Chronic Disease Prevention

INTRODUCTION: Non-adherence to medication severely affects chronic disease control. AIM: To assess whether a multi-component intervention implemented at the public primary care level in Argentina improves adherence to antihypertensive medication and helps to reduce blood pressure (BP) levels in uncontrolled hypertensive patients. METHODS: A before-and-after study was conducted in five public primary care clinics located in the city of Almirante Brown, Argentina...

Urine retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4) has recently been reported as a novel earlier biomarker of chronic kidney disease (CKD) which is a global public health problem with high morbidity and mortality. Accurate and rapid detection of urine RBP4 is essential for early monitor of impaired kidney function and prevention of CKD progression. In the present study, we developed a time-resolved fluorescence immunochromatographic test strip (TRFIS) for the quantitative and rapid detection of urine RBP4. This TRFIS possessed excellent linearity ranging from 0...

BACKGROUND: Tolvaptan is the only US Food and Drug Administration-approved drug to slow the progression of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), but it requires strict clinical monitoring due to potential serious adverse events. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to share our experience in developing and implementing an electronic health record (EHR)-based application to monitor patients with ADPKD who were initiated on tolvaptan. METHODS: The application was developed in collaboration with clinical informatics professionals based on our clinical protocol with frequent laboratory test monitoring to detect early drug-related toxicity...

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains a significant global public health challenge, leading to considerable morbidity and mortality. Implementation of effective strategies and novel initiatives is necessary to control and eliminate HBV. To identify the key approaches and actions used worldwide for HBV control and elimination, we conducted a comprehensive scoping review. We searched various sources, including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, the official websites of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and relevant articles and reports published in the past decade...

PURPOSE: This study aims to measure the perceived healthcare priorities, barriers, and preferences when selecting private or governmental healthcare services among a sample of university affiliates from Saudi Arabia. METHODS: This study utilized a cross-sectional design to reach targeted adults on the Jazan University campus. Data were collected during personal interviews. The questionnaires measured participant demographics, perceived healthcare priorities, barriers, and preferences when selecting private or governmental healthcare services...

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a traumatic event that significantly impacts body composition and alters energy and nutritional needs. This places patients with SCI at a high risk of malnutrition, which can hinder optimal functional recovery, prolong hospital stays, increase hospital admissions, and contribute to the development of obesity and cardiovascular and metabolic ailments in chronic patients. Consequently, there is an urgent need for clear guidance to support clinicians in managing the nutritional needs of patients with SCI at different stages of the disease, including the acute (0 - 4 months after injury), post-acute (4 - 26 months after injury), and post-discharge phases...

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major public health problem worldwide. When CKD patients progress to the stage of kidney failure, kidney replacement therapy (KRT) or conservative treatment (palliative or non-dialysis treatment) will be needed. The risk prediction models of chronic kidney failure have been developed in recent years. These models, focusing on demographic indicators, clinical indicators, and laboratory data, are used to predict the likelihood of progression to kidney failure and requiring KRT...

Kidney disease is a common health problem worldwide. Acute or chronic injuries may interfere with kidney functions, eventually resulting in irreversible kidney damage. A number of recent studies have shown that the plant-derived natural products have an extensive potential for renal protection. Thymoquinone (TQ) is an essential compound derived from Nigella Sativa (NS), which is widely applied in the Middle East as a folk medicine. Previous experiments have demonstrated that TQ has a variety of potential pharmacological effects, including anti-oxidant, antibacterial, antitumor, immunomodulatory, and neuroprotective activities...

BACKGROUND: Despite the high prevalence of neuropathic pain, treating this neurological disease remains challenging, given the limited efficacy and numerous side effects associated with current therapies. The complexity in patient management is largely attributed to an incomplete understanding of the underlying pathological mechanisms. Central sensitization, that refers to the adaptation of the central nervous system to persistent inflammation and heightened excitatory transmission within pain pathways, stands as a significant contributor to persistent pain...

BACKGROUND: Diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a crucial complication of long-term chronic diabetes that can lead to myocardial hypertrophy, myocardial fibrosis, and heart failure. There is increasing evidence that DCM is associated with pyroptosis, a form of inflammation-related programmed cell death. Growth differentiation factor 11 (GDF11) is a member of the transforming growth factor β superfamily, which regulates oxidative stress, inflammation, and cell survival to mitigate myocardial hypertrophy, myocardial infarction, and vascular injury...

BACKGROUND: Cognitive dysfunction is one of the leading causes of disability and dependence in older adults and is a major economic burden on the public health system. The aim of this study was to investigate the risk factors for cognitive dysfunction and their predictive value in older adults in Northwest China. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a multistage sampling method. The questionnaires were distributed through the Elderly Disability Monitoring Platform to older adults aged 60 years and above in Northwest China, who were divided into cognitive dysfunction and normal cognitive function groups...

Chronic non-communicable diseases (CNCDs) pose a significant public health challenge. Addressing this issue, there has been a notable breakthrough in the prevention and mitigation of NCDs through the use of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents. In this study, we aim to explore the effectiveness of Eupatorium adenophora Spreng leaves (EASL) as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent, and its potential applications. To construct a cellular model of oxidative damage and inflammation, Caco-2 cells were treated with tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP)...

OBJECTIVE: Walking pace is associated with risks of major chronic diseases including cancer, cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetes mellitus type 2 (T2DM) in the general population. However, whether increasing walking pace could reduce risks of major chronic diseases in individuals with hypertension remains to be explored, and the underlying mechanism potentially mediated by low-grade inflammation is also unclear. METHODS: A total of 160,470 participants with hypertension were included based on the UK Biobank...

Periodontitis, a chronic infectious disease leading to gingival atrophy and potential tooth loss through alveolar bone resorption, is closely linked to the oral microbiome. Fusobacterium nucleatum, known to facilitate late-stage bacterial colonization in the oral microbiome, plays a crucial role in the onset of periodontitis. Controlling F. nucleatum abundance is vital for preventing and treating periodontal disease. Photodynamic therapy combined with 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA-PDT) has been reported to be bactericidal against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus...

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a non-specific chronic inflammatory disorder of the gastrointestinal tract, imposing significant burdens on both society and individuals. As a new type of regulated cell death (RCD), ferroptosis is different from classic RCDs such as apoptosis and necrosis in cell morphology, biochemistry and genetics. The main molecular mechanisms of ferroptosis include dysregulation of iron metabolism, impaired antioxidant capacity, mitochondrial dysfunction, accumulation of lipid-associated super-oxides, and membrane disruption...

Chronic inflammation has been identified in leukemias as an essential regulator of angiogenesis. B-chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) cells secrete high levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and hypoxia inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF1α). The aim was to assess the role of inflammation in activation of angiogenic factors: endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), HIF1α and VEGF via proliferation related signaling pathways and VEGF autocrine control. We isolated mononuclear cells (MNC) and CD19+ cells from peripheral blood of 60 patients with CLL...

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to identify the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD)-related death in older patients with major hematological malignancies (HM). METHODS: This study included 103,102 older patients diagnosed with 7 major types of HM between 1975 and 2018 (median follow-up: 2.7 years) from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Result (SEER) database. The proportion of deaths, Fine-Gray sub-distribution hazards regression model, standardized mortality ratios (SMR) and absolute excess risk (AER) were used to evaluate the risk of CVD-related death...

Statin therapy is a cornerstone in the management of dyslipidemia, both in primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular events. Despite strong guidelines supporting statin use, concerns regarding side effects, particularly musculoskeletal symptoms, contribute to statin intolerance and patient reluctance. While statin intolerance is reported in 5% to 30% of patients, its true prevalence may be overestimated due to the influence of the nocebo effect. Factors associated with higher incidence of statin intolerance include older age, female gender, comorbidities such as diabetes and chronic kidney disease, and concurrent use of medications such as antiarrhythmic agents or calcium channel blockers...

In the past decade, medical education has increasingly incorporated evidence-based lifestyle interventions as primary strategies for preventing and managing noncommunicable diseases. This shift embraces the growing recognition of the significant impact of lifestyle on health outcomes, driving diseases including obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Now deemed "food is medicine" (FIM), diet-related interventions witnessed integration into healthcare systems and recognition in the United States' White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health in 2023...

OBJECTIVES: We sought to understand the social construction of aging in a clinic-based population, with and without HIV, to address gaps in care for older individuals living with HIV in Zambia. METHODS: Our exploratory qualitative study included 36 in-depth interviews with clinic clients and four focus group discussions with 36 professional and lay healthcare workers providing services to the clients. We identified themes based on social construction theory. RESULTS: At the individual level, aging was multidimensional, perceived both as an achievement in the HIV era and as a period of cognitive, physical, and economic decline...