Fatores associados com a presença de anemia em pacientes hospitalizados / Factors associated with the presence of anemia in hospitalized patients

Introdução: Anemia é definida pela diminuição da concentração de hemoglobina circulante no sangue, podendo ser desencadeada por mecanismos fisiopatológicos e deficiências alimentares. Objetivou-se avaliar fatores associados à presença e ao tipo de anemia em pacientes hospitalizados. Métodos: Estudo retrospectivo, quantitativo realizado em hospital municipal da região central do Rio Grande do Sul. Fizeram parte do estudo pacientes hospitalizados em diferentes clínicas, com idade superior a 18 anos. Os dados foram coletados de fichas preenchidas pelos acadêmicos do curso de Nutrição durante o estágio curricular. As fichas eram compostas pelos seguintes dados: diagnóstico médico, doenças associadas, dados antropométricos como Índice de Massa Corporal (IMC) e exames laboratoriais como o hemograma. Resultados: A amostra foi composta por 100 indivíduos hospitalizados, 39% adultos e 61% idosos; 76% dos pacientes apresentaram anemia, sendo 35,4% (n= 34) anemia leve, 29% (n=28) moderada e 11,6% (n=11) grave. Percebeu-se que os idosos estão mais anêmicos em relação aos adultos. Doenças hematológicas, infecciosas, gastroenterológicas e pneumológicas tiveram maiores associações com a presença de anemia nos pacientes. Parâmetros como volume corpuscular médio e amplitude de distribuição dos eritrócitos encontraram-se normais nos pacientes. Além disso, observou-se relação inversamente proporcional da gravidade de anemia com o estado nutricional dos pacientes. Conclusão: A maioria dos pacientes hospitalizados estava anêmica, principalmente idosos. Alterações observadas no eritrograma foram semelhantes às encontradas na anemia por doença crônica. O baixo IMC e doenças associadas com alterações na eritropoiese, perda sanguínea e estimulação do sistema imunológico tiveram maiores associações com a presença de anemia nesses pacientes.

Introduction: Anemia is defined as a decreased concentration of circulating blood hemoglobin, and it can be triggered by pathophysiological mechanisms and nutritional deficiencies. We aimed to evaluate factors associated with the presence and type of anemia in hospitalized patients. Methods: This is a retrospective, quantitative study performed in a municipal hospital in central Rio Grande do Sul. The study participants were patients hospitalized at different healthcare institutions and aged 18 years or older. Data were collected through forms filled out by undergraduate nutrition students at their academic internship period. The forms included the following data: medical diagnosis, associated diseases, anthropometric data such as body mass index (BMI), and laboratory examinations such as blood counts. Results: The sample comprised 100 hospitalized individuals, of which 39% were adults and 61% were older adults; 76% of the patients presented anemia, where 35.4% (n=34) had mild anemia, 29% (n=28) had moderate anemia, and 11.6% (n = 11) had severe anemia. We noticed that older adults were more severely anemic than adults. Blood disorders and infectious, gastrointestinal, and respiratory diseases were more strongly associated with the presence of anemia in these patients. Parameters such as mean corpuscular volume and red cell distribution width were normal. Moreover, we observed an inversely proportional relationship between anemia severity and the patients' nutritional status. Conclusion: Most hospitalized patients were anemic, especially the older adults. Alterations seen in the erythrogram were similar to those found in anemia of chronic disease. Low BMI and diseases linked to changes in erythropoiesis, blood loss, and stimulation of the immune system were more strongly associated with the presence of anemia in these patients.

Antioxidant effects of Phyllanthus niruri tea on healthy subjects

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the potential antioxidant effects of Phyllanthus niruri (P. niruri, Euphorbiaceae) tea on healthy subjects.@*METHODS@#Five non-smoking, male healthy volunteers, 20 to 31 years old, were enrolled. Each subject was treated twice, following a randomized crossover fashion regarding the ingestion of P. niruri infusion (5 g/750 mL) (tea group) or 750 mL of water (control group). Fasting venous blood samples were collected prior to and at 1, 2 and 4 h after infusion drinking. Samples were tested for plasmatic gallic acid and ascorbic acid levels, erythrocytic catalase and superoxide dismutase activities, and intracellular DCFH fluorescence in granulocytes, monocytes and lymphocytes.@*RESULTS@#Catalase and superoxide dismutase activities were not altered by tea ingestion. Plasma levels of gallic acid were significantly increased at 1, 2 and 4 h after P. niruri ingestion and plasma ascorbic acid at 1 h after P. niruri ingestion.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Ingestion of P. niruri tea is associated with a slight increase in antioxidant markers in human blood (ascorbic acid and gallic acid), which may contribute to its pharmacological effects.