Although previous studies have shown inverse associations between nut consumption and mortality, the associations between nut consumption and less common causes of mortality have not been investigated. Additionally, about 50% of peanut consumption in the US is through peanut butter but the association between peanut butter consumption and mortality has not been thoroughly evaluated. The National Institutes of Health-AARP (NIH-AARP) Diet and Health Study recruited 566,398 individuals aged 50–71 at baseline in 1995–1996. A food-frequency questionnaire was used to evaluate nut and peanut butter consumption. Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals for mortality using the non-consumers as reference groups and three categories of consumption. After excluding subjects with chronic diseases at baseline, there were 64,464 deaths with a median follow-up time of 15.5 years. We observed a significant inverse association between nut consumption and overall mortality (HR C4 vs C1 = 0.78, 95% CI = 0.76, 0.81, p ≤ 0.001). Nut consumption was significantly associated with reduced risk of cancer, cardiovascular, respiratory, infectious, renal and liver disease mortality but not with diabetes or Alzheimer’s disease mortality. We observed no significant associations between peanut butter consumption and all-cause (HR C4 vs C1 = 1.00, 95% CI = 0.98, 1.04, p = 0.001) and cause-specific mortality. In a middle-aged US population, nut intake was inversely associated with all-cause mortality and certain types of cause-specific mortality. However, peanut butter consumption was not associated with differential mortality.

Elizabethkingia meningoseptica ( Chryseobacterium meningosepticum ) is a gram-negative aerobic organism with yellow pigments. Although extremely rare, human infections associated with this organism have been reported. Elizabethkingia meningoseptica is usually resistant to most antibiotics. Herein, we present a case of a 70-year-old woman suffering from Elizabethkingia meningoseptica bacteremia and meningitis. Early diagnosis and treatment are vital for an improved patient outcome. Physicians and microbiologists should be equipped with adequate knowledge regarding this infection and its treatment.

Objectives As 42.4% of the United States is obese and recent estimates expect an obesity/overweight prevalence of approximately three-fourths of the population by 2030, Americans have become more invested in finding weight control solutions. Commercial weight-loss programs and diets have risen to fulfill this need. However, there continues to be a lack of clarity surrounding the longitudinal and adverse outcomes of the majority of these programs. This report discusses a likely link between the usage of a popular commercial weight loss diet and the development of impaired kidney function in a 68-year-old patient. Methods Upon routine laboratory testing, the patient was noted to have elevated creatinine levels and was referred to a hematologist-oncologist for a bone marrow biopsy for a suspected diagnosis of multiple myeloma, and to a nephrologist for a kidney biopsy. The patient had a peak creatinine level of 3.02 mg/dL (reference range 0.70–1.25 mg/dL) prior to the kidney biopsy, which showed prominent calcium oxalate deposits and tubular atrophy with interstitial fibrosis, virtually excluding multiple myeloma. This finding placed the patient at risk for loss of kidney function, if not addressed immediately. Upon further investigation, the patient admitted to using a Nutrisystem® diet, which was aiding him in his weight loss goals. Results After a trial of removing this diet from his lifestyle, the creatinine level of the patient substantially improved to 1.42 mg/dL within three months, demonstrating a gradual improvement in kidney function. Conclusions This case report shows the importance of taking commercial weight-loss interventions into consideration when generating clinical recommendations for patients and adds to the currently limited literature on the long-term outcomes of the Nutrisystem® diet. Our findings point to the need for more comprehensive research into the effects of these programs and diets. Funding Sources Not applicable.