Factors associated with inflamm-aging in institutionalized older people.

The increase in inflammatory cytokines associated with a reduction in the bioavailability of zinc has been used as a marker for inflammation. Despite the high inflammatory state found in institutionalized older individuals, few studies have proposed verifying the factors associated with this condition in this population. To verify the factors associated with inflamm-aging in institutionalized older people. A total of 178 older people (≥ 60 years old) living in nursing homes in Natal/RN were included in the study. Cluster analysis was used to identify three groups according to their inflammatory state. Analysis anthropometric, biochemical, sociodemographic, and health-related variables was carried out. In sequence, an ordinal logistic regression was performed for a confidence level of 95% in those variables with p < 0.20 in the bivariate analysis. IL-6, TNF-α, zinc, low-density lipids (LDL), high-density lipids (HDL), and triglycerides were associated with inflamm-aging. The increase of 1 unit of measurement of LDL, HDL, and triglycerides increased the chance of inflammation-aging by 1.5%, 4.1%, and 0.9%, respectively, while the oldest old (≥ 80 years old) had an 84.9% chance of presenting inflamm-aging in relation to non-long-lived older people (< 80 years). The association between biochemical markers and inflamm-aging demonstrates a relationship between endothelial injury and the inflammatory state. In addition, the presence of a greater amount of fat in the blood may present a higher relative risk of death.

Dietary patterns of young adolescents in urban areas of northeast Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Temporal trends in dietary patterns reveal associations between food consumption and increased prevalence of non-communicable chronic disease. OBJECTIVES: This study characterized dietary patterns in adolescents in urban area located in northeast of Brazil, relating it to the markers of a healthy diet. METHODS: A cross-sectional study used two 24-hour recalls to assess dietary intake in 430 public school students from Natal-RN, Brazil. Principal component analysis was used to derive dietary patterns according to consumption of food based on weight (grams), energy (Kcal), or fiber (grams). The analysis results yielded 3 distinct principal components: 7, 8, and 4 (cumulative variance >70%; factor loadings >0.4). The association between independent variables and the factor scores of all components obtained was determined by the Prevalence Ratio (CI 95%). RESULTS: The dietary patterns derived were: (1) Pure Traditional Food System, the highly representative pattern in young adolescents and the first component of the analytical models, (2) Combined and Risk Food System; extraction of total food weight and energy revealed markers of unhealthy diets based on high sugar, saturated fat, and salt consumption, and (3) Modified Traditional Food System represented by fiber; pattern 1 was observed within this model too. The associations observed, predominantly from the TFSm pattern, distinguished by sex, age and nutritional status. CONCLUSIONS: Patterns 1 and 3 are characterized by preserved regional food practices that prevent chronic disease, whereas pattern 2 is characterized by health risks. These inter-sectorial findings should be considered in the development of health care policies for children and adolescents.

Introducción: Estudios nacionales de evolución temporal encuentran que la tendencia del consumo alimentario se asocia con aumento de la prevalencia de las enfermedades crónicas. Objetivos: Caracterizar los hábitos alimentarios de los adolescentes en un área urbana del Noreste de Brasil, relacionándolos con los marcadores dietéticos saludables. Métodos: Estudio transversal con adolescentes (n=430) de las escuelas públicas de Natal-RN, Brasil. El consumo alimentario se evaluó mediante dos recordatorios 24h. La técnica de Análisis de Componentes Principales fue utilizada para derivar patrones dietéticos, de acuerdo con: alimentos en gramos (g), la energía en Kcal y la fibra en gramos, lo que resulta, respectivamente, en 3 componentes principales distintos: 7, 8 y 4 (varianza acumulada >70%; cargas factoriales >0,4). La asociación entre las variables independientes y los escores de los factores de todos los componentes obtenidos, se determinó por la razón de prevalencia (IC 95%). Resultados: Los patrones dietéticos fueron: el (1) Sistema Alimentario Tradicional puro representó el primero componente de los modelos; el (2) Sistema Alimentario Combinado y de riesgo reveló marcadores de alimentación no saludables, debido a la alta frecuencia de azucares refinados, grasas saturadas y sal; y el (3) Sistema Alimentario Modificado fue identificado en el modelo de las fibras, el patrón 1 de nuevo fue observado en este patrón. Las asociaciones observadas, en particular del patrón SATm, distinguen por sexo, edad y estado nutricional. Conclusiones: Los patrones dietéticos 1 y 3 se caracterizaron por la preservación de las prácticas regionales de alimentos, muy saludables, desde el punto de vista de la prevención de las enfermedades crónicas, mientras que el 2 representó alerta y riesgo para la salud. Los hallazgos pueden subvencionar Políticas de Atención a la Salud para infancia y adolescencia en carácter intersectorial.

Development of immunoassays for anti-electronegative LDL autoantibodies and immune complexes.

BACKGROUND: Electronegative low-density lipoprotein (LDL-) promotes atherosclerosis through inflammatory and immunologic mechanisms that lead to the production of anti-LDL(-) autoantibodies and to the subsequent formation of immune complexes (IC) and macrophage foam cells. We described the development and validation of an ELISA for the quantification of free anti-LDL(-) autoantibodies and an ELISA for the quantification of IC consisting of LDL(-)-bound IgG in human plasma. METHODS: LDL(-) purified from human plasma, and anti-LDL(-) monoclonal antibody Fab fragments were adsorbed onto ELISA plates to capture anti-LDL(-) autoantibodies and IC-LDL(-), respectively. The performance characteristics of both ELISAs, including the limits of detection and quantification, accuracy and inter- and intra-assay precision were evaluated. Linearity, interference and stability tests were also performed. RESULTS: The calibration range of the anti-LDL(-) assay was 0.004-0.125 mU/l and plasma demonstrated a dilutional linearity when diluted 1:100, 1:200, 1:400 and 1:800. The calibration range of the IC-LDL(-) assay was 0.06-4 U/l, and plasma demonstrated a dilutional linearity when diluted 1:12.5, 1:25, 1:50 and 1:100. Both ELISAs showed intra- and inter-assay precision and recovery within the required limits for immunoassays. CONCLUSION: These ELISAs can be used in clinical studies and for the biochemical investigation of atherosclerosis. In addition, they will enable the comprehensive evaluation of the importance of bound or free autoantibodies against LDL(-) in this disease.