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14 pages, 1896 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Survival and Nutritional Status of Male and Female Heart Transplant Patients Based on the Nutritional Risk Index

by Deema A. Almutawa, May Almuammar, Mona Mohamed Elshafie, Ghadeer S. Aljuraiban, Alaa Alnafisah and Mahmoud M. A. Abulmeaty

Nutrients 2020, 12(12), 3868; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nu12123868 - 17 Dec 2020

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2603

Abstract

Malnutrition among heart-transplant patients may affect survival. The aim was to investigate the survival and nutrition status among male and female heart transplant patients who underwent transplantation, before and 1 year after surgery based on the nutritional risk index (NRI). The medical records [...] Read more.

Malnutrition among heart-transplant patients may affect survival. The aim was to investigate the survival and nutrition status among male and female heart transplant patients who underwent transplantation, before and 1 year after surgery based on the nutritional risk index (NRI). The medical records of ninety heart-transplant patients (2009–2014) from the King Faisal Specialist Hospital, Riyadh, were reviewed. The assessment included demographic data, anthropometric measurements, and NRI calculation. Moreover, postoperative data included the length of stay and survival. Paired t-test and survival analysis by Kaplan–Meier (KM) curves were used. A total of 90 patients (males 77.78%) were included. The prevalence of malnutrition in the preoperative phase by NRI was 60% (7.78% as severe; 40% as moderate, and 12.22% mild NRI scores). After 1 year, body mass index (BMI) and NRI increased significantly (p < 0.001). Furthermore, NRI was significantly different between men and women (p < 0.01), while KM survival curves were insignificantly different (p = 0.67). Recipients with postoperative moderate or severe nutritional risk (NRI < 97.5) had significantly shorter survival in the first-year post-transplantation (HR = 0.82; 95% CI, 0.75–0.89; p < 0.001). Our findings indicate that the NRI after 1 year of transplant correlated significantly with mortality. Besides, there was no significant gender difference regarding survival; however, malnutrition and low survival were more prominent among women. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gender and Diet Interaction in Cardiovascular Disease)

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Review

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34 pages, 1561 KiB

Open AccessReview

Berry-Derived Polyphenols in Cardiovascular Pathologies: Mechanisms of Disease and the Role of Diet and Sex

by Rami S. Najjar, Casey G. Turner, Brett J. Wong and Rafaela G. Feresin

Nutrients 2021, 13(2), 387; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nu13020387 - 27 Jan 2021

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 4350

Abstract

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevalence, pathogenesis, and manifestation is differentially influenced by biological sex. Berry polyphenols target several signaling pathways pertinent to CVD development, including inflammation, oxidative stress, and cardiac and vascular remodeling, and there are innate differences in these pathways that also vary [...] Read more.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevalence, pathogenesis, and manifestation is differentially influenced by biological sex. Berry polyphenols target several signaling pathways pertinent to CVD development, including inflammation, oxidative stress, and cardiac and vascular remodeling, and there are innate differences in these pathways that also vary by sex. There is limited research systematically investigating sex differences in berry polyphenol effects on these pathways, but there are fundamental findings at this time that suggest a sex-specific effect. This review will detail mechanisms within these pathological pathways, how they differ by sex, and how they may be individually targeted by berry polyphenols in a sex-specific manner. Because of the substantial polyphenolic profile of berries, berry consumption represents a promising interventional tool in the treatment and prevention of CVD in both sexes, but the mechanisms in which they function within each sex may vary. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gender and Diet Interaction in Cardiovascular Disease)

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36 pages, 1209 KiB

Open AccessReview

The Impact of Dietary Supplementation of Whole Foods and Polyphenols on Atherosclerosis

by Abigail E. Cullen, Ann Marie Centner, Riley Deitado, Javier Fernandez and Gloria Salazar

Nutrients 2020, 12(7), 2069; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nu12072069 - 12 Jul 2020

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 6438

Abstract

The purpose of this review is to highlight current research on the benefits of supplementation with foods with a diverse polyphenol composition, including fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains, oils, spices, and teas in blunting atherosclerosis. We searched PubMed for publications utilizing whole food or [...] Read more.

The purpose of this review is to highlight current research on the benefits of supplementation with foods with a diverse polyphenol composition, including fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains, oils, spices, and teas in blunting atherosclerosis. We searched PubMed for publications utilizing whole food or polyphenols prepared from whole foods in Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) or Low-Density Lipoprotein Receptor (LDLR) knockout mice, and identified 73 studies in which plaque was measured. The majority of the studies reported a reduction in plaque. Nine interventions showed no effect, while three using Agaricus blazei mushroom, HYJA-ri-4 rice variety, and safrole-2’, 3’-oxide (SFO) increased plaque. The mechanisms by which atherosclerosis was reduced include improved lipid profile, antioxidant status, and cholesterol clearance, and reduced inflammation. Importantly, not all dietary interventions that reduce plaque showed an improvement in lipid profile. Additionally, we found that, out of 73 studies, only 9 used female mice and only 6 compared both sexes. Only one study compared the two models (LDLR vs. ApoE), showing that the treatment worked in one but not the other. Not all supplementations work in both male and female animals, suggesting that increasing the variety of foods with different polyphenol compositions may be more effective in mitigating atherosclerosis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gender and Diet Interaction in Cardiovascular Disease)

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