Previous randomized controlled trials (RCTs) made direct comparisons between EPA/DHA versus ALA on improving cardiovascular risk factors and have reached inconsistent findings.

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To evaluate the associations of serum uric acid (UA), urea nitrogen (UN), and urine specific gravity (USG) levels in the first trimester of pregnancy with the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Patients and Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted in 1,769 pregnant women aged 31.55 ± 3.91 years. UA, UN, and USG levels were measured during the 16-18th week of gestation. GDM was diagnosed by an oral 75 g glucose tolerance test during the 24-28th week of gestation. Results: A multivariate adjusted logistic regression analysis showed that UA levels in the highest quartile increased the risk of GDM by 55.7% (odds ratio [OR]: 1.557, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.055-2.298; p = 0.026) compared to those in the lowest quartile. USG levels in the second, third, and fourth quartiles increased the risk of GDM by 67.6% (95% CI: 1.090-2.421), 112.4% (95% CI: 1.446-3.119), and 94.5% (95% CI: 1.314-2.880), respectively, compared to those in the first quartile (p trend = 0.001). No significant association between UN levels and the GDM risk was observed. When the extreme composite biomarker score quartiles were compared, the adjusted OR (95% CI) for GDM was 1.909 (95% CI: 1.332-2.736). Age-stratified analyses revealed similar results in women aged ≤35 years only, but not in those aged >35 years. Conclusion: Higher levels of UA and USG and a higher composite kidney function biomarker score during the 16-18th week of gestation were positively and independently associated with an increased risk of GDM.

Evidence from animal models supports a link between short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), a key subset of gut microbial metabolites, and autism spectrum disorders (ASD). However, findings from human studies on this topic are unclear. We aimed to investigate whether fecal SCFAs are associated with ASD in Chinese children aged 6–9 years old. A total of 45 ASD children aged 6–9 years and 90 sex- and age-matched neurotypical controls were enrolled. High-performance liquid chromatography was applied to quantify 10 SCFA subtypes in feces. Dietary and other socio-demographic information were obtained via face-to-face interview using questionnaires. After adjustment for multiple comparisons, paired t-test analysis indicated that the fecal total and subtype SCFA concentrations were comparable in autistic children and the controls. Conditional logistic regression analysis showed that there was no significant relationship between the fecal concentration of SCFAs and the risk of ASD after adjustment for age, sex, BMI, breastfeeding, mode of delivery, parental education level, and daily energy, protein, fat, and fiber intake. In conclusion, our results did not support the hypothesis that fecal SCFA levels might be associated with the presence of ASD. However, SCFA measurement was based on a single stool sample test, so this conclusion should be treated with caution. Further studies with measurement of long-term bodily SCFA concentrations are needed to examine this relationship.

Background To examine the association of hemoglobin (Hb) levels during gestation with the risk of selected adverse pregnancy outcomes such as preterm birth (PTB), low-birth-weight infants (LBW) and small-for-gestational-age infants (SGA) in Chinese women. Methods This retrospective cohort study was conducted in the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics at the Union Shenzhen Hospital of the Huazhong University of Science and Technology, using routinely collected maternity and hospital data on pregnancies (2015–2018). Hb levels were measured during the second (16–18th weeks) and third (28–30th weeks) trimesters of pregnancy, and pregnancy outcomes were recorded in the hospital information system. Hb levels were categorized into four groups as follows: < 110 g/L, 110–119 g/L, 120–130 g/L, and > 130 g/L. The second group (Hb 110–119 g/L) was defined as the reference group. Statistical analysis was performed using multivariate logistic regression. Results A total of 1911 singleton mothers were included. After multivariable adjustment, Hb levels > 130 g/L in the second trimester increased the risk of LBW (odds ratio [OR], 2.54; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.12–5.76). In the third trimester of gestation, compared with women whose Hb levels between 110 and 119 g/L, women with Hb levels > 130 g/L had an increased risk of LBW (OR, 2.20; 95% CI, 1.07–4.51) and SGA (OR, 2.00; 95% CI, 1.05–3.80). When we compared the highest and lowest quartiles of changes in the Hb across the second and third trimesters, the adjusted ORs were 0.35 (95% CI: 0.18–0.68) for PTB and 0.47 (95% CI: 0.23–0.98) for LBW. Conclusion Maternal Hb > 130 g/L was associated with increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes. Reduction of the risks of PTB and SGA were observed with the appropriate increase of Hb level during the third trimester.