.

Objective: To investigate the relationship between arterial stiffness and low-grade inflammation in subjects with type 1 diabetes without clinical cardiovascular disease.

Research Design And Methods: Sixty-eight patients with type 1 diabetes and 68 age- and sex-matched healthy subjects were evaluated. Arterial stiffness was assessed by aortic pulse wave velocity (aPWV).

Men with hyperferritinemia and diabetes in the Mediterranean area do not have a higher iron overload than those without diabetes.

Aim: To assess the role of iron overload in type 2 diabetic men with hyperferritinemia.

Methods: 150 men were recruited from a genetic screening programme for hereditary hemocromatosis (HH) and were tested for type 2 diabetes, other components of the metabolic syndrome, beta cell function (BCF), insulin sensitivity, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and iron overload.

Results: Fifty-one men had type 2 diabetes.

White matter fractional anisotropy is related to processing speed in metabolic syndrome patients: a case-control study.

Background: Metabolic Syndrome (MetSd) is a cluster of vascular risk factors that may influence cerebrovascular pathology during aging. Recently, microstructural white matter (WM) changes detected by diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and processing speed deficits have been reported in MetSd patients. We aimed to test the relationship between WM alteration and cognitive impairment in these patients.

Microstructural white matter changes in metabolic syndrome: a diffusion tensor imaging study.

Background: Although metabolic syndrome is associated with cardiovascular disease and stroke, limited information is available on specific brain damage in patients with this syndrome. We investigated the relationship of the syndrome with white matter (WM) alteration using a voxel-based approach with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI).

Methods: We compared fractional anisotropy (FA) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) measurements of DTI in 19 patients with metabolic syndrome aged between 50 and 80 years and 19 age-matched controls without any vascular risk factors for the syndrome.

Mental slowness and executive dysfunctions in patients with metabolic syndrome.

Metabolic Syndrome is a cluster of vascular risk factors which has been related to dementia and cognitive decline. The aim of this study was to describe the neuropsychological profile of metabolic syndrome patients. An extensive neuropsychological protocol was administered to 55 patients and 35 controls assessing memory, executive, visuoperceptual and visuoconstructive functions, language and speed of processing.

Serum soluble transferrin receptor concentrations are increased in central obesity. Results from a screening programme for hereditary hemochromatosis in men with hyperferritinemia.

Background: A decrease in the serum concentrations of the soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR) is considered a good index of tissue iron. Because obesity is associated with hyperferritinemia and this is considered a sign of iron overload, a decrease in sTfR would be expected for the obese. We evaluated whether obese men with hyperferritinemia, detected in a genetic screening programme for hereditary hemochromatosis (HH), have lower serum concentrations of sTfR than their non-obese counterparts.

An unusual adverse drug reaction?

Introduction: Adult Still Disease (ASD) is a rare (incidence 1-1,6/1,000,000 in Europe) seronegative polyarthropathy diagnosed with clinical criteria, excluding other etiologies. Minocycline, a semisynthetic derivative of tetracycline, has been associated with many adverse effects. We present the case of a 18-years-old man with a high suspicion of an adverse drug reaction (ADR), that was finally diagnosed of ASD.