Analysis of the Influence of Abdominal Obesity on Systemic Arterial Hypertension and on the Lipid Profile on Cardiometabolic Risk Stratification in Adult Women

Abstract Background: Obesity is a public health problem and has been associated with the development of metabolic disorders that have a strong relationship with the onset of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Objective: The objective was to analyze the influence of abdominal obesity (AO) on systemic arterial hypertension (SAH) and on the lipid profile in cardiovascular risk stratification in adult women. Methods: Altogether, 91 women participated in the research. Lifestyle information was collected, in addition to the analysis of clinical measures of cardiovascular risk and biochemical parameters. Unpaired Student's t-test, logistic regression, and Pearson's correlation were performed for data analysis, with a value of p <0.05 considered significant. Results: The prevalence of AO was 62.6%. Logistic regression showed that AO increased the chance of developing SAH by 2.9-fold. The same behavior was observed in the TG/HDL-c lipid ratio (3.93 ± 0.3 vs. 2.16 ± 0.2), representing an 82% increase in obese women. The present study also demonstrated that the best anthropometric parameter to analyze cardiovascular risk in the studied population was the waist/height ratio (AUC = 0.707). Conclusions: It can therefore be concluded that AO plays a significant role in the development of SAH and changes in lipid values that predict increased cardiovascular risk, configuring a strong influence factor for CVD.

Associação entre o índice de massa corpórea e presença de afecções dermatológicas em escolares / Association between body mass index and presence of skin disorders in schoolchildren

A obesidade é um distúrbio metabólico crônico, multifatorial e complexo, no qual danos orgânicos podem ser evidenciáveis em curto ou longo prazo, destacando-se as afecções dermatológicas. Com o objetivo de verificar a associação entre o índice de massa corpórea e a presença de afecções dermatológicas em estudantes de uma escola pública do sertão Baiano. Tratou-se de um estudo transversal onde foram avaliados 169 escolares. O desfecho foram as afecções dermatológicas e as variáveis independentes o IMC, idade e sexo. Os dados foram analisados com qui-quadrado e α≤0,05. Cerca de 41 estudantes (24,3%) tinham baixo peso, 92 (54,4%) eutróficos e 36 (21,3%) obesos. Dentre as afecções dermatológicas, a estria se destacou com uma prevalência de 58%, seguida da celulite 26% e acne 24,3%. A faixa etária (14-20 anos) esteve significativamente associada com os valores do IMC (p=0,05). Do mesmo modo que a acantose (p=0,05), estrias, hidradenite e celulite também apresentaram relação significativa com o IMC (p=0,01). Houve significância estatística (p=0,01) quando comparada a presença de até seis dermatoses com os grupos baixo peso, eutrófico e obeso. Determinadas afecções dermatológicas estiveram significativamente associadas ao IMC. É necessário que sejam realizadas ações educacionais de conscientização e prevenção direcionadas para estes jovens que levem a uma redução dos casos de obesidade, tendo em vista que neste grupo as alterações dermatológicas foram mais evidentes.

Obesity is a chronic, multifactorial and complex metabolic disorder, in which organic damage can be evident in the short or long term, especially dermatological disorders. With the objective of verifying the association between the body mass index and the presence of dermatological conditions, students at a public school in the backcountry of Bahia were studied. This was a cross-sectional study in which 169 schoolchildren were evaluated. The outcome was skin conditions, and the independent variables were BMI, age, and sex. Data were analyzed with the chi-squared test and an α≤0.05. About 41 students (24.3%) were underweight, 92 (54.4%) were eutrophic, and 36 (21.3%) were obese. Among the dermatological conditions, stretch marks stood out with a prevalence of 58%, followed by cellulite with 26%, and acne with 24.3%. The age group (14-20 years) was significantly associated with BMI values (p=0.05). Similarly, acanthosis (p=0.05), striae, hidradenitis, and cellulite also showed a significant relationship with BMI (p=0.01). There was statistical significance (p=0.01) when the presence of up to six dermatoses was compared with the low weight, eutrophic, and obese groups. Certain skin conditions were significantly associated with BMI. It is necessary to carry out educational awareness and prevention actions aimed at these young people that lead to a reduction in obesity cases, considering that in this group the dermatological changes were more evident.

Could we adopt serum Tenascin-C assays to determine prognosis in aortic aneurysms and dissections?

Abdominal aortic aneurysm is an abnormal dilatation, while acute aortic dissection is a delamination of the tunica media, forming a false lumen. Tenascin-C is a glycoprotein that can be found in situations involving tissue damage. The objective of this article is to evaluate whether Tenascin-C assays could be of use for predicting prognosis in abdominal aortic aneurysms and acute aortic dissection. We conducted an integrative literature review, for which four articles were considered eligible. Two of these studies associated higher Tenascin-C levels with protective factors and lower risk of injury, whereas the other two correlated them with worse prognosis. Some authors believe that Tenascin-C could be a candidate biomarker, but these studies are still inconclusive with regard to its role in the clinical outcomes of patients with aneurysms.

Cardiovascular damage due to COVID-19: what do we need to know?

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 is part of the Cononaviridae family and is the causative agent of the 2019 (Covid-19) Coronavirus pandemic declared by the World Health Organization in March, 2020. This virus has a high rate of transmission, affecting several individuals, and has caused thousands of deaths. The clinical manifestations of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 infection are not restricted only to the respiratory tract, and there is an express involvement of the cardiovascular system with a higher risk of death in this group. In such patients there is an overactivation of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, which promotes an increase in the expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme - 2 that acts as a receptor for the SPIKE protein expressed by the virus and enables the interaction between the host cell and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2. This process of infection causes a hyperinflammatory state that increases the inflammatory markers of cardiac injury. Hence, an adequate understanding and clinical guidance regarding the monitoring, and controlling the damage in these patients is essential to avoid worsening of their clinical condition and to prevent death.

What cellular mechanisms are related to thromboembolic events in patients with COVID-19?

SARS-CoV-2 is the virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic. This disease is beginning to be better understood in terms of its other, non-respiratory, clinical manifestations. Over the course of months caring for patients infected by the virus, clinical and laboratory changes have been identified that have prompted researchers to debate the potential that SARS-CoV-2 has to trigger an exacerbated immune response that is capable of changing endothelial homeostasis through both direct and indirect mechanisms. With the intention of contributing to this debate, a review was conducted of the possible mechanisms that could trigger these phenomena in patients with COVID-19. It is important to understand the pathophysiology of the immunological mechanisms related to this disease in order to understand the potential endothelial damage that COVID-19 can provoke.