BACKGROUND: Aging results in many changes in health status, body composition, muscle strength, and, ultimately, functional capacity. These changes coincide with significant alterations in the endocrine system, such as insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and IGF-binding proteins (IGFBPs), and may be associated with many symptoms of aging. The objectives of this study is to investigate the potential influence of different types of exercise, such as resistance training and aerobic training, on IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 levels in postmenopausal women.
METHODS: Medline, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases were systematically searched up to November 2023. The Cochrane Collaboration tool was used to assess the risk of bias and the quality of the studies. The random-effects model, weighted mean difference (WMD), and 95% confidence interval (CI) were used to estimate the overall effect. Between-study heterogeneity was assessed using the chi-squared and I2 tests.
RESULTS: Seventeen studies were included in the present systematic review and 16 studies were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled results from 16 studies (21 trials) with 1170 participants examining the impact of exercise on IGF-1 concentration showed a significant increase in IGF-1, and the pooled results among six studies (trials) showed a significant decrease in IGFBP-3 concentration (730 participants). In addition, resistance training and aerobic training had a significant effect on increasing IGF-1 concentration post-exercise compared with placebo.
CONCLUSIONS: Based on this meta-analysis, Women who have completed menopause and followed an exercise routine showed changes in IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 levels that can indirectly be associated with risk of chronic age-related conditions.

OBJECTIVE: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic progressive autoimmune disorder of the central nervous system (CNS) that can cause inflammation, demyelination, and axon degeneration. Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) is a single-chain polypeptide mainly synthesized in the liver and brain. IGF-1 causes neuronal and non-neuronal cell proliferation, survival, and differentiation. Therefore, it can be used in treating neuro-demyelinating diseases such as MS. The current systematic review and meta-analysis aims to compare the levels of IGF-1 in MS patients and healthy controls and also investigates IGF binding proteins (IGF-BP) and growth hormone (GH) levels between MS patients and healthy controls.
METHODS: In this study, we systematically searched electronic databases of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science (WOS), and Google Scholar, up to December 2022. Studies that measured IGF-1, GH, IGFBP-1, IGFBP-2, or IGFBP-3 in MS patients and healthy controls in either blood or cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) were identified. We calculated Standardized mean differences (SMD) to compare levels of IGF-1, GH, IGFBP-1, IGFBP-2, or IGFBP-3 in MS patients and controls.
RESULTS: Finally, we included 11 eligible studies from 1998 to 2018. The sample size of included studies varied from 20 to 200 resulting in a total sample size of 1067 individuals, 531 MS patients, and 536 healthy controls. The mean age of the patient and control groups were 38.96 and 39.38, respectively. The average EDSS among patients was 4.56. We found that blood levels of IGF-1 (SMD = 0.20, 95% CI = -0.20 to 0.59, I2 = 82.4%, K = 8, n = 692), CSF level of IGF-1 (SMD = 0.25, 95% CI = -0.06 to 0.56, I2 = 0.0%, K = 3 n = 164) and blood levels of GH were not significantly higher in MS patients than controls (SMD = 0.08, 95% CI = -0.33 to 0.49, I2 = 77.0% K = 3, n = 421). Moreover, the blood levels of IGFBP-1 (SMD = 0.70, 95% CI = 0.01 to 1.40, I2 = 77%, K = 4, n = 255) were significantly higher in MS cases than in controls. However, the blood levels of IGFBP-2 (SMD = 0.43, 95% CI = -0.34 to 1.21, I2 = 64.2%, K = 3, n = 78) and blood levels of IGFBP-3 (SMD = 1.04, 95% CI = -0.09 to 2.17, I2 = 95.6%, K = 6, n = 443) were not significantly higher in patients than controls.
CONCLUSIONS: Our meta-analysis revealed no significant difference in serum levels of IGF-1, GH, IGFBP-2, and IGFBP-3 between the MS group and healthy controls, except for IGFBP1. However, our systematic review showed that the studies were controversial for IGFBP-3 serum levels. Some studies found an increase in serum level of IGFBP-3 in MS patients compared to the healthy group, while others showed a decrease.

BACKGROUND: Over years, there has been a widespread quest for effective dietary patterns and natural extracts to mitigate prostate cancer risk. However, despite numerous experimental studies conducted on various natural extracts, the evidence substantiating their efficacy remains largely insufficient. This dearth of compelling evidence presents a significant challenge in advocating for their widespread use as preventive measures against prostate cancer.
OBJECTIVE: Our study endeavors to undertake a network meta-analysis to evaluate the influence of natural extracts on prostate cancer.
METHODS: Researchers systematically searched through Embase, PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases until December 2023. The main focus was on assessing primary outcomes comprising prostate-specific antigen (PSA), insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1). We conducted data analysis utilizing StataMP 15.0 software. Therapeutic effects were ranked based on the probability values derived from Surface Under the Cumulative Ranking curve (SUCRA). Additionally, cluster analysis was employed to assess the impacts of natural extracts on three distinct outcomes.
RESULTS: Following screening procedures, the 28 eligible studies were incorporated, the selected studies encompassed 1,566 prostate cancer patients and evaluated 16 different natural extract treatments. Specifically, 24 trials included PSA indicators, 10 included IGF-1 indicators, and 8 included IGFBP-3 indicators. The findings revealed that, based on the SUCRA values, the combined therapy of silybin with selenium (74%) appears to be the most effective approach for reducing serum PSA levels. Simultaneously, silybin alone (84.6%) stands out as the most promising option for decreasing serum IGF-1 levels. Lastly, concerning IGFBP-3, silybin alone (67.7%) emerges as the optimal choice. Twelve studies provided comprehensive information on adverse drug reactions/events (ADR/ADE), whereas five articles did not report any significant ADR/ADE.
CONCLUSIONS: The NMA suggests that, compared to placebo, utilizing silybin either alone or in combination with selenium has been shown to enhance therapeutic effects, offering potential benefits to patients with prostate cancer. This study can offer valuable insights for prostate patients considering natural extract treatments. Further evidence is required to confirm the safety profile of these treatments.

BACKGROUND: Cachexia is associated with increased morbidity and mortality rates in patients with cancer. This meta-analysis aims to explore the effect of anamorelin on cancer cachexia markers.
METHODS: We searched MEDLINE/PubMed, SCOPUS, and WOS from their inception until 5 June 2022. A systematic search was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. We included trials investigating the effect of anamorelin on body weight, lean body mass, fat mass, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), handgrip, quality of life insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 3 (IGFBP-3), and in patients with cancer. A random-effects model was run to pooled results.
RESULTS: Five articles providing 1331 participants were analyzed in this study. Pooled analysis revealed a significant increase in body weight (weighted mean difference (WMD): 1.56 kg, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.20, 1.92; I2= 0%), lean body mass (WMD: 1.36 kg, 95% CI: 0.85, 1.86; I2= 53.1%), fat mass (WMD: 1.02 kg, 95% CI: 0.51, 1.53; I2= 60.7%), IGF-1 (WMD: 51.16 ng/mL, 95% CI: 41.42, 60.90, I2= 0%), and IGFBP-3 (WMD: 0.43 μg/mL, 95% CI: 0.17, 0.68, I2= 98.6%). Results showed no significant increase in appetite when analysis run on all studies without considering different doses 0.29 (95% CI: -0.30, 0.89, I2= 73.8%), however, there was a significant increase in appetite without heterogeneity and inconsistency 0.59 (95% CI: 0.32, 0.86; I2= 0%) in the 100 mg/day group compared to anamorelin non-user.
CONCLUSIONS: Patients with cancer who receive anamorelin as a treatment for cachexia showed a significant increase in body weight, lean body mass, fat mass, IGF-1, and IGFBP-3.

Lycopene has been posited to regulate insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1). We aimed to conduct a systematic review of the effects of lycopene on circulating IGF-1 and insulin-like growth factor binding proteins (IGFBPs) in adults. A systematic search was carried out in PubMed, Scopus, ISI Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library databases for randomized controlled trials (RCTs), published from inception until March 2020. A total of 11 studies fulfilled the selection criteria. Eleven studies examined the effect of lycopene supplementation on IGF-1, one of which reported a significant reduction. Moreover, three, four, and ten studies were found for IGFBP-1, IGFBP-2, and IGFBP-3, respectively; where one study found a significant increase in these proteins. In conclusion, no consistent modifying effect of lycopene supplementation on IGF-1 and IGFBPs levels are evident in the literature. More research is needed to explore the effect of lycopene on IGF-1 system.

OBJECTIVE: Many studies have investigated the association between serum IGF-1 and IGFBP levels with gastric cancer (GC), but the results remained inconclusive. In this work, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine the precise association of serum levels of IGF-1 and IGFBP with GC.
METHODS: A comprehensive systematic search was carried out in PubMed/MEDLINE, SCOPUS, Web of Science, and EMBASE databases for (nested) case-control studies that reported the levels of IGF-1 and IGFBP in GC cases and healthy controls, from inception until October 2020. Weighted mean difference (WMD) was calculated for estimating combined effect size. Subgroup analysis was performed to identify the source of heterogeneity among studies.
RESULTS: We found eight and five eligible studies (with 1541 participants) which provided data for IGF-1 and IGFBP, respectively. All studies on IGFBP reported the IGFBP-3 isoform. The pooled results indicate that GC patients had significantly lower serum IGF-1 [WMD = -26.21 ng/mL (95% CI, -45.58 to -6.85; P = .008)] and IGFBP-3 [WMD = -0.41 ng/mL (95% CI, -0.80 to -0.01; P = .04; I2  = 89.9%; P < .001)] levels than those in healthy subjects. Significant heterogeneity was observed in the association, which could be attributed to the sample size of the studies.
CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, our study reveals a significantly lower level of IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 in GC patients compared with healthy control subjects.

The availability of high-quality studies on the association between sleep-disordered breathing in children and delayed growth associated with the hormonal profile recorded before surgery and at follow-up is limited.
Medline PubMed, Scopus and WebOfScience databases were searched for relevant publications published between January 2008 to January 2020 and a total of 261 potentially eligible studies were identified.
Following review 19 papers were eligible for inclusion: seven reported a significant postsurgical increase in growth regardless of initial weight status, type of surgery, type of study design, and length of follow-up period. The only high-quality study was a randomized controlled trial that found an increased risk of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome relapse in overweight children. Twelve studies reported the significant increase in growth parameters showing that IGF-1, IGFBP-3, and ghrelin may boost growth after surgery.
The current systematic review demonstrates a scarcity of high-quality studies on growth delay in children with sleep-disordered breathing. Significant catch-up growth after surgery in the short term and changes in IGF-1, IGFBP-3, ghrelin, and leptin levels has been reported in most published studies.

BACKGROUND: Growth retardation was frequently observed in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients but the complex mechanisms causing this condition are still unclear. Several findings suggested growth catch-up after surgical treatment but other studies did not confirm the results, showing no improvement in OSA patients after tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy (T&A). The aim of the present study was to systematically review scientific literature of the relationships between OSA and metabolic changes involving growth hormone (GH) axis before and after treatment in patients.
METHODS: Different databases were searched without limitations up to August 2017. Additionally, the bibliographies of the finally selected articles were hand searched to identify any relevant publications that were not previously identified.
RESULTS: From the 37 studies collected from all the databases based on their title and abstract, only 12 studies actually fulfilled the selection criteria. From the twelve finally selected articles, eight focused on growth mediators, two evaluated endothelial mediators, one focused on neurocognitive function and mediators and one focused on local inflammation.
CONCLUSIONS: OSA children present lower levels of growth mediators (IGF-I and IGFBP-3) thus indicating growth retardation, significantly higher cardiovascular disease risk and decreased cognitive functions when compared to controls. T&A seems to improve all the above mentioned functions with great impact on general health.

BACKGROUND: Objective interpretation of laboratory test results used to diagnose and monitor diabetes mellitus in part requires the application of biological variation data (BVD). The quality of published BVD has been questioned. The aim of this study was to quality assess publications reporting BVD for diabetes-related analytes using the Biological Variation Data Critical Appraisal Checklist (BIVAC); to assess whether published BVD are fit for purpose and whether the study design and population attributes influence BVD estimates and to undertake a meta-analysis of the BVD from BIVAC-assessed publications.
METHODS: Publications reporting data for glucose, HbA1c, adiponectin, C-peptide, fructosamine, insulin like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), insulin like growth factor binding protein 3 (IGFBP-3), insulin, lactate and pyruvate were identified using a systematic literature search. These publications were assessed using the BIVAC, receiving grades A, B, C or D, where A is of highest quality. A meta-analysis of the BVD from the assessed studies utilised weightings based upon BIVAC grades and the width of the data confidence intervals to generate global BVD estimates.
RESULTS: BIVAC assessment of 47 publications delivered 1 A, 3 B, 39C and 4 D gradings. Publications relating to adiponectin, C-peptide, IGF-1, IGFBP-3, lactate and pyruvate were all assessed as grade C. Meta-analysis enabled global BV estimates for all analytes except pyruvate, lactate and fructosamine.
CONCLUSIONS: This study delivers updated and evidence-based BV estimates for diabetes-related analytes. There remains a need for delivery of new high-quality BV studies for several clinically important analytes.

OBJECTIVE: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the effect of programmed exercise for at least 12 weeks, in postmenopausal women on insulin sensitivity-related outcomes (ISROs), including fasting insulin, C-peptide, insulin growth factor (IGF-1) and IGF-binding protein (IGFBP-3), Homeostatic Model Assessment-Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR), and anthropometric variables.
METHODS: Searches were conducted in PubMed-Medline, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library from inception through May 3, 2016, for studies published in all languages. Extracted data included characteristics of the study design, study participants, intervention, and outcome measures. Types of exercise were classified into \"mid-term exercise intervention\" (MTEI, 3-4 months exercise duration) and a \"long-term exercise intervention\" (LTEI, 6-12 months exercise duration). Risk of bias in RCTs was evaluated with the Cochrane tool. We used random-effects models for meta-analyses. We adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines.
RESULTS: Seven RCTS (n = 580) evaluating the effects of programmed exercise on ISROs were included. In three RCTs, MTEI significantly lowered insulin levels (mean difference [MD] -6.50 pmol/L, 95% confidence interval [CI] -11.19, -1.82, P = 0.006) and HOMA-IR values (MD -0.18, 95% CI -0.34, -0.03, P = 0.02) when compared with controls. LTEI had no significant effect on insulin levels (P = 0.19) or HOMA-IR values (P = 0.68) in four and three RCTs, respectively. There were no significant differences between exercise intervention versus controls in circulating IGF-1, glucose, triglycerides with both MTEI and LTEI, and in IGFBP-3 with LTEI. There were significant reductions in body mass index (BMI, kg/m) (MD -1.48, 95% CI -2.48, -0.48, P = 0.004) and in body fat percentage (MD -2.99, 95% CI -4.85, -1.14, P = 0.01) after MTEI; and in waist circumference after both MTEI (MD -1.87, 95% CI -3.02, -0.72, P = 0.001) and LTEI (MD -3.74, 95% CI -6.68, -0.79). Heterogeneity of effects among studies was moderate to low.
CONCLUSIONS: Exercising for 3 to 4 months significantly lowered insulin levels and HOMA-IR values, BMI waist circumference, and percentage body fat mass; exercising for 6 to 12 months lowered waist circumference in postmenopausal women.