Effects of dietary fibre intake in chemotherapy-induced mucositis in murine model.

Mucositis is an inflammation of the gastrointestinal mucosa resulting from high doses of radio/chemotherapy treatment and may lead to interruption of antineoplasic therapy. Soluble fibres, like pectin, increase SCFA production, which play a role in gut homoeostasis and inflammation suppression. Due to the properties of pectin, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of a high-fibre (HF) diet on chemotherapy-induced mucositis in a murine model. C57/BL6 mice received control (AIN93M), HF, low/zero fibre (LF) diets for 10 d prior to mucositis challenging with irinotecan (75 mg/kg), or they were treated with acetate added to drinking water 5 d prior to and during the mucositis induction. Mice that received the HF diet showed decreased immune cells influx and improved histopathological parameters in the intestine, compared with mice that received the normal diet. Furthermore, the HF diet decreased intestinal permeability induced in the mucositis model when compared with the control group. This effect was not observed for acetate alone, which did not improve gut permeability. For instance, mice that received the LF diet had worsened gut permeability, compared with mice that received the normal diet and mucositis. The effects of the HF and LF diets were shown to modulate the intestinal microbiota, in which the LF diet increased the levels of Enterobacteriaceae, a group associated with gut inflammation, whereas the HF diet decreased this group and increased Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium (SCFA producers) levels. In conclusion, the results demonstrated the importance of dietary fibre intake in the modulation of gut microbiota composition and homoeostasis maintenance during mucositis in this model.

[Electro-cardiographic correlation in the diagnosis of left ventricular hypertrophy]. / Correlação eletro-ecocardiográfica no diagnóstico da hipertrofia ventricular esquerda.

PURPOSE: To compare the efficacy of four electrocardiographic criteria: Sokolov, Gubner, Cornell and Romhilt indexes, in the diagnosis of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) in hypertensive patients. METHODS: LVH was analyzed in the electrocardiogram of 30 ambulatory patients presenting with systemic arterial hypertension, classified as mild, moderate and severe, according to the following indexes: Sokolov > or = 35 mm, Gubner > or = 22 mm, Romhilt > or = 5 points and Cornell > or = 20 mm for women and 28 mm for men. Sensitivity, specificity, diagnostic accuracy and other diagnostic variables were determined Mass index of the left ventricle, > or = 98 g/m2 for women and > or = 120 g/m2 for men, obtained by echocardiography, was considered the gold standard for the diagnosis of LVH. RESULTS: When electrocardiographic criteria were considered separately, the Sokolov index showed the highest accuracy, with a sensitivity of 40%, diagnostic accuracy of 50% and specificity of 100%; the second most accurate index was Gubner, and Romhilt and Cornell indexes followed. When at least one of the indexes was positive, the sensitivity was 52% and diagnostic accuracy was 57%. CONCLUSION: The four electrocardiographic indexes were not diagnostic of LVH, when analyzed either separately or together. Considering the high prevalence of this pathological condition, we conclude that a more accurate diagnostic method should be used in this diagnosis.

Correlação eletro-ecocardiográfica no diagnóstico da hipertrofia ventricular esquerda / Electro-echocardiographic correlation in the diagnosis of left ventricular hypertrophy

OBJETIVO - Comparar a eficácia diagnóstica de 4 critérios eletrocardiográficos: índices de Sokolov, Gubner, Cornell e Romhilt, na detecção da hipertrofia ventricular esquerda (HVE) em pacientes hipertensos. MÉTODOS - Foram avaliados 30 pacientes ambulatoriais, com hipertensão arterial sistêmica leve, moderada ou grave, sendo considerado o diagnóstico de HVE quando os índices eram: Sokolov 'maior ou igual' 35mm, Gubner 'maior ou igual' 22mm, Romhilt 'maior ou igual' 5 pontos e Cornell 'maior ou igual' 20mm para mulheres e 28mm para homens. Determinaram-se, então, a sensibilidade, especificidade, eficácia diagnóstica e outras variaáveis diagnósticas para cada um dos critérios, isoladamente, e para os 4 considerados simultaneamente, utilizando-se como padrão ouro para HVE o índice de massa do ventrículo esquerdo 'maior ou igual'98g/m² para mulheres e 'maior ou igual' 120g/m² para homens, obtidos ao ecocardiograma. RESULTADOS - Considerando cada critério eletrocardiográfico isolado, o índice de Sokolov apresentou a melhor eficácia, com sensibilidade = 40 'por cento', eficácia diagnóstica de 50 'por cento' e especificidade 100 'por cento'; o 2§ critério mais eficaz foi o índice de Gubnere, em 3§ lugar, empatados, os índices de Romhilt e Cornell. Quando considerados, simultaneamente, ou seja, a presença de pelo menos um dos quatro critérios, a sensibilidade foi 52 'por cento' e a eficácia diagnóstica 57 'por cento'. CONCLUSÄO - Os quatro critérios eletrocardiográficos considerados individualmente ou em conjunto foram pouco eficazes na detecção da HVE e, considerando a importância desta entidade patológica, concluímos que é imprescindível a utilização de método propedêutico mais sensível para tal diagnósticos.