Mikiko Watanabe

Sapienza University of Rome | la sapienza · Department of Experimental Medicine

Purpose Obesity is a complex heterogeneous disease often associated with dysfunctional eating behavior patterns. Oxytocin (OT) is a neurohormone involved in the regulation of energy metabolism and eating behavior. The aim of the present study was to evaluate in a population of patients with obesity circulating levels of OT and dysfunctional eating...

Background/Objectives: Obesity is closely linked to chronic low-grade inflammation and the development of cardio-metabolic comorbidities. Monocyte subsets, which are crucial in immune responses, have been reported to be altered in individuals with obesity, potentially exacerbating inflammation. Although very-low-calorie ketogenic diets (VLCKDs) are...

Aims To date, bariatric surgery (BS) is the most effective long‐term treatment for obesity, but weight regain (WR) is common. The very low‐calorie ketogenic diet (VLCKD) is effective for weight loss and may influence gut microbiota (GM) composition, but it has been scarcely evaluated in post‐bariatric patients. This study compared the efficacy and...

Background/Objectives: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder in women of fertile age. Some studies suggest that a ketogenic diet (KD) may have a role in treating PCOS. We aimed to demonstrate the long-term effectiveness of a KD in PCOS. Methods: Eighteen patients with PCOS phenotype A were enrolled: 28% were of normal weig...

Weight regain (WR) after bariatric surgery, particularly sleeve gastrectomy, is a significant challenge, often driven by a combination of metabolic, behavioral, and lifestyle factors. Non-surgical interventions to manage WR are critical, given the increased risks and reduced efficacy of revisional surgeries. In this context, very low-calorie ketoge...

Sommario Una nuova era di trattamenti per l’obesità si avvicina all’efficacia della chirurgia bariatrica, attualmente la migliore strategia per la perdita di peso e il suo mantenimento. Recente è lo sviluppo di farmaci come semaglutide 2,4 mg iniettiva, che induce un calo del 15–17% e offre cardioprotezione, appena uscita in Italia, in pipeline ago...

The global escalation of obesity has made it a worldwide health concern, notably as a leading risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Extensive evidence corroborates its association with a range of cardiac complications, including coronary artery disease, heart failure, and heightened vulnerability to sudden cardiac events. Additionally, obes...

Purpose. Obesity is a complex heterogeneous disease often associated with dysfunctional eating behavior patterns. Oxytocin (OT) is a neurohormone involved in the regulation of energy metabolism and eating behavior. The aim of the present study was to evaluate in a population of patients with obesity circulating levels of OT and dysfunctional eating...

Post‐bariatric hypoglycaemia (PBH) is a metabolic complication of bariatric surgery (BS), consisting of low post‐prandial glucose levels in patients having undergone bariatric procedures. While BS is currently the most effective and relatively safe treatment for obesity and its complications, the development of PBH can significantly impact patients...

Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF-21), previously recognized as a marker of liver damage and a potential drug target in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), has unclear implications in hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between FGF-21 levels and liver health in patients with HCV undergoing dire...

The ketogenic diet (KD), characterized by a very low carbohydrate intake and variable protein, fat and calorie intake, has long been in the spotlight for its potential therapeutic applications [...].

With the prevalence of obesity soaring and the absence of an effective and safe treatment that is low-cost and always feasible, food supplements have gained attention for their potential benefits in the absence of significant safety concerns. Cinnamomum cassia (CC) and Withania somnifera (WS) are plant-based supplements reported to be effective in...

Purpose Women with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D), especially those with suboptimal glucose control, have 3–4 greater chances of having babies with birth defects compared to healthy women. We aimed to evaluate glucose control and insulin regimen modifications during the pregnancy of women with T1D, comparing the offspring’s weight and the mother’s...

Obesity is a major health burden and its prevalence is rapidly increasing. Endoscopic treatments may help patients with obesity to interrupt or slow down the weight gain, thereby reducing complications associated with excess weight. In patients with morbid obesity, the weight loss obtained with endoscopic procedures represents a chance to reduce th...

Introduction The Very Low-Calorie Ketogenic Diet (VLCKD) has emerged as a safe and effective intervention for the management of metabolic disease. Studies examining weight loss predictors are scarce and none has investigated such factors upon VLCKD treatment. Among the molecules involved in energy homeostasis and, more specifically, in metabolic ch...

Defined as a condition of body fat excess leading to significant morbidity, obesity is a chronic metabolic illness associated with a significant number of diseases. The incidence of obesity does not solely depend on dietary habits, with energy balance being regulated by the complex interactions between genetic, behavioural and environmental factors...

Sommario L’obesità è una malattia metabolica cronica associata a diverse complicanze. Alla base non vi è solo l’alimentazione, poiché il bilancio energetico è regolato da interazioni tra fattori genetici, comportamentali e ambientali. Gli studi di associazione sul genoma identificano diversi geni legati all’obesità, suggerendo nuovi orizzonti terap...

Purpose We herein aimed to review the new insights into the impact of impaired thyroid function on male and female fertility, spacing from spontaneous pregnancy to ART, with the objective of providing an updated narrative revision of the literature. Methods This narrative review was performed for all available prospective, retrospective and review...

Ketone bodies (KBs) and Sirtuin-1 (SIRT1) have received increasing attention over the past two decades given their pivotal function in a variety of biological contexts, including transcriptional regulation, cell cycle progression, inflammation, metabolism, neurological and cardiovascular physiology, and cancer. As a consequence, the modulation of K...

Purpose Bariatric surgery (BS) is considered the most efficient treatment for severe obesity. International guidelines recommend multidisciplinary approach to BS (general practitioners, endocrinologists, surgeons, psychologists, or psychiatrists), and access to BS should be the final part of a protocol of treatment of obesity. However, there are in...

Introduction: The ADA produced a triple composite outcome that summarizes the therapeutic targets of the three most prevalent complications of obesity: type 2 diabetes (T2D) , hypertension and dyslipidemia (HbA1c <7.0%; LDL cholesterol<100 mg/dL and systolic blood pressure <130 mmHg) . The present study primarily investigates the difference between...

Abstract: Sirtuin1 (SIRT1) and sclerostin play important roles in adipose tissue and bone metabolism. We evaluated the circulating SIRT1 and sclerostin relationship with mass and quality of bone while considering the degree of adiposity. Sixty-six premenopausal women (16 underweight, 25 normal weight and 25 with obesity), aged <50 years, were enrol...

Obesity is an epidemic that has led to a rise in the incidence of many comorbidities: among others, reduced fertility is often under‐evaluated in clinical practice. The mechanisms underlying the link between reduced fertility and obesity are numerous, with insulin resistance, hyperglycemia and the frequent coexistence of polycystic ovary syndrome b...

In sarcopenic obese subjects it is essential to reduce body weight and preserve lean mass, in order to avoid a worsening of muscle function. Several studies have shown that leucine supplementation can be useful to improve skeletal muscle mass in sarcopenic patients. The aim of our study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a short-term low-calorie...

Obesity is an emerging non-communicable disease associated with chronic low-grade inflammation and oxidative stress, compounded by the development of many obesity-related diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and a range of cancers. Originally developed for the treatment of epilepsy in drug non-responder children, the...

Background With the prevalence of obesity alarmingly increasing, it is of primary interest to identify those factors predicting the success of anti-obesity therapeutic strategies currently adopted in clinical practice, and in particular those of bariatric procedures, showing the greatest success in terms of weight loss and maintenance in both short...

Background: Erectile dysfunction (ED) is recognized as one of the complications of diabetes mellitus (DM). To date, a wide gap of knowledge is present on the efficacy of pharmacological treatments of DM on erectile function (EF), acting not only through metabolic control. Similarly, the effects of different diet regimens on ED are still debated....

Chrononutrition is an emerging branch of chronobiology focusing on the profound interactions between biological rhythms and metabolism. This framework suggests that, just like all biological processes, even nutrition follows a circadian pattern. Recent findings elucidated the metabolic roles of circadian clocks in the regulation of both hormone rel...

Sirtuin1 (SIRT1) and sclerostin play important roles in adipose tissue and bone metabolism. We evaluated the circulating SIRT1 and sclerostin relationship with mass and quality of bone while considering the degree of adiposity. Sixty-six premenopausal women (16 underweight, 25 normal weight and 25 with obesity), aged <50 years, were enrolled. Plasm...

Aims Although weight-based stigmatization is widespread in everyday life, a suitable measure of weight self-stigma is currently unavailable for those with overweight/obesity whose primary language is Italian. The purpose of this study was to translate and test the psychometric properties of the Italian version of the Weight Self-stigma Questionnair...

The key factors playing a role in the pathogenesis of metabolic alterations observed in many patients with obesity have not been fully characterized. Their identification is crucial, and it would represent a fundamental step towards better management of this urgent public health issue. This aim could be accomplished by exploiting the potential of m...

Obesity is associated with a poor COVID-19 prognosis, and it seems associated with reduced humoral response to vaccination. Public health campaigns have advocated for weight loss in subjects with obesity, hoping to eliminate this risk. However, no evidence proves that weight loss leads to a better prognosis or a stronger immune response to vaccinat...

The Fuegians, ancient inhabitants of Tierra del Fuego, are an exemplary case of a cold-adapted population, since they were capable of living in extreme climatic conditions without any adequate clothing. However, the mechanisms of their extraordinary resistance to cold remain enigmatic. Brown adipose tissue (BAT) plays a crucial role in this kind of...

Purpose: Malnutrition, whether characterized by not enough or too much nutrient intake, is detrimental to the liver. We herein provide a narrative literature revision relative to hepatic disease occurrence in over or undernourished subjects, to shed light on the paradox where both sides of malnutrition lead to similar liver dysfunction and fat accu...

Aims To investigate if extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) or palm oil enriched chocolate spreads consumption leads to different results in terms of plasma ceramides concentration, glucose and lipid metabolism, inflammatory markers and appetite regulation in young healthy subjects. Methods In a 2-week, double-blind, cross-over, randomized controlled tri...

PurposeThe COVID-19 pandemic has radically impacted the world lifestyle. Epidemics are well-known to cause mental distress, and patients with a current or past history of obesity are at increased risk for the common presence of psychological comorbidities. This study investigates the psychological impact of the current pandemic in patients particip...

Purpose: The Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass (LRYGB) is an effective weight loss procedure. The gastro-jejunal (GJ) anastomosis required can be performed on the anterior or posterior gastric pouch wall. No studies have compared these variants in terms of efficacy and onset of dumping syndrome (DS) and weight regain (WR). We aimed at assessin...

Although it has been recognized for almost two centuries, myocarditis is still a challenging diagnosis due to the wide heterogeneity of its clinical manifestations and evolution. Moreover, the diagnostic gold standard, endomyocardial biopsy (EMB), is infrequently used, making hard to determine the exact incidence of myocarditis. Clinical presentati...

In type 2 diabetes, anti-thrombotic management is challenging, and current anti-platelet agents have demonstrated reduced efficacy. Old and new anti-diabetic drugs exhibited—besides lowering blood glucose levels—direct and indirect effects on platelet function and on thrombotic milieu, eventually conditioning cardiovascular outcomes. The present re...

The Fuegians, extinct inhabitants of Tierra del Fuego, were an exemplary case of a cold-adapted population capable of living in extreme weather conditions without any adequate clothing, however the mechanisms of their extraordinary resistance to cold remain enigmatic. Brown adipose tissue (BAT) plays a crucial role in this kind of adaptation beside...

Aims: To explore variables associated with the serological response following COVID-19 mRNA vaccine. Methods: Eighty-six healthcare workers adhering to the vaccination campaign against COVID-19 were enrolled in January-February 2021. All subjects underwent two COVID-19 mRNA vaccine inoculations (Pfizer/BioNTech) separated by three weeks. Blood s...

Purpose of review: The low fat diet (LFD) is currently the first choice to treat nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) alongside with physical activity. However, low carbohydrate diets (LCDs) and ketogenic diets have gained attention lately, thanks to their favourable impact in reducing intrahepatic triglyceride content. We therefore aimed at p...

Aims To explore variables associated with the serological response following COVID-19 mRNA vaccine. Methods Healthcare workers adhering to the vaccination campaign against COVID-19 were enrolled in January-February 2021. All subjects underwent two COVID-19 mRNA vaccine inoculations (Pfizer/BioNTech) separated by three weeks. Blood samples were coll...

IntroductionThe prevalence of obesity is soaring all over the world, and Italy is reaching the same pace. Similar to other countries, the Italian healthcare system counts on a three-tier model for obesity care, and each region has freedom in the implementation of guidelines. No national record is currently available to monitor the actual situation...

Severe obesity is associated with an increased risk of admission to intensive care units and need for invasive mechanical ventilation in patients with COVID-19. The association of obesity and COVID-19 prognosis may be related to many different factors, such as chronic systemic inflammation, the predisposition to severe respiratory conditions and vi...

Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension is a neurological disorder primarily affecting overweight women of childbearing age. It is often characterized by radiologic evidence of empty sella (ES), which is in turn frequently associated with pituitary dysfunction, with the somatotropic axis most commonly affected. No recent evidence is available relative...

Nickel (Ni) is a ubiquitous metal, the exposure of which is implied in the development of contact dermatitis (nickel allergic contact dermatitis (Ni-ACD)) and Systemic Ni Allergy Syndrome (SNAS), very common among overweight/obese patients. Preclinical studies have linked Ni exposure to abnormal production/release of Growth Hormone (GH), and we pre...

The American Joint Committee on Cancer has revised the Tumor-Node-Metastasis (TNM) staging system for papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) patients. We examined the impact of this new classification (TNM-8) on patient stratification and estimated the prognostic value of clinicopathological features for the disease-free interval (DFI) in a cohort of 1148...

Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) is a sensor of cell energy availability, and with leptin and adiponectin, it regulates metabolic homeostasis. Widely studied in tissues, SIRT1 is under evaluation as a plasmatic marker. We aimed at assessing whether circulating SIRT1 behaves consistently with leptin and adiponectin in conditions of deficiency, excess or normal fat...

AimsWe aimed at evaluating residual β-cell function in insulin-treated patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) while determining for the first time the difference in C-peptide level between patients on basal–bolus compared to those on the basal insulin scheme, considered as an early stage of insulin treatment, together with assessing its correlation wi...

Background: Cardiometabolic disorders may worsen Covid-19 outcomes. We investigated features and Covid-19 outcomes for patients with or without diabetes, and with or without cardiometabolic multimorbidity. Methods: We collected and compared data retrospectively from patients hospitalized for Covid-19 with and without diabetes, and with and witho...

The use of food supplements for weight loss purposes has rapidly gained popularity as the prevalence of obesity increases. Navigating through the vast, often low quality, literature available is challenging, as is providing informed advice to those asking for it. Herein, we provide a comprehensive literature revision focusing on most currently mark...

Aim: To compare a Mediterranean dietetic pattern with a vegetarian pattern in terms of hunger-satiety perception through post-prandial assessment of appetite-related hormones glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) and Oxyntomodulin, as well as self-rated Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) quantification, in overweight/obese subjects with type-2 diabetes (T2D)....

Evidence has lately emerged regarding an increased risk of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) with worse prognosis in elderly male patients with obesity, and a blunted Growth Hormone (GH) secretion represents a feature of this population subgroup. Here we offer a comprehensive review of the possible links between GH‐Insuli...

Background: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a major cause of liver disease. Very low-calorie ketogenic diets (VLCKD) represent a feasible treatment as they induce profound weight loss and insulin resistance (IR) improvement. Despite the recognized benefits on NAFLD deriving from pharmacological administration of fibroblast growth fact...

First identified as a feasible treatment for intractable epilepsy, the ketogenic diet (KD) has recently gained popularity thanks to growing evidence on applications such as weight loss, most importantly, but also NAFLD, cancer, neurologic conditions and chronic pain. As with any treatment, whether pharmacologic or not, the KD might not be an approp...

Background Obesity was recently identified as a major risk factor for worse COVID-19 severity, especially among the young. The reason why its impact seems to be less pronounced in the elderly may be due to the concomitant presence of other comorbidities. However, all reports only focus on BMI, an indirect marker of body fat. Aim To explore the impa...

Context We compared the efficacy, safety and effect of 45-day isocaloric very-low-calorie ketogenic diets (VLCKDs) incorporating whey, vegetable or animal protein on the microbiota in patients with obesity and insulin resistance to test the hypothesis that protein source may modulate the response to VLCKD interventions. Subjects and Methods Forty-...

Background. Short-term interventions based on very low-calorie ketogenic diets (VLCKDs) and meal replacements may be prescribed to selected overweight or obese patients. Few, inconsistent data are available on protein intake from various sources on body weight, composition of gut microbiota and metabolic outcomes in these patients. Aim. To compare...

Evidence has lately emerged regarding an increased risk of SARS‐CoV‐2 with worse prognosis in patients with obesity, especially among the young. Weight excess is a well‐established respiratory disease risk factor, and the newly reported correlation is therefore unsurprising. The underlying pathophysiology is likely multi‐stranded, ranging from comp...

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a major cause of chronic liver disease, characterized by hepatic fat accumulation and possible development of inflammation, fibrosis, and cancer. The ketogenic diet (KD), with its drastic carbohydrate reduction, is a now popular weight loss intervention, despite safety concerns on a possible association w...

Very low-calorie ketogenic diets (VLCKD) are an effective and increasingly used tool for weight loss. Traditionally considered high protein, ketogenic diets are often looked at with concern by clinicians due to the potential harm they pose to kidney function. We herein evaluated the efficacy and safety of a VLCKD in patients with obesity and mild k...

Background Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) is expressed in several metabolically active tissues, including liver, fat, and acinar pancreas, and has pleiotropic effects on metabolic homeostasis. The dominant source of FGF21 in the circulation is the liver. Objective and methods To analyze the physiological functions of hepatic FGF21, we generat...

Myocarditis is an uncommon but potentially life-threatening disease. Clinical manifestations could range from subclinical disease to sudden death, due to fulminant heart failure and/or malignant ventricular arrhythmias. The most common cause of myocarditis is viral infection, including Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Nevertheless, EBV rarely presents wit...

Background A lack of balance between energy intake and expenditure due to overeating or reduced physical activity does not seem to explain entirely the obesity epidemic we are facing, and further factors are therefore being evaluated. Nickel (Ni) is a ubiquitous heavy metal implied in several health conditions. Regarding this, the European Food Saf...