[Relationship between exercise during and before pregnancy periods and gestational diabetes mellitus]

Background and Objective: Pregnancy is a period of women's life which is usually associated with reducing maternal daily physical activity. However, maintaining adequate daily physical activity is important for mother and fetus. This study was conducted to determine the relationship between exercise before and during pregnancy and gestational diabete mellitus [GDM]

Methods: This case-control study was conducted on 80 pregnant women with gestational diabete mellitus and 57 non-diabetic pregnant women. Physical activity during one and eight years before, and first and second trimesters of pregnancy was recorded through interview

Results: Regular participation in exercise activities in non-diabetic women were significantly more than diabetic women during all periods [P<0.05]. Regular participation in exercise during one year before and second trimester of pregnancy was inversely correlated to GDM [P<0.05]. Energy expenditure of second trimester of pregnancy was significantly correlated to reduce GDM [P<0.05]

Conclusion: Regular exercise before and during pregnancy can be effective in reducing the probability of GDM. Exercise during one year before and especially second trimester of pregnancy are more important predictors of GDM

[ effect of an 8-week concurrent training on plasma endothelin_1 level and blood pressure of old women]

Endothelin_1 secreted by endothelial cells has been identified as the strongest vascular constrictor. The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of concurrent training on plasma concentration of endothelin_1 and its relationship with blood pressure of old women. A total of 20 menopause women [Mean age: 67.47 +/- 5.92 years, mean body length: 152.92 +/- 7.52cm, mean weight: 65.83 +/- 11.83 kg, mean BMI 28.47 +/- 4.98 kg/m2, fat percentage: 18.61 +/- 3.57, and WHR: 0.929 +/- 0.045] were selected purposefully and randomly assigned into the two groups of ten people. The experimental group did eight weeks of concurrent training in the form of three days per week each day two sessions resistance training with the intensity of 40 to 65% of one maximum repetition and with overload of 5% after each 6 sessions and aerobic training with 60 to 70% of maximum heart rate. Before and after eight weeks of exercise, the resting level of endothelin_1 and systolic and diastolic blood pressure were measured and recorded. Paired t-test was used for investigating the within group changes and independent t-test was used for investigating the between groups differences. Pearson correlation coefficient was used for investigating the relationship between endothelin_1 concentration and blood pressure. P<0.05 was considered as statistically significant level. The results of this study showed that an 8-week concurrent exercise has a significant effect on decreasing endothelin_1 concentration [p=0.003], and also decreasing systolic [p=0.002] and diastolic [p=0.000] blood pressure of old women. There was a direct correlation between endothelin_1 level and systolic blood pressure [p=0.601]. Nevertheless, there was no correlation between endothelin_1 level and diastolic blood pressure [r=0.352]. Concerning the decrease of plasma endothelin_1 concentration and decrease of systolic and diastolic blood pressure following concurrent exercise, and concerning the relationship of endothelin_1 level and systolic blood pressure, it seems that one period of concurrent exercise with this intensity and volume can effect plasma endothelin_1 concentration as a risk factor for hypertension in old women

effects of creatine and carnitine supplementation on oxidative stress and inflammation in athletes

The present study was carried out to evaluate the effects of creatine and carnitine supplementation on oxidative stress and inflammation in athletes. In this single-blind randomized clinical trial 45 sportsmen were studied selected from Velayat Sports Complex [in Shiraz] in this single-blind randomized clinical trial. Then they were randomly divided into four groups supplemented with: a] Creatine, b] Carnitine, c] Creatine and Carnitine and d] placebo for 28 days. Before and after the intervention, blood samples were taken for measurement of oxidative stress [MDA and GSHPx] and inflammation markers. Data were analyzed using SPSS/PC statistical package [version 18]. Paired t-test and ANOVA were used to compare mean values of each groups. No statistically significant difference were found between the IL-6 and MDA mean levels of the intervention groups and placebo group [P>0.05]. Furthermore, no statistically significant difference was noted in GSHPx mean values before and after supplementation as well as in comparison to placebo group. Based on the defined dose and duration of supplementation in the present study, creatine and carnitine supplementation showed no effects on oxidative stress and inflammation conditions either separately or simultaneously. Furthermore, no negative and side effects were observed

[Evaluation of simple calculated osteoporosis risk estimation [SCORE] in Iranian postmenopausal women]

Osteoporosis is a major health problem for postmenopausal women in all over the world. Use of dual x-ray absorptiometry [DXA] as standard diagnostic procedure, due to the cost is not economical for screening of all postmenopausal women. Based on clinical risk factors, several screening tools have been invented and one of the most popular screening tools is Simple Calculated Osteoporosis Risk Estimation [SCORE]. The objective of this study was to evaluate performance of this tool in screening of Iranian women for osteoporosis. This descriptive - analytical study was performed on 341 postmenopausal women who were referred to Isfahan bone densitometry centre. We made use of the osteoporosis screening tools [SCORE] for postmenopausal women aged 45 years or more, without secondary cause for osteoporosis, and the results were compared with their bone mineral density. Among 341 postmenopausal women, who were studied in this study, 20.8% were osteoporotic [71persons], 39.6% had low bone mineral density in one or both studied areas by DXA and the rest of women [39.6%] were found normal. SCORE tool was shown to have sensitivity about 87.2% [95% CI 97.2%-76.4%] and specificity of 37.9% for screening of low bone mass in postmenopausal women. SCORE tool has acceptable sensitivity and accuracy to be used as a tool to identify low bone mineral density in vast majority of Iranian postmenopausal women

Osteoporosis screening tools in Iranian postmenopausal women

Osteoporosis is a major health problem, but testing low bone mineral density is not practical for screening all postmenopausal women. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of the clinical tools to help clinicians to identify the Iranian women at an increased risk for Osteoporosis. The popular Osteoporosis screening tools were evaluated in 341 postmenopausal women without secondary cause for Osteoporosis, using data from a bone densitometry centre, and compared the results with their bone mineral density. National Osteoporosis Foundation recommendations had only a sensitivity of 48% for screening patients with low bone mass but the Osteoporosis Risk Assessment Instrument and the Simple Calculated Osteoporosis Risk Assessment Estimation with a sensitivity of 70.9% and 87.2%, respectively, showed better results in respect to the screening for Osteoporosis of postmenopausal women. The efficiency of these Osteoporosis screening tools in our Iranian patients was relatively similar to that of other populations, and these screening tools accurately identify the vast majority of postmenopausal women likely to have low bone mineral density