Effects of the time of day of walking on dietary behaviour, body composition and aerobic fitness in post-menopausal women.

AIM: Post-menopause is linked to an increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease. Physical exercise and healthy dietary habits are normally suggested to enhance health. The aim of this study was to verify whether the time of day of walking had different effects on both spontaneous dietary intake and body composition modification in overweight and sedentary post-menopausal women. METHODS: Forty-two sedentary post-menopausal women (53.46+/-3.32 yrs) were recruited. Thirty-three completed the study: 29 were suitable for statistical analysis. Of those, 14 walked in the morning (MG) and 15 in the early evening (EG). Body composition, dietary habits and predicted VO2max were investigated. Food intake was analysed for energy, macronutrients and daily distribution. RESULTS: The Mann-Whitney test showed that according to the time of day of walking there were different fat mass (FM) reductions and dietary behaviour responses. EG reduced FM greater than MG and showed a major increase in morning energy intake (EI). Sub-samples did not differ in total EI, daily macronutrient portioning and daily meals variations. The variation of FM was correlated with that of proteins (r=-0.352), morning EI (r=-0.367) and aerobic performance (r=0.369). Both MG and EG improved their aerobic performance. CONCLUSION: The positive effects of walking on health could be optimised by its evening execution because it could also be linked to spontaneous dietary habit modification.

[False chorda tendinea of the left ventricle: possibility of diagnosis with echocardiography]. / Falsa corda tendinea del ventricolo sinistro: possibilità di diagnosi mediante ecocardiografia.

False tendons are fibrous strings that originate from the ventricular endocardium, but do not insert into the atrioventricular valve leaflets. Until recently these structures were recognized only at autopsy: recent reports have described some echocardiographic features of false tendons. In this paper we report our experience about false tendons in the left ventricle and some considerations on the echocardiographic differential diagnosis of these structures. In 4 of 1500 consecutive patients evaluated by M-mode and bidimensional echocardiography we have observed, throughout the cardiac cycle, an anomalous string-like linear echo stretched from the upper part of the interventricular septum to the apex (two cases) or to the lateral wall of the left ventricle (two cases). Associated cardiovascular diseases included mitral valve prolapse in two cases, systemic arterial hypertension in two cases and disturbances of cardiac rhythm in one case. Abnormal echoes in the left ventricular outflow tract are a common finding in several disorders such as discrete subaortic stenosis and aortic valve prolapse or vegetations. Furthermore a false tendon running parallel to the interventricular septum can mimick septal hypertrophy. Bidimensional echocardiographic examination, can identify these different conditions. Further studies will be necessary to firmly establish the diagnostic criteria of these structures at echocardiography.

[Echocardiographic calculation of left ventricle ejection volume. 1) Preliminary note: comparison of diverse formula]. / Calcolo ecocardiografico del volume di eiezione ventricolare sinistro. 1) Nota preliminare: confronto fra diverse formule.

Four different formulae to calculate left ventricular ejection volume were examined in the present study. Formulae show a different degree of reliability and, however, their use prove to be limited if heart rate factor is not considered. These results emphasized the great importance of determining left ventricular ejection volume in terms of cardiac output.