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Men, Women, & Exercise: How Metabolism Differs
TOPLINE:
METHODOLOGY:
- By stimulating skeletal muscle, exercise can help prevent muscle loss associated with weight loss and improve insulin sensitivity and glucose control in type 2 diabetes, but biological sex-based differences have been reported for many measures.
- This study of sedentary men and women evaluated the molecular differences in skeletal muscle in response to a training program.
- Researchers collected muscle biopsies from 16 women and nine men with overweight or obesity (average age, 30 years) at three time points — baseline, after the first exercise session, and after the last session at the end of training.
- Training involved 1 hour of moderate to intense endurance exercise under supervision (30 minutes cycling on an ergometer and 30 minutes walking on a treadmill) thrice a week for 8 weeks.
- The biopsies were profiled for patterns of three sets of omics data — DNA methylation for insight into genes switched on and off (epigenomics), RNA molecules transcribed from genes (transcriptomics), and proteins (proteomics).
TAKEAWAY:
- At baseline, sex-specific differences were observed most tellingly in 120 proteins and also in DNA methylation sites of 16,012 genes and in 1366 RNA transcripts.
- Men displayed a higher abundance of glycolysis-related proteins and other fast-twitch fiber–type proteins, which are involved in the processing of glucose, while women showed more proteins responsible for regulating fatty acid metabolism.
- The response to the first exercise session differed between men and women, with the cellular stress response upregulated predominantly in men.
- The 8-week exercise training mitigated these sex-specific differences in the skeletal muscle, leading to an upregulation of mitochondrial proteins responsible for substrate oxidation and ATP generation in both men and women.
IN PRACTICE:
“This is important because the increased capacity after exercise to use glucose and lipids for energy production is generally regarded as key to prevent type 2 diabetes,” study leader Professor Cora Weigert from the University of Tübingen, Germany, said in a news release from the meeting organizers. “While initial response of skeletal muscles to exercise differs between females and males, repeated exercise appears to cancel out these differences and trigger beneficial metabolic changes in both sexes,” she added.
SOURCE:
The study was led by Simon I. Dreher, PhD, Institute for Clinical Chemistry and Pathobiochemistry, Department for Diagnostic Laboratory Medicine, Tübingen, Germany. It was published on August 15, 2024, as an early release from the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes 2024, Madrid, September 9-13.
LIMITATIONS:
This abstract did not discuss any limitations.
DISCLOSURES:
The authors did not disclose any funding information. The authors declared no relevant conflicts of interest.
This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication. A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.
TOPLINE:
METHODOLOGY:
- By stimulating skeletal muscle, exercise can help prevent muscle loss associated with weight loss and improve insulin sensitivity and glucose control in type 2 diabetes, but biological sex-based differences have been reported for many measures.
- This study of sedentary men and women evaluated the molecular differences in skeletal muscle in response to a training program.
- Researchers collected muscle biopsies from 16 women and nine men with overweight or obesity (average age, 30 years) at three time points — baseline, after the first exercise session, and after the last session at the end of training.
- Training involved 1 hour of moderate to intense endurance exercise under supervision (30 minutes cycling on an ergometer and 30 minutes walking on a treadmill) thrice a week for 8 weeks.
- The biopsies were profiled for patterns of three sets of omics data — DNA methylation for insight into genes switched on and off (epigenomics), RNA molecules transcribed from genes (transcriptomics), and proteins (proteomics).
TAKEAWAY:
- At baseline, sex-specific differences were observed most tellingly in 120 proteins and also in DNA methylation sites of 16,012 genes and in 1366 RNA transcripts.
- Men displayed a higher abundance of glycolysis-related proteins and other fast-twitch fiber–type proteins, which are involved in the processing of glucose, while women showed more proteins responsible for regulating fatty acid metabolism.
- The response to the first exercise session differed between men and women, with the cellular stress response upregulated predominantly in men.
- The 8-week exercise training mitigated these sex-specific differences in the skeletal muscle, leading to an upregulation of mitochondrial proteins responsible for substrate oxidation and ATP generation in both men and women.
IN PRACTICE:
“This is important because the increased capacity after exercise to use glucose and lipids for energy production is generally regarded as key to prevent type 2 diabetes,” study leader Professor Cora Weigert from the University of Tübingen, Germany, said in a news release from the meeting organizers. “While initial response of skeletal muscles to exercise differs between females and males, repeated exercise appears to cancel out these differences and trigger beneficial metabolic changes in both sexes,” she added.
SOURCE:
The study was led by Simon I. Dreher, PhD, Institute for Clinical Chemistry and Pathobiochemistry, Department for Diagnostic Laboratory Medicine, Tübingen, Germany. It was published on August 15, 2024, as an early release from the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes 2024, Madrid, September 9-13.
LIMITATIONS:
This abstract did not discuss any limitations.
DISCLOSURES:
The authors did not disclose any funding information. The authors declared no relevant conflicts of interest.
This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication. A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.
TOPLINE:
METHODOLOGY:
- By stimulating skeletal muscle, exercise can help prevent muscle loss associated with weight loss and improve insulin sensitivity and glucose control in type 2 diabetes, but biological sex-based differences have been reported for many measures.
- This study of sedentary men and women evaluated the molecular differences in skeletal muscle in response to a training program.
- Researchers collected muscle biopsies from 16 women and nine men with overweight or obesity (average age, 30 years) at three time points — baseline, after the first exercise session, and after the last session at the end of training.
- Training involved 1 hour of moderate to intense endurance exercise under supervision (30 minutes cycling on an ergometer and 30 minutes walking on a treadmill) thrice a week for 8 weeks.
- The biopsies were profiled for patterns of three sets of omics data — DNA methylation for insight into genes switched on and off (epigenomics), RNA molecules transcribed from genes (transcriptomics), and proteins (proteomics).
TAKEAWAY:
- At baseline, sex-specific differences were observed most tellingly in 120 proteins and also in DNA methylation sites of 16,012 genes and in 1366 RNA transcripts.
- Men displayed a higher abundance of glycolysis-related proteins and other fast-twitch fiber–type proteins, which are involved in the processing of glucose, while women showed more proteins responsible for regulating fatty acid metabolism.
- The response to the first exercise session differed between men and women, with the cellular stress response upregulated predominantly in men.
- The 8-week exercise training mitigated these sex-specific differences in the skeletal muscle, leading to an upregulation of mitochondrial proteins responsible for substrate oxidation and ATP generation in both men and women.
IN PRACTICE:
“This is important because the increased capacity after exercise to use glucose and lipids for energy production is generally regarded as key to prevent type 2 diabetes,” study leader Professor Cora Weigert from the University of Tübingen, Germany, said in a news release from the meeting organizers. “While initial response of skeletal muscles to exercise differs between females and males, repeated exercise appears to cancel out these differences and trigger beneficial metabolic changes in both sexes,” she added.
SOURCE:
The study was led by Simon I. Dreher, PhD, Institute for Clinical Chemistry and Pathobiochemistry, Department for Diagnostic Laboratory Medicine, Tübingen, Germany. It was published on August 15, 2024, as an early release from the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes 2024, Madrid, September 9-13.
LIMITATIONS:
This abstract did not discuss any limitations.
DISCLOSURES:
The authors did not disclose any funding information. The authors declared no relevant conflicts of interest.
This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication. A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.
Infection Co-occurring With Lupus Raises Flare Risk
TOPLINE:
Intercurrent infections are associated with an increased risk for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) flares within 3 months, with major infections associated with a 7.4 times higher risk for major flares.
METHODOLOGY:
- The researchers prospectively examined the association between intercurrent infections and subsequent SLE flares in 203 patients (median age, 40 years; 91% women) with SLE from the Amsterdam SLE cohort study.
- SLE flares were defined as an increase in disease activity combined with an intensification of immunosuppressive therapy. They were categorized into minor and major flares according to the severity and required treatment.
- Major infections were defined as those requiring hospital admission or intravenous antibiotic therapy, while minor infections did not require hospital admission.
- The risk interval for the occurrence of a disease flare was defined as 3 months from the index date of an infection.
- Patients were followed for a median duration of 6 years.
TAKEAWAY:
- The incidence of major and minor infections was 5.3 (95% CI, 4.1-6.9) and 63.9 per 100 patient-years (95% CI, 59.3-69.0), respectively.
- Intercurrent infections were associated with a 1.9 times higher risk for SLE flares within 3 months (95% CI, 1.3-2.9).
- Intercurrent infections were significantly associated with minor SLE flares (hazard ratio, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.2-3.0) but not with major flares.
- Major infections were linked to a 7.4 times higher risk for major SLE flares within 3 months (95% CI, 2.2-24.6).
IN PRACTICE:
“This finding stresses the importance of awareness and strict monitoring of disease activity in patients with SLE suffering a major infection and prompt adequate treatment in case of the development of a disease flare,” the authors wrote.
SOURCE:
The study was led by Fatma el Hadiyen, Amsterdam Rheumatology and Immunology Center, Amsterdam University Medical Center in the Netherlands. It was published online on July 1, 2024, in Lupus Science & Medicine.
LIMITATIONS:
The reliance on patient recall for minor infections may have introduced recall bias. The small number of patients with identified causative organisms limited the generalizability of the findings. The Bootsma criteria were used for defining SLE flares, which may not align with more recent international standards.
DISCLOSURES:
No specific funding source was reported. One author reported receiving personal fees from various pharmaceutical companies outside the submitted work.
This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication. A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.
TOPLINE:
Intercurrent infections are associated with an increased risk for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) flares within 3 months, with major infections associated with a 7.4 times higher risk for major flares.
METHODOLOGY:
- The researchers prospectively examined the association between intercurrent infections and subsequent SLE flares in 203 patients (median age, 40 years; 91% women) with SLE from the Amsterdam SLE cohort study.
- SLE flares were defined as an increase in disease activity combined with an intensification of immunosuppressive therapy. They were categorized into minor and major flares according to the severity and required treatment.
- Major infections were defined as those requiring hospital admission or intravenous antibiotic therapy, while minor infections did not require hospital admission.
- The risk interval for the occurrence of a disease flare was defined as 3 months from the index date of an infection.
- Patients were followed for a median duration of 6 years.
TAKEAWAY:
- The incidence of major and minor infections was 5.3 (95% CI, 4.1-6.9) and 63.9 per 100 patient-years (95% CI, 59.3-69.0), respectively.
- Intercurrent infections were associated with a 1.9 times higher risk for SLE flares within 3 months (95% CI, 1.3-2.9).
- Intercurrent infections were significantly associated with minor SLE flares (hazard ratio, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.2-3.0) but not with major flares.
- Major infections were linked to a 7.4 times higher risk for major SLE flares within 3 months (95% CI, 2.2-24.6).
IN PRACTICE:
“This finding stresses the importance of awareness and strict monitoring of disease activity in patients with SLE suffering a major infection and prompt adequate treatment in case of the development of a disease flare,” the authors wrote.
SOURCE:
The study was led by Fatma el Hadiyen, Amsterdam Rheumatology and Immunology Center, Amsterdam University Medical Center in the Netherlands. It was published online on July 1, 2024, in Lupus Science & Medicine.
LIMITATIONS:
The reliance on patient recall for minor infections may have introduced recall bias. The small number of patients with identified causative organisms limited the generalizability of the findings. The Bootsma criteria were used for defining SLE flares, which may not align with more recent international standards.
DISCLOSURES:
No specific funding source was reported. One author reported receiving personal fees from various pharmaceutical companies outside the submitted work.
This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication. A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.
TOPLINE:
Intercurrent infections are associated with an increased risk for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) flares within 3 months, with major infections associated with a 7.4 times higher risk for major flares.
METHODOLOGY:
- The researchers prospectively examined the association between intercurrent infections and subsequent SLE flares in 203 patients (median age, 40 years; 91% women) with SLE from the Amsterdam SLE cohort study.
- SLE flares were defined as an increase in disease activity combined with an intensification of immunosuppressive therapy. They were categorized into minor and major flares according to the severity and required treatment.
- Major infections were defined as those requiring hospital admission or intravenous antibiotic therapy, while minor infections did not require hospital admission.
- The risk interval for the occurrence of a disease flare was defined as 3 months from the index date of an infection.
- Patients were followed for a median duration of 6 years.
TAKEAWAY:
- The incidence of major and minor infections was 5.3 (95% CI, 4.1-6.9) and 63.9 per 100 patient-years (95% CI, 59.3-69.0), respectively.
- Intercurrent infections were associated with a 1.9 times higher risk for SLE flares within 3 months (95% CI, 1.3-2.9).
- Intercurrent infections were significantly associated with minor SLE flares (hazard ratio, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.2-3.0) but not with major flares.
- Major infections were linked to a 7.4 times higher risk for major SLE flares within 3 months (95% CI, 2.2-24.6).
IN PRACTICE:
“This finding stresses the importance of awareness and strict monitoring of disease activity in patients with SLE suffering a major infection and prompt adequate treatment in case of the development of a disease flare,” the authors wrote.
SOURCE:
The study was led by Fatma el Hadiyen, Amsterdam Rheumatology and Immunology Center, Amsterdam University Medical Center in the Netherlands. It was published online on July 1, 2024, in Lupus Science & Medicine.
LIMITATIONS:
The reliance on patient recall for minor infections may have introduced recall bias. The small number of patients with identified causative organisms limited the generalizability of the findings. The Bootsma criteria were used for defining SLE flares, which may not align with more recent international standards.
DISCLOSURES:
No specific funding source was reported. One author reported receiving personal fees from various pharmaceutical companies outside the submitted work.
This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication. A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.
Recurrent Monoarthritis: Does Microwave Ablation Help?
TOPLINE:
Microwave ablation reduces synovial hypertrophy, the number of monoarthritis attacks, and the need for intra-articular aspiration (IAA) in patients with recurrent monoarthritis, significantly improving functional disability and pain scores.
METHODOLOGY:
- Researchers conducted a prospective study to assess the long-term effects of microwave ablation as adjunct therapy in patients with various rheumatic diseases and recurrent monoarthritis resistant to medical treatment.
- Overall, 24 knee joints of 22 patients (10 women; 12 men; median age, 37 years) with recurrent monoarthritis were included.
- Microwave ablation (15 or 20 W) was performed until microbubbles indicating coagulation necrosis were observed.
- Patients underwent clinical and radiologic follow-up at 2 weeks and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months post procedure.
- Clinical follow-up included monitoring for remission or recurrence of monoarthritis and any complications.
TAKEAWAY:
- Microwave ablation significantly reduced the IAA count in the last 6 months before ablation from 129 (144 months total) to 7 in a total of 226 months post ablation (P < .001).
- Functional disability and pain scores improved significantly after microwave ablation, with median scores dropping from 9 to 1 (both P < .0001).
- No complications were observed during the procedure or follow-up, indicating the safety of microwave ablation.
- MRI findings showed a significant regression in synovial hypertrophy at 6 months post microwave ablation.
IN PRACTICE:
“Reducing the volume of intractable synovial hypertrophy by shrinking and inactivating with heat-based degradation by MWA [microwave ablation] makes it possible to avoid more systemic treatments or invasive approach and their possible side effects,” the authors wrote.
SOURCE:
The study was led by Rabia Deniz, MD, Department of Rheumatology, University of Health Sciences Başakşehir Çam and Sakura City Hospital in Istanbul, Turkey. It was published online in Rheumatology.
LIMITATIONS:
The relatively small sample size and enrollment of patients with heterogeneous severity and diagnosis of rheumatic diseases may limit the generalizability of the findings. Patient noncompliance with medical treatment and additional mechanical trauma to the targeted joints may have resulted in follow-up problems. The semiobjective evaluation of the ultrasonography and MRI findings with regard to the synovial hypertrophy volume was another limitation.
DISCLOSURES:
The study did not receive any specific funding. The authors declared no relevant conflicts of interest.
This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication. A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.
TOPLINE:
Microwave ablation reduces synovial hypertrophy, the number of monoarthritis attacks, and the need for intra-articular aspiration (IAA) in patients with recurrent monoarthritis, significantly improving functional disability and pain scores.
METHODOLOGY:
- Researchers conducted a prospective study to assess the long-term effects of microwave ablation as adjunct therapy in patients with various rheumatic diseases and recurrent monoarthritis resistant to medical treatment.
- Overall, 24 knee joints of 22 patients (10 women; 12 men; median age, 37 years) with recurrent monoarthritis were included.
- Microwave ablation (15 or 20 W) was performed until microbubbles indicating coagulation necrosis were observed.
- Patients underwent clinical and radiologic follow-up at 2 weeks and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months post procedure.
- Clinical follow-up included monitoring for remission or recurrence of monoarthritis and any complications.
TAKEAWAY:
- Microwave ablation significantly reduced the IAA count in the last 6 months before ablation from 129 (144 months total) to 7 in a total of 226 months post ablation (P < .001).
- Functional disability and pain scores improved significantly after microwave ablation, with median scores dropping from 9 to 1 (both P < .0001).
- No complications were observed during the procedure or follow-up, indicating the safety of microwave ablation.
- MRI findings showed a significant regression in synovial hypertrophy at 6 months post microwave ablation.
IN PRACTICE:
“Reducing the volume of intractable synovial hypertrophy by shrinking and inactivating with heat-based degradation by MWA [microwave ablation] makes it possible to avoid more systemic treatments or invasive approach and their possible side effects,” the authors wrote.
SOURCE:
The study was led by Rabia Deniz, MD, Department of Rheumatology, University of Health Sciences Başakşehir Çam and Sakura City Hospital in Istanbul, Turkey. It was published online in Rheumatology.
LIMITATIONS:
The relatively small sample size and enrollment of patients with heterogeneous severity and diagnosis of rheumatic diseases may limit the generalizability of the findings. Patient noncompliance with medical treatment and additional mechanical trauma to the targeted joints may have resulted in follow-up problems. The semiobjective evaluation of the ultrasonography and MRI findings with regard to the synovial hypertrophy volume was another limitation.
DISCLOSURES:
The study did not receive any specific funding. The authors declared no relevant conflicts of interest.
This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication. A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.
TOPLINE:
Microwave ablation reduces synovial hypertrophy, the number of monoarthritis attacks, and the need for intra-articular aspiration (IAA) in patients with recurrent monoarthritis, significantly improving functional disability and pain scores.
METHODOLOGY:
- Researchers conducted a prospective study to assess the long-term effects of microwave ablation as adjunct therapy in patients with various rheumatic diseases and recurrent monoarthritis resistant to medical treatment.
- Overall, 24 knee joints of 22 patients (10 women; 12 men; median age, 37 years) with recurrent monoarthritis were included.
- Microwave ablation (15 or 20 W) was performed until microbubbles indicating coagulation necrosis were observed.
- Patients underwent clinical and radiologic follow-up at 2 weeks and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months post procedure.
- Clinical follow-up included monitoring for remission or recurrence of monoarthritis and any complications.
TAKEAWAY:
- Microwave ablation significantly reduced the IAA count in the last 6 months before ablation from 129 (144 months total) to 7 in a total of 226 months post ablation (P < .001).
- Functional disability and pain scores improved significantly after microwave ablation, with median scores dropping from 9 to 1 (both P < .0001).
- No complications were observed during the procedure or follow-up, indicating the safety of microwave ablation.
- MRI findings showed a significant regression in synovial hypertrophy at 6 months post microwave ablation.
IN PRACTICE:
“Reducing the volume of intractable synovial hypertrophy by shrinking and inactivating with heat-based degradation by MWA [microwave ablation] makes it possible to avoid more systemic treatments or invasive approach and their possible side effects,” the authors wrote.
SOURCE:
The study was led by Rabia Deniz, MD, Department of Rheumatology, University of Health Sciences Başakşehir Çam and Sakura City Hospital in Istanbul, Turkey. It was published online in Rheumatology.
LIMITATIONS:
The relatively small sample size and enrollment of patients with heterogeneous severity and diagnosis of rheumatic diseases may limit the generalizability of the findings. Patient noncompliance with medical treatment and additional mechanical trauma to the targeted joints may have resulted in follow-up problems. The semiobjective evaluation of the ultrasonography and MRI findings with regard to the synovial hypertrophy volume was another limitation.
DISCLOSURES:
The study did not receive any specific funding. The authors declared no relevant conflicts of interest.
This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication. A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.