Background Honey has been used in medicine since ancient times. Limited reports are available to indicate its antibacterial, antiviral, and antidiarrheal properties. This study aimed to determine the effect of honey on acute diarrhea in children.
Methods This randomized clinical trial included 80 children with acute diarrhea. Forty children received honey and zinc gluconate (trial group) and 40 received only zinc gluconate (control group). After treatment, vomiting/diarrhea duration, the recovery time, and the duration of hospitalization were compared between the groups.
Results Among the 40 children in the trial group, 19 were male and 21 were female. In the control group, 25 children were male and 15 female (P=0.26). After initiating treatment, the duration of diarrhea, recovery time, and the duration of hospitalization was significantly shorter in the trial group than in the control group (P<0.05).
Conclusion This study showed that honey with zinc gluconate reduces the duration of diarrhea, accelerates the recovery time, and shortens the duration of hospitalization.
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Methods We included 56 participants aged older than 20 years who voluntarily sought weight reduction treatment and met the inclusion criterion of body mass index of 23 kg/m2 or greater. Intra-abdominal visceral adipose tissue was measured by computed tomography imaging, while the copper and zinc levels were measured by hair mineral analysis. Using multiple linear regression analysis, we examined the associations between the neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio and the copper–zinc ratio.
Results The mean age, body mass index, and visceral adipose tissue were 46.0±10.5 years, 29.0±4.1 kg/cm2 , and 142.9±68.8 cm2 , respectively. Pearson’s correlation analysis revealed the association of the neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio with copper level (r=0.475, P<0.001) and copper–zinc ratio (r=0.494, P<0.001). After adjusting for confounding variables, we found the neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio was significantly associated with the level of copper and the copper–zinc ratio in hair (regression coefficient: 0.055±0.015; P<0.001 and regression coefficient: 0.761±0.185; P<0.001, respectively).
Conclusion A higher copper–zinc ratio in hair is positively and independently associated with the neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio. Thus, a high hair copper–zinc ratio could be a useful parameter for oxidative burden of individuals predisposed to obesity-related comorbidity.
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Background Breast cancer is the one of the commonly diagnosed female cancer in Korea. Numerous factors have been noted to be associated with risk of breast cancer: body mass index, menarche, menopause, family history, pregnancy and delivery, breastfeeding, alcohol use, smoking habits, diet, education and use of oral contraceptives. Little is known about hair minerals in breast cancer patient and about correlation between hair minerals and body mass index. Methods: We compared hair mineral analysis data of 37 breast cancer subject with age and body mass index-matched normal control data (N = 144) by cross-sectional analysis. All breast cancer patients were newly diagnosed at one Breast Cancer Center in Ajou University and had their hair cut before anti-cancer chemotherapy, and the normal controls (without breast cancer) also had their hair cut for various reasons in out-patient clinics of the Department of Family Practice and Community Health. Results: Breast cancer patients had low calcium, magnesium, and zinc, whereas they had high arsenic, sodium, and potassium compared with the normal controls. Only hair zinc level had significant negative correlation with body mass index (r = -0.705, P < 0.001) in breast cancer patients, not in normal controls. Conclusion: We observed the difference of hair mineral patterns in newly diagnosed breast cancer patients compared to normal controls and the correlation between these minerals and body mass index in breast cancer patient. Especially hair zinc concentration was significantly reduced and had significant negative correlation with body mass index in breast cancer patients.
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