Prevalence and associated factors of uncontrolled hyperlipidemia among Thai patients with diabetes and clinical atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases: a cross-sectional study

A Retrospective Analysis of Hyperlipidemia and COVID-19 Outcomes Investigated in a Rural Midwestern Population

Background COVID-19 is a respiratory disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, a coronavirus discovered in 2019. Its impact on the world continues to be studied due to the significant death toll of the disease. As the COVID-19 pandemic remains ongoing, examining the association of COVID-19 with comorbidities and resulting mortality is necessary. This study focuses on population health outcomes with COVID-19 infection and hyperlipidemia (total cholesterol greater than or equal to 200 mg/dL) as a comorbidity, including potential associations with age and sex. Methods As a retrospective analytical study, patients were divided into three populations based on COVID-19 and/or hyperlipidemia based on the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Edition (ICD-10) codes reported in the electronic medical record system at Freeman Health System (FHS) in Southwest Missouri from April 1, 2020, to December 31, 2021. Wald's methods and two sample proportion summary hypotheses with confidence intervals (CIs) were used for comparison. The populations were subdivided and analyzed for age and sex differences. Results Patients with both COVID-19 and hyperlipidemia had a higher mortality rate than patients with COVID-19 and without hyperlipidemia and patients with hyperlipidemia and without COVID-19; patients with COVID-19 and without hyperlipidemia had a higher mortality rate than patients with hyperlipidemia and without COVID-19. All comparisons across these populations were statistically significant (p-value < 0.05). While increased age was associated with increased mortality in all groups, sex was not predictive in this regard. Conclusion Our study provides insights into variables affecting COVID-19 outcomes in a rural Midwestern population by showing how the comorbidity hyperlipidemia contributes to increased mortality.

Trends in baseline triglyceride-glucose index and association with predicted 10-year cardiovascular disease risk among type 2 diabetes patients in Thailand

Triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Our study determined the trends of the TyG index and its relationship to predicted CVD risk among patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). A serial cross-sectional study was conducted including 63,815 participants with T2D aged 30-74 years without a history of CVD. The predicted CVD risk was based on the Framingham Heart Study (FHS). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was utilized for identifying the cutoff point of TyG index to predict intermediate-to-high CVD risk. The relationship between TyG index and predicted CVD risk was tested using linear and logistic regression. Decreasing trends of TyG index were observed between 2014 and 2018 (p < 0.001). ROC curve analysis of the TyG index indicated an AUC of 0.57 (95% CI 0.56-0.57, p < 0.001) in predicting intermediate-to-high predicted CVD risk, with a cutoff value of TyG index > 9.2 (sensitivity of 55.7%, specificity of 46.8%). An independent relationship between the TyG index and predicted CVD risk was observed. High TyG index was independently associated with intermediate-to-high predicted CVD risk. From our study, the TyG index was positively related to predicted 10-year CVD risk. However, the predictive ability of the TyG index in predicting the intermediate-to-high predicted 10-year CVD risk among patients with T2D remained questionable.

Terminalia catappa attenuates phenylhydrazine-induced anaemia and hepato-renal toxicity in male Wistar rat by boosting blood cells, modulation of lipoproteins and up-regulation of in vivo antioxidant armouries

AIM

This study investigated the haematinic, antihyperlipidaemic, hepato-renal protective effects of Terminalia catappa aqueous leaf extract on male Wistar rats exposed to phenylhydrazine toxicity.

METHODS

Animals were exposed to phenylhydrazine (PHZ) 50 mg/kg intraperitoneal for two consecutive days thereafter, treated with T. catappa extract (100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg) orally for 21 days. After the experimentation, animals were sedated with ketamine (70 mg/kg) and euthanized by cervical dislodgement. Blood and organs were collected for haematology and biochemical studies following standard laboratory methods.

RESULTS

Our study showed that T. catappa significantly increased erythrocytes, haemoglobin, haematocrit and high density lipoprotein as well as down-regulating leukocytes, thrombocytes, ALP AST, ALT creatinine, urea, total cholesterol as well as low density lipoprotein. The liver, kidney and spleen antioxidant defence were also up-regulated against the adverse effect caused by phenylhydrazine exposure.

CONCLUSION

Terminalia catappa attenuated Phenylhydrazine-induced anaemia and hepato-renal toxicity in male Wistar rat by boosting blood cells, modulation of lipoproteins and up-regulation of in vivo antioxidant armouries.

A Pilot Study of whether or Not Vegetable and Fruit Juice Containing Lactobacillus paracasei Lowers Blood Lipid Levels and Oxidative Stress Markers in Thai Patients with Dyslipidemia: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

Dyslipidemia is one of the risk factors of cardiovascular disease, which is the main cause of mortality worldwide. Meanwhile, lipid-lowering drug side-effects may also occur. Thus, consumption of vegetables and fruits containing probiotics is a good alternative to influence the lipid profile in plasma. This study investigated the effect of consuming vegetable and fruit juice (VFJ) with (probiotic group) and without probiotic Lactobacillus paracasei (placebo group), on the body weight, body mass index, waist circumference, lipid profile, lipid peroxidation, oxidative stress enzymes, and bile acid level in dyslipidemic patients (n = 20) at Bhumibol Adulyadej Hospital for 30 days. The levels of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglyceride (TG), and TG/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) ratio in the probiotic group were significantly lower than those in the placebo group. The HDL-C concentration in the probiotic group was higher than that in the placebo group. The probiotic group showed significantly decreased malondialdehyde levels; increased oxidative stress enzymes, catalase and glutathione peroxidase in the plasma; and increased bile acid (BA) levels in the feces. Therefore, the findings of this study demonstrate that VFJ enriched with probiotic L. paracasei may represent an alternative method for the prevention of dyslipidemia during the primary intervention stage for patients who are not yet taking other medication.