Dyadic Relationship and Quality of Life Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease.

INTRODUCTION: Chronic Renal insufficiency (CRI) and dialysis treatment lead to a succession of situations for kidney chronic patient, which compromises his aspect, not only physically, and psychologically, with personal, family and social repercussions. OBJECTIVE: (1) to verify the existence of differences of dyadic adjustment (DA) according to renal replacement treatment (RRT) and (2) verify the existence of differences quality of life (QOL) in accordance with the RRT. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study of a descriptive nature through surveys, exploratory and correlational. The sample consisted of 125 participants. Of these, 31 were to be made RRT by automated peritoneal dialysis (APD) and 94 hemodialysis (HD). Participants were selected from three renal centers: (1) Centro Renal da Prelada (Porto, Portugal), (2) Centrodial (S. João da Madeira, Portugal) and Centro Renal da Misericórdia de Paredes (Paredes, Portugal). The study was carried out for 6 months. The following instruments were applied: Socio-demographic and clinical questionnaire (SDCQ), Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS), World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL-Bref). RESULTS: The results demonstrate the existence of statistically significant differences between the type of RRT and most areas of QOL, as well as the existence of statistically significant differences between the subscales of the DAS evaluated and the type of RRT. CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrates a greater commitment in terms of QOL of individuals undergoing treatment for HD when compared with those subjected to APD. It turns out, also, that DA is most strongly perceived by patients in APD than with HD.

Dyadic Relationship and Quality of Life Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease / Relação Diádica e Qualidade de Vida de Pacientes com Doença Renal Crônica

AbstractIintroduction:Chronic Renal insufficiency (CRI) and dialysis treatment lead to a succession of situations for kidney chronic patient, which compromises his aspect, not only physically, and psychologically, with personal, family and social repercussions.Objective:(1) to verify the existence of differences of dyadic adjustment (DA) according to renal replacement treatment (RRT) and (2) verify the existence of differences quality of life (QOL) in accordance with the RRT.Methods:This is a cross-sectional study of a descriptive nature through surveys, exploratory and correlational. The sample consisted of 125 participants. Of these, 31 were to be made RRT by automated peritoneal dialysis (APD) and 94 hemodialysis (HD). Participants were selected from three renal centers: (1) Centro Renal da Prelada (Porto, Portugal), (2) Centrodial (S. João da Madeira, Portugal) and Centro Renal da Misericórdia de Paredes (Paredes, Portugal). The study was carried out for 6 months. The following instruments were applied: Socio-demographic and clinical questionnaire (SDCQ), Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS), World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL-Bref).Results:The results demonstrate the existence of statistically significant differences between the type of RRT and most areas of QOL, as well as the existence of statistically significant differences between the subscales of the DAS evaluated and the type of RRT.Conclusion:The present study demonstrates a greater commitment in terms of QOL of individuals undergoing treatment for HD when compared with those subjected to APD. It turns out, also, that DA is most strongly perceived by patients in APD than with HD.

ResumoIntrodução:A Insuficiência Renal Crônica (IRC) e o tratamento dialítico provocam uma sucessão de situações para o doente renal crônico, que compromete o seu aspecto, não só físico como psicológico, com repercussões pessoais, familiares e sociais.Objetivo:(1) verificar a existência de diferenças do relacionamento diádico (RD) de acordo com o Tratamento Substitutivo Renal (TSR) e (2) verificar a existência de diferenças da qualidade de vida (QDV) de acordo com o TSR.Métodos:O presente estudo transversal é de carácter descritivo mediante inquéritos, exploratório e correlacional. A amostra é constituída por 125 participantes. Destes, 31 encontravam-se a efectuar TSR por diálise peritoneal automatizada (DPA) e 94 por hemodiálise (HD). Os participantes foram selecionados de três centros renais: (1) Centro Renal da Prelada (Porto); (2) Centrodial (São João da Madeira); e Centro Renal da Misericórdia de Paredes (Paredes). O estudo realizou-se durante 6 meses. Aplicou-se os seguintes instrumentos: Questionário Sociodemográfico e clínico (QSD&C); Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS); World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL-Bref).Resultados:Os resultados demonstram a existência de diferenças estatisticamente significativas entre o tipo de TSR e a maioria dos domínios de QDV, bem como, a existência de diferenças estatisticamente significativas entre as subescalas do Ajuste Diádico avaliadas e o tipo de TSR.Conclusão:O presente estudo demonstra um maior comprometimento ao nível da QDV dos indivíduos submetidos a tratamento por HD quando comparados com os submetidos à DPA. Verifica-se, igualmente, que o AD é mais fortemente percebido pelos pacientes em DPA do que com HD.

Proteomic analysis of plasma from Portuguese patients with familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

In ALS, the identification of abnormal proteins in biological fluids might be useful for the understanding of the ethiopathogenesis of the disease. Furthermore, it can provide biomarkers useful for diagnosis, to monitor disease progression and to study the effect of drugs. Plasma is a suitable fluid for screening such targets since blood collection is a relatively simple procedure. In this study, proteomic techniques consisting of two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and matrix-assisted laser desorption time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) have been used for the analysis of plasma from a group of Portuguese familial ALS (FALS) patients not carrying SOD1 mutations, age-matched healthy controls, sporadic ALS patients and controls with other muscular disorders. Most relevant was the finding in the FALS patients of an isoform of vitamin D-binding protein (DBP) at pI 5.2, identified as GC2 by liquid chromatography electrospray ionization-TOF MS. GC2 was absent from the healthy controls. Concomitantly, decrease of more acidic isoforms of DBP was observed for the FALS patients. The results suggested that the GC2 polymorphism of DBP could constitute a risk factor for ALS.

Biochemical characterization of plasma in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: amino acid and protein composition.

In this work, we have studied the amino acid and protein composition of the plasma from a group of 32 ALS patients. As controls, groups of 10 healthy subjects (HC) and 32 patients with other neuromuscular disorders have been analysed. When the HC group was compared with the ALS group there were significant decreases of His (39+/-18 to 24+/-9 microM, p<0.01) and Ala (313+/-62 to 237+/-66 microM, p<0.05), and a significant increase of Asn (89+/-41 to 118+/-24 microM, p<0.05), for the ALS group. When the three groups were compared, we observed significant decreased concentrations of Ser, His, Thr, Ala, Arg, Tyr, Met, Cys, Ile, and significant increases of Asn, Phe and Lys. An increase of proteolytic products of alpha2-macroglobulin (alpha2-M), an acute-phase serum glycoprotein that functions as a protease inhibitor, has been observed for a subgroup of ALS patients by Western blot. Furthermore, the detection of alpha2-M during disease progression has shown increases of the intact subunit and of a proteolytic product for two of the four patients analysed. Another acute-phase glycoprotein, haptoglobin, which regulates haemoglobin degradation, was not increased for the same group of patients. The results obtained suggested that diet supplementation with His and Ala and modulation of alpha2-M might have some beneficial effects on the course of ALS.

Encoding of host and non-host plant odours by receptor neurones in the eucalyptus woodborer, Phoracantha semipunctata (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae).

In the eucalyptus woodborer, Phoracantha semipunctata, responses from single receptor neurones to host ( Eucalyptus globulus) and non-host ( Pinus pinaster, Olea europeae) plant odours were examined, using gas chromatography linked with electrophysiological recordings. Thirty-two compounds elicited responses that appeared as increased firing rates correlating with the elution of the active components. A subset of neurones classified as type A ( n=17) responded to one compound, a second subset B ( n=15) responded to two compounds and a third subset C ( n=9) responded to three or more compounds. For each neurone of type B or C, the active chemicals were structurally related. Neurones responding to monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes and non-terpenoids, respectively, showed non-overlapping response spectra, whereas neurones within one chemical group showed some overlap. The results suggest that most neurones, which receive information about plant odours, are narrowly rather than broadly tuned, each specialised for the detection of one or two related compounds. Although most neurones responded to compounds released by host and non-host species, a few responded specifically to compounds of only one species. This suggests a chemical "fingerprint" mechanism for discrimination between odour blends of the different plants, where only a few compounds may be specific for a particular species or individual.