ABSTRACT
Liver fibrosis is the most common outcome of chronic liver diseases, and its progression to cirrhosis can only be effectively treated with liver transplantation. The amniotic membrane (AM) has been studied as an alternative therapy for fibrosis diseases mainly for its favorable properties, including anti-inflammatory, anti-scaring and immunomodulatory properties. It was recently demonstrated that the AM reduces the progression of biliary fibrosis to its advanced stage, cirrhosis, when applied on the liver for 6 weeks after fibrosis induction. Here, we investigated the effects of AM on rat fibrotic liver, during a prolonged period of time. Fibrosis was induced by bile duct ligation (BDL), and at the same time, a fragment of AM was applied around the liver. After 1, 3, 6, and 9 weeks, the degree of fibrosis was assessed by qualitative Knodell scoring, and by quantitative image analysis to quantify the area of collagen deposition in hepatic tissue. While fibrosis progressed rapidly in untreated BDL animals, leading to cirrhosis within 6 weeks, AM-treated livers showed confined fibrosis at the periportal area with few and thin fibrotic septa, but without cirrhosis. In addition, collagen deposition was reduced to about 36 and 55% of levels observed in BDL at 6 and 9 weeks after BDL, respectively, which shows that the longer the period of AM application, the lower the collagen deposition. These results suggested that AM applied as a patch onto the liver surface for longer periods attenuated the severity of biliary fibrosis and protected against liver degeneration caused by excessive collagen deposition.
Subject(s)
Amnion/transplantation , Liver Cirrhosis/prevention & control , Animals , Collagen/metabolism , Disease Models, Animal , Female , Humans , Ligation , Rats , Time FactorsABSTRACT
Liver fibrosis is the most common outcome of chronic liver diseases, and its progression to cirrhosis can only be effectively treated with liver transplantation. The amniotic membrane (AM) has been studied as an alternative therapy for fibrosis diseases mainly for its favorable properties, including anti-inflammatory, anti-scaring and immunomodulatory properties. It was recently demonstrated that the AM reduces the progression of biliary fibrosis to its advanced stage, cirrhosis, when applied on the liver for 6 weeks after fibrosis induction. Here, we investigated the effects of AM on rat fibrotic liver, during a prolonged period of time. Fibrosis was induced by bile duct ligation (BDL), and at the same time, a fragment of AM was applied around the liver. After 1, 3, 6, and 9 weeks, the degree of fibrosis was assessed by qualitative Knodell scoring, and by quantitative image analysis to quantify the area of collagen deposition in hepatic tissue. While fibrosis progressed rapidly in untreated BDL animals, leading to cirrhosis within 6 weeks, AM-treated livers showed confined fibrosis at the periportal area with few and thin fibrotic septa, but without cirrhosis. In addition, collagen deposition was reduced to about 36 and 55% of levels observed in BDL at 6 and 9 weeks after BDL, respectively, which shows that the longer the period of AM application, the lower the collagen deposition. These results suggested that AM applied as a patch onto the liver surface for longer periods attenuated the severity of biliary fibrosis and protected against liver degeneration caused by excessive collagen deposition.
Subject(s)
Humans , Animals , Female , Rats , Amnion/transplantation , Liver Cirrhosis/prevention & control , Time Factors , Collagen/metabolism , Disease Models, Animal , LigationABSTRACT
OBJETIVO: Avaliar a capacidade funcional, função pulmonar, musculatura respiratória e estado nutricional de crianças e adolescentes portadores de insuficiência renal crônica (IRC) em tratamento conservador. MÉTODOS: Este estudo foi realizado com 30 voluntários, divididos em dois grupos: Portadores de IRC em tratamento conservador (Grupo IRC) e grupo sem comprometimento da função renal (Grupo Controle). Os voluntários foram submetidos à avaliação fisioterapêutica, espirometria, avaliação de força e resistência da musculatura respiratória, do estado nutricional e da capacidade funcional. Para a análise dos dados, foi utilizado o teste de Mann-Whitney com nível de significância de 5 por cento. RESULTADOS: No Grupo IRC, o índice de Tiffeneau foi significativamente menor (p= 0,003). Em relação à função muscular respiratória, os valores de pressão expiratória máxima foram menores (p= 0,010) e os valores do tempo do teste de resistência, maiores (p= 0,003). Na avaliação funcional, as variáveis que diferiram estatisticamente foram: menor distância caminhada (p< 0,001) e maior pressão arterial média (p< 0,001); freqüência respiratória final (p< 0,001) e escala de Borg (p= 0,048). Quanto ao estado nutricional, todas as variáveis, estatisticamente significativas, foram menores. CONCLUSÕES: Crianças e adolescentes portadores IRC, em tratamento conservador, podem apresentar alterações importantes da capacidade funcional, musculatura respiratória e estado nutricional.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate functional capacity, pulmonary function, respiratory musculature and nutritional status among children and adolescents with chronic renal insufficiency (CRI) undergoing conservative treatment. METHODS: This study was conducted with 30 volunteers, divided into two groups: a group of children and adolescents with CRI undergoing conservative therapy (CRI Group) and a group without renal disease (Control Group). The volunteers underwent physical therapy evaluation, spirometry, strength and resistance tests on their respiratory musculature, nutritional status evaluation and functional capacity assessment. The data were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney test with a significance level of 5 percent. RESULTS: The Tiffeneau index was significantly lower in the CRI Group (p= 0.003). In relation to respiratory muscle function, the maximum expiratory pressure values were lower (p= 0.010) and the time values of the resistance test were greater (p= 0.003). In the functional assessment, the variables that differed statistically were: lower distance walked (p< 0.001), greater mean arterial pressure (p< 0.001), final respiratory rate (p< 0.001) and Borg scale (p= 0.048). Regarding nutritional status, all the statistically significant variables were lower. CONCLUSIONS: Children and adolescents with CRI undergoing conservative treatment may present significantly impaired functional capacity, respiratory musculature and nutritional status.
Subject(s)
Child , Adolescent , Physical Therapy Modalities , Renal Insufficiency, Chronic , Respiratory Muscles , SpirometryABSTRACT
Viscosity and elasticity are the fundamental rheologic properties of respiratory mucus, and are important determinants of transportability of mucus in the mucociliary system. One technique that permits to monitor indirectly the rheologic properties of any sample is the photoacoustic technique. Using that technique, the absorption of isotonic saline solution by human mucus was monitored. The mucus was obtained from 11 volunteers, divided into two groups: five volunteers presenting pneumology symptoms (group I) and six healthy volunteers (group II). The photoacoustic signal of the mucus absorbing the saline solution was monitored as function of time, with measurements being performed each 10 min, up to 120 min. The resulting curves were fitted to sigmoidal curves to simulate the evolution on time of the photoacoustic signal. A characteristic time for the half saturation of the absorption process was obtained. For group I the time obtained was 23.3+/-5.3 min and for group II the time obtained was 55.0+/-7.7 min, both means being significantly different (Student t-test, p<0.05). This result supports the empirical practice of treating individuals presenting symptoms of airway obstruction with about 30 min of inhalations of isotonic saline solution vapor for the clearance of the airways.
