Blood tests and use of nutritional supplements in a cohort of Brazilian children with trisomy 21.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the use of nutritional supplements and blood status (hemogram, lipidogram, hepatic function, inflammatory markers, minerals, and homocysteine) in a sample of Brazilian T21 children with private health support before their first consultation with a T21 expert. METHOD: This descriptive cross-sectional study enrolled 102 participants. Brazilian families with a T21 member under 18 years old were contacted and those that consented answered a survey regarding socio-demographics and the use of nutritional supplements and shared the blood tests that their T21 members have collected for the first consultation with a T21 expert. RESULTS: Frequencies and percentages were used to describe the variables. The most used supplements included vitamins (A, C and D), minerals (zinc and iron), omega-3, and antioxidants (curcumin). Hypothyroidism was observed in 56.9% of the participants. Hemogram alterations (increased hemoglobin, hematocrit, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin and red cell distribution width, leukopenia, and lymphocytopenia), dyslipidemia, altered hepatic and inflammatory blood markers were frequently found. CONCLUSIONS: Nutritional supplements (mainly vitamins, minerals, omega-3 and antioxidants) are frequently used by Brazilian T21 children independently of professional counseling and/or supervision and should be a question to be raised during the clinical anamnesis since some of them may impact medical conduct. Moreover, many blood tests are altered in this population and clinicians should be aware of them in order to warrant an appropriate screening and the implementation of risk management measures as soon as possible and improve the general health of these persons.

Blood tests and use of nutritional supplements in a cohort of Brazilian children with trisomy 21

Abstract Objective: To describe the use of nutritional supplements and blood status (hemogram, lipidogram, hepatic function, inflammatory markers, minerals, and homocysteine) in a sample of Brazilian T21 children with private health support before their first consultation with a T21 expert. Method: This descriptive cross-sectional study enrolled 102 participants. Brazilian families with a T21 member under 18 years old were contacted and those that consented answered a survey regarding socio-demographics and the use of nutritional supplements and shared the blood tests that their T21 members have collected for the first consultation with a T21 expert. Results: Frequencies and percentages were used to describe the variables. The most used supplements included vitamins (A, C and D), minerals (zinc and iron), omega-3, and antioxidants (curcumin). Hypothyroidism was observed in 56.9% of the participants. Hemogram alterations (increased hemoglobin, hematocrit, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin and red cell distribution width, leukopenia, and lymphocytopenia), dyslipidemia, altered hepatic and inflammatory blood markers were frequently found. Conclusions: Nutritional supplements (mainly vitamins, minerals, omega-3 and antioxidants) are frequently used by Brazilian T21 children independently of professional counseling and/or supervision and should be a question to be raised during the clinical anamnesis since some of them may impact medical conduct. Moreover, many blood tests are altered in this population and clinicians should be aware of them in order to warrant an appropriate screening and the implementation of risk management measures as soon as possible and improve the general health of these persons.

Intrauterine and Lactational Exposure to Paracetamol: Cardiometabolic Evaluation in Adult Female and Male Offspring.

ABSTRACT: Paracetamol (PAR) is the most common over-the-counter drug recommended by physicians for treatment of pain and fever during gestation. This drug is not teratogenic, being considered safe for fetus; however, PAR crosses the blood-placental barrier. Considering that, the present study aimed to evaluate the vascular and metabolic safety of PAR exposure during intrauterine and neonatal development in adult male and female-exposed offspring. Wistar female rats were gavaged, with PAR (350 mg/kg/d), from gestational day 6-21 or from gestational day 6 until postnatal day 21. Control dams received water by gavage at the same periods. The male and female offspring were evaluated at adulthood (80 days of life). The thoracic aorta reactivity to acetylcholine, sodium nitroprusside, and phenylephrine was evaluated in male and female adult offspring. It was observed that aortic relaxation was similar between the PAR and control offspring. In addition, the contraction to phenylephrine was similar between the groups. Further, the insulin sensitivity, adipose tissue deposition and blood pressure were not different between PAR and control adult offspring. These results suggest that the protocol of PAR exposure used in the present study did not program vascular and metabolic alterations that would contribute to the development of cardiometabolic diseases in adult life, being safe for the exposed offspring.