A cross-sectional analysis of risk factors for cardiovascular diseases in older females: association between body fat distribution and physical fitness.

This study aimed to determine whether body fat distribution and physical fitness would be associated with risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in post-menopausal females. Android fat distribution were more likely to have altered total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C), triglycerides (TG), glycemic levels (GL) body fat percentage (%BF), and body mass index (BMI), and those with inadequate physical fitness showed clear alterations in TC, HDL-C, and TG. Gynoid fat distribution group fared better regarding CVD risk. In conclusion, adequate physical fitness demonstrates a protective factor against CVDs, with the greatest benefit to those with gynoid fat distribution.

Kinetic mechanisms by which nickel alters the calcium (Ca2+) transport in intact rat liver.

In the present work, the multiple-indicator dilution (MID) technique was used to investigate the kinetic mechanisms by which nickel (Ni2+) affects the calcium (Ca2+) transport in intact rat liver. 45Ca2+ and extra- and intracellular space indicators were injected in livers perfused with 1 mM Ni2+, and the outflow profiles were analyzed by a mathematical model. For comparative purposes, the effects of norepinephrine were measured. The influence of Ni2+ on the cytosolic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]c) in human hepatoma Huh7 cells and on liver glycogen catabolism, a biological response sensitive to cellular Ca2+, was also evaluated. The estimated transfer coefficients of 45Ca2+ transport indicated two mechanisms by which Ni2+ increases the [Ca2+]c in liver under steady-state conditions: (1) an increase in the net efflux of Ca2+ from intracellular Ca2+ stores due to a stimulus of Ca2+ efflux to the cytosolic space along with a diminution of Ca2+ re-entry into the cellular Ca2+ stores; (2) a decrease in Ca2+ efflux from the cytosolic space to vascular space, minimizing Ca2+ loss. Glycogen catabolism activated by Ni2+ was transient contrasting with the sustained activation induced by norepinephrine. Ni2+ caused a partial reduction in the norepinephrine-induced stimulation in the [Ca2+]c in Huh7 cells. Our data revealed that the kinetic parameters of Ca2+ transport modified by Ni2+ in intact liver are similar to those modified by norepinephrine in its first minutes of action, but the membrane receptors or Ca2+ transporters affected by Ni2+ seem to be distinct from those known to be modulated by norepinephrine.

Diagnóstico de esclerose sistêmica em pacientes com hipertensão pulmonar inicialmente considerada idiopática / Diagnosis of systemic sclerosis in patients with pulmonary hypertension initially considered idiopathic

Introdução: A Hipertensão Arterial Pulmonar está associada a uma ampla gama de doenças, sendo comum nas doenças do tecido conjuntivo. Porém, um dos maiores desafios diagnósticos em relação à Hipertensão Arterial Pulmonar inclui doenças do tecido conjuntivo clinicamente não identificadas ou tardiamente evidenciadas, principalmente Esclerose Sistêmica. Objetivos: Relatar casos de Hipertensão Arterial Pulmonar secundária à Esclerose Sistêmica que inicialmente foi classificada como Idiopática. Materiais e métodos: Estudo observacional analítico transversal no qual sete pacientes com diagnóstico de Hipertensão Arterial Pulmonar Idiopática foram avaliados quanto ao quadro clínico, exame físico, pesquisa de autoanticorpos e capilaroscopia periungueal na busca de critérios que os classificassem como Esclerose Sistêmica. Resultados: Todos os pacientes preencheram os Critérios Classificatórios para Esclerose Sistêmica ACR/EULAR 2013, sendo que Fenômeno de Raynaud, telangiectasias e positividade de autoanticorpos estiveram presentes em 100% dos casos. A maioria dos pacientes apresentava Esclerose Sistêmica forma cutânea limitada. Conclusões: A determinação do diagnóstico de Hipertensão Arterial Pulmonar secundária à Esclerose Sistêmica é fundamental, pois tais pacientes têm menor sobrevida quando comparados aos casos Idiopáticos. A presença de Fenômeno de Raynaud tem grande relevância no diagnóstico dos pacientes com Hipertensão Arterial Pulmonar associada à Esclerose Sistêmica.

Introduction: Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension is associated with a wide range of diseases. It is common in connective tissue diseases. However, one of the major diagnostic challenges in relation to Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension includes clinically unidentified or late-onset diseases of the connective tissue, mainly Systemic Sclerosis. Objectives: To report cases of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension secondary to Systemic Sclerosis, which was initially classified as Idiopathic. Patients and methods: We carried out a cross-sectional observational study in which seven patients with a diagnosis of Idiopathic Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension was evaluated for clinical examination, physical examination, autoantibody and nailfold capillaroscopy examination in search of criteria that reclassified them as Systemic Sclerosis. Results: All patients met the Classification Criteria for Systemic Sclerosis ACR/EULAR 2013, with Raynaud's Phenomenon, telangiectasia and autoantibody positivity being present in 100% of the cases. The majority of patients presented limited cutaneous Systemic Sclerosis. Conclusions: The diagnosis of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension secondary to Systemic Sclerosis is essential, considering the association with lower survival when compared to the idiopathic cases. The presence of Raynaud's Phenomenon has an important relevance in the diagnosis of patients with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension associated with Systemic Sclerosis.