Acute effects of different resistance training loads on cardiac autonomic modulation in hypertensive postmenopausal women.

BACKGROUND: Individuals with arterial hypertension often have an autonomic nervous system (ANS) imbalance with predominance of sympathetic ANS. This predominance can lead to injury of several organs affecting its functioning. There is evidence that performing high intensity resistance training (RT) with heavier loads and a lower number of repetitions results in lower cardiovascular stress when compared with lighter loads and a higher number of repetitions. However, the effects of different protocols of RT in autonomic modulation are not known. Therefore, the aim of the study was to analyze and compare the effects of different protocols of high intensity of effort RT on autonomic cardiac modulation of hypertensive women. METHODS: A randomized crossover design clinical trial was conducted with 15 postmenopausal hypertensive women who underwent a control session and two high intensity RT protocols involving 6 and 15 repetition maximum (RM). Heart rate variability (HRV), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), heart rate (HR) and double product (DP) were collected pre, immediately post, 1 h post, and 24 h post each protocol. Repeated-measures ANOVA were used. RESULTS: SBP was higher for 6RM than control immediately after session (p < 0.05). There were no differences for DBP among protocols (p ≥ 0.05). HR was higher for 15RM than 6RM and control immediately after and 1 h after session (p ≤ 0.05). DP values for 15RM were significantly higher than 6RM and control immediately after the session and remained higher than control 1 h after session (p ≤ 0.05). The indices that compose HRV (rMSSD) were lower after 15RM than 6RM and control (p ≥ 0.05). The parameters of parasympathetic activity (HF) were decreased and sympathetic (LF) activity was increased for 15RM when compared to the 6RM and control session immediately after the exercise session (p ≤ 0.05). CONCLUSION: Performing high intensity RT with lower loads and a higher number of repetitions seems to promote acute increases in sympathetic ANS activity, which may be related to cardiovascular stress. On the other hand, heavier load and lower repetition RT did not significantly impact upon autonomic modulation when compared to a control session.

Study of enteroparasites infection frequency and chemotherapeutic agents used in pediatric patients in a community living in Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.

Parasitic infections caused by intestinal protozoan and helminths affect more than two billion people worldwide and chemotherapy is the most commonly used therapeutic procedure. Considering the problems created by parasitic infections and the incorrect use of drugs, the aim of this work was to detect the frequency of enteroparasites infection and to estimate the use of chemotherapeutic agents in children living in the periphery of the city of Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. Ninety-six preschool age children, who had parasitological exams and who used antiparasitic drugs, were analyzed. The efficacy of treatment was evaluated by stool examination repeated six months after treatment. The same diagnostic test was used to evaluate parasitological cure, which was defined as absence of eggs and cysts in the stool. From these children, 79 (82.3%) were contaminated by some species of parasite, the most prevalent were Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura and Giardia lamblia. The most commonly used drugs were mebendazole (86% of prescriptions) and metronidazole (30.3%). The cure rate in the 79 children, examined 6 months after treatment, was 65.3% for A. lumbricoides and 66.1% for T. trichiura. This study suggests that a continuous education program regarding the prevention and treatment of parasitic infections is an essential tool for their eradication.

Study of enteroparasites infection frequency and chemotherapeutic agents used in pediatric patients in a community living in Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil

As parasitoses provocadas por protozoários ou helmintos patogênicos afetam mais de dois bilhões de pessoas no mundo. Considerando os problemas gerados por infecções parasitárias e a necessidade do uso correto dos medicamentos prescritos, o objetivo deste trabalho foi detectar a freqüência de infecção por enteroparasitos e o uso de agentes quimioterápicos em crianças moradoras na periferia de Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil. Foram analisadas noventa e seis crianças em idade pré-escolar, que realizaram o exame parasitológico de fezes e que fizeram uso de antiparasitários. A eficácia do tratamento foi avaliada pelo exame parasitológico repetido seis meses após o tratamento. O mesmo teste diagnóstico foi utilizado para avaliar a cura que foi definida como a ausência de ovos e cistos nas fezes. Das crianças estudadas, 79 (82,3 por cento) estavam infectadas com um ou mais parasitas, os mais prevalentes foram Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura e Giardia lamblia. Os antiparasitários mais utilizados foram mebendazol (86 por cento das prescrições) e metronidazol (30,3 por cento) de acordo com a prevalência da infecção. A porcentagem de cura das 79 crianças estudadas após 6 meses do tratamento foi 65,3 por cento para A. lumbricoides e 66,1 por cento para T. trichiura. Este estudo sugere que um programa de educação continuada voltado para a prevenção e tratamento das infecções parasitárias tem se mostrado uma ferramenta útil na erradicação destas patologias.