Insulin Resistance is Associated with Chronic Laryngitis in Korean Women

Sanziguben polysaccharides improve diabetic nephropathy in mice by regulating gut microbiota to inhibit the TLR4/NF-κB/NLRP3 signalling pathway

CONTEXT

Sanziguben (SZGB) is an empirical prescription used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat diabetic nephropathy (DN). As an abundant and primarily effective component of SZGB, Sanziguben polysaccharides (SZP) can be digested by flora to generate biological activity.

OBJECTIVE

Our study aimed to clarify the potential mechanism of SZP in improving chronic DN.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Male db/db mice were randomized into DN, SZP (500 mg/kg) and metformin (MET, 300 mg/kg) groups. Wild-type littermates served as the normal control (NC) group. The drug was orally administered for 8 weeks. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect the inflammatory factors. Proteins related to inflammation were evaluated using western blotting and immunohistochemical examination. Gut microbiota was analysed using 16S rRNA sequencing.

RESULTS

SZP significantly reduced 24 h urine albumin (p < 0.05) of DN mice. Compared to DN group, SZP significantly decreased the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance index, serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen levels (20.27 ± 3.50 vs. 33.64 ± 4.85, 19.22 ± 3.77 vs. 32.52 ± 3.05 μmol/L, 13.23 ± 1.42 vs. 16.27 ± 0.77 mmol/L, respectively), and mitigated renal damage. SZP also regulated gut microbiota and decreased the abundance of Gram-negative bacteria (Proteobacteria, Klebsiella and Escherichia-Shigella). Subsequently, SZP reduced lipopolysaccharides levels (1.06- to 1.93-fold) of DN mice. Furthermore, SZP inhibited the expression levels of TLR4, phospho-NF-κB p65, NLRP3 proteins and interleukin (IL)-18 and IL-1β.

CONCLUSIONS

These results demonstrated that SZP improved intestinal flora disorder and inhibited the TLR4/NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway to alleviate DN.

The risk of laryngitis with herpes zoster infection: A nested case-control study using data from the Korean National Sample Cohort

BACKGROUND

Whether herpes zoster infection (HZI) affects laryngitis incidence remains unknown.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this population-based retrospective study was to analyze the relationship between laryngitis and HZI using data from the Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service-National Sample Cohort.

METHODS

This study analyzed 1,197,093 medical claim codes from 2018. Patients with HZI (ICD-10: B02) were retrospectively identified. Laryngeal diseases were defined by ICD-10 codes for five subgroups: 1) malignant disease, 2) benign disease, 3) vocal cord palsy, 4) inflammatory disease, and 5) reflux disease.

RESULTS

Among the Korean population older than 20 years, 12,809 experienced HZI. Subjects with HZI were more likely to be older (mean age: 51.54 years vs. 48.06 years, p <0.0001). The proportion of subjects with laryngeal disease was higher in those with HZI than in those without HZI (55.55% vs. 41.37%, p <0.0001). Laryngeal disease was significantly associated with HZI in multiple regression analysis (odds ratio (OR) = 1.77, 95% confidence interval: 1.71-1.84) after adjusting for age, sex, hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, ischemic heart disease, cerebral stroke, and depression. Among laryngeal disease subgroups, inflammatory disease (OR = 1.05; 95% CI: 1.01-1.09) and reflux (OR = 1.20; 95% CI: 1.15-1.25) were associated with HZI.

CONCLUSIONS

HZI is independently associated with laryngitis. Results of this study have implications for etiological investigations and prevention strategies for laryngitis.