Unexpected effects of coffee consumption on liver enzymes

The effects of regular daily coffee consumption on liver enzymes were studied in a large number of subjects from the general population. In coffee drinkers, liver enzymes (gamma-glutamyl transferase, alkaine-amino transferase, and alkaline phosphatase) and serum bilirubin were lower than in non-coffee-drinking subjects or in those consuming less than 3 cups daily. The hypothesis proposed is that liver enzymes are a target for caffeine contained in coffee.     

Motor vehicle accidents: How should cirrhotic patients be managed?

Motor vehicle accidents (MVAs) are serious social issues worldwide and driver illness is an important cause of MVAs. Minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) is a complex cognitive dysfunction with attention deficit, which frequently occurs in cirrhotic patients independent of severity of liver disease. Although MHE is known as a risk factor for MVAs, the impact of diagnosis and treatment of MHE on MVA-related societal costs is largely unknown. Recently, Bajaj et al demonstrated valuable findings that the diagnosis of MHE by rapid screening using the inhibitory control test (ICT), and subsequent treatment with lactulose could substantially reduce the societal costs by preventing MVAs. Besides the ICT and lactulose, there are various diagnostic tools and therapeutic strategies for MHE. In this commentary, we discussed a current issue of diagnostic tools for MHE, including neuropsychological tests. We also discussed the advantages of the other therapeutic strategies for MHE, such as intake of a regular breakfast and coffee, and supplementation with zinc and branched chain amino acids, on the MVA-related societal costs.     

咖啡摄入与尿石症发病风险的Meta分析

目的探讨饮用咖啡与尿石症发生风险的关系。方法计算机检索数据Pub Med、EMBASE、Web of science、Cochhrane Library、万方、维普,收集关于饮用咖啡与尿石症发生风险关系的观察性研究。两名研究员按纳入与排除标准独立筛选文献、提取资料后,应用STATA 11.0软件进行统计分析,并且分析了咖啡摄入与尿石症之间的剂量效应关系。结果共纳入文献6篇,其中队列研究2篇,病例对照研究4篇。Meta分析结果显示咖啡摄入可降低尿石症发生的风险(RR=0.70,95%CI=0.60～0.82)。剂量效应分析也显示了相同的结果。亚组分析结果显示,饮用咖啡的女性尿石症发生风险降低,不同地区的人群饮用咖啡对于降低尿石症风险的程度有差异。结论通过现有文献的Meta分析,饮用咖啡能降低尿石症发生的风险。     

Fate and distribution of kynurenic acid administered as beverage

Background

Kynurenic acid (KYNA) is a biologically active metabolite of tryptophan exerting action on several receptors located in the brain and periphery. KYNA can be synthesized endogenously or supplied in the diet. It was documented that KYNA is present in various types of food. However, its presence in beverages was not yet investigated. Here, we measured content of KYNA in tea and coffee as well as analyzed distribution and fate of intragastrically administered labelled KYNA in mice.