A Meta-Analysis of the Effectiveness of Vitamin C in the Prevention and Treatment of Childhood Upper Respiratory Tract Infections

Background:The effectiveness of vitamin C in the prevention and treatment of pediatric upper respiratory tract infections was evaluated in a meta-analysis.Methods:A total 2,573 children with upper respiratory tract infections were included in the meta-analysis,1,280 of whom received vitamin C and 1,293 who received control medication.The analysis of findings related to the studies included was done through random or fixed effects model to determine whether vitamin C supplementation could stop and control upper respiratory tract infections in children using mean difference(MD)with 95%confidence intervals(CIs).Results:On average,vitamin C-treated children had fewer upper respiratory tract infection bouts,their illness lasted shorter(MD-0.84;95%CI-1.47 to-0.20,P=0.009),and they were less contagious than the control.Conclusions:The number of episodes and illness duration of upper respiratory tract-infected pediatric subjects were considerably reduced in the intervention group(vitamin C)compared to the control.Due to the small sample size in four of 11 studies and the limited number of studies included for comparison,the outcomes should be carefully examined.

Neurochemical metabolites in the medial prefrontal cortex in bipolar disorder A proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy study

The aim of this study was to investigate proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy metabolite values in the medial prefrontal cortex of individuals with euthymic bipolar disorder. The subjects consisted of 15 patients with euthymic bipolar disorder type I and 15 healthy controls. We performed proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy of the bilateral medial prefrontal cortex and measured levels of N-acetyl aspartate, choline and creatine. Levels of these three metabolites in the medial prefrontal cortex were found to be lower in patients with bipolar disorder compared with healthy controls. A positive correlation was found between illness duration and choline levels in the right medial prefrontal cortex. Our study suggests that during the euthymic period, there are abnormalities in cellular energy and membrane phospholipid metabolism in the medial prefrontal cortex, and that this may impair neuronal activity and integrity.

Antiglutamatergic agents for obsessive-compulsive disorder:Where are we now and what are possible future prospects?

Recent data suggest that obsessive-compulsive disorder(OCD)is driven by an imbalance among the habit learning system and the goal-directed system.The frontostriatal loop termed cortico-striatal-thalamo-cortical(CSTC)circuitry loop is involved in habits and their dysfunction plays an important role in OCD.Glutamatergic neurotransmission is the principal neurotransmitter implicated in the CSTC model of OCD.Hyperactivity in the CSTC loop implies a high level of glutamate in the cortical-striatal pathways as well as a dysregulation of GABA ergic transmission,and could represent the pathophysiology of OCD.Moreover,the dysregulation of glutamate levels can lead to neurotoxicity,acting as a neuronal excitotoxin.The hypothesis of a role of neurotoxicity in the pathophysiology of OCD clinically correlates to the importance of an early intervention for patients.Indeed,some studies have shown that a reduction of duration of untreated illness is related to an earlier onset of remission.Although robust data supporting a progression of such brain changes are not available so far,an early intervention could help interrupt damage from neurotoxicity.Moreover,agents targeting glutamate neurotransmission may represent promising therapeutical option in OCD patients.