Associations of physical activity and cognitive function with gross motor skills in preschoolers: Cross-sectional study.

Gross motor development in the preschool phase depends on several factors that remain poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate whether level of habitual physical activity (HPA) and global cognitive function (CF) can be used as predictors of gross motor skills in Brazilian preschoolers and to verify their possible mediators. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 166 children, aged 3-5 years. Gross motor skills, HPA, CF and possible mediators (e.g., sex, prematurity) were evaluated. Preschoolers with little HPA, low CF, and girls were more likely to have gross motor performance below expected, but female gender did not mediate HPA or CF. Therefore, HPA and CF, in addition to females, may be independent predictors of delayed gross motor skills in Brazilian preschoolers.

Factors Associated with Motor Competence in Preschoolers from a Brazilian Urban Area.

Background: Preschool is a crucial period for developing motor skills. Objective: This study evaluated factors associated with motor competence in preschoolers from a Brazilian urban area. Methods: A total of 211 preschoolers (51.2% girls and 48.8% boys) were evaluated. Body mass index was calculated; the Brazilian Economic Research Criterion, the Mini-Mental Scale (MMC) and the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale®, Revised (ECERS-R™) were applied; the Habitual Physical Activity time was recorded; the Test of Gross Motor Development (TGMD-2) was performed. Univariate analysis was performed using simple linear regression for the independent variables, considering the motor test subscales as dependent variables. Variables with p < 0.20 in the univariate analysis were considered for the multiple linear regression model and were entered into the stepwise method. Results: The independent variables remaining in the Standard Score Locomotor model were BMI, presence of park at school, and MMC (R2 = 0.16). The independent variables remaining in the Standard Object Control score were MMC and gender (R2 = 0.03). The variables associated with the highest scores of Gross Motor Quotient were MMC, body mass index, and presence of a park at school, respectively (R2 = 0.11). Conclusion: Male eutrophic preschoolers who are physically active and attend schools with parks or courtyards in a Brazilian urban area have the highest scores for global cognitive function and motor competence.

Whole-Body Vibration Training on Oxidative Stress Markers, Irisin Levels, and Body Composition in Women with Fibromyalgia: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

(1) Background: Mitochondrial dysfunction and redox imbalance seem to be involved in fibromyalgia (FM) pathogenesis. The results of our previous studies suggest that whole-body vibration training (WBVT) would improve redox status markers, increase blood irisin levels, and ameliorate the body composition of women with FM. (2) Objective: The current study aimed to investigate WBVT on oxidative stress markers, plasma irisin levels, and body composition in women with FM. (3) Methods: Forty women with FM were randomized into WBVT or untrained (UN) groups. Before and after 6 weeks of WBVT, body composition was assessed by dual-energy radiological absorptiometry (DXA), and inflammatory marker activities were measured by enzymatic assay. (4) Results: Body composition, blood irisin levels, and oxidative stress markers were similar between UN and WBVT groups before the intervention. After 6 weeks of intervention, the WBVT group presented higher irisin levels (WBVT: 316.98 ± 109.24 mg·dL³, WBVT: 477.61 ± 267.92 mg·dL³, p = 0.01) and lower TBARS levels (UN: 0.39 ± 0.02 nmol MDA/mg protein, WBVT: 0.24 ± 0.06 nmol MDA/mg protein, p = 0.001) and visceral adipose tissue mass (UN: 1.37 ± 0.49 kg, WBVT: 0.69 ± 0.54 kg, p = 0.001) compared to the UN group. (5) Conclusions: Six weeks of WBVT improves blood redox status markers, increases irisin levels, and reduces visceral adipose tissue mass, favoring less cell damage and more outstanding oxidative balance in women with FM.

Cardiorespiratory and metabolic demand of the 6-minute pegboard and ring test in healthy young adults.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the cardiorespiratory and metabolic demand of the Six-Minute Pegboard and Ring Test (6PBRT) in healthy young adults and its association with maximal arm cycle ergometer test (arm CET). METHODS: Volunteers were randomized to performed the 6PBRT test or arm CET. The second test was performed after 48 h. Oxygen consumption (VO2), heart rate (HR), dyspnea and upper limb fatigue were assessed during the tests. Demographic data, body composition, level of physical activity, arm strength and endurance were also evaluated. RESULTS: During 6PBRT, VO2 values increased from 5.8 to 11.1 mL kg-1.min-1 (p < 0.001). VO2peak, HR Mean and HRmax at 6PBRT were 47.2% and close to 65% respectively of those achieved during the arm CET. There was a positive correlation between the score on 6PBRT and VO2mean and VO2peak achieved at arm CET (r = 0.268; p = 0.003 and r = 0.247; p = 0.046 respectively). No correlation was found between the HRmean, HRpeak, level of physical activity or strength with 6PBRT (p > 0.05). Handgrip endurance had a positive correlation with score on 6PBRT (r = 0.237; p = 0.054). Body Mass Index, body fat and fat mass were negatively correlated with the score on 6PBRT (r = 0.301; p = 0.014, 0.329; p = 0.007 and r = 0.427; p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The 6PBRT test showed a moderate cardiorespiratory and metabolic demand in healthy individuals in comparison of arm CET. BMI, body fat and fat mass correlated with the score on 6PBRT.

Impairments in ankle range of motion, dorsi and plantar flexors muscle strength and gait speed in patients with chronic venous disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To verify the differences in ankle range of motion (ROM), muscle strength of dorsi and plantar flexors, and gait speed among healthy subjects, and patients with chronic venous disorders (CVD) with and without venous leg ulcer. METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis (http://osf.io/b7n3k) were conducted following a search of MEDLINE, Web of Science, CINAHL, LILACS, Scopus, and EMBASE databases. RESULTS: Eight papers were included. The ankle ROM was significantly lower both in dorsiflexion and plantar flexion in patients with venous leg ulcer when compared to healthy individuals and CVD patients without venous leg ulcer. The muscle strength of the plantar flexors and gait speed were reduced in CVD patients when compared to healthy ones. CONCLUSION: Impaired muscle strength and gait speed can be detected in CVD patients compared to healthy individuals, and ankle ROM tends to be reduced in CVD patients even in the absence of venous leg ulcers.

Oxidative Stress Biomarkers and Quality of Life Are Contributing Factors of Muscle Pain and Lean Body Mass in Patients with Fibromyalgia.

(1) The evidence points to an increase in oxygen reactive species as one of the possible causes of fibromyalgia (FM). In addition, it is plausible that an imbalance in redox markers can be associated with pain amplification and dynapenia in FM patients. The aim of our study was to investigate possible factors associated with muscle pain and lean body mass in FM patients. (2) Methods: This was a quantitative, exploratory and cross-sectional study of 47 patients with FM (53.45 + 7.32 years). We evaluated self-perceptions of muscle pain, lean body mass, body composition, quality of life, sleep quality, depression index, muscle performance and oxidative stress biomarkers. (3) Results: We observed that lower blood levels of antioxidants and poor quality of life explained 21% of the greater muscle pain. In addition, high blood levels of oxidative stress, worse muscle performance and poor quality of life explained 27% of the lower lean mass in patients with FM. (4) Conclusions: Larger amounts of lipid peroxidation and reductions in antioxidant levels, in addition to lower muscle performance and poor life quality, are possible independent contributors to greater muscle pain and lower lean body mass in FM patients.

Adiponectin Is a Contributing Factor of Low Appendicular Lean Mass in Older Community-Dwelling Women: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Inflammation is a chronic, sterile, low-grade inflammation that develops with advanced age in the absence of overt infection and may contribute to the pathophysiology of sarcopenia, a progressive and generalized skeletal muscle disorder. Furthermore, a series of biomarkers linked to sarcopenia occurrence have emerged. To aid diagnostic and treatment strategies for low muscle mass in sarcopenia and other related conditions, the objective of this work was to investigate potential biomarkers associated with appendicular lean mass in community-dwelling older women. This is a cross-sectional study with 71 older women (75 ± 7 years). Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry was used to assess body composition. Plasmatic blood levels of adipokines (i.e., adiponectin, leptin, and resistin), tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and soluble receptors (sTNFr1 and sTNFr2), interferon (INF), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and interleukins (IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, and IL-10) were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Older women with low muscle mass showed higher plasma levels of adiponectin, sTNFr1, and IL-8 compared to the regular muscle mass group. In addition, higher adiponectin plasma levels explained 14% of the lower appendicular lean mass. High adiponectin plasmatic blood levels can contribute to lower appendicular lean mass in older, community-dwelling women.

Measurement properties of the six-minute pegboard and ring test (6PBRT) in healthy adolescents.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the cardiorespiratory responses to the 6-min pegboard and ring test (6PBRT) and to assess its reproducibility in healthy adolescents. METHODS: It was a cross-sectional study with 52 healthy adolescents (11-18 years old of both genders). The 6PBRT was performed twice on two different days by the same examiner. Intra-rater reliability, percentage of the minimal difference chance (MDC%) and agreement of the number of moving rings were analyzed. Also, cardiopulmonary parameters were collected before and after tests. RESULTS: Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for the number of rings moved was 0.87 (95%CI 0.69-0.93). The mean number of moved rings during the second test was higher. The MDC% with a 95 % confidence interval was greater than acceptable values. Bland-Altman analysis did not show agreement between measurements (bias = 30.1); with upper and lower limits of agreement of -67.8 to 127.9, respectively. There was a significant increase in dyspnea, fatigue and HR values at the end of the tests (p < 0.0001). In both tests, participants reached HR equivalent to 48 % of the maximum predicted. CONCLUSION: Together, the results suggest that the 6PBRT is not a reliable measure for a population of healthy adolescents, which indicates the necessity to perform more than one test. The 6PBRT is suggested to be a submaximal test for this population.

Immediate Effects of Whole-Body Vibration Associated with Squatting Exercises on Hemodynamic Parameters in Sarcopenic Older People: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Whole-body vibration (WBV) exercises have recently been introduced as a nonpharmacological therapeutic strategy for sarcopenic older people. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of WBV exercise on hemodynamic parameters in sarcopenic older people. Forty older people, divided into groups of nonsarcopenic (NSG = 20) and sarcopenic (SG = 20), participated in the study and were cross randomized into two interventions of eight sets of 40 s each, these being squatting with WBV and squatting without WBV. Heart rate (HR), peak heart rate (peak HR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), double product (DP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), and subjective perception of effort (SPE), were assessed at baseline, during, and after a single WBV session. The HR, peak HR, and DP variables were similar at baseline between groups. WBV exercise increased all the hemodynamic parameters both during and immediately after the intervention, in both groups (SG and NSG). The MAP values were similar at baseline between groups; however, in the NSG there was a significant increase during and immediately after the squatting with WBV intervention (p < 0.05). The HR behavior, in both groups, showed that there was an increase in HR after the first set of exercises with vibration and this increase was maintained until the final set. The absence of adverse effects of WBV exercise on the cardiovascular system and fatigue suggests this exercise modality is adequate and safe for sarcopenic older people.

Whole body vibration in the static modified push-up position in untrained healthy women stimulates neuromuscular system potentiating increased handgrip myogenic response.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the acute effect of whole-body vibration (WBV) on handgrip strength (HS) and electromyographic activity of the flexor digitorum superficialis muscle of healthy women in the static push-up position. METHODS: Twenty-eight women received four experimental tests in a randomized order: A) Control - rest in seating position with feet on the floor and hands in the supine position on the lower limbs. There was no vibration stimulus; B) Placebo - push-up position with their hands on the vibratory platform that remained disconnected, but with a sonorous stimulus mimicking the vibration; C) Low vibration and D) High vibration - push-up position with their hands on the vibratory platform using one of the vibratory stimulus intensity: low vibration: 25 Hz/2 mm/49.30 m s-2; or high vibration: 45 Hz/2 mm/159.73 m s-2. Participants remained 5 min in each situation. HS and electromyography (EMG) were performed at baseline and after all four experimental tests. The index of neural efficiency (i.e. the ratio between EMG and HS) was also calculated to determine the efficiency of muscle contraction. Statistical analysis was performed by ANOVA two-way design mixed test with Tukey's post hoc test, being considered significant p < 0.05. RESULTS: High vibration increased HS compared with all the other experimental tests (p = 0.0006, F = 6.03). There was a reduction of EMG activity of the flexor digitorum superficialis muscle only after high vibration (p = 0.0135, F = 6.22), which was accompanied by lower values of the index of neural efficiency after intervention (between-group difference, p = 0.0002, F = 0.674). CONCLUSION: WBV in the push-up position has an acute positive effect on HS accompanied by a lower index of neural efficiency, providing a better efficiency of muscle contraction.

Influence of dental treatment on quality of life and self-esteem of hemodialysis-therapy patients

Background: Patients undergoing dialysis treatment have a worse quality of life and have higher rates of malnutrition, inflammation and hospitalization than the general population. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the influence of dental treatment on the quality of life and self-esteem of hemodialysis-therapy patients. Materials and Methods: An interventional study was developed with 27 patients undergoing hemodialysis in Diamantina, Brazil. Initially, patients received a clinical evaluation of a dentist and responded to questionnaires to estimate the quality of life (Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short Form Health Questionnaire (SF-36) and Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP) version 14) and self-esteem (Scale Self-Esteem of Rosenberg). After 45 days, the questionnaires were reapplied, and the patients received dental treatment to adapt the oral environment. After the treatment, 45 days were awaited to reapply the questionnaires. Descriptive analyzes were performed, Wilcoxon and Friedman tests were done. The level of significance was set at 5% (p <0.05). Results: Twenty-seven low-income and educated individuals participated in the study, most of whom were men. Hypertension and diabetes were not widely reported systemic diseases. There was statistical significance in SF-36 and OHIP-14 dimensions and improvement of self-esteem. Conclusion: Dental treatment interfered positively with the quality of life and self-esteem of patients undergoing hemodialysis.

Relação entre tratamento protético, autoestima e qualidade de vida em pacientes idosos em tratamento hemodialítico / Relationship between prosthetic treatment, self-esteem and quality of life in elderly patients undergoing hemodialysis

Fundamento: O estado de saúde bucal pode ter influência física e psicológica sobre a vida dos indivíduos. Pode afetar simultaneamente o prazer na vida devido a interferência nas condições bucais, na fala, mastigação, sabor e deglutição, nos domínios sociais, sobre a aparência e autoconfiança dos indivíduos. Objetivo:Verificar se o tratamento protético odontológico é capaz de gerar melhoria na qualidade de vida e na autoestima de pacientes idosos submetidos a hemodiálise. Materiais e Métodos: Realizou-se um estudo intervencional com 26 pacientes submetidos à hemodiálise na cidade de Diamantina, Brasil. Os pacientes foram divididos em dois grupos de acordo com a realização do tratamento; com e sem tratamento. O grupo tratamento recebeu ajustes ou confecção de uma nova prótese odontológica, já o grupo sem tratamento recebeu apenas avaliação clínica e orientações sobre higiene bucal. A qualidade de vida foi avaliada através do instrumento Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short Form Health Questionnaire (SF-36) e Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP) na sua versão 14. Já para a autoestima utilizou-se a Escala de Autoestima de Rosenberg. Resultados: A média de idade foi 69,08 anos (±05,90) e o índice CPO-D médio foi de 29,65 (±01,35). Houve significância estatística na dimensão aspecto emocional do SF-36 nos dois grupos. O grupo que recebeu tratamento apresentou significância na incapacidade física do OHIP-14 e melhora da autoestima. Conclusão: O tratamento protético odontológico gerou melhoria na qualidadede vida e impactou na autoestima de pacientes idosos submetidos à hemodiálise, sendo o impacto maior nos pacientes que realizaram tratamento protético

Background: Oral health status can have a physical and psychological influence on individuals' lives. It can simultaneously affect the pleasure in life due to interference in oral conditions, speech, chewing, taste and swallowing, in social domains, on the appearance and self-confidence of individuals. Objective:To verify whether dental prosthetic treatment is able to improve the quality of life and self-esteem of elderly patients undergoing hemodialysis. Materials and Methods: An interventional study was carried out with 26 patients undergoing hemodialysis in the city of Diamantina, Brazil. Patients were divided into two groups according to treatment completion; with and without treatment. The treatment group received adjustments or made a new dental prosthesis, while the group without treatment received only clinical evaluation and guidance on oral hygiene. Quality of life was assessed using the instrument Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short Form Health Questionnaire (SF-36) and Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP) in its version 14. For self-esteem, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale was used. Results:The mean age was 69.08 years (±05.90) and the mean DMFT index was 29.65 (±01.35). There was statistical significance in the emotional aspect dimension of the SF-36 in both groups. The group that received treatment showed significance in the physical disability of the OHIP-14 and improvement in self-esteem. Conclusion:Dental prosthetic treatment improved the quality of life and impacted the self-esteem of elderly patients undergoing hemodialysis, with the greatest impact on patients who underwent prosthetic treatment.