Chronic diseases

15 minutes/week sunlight exposure decreases risk of Parkinson's disease

Objectives:
Is there an association between vitamin D and Parkinson's disease risk?

Study design:
This review article included 8 studies.

Results and conclusions:
The investigators found when compared with normal controls, 25-hydroxyvitamin D insufficiency (30 ng/mL) significantly increased risk of Parkinson's disease with 77% [OR = 1.77, 95% CI = 1.29 to 2.43, p 0.001].

3 cups/d coffee consumption reduce risk of all-cause mortality

Objectives:
Previous meta-analysis showed an inverse association between coffee consumption and all-cause mortality. However, the relationship between caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee consumption and all-cause mortality is inconsistent. Therefore, this review article has been conducted.

Do both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee consumption reduce all-cause mortality?

Higher hemoglobin levels decrease transfusion risk in predialysis patients with CKD

Objectives:
Anemia is one of the major complications in predialysis patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). A clearer cognition of the prognostic impact of hemoglobin (Hb) or hematocrit (Hct) target on the outcomes of predialysis patients with CKD is significant. Therefore, this review article (meta-analysis) has been conducted.

Does higher hemoglobin levels decrease transfusion risk in predialysis patients with CKD?

10-40 g/day dietary fiber intake reduce diverticular disease risk

Objectives:
A high intake of dietary fibre has been associated with a reduced risk of diverticular disease in several studies. However, the dose-response relationship between fibre intake and diverticular disease risk has varied and the available studies have not been summarised in a meta-analysis yet. Therefore, this review article (meta-analysis) has been conducted.

Is there a dose-response relationship between fibre intake and reduced risk of diverticular disease?

Plasma creatinine seems to be a promising prognostic biomarker for ALS

Objectives:
Plasma creatinine has been described as a prognostic biomarker for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), but with conflicting results in the literature. Therefore, this review article (meta-analysis) has been conducted.

Does a high plasma creatinine concentration reduce risk of ALS?

Study design:
This review article included 14 distinct cohorts (19 studies).

≥12 weeks of L-carnitine supplements reduce inflammation

Objectives:
Has L-carnitine supplementation positive effects on inflammatory mediators including C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6)?

Study design:
This review article included 13 RCTs.

Results and conclusions:
The investigators found L-carnitine supplementation was significantly associated with lower levels of CRP in comparison to controls [WMD = -1.23 mg/L, 95% CI = -1.73 to -0.72 mg/dL, p  0.0001].