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Objective. To shed light on the association between hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms (TAAAs). Methods. From July 2013 to March 2017, we conducted a matched case–control study involving individuals who presented to the Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital and underwent thoracoabdominal magnetic resonance angiography or computed tomography angiography. A total of 73 patients with TAAAs were enrolled in the case group, and 219 sex-matched subjects without TAAAs were included in the control group. We then examined the relationship between HHcy and TAAAs by logistic regression models and subgroup as well as interaction analyses. Results. Serum total homocysteine (tHcy) concentrations and the proportion of HHcy were significantly higher in the patients with TAAAs than in those without TAAAs (P < 0.001). Furthermore, the multivariate logistic regression models indicated that participants with HHcy had a 2.14-fold higher risk of TAAAs than those with a normal serum tHcy level (adjusted odds ratio (OR), 2.14; 95% confidence interval, 1.00–4.56). Similarly, each 1 μmol/L increase in the serum tHcy concentration was associated with a 4% higher risk of TAAAs (adjusted OR, 1.04; 95% confidence interval, 1.00–1.07). Subgroup analyses indicated that HHcy tended to be associated with a greater risk of TAAAs in all stratified subgroups (adjusted ORs > 1). Furthermore, the interaction analyses revealed no interactive role in the association between HHcy and TAAAs. Conclusions. The present case–control study suggests that HHcy is an independent risk factor for TAAAs. Larger prospective cohort studies are warranted to validate these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To investigate the gut microbiota differences of obese children compared with the control healthy cohort to result in further understanding of the mechanism of obesity development. Methods. We evaluated the 16S rRNA gene, the enterotypes, and quantity of the gut microbiota among obese children and the control cohort and learned the differences of the gut microbiota during the process of weight reduction in obese children. Results. In the present study, we learned that the gut microbiota composition was significantly different between obese children and the healthy cohort. Next we found that functional changes, including the phosphotransferase system, ATP-binding cassette transporters, flagellar assembly, and bacterial chemotaxis were overrepresented, while glycan biosynthesis and metabolism were underrepresented in case samples. Moreover, we learned that the amount of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus increased among the obese children during the process of weight reduction. Conclusion. Our results might enrich the research between gut microbiota and obesity and further provide a clinical basis for therapy for obesity. We recommend that Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus might be used as indicators of healthy conditions among obese children, as well as a kind of prebiotic and probiotic supplement in the diet to be an auxiliary treatment for obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]