Long-term efficacy and safety of proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin 9 monoclonal antibodies: A meta-analysis of 11 randomized controlled trials.

Background: Monoclonal antibodies targeting proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) have been shown to significantly reduce low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the long-term efficacy and safety of PCSK9 antibodies.

Methods: PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, and ClinicalTrials.

The effectiveness and safety of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy with different sizes of bougie calibration: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objectives: This systematic review and meta-analysis was performed to compare the influence of different calibrating bougie sizes on clinical outcomes in laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) for patients with obesity.

Materials And Methods: A systematic review of the literature was performed using the key words: "laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy", "bougie size", "calibration", "obesity", and "obese" for searches of electronic databases up to October 2017. Clinical characteristics such as, the percentage of excess weight loss (%EWL), overall complications, gastrointestinal leaks, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) were pooled by meta-analysis.

The lipid accumulation product is highly related to serum alanine aminotransferase level in male adults.

Studies confirm that the lipid accumulation product (LAP), which is based on the waist circumference and fasting serum triglycerides, is highly related to cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is a hepatic manifestation of metabolic syndrome and closely correlated with the alanine aminotransferase (ALT) elevation. Abdominal obesity and dyslipidemia are the important risk factors for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

The impact of family history of type 2 diabetes on pancreatic beta-cell function.

Aims: To study the impact of genetic factor on pancreatic beta-cell function in the Chinese population.

Methods: 233 first-degree relatives of patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) with no history of blood glucose abnormalities and their 190 spouses, who did not have a family history of T2D, underwent a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). Based upon the OGTT, these two groups were further divided into three subgroups, including groups with normal glucose tolerance (NGT), impaired glucose regulation (IGR), and type 2 diabetes.