Prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its association with risk factors in patients with established atherosclerosis disease.

Risk factors can lead to clinical conditions, like metabolic syndrome, that predisposes the development of cardiovascular diseases. The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence and which risk factors cause more impact in metabolic syndrome in patients with established atherosclerosis disease. A cross-sectional study was performed as a subanalysis of Programa Alimentação Cardioprotetora Brasileira. Weight, height, waist circumference, blood pressure, lipid profile and fasting glucose were collected. Metabolic syndrome was defined according to the harmonized criteria. Linear regression was used to analyze the association between number of components of metabolic syndrome and risk factors. 82 patients were included and the prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 84.1%. Being overweight was associated with an increase by 0.55 point in diagnostic criteria of metabolic syndrome in crude analysis (95%CI 0.09-1.00) and 0.64 in adjusted analysis (95%CI 0.18-1.09), while former/current smoker status was responsible for raising by 0.48 the number of components of metabolic syndrome, only in adjusted analysis (95%CI 0.04-0.92). Overweight and former/current smoker status are associated with MS, increasing the probability of atherosclerotic events. A healthy lifestyle, that includes avoiding tobacco exposure and proper weight control, must be encouraged in this high-risk population.

Body weight and fat-free mass changes in a cohort of patients receiving chemotherapy.

PURPOSE: Malnutrition is prevalent in cancer patients and it can become even greater during its treatment. The purpose of the present study is to verify changes in the fat-free mass (FFM) and body weight (BW) in cancer patients during chemotherapy treatment and to identify their significant determinants. METHODS: In a longitudinal study of 174 patients starting a chemotherapy protocol, bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) was used to estimate FFM and the nutritional assessment by patient-generated subjective global assessment. BW and FFM changes have been calculated and their significant determinants were identified after a multivariate analysis. RESULTS: Malnutrition was found in 23% of the patients at the admission. After a multivariate analysis, a significant BW change was found during the treatment in patients submitted to previous/adjuvant and palliative chemotherapy (weight gain of 4.15% and 2.23%, respectively, p = 0.05) and a significant FFM loss (7.61%, p < 0.01) in patients with severe malnutrition at admission. CONCLUSIONS: Only the chemotherapy protocol and initial nutritional state had a significant influence in BW and FFM changes during the chemotherapy. BIA may contribute to other methods of nutritional assessment, in order to detect modifications in body composition even in the absence of BW changes.

Standardized phase angle from bioelectrical impedance analysis as prognostic factor for survival in patients with cancer.

PURPOSE: Phase angle (PA), determined by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), has been considered as a prognostic factor in several clinical conditions. The purpose of this study is to investigate PA, after adjusting for sex and age (standardized phase angle; SPA) as a prognostic factor for survival in cancer patients. METHODS: A prospective study was conducted in 195 patients before the first chemotherapy course. BIA was performed in all patients and SPA was calculated. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate survival. The Cox regression method was used to evaluate the independent prognostic effect of PA after adjustment for other variables. RESULTS: Patients with SPA < -1.65 had a smaller survival rate than those with SPA ≥ -1.65 (p < 0.001). Using Cox regression, the mortality rate was higher in patients with SPA < -1.65 (RR 3.12 CI: 2.03-4.79; p < 0.001). After multivariate analysis, patients with PA < -1.65 still presented a higher mortality rate (RR 2.35 CI: 1.41-3.90; p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The present study demonstrates that PA, used as SPA, is an independent prognostic indicator in this group of cancer patients receiving chemotherapy treatment even after adjustment for other prognostic variables.