Aim
Intermittent fasting, a dietary intervention of alternate eating and fasting, has gained popularity in people trying to lose weight. Intermittent fasting could provide an alternative to classic ...caloric restriction in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus. The aim of the study is to determine the impact of a 12‐week intermittent fasting regimen compared with usual care in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus receiving insulin therapy.
Methods
This open, single‐centre, randomized controlled trial investigates participants with type 2 diabetes mellitus on insulin therapy and a glycated haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) of ≥53 mmol/mol (≥7.0%) and a minimum insulin dose of 0.3 IU/kg body weight per day. Participants are randomized in a 1:1 ratio to either 12 weeks of intermittent fasting or the standard care group. All participants receive dietary counselling, continuous glucose monitoring, measurement of the resting metabolic rate, an oral glucose tolerance test, body composition measurement via dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry and stool samples for microbiome analyses at the beginning and at the end of the intervention. Two co‐primary outcomes (analysed in hierarchical order) were chosen for the study: (i) the difference in the change of HbA1c from baseline to 12 weeks and (ii) the difference in the number of participants achieving a combined end point encompassing a body weight reduction of at least 2%, an insulin dose reduction of at least 10% and an absolute HbA1c reduction of at least 3 mmol/mol (0.3%) between the two groups.
Previous antiresorptive (AR) treatment may influence the response to teriparatide. We examined BMD response and safety in a subgroup of 503 postmenopausal women with osteoporosis who received ...teriparatide for 24 mo. Patients were divided into three groups based on their prior AR treatment: treatment‐naïve (n = 84); pretreated with no evidence of inadequate treatment response (n = 134); and pretreated showing an inadequate response to AR treatment (n = 285), which was predefined based on the occurrence of fractures, persistent low BMD, and/or significant BMD loss while on therapy. Changes in BMD from baseline were analyzed using mixed model repeated measures. Lumbar spine BMD increased significantly from baseline at 6, 12, 18, and 24 mo in all three groups. The mean gain in spine BMD over 24 mo was greater in the treatment‐naïve group (0.095 g/cm2; 13.1%) than in the AR pretreated (0.074 g/cm2; 10.2%; p < 0.005) and inadequate AR responder (0.071 g/cm2; 9.8%; p < 0.001) groups. The corresponding increases in total hip BMD were 3.8%, 2.3%, and 2.3%, respectively. Early decreases in hip BMD in the inadequate AR responder group were reversed by 18 mo of treatment. Increases in BMD between 18 and 24 mo were highly significant. Nausea (13.3%) and arthralgia (11.7%) were the most commonly reported adverse events. Asymptomatic hypercalcemia was reported in 5.0% of patients. Teriparatide treatment for 24 mo is associated with a significant increase in BMD in patients with and without previous AR use. Prior AR treatment modestly blunted the BMD response to teriparatide. Safety was consistent with current prescribing label information.
Vitamin D deficiency (serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) <50 nmol/L or 20 ng/mL) is common in Europe and the Middle East. It occurs in <20% of the population in Northern Europe, in 30–60% in ...Western, Southern and Eastern Europe and up to 80% in Middle East countries. Severe deficiency (serum 25(OH)D <30 nmol/L or 12 ng/mL) is found in >10% of Europeans. The European Calcified Tissue Society (ECTS) advises that the measurement of serum 25(OH)D be standardized, for example, by the Vitamin D Standardization Program. Risk groups include young children, adolescents, pregnant women, older people (especially the institutionalized) and non-Western immigrants. Consequences of vitamin D deficiency include mineralization defects and lower bone mineral density causing fractures. Extra-skeletal consequences may be muscle weakness, falls and acute respiratory infection, and are the subject of large ongoing clinical trials. The ECTS advises to improve vitamin D status by food fortification and the use of vitamin D supplements in risk groups. Fortification of foods by adding vitamin D to dairy products, bread and cereals can improve the vitamin D status of the whole population, but quality assurance monitoring is needed to prevent intoxication. Specific risk groups such as infants and children up to 3 years, pregnant women, older persons and non-Western immigrants should routinely receive vitamin D supplements. Future research should include genetic studies to better define individual vulnerability for vitamin D deficiency, and Mendelian randomization studies to address the effect of vitamin D deficiency on long-term non-skeletal outcomes such as cancer.
The optimal duration of osteoporosis treatment is controversial. As opposed to bisphosphonates, denosumab does not incorporate into bone matrix and bone turnover is not suppressed after its ...cessation. Recent reports imply that denosumab discontinuation may lead to an increased risk of multiple vertebral fractures.
The European Calcified Tissue Society (ECTS) formed a working group to perform a systematic review of existing literature on the effects of stopping denosumab and provide advice on management.
Data from phase 2 and 3 clinical trials underscore a rapid decrease of bone mineral density (BMD) and a steep increase in bone turnover markers (BTMs) after discontinuation of denosumab. Clinical case series report multiple vertebral fractures after discontinuation of denosumab and a renewed analysis of FREEDOM and FREEDOM Extension Trial suggests, albeit does not prove, that the risk of multiple vertebral fractures may be increased when denosumab is stopped due to a rebound increase in bone resorption.
There appears to be an increased risk of multiple vertebral fractures after discontinuation of denosumab although strong evidence for such an effect and for measures to prevent the occurring bone loss is lacking. Clinicians and patients should be aware of this potential risk. Based on available data, a re-evaluation should be performed after 5years of denosumab treatment. Patients considered at high fracture risk should either continue denosumab therapy for up to 10years or be switched to an alternative treatment. For patients at low risk, a decision to discontinue denosumab could be made after 5years, but bisphosphonate therapy should be considered to reduce or prevent the rebound increase in bone turnover. However, since the optimal bisphosphonate regimen post-denosumab is currently unknown continuation of denosumab can also be considered until results from ongoing trials become available. Based on current data, denosumab should not be stopped without considering alternative treatment in order to prevent rapid BMD loss and a potential rebound in vertebral fracture risk.
•Discontinuation of denosumab treatment potentially leads to a high risk of multiple vertebral fractures•Patients at high fracture risk should either continue denosumab therapy or be switched to an alternative treatment•Treatment with denosumab should not be stopped without considering an alternative (antiresorptive) treatment
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common female endocrinopathy of unclear origin characterized by hyperandrogenism, oligo-/anovulation, and ovarian cysts. Women with PCOS frequently display ...overweight, insulin resistance, and systemic low-grade inflammation. We hypothesized that endotoxemia resulting from a leaky gut is associated with inflammation, insulin resistance, fat accumulation, and hyperandrogenemia in PCOS. In this pilot study, we compared the stool microbiome, gut permeability, and inflammatory status of women with PCOS and healthy controls.
16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing was performed on stool samples from 24 PCOS patients and 19 healthy controls. Data processing and microbiome analysis were conducted in mothur and QIIME using different relative abundance cut-offs. Gut barrier integrity, endotoxemia, and inflammatory status were evaluated using serum and stool markers and associations with reproductive, metabolic, and anthropometric parameters were investigated.
The stool microbiome of PCOS patients showed a lower diversity and an altered phylogenetic composition compared to controls. We did not observe significant differences in any taxa with a relative abundance>1%. When looking at rare taxa, the relative abundance of bacteria from the phylum Tenericutes, the order ML615J-28 (phylum Tenericutes) and the family S24-7 (phylum Bacteroidetes) was significantly lower and associated with reproductive parameters in PCOS patients. Patients showed alterations in some, but not all markers of gut barrier function and endotoxemia.
Patients with PCOS have a lower diversity and an altered phylogenetic profile in their stool microbiome, which is associated with clinical parameters. Gut barrier dysfunction and endotoxemia were not driving factors in this patient cohort, but may contribute to the clinical phenotype in certain PCOS patients.
It is unclear which treatment should be given after stopping teriparatide therapy for severe osteoporosis. In a prospective, randomized, controlled, 2‐yr study, we compared BMD effects and clinical ...safety of three follow‐up treatments (anabolic with teriparatide, antiresorptive with raloxifene, or no active treatment) after 1 yr of teriparatide. Postmenopausal women with osteoporosis and a recent fragility fracture received open‐label teriparatide (20 μg/d) for 12 mo before they were randomized (3:1:1) to continue teriparatide (n = 305), switch to raloxifene 60 mg/d (n = 100), or receive no active treatment for the second year (n = 102). All patients received calcium and vitamin D supplementation. Changes in areal BMD from baseline to 24 mo were analyzed using mixed‐model repeated measures. Daily teriparatide treatment for 2 yr significantly increased spine BMD by 10.7%. Patients receiving raloxifene in year 2 had no further change in spine BMD from year 1 (change from baseline, 7.9%), whereas patients receiving no active treatment had a BMD decrease of 2.5% in year 2 (change from baseline, +3.8%). At the total hip, BMD increases from baseline at 2 yr were 2.5% with teriparatide, 2.3% with raloxifene, and 0.5% with no active treatment; the respective changes at the femoral neck were 3.5%, 3.1%, and 1.3%. The study had insufficient power to assess antifracture efficacy. In conclusion, BMD increases progressively over 2 yr of teriparatide therapy in women with severe osteoporosis. After discontinuation of teriparatide, raloxifene maintains spine BMD and increases hip BMD.
Objectives
To investigate the changes in the pelvic floor before, during, and after pregnancy in the same collective of nulliparous women.
Methods
In a prospective observational pilot study between ...April 2015 and June 2019 in nulliparous women with planned pregnancy, we used the pelvic organ prolapse quantification (POP‐Q) system; a 2‐dimensional (2D) sonography to investigate the bladder neck, cervix, and anorectal junction positions; and a 3D/4D sonography to measure the hiatus of the levator ani muscle (LH area) during Valsalva maneuver. Five visits were planned: 1 before, 3 during, and 1 visit after pregnancy.
Results
Twenty‐four women participated in the study. We achieved a minimum of 2 visit measurements from 10 women who became pregnant. The LH area decreased during the first trimester and then increased until the third trimester. Postpartum, the LH area reached the prepregnancy state. We observed changes in the bladder neck mobility, bladder neck position, cervix, and anorectal junction from the first trimester. Postpartum, the bladder neck mobility was higher, and the position of the bladder neck and anorectal junction was lower than before pregnancy. We observed no remarkable changes in the POP‐Q state during pregnancy.
Conclusion
This was the first study to investigate pelvic floor characteristics in the same collective before, during, and after pregnancy. We observed pelvic floor changes from the prepregnancy state to the first trimester to postpartum. The study results need to be confirmed in a larger study.
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Aim
New strategies are required to increase physical activity and improve metabolic profiles in children with obesity. We studied the effect of whole body vibration (WBV) on children with obesity on ...biochemical markers of energy and bone metabolism, anthropometric measurements, muscle parameters and calcaneal bone mineral density (BMD).
Methods
This was a randomised, prospective, controlled study of 30 children with a median age of 13 years (range 7–17) at Queen Silvia Children′s Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden, from 2013 to 2015. The target for the intervention group was to perform WBV three times a week for 12 weeks, and the study parameters were assessed at baseline and 12 weeks.
Results
The 16 in the WBV group achieved 51% of the planned activity, mainly at home, and were compared with 14 controls. Sclerostin, bone‐specific alkaline phosphatase and carboxy‐terminal collagen cross‐links decreased in the WBV group (p < 0.05) and balance improved (p < 0.006), but osteocalcin and insulin remained unchanged. Anthropometric data, muscle strength and calcaneal BMD did not differ between the groups.
Conclusion
WBV did not affect most of the clinical parameters in children with obesity, but the reduction in sclerostin implies that it had direct effects on osteocytes, which are key players in bone mechanotransduction.