Consider Sex of Both Parent and Child in MetS Screening
Parental metabolic syndrome (MetS) had a notable impact on the metabolic health of offspring; paternal MetS showed stronger associations with several metabolic markers in boys, whereas maternal MetS was linked to elevated triglyceride levels in both sexes but affected other markers, primarily in boys.
METHODOLOGY:
Multiple studies have examined the influence of parental MetS on children; however, the differential effects of maternal and paternal MetS on female vs male offspring remain unclear.
Researchers conducted a retrospective, cross-sectional study using a Korean database from 2007 to 2020 to investigate the influence of parental MetS on various metabolic aspects in offspring, using a sex-specific approach.
They included 5245 adolescents aged 10-18 years, including 2785 boys and 2460 girls; anthropometric and clinical data were required to be available for the adolescents and their parents.
MetS in adolescents was defined according to the modified National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III criteria.
The investigators used multiple logistic regression analysis to evaluate the effects of parental MetS status on the presence of MetS and cardiometabolic risk factors in adolescent offspring.
TAKEAWAY:
Boys with paternal MetS had higher levels of serum glucose, triglycerides, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and lower levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) than those without paternal MetS ( P < .01 for all); clinically meaningful effect sizes were observed only for triglycerides (Cohen's d = 0.231) and HDL-C (Cohen's d = −0.208).
< .01 for all); clinically meaningful effect sizes were observed only for triglycerides (Cohen's = 0.231) and HDL-C (Cohen's = −0.208). Adolescents with maternal MetS showed higher levels of triglyceride, total cholesterol, and LDL-C and lower levels of HDL-C than those without maternal MetS, in both sexes. In boys, the differences were significant and clinically meaningful for systolic blood pressure (Cohen's d = 0.213), triglycerides (Cohen's d = 0.332), and HDL-C (Cohen's d = −0.284).
= 0.213), triglycerides (Cohen's = 0.332), and HDL-C (Cohen's = −0.284). Girls with maternal MetS showed a clinically significant increase only in triglyceride levels (Cohen's d = 0.286).
= 0.286). The odds of MetS and many of its components were substantially elevated in boys in the presence of paternal or maternal MetS; girls showed limited effects, with maternal MetS linked only to elevated triglycerides and paternal MetS to elevated blood pressure.
IN PRACTICE:
'These results suggest that the inheritance mechanism of MetS is highly complex and that both parental and offspring sex should be considered in future screening and prevention of MetS,' the authors concluded.
SOURCE:
This study was led by Jun-Hong Park, Ajou University School of Medicine in Suwon-si, Republic of Korea. It was published online on May 21, 2025, in Scientific Reports .
LIMITATIONS:
This study had a cross-sectional design and lacked detailed data on hormonal profiles and dietary factors. The dataset lacked information on prenatal exposures known to affect the cardiometabolic health of offspring, such as gestational age, weight gain, diabetes status, and birth weight.
DISCLOSURES:
This study received no specific funding. The authors declared having no conflicts of interest.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Entrepreneur
2 hours ago
- Entrepreneur
Wipro Consumer Care – Ventures Makes First Foray into Pet Food with Investment in 'Goofy Tails'
This marks Wipro's third investment in 2025 and its 15th overall. You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. In a strategic expansion of its investment portfolio, Wipro Consumer Care – Ventures has announced its first investment in the pet food segment, backing New Delhi-based D2C pet nutrition brand Goofy Tails. The investment is part of a pre-series A round of over USD 1 million, bringing the total capital raised by Goofy Tails to USD 2 million. Founded in 2021 by Karan Gupta, Kartik, Kunal, and Ashish, Goofy Tails offers holistic pet nutrition including wholesome meals, freeze-dried foods, supplements, and treats. The products, formulated by veterinarians and nutritionists, are made from clean, 100% natural ingredients — free from gluten and preservatives, and designed for maximum bioavailability. Sumit Keshan, Managing Partner at Wipro Consumer Care – Ventures, said, "We are glad to partner with Goofy Tails, who are passionately addressing key gaps in India's pet food market. With pets increasingly becoming family, there is a growing demand for high quality, nutritious, and innovative pet food products. The founding team's deep expertise and strong execution gives us confidence in their potential." Goofy Tails claims to have already served over two lakh pets and sells through major online marketplaces, quick commerce platforms, and its own website. Karan Gupta, Co-founder of Goofy Tails, remarked, "Partnering with Wipro Consumer Care – Ventures is a significant milestone for us. This investment will not only help us scale and reach more pet parents across India but also accelerate R&D and new product innovation – further strengthening our mission." This marks Wipro's third investment in 2025 and its 15th overall. With this, the company has fully deployed Fund I and will now activate its INR 250 crore Fund II, continuing to focus on digital-first consumer brands across India and Southeast Asia.
Medscape
3 hours ago
- Medscape
‘Enormous Burden' Cataloged in Relapsing Polychondritis
A large multicenter prospective cohort study has expanded 'the understanding of the range of manifestations of disease in patients with relapsing polychondritis [RP]' — particularly involving the ear, nose, throat, and musculoskeletal systems — as well as a high prevalence of organ damage, near-universal use of glucocorticoids, and frequent use of additional nonbiologic or biologic immunomodulatory therapies. METHODOLOGY: Researchers conducted a multicenter cohort study between 2017 and 2023 to evaluate clinical manifestations, treatment approaches, and the association between them in 195 patients with RP (median age, 48 years; 85.6% women). A diagnosis of RP was confirmed using comprehensive laboratory, radiographic, and other tests; all participants tested negative for proteinase 3 and myeloperoxidase. Data on clinical manifestations, organ damage, and medication history were collected at baseline study visits using standardized case report forms. Patients were grouped by treatment: Group 1 received glucocorticoids or no drugs, group 2 received nonbiologic immunosuppressive drugs (excluding JAK inhibitors) with or without glucocorticoids, and group 3 received JAK inhibitors or biologic drugs with or without nonbiologic immunosuppressives or glucocorticoids. TAKEAWAY: All patients presented with at least three clinical manifestations of RP, with a median of 11 manifestations per patient; all showed ear, nose, or airway involvement, and 83% had musculoskeletal manifestations. A substantial portion of patients (41%) developed organ damage, including sensorineural hearing loss (25%), auricular and saddle nose deformities (12% each), and subglottic stenosis (9%); among those who underwent dynamic CT of the chest, 31% had tracheomalacia, and 20% had bronchomalacia. Treatment groups 1, 2, and 3 comprised 19%, 28%, and 53% of patients, respectively; most patients (95%) received glucocorticoids, and a substantial proportion (81%) received additional immunomodulatory treatments. Patients in treatment group 3 had the highest rate of organ damage (62% vs 22% in group 2 and 15% in group 1) and were more likely to have arthritis and stenosis, whereas those in group 1 were less likely to experience nose pain. IN PRACTICE: 'Standardized assessment of disease activity is warranted for patients with RP for early detection and timely initiation of treatment. These findings also highlight the absence of a consensus approach to treatment for patients with RP and underscore the need for clinical trials and treatment guidelines in this disease to help reduce the enormous burden of disease for patients,' the authors wrote. SOURCE: This study was led by Roger Yang, MD, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, and University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It was published online on May 20, 2025, in ACR Open Rheumatology . LIMITATIONS: This study did not capture data on dose and duration of immunomodulatory medications or clinical features at treatment decisions. Treatment choices were made independently by clinicians and may have been influenced by factors such as drug availability or insurance, introducing variability. Moreover, the academic referral setting may have contributed to selection bias. DISCLOSURES: Two authors reported receiving support from the Vasculitis Clinical Research Consortium, Association des médecins rhumatologues du Québec, Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, and other sources. This research was also supported by the Relapsing Polychondritis Foundation and other generous donors to the Penn Relapsing Polychondritis Program.
Medscape
3 hours ago
- Medscape
Year-Long Methotrexate Not Helpful for Inflammatory Knee OA
Compared with placebo, low-dose methotrexate administered weekly at doses up to 15 mg for 52 weeks did not relieve knee pain or reduce the size of effusion-synovitis in patients with inflammatory knee osteoarthritis (OA). METHODOLOGY: Researchers in China conducted a multicenter, clinical trial between July 2019 and January 2023 to examine whether low-dose methotrexate can reduce knee pain and effusion-synovitis in knee OA. They included 215 patients (mean age, 60.6 years; 89% women) with inflammatory knee OA and effusion-synovitis who were randomly assigned to receive either methotrexate or placebo, with weekly 5 mg folic acid supplementation given 1 day after treatment. Participants continued their regular medications (except corticosteroids and anti-synovitis drugs), did not take trimethoprim, and avoided alcohol during the trial. Primary outcomes were changes in knee pain on the visual analog scale (VAS) and inflammation measured by the effusion-synovitis maximal area on MRI over 52 weeks. Secondary outcomes were assessment of pain, stiffness, and physical function; changes in infrapatellar fat pad signal intensity; and evaluation of response to the assigned treatment. TAKEAWAY: At week 52, no significant difference was found between methotrexate and placebo groups in terms of VAS pain and effusion-synovitis maximal area (between-group difference, 0.3 mm; 95% CI, -6.7 to 7.3 mm and 0.1 cm 2 ; 95% CI, -0.8 to 1.0 cm 2 , respectively). ; 95% CI, -0.8 to 1.0 cm , respectively). No significant differences were observed between the two groups in terms of any of the prespecified secondary outcomes. The frequency of experiencing at least one adverse event was comparable between the methotrexate and placebo groups (29.6% and 24.3%, respectively); however, elevated concentrations of liver enzymes were more common in the methotrexate group. IN PRACTICE: 'Given the lack of efficacy of MTX [methotrexate] across knee OA studies and the known potential adverse events, it is not recommended for the treatment of painful, inflammatory knee OA. We now need to focus our attention on treatments that can both inhibit joint inflammation and stimulate chondrocytes within the cartilage to synthesize replacement matrix. The future of pharmaceuticals for knee OA needs to move past MTX,' Nancy E. Lane, MD, UC Davis Health, Sacramento, California, wrote in an accompanying editorial. SOURCE: This study was led by Zhaohua Zhu, PhD, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China. It was published online on June 2, 2025, in JAMA Internal Medicine . LIMITATIONS: This study was conducted during COVID-19 shutdowns, which delayed recruitment and potentially increased loss to follow-up and nonadherence rates. The findings may not be fully generalizable because most participants were women, and racial and ethnic diversity was limited. The relatively small number of participants in each subgroup may have limited the ability to detect significant benefits in specific populations. DISCLOSURES: This study received funding from the National Key Research and Development Program of China, the National Natural Science Foundation of China, and the Clinical Research Startup Program of Southern Medical University. One author reported providing consulting advice on scientific advisory boards for various pharmaceutical companies outside the submitted work.
