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ELife Mar 2015E. coli's hardiness, versatility, broad palate and ease of handling have made it the most intensively studied and best understood organism on the planet. However,... (Review)
Review
E. coli's hardiness, versatility, broad palate and ease of handling have made it the most intensively studied and best understood organism on the planet. However, research on E.coli has primarily examined it as a model organism, one that is abstracted from any natural history. But E. coli is far more than just a microbial lab rat. Rather, it is a highly diverse organism with a complex, multi-faceted niche in the wild. Recent studies of 'wild' E. coli have, for example, revealed a great deal about its presence in the environment, its diversity and genomic evolution, as well as its role in the human microbiome and disease. These findings have shed light on aspects of its biology and ecology that pose far-reaching questions and illustrate how an appreciation of E. coli's natural history can expand its value as a model organism.
Topics: Animals; Biofilms; Biological Evolution; Environmental Microbiology; Escherichia coli; Genomics; Host-Pathogen Interactions; Humans; Intestines; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
PubMed: 25807083
DOI: 10.7554/eLife.05826 -
Clinics in Geriatric Medicine Feb 2011This article reviews the current state of knowledge regarding the epidemiology of frailty by focusing on 6 specific areas: (1) clinical definitions of frailty, (2)... (Review)
Review
This article reviews the current state of knowledge regarding the epidemiology of frailty by focusing on 6 specific areas: (1) clinical definitions of frailty, (2) evidence of frailty as a medical syndrome, (3) prevalence and incidence of frailty by age, gender, race, and ethnicity, (4) transitions between discrete frailty states, (5) natural history of manifestations of frailty criteria, and (6) behavior modifications as precursors to the development of clinical frailty.
Topics: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Aging; Asthenia; Female; Frail Elderly; Geriatric Assessment; Humans; Incidence; Male; Muscle Weakness; Natural History; Phenotype; Prevalence; Syndrome; Time Factors
PubMed: 21093718
DOI: 10.1016/j.cger.2010.08.009 -
Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics Aug 2011Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common cause of chronic liver disease, and its worldwide prevalence continues to increase with the growing obesity... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common cause of chronic liver disease, and its worldwide prevalence continues to increase with the growing obesity epidemic. This study assesses the epidemiology of NAFLD in adults based on clinical literature published over the past 30 years.
AIM
To review epidemiology and natural history of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis in adults based on clinical literature published over the past 30 years.
METHODS
An in-depth search of PubMed (1980-2010) was based on five search terms: 'non-alcoholic fatty liver disease' OR 'non-alcoholic steatohepatitis' OR 'fatty liver' OR 'steatosis' AND 'incidence' [MeSH Terms] OR 'prevalence' [MeSH Terms] OR 'natural history'. Studies of paediatric cohorts were excluded. Articles were categorised by topic and summarised, noting generalisations concerning their content.
RESULTS
Four study categories included NAFLD incidence, prevalence, risk factors and natural history. Studies related to NAFLD prevalence and incidence indicate that the diagnosis is heterogeneous and relies on a variety of assessment tools, including liver biopsy, radiological tests such as ultrasonography, and blood testing such as liver enzymes. The prevalence of NAFLD is highest in populations with pre-existing metabolic conditions such as obesity and type II diabetes. Many studies investigating the natural history of NAFLD verify the progression from NASH to advanced fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinoma.
CONCLUSIONS
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is the most common cause of elevated liver enzymes. Within the NAFLD spectrum, only NASH progresses to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. With the growing epidemic of obesity, the prevalence and impact of NAFLD continues to increase, making NASH potentially the most common cause of advanced liver disease in coming decades.
Topics: Adult; Biopsy; Fatty Liver; Humans; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease; Prevalence; Prognosis; Risk Factors
PubMed: 21623852
DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2036.2011.04724.x -
Current Hepatology Reports 2017The purpose of this review is to summarize the latest knowledge on the natural history of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The review focuses on mortality,... (Review)
Review
PURPOSE OF REVIEW
The purpose of this review is to summarize the latest knowledge on the natural history of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The review focuses on mortality, liver-related complications, and histological course.
RECENT FINDINGS
Studies during the last decade have established NAFLD as a potentially progressive liver disease. Age and diabetes are the strongest clinical predictors of progressive disease. Fibrosis stage is the most important histological variable to predict mortality and liver-related complications. So far, no study has been able to show that non-alcoholic steatohepatitis at baseline predicts mortality or future liver-related complications when adjusting for fibrosis.
SUMMARY
The outlines of the natural history of NAFLD have become clearer during the last decade. There is limited data on factors that predict clinical progression. Prospective longitudinal studies are needed to help us predict worse outcome in individual patients.
PubMed: 29984130
DOI: 10.1007/s11901-017-0378-2 -
Frontiers in Medicine 2022
PubMed: 35360750
DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2022.867436 -
Journal of Medical Biochemistry Jan 2015Paralleling the growing prevalence of obesity and metabolic syndrome, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is emerging as the most frequent hepatopathy in adults and... (Review)
Review
Paralleling the growing prevalence of obesity and metabolic syndrome, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is emerging as the most frequent hepatopathy in adults and children. The true prevalence of pediatric NAFLD is still unknown, because of the heterogeneity of diagnostic methods used for diagnosis in the available studies and the different characteristics of the populations evaluated. Pediatric NAFLD is typically of primary origin and it is strongly associated with several features of the metabolic syndrome. Age, gender and race/ethnicity are significant determinants of risk, and sex hormones, insulin sensitivity and adipocytokines are implicated in the pathogenesis of pediatric NAFLD. The natural history of NAFLD in children is still poorly understood, because of its complex nature and the scarcity of prospective studies, especially in pediatric populations. Both genetic and environmental factors seem to be implicated in the development and progression of the disease via multiple mechanisms that involve liver crosstalk with other organs and tissues, especially gut and adipose tissue. To evaluate and effectively treat pediatric NAFLD, the pathophysiology and natural history of the disease should be clarified and noninvasive methods for screening, diagnosis, and longitudinal assessment developed.
PubMed: 28356818
DOI: 10.2478/jomb-2014-0049 -
Journal of Clinical Pharmacology Dec 2022Rare diseases represent a highly heterogeneous group of disorders with high phenotypic and genotypic diversity within individual conditions. Due to the small numbers of... (Review)
Review
Rare diseases represent a highly heterogeneous group of disorders with high phenotypic and genotypic diversity within individual conditions. Due to the small numbers of people affected, there are unique challenges in understanding rare diseases and drug development for these conditions, including patient identification and recruitment, trial design, and costs. Natural history data and real-world data (RWD) play significant roles in defining and characterizing disease progression, final patient populations, novel biomarkers, genetic relationships, and treatment effects. This review provides an introduction to rare diseases, natural history data, RWD, and real-world evidence, the respective sources and applications of these data in several rare diseases. Considerations for data quality and limitations when using natural history and RWD are also elaborated. Opportunities are highlighted for cross-sector collaboration, standardized and high-quality data collection using new technologies, and more comprehensive evidence generation using quantitative approaches such as disease progression modeling, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. Advanced statistical approaches to integrate natural history data and RWD to further disease understanding and guide more efficient clinical study design and data analysis in drug development in rare diseases are also discussed.
Topics: Humans; Rare Diseases; Artificial Intelligence; Drug Development; Research Design; Disease Progression
PubMed: 36461748
DOI: 10.1002/jcph.2134 -
CNS Neuroscience & Therapeutics Jul 2020To investigate the natural history and genotype-phenotype correlation of pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration. (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
AIMS
To investigate the natural history and genotype-phenotype correlation of pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration.
METHODS
We collected data of patients with PKAN by searching from available publications in English and Chinese. Patients diagnosed in our center (Peking University First Hospital) were also included. The difference in natural history and genotype between early-onset (<10 year of age at onset) and late-onset patients (≥10 year of age at onset) with PKAN was compared.
RESULTS
A total of 248 patients were included. The median age at onset was 3.0 years in the early-onset group and 18.0 years in the late-onset group. Dystonia in lower limbs was the most common initial symptom in both groups. In the early-onset group, the median interval between the disease onset and occurrence of oromandibular dystonia, generalized dystonia, loss of independent ambulance was 6.0 years, 5.0 years, and 5.0 years. The corresponding values in late-onset group were 1.0 year, 4.0 years, and 6.0 years. About 20.0% died at median age of 12.5 years and 9.5 years after the onset in early-onset group. About 2.0% of the late-onset patients died during the follow-up. A total of 176 mutations were identified. Patients carrying two null alleles in PANK2 showed significantly earlier age of disease onset and progressed more rapidly to loss of independent ambulance.
CONCLUSIONS
This study provided a comprehensive review on the natural history and genotype of 248 patients with PKAN. The results will serve as a historical control data for future clinical trial on PKAN.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Child; Child, Preschool; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Genetic Association Studies; Humans; Infant; Male; Middle Aged; Pantothenate Kinase-Associated Neurodegeneration; Young Adult
PubMed: 32043823
DOI: 10.1111/cns.13294 -
European Clinical Respiratory Journal 2015The atopic diseases - atopic dermatitis, asthma, and hay fever - pose a great burden to the individual and society, not least, since these diseases have reached epidemic... (Review)
Review
The atopic diseases - atopic dermatitis, asthma, and hay fever - pose a great burden to the individual and society, not least, since these diseases have reached epidemic proportions during the past decades in industrialized and, more recently, in developing countries. Whereas the prevalence of the atopic diseases now seems to have reached a plateau in many Western countries, they are still on the increase in the developing world. This emphasizes continuing research aimed at identifying the causes, risk factors, and natural history of these diseases. Herein, the fundamental aspects of the natural history and epidemiology of the atopic diseases are reviewed.
PubMed: 26557262
DOI: 10.3402/ecrj.v2.24642