Tag: pubmed

Drugs Aging. 2026 Aug 4. doi: 10.1007/s40266-026-01326-5. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Polypharmacy is a known risk factor for adverse outcomes during stroke rehabilitation; however, evidence is limited on whether nutritional status modifies this association. This study investigated whether the association between polypharmacy and functional recovery in patients after stroke differed according to body mass index (BMI), an anthropometric indicator related to nutritional status.

METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included patients with stroke admitted to a convalescent rehabilitation ward in Japan between January 2015 and December 2024. Patients with cerebral infarction, intracerebral hemorrhage, or subarachnoid hemorrhage were eligible. Polypharmacy was defined as the prescription of five or more medications at admission. Patients were classified by BMI according to the criteria of the Japan Society for the Study of Obesity: underweight (< 18.5 kg/m²), normal weight (18.5 to < 25.0 kg/m²), and obese (≥ 25.0 kg/m²). The primary outcome was the functional independence measure (FIM)-motor score at discharge, and secondary outcomes were the FIM-cognitive score at discharge and home discharge. Multivariable regression analyses were used to evaluate whether BMI category modified the association between polypharmacy and each outcome.

RESULTS: Among 1245 patients (median age, 75 years; 54.3% men), a significant negative interaction between polypharmacy and underweight status was observed for the FIM-motor score at discharge (B = – 4.396, 95% CI – 8.693 to – 0.100). In the underweight group, patients with polypharmacy had significantly lower adjusted FIM-motor scores than those without (65.3 versus 69.8; p = 0.020). No significant association between polypharmacy and functional recovery was found in the normal-weight or obese groups. Polypharmacy was not associated with FIM-cognitive scores or home discharge rates in any BMI category.

CONCLUSIONS: Polypharmacy was associated with modestly poorer activities of daily living at discharge primarily among underweight patients after stroke. These findings suggest that BMI category may help identify patients who could benefit from closer medication assessment, although the clinical magnitude of the association was limited.

PMID:42550458 | DOI:10.1007/s40266-026-01326-5

Sante Ment Que. 2026 Spring-Summer;51(2):31-51.

ABSTRACT

Objective Several factors can contribute to the recovery of people living with schizophrenia. According to service users living with schizophrenia, spirituality would be an important element in their recovery journey. Spirituality could serve as a coping mechanism to manage psychological stress. The objective of this exploratory study was to examine the relationship between spirituality and cortisol, a stress biomarker, among people living with schizophrenia compared to the general population. Method Participants were drawn from the Signature Project of the Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Montréal (IUSMM). The sample included 94 people living with schizophrenia and 95 control participants. Linear regressions were performed to examine the association between spirituality and cortisol. Results Individuals with schizophrenia accorded greater importance to spirituality than control participants, with a medium to large effect size. Spirituality was more important for women than men, regardless of the group. No significant differences were observed in cortisol concentrations. Lastly, spirituality had no effect on cortisol levels in either group. Bayesian analyses confirmed that the absence of effect was real and not due to a lack of statistical power. Conclusion This study highlights the clinical relevance and importance of integrating the perspective of those directly involved by confirming that people living with schizophrenia place great importance on spirituality. Furthermore, the findings suggest that the role played by spirituality in the recovery of people living with schizophrenia does not rely on a physiological mechanism. Therefore, it would be pertinent to explore the relationship between spirituality and other dimensions of recovery, such as psychological, social or cognitive aspects. A better understanding of the role of spirituality in the recovery of people living with schizophrenia would provide a better comprehension of how to mobilize it to support service users in their ongoing journey.

PMID:42550433

Dokl Biol Sci. 2026 Aug 3. doi: 10.1134/S0012496626600314. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Circadian rhythm disruption is a risk factor for metabolic and age-associated diseases. The liver is a key target of such desynchronosis. The effect of chronic continuous light exposure and the corrective effect of melatonin on the liver status were investigated in rats. Desynchronosis mediated by melatonin deficiency was shown to induce the formation of a pro-senescent and metabolically dysfunctional liver phenotype. Melatonin administration significantly reduced the severity of the identified disorders and prevented statistically significant deviations in most of the parameters under study. The results, together with previous data on ultrastructural damage to hepatocytes and a negative impact of desynchronosis on lifespan, indicate that chronic continuous light exposure is a significant pro-gerontological factor and that melatonin is an effective agent for correcting the associated disturbances of liver homeostasis.

PMID:42550425 | DOI:10.1134/S0012496626600314

Dokl Biol Sci. 2026 Aug 3. doi: 10.1134/S001249662660034X. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The contents of total lipids (TL) and individual lipid classes were studied in the mantle, foot, and hepatopancreas of the freshwater pearl mussel Margaritifera margaritifera from eight northwestern Russian rivers belonging to the White and Barents Sea basins. Tissue specificity of the lipid composition was observed in the studied tissues; i.e., the hepatopancreas had several times higher contents of TL and dominant lipid classes. A predominance of triacylglycerols among energetic lipids in the hepatopancreas was a distinctive feature of pearl mussels from the Lotta, Sredniy Verman, Mashjoki, and Nautsiyoki rivers, whereas cholesterol esters predominated in mussels from the rivers of the Pyaozero water system, which is further south. Furthermore, the cholesterol/phospholipid ratio (an indicator of the structural and functional state of membranes and a marker of temperature adaptation) was the highest in pearl mussels from the Lotta, Sredniy Verman, Mashjoki, and Nautsiyoki rivers. This may be related to corresponding adaptive changes associated with preparation for the winter period, given a more northern location of the rivers. The results of lipid status analysis in pearl mussels from different habitats may be useful for monitoring studies aimed at preserving and restoring populations of the species in the wild.

PMID:42550423 | DOI:10.1134/S001249662660034X

Ophthalmic Physiol Opt. 2026 Aug 4. doi: 10.1007/s44402-026-00161-w. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To evaluate accommodative amplitude (AA), accommodative lag (LAG) and defocus curve (DC) metrics in phakic adults aged 45-65 years, and investigate their relationships.

METHODS: Observational cross-sectional study including 77 subjects stratified into four age groups (G1-G4: 45-50, 51-55, 56-60 and 61-65 years, respectively). AA was measured using the push-up method and LAG at 40 cm and 66 cm using an open-field autorefractometer. Monocular DC were obtained and two summary metrics derived: area under the curve (AUC) and defocus cut-off at 0.20 logMAR. Differences among age groups were analysed using appropriate statistical tests, and regression models evaluated the predictive value of age and defocus cut-off for AA.

RESULTS: AA decreased significantly with age (G1-G4: 2.41 ± 0.53, 2.13 ± 0.63, 1.61 ± 0.44 and 1.75 ± 0.73 D; p < 0.001), with higher values in younger (45-55 years) compared with older subjects (56-65 years) and no significant differences within each age cluster. LAG remained stable at both 40 cm (p = 0.27) and 66 cm (p = 0.50). DC metrics showed significant age-related changes, with reduced AUC and less defocus cut-off values in older groups (p < 0.001). AUC differed significantly between G1 and G4 and between G2 and G4, whereas defocus cut-off differed only between G2 and G4. Age (R² = 0.22) and defocus cut-off (R² = 0.09) had limited predictive value for AA.

CONCLUSION: AA and DC metrics decline with age, whereas LAG remains stable. Their weak association suggests that they reflect partially distinct aspects of visual function. DC analysis captures aspects of functional near visual performance that are not fully reflected by accommodative measurements alone, which may be useful for a more comprehensive characterisation of presbyopic visual function and for the evaluation of presbyopia-correcting interventions.

PMID:42550417 | DOI:10.1007/s44402-026-00161-w

Clin Exp Nephrol. 2026 Aug 4. doi: 10.1007/s10157-026-02908-8. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Although depression is common among patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), its impact on the incidence of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) and all-cause mortality remains unclear.

METHODS: This retrospective cohort study used Cox proportional hazards (CPH) models and CPH models with penalized splines to assess the association between depression severity and the incidence of ESKD and mortality in patients with CKD, drawing on data from the Chronic Kidney Disease Japan Cohort (CKD-JAC) Study.

RESULTS: This study included 1,694 patients with CKD (median age 61 years; mean eGFR 29.0 ± 12.2 mL/min/1.73 m²; median Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) score 8). Depression severity was classified into four categories: normal (0-13), mild (14-19), moderate (20-28), and severe (≥ 29). In Multivariable CPH models, ESKD risk showed a stepwise elevation in hazard ratios (HRs) without reaching statistical significance, whereas, mortality risk increased significantly in the moderate and severe group: HR 3.11 (95%CI 1.61-6.03) and 3.51 (1.40-8.80). Additionally, CPH models demonstrated a dose-dependent association between BDI-II categories and the incidence of both ESKD and mortality. CPH Models with penalized splines further revealed a gradual increase in ESKD risk, and a J-shaped association in mortality risk.

CONCLUSION: Depression severity showed dose-dependent associations with increased the incidence of ESKD and mortality in patients with CKD. Although mortality risk was significantly higher in the moderate and severe groups (BDI-II score ≥ 20), the stepwise elevation in ESKD risk did not reach statistical significance, and an optimal threshold for ESKD risk could not be identified.

PMID:42550412 | DOI:10.1007/s10157-026-02908-8

Front Surg. 2026 Jul 20;13:1888316. doi: 10.3389/fsurg.2026.1888316. eCollection 2026.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Degenerative lumbar disease surgery is associated with perioperative blood loss, tissue injury, postoperative immobility, and activation of hemostatic pathways. Although venous thromboembolism after spine surgery has been investigated extensively, less attention has been given to the integrated perioperative shift of routine hematologic and coagulation markers in degenerative lumbar surgery.

METHODS: This single-center retrospective observational study consecutively included patients undergoing surgery for degenerative lumbar disease at Beijing Luhe Hospital, Capital Medical University, between January 1, 2021 and December 31, 2022. After source verification and construction of the locked patient-level analytic cohort, 143 patients were included. Paired preoperative and postoperative day 1 hematologic and coagulation markers were analyzed. Postoperative lower-limb venous thrombosis status was available for 142 patients and was ascertained by clinical records and routine bilateral lower-limb venous ultrasonography, usually performed after drainage tube removal on postoperative day 2 or 3. Thrombosis-stratified comparisons, descriptive ROC analyses, and limited Firth logistic regression were performed only as exploratory and hypothesis-generating analyses.

RESULTS: Ten asymptomatic calf muscular vein thromboses were recorded among 142 patients with available thrombosis status, corresponding to an event rate of 7.0%, and no pulmonary embolism was recorded. Core paired laboratory analyses included 143 preoperative and postoperative day 1 pairs. Hb decreased from 141.00 to 115.00 g/L, HCT from 0.42 to 0.34, and PLT from 216.00 to 201.00 × 10^9/L. APTT shortened from 29.40 to 25.90 s, whereas FIB increased from 2.85 to 3.45 g/L and D-dimer from 0.08 to 0.53 μg/mL DDU; all paired comparisons were statistically significant. In exploratory thrombosis-stratified analyses, patients with ultrasound-detected asymptomatic calf muscular vein thrombosis had higher postoperative D-dimer than those without thrombosis, 1.16 vs. 0.51 μg/mL DDU, lower postoperative APTT, 24.35 vs. 26.00 s, and lower postoperative AT-III, 88.50% vs. 99.00%. In a descriptive ROC analysis, postoperative D-dimer yielded an AUC of 0.715 with bootstrap 95% CI 0.533-0.905.

CONCLUSIONS: Routine laboratory markers demonstrated expected perioperative hematologic and coagulation shifts after surgery for degenerative lumbar disease. Exploratory differences in postoperative D-dimer, APTT, and AT-III among patients with ultrasound-detected asymptomatic calf muscular vein thrombosis require prospective validation and are not sufficient for screening, risk stratification, threshold derivation, or prophylaxis decisions.

PMID:42549008 | PMC:PMC13430305 | DOI:10.3389/fsurg.2026.1888316

Pulm Circ. 2026 Aug 3;16(3):e70376. doi: 10.1002/pul2.70376. eCollection 2026 Jul.

ABSTRACT

The gut microbiota has been implicated in pulmonary vascular diseases, yet a direct causal link to pulmonary embolism (PE) remains unestablished. This study aimed to investigate the causal effects of gut microbiota on PE and to explore the mediating role of circulating metabolites in this relationship. We performed a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis using summary statistics from large-scale genome-wide association studies. The gut microbiota data were sourced from the MiBioGen consortium, PE data from the FinnGen consortium (R10), and metabolite data from a meta-analysis of 136,016 participants. The inverse variance weighting method was used as the primary analytical approach, supplemented by sensitivity analyzes to ensure robustness. At the nominal level (p < 0.05), 12 gut microbial taxa showed suggestive associations with PE. Among these, genera LachnospiraceaeUCG010 and Defluviitaleaceae showed protective effects, while Subdoligranulum, Lentisphaerae, and Erysipelatoclostridium were associated with increased risk. In contrast, 26 circulating metabolites exhibited robust causal associations with PE, with several surviving Bonferroni correction. Mediation analyzes further revealed that specific metabolites, including histidine, triglycerides in small HDL, and docosahexaenoic acid ratio, significantly mediated the suggestive effects of nominal microbial taxa on PE risk, identifying potential metabolic pathways in the gut-vascular axis. This study generates hypothesis-generating evidence for the gut-pulmonary vascular axis, with identified metabolic mediators warranting further experimental validation. The potential effects of gut microbiota on PE provide exploratory leads for future mechanistic studies. These findings highlight the gut-pulmonary vascular axis as a potential target for novel preventive and therapeutic strategies against PE.

PMID:42549004 | PMC:PMC13430573 | DOI:10.1002/pul2.70376

Curr Res Parasitol Vector Borne Dis. 2026 Jul 22;10:100418. doi: 10.1016/j.crpvbd.2026.100418. eCollection 2026.

ABSTRACT

Canine leishmaniasis (CanL) is a zoonotic vector-borne disease caused by Leishmania infantum, with dogs acting as the main reservoir for human infection. Reliable serological assessment is essential for disease surveillance and control. This study describes the development and validation of LeishmaCHECK Ab ELISA, a new rapid qualitative and semi-quantitative assay for the detection of anti-L. infantum antibodies in canine serum. Cut-off values were established using multiple statistical approaches, including Youden’s index and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. The assay was evaluated on 552 canine samples (313 positives, 206 negatives, 33 borderline), using IFAT as the reference serological method. LeishmaCHECK Ab ELISA showed excellent agreement with IFAT (Cohen’s kappa of 0.93), achieving a relative sensitivity of 95.2% and a relative specificity of up to 99.5%. Comparative analyses also demonstrated superior diagnostic performance compared with other commercially available ELISA tests. These findings indicate that LeishmaCHECK Ab ELISA represents a reliable alternative tool for the serological screening of canine leishmaniasis.

PMID:42548988 | PMC:PMC13430192 | DOI:10.1016/j.crpvbd.2026.100418

J Plast Reconstr Surg. 2025 Nov 21;5(4):257-264. doi: 10.53045/jprs.2025-0054. eCollection 2026 Jul 27.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: The nose is the most prominent part of the face. The postoperative evaluation of the nose is vital to check if the desired surgical result was achieved. The scarcity of standardized scales/scores for nasal assessment inspired us to develop an entirely new scoring system (Surendrakumar and Sukhen Nasal After Rhinoplasty Evaluation Score [SSNARES]), which is universally applicable to people of all ethnic groups, ages, and genders, and yields a valid, reliable result.

METHODS: SSNARES consists of a questionnaire of 10 parameters that assesses the nose aesthetically, functionally, and psychologically. Patient’s responses are graded between 0-4 scores per parameter. The addition of all scores yields the final score, which is correlated with a satisfaction grade (a quantitative measure of patient satisfaction after surgery). SSNARES was thoroughly analyzed by an interdisciplinary panel of experts and underwent stringent statistical analysis to prove its validity and reliability upon pilot testing on 20 patients.

RESULTS: The item content validity index and score content validity index of SSNARES were both 1 (excellent). Bartlett’s Test of Sphericity showed a p-value of <0.001, indicating a highly significant test. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin test value for the overall score is >0.9 (marvelous category). The construct validity of SSNARES was tested by exploratory factor analysis, and questions with loadings >0.4 were considered significant to represent a specific factor. The confirmatory factor analysis of SSNARES showed a p-value of <0.001, indicating a high significance level and strong correlation. The Cronbach’s α coefficient of SSNARES is 0.9646, which highlights excellent reliability.

CONCLUSIONS: This cost-effective, efficient, easy-to-use, patient-oriented new score will be of prime significance for patients, clinicians, and researchers for score computation, decision-making for reintervention, and research purposes.

PMID:42548981 | PMC:PMC13430236 | DOI:10.53045/jprs.2025-0054