The objective of this study was to investigate the possible association between the single-nucleotide polymorphism, rs35569394, of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene and the risk of esophageal cancer (EC) in the Han Chinese population. A total of 290 EC subjects and 322 ethnically matched unrelated healthy controls free from the esophageal disease were studied. Genomic DNA was isolated from peripheral blood by salting out. Genotyping of VEGF rs35569394 polymorphism was carried out through polymerase chain reaction followed by agarose gel electrophoresis. The results showed that the distribution of genotypes was significantly different across the gender groups (p ═ 0.032) and clinical stages of the esophageal cancer (p ═ 0.034). VEGF rs35569394 was associated with EC risk (p ═ 0.012, OR ═ 1.34). A gender analysis breakdown showed that rs35569394-D allele frequency was significantly higher in females than in the controls (p ═ 0.0004, OR ═ 1.81). Moreover, significant associations were also found in females under the dominant model (II vs. ID+DD: χ2 ═ 8.18, p ═ 0.003, OR ═ 2.12) and the recessive model (II+ID vs. DD: χ2 ═ 8.25, p ═ 0.004, OR ═ 2.39). In addition, we found that the genotype, rs35569394-DD, was associated with a complete response and partial response to chemotherapy when compared with rs35569394-II (χ2 ═ 4.67, p ═ 0.030, OR ═ 0.47). In conclusion, our case–control study showed that the VEGF rs35569394 was significantly associated with the clinical stages and the increased risk of EC in Han Chinese females. In addition, the genotype rs35569394-DD showed a better response to chemotherapy.

Obesity is a serious metabolic disease that significantly increases cardiovascular risks and other health complications. Sarcopenia is an independent risk factor for morbidity and mortality in patients suffering from obesity that increases the health risks and is associated with cardiac, respiratory, and other diseases. Bariatric and metabolic surgery (BMS) leads to significant changes in body composition. Our pilot study showed that bariatric patients are at risk of sarcopenia after BMS. This finding resulted in a hypothesis that an exercise plan in the experimental group will lead to postural stabilization and a lower decline in muscle homotopy, further leading to a greater reduction in fat mass and a positive effect of exercise on skeletal muscle volume and strength and endocrine-metabolic function. The aim of the present study is to determine the effect of programmed aerobic and strength training on muscle function, volume, and morphology in patients after BMS. The study is a single-center, randomized clinical trial after sleeve gastrectomy focused on muscle tissue. The experimental group will perform targeted physical activity once a week for 12 months and the training plan will include anaerobic and aerobic components. Magnetic resonance imaging of skeletal muscles will be correlated with the values of densitometry examination and changes in body composition, certain blood parameters of myokines, biomechanical analysis of movement abnormalities, and behavioral and dietary counseling. This study will address the research questions about the effect of programmed training on muscle tissue and muscular functions after BMS.

Cardiovascular complications are one of the leading causes of mortality releted to diabetes mellitus typ 2 (T2DM). Dyslipidemia is one of the associated risk factors for coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients with T2DM. The aims of our study were: to determine the characteristics of lipid disorders in persons with T2DM; to determine the cumulative impact of investigated risk factors (gender, age, genetic predisposition, smoking habits, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, obesity) for the occurence of the coronary artery disease; to determine the influence of lipid profile on coronary artery disease development.

A cross-sectional study was conducted in the Educative Center of the Primary Health Center Banja Luka in the period 01.11.2021–30.04.2022. Adult patients (≥18 years) with T2DM were recruited into the study. The data about socio-demographic characteristics, lifestyle and clinical factors were collected using structural questionnaire as a tool. For all subjects, anthropometric measurements, blood pressure readings, and laboratory findings (fasting blood glucose, HbA1c, lipid profile) were taken.

A total of 221 patients with T2DM participated in the study, 52.03% were males. Hypertriglycerdidemia was found in 63.81% subjects, hypercholesterolemia in 56.60%, low HDL-cholesterol in 49.77% subjects and increased level of LDL-cholesterol in 39.37% subjects. Metabolic dyslipidemia (increased triglyceride levels and low HDL levels), representing the major predictor of CAD, was found in 35.29% subjects. Older age, physical inactivity, obesity, hypertension and high levels of fasting glucose in blood were significantly related to dyslipidaemia in patients with T2DM.

The representation of dyslipidemia in our subjects with T2DM is high, what increases the risk for coronary artery disease. Therefore, it is necessary not only to implement the therapy for glucoregulation, but also the secondary preventive measures for dyslipidemia, and that is the cardiovascular prevention.