Antonella Girgenti, Martina Letizia Contente, Miriam Buttacavoli
et al.
Background: Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) contains bioactive molecules with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective properties. Growing evidence indicates that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) promotes neuroinflammation and mitochondrial dysfunction contributing to neuro-coronavirus disease. Objectives: The aim of this study is to evaluate the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective effects of 3 saffron derivatives, picrocrocin, 4-hydroxysafranal, and safranal, in peripheral immune cells and microglia, and to test the hypothesis that these compounds, especially safranal, counteract Spike protein 1(S1)-induced inflammation and mitochondrial dysfunction. Methods: An immortalized murine microglial cell line (BV2) and human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from healthy donors were treated with saffron derivatives at nontoxic concentrations (0.05–0.5 mM). Cytotoxicity (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3‑carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4‑sulfophenyl)-2H‑tetrazolium (MTS) assay), antioxidant capacity [2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH)], intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS; 2,7-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate), cytokine expression (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and quantitative polymerase chain reaction), and mitochondrial membrane potential (5,5′,6,6′‑tetrachloro‑1,1′,3,3′‑tetraethylbenzimidazolylcarbocyanine iodide (JC-1) assay) were assessed. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) served as an inflammatory control, whereas S1 was used to model SARS-CoV-2-mediated neuroinflammation and mitochondrial damage. Results: All saffron derivatives showed antioxidant activity, with safranal demonstrating the strongest DPPH radical scavenging effect and the most pronounced reduction of intracellular ROS. In LPS-stimulated BV2 cells, safranal significantly decreased inducible nitric oxide synthase expression. In PBMCs, saffron compounds attenuated LPS-induced interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) release, with safranal showing the greatest decrease. S1 increased IL-1β and tumor necrosis factor-alpha expression in BV2 microglia. Co-treatment with safranal reduced these cytokines by ∼38% and 44%, respectively. S1 induced a loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, which was effectively restored by safranal, as confirmed by JC-1 fluorescence analysis. Conclusions: These findings identify safranal as a promising neuroprotective candidate for preventing or mitigating SARS-CoV-2-associated neurological damage and other disorders involving microglial activation and mitochondrial impairment.
Nutrition. Foods and food supply, Nutritional diseases. Deficiency diseases
Shazia Asif, Prof Dr Atta Ur Rehman, Dr. Ali Asif Rana
et al.
Background: Disability remains a major public health concern globally and disproportionately affects individuals’ quality of life, social participation, and economic productivity. Persons with physical disabilities (PWPDs) often experience barriers in accessing preventive and rehabilitation services, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. This study aimed to assess the level of awareness regarding disability and to evaluate the frequency of utilization of rehabilitation services among PWPDs attending a tertiary care rehabilitation facility in Pakistan. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at the Artificial Limb Centre, Fauji Foundation Hospital, Rawalpindi, from January to March 2024. A total of 238 PWPDs aged 19–45 years were selected using systematic random sampling. Data were collected using a pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire covering socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge and attitudes toward disability, and utilization of rehabilitation services. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 22. Descriptive statistics were computed, and associations between awareness levels and service utilization were assessed using the Chi-square test at a 5% significance level. Results: Among the respondents, 61.3% were male and 38.7% were female. Most participants demonstrated awareness regarding the consequences and prevention of disability; however, knowledge about available rehabilitation programs was comparatively limited. Positive attitudes toward disability were observed at individual and family levels, with self-reliance reported by a majority of participants. Regular utilization of rehabilitation services was significantly associated with higher awareness levels (p < 0.05). Key barriers to utilization included affordability, limited accessibility, and inadequate availability of rehabilitation services. Conclusion: Although PWPDs showed reasonable awareness regarding disability and its prevention, gaps persist in knowledge and utilization of rehabilitation services. Addressing financial, infrastructural, and informational barriers is essential to improve service uptake and overall quality of life among PWPDs. Strengthening public awareness campaigns and integrating rehabilitation into primary healthcare may enhance equitable access.
Alireza Azarboo, Sayeh Jalali, Farhad Shaker
et al.
Abstract Background Metformin is a cornerstone treatment for diabetes that has demonstrated significant cardioprotective effects. Studies in animals and humans supported metformin as an anti-remodeling drug by regulating molecular pathways involved in cardiac hypertrophy, as a strong, independent predictor of cardiovascular events and mortality. Herein, we aimed to systematically evaluate metformin’s therapeutic potential on myocardial hypertrophy, a topic that remains argued and still lacks a consensus. Methods A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted on randomized controlled trials (RCTs) following PRISMA guidelines (PROSPERO: CRD42024619803). PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Embase databases were searched until June 2025. Primary outcomes were changes in left ventricular mass index (LVMI), left ventricular mass (LVM), and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Data were pooled and heterogeneity was assessed via I² statistics. Meta-regression explored covariates such as age, BMI, lipid profile, blood pressure, and metformin dose. Sensitivity analyses and publication bias assessments were performed. Results After screening, only ten studies were included in our analysis. Our results revealed that metformin significantly reduced LVMI after 12 months in the overall population (SMD − 0.23, 95% CI -0.42 to -0.04, I² = 0%), with a consistent effect observed in the change data analysis (SMD − 0.29, 95% CI -0.48 to -0.10, I² = 34%). The subgroup analysis reported a reduction in LVMI that was more pronounced in non-diabetic individuals (SMD − 0.35, 95% CI -0.60 to -0.10, I² = 50%) compared to diabetic populations, where the effect was modest and not statistically significant (SMD − 0.12, 95% CI -0.35 to 0.11, I² = 45%). Next, meta-regression analysis identified total cholesterol (p = 0.0007) and male proportion (p = 0.0016) as significant sources of heterogeneity. Notably, across the included studies, we did not observe any significant impact on LVM after 6 or 12 months in diabetic or non-diabetic subgroups. Similarly, no significant effect on LVEF, E/e’, or left atrial diameter was revealed. Sensitivity analysis confirmed the robustness of our findings, and Egger’s test indicated no publication bias. Conclusions Our data demonstrated that metformin administration results in a modest but significant effect in reducing LVMI, particularly over longer treatment durations and in non-diabetic individuals. However, its impact on other echocardiographic parameters remains uncertain. Despite the need for further research (experimental and clinical), our study supports metformin as a therapeutic strategy for optimizing cardiovascular benefits in diabetic and non-diabetic patients at risk of cardiac hypertrophy.
Abstract Aim The present study comparatively evaluated glucose variability (GV) parameters derived from both continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) performed under standard conditions for a 24-h period and under usual everyday conditions for a 14-day period in a high-risk population without diabetes. Methods and results Seventy five subjects: 14 with normal glucose tolerance (NGT; mean age 43.6 ± 10.7 years; BMI 30.5 ± 6.9 kg/m2), 19 with high 1-h postload glucose > 8.6 mmol/l (1hrOGTT; mean age 45.6 ± 8.9 years; BMI 33.7 ± 6.9 kg/m2), and 42 with isolated impaired glucose tolerance (iIGT; mean age 47.6 ± 11.8 years; BMI 31.0 ± 6.5 kg/m2), were enrolled. An OGTT was performed. CGM was performed with blinded FreeStyleLibrePro for 24 h under standard conditions and for the rest of the 14-day period under usual everyday conditions. GV parameters derived from both periods were compared. There was a significant increase in GV with worsening of glucose tolerance from NGT, to 1hrOGTT and iIGT, independently of the conditions. Our findings showed moderate to strong correlations among GV indices between the studied periods in the cohort and in the 1hrOGTT and iIGT groups. However, a significant difference was found in some of the GV parameters between the analyzed periods. Conclusion The trend in GV is independent of the conditions, under which CGM is performed, in subjects at early stages of glucose intolerance. Although its measurements to some extend differ in standard and everyday conditions, there is no need of standardized conditions for correct interpretation of GV indices in this population.
Alberto Burgos-Edwards, Cristina Theoduloz, Crister Ramírez
et al.
Infusions of the leaves of <i>Ribes magellanicum</i> (Grossulariaceae) are used as a digestive in southernmost South America. This work aimed to assess the composition and activity of infusions and MeOH:H<sub>2</sub>O 7:3 extracts of <i>R. magellanicum</i> leaves on enzymes related to metabolic syndrome (α-glucosidase, α-amylase, and pancreatic lipase), as well as their antioxidant capacity. Samples from a longitudinal gradient from central southern Chile to the islands in the Beagle Channel were investigated. Lyophilized infusions and extracts were used for all determinations, including inhibition of the selected enzymes, total phenolic (TP), total flavonoid (TF), total procyanidins (TPC), and antioxidant capacity (DPPH, FRAP, TEAC, and ORAC). The composition of the samples was assessed by HPLC-DAD. Some 99 compounds were tentatively identified by HPLC-MS<sup>n</sup>. The main phenolics were quantified using calibration curves with reference compounds. Relevant differences exist in the ratio of constituents in infusions compared to hydroalcoholic extracts. The samples were inactive towards α-amylase and pancreatic lipase at 100 and 50 µg/mL, respectively. Assay-guided isolation of α-glucosidase inhibitors led to fractions with high activity (IC<sub>50</sub>: 0.02–0.05 µg/mL). The strong inhibition of α-glucosidase and antioxidant capacity of the infusion and extracts of <i>R. magellanicum</i> leaves support its traditional use in southern Patagonia.
Nutrition. Foods and food supply, Nutritional diseases. Deficiency diseases
Mahjabin Hossain Faria, Maisha Maliha, Aliza Tabassum
et al.
Abstract Background While existing studies conducted in South Asian countries have provided valuable insights into the nutritional status of the marginalized third-gender population and highlighted suboptimal nutritional conditions, regrettably such data is lacking in Bangladesh. Addressing this data gap is crucial to understanding and improving the nutritional condition of the third-gender community. Therefore, this study was conducted to estimate their nutritional status, dietary protein intake, lifestyle, social behavior, nutritional knowledge, and prevalence of diseases. Methods The cross-sectional study was conducted in Dhaka City, Bangladesh. Fifty participants from the third-gender community were selected. Study subjects were individually interviewed through a structured questionnaire to gather specific data. SPSS was used for statistical analysis. Logistic Regression, Shapiro-Wilk Test, Kruskal-Wallis Test, and Chi-square tests were carried out to measure the associations among the variables. Results The average age of the participants was 32.74 ± 9.30 years, with 26% lacking formal education and 72% engaged in money collection as a primary occupation. 36% earned less than BDT 5,000 monthly, with only 2% exceeding BDT 20,000. The mean height and mean body weights were 163 ± 5.21 cm and 60.64 ± 13.61 kg (mean ± SD) respectively. Mean Body Mass Index (BMI) was 23.02 ± 5.04 kg/m2, among whom 14% were underweight, 56% were normal, 20% were overweight, and 10% were obese. 48% of the participants had poor nutritional knowledge, and 46% had average. 50% of the participants had smoking habits and 34% of the participants consumed alcohol. Nutritional intake was skewed towards plant proteins (72%), with inadequate access to healthcare reported by 56% of subjects. Two-thirds (66%) of the respondents had no illness, and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) affected 34% of participants, with diabetes (12%) and low pressure (8%) prevalent. Smoking significantly correlated with lower normal BMI (AOR = 0.26, 95% CI: 0.07–0.84, p < 0.05). Unhealthy food intake was significantly associated with underweight risks (AOR = 0.17, 95% CI: 0.03–0.92, p < 0.05). When compared with male and female Bangladeshi populations, third-gender individuals had higher overweight prevalence, moderate normal BMI rates, and lower malnutrition than males. Conclusion The research identified suboptimal nutritional status among the third-gender population in Bangladesh, highlighting higher rates of both obesity and underweight, as well as a prevalence of non-communicable diseases, particularly diabetes.
Nutritional diseases. Deficiency diseases, Public aspects of medicine
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a rapidly emerging disease caused by a highly contagious virus called severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), and this disease has affected millions of people across the world and led to hundreds of thousands of deaths worldwide. Nutrition is a key factor related to this disease, and nutritional status may determine the risk and outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Selenium is one of the major trace elements required for redox functions and has significant roles in viral infections. The purpose of this review was to examine the current evidence on the role of selenium in COVID-19. We reviewed studies on selenium and COVID-19, and other relevant studies to understand how selenium status can modify the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection, and how selenium status might affect a person post-infection. We found that oxidative stress is a characteristic feature of COVID-19 disease, which is linked with the immunopathological disorder observed in individuals with severe COVID-19. Selenium plays a key role in strengthening immunity, reducing oxidative stress, preventing viral infections and supporting critical illness. Moreover, selenium deficiency is related to oxidative stress and hyperinflammation seen in critical illness, and selenium deficiency is found to be associated with the severity of COVID-19 disease. Selenium supplementation at an appropriate dose may act as supportive therapy in COVID-19. Future studies in large cohorts of COVID-19 are warranted to verify the benefits of selenium supplementation for reducing risk and severity of COVID-19.
Wound healing is a complex and energy-demanding process. The relationship between nutrition and wound healing has been recognized for many centuries. Several studies have indicated that nutritional deficiencies are more prevalent among patients with chronic wounds. Malnutrition may alter the inflammatory response, collagen synthesis, and wound tensile strength, all of which are crucial for wound healing. Although the specific role of nutrition and supplementation in wound care remains uncertain, it is necessary to identify and correct nutritional imbalances to avoid any potential deterioration of the healing process. It is also important to recognize the differences in pathophysiology between acute and chronic wounds. A burn, surgical, or a traumatic wound is different from a diabetic foot ulcer, which is different from a pressure ulcer. Chronic wounds are more prevalent in the aging population, and patients often have underlying comorbidities, such as diabetes mellitus, peripheral vascular disease, connective tissue disease, or other systemic illnesses that may alter energy metabolism and contribute to impaired healing. Management approaches to acute wound care may not apply universally to chronic wounds. In this review, we discuss the available data and possible roles for nutrition in wound healing.
Janet Antwi, Bernard Appiah, Busayo Oluwakuse
et al.
Nutritional status is affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, directly or indirectly. Even with the recent rollout of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines and availability of medicines such as remdesivir, and monoclonal antibodies, host nutritional status is pivotal in the fight against the acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and outcomes. The purpose of this review is to discuss the effects of COVID-19-related lockdown on lifestyle behaviors, and the nutritional consequences, and the direct sequelae of the infection on nutrition including potential nutritional interventions. The COVID-19-related lockdown imposed radical changes in lifestyle behaviors with considerable short-term and long-term health and nutritional consequences including weight gain and obesity and increased cardiometabolic risk, consistently linked to worsened prognosis. The extent of the impact was dependent on food insecurity, overall stress and disordered eating, physical inactivity, and exposure to COVID-19-related nutrition information sources. COVID-19 could directly induce inflammatory responses and poor nutrient intake and absorption leading to undernutrition with micronutrient deficiencies, which impairs immune system function with subsequent amplified risk of infection and disease severity. Nutrition interventions through nutrition support, dietary supplementation, and home remedies such as use of zinc, selenium, vitamin D, and omega-3 fatty acids showed the most significant promise to mitigate the course of COVID-19 infection and improve survival rates. The nutrition-COVID-19 relationship and related dietary changes mimic a vicious cycle of the double burden of malnutrition, both obesity and undernutrition with micronutrient deficiencies, which promote infection, disease progression, and potential death.
ABSTRACT Introduction: Uremic syndrome of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a term used to describe clinical, metabolic, and hormonal abnormalities associated with progressive kidney failure. It is a rapidly growing public health problem worldwide. Nervous system complications occur in every patient with uremic syndrome of CKD. Areas covered: This review summarized central and peripheral nervous system complications of uremic syndrome of CKD and their pathogenic mechanisms. They include cognitive deterioration, encephalopathy, seizures, asterixis, myoclonus, restless leg syndrome, central pontine myelinolysis, stroke, extrapyramidal movement disorders, neuropathies, and myopathy. Their pathogenic mechanisms are complex and multiple. They include (1) accumulation of uremic toxins resulting in neurotoxicity, blood–brain barrier injury, neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, apoptosis, brain neurotransmitters imbalance, ischemic/microvascular changes, and brain metabolism dysfunction (e.g. dopamine deficiency), (2) metabolic derangement (as acidosis, hypocalcemia, hyperphosphatemia, hypomagnesemia, and hyperkalemia); (3) secondary hyperparathyroidism, (4) erythropoietin and iron deficiency anemia, (5) thiamin, vitamin D, and other nutritional deficiencies, (6) hyperhomocysteinemia, and (7) coagulation problems. Expert commentary: Nervous system complications of uremia contribute to the patients’ morbidity and mortality. Optimizing renal replacement therapy, correction of associated metabolic and medical conditions, and improved understanding of possible pathogenic mechanisms of these complications is a major target for their prevention and treatment.
Abstract Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of finerenone and sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) on reducing new-onset of atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and chronic kidney disease (CKD). Method We searched the PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Medline and Embase covering January 1, 2000 to April 30, 2022. Randomized control trials comparing finerenone or SGLT2i with placebo in patients with T2DM and CKD were selected. Results were reported as risk ratio (RR) with corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI). Results A total of 10 studies (35,841 patients) were included. Finerenone (RR 0.79, 95% CI 0.62–0.99) was associated with a decreased risk of AF compared with placebo, while SGLT2i were not. SGLT2i were associated with a decreased risk of hospitalization for heart failure (RR 0.78, 95% CI 0.63–0.98) compared with finerenone. They were comparable in AF(RR 0.84, 95% CI 0.48,1.46), major adverse cardiovascular events(MACE) (RR 0.93, 95% CI 0.81,1.06) and nonfatal stroke(RR 0.78, 95% CI 0.58,1.05). They both showed no significant risk of adverse events compared with placebo. Conclusion There was no significant difference in the reduction of new-onset of atrial fibrillation between Finerenone and SGLT2i based on the indirect comparisons of currently available clinical studies. The large-sampled head-to-head trials was needed for the more precise conclusion.
Plants’ diseases cannot be avoided because of unpredictable climate patterns and environmental changes. The plants like ginger get affected by various pests, conditions, and nutritional deficiencies. Therefore, it is essential to identify such causes early and perform the cure to get the desired production rate. Deep learning-based methods are helpful for the identification and classification of problems in this domain. This paper presents deep artificial neural network and deep learning-based methods for the early detection of diseases, pest patterns, and nutritional deficiencies. We have used a real-field dataset consisting of healthy and affected ginger plant leaves. The results show that the convolutional neural network (CNN) has achieved the highest accuracy of <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mn>99</mn><mo>%</mo></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> for disease rhizomes detection. For pest pattern leaves, VGG-16 models showed the highest accuracy of <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mn>96</mn><mo>%</mo></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula>. For nutritional deficiency-affected leaves, ANN has achieved the highest accuracy (<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mn>96</mn><mo>%</mo></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula>). The experimental results achieved are comparable with other existing techniques in the literature. In addition, the results demonstrated the potential in improving the yield of ginger using the proposed disease detection methods and an essential consideration for the design of real-time disease detection applications. However, the results are specific to the dataset used in this work and may yield different results for the other datasets.
Abstract Background Hepatic diseases are one of the chief reasons for worldwide morbidity and mortality. The increased incidence in Asian countries is driving researchers to explore preventive ways from nature. It is more practical to go with healthy routine edibles like vegetable oils to avoid environmental and chemical hepatic injuries. With the use of thermally oxidized oils overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) with overwhelmed cellular antioxidants defense system results in oxidative stress, the known cause of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), cancers and neurodegenerative disorders. Little is investigated about the effect of daily used oxidized cooking oils on hepatic function changes with oxidative stress especially in the animal model that mimics the human situation. Methods In this study, healthy adult male rabbits of local strain were divided into 4 groups (n = 12). First, two sets of rabbits were treated with 1 and 2 ml/kg/day of repeatedly heated mix vegetable oils (RHMVO) respectively. The third set of rabbits was given 1 ml/kg/day of single time heated mix vegetable oils (STHMVO) and the fourth set of rabbits served as controls and fed with normal rabbit diet to for 16 weeks. Serum liver function markers including total-protein, albumin, serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT), serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (SGPT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) along with the activity of hepatic antioxidant-enzymes including superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and malondialdehyde (MDA) for lipid peroxidation were compared among different groups of rabbits. Histopathological examination was performed for all four groups. Results Significantly (p < 0.05) elevated hepatic enzymes and MDA levels, with lower total protein, serum albumin, GPx, SOD and CAT levels were found in high and low doses RHMVO treated groups, in comparison to control. In the STHMVO group, all mentioned markers were insignificantly changed. Accumulation of liver fat in low and high dose oil-treated groups was further confirmed under the microscopic examination of liver tissues, presented significant fat accumulation in liver tissues, in addition, 40–60% increased oxidative stress compared to control, in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusions These results conclude that consumption of thermally oxidized mix vegetable oils for longer duration can impair the liver function and destroy its histological structure significantly through fat accumulation and oxidative stress both in high as well as low doses.
Abstract Background The relationship between selenium (Se) and insulin resistance remains unclear. We aim to explore the association between toenail Se levels and insulin resistance through a cross-sectional study comprising Chinese vegetarians and matched omnivores. Methods In this study, we enrolled 220 vegetarians and 220 omnivores matched by age and sex from Shanghai. The inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry method was used to measure toenail Se levels. Dietary Se intakes were assessed by the 24-h dietary recall method. Blood samples were collected to measure fasting blood glucose level and fasting insulin concentrations. Insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) and insulin secretion index (HOMA-B) were calculated to evaluate insulin resistance. Multi-linear regression analysis was performed to determine the association between toenail Se levels and insulin resistance, after adjusting for confounders. Results The mean ages of vegetarians (76 vegans, 144 lacto-ovo-vegetarians) and omnivores were 35.96 ± 8.73 years and 35.23 ± 8.93 years, respectively. Of these, 180 (81.8%) were female and 40 (18.2%) were male. No association was found between toenail Se levels and insulin resistance in vegetarians. However, the concentration of Se in toenails was positively correlated with fasting insulin levels (β = 1.030, 95%CI: 0.393 to 1.667) and HOMA-IR (β = 0.245, 95%CI: 0.098 to 0.392) in omnivores, after multivariate adjustment for age, sex, BMI, alcohol consumption, income, and daily dietary intakes (energy, protein, fat, carbohydrate, and fiber). This positive relationship persisted only in omnivores whose dietary Se intake was above 60 μg/d. Conclusions Higher toenail Se levels were associated with increased insulin resistance risk in Chinese omnivores whose dietary Se intake was above 60 μg/d, but not in vegetarians. These findings create awareness on the association of dietary Se intake above 60 μg/d with the risk of insulin resistance.
Nutrition. Foods and food supply, Nutritional diseases. Deficiency diseases
Abstract The seasonal variations of blood lipids have recently gained increasing interest in this field of lipid metabolism. Elucidating the seasonal patterns of blood lipids is particularly helpful for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. However, the previous results remain controversial and the underlying mechanisms are still unclear. This mini-review is focused on summarizing the literature relevant to the seasonal variability of blood lipid parameters, as well as on discussing its significance in clinical diagnoses and management decisions.