These are the results of a study by URV-IISPV after following 6,000 adults with metabolic syndrome for two years
Overweight and obesity have become a public health problem affecting more than 2.5 billion adults. Various studies have worked with the hypothesis that repeatedly consuming foods known as high glycemic index – which rapidly raise blood sugar levels after ingestion – could contribute to the development of obesity and, in the long term, diabetes or cardiovascular disease. Now, a research team from the Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV) and the Institut d’Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili (IISPV) has demonstrated that the consumption of pasta improves metabolic risk factors compared to potatoes, bread, or refined rice.
Breakfast cereals, sugary drinks, bread, refined rice, and potatoes, among others, are foods rich in rapidly absorbed carbohydrates. They cause a sudden increase in blood glucose and insulin levels, which stimulates appetite, fat storage, and reduces energy expenditure. This promotes obesity and hinders the use of glucose at the cellular level. Pasta, on the other hand, although also rich in carbohydrates, has a unique structure that causes these carbohydrates to be absorbed more slowly, resulting in a moderate glycemic response. When pasta is cooked to the “al dente” stage, the glycemic index is even lower, which would prevent this exaggerated glycemic response after consumption.
In the absence of rigorous studies evaluating the importance of pasta consumption on cardiovascular risk or weight gain, the research team evaluated 6,000 people at high risk of cardiovascular disease who were included in a weight loss program. They followed them over time to see if there was a relationship between refined pasta consumption and various cardiometabolic risk factors. They observed that those who consumed pasta more frequently had a greater reduction in body weight, as well as body mass index and waist circumference after two years of study. Additionally, replacing white bread, white rice, or potatoes with equivalent portions of pasta was associated with a greater reduction in the same parameters and an improvement in blood pressure and HDL cholesterol.
The study focused on older adults with cardiometabolic risk from the Mediterranean basin. Now, randomized clinical trials will be needed to verify if the results are the same in other populations.
The work is part of the multicollaborative PREDIMED-Plus study, involving 23 research institutions from Spain. The research was conducted by Sangeetha Shyam, Miguel Servet researcher at the Institut d’Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili (IISPV), Stephanie K. Nishi, researcher at the School of Nutrition at the Metropolitan University of Toronto, and Jordi Salas-Salvadó, professor and director of the Human Nutrition Unit at URV. The team is part of the Biomedical Research Networking Center for the Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition (CIBERobn) and IISPV.
Bibliographic reference: Shyam S, Nishi SK, Ni J, Martínez-González MÁ, Corella D, Schröder H, Martínez JA, Alonso-Gómez ÁM, Wärnberg J, Vioque J, Romaguera D, López-Miranda J, Estruch R, Tinahones FJ, Lapetra J, Serra-Majem L, Bueno-Cavanillas A, Tur JA, Martín Sánchez V, PintóX, Delgado-Rodríguez M, Matía-Martín P, Vidal J, Vázquez C, Daimiel L, Ros E, Gaforio JJ, Ruiz-Canela M, Fernández-Carrión R, Goday A, Garcia-Rios A, Torres-Collado L, Cueto-Galán R, Zulet MA, Prohens L, Casas R, Castillo-Hermoso MA, Tojal-Sierra L, Am GP, García-Arellano A, Sorlí JV, Castañer O, Arenas-Larriva AP, Oncina-Cánovas A, Goñi L, Fitó M, Babio N, Salas-Salvadó J. Pasta Consumption and Cardiometabolic Risks in Older Adults with Overweight/Obesity: A Longitudinal Analysis. J Am Nutr Assoc. 2025 Feb 19:1-13. DOI: 10.1080/27697061.2025.2463454.
The study, with the participation of Joan XXIII University Hospital and CIBER, analyzes 103 patients and highlights the relationship between hypertension and unfavorable disease progression
A study by the Infection and Immunity Research Group (INIM) of the Pere Virgili Health Research Institute (IISPV) has highlighted the relationship between hypertension, the most common pre-existing condition among COVID-19 patients, and a more severe progression of the disease, with a significant risk of hospitalization and death. The research team, led by Anna Rull and Joaquim Peraire, doctors at IISPV and the Joan XXIII University Hospital in Tarragona, and professors at the Rovira i Virgili University (URV), compared the molecules present in the bloodstream of hypertensive and non-hypertensive patients who experienced unfavorable progression of COVID-19.
For the study, samples from 103 patients were analyzed, including 63 who experienced unfavorable disease progression, of which 22 were hypertensive. The results show a clear association between hypertension and the severity of COVID-19, as 35% of patients who presented severe complications in the progression of COVID-19 had a prior diagnosis of hypertension.
The study has identified, in hypertensive patients, two molecules related to the activation of the cellular stress response, a key factor in the progression of COVID-19. Additionally, a comprehensive analysis of the lipid species content in blood has confirmed a critical role of phosphatidylcholines, the main component of cell membranes, in the immune system’s response to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Detecting molecules that show an altered pattern in blood at the onset of the disease can be a key strategy in diagnosing and anticipating severe complications. In this regard, the findings can help improve the prognosis and quality of life of hypertensive patients infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. However, the conclusions highlight the need for further research in the future with a larger sample of patients.
The study, recently published in the journal Scientific Reports (https://rdcu.be/ee3ZZ) by Springer Nature, is part of the research lines carried out by the Biomedical Research Network Center for Infectious Diseases (CIBERINFEC), with the participation of the INIM group of IISPV and the Translational Research Group in Immunology and Aging (TRIA) of IrsiCaixa. The work has involved collaboration with members of the Diabetes and Associated Metabolic Diseases Group (DIAMET), also from IISPV, which belongs to the Biomedical Research Network Center for Diabetes and Associated Metabolic Diseases (CIBERDEM).
The Pere Virgili Health Research Institute (IISPV) is the center that manages health and biomedical research in the province of Tarragona, bringing together the Joan XXIII University Hospital in Tarragona, Sant Joan de Reus Hospital, Pere Mata Institute in Reus, and Verge de la Cinta Hospital in Tortosa, as well as the Rovira i Virgili University. Since its creation in 2005, the Institute has worked to ensure that biomedical research translates into high-quality clinical practice for the benefit of patients and the improvement of public health. More than 600 professionals, including researchers, technicians, and trainees, are part of IISPV, which has 38 research groups distributed across four strategic areas: the area of Metabolic Diseases and Nutrition, with 16 research groups; the area of Infection, Immunity, and Environment, with a total of 10 groups; the area of Oncology, with 6 more research groups; and the area of Neurosciences and Mental Health, which integrates 6 research groups. IISPV is part of the network of Research Centers of Catalonia (CERCA).
During the visit, the Minister and the Government Delegate were able to learn about the Institute’s new projects, including the creation of the Clinical Research Unit and the expansion of the facilities at the Joan XXIII University Hospital campus
The Minister and the Government Delegate, accompanied by the director and members of the IISPV’s Advisory Management Committee
The Minister of Research and Universities of the Generalitat of Catalonia, Núria Montserrat, and the Government Delegate of the Generalitat in Tarragona, Lucía López, visited the facilities of the Pere Virgili Health Research Institute (IISPV) located at the Sant Joan University Hospital in Reus.
The director of IISPV, Joan Vendrell, accompanied by members of the Advisory Committee, presented some of the Institute’s most imminent projects, such as the creation of the new Clinical Research Unit and the expansion of IISPV’s facilities at the Joan XXIII University Hospital campus.
The activity was conducted by twenty researchers from the Pere Virgili Health Research Institute (IISPV) and the University Hospital Institut Pere Mata (HUIPM)
The Pere Virgili Health Research Institute (IISPV) participated once again in the Research Visits promoted by the La Marató 3cat Foundation, with the aim of explaining to the public how the research projects funded through this solidarity program are developed. Throughout the day, about seventy people took part in the various workshops held at the Pavelló dels Distingits of the Institut Pere Mata. The realization of this activity required the involvement of twenty researchers from IISPV – Institut Pere Mata, who conducted the workshops in three different sessions throughout the day (two in the morning and one in the afternoon).
L’activitat va servir per explicar a la ciutadania dos projectes de recerca en salut mental que l’IISPV té actius actualment i que han rebut finançament a través de la Marató 3cat. Es tracta del projecte “Xarxes de coexpressió utilitzant DDR1 com a gen llavor en sang i en cervell en el trastorn bipolar. Identificació de nous biomarcadors”, coordinat per Elisabet Vilella, subdirectora de l’IISPV i directora de l’Àrea de Recerca de l’HUIPM; i del projecte “Un enfocament integrador de la predicció del risc d’esquizofrènia aprofitant la genètica, la imatge cerebral i el transcriptoma del neuroepiteli olfactiu”, de Gerard Muntané, investigador del Grup de Recerca en Genètica i Ambient en Psiquiatria (GAP) de l’IISPV.
A study shows that this lifestyle mitigates bone deterioration in people with metabolic syndrome, especially in women
Following a hypocaloric Mediterranean diet and engaging in regular physical activity mitigates bone health deterioration in older adults with metabolic syndrome, particularly in women. These are the main conclusions of a study published in the scientific journal JAMA Network Open, led by a research team from the Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV), with the participation and support of various institutions such as the Institut d’Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili (IISPV), the Centre d’Investigació Biomèdica en Xarxa de Fisiopatologia de l’Obesitat i la Nutrició (CIBEROBN), and the Instituto de Salud Carlos III.
The study included 924 men and women aged between 55 and 75 years with overweight or obesity and metabolic syndrome, who were monitored for three years by four research centers in Spain. They were randomly assigned to two groups: the first followed a calorie-restricted Mediterranean diet combined with physical activity, while the second followed a Mediterranean diet without calorie restrictions or specific physical activity recommendations. Participants from both groups underwent bone densitometry to evaluate the mineral density of their bones in different areas of the body.
The results showed that women in the first group better preserved bone mineral density in the lumbar spine, along with moderate weight loss after three years of follow-up, compared to the second group. ‘This type of lifestyle intervention based on moderate weight loss through a hypocaloric Mediterranean diet and physical exercise can be a useful strategy to prevent bone health deterioration related to weight loss and aging,’ says Héctor Vázquez-Lorente, a researcher from the Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology at the URV and the first author of the study.
Bone deterioration during aging is one of the main public health issues in society. This study highlights that ‘it is possible to mitigate this process by providing an effective strategy to promote healthier aging, especially in older women,’ says Jordi Salas-Salvadó, professor of Nutrition at the URV and principal investigator of the study.
The loss of bone mineral density is a key factor in the development of osteoporosis, especially in postmenopausal women, and it increases the risk of fractures, reduces quality of life, and raises morbidity and mortality. ‘The relationship between weight loss and bone health is a constant concern in clinical research. Our results indicate that not all weight-loss strategies negatively impact bone density,’ says Jesús F. García Gavilán, co-author of the study
he research is part of the PREDIMED-Plus project, a pioneering multicenter clinical trial that evaluates the impact of a lifestyle intervention on the prevention of cardiovascular diseases and weight loss in older adults
Bibliographic reference: Vázquez-Lorente H et al. Mediterranean Diet, Physical Activity, and Bone Health in Older Adults: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Network Open, 2025. DOI: 10.1007/s11657-022-01140-7.
A bibliographic review on the role of succinate in the development of these diseases has been published in the prestigious journal Current Opinion in Microbiology
The Diabetes and Associated Metabolic Diseases Research Group (DIAMET) from the Pere Virgili Health Research Institute (IISPV), together with the spin-off SUCCIPRO, have published a bibliographic review on the role of succinate in the development of inflammatory bowel diseases.
The review, published in the prestigious journal Current Opinion in Microbiology, highlights the potential of this molecule produced by the intestinal microbiota as a therapeutic target for these types of diseases. The article points out how the accumulation of succinate in the intestine is related to an alteration of the gut flora, inflammation, and metabolic disturbances. This review offers a new perspective on how succinate contributes to the development of inflammatory diseases, such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
With this publication, the DIAMET group, led by Dr. Sonia Fernández-Veledo and Dr. Joan Vendrell, along with SUCCIPRO, a spin-off born from the collaboration between IISPV and Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV), strengthen their position as leaders in the study of microbial metabolites.
You can find more information about the article here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1369527425000219?via%3Dihub.
The Pere Virgili Health Research Institute (IISPV) is the center that manages health and biomedical research in the province of Tarragona. It brings together the university hospitals Joan XXIII of Tarragona, Sant Joan of Reus, Pere Mata Institute of Reus, and Verge de la Cinta Hospital of Tortosa, as well as Universitat Rovira i Virgili.
Since its creation in 2005, the Institute has worked to ensure that biomedical research is translated into high-quality clinical practice for the benefit of patients and the improvement of the population’s health.
More than 600 professionals, including researchers, technicians, and trainees, are part of IISPV, which encompasses 38 research groups distributed across four strategic areas: the Metabolic Diseases and Nutrition area, comprising 16 research groups; the Infection, Immunity, and Environment area, with a total of 10 groups; the Oncology area, including 6 research groups; and the Neurosciences and Mental Health area, integrating 6 research groups.
SUCCIPRO is a biotechnology spin-off company from URV and IISPV dedicated to the development of new succinate-modulating drugs for the treatment of metabolic and inflammatory diseases. Founded in March 2022 and with over 80% of its budget directly allocated to Research and Development, the company is certified as a startup by ENISA and works on a diversified line of pharmaceutical products in early stages of research. The company is supported by numerous research projects such as NEOTEC (SNEO-20231359) and Torres Quevedo (PTQ2022-012572 and PTQ2023-012978 MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033).
A study determines that men with longer telomeres have better sperm quality, highlighting the potential of these structures as a biomarker
In recent years, fertility has decreased drastically. In fact, the estimated proportion of the population with fertility problems reached 17.5% in 2020, according to the World Health Organization. It is estimated that half of these cases are attributable to male fertility issues. The causes of male infertility are multifactorial and include metabolic or genetic factors, as well as environmental or lifestyle factors. Combined, they can lead to a significant reduction in semen quality, potentially causing infertility.
Due to the impact infertility has on mental health and quality of life, identifying reproductive health indicators is a priority for the scientific community. One such indicator could be telomeres, structures located at the ends of chromosomes that protect our DNA.
In recent years, studies conducted with samples from fertility clinic patients have indicated that the telomeres of some men facing difficulties in having children were shorter. Faced with this scenario, researchers explored, for the first time in healthy volunteers, whether telomere length is related to sperm quality.
They conducted the study by analyzing biological samples of sperm—male sex cells—and leukocytes, also known as white blood cells—cells in the blood involved in immune response processes—as well as sperm quality through parameters such as concentration or sperm vitality.
The samples were provided by 200 healthy volunteers of reproductive age—between 18 and 40 years old—participants in the international Led-Fertyl project, a cross-sectional study designed to evaluate dietary and lifestyle determinants of sperm quality, considering parameters such as concentration, quantity, motility, vitality, and morphology of sperm, among others.
The analysis revealed that participants with longer telomeres had more sperm and higher concentrations of these male gametes. “These results suggest that telomere length could be a useful biomarker for determining sperm quality and, in the long run, infertility,” says María Fernández de la Puente Cervera, researcher from the Food, Nutrition, Development, and Mental Health group and lead author of this study.
However, the team emphasizes that further studies are needed to confirm this relationship in the long term: “Research like this helps us understand the mechanisms behind infertility and allows us to establish strategies to improve people’s reproductive quality,” they conclude.
This work has been led by Jordi Salas-Salvadó, director of the Human Nutrition Unit at URV, Silvia Canudas, associate professor at UB, Nancy Babio, principal investigator of the project, and Albert Salas-Huetos, researcher from the Department of Basic Medical Sciences. The team is part of the Biomedical Research Networking Center for the Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition (CIBERobn) and the Pere Virgili Health Research Institute (IISPV-CERCA).
Reference: María Fernández de la Puente, Cristina Valle-Hita, Albert Salas-Huetos, María Ángeles Martínez, Elena Sánchez-Resino, Silvia Canudas, Daniel Torres-Oteros, Joana Relat, Nancy Babio, Jordi Salas-Salvadó, Sperm and leukocyte telomere length are related to sperm quality parameters in healthy men from the Led-Fertyl study, Human Reproduction Open, 2024; https://doi.org/10.1093/hropen/hoae062
Clinical evidence of great significance published in the American Journal of Psychiatry includes contributions from Elisabet Vilella, a prominent researcher at the Hospital Universitari Pere Mata
An international group of researchers specializing in the genetics of psychiatric disorders, including Dr. Elisabet Vilella from the Hospital Universitari Institut Pere Mata and the Pere Virgili Health Research Institute, has published an article presenting new evidence on the genetic causes of psychiatric disorders and their potential clinical applications. The article, featured in the prestigious American Journal of Psychiatry, is structured into various sections, each analyzing a specific type of genetic variant and providing conclusions. Additionally, each section includes a simulated case to illustrate the different findings.
The article highlights the ethical and social considerations that must be taken into account when utilizing genetic information, to avoid its misuse, as seen in the past. It also provides recommendations for integrating recent advances in psychiatric genetics into the clinical practice of mental health professionals. Emphasis is placed on the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration between specialties, enabling a comprehensive care model. Specifically, it underscores the need for joint efforts between mental health specialists and medical genetics professionals—whether clinical geneticists or genetic counselors—who are trained to provide information and guide patients and families throughout the process.
The team of international researchers who published the article is part of the Training Committee of the International Society of Psychiatric Genetics. They are currently working on developing educational materials about the genetics of various psychiatric disorders. These resources will be created in multiple languages and made available to the general public.
The Pere Virgili Health Research Institute (IISPV) serves as the hub for health and biomedical research in the province of Tarragona. It brings together key institutions such as the Joan XXIII University Hospital in Tarragona, Sant Joan University Hospital in Reus, Institut Pere Mata in Reus, Verge de la Cinta Hospital in Tortosa, and the Universitat Rovira i Virgili. Since its establishment in 2005, the institute has been dedicated to ensuring that biomedical research translates into high-quality clinical practice for the benefit of patients and the improvement of public health.
More than 600 professionals, including researchers, technicians, and trainees, are part of IISPV, which encompasses 38 research groups distributed across four strategic areas: the Metabolic Diseases and Nutrition area, comprising 16 research groups; the Infection, Immunity, and Environment area, with a total of 10 groups; the Oncology area, including 6 research groups; and the Neurosciences and Mental Health area, integrating 6 research groups.
The data from this study, promoted by CIBERDEM, the URV and the IISPV, could open the door to new preventive and therapeutic strategies
A new study has revealed new evidence on the role of growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15), a protein produced in situations of physiological stress, in both metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. The research, published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences, has been carried out by a research team led by CIBERDEM in which the Rovira i Virgili University (URV) and the Institute for Health Research Pere Virgili (IISPV) have also participated.
The team analyzed GDF15 levels in 156 patients with metabolic disorders and found, through nuclear magnetic resonance imaging, that this stress response cytokine is linked to liver damage and to an advanced atherogenic profile, a combination of factors in the blood that increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. Specifically, they observed an increase in the amount of very low-density lipoprotein particles and their cholesterol and triglyceride content. In addition, elevated levels of GDF15 were associated with increased thickness of a marker of subclinical atherosclerosis.
“There is increasing evidence linking GDF15 with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease and cardiovascular risk. However, the possible relationship between circulating levels of GDF15 and key features of MASLD that predispose to atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is not fully understood,” explains Ricardo Rodríguez-Calvo, a researcher at the Lipids and Arteriosclerosis Unit (URV-IISPV) and CIBERDEM.
The study delved into the role of circulating levels of the GDF15 protein in hepatic metabolic disorders and atherosclerotic disease: “GDF15 was associated with liver damage and inflammatory markers, and increased the likelihood of hepatic steatosis in a group of metabolic patients,” says Josefa Girona, researcher at the Lipids and Arteriosclerosis Unit (URV-IISPV) and CIBERDEM.
After 10 years of follow-up, it was observed that patients who developed atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease had significantly higher baseline levels of the GDF15 protein than those who did not develop the pathology. This, according to the researchers, could suggest that this protein plays a key role in the mechanisms linking MASLD to cardiovascular risk.
The authors believe that these findings “provide new insights into the relationship between MASLD and cardiovascular risk, focusing on the role of GDF15 in both pathologies. This could open the door to new strategies for the prevention and treatment of metabolic and cardiovascular diseases”. However, they also point out that further molecular studies are needed to clarify the causal role of the GDF15 protein in disease-associated cardiovascular risk.
Bibliographic reference: Girona, J., Guardiola, M., Barroso, E., García-Altares, M., Ibarretxe, D., Plana, N., Ribalta, J., Amigó, N., Correig, X., Vázquez-Carrera, M., Masana, L., & Rodríguez-Calvo, R. (2025). GDF15 Circulating Levels Are Associated with Metabolic-Associated Liver Injury and Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 26(5), 2039. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26052039
It is a management system that will be implemented in care homes, ATDOM (home care), and hospitalized patients starting next month. The DigiDiab project, coordinated from Austria, implements and evaluates GlucoTab, with the participation of IDIAPJGol and IISPV
Joan XXIII University Hospital is hosting a training session in the Knowledge Management Area of the healthcare park, coordinated from Austria, on the digital tool for diabetes management, GlucoTab. This tool is a decision-support system for managing this condition and will be launched next month in nursing homes for the elderly, home care in the Reus region, and the Internal Medicine Department of Joan XXIII Hospital.
The DigiDiab project, coordinated by the Medical University of Graz and led by Dr. Katharina Lichtenegger, involves the participation of two research groups from the Camp de Tarragona region. In primary care, the Diabetes group of IDIAPJGol, led by Dr. Joan Josep Cabré Vila and Dr. Carles Perpiñan Auguet, drives the project in care homes and home care settings, with support from the Research Support Unit of Tarragona at IDIAPJGol, coordinated by Dr. Francisco Martín Luján and technician Sara Martínez Torres. At the Joan XXIII Hospital, the GEMMAIR research group of IISPV, led by Dr. Maria Teresa Auguet Quintillà, receives support from the International Projects Unit of IISPV. The aim of the DigiDiab project is to implement and evaluate the GlucoTab management system.
The training session, coordinated by representatives of Decide Clinical Software GmbH (owners of GlucoTab), served to share experiences and preliminary results regarding the implementation of the GlucoTab system. This collaborative space brought together healthcare professionals and researchers to discuss the challenges and opportunities of digitalization in diabetes management within care environments. Additionally, it provided a platform to exchange experiences, analyze the needs of different centers, and explore ways to improve the system.
Despite the advances made in recent years, the quality of diabetes care still has room for improvement. One reason is the lack of insulin therapy adjustment, often caused by professionals’ lack of knowledge or fear of hypoglycemia. The use of digital assistants can help optimize the appropriate insulin dosage for patients. GlucoTab is a certified medical device that enhances blood glucose level control, supports medical and nursing professionals, and promotes evidence-based diabetes management.
More about the DigiDiab project
DigiDiab is a project with a budget of over two million euros funded by the European Union, aiming to help healthcare professionals improve blood glucose control, prevent complications among patients, and reduce healthcare costs. The project is part of the EIT Health consortium, comprising more than 144 companies, universities, and research centers from 14 European countries. It is one of the most ambitious initiatives in the healthcare sector funded by public resources in Europe. The initiative seeks to develop and evaluate a solution tailored to each patient, assisting healthcare professionals in enhancing the management of the disease. This solution is a software application called GlucoTab, which is currently in a pilot testing phase in the countries within the DigiDiab consortium: Sweden, Denmark, the Czech Republic, Austria, and Spain.
