Background: The role of blood uric acid as a biomarker in symptomatic motor PD has been increasingly established in the literature. Objective: Our present study assessed the role of serum uric acid ...as a putative biomarker in a prodromal PD cohort REM Sleep Behavior disorder (RBD) and Hyposmia followed longitudinally. Methods: Longitudinal 5-year serum uric acid measurement data of 39 RBD patients and 26 Hyposmia patients with an abnormal DATSCAN imaging were downloaded from the Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative database. These cohorts were compared with 423 de novo PD patients and 196 healthy controls enrolled in the same study. Results: After adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, and concomitant disorders (hypertension/gout), baseline and longitudinal serum uric acid levels were higher in the RBD subgroup as compared to the established PD cohort (p = 0.004 and p = 0.001). (Baseline RBD 6.07±1.6 vs. Baseline PD 5.35±1.3 mg/dL and Year-5 RBD 5.7±1.3 vs. Year-5 PD 5.26±1.33). This was also true for longitudinal measurements in the Hyposmic subgroup (p = 0.008) (Baseline Hyposmic 5.7±1.6 vs. PD 5.35±1.3 mg/dL and Year-5 Hyposmic 5.58±1.6 vs. PD 5.26±1.33). Conclusion: Our results indicate that serum uric acid levels are higher in prodromal PD subjects with ongoing dopaminergic degeneration compared to those with manifest PD. These data indicate that the well-established decrease in the levels of serum uric acid occurs with the transition from prodromal to clinical PD. Whether the higher levels of serum uric acid observed in prodromal PD may provide protection against conversion to full-blown clinical PD will require further study.
Background: Some reports suggest that psychotic features may occur in the early stages of Parkinson’s disease (PD), but sensitive tools have not been utilized. Objective: The aim was to evaluate the ...presence of psychotic symptoms using detailed scales and to assess the association with clinical characteristics. Methods: Healthy controls and patients within three years of PD onset were recruited. Participants were examined for psychotic symptoms using two different instruments: the Comprehensive Assessment of At-Risk Mental States (CAARMS) and a 10 question PD specific psychosis severity scale (10PDQ). In the PD group, medication use, motor and non-motor symptoms were documented. Results: Based on CAARMS and 10PDQ scales, psychotic features were present in 39% (27/70) of patients and 4% (3/74) of controls. The prevalence of passage hallucinations and illusions was significantly higher in PD compared to the control group. The presence of PD-associated psychotic features was not significantly affected by medication, motor severity or global cognitive status. Higher prevalence of overall non-motor manifestations, REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) and depressive symptoms was significantly associated with the manifestation of psychotic features in PD (adjusted OR:1.3; 95% CI:1.1-1.6; p = 0.003), (adjusted OR:1.3; 95% CI:1.0-1.6; p = 0.023), and (adjusted OR:1.2; 95% CI:1.0-1.4;p = 0.026). Conclusions: Psychotic phenomena mainly of minor nature are highly common in early PD. Cumulative non-motor symptoms, RBD and depressive features are associated with the presence of psychotic symptoms in this non-demented, early-stage PD population. More studies are needed to clarify the mechanisms that contribute to the onset of psychotic features in early PD.
Objective:
Chios mastic is a natural nutritional supplement consisting of several bioactive compounds and it possesses antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Preliminary recent evidence ...suggests an anti-hypertensive effect of mastic. HYPER-MASTIC is a double-blind, randomized and controlled clinical trial, with the aim of investigating the additional effect of a three-month supplementation with Chios mastic on arterial hypertension of Greek patients with well-managed cardiovascular risk factors.
Design and method:
Patients with well controlled hypertension are being consecutively recruited and randomly allocated into three groups of supplements: 1500mg of mastic, 2800 mg of mastic and placebo in this ongoing study. For the current analyses, the two mastic groups were merged. Blood pressure measurements, using both office and 24h blood pressure measurement, and blood tests were performed at baseline and at 3 months. Flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) at the level of the brachial artery was measured in all patients as a measure of endothelial function. Patients reported no recent history of acute myocardial infarction or stroke and no history of heart failure. Herein, the preliminary results of the study are presented.
Results:
At the time of analysis, twenty one patients 48% females, age: 62 (14) were consecutively recruited and randomized, with available data at 3 months. Thirteen volunteers were allocated to mastic and eight to placebo. No difference was found regarding age, sex distribution, BMI levels, personal or family history of hyperlipidemia and hypertension, diabetes mellitus type 2 and coronary artery disease between the two groups. Patients in the mastic group reduced their night-time diastolic blood pressure compared to placebo -5 (10) vs -2.5 (16.3) mmHg | p = 0.025, respectively. No other differences from placebo were observed on the effect of mastic on BP parameters. FMD dropped with time in the placebo group, whereas in the mastic group it was preserved -1.2 (2.7) vs -0.2 (0.8) | pinteraction = 0.010.
Conclusions:
Chios mastic supplementation leads to improved night-time diastolic blood pressure and preserved endothelial function in patients with well-controlled hypertension, suggesting that it may incrementally exert anti-hypertensive and vasculoprotective properties over anti-hypertensive medication.
While the number and types of indoor air pollutants is rising, much is suspected but little is known about the impact of their potentially synergistic interactions, upon human health. Gases, ...particulate matter, organic compounds but also allergens and viruses, fall within the ‘pollutant’ definition. Distinct populations, such as children and allergy and asthma sufferers are highly susceptible, while a low socioeconomic background is a further susceptibility factor; however, no specific guidance is available. We spend most of our time indoors; for children, the school environment is of paramount importance and potentially amenable to intervention. The interactions between some pollutant classes have been studied. However, a lot is missing with respect to understanding interactions between specific pollutants of different classes in terms of concentrations, timing and sequence, to improve targeting and upgrade standards. SynAir‐G is a European Commission‐funded project aiming to reveal and quantify synergistic interactions between different pollutants affecting health, from mechanisms to real life, focusing on the school setting. It will develop a comprehensive and responsive multipollutant monitoring system, advance environmentally friendly interventions, and disseminate the generated knowledge to relevant stakeholders in accessible and actionable formats. The aim of this article it to put forward the SynAir‐G hypothesis, and describe its background and objectives.
A field experiment was conducted at Pylos, Greece to compare the effect of different types of fertilization on yardlong bean (Vigna unguiculata subsp. sesquipedalis) crop. The conventional treatment ...plots were fertilized with an inorganic fertilizer, whereas the organic treatments plots received organic compost. Data analysis confirmed no significant correlation between plant height and type of fertilization, but there was significant correlation between length of pods and type of fertilization. In particular, morphological characteristics of yardlong bean were enhanced by inorganic fertilization in comparison with the organic fertilization. Organic farming increased significantly the number on root nodules in comparison with conventional farming.
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