Objective: To investigate the relationship between the atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) during mid-pregnancy and abnormal glucose metabolism (AGM) in early postpartum period among women with previous gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, women with previous GDM who attended the Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, between December 2014 and June 2021 were recruited. Based on the outcomes of the 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) performed at 4 to 12 weeks postpartum, the patients were classified into normal glucose tolerance (NGT) group and AGM group. Demographic characteristics, glycemic and lipid profiles, and AIP levels at mid-pregnancy and postpartum were compared between the two groups. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify the risk factors for postpartum AGM, and restricted cubic spline (RCS) analysis was performed to assess the dose-response relationship between mid-pregnancy AIP and postpartum AGM. Results: Finally, 921 women completed follow-up at 4 to 12 weeks postpartum, among whom 626 (68.0%) exhibited NGT and 295 (32.0%) were diagnosed with AGM.Compared with the NGT group, the AGM group had significantly higher AIP levels during both mid-pregnancy and postpartum peroid (P<0.05). Logistic regression identified age, insulin therapy during pregnancy, mid-pregnancy fasting plasma glucose (FPG), and AIP were independent risk factors for postpartum AGM; each 1 unit increase in AIP was associated with a 237.6% increased risk of postpartum AGM (OR=3.376, 95%CI: 1.431 to 7.964, P<0.01). After full adjustment for age, pre-pregnancy body mass index (pre-BMI), gestational weight gain rate, diabetic family history, insulin therapy during pregnancy, FPG, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and total cholesterol (TC), each 1-standard-deviation (SD) increase in the Z-score-standardized AIP was associated with a 25.3% increased risk of postpartum AGM (OR=1.253, 95%CI: 1.069 to 1.470, P<0.01). RCS analysis demonstrated a linear positive association between mid-pregnancy AIP and the risk of postpartum AGM (P for overall=0.020; P for nonlinearity=0.697). When mid-pregnancy AIP>0.093, the risk of postpartum AGM showed an increasing trend. Subgroup analyses stratified by age (<35 vs ≥35 years), pre-BMI (<24 vs ≥24 kg/m[2]), and insulin therapy during pregnancy (yes vs no) revealed that there was no interaction between mid-pregnancy AIP levels and the risk of AGM across any of the subgroups (all P for interaction>0.05). Conclusion: Mid-pregnancy AIP level was independently and positively correlated with the risk of early postpartum AGM in women with GDM.

The present study examined the impact of feeding broilers diets containing blended palm kernel cake (PKC) and decanter cake (DC) on immune response, cecal microbiota, antioxidant gene expression, and plasma lipid profile in broiler chickens. A total of 1,260 male Ross 308 broiler chicks were reared for 35 days in a completely randomized design (CRD). Birds were assigned to 18 dietary treatments, with seven replicates of 10 birds per treatment. These treatments comprised a basal negative control, single-ingredient positive controls (5% PKC or DC), and PKC:DC combinations at 30:70, 50:50, and 70:30 ratios with inclusion levels of 2-10%. Dietary supplementation with PKC and DC blends significantly enhanced (p < 0.05) secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) and immunoglobulin M (IgM) concentrations, particularly at low to moderate inclusion levels, while higher levels showed no additional benefits (p > 0.05). Dietary treatments did not influence (p > 0.05) the concentrations of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), or interleukin-6 (IL-6). In contrast, interleukin-10 (IL-10) expression was upregulated (p < 0.05) in selected PKC and PKC-DC blend treatments. Cecal Lactobacillus populations significantly increased (p < 0.05) with dietary inclusion of PKC and DC, especially in PKC-rich diets. Hepatic glutathione peroxidase 1 (GPX1) expression was elevated (p < 0.05) in birds receiving higher levels of PKC-DC blends. Plasma lipid parameters, including triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and total cholesterol (TC), remained unaffected (p > 0.05). Overall, moderate inclusion levels of PKC and DC blends improved IL-10 expression, cecal Lactobacillus populations, and GPX1 gene expression without altering the measured plasma lipid concentrations.

BackgroundOptimal statin initiation strategies for people living with HIV (PLHIV) remain uncertain. We evaluated whether the D:A:D reduced (D:A:Dr) model improves primary prevention statin initiation decisions among Malaysian PLHIV compared with non-risk-based strategies.MethodsThis retrospective cohort study followed statin-naïve PLHIV adults from an infectious diseases centre over five years for incident cardiovascular events. Decision curve analysis compared the net benefit of a D:A:Dr-guided strategy against four alternatives: LDL-cholesterol ≥3.0 mmol/L, age ≥40 years, treat-all, and treat-none.ResultsAmong 5,741 PLHIV, 48.9% were moderate-to high-risk. The 5-year event rate was 2.0%, ranging from 0.5% (low-risk) to 8-9% (high-risk). D:A:Dr-guided strategy yielded superior net benefit at >2% - 10% threshold probabilities. Age ≥40 years lost benefits as thresholds increased whereas LDL-cholesterol-based strategy offered minimal utility.ConclusionD:A:Dr risk-based statin initiation offers superior clinical utility at >2% to 10% threshold probabilities, enabling targeted, resource-efficient prescribing in resource-constrained settings.

Due to its carcinogenic and toxic effects, benzo[a]pyrene, which belongs to the family of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, is a major health concern, primarily from sources such as tobacco smoke and grilling. This study investigated chia seeds and vitamin E as protective agents against benzo[a]pyrene toxicity in male mice. A total of 70 male mice were randomly assigned to 14 experimental groups (n = 5 per group): a negative control group, a vehicle control group (olive oil), a benzo[a]pyrene-only group (20 mg/kg), a vitamin E-only group (250 mg/kg), a vitamin E + benzo[a]pyrene co-administration group, three chia seed-only groups (10%, 20%, and 30% in diet), three chia seed + benzo[a]pyrene co-administration groups, and three chia seed pre-treatment groups (2 weeks of chia seeds alone followed by 4 weeks of chia seeds + benzo[a]pyrene). Biomarkers of oxidative stress, lipid profiles, and liver function were measured. Benzo[a]pyrene exposure significantly decreased superoxide dismutase and total antioxidant capacity, and altered lipid metabolism, increasing triglyceride (TG) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels. Interestingly, compared with those of the benzo[a]pyrene group, the total antioxidant capacity and superoxide dismutase activity of the chia seeds enriched with 20% and 30% benzo[a]pyrene notably increased, and the malondialdehyde level decreased. Moreover, the level of aspartate aminotransferase decreased. However, vitamin E had a minimal protective effect and did not reduce oxidative damage. In summary, chia seeds, unlike vitamin E, enhanced antioxidant defenses, improved liver function, and ameliorated lipid metabolism disturbances caused by benzo[a]pyrene. Chia seeds are a promising dietary option to counteract environmental toxicants such as benzo[a]pyrene.

Dyslipidemia is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Studies have shown that vitamin E has therapeutic effects on lipid metabolism; however, findings remain inconsistent. This meta-analysis aims to assess the effectiveness of vitamin E administration on the serum lipid panel in patients with dyslipidemia. A database search through January 2026 was conducted to identify relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Relevant data, including triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), and low- and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C and HDL-C), were extracted. The overall effect size was estimated using weighted mean differences (WMDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) via a random-effects model. The pooled analysis of 22 RCTs (33 intervention arms) demonstrated that vitamin E significantly lowered TG (WMD: -8.14 mg/dL, p = 0.021) and raised HDL-C (WMD: 1.08 mg/dL, p = 0.037) in patients with dyslipidemia, whereas reductions in TC (WMD: -6.48 mg/dL, p = 0.097) and LDL-C (WMD: -9.06 mg/dL, p = 0.063) were not significant overall. Exploratory subgroup analyses suggested that tocotrienols may exert greater lipid-modifying effects than tocopherols, with potentially larger benefits observed at lower doses, among individuals with more pronounced baseline lipid abnormalities, and during shorter intervention periods. In conclusion, vitamin E supplementation in patients with dyslipidemia shows modest improvements in lipid profiles, mainly lowering TG and increasing HDL-C, with less consistent effects on TC and LDL-C. Tocotrienols may be more effective than tocopherols, suggesting possible isoform-specific effects, but overall clinical impact appears limited and requires further confirmation.

Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a common genetic disorder causing elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c) concentrations from birth, resulting in a high risk of premature cardiovascular disease. Despite effective early treatment, FH remains underdiagnosed in children, highlighting the need for universal screening. This systematic review aims to evaluate the available evidence regarding suitable biomarkers for the purpose of universal screening for FH in childhood. The electronic databases Medline and Embase were systematically searched for studies comparing blood biomarkers in children with heterozygous FH and non-FH children. Of the 2,488 studies found, 35 were included. Although the data were constrained by considerable heterogeneity, LDL-c, total cholesterol (TC), and apolipoprotein B (ApoB) concentrations were consistently higher in children with FH across the included studies. Furthermore, increased non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-c), lathosterol, sitosterol and TC/HDL-c ratio, and a decreased squalene/TC ratio were found in children with FH. Only three screening studies combined biomarker (LDL-c, non-HDL-c and TC) and genetic testing simultaneously, revealing however limited sensitivity and specificity of these markers for FH screening in children. In this review, several biomarkers for FH screening in children were evaluated. As sensitivity and specificity data were generally not available or suboptimal, additional studies are needed to evaluate the screening performance of selected biomarkers in well-defined pediatric populations of suitable age and sex distribution, using valid analytical methods, and taking into account possible confounding factors. It is only through such studies that a well-considered selection of biomarkers can be made for the purpose of childhood screening for FH.