Evaluation of antisperm antibody in infertile women with polycystic ovary syndrome

AIM: To investigate the level of circulatory antisperm antibody (ASA) in infertile women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). METHODS: A total of 127 infertile women with PCOS (26~35 years old) were divided into 2 groups according to the body mass index (BMI):obese group (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m², n=42) and non-obese group (18 kg/m² < BMI < 25 kg/m², n=85). The infertile women aged 24~36 years of normal weight without PCOS (n=90) were chosen as controls (control group; 18 kg/m² < BMI < 25 kg/m²). The serum levels of ASA-IgG and ASA-IgA were screened by the indirect immunobead test according to the WHO laboratory manual. The 50% or more of the motile sperm attached to one or more immunobeads were regarded as clinical positivity according to the WHO criteria. The 20%~49% motile sperm that had adherent particles were deemed to be weakly positive. Less than 20% was negative. RESULTS: No case in obese group and non-obese group showed the positive level of ASA-IgG. Two cases in control group were detected to be ASA-IgG positive (2.2%). One case in obese group (2.4%), 2 cases in non-obese group (2.2%) and 2 cases (2.2%) in control group were detected to be ASA-IgG weakly positive, and no difference was found in the weakly-positive incidence among these 3 groups. ASA-IgA was not detected in all the cases. CONCLUSION: The circulatory ASA is not associated with the pathogenesis of infertile women with PCOS. The detection of ASA still needs to be routinely performed for infertile women.     

A high-protein, high-fiber diet designed for weight loss improves satiety in dogs

BACKGROUND: Weight-loss programs for dogs are often hampered by increased begging and scavenging behavior that ensues when food intake is restricted. HYPOTHESIS: A diet formulated to contain a high content of both protein and fiber is more satiating than diets that contain only high fiber or high protein. ANIMALS: Six entire female adult dogs (2 Shetland Sheepdogs, 2 Brittany Spaniels, 2 Labrador Retrievers) participated in the satiety studies; 105 adult female dogs of various breeds and ages were used for the palatability studies. METHODS: Three diets (high protein [103 g/1,000 kcal] high fiber [60 g/1,000 kcal] [HPHF]; high protein [104 g/1,000 kcal] moderate fiber [35 g/1,000 kcal] [HP]; moderate protein [86 g/1,000 kcal] high fiber [87 g/1,000 kcal] [HF]) were tested. Voluntary food intake was measured in 5 sequential crossover studies, and palatability was assessed with food preference tests. RESULTS: Protein digestibility was significantly lower for HF (mean +/- SD; 77.7% +/- 2.52%) than for both HPHF (81.1% +/- 0.96%) and HP (81.1% +/- 1.65%) (P < .001). Short-term food intake (food ingested when offered for 15 minutes every hour for 4 hours) was lower for HPHF than for both HP and HF (P = .038). Medium-term intake (food ingested when offered 3 hours after first meal) was lower for both HPHF (27 +/- 22.2 kcal/kg(0.73)) and HF (41 +/- 6.8 kcal/kg(0.73)) than for HP (57 +/- 18.8 kcal/kg(0.73)) (P = .041). Voluntary food intake 3 hours after feeding a restricted meal (25% daily maintenance energy requirements) was significantly lower on the HPHF diet than on either the HP (-51%, P = .0051) or HF (-47%, P = .014) diets. However, there was no significant difference between the energy intake on the HP and HF diets (7%, P = .37). The HPHF and HP diets had equivalent palatability, and both were more palatable than the HF diet (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: The HPHF diet had a satiating effect as evidenced by reduced voluntary intake compared with HP and HF diets, and has the potential to lead to greater compliance in weight-loss programs.     

Effects of early enteral nutrition on prognosis of severe acute pancreatitis in obese patients

AIM:To evaluate the efficacy of initiation of early enteral nutrition on the prognosis of severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) in obese patients. METHODS:A prospective randomized control trial including 156 patients with SAP was conducted. The patients were divided into 3 groups according to the nutrition style and the distribution of body mass index. The non-obese patients (group A, n=107) received conventional management and delayed enteral nutrition, whereas the obese patients (body mass index ≥25 kg/m2) were randomized into 2 groups: the patients in group B (n=22) received conventional management and delayed enteral nutrition, and the patients in group C (n=27) received conventional management plus early enteral nutrition. The Ranson score and APACHE-II score of the patients were recorded. The local and systemic complications and case fatality were analyzed. RESULTS:The Ranson score in group B was significantly higher than that in group A (P<0.05), and no significant difference of the Ranson score or APACHE-II score on admission between group B and group C was observed (P>0.05). The rate of the patients developing local complications (pancreatic necrosis, pancreatic infection or abscess) and acute respiratory failure in group B was significantly higher than that in group A (P<0.05). The rate of pancreatic infection or abscess and acute respiratory failure in the patients was greatly reversed by early enternal nutrition in group C (P<0.05). The mortality in group B was significantly higher than that in group A (P<0.05), but it was reversed by early enteral nutrition in group C. The serum levels of CRP and TNF-α in group B were significantly higher than those in group A (P<0.05), and those were reversed by early enteral nutrition in group C. CONCLUSION:Early enteral nutrition in the early stage of SAP (within 48 h after admission) effectively prevents the obese patients from developing pancreatic infection or abscess and acute respiratory failure by reducing the circulating levels of proinflammatory cytokines.