The Impact of a Very-Low-Calorie Ketogenic Diet on Monocyte Subsets of Patients with Obesity: A Pilot Study.

Obesity is closely linked to chronic low-grade inflammation and the development of cardio-metabolic comorbidities. Monocyte subsets, which are crucial in immune responses, have been reported to be altered in individuals with obesity, potentially exacerbating inflammation. Although very-low-calorie ketogenic diets (VLCKDs) are recognized for their efficacy in promoting weight loss and improving metabolic health, their impact on circulating monocyte subsets remains poorly understood.

Eating behavior patterns, metabolic parameters and circulating oxytocin levels in patients with obesity: an exploratory study.

Purpose: Obesity is a complex heterogeneous disease often associated with dysfunctional eating behavior patterns. Oxytocin (OT) is a neurohormone involved in the regulation of energy metabolism and eating behavior. The aim of the present study was to evaluate in a population of patients with obesity circulating levels of OT and dysfunctional eating behaviors in relation to anthropometric, hormonal and metabolic parameters.

Impact of a very low-calorie ketogenic diet on metabolic and microbiota outcomes in post-bariatric patients and bariatric-Naïve individuals: A comparative pilot study.

Aims: To date, bariatric surgery (BS) is the most effective long-term treatment for obesity, but weight regain (WR) is common. The very low-calorie ketogenic diet (VLCKD) is effective for weight loss and may influence gut microbiota (GM) composition, but it has been scarcely evaluated in post-bariatric patients. This study compared the efficacy and safety of a VLCKD in patients with WR post-bariatric surgery (BS+) and in bariatric surgery-naïve patients (BS-).

Comparative analysis of the duodenojejunal microbiome with the oral and fecal microbiomes reveals its stronger association with obesity and nutrition.

The intestinal microbiota is increasingly recognized as a crucial player in the development and maintenance of various chronic conditions, including obesity and associated metabolic diseases. While most research focuses on the fecal microbiota due to its easier accessibility, the small intestine, as a major site for nutrient sensing and absorption, warrants further investigation to determine its microbiota composition and functions. Here, we conducted a clinical research project in 30 age- and sex-matched participants with ( = 15) and without ( = 15) obesity.

Bone Quality Indices Correlate with Growth Hormone Secretory Capacity in Women Affected by Weight Excess: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Obesity can be associated with impaired growth hormone (GH) secretion, with possible negative repercussions on bone health. We aimed to investigate the relationships between GH secretory capacity, evaluated with GHRH + arginine stimulation test, and bone parameters, assessed with a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometer, in a population of adult female patients affected by overweight and obesity. : We assessed 276 women affected by overweight or obesity referred to the High-Specialization Center for the Care of Obesity, Umberto I Polyclinic, between 2014 and 2019 with signs or symptoms of growth hormone deficiency (GHD).

A transparent machine learning algorithm uncovers HbA1c patterns associated with therapeutic inertia in patients with type 2 diabetes and failure of metformin monotherapy.

Aims: This study aimed to identify and categorize the determinants influencing the intensification of therapy in Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) patients with suboptimal blood glucose control despite metformin monotherapy.

Methods: Employing the Logic Learning Machine (LLM), an advanced artificial intelligence system, we scrutinized electronic health records of 1.5 million patients treated in 271 diabetes clinics affiliated with the Italian Association of Medical Diabetologists from 2005 to 2019.

Nourishing the gut: the impact of diet on host-gut microbiota interaction.

Purpose Of Review: Understanding the spectrum of drivers that influence the gut microbiome (GM) remains a crucial field of investigation. Among these factors, diet has received particular attention, as it could explain up to 20% of the variability in GM composition between individuals. This review focuses on the complex relationships between different dietary patterns and GM in humans, based on recent findings.

Postbariatric surgery hypoglycemia: Nutritional, pharmacological and surgical perspectives.

Post-bariatric hypoglycaemia (PBH) is a metabolic complication of bariatric surgery (BS), consisting of low post-prandial glucose levels in patients having undergone bariatric procedures. While BS is currently the most effective and relatively safe treatment for obesity and its complications, the development of PBH can significantly impact patients' quality of life and mental health. The diagnosis of PBH is still challenging, considering the lack of definitive and reliable diagnostic tools, and the fact that this condition is frequently asymptomatic.

Upper small intestine microbiome in obesity and related metabolic disorders: A new field of investigation.

The study of the gut microbiome holds great promise for understanding and treating metabolic diseases, as its functions and derived metabolites can influence the metabolic status of the host. While research on the fecal microbiome has provided valuable insights, it tells us only part of the story. This limitation arises from the substantial variations in microorganism distribution throughout the gastrointestinal tract due to changes in physicochemical conditions.

Uncovering Predictors of Lipid Goal Attainment in Type 2 Diabetes Outpatients Using Logic Learning Machine: Insights from the AMD Annals and AMD Artificial Intelligence Study Group.

Identifying and treating lipid abnormalities is crucial for preventing cardiovascular disease in diabetic patients, yet only two-thirds of patients reach recommended cholesterol levels. Elucidating the factors associated with lipid goal attainment represents an unmet clinical need. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted a real-world analysis of the lipid profiles of 11.

Obesity-Associated Hepatic Steatosis, Somatotropic Axis Impairment, and Ferritin Levels Are Strong Predictors of COVID-19 Severity.

The full spectrum of SARS-CoV-2-infected patients has not yet been defined. This study aimed to evaluate which parameters derived from CT, inflammatory, and hormonal markers could explain the clinical variability of COVID-19. We performed a retrospective study including SARS-CoV-2-infected patients hospitalized from March 2020 to May 2021 at the Umberto I Polyclinic of Rome.

Genome Editing and Obesity.

Defined as a condition of body fat excess leading to significant morbidity, obesity is a chronic metabolic illness associated with a significant number of diseases. The incidence of obesity does not solely depend on dietary habits, with energy balance being regulated by the complex interactions between genetic, behavioural and environmental factors. Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have demonstrated that several genes are linked to obesity, and these findings shed light on a growing number of novel potential therapeutics for weight management, including genome editing.

Ketone Bodies and SIRT1, Synergic Epigenetic Regulators for Metabolic Health: A Narrative Review.

Ketone bodies (KBs) and Sirtuin-1 (SIRT1) have received increasing attention over the past two decades given their pivotal function in a variety of biological contexts, including transcriptional regulation, cell cycle progression, inflammation, metabolism, neurological and cardiovascular physiology, and cancer. As a consequence, the modulation of KBs and SIRT1 is considered a promising therapeutic option for many diseases. The direct regulation of gene expression can occur in vivo through histone modifications mediated by both SIRT1 and KBs during fasting or low-carbohydrate diets, and dietary metabolites may contribute to epigenetic regulation, leading to greater genomic plasticity.

Growth Hormone Secretory Capacity Is Associated with Cardiac Morphology and Function in Overweight and Obese Patients: A Controlled, Cross-Sectional Study.

Obesity is associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity. Adult patients with growth hormone deficiency (GHD) show morpho-functional cardiological alterations. A total of 353 overweight/obese patients are enrolled in the period between 2009 and 2019 to assess the relationships between GH secretory capacity and the metabolic phenotype, cardiovascular risk factors, body composition and cardiac echocardiographic parameters.

Sex difference in the safety and efficacy of bariatric procedures: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

With the prevalence of obesity alarmingly increasing, it is of primary interest to identify those factors predicting the success of anti-obesity therapeutic strategies currently adopted in clinical practice, and in particular, those of bariatric procedures showing the greatest success in terms of weight loss and maintenance in both the short and long term. Given sex-related differences in psychosocial status, hormonal homeostasis, and body fat distribution, it is likely that the response to different weight management strategies differs by sex. The objective was to elucidate the effect of sex on different bariatric procedures' efficacy and safety outcomes.

The Influence of Ketone Bodies on Circadian Processes Regarding Appetite, Sleep and Hormone Release: A Systematic Review of the Literature.

Chrononutrition is an emerging branch of chronobiology focusing on the profound interactions between biological rhythms and metabolism. This framework suggests that, just like all biological processes, even nutrition follows a circadian pattern. Recent findings elucidated the metabolic roles of circadian clocks in the regulation of both hormone release and the daily feeding-fasting cycle.

Circulating SIRT1 and Sclerostin Correlates with Bone Status in Young Women with Different Degrees of Adiposity.

Sirtuin1 (SIRT1) and sclerostin play important roles in adipose tissue and bone metabolism. We evaluated the circulating SIRT1 and sclerostin relationship with mass and quality of bone while considering the degree of adiposity. Sixty-six premenopausal women (16 underweight, 25 normal weight and 25 with obesity), aged <50 years, were enrolled.

Rapid Weight Loss, Central Obesity Improvement and Blood Glucose Reduction Are Associated with a Stronger Adaptive Immune Response Following COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine.

Obesity is associated with a poor COVID-19 prognosis, and it seems associated with reduced humoral response to vaccination. Public health campaigns have advocated for weight loss in subjects with obesity, hoping to eliminate this risk. However, no evidence proves that weight loss leads to a better prognosis or a stronger immune response to vaccination.

Application of a Machine Learning Technology in the Definition of Metabolically Healthy and Unhealthy Status: A Retrospective Study of 2567 Subjects Suffering from Obesity with or without Metabolic Syndrome.

The key factors playing a role in the pathogenesis of metabolic alterations observed in many patients with obesity have not been fully characterized. Their identification is crucial, and it would represent a fundamental step towards better management of this urgent public health issue. This aim could be accomplished by exploiting the potential of machine learning (ML) technology.

Nickel Sensitivity Is Associated with GH-IGF1 Axis Impairment and Pituitary Abnormalities on MRI in Overweight and Obese Subjects.

Nickel (Ni) is a ubiquitous metal, the exposure of which is implied in the development of contact dermatitis (nickel allergic contact dermatitis (Ni-ACD)) and Systemic Ni Allergy Syndrome (SNAS), very common among overweight/obese patients. Preclinical studies have linked Ni exposure to abnormal production/release of Growth Hormone (GH), and we previously found an association between Ni-ACD/SNAS and GH-Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) axis dysregulation in obese individuals, altogether suggesting a role for this metal as a pituitary disruptor. We herein aimed to directly evaluate the pituitary gland in overweight/obese patients with signs/symptoms suggestive of Ni allergy, exploring the link with GH secretion; 859 subjects with overweight/obesity and suspected of Ni allergy underwent Ni patch tests.

Current Evidence to Propose Different Food Supplements for Weight Loss: A Comprehensive Review.

The use of food supplements for weight loss purposes has rapidly gained popularity as the prevalence of obesity increases. Navigating through the vast, often low quality, literature available is challenging, as is providing informed advice to those asking for it. Herein, we provide a comprehensive literature revision focusing on most currently marketed dietary supplements claimed to favor weight loss, classifying them by their purported mechanism of action.

Is Growth Hormone Insufficiency the Missing Link Between Obesity, Male Gender, Age, and COVID-19 Severity?

Evidence has emerged regarding an increased risk of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) with worse prognosis in elderly male patients with obesity, and blunted growth hormone (GH) secretion represents a feature of this population subgroup. Here, a comprehensive review of the possible links between GH-insulinlike growth factor 1 axis impairment and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) severity is offered. First, unequivocal evidence suggests that immune system dysregulation represents a key element in determining SARS-CoV-2 severity, as well as the association with adult-onset GH deficiency (GHD); notably, if GH is physiologically involved in the development and maintenance of the immune system, its pharmacological replacement in GHD patients seems to positively influence their inflammatory status.