Influences of weight, age, gender, genetics, diseases, and ethnicity on bitterness perception: a narrative review of current methodological aspects

BACKGROUND: Bitterness perception seems to be related to an enhanced intake of dietary fat and to a tendency to the development of diseases such as obesity. However, the exact factors for this possible contribution still need to be better investigated. So, gustatory perception of the bitter taste is a promising area of study because of its importance regarding food choices and consequently feeding behavior. Therefore, this short review focused on recent papers reporting correlations between bitter taste, anthropometric variables, obesity and other chronic diseases, age, gender, ethnicity, and genetics. METHODS: A survey was performed in MEDLINE (PubMed) and Scielo from September 2015 to January 2017.Only review articles, observational studies and clinical trials published in English and Portuguese over the last15 years which met the objectives of the present study were considered. A total of 40 papers were evaluated. RESULTS: Two papers showed a positive correlation between bitter taste and obesity, one indicated that this correlation is influenced by the subject's age, one suggested a negative correlation, and two found no association. Age seems to be negatively correlated with the bitterness perceived, and female gender was associated with a stronger perception of bitterness. Genetics, mostly due to differences in TAS2R38 expression, influences sensitivity to the bitter taste, feeding behavior and also alcohol intake. Ethnicity, not only the subject's phenotypic or genotypic characteristics, seems to play a role in taste perception and nutritional diseases. CONCLUSIONS: Age, gender, genetics and ethnicity seem to play a role in bitterness perception. Data about associations between bitterness perception and anthropometrics are conflicting.

Body surface infrared thermometry in patients with central venous cateter-related infections / Termometria infravermelha da superfície corporal em pacientes com infecção relacionada a cateter venoso central

Objective To evaluate if body surface temperature close to the central venous catheter insertion area is different when patients develop catheter-related bloodstream infections.Methods Observational cross-sectional study. Using a non-contact infrared thermometer, 3 consecutive measurements of body surface temperature were collected from 39 patients with central venous catheter on the following sites: nearby the catheter insertion area or totally implantable catheter reservoir, the equivalent contralateral region (without catheter), and forehead of the same subject.Results A total of 323 observations were collected. Respectively, both in male and female patients, disregarding the occurrence of infection, the mean temperature on the catheter area minus that on the contralateral region (mean ± standard deviation: -0.3±0.6°C versus-0.2±0.5ºC; p=0.36), and the mean temperature on the catheter area minus that on the forehead (mean ± standard deviation: -0.2±0.5°C versus-0.1±0.5ºC; p=0.3) resulted in negative values. Moreover, in infected patients, higher values were obtained on the catheter area (95%CI: 36.6-37.5ºC versus 36.3-36.5ºC; p<0.01) and by temperature subtractions: catheter area minus contralateral region (95%CI: -0.17 - +0.33ºC versus -0.33 - -0.20ºC; p=0.02) and catheter area minus forehead (95%CI: -0.02 - +0.55ºC versus-0.22 - -0.10ºC; p<0.01).Conclusion Using a non-contact infrared thermometer, patients with catheter-related bloodstream infections had higher temperature values both around catheter insertion area and in the subtraction of the temperatures on the contralateral and forehead regions from those on the catheter area.

Objetivo Avaliar se a temperatura da superfície corporal nas proximidades da área de inserção do cateter venoso central é diferente quando os pacientes desenvolvem infecções da corrente sanguínea relacionadas ao cateter.Métodos Estudo transversal observacional. Usando um termômetro infravermelho sem contato, 3 medições consecutivas de temperatura da superfície corporal foram coletadas de 39 pacientes com cateter venoso central nos seguintes locais: nas proximidades da área de inserção do cateter ou do reservatório do cateter totalmente implantável, na região contralateral equivalente (sem cateter), e na fronte do mesmo paciente.Resultados Um total de 323 observações foram coletadas. Respectivamente nos pacientes do sexo masculino e feminino, desconsiderando a ocorrência de infecção, a temperatura média na área do cateter menos a da região contralateral (média ± desvio padrão: -0,3±0,6°C versus -0,2±0,5°C; p=0,36) e a da área do cateter menos a da fronte (média ± desvio padrão: -0,2±0,5°Cversus -0,1±0,5°C; p=0,3) resultaram em valores negativos. Além disso, em pacientes infectados, foram obtidos valores mais elevados na área do cateter (IC95%: 36,6-37,5ºC versus36,3-36,5ºC; p<0,01) e nas subtrações de temperaturas: área do cateter menos região contralateral (IC95%: -0,17 - +0,33°C versus-0,33 - -0,20°C; p=0,02) e a área do cateter menos fronte (IC95%:-0,02 - +0,55°C versus -0,22 - -0,10ºC; p<0,01).Conclusão Utilizando um termômetro infravermelho sem contato, os pacientes com infecções da corrente sanguínea associadas ao cateter apresentaram valores de temperatura mais elevados, tanto ao redor da área de inserção do cateter e na subtração das temperaturas das regiões contralateral e fronte, em relação àquelas da área do cateter.

Hidrotórax secundário à nutrição parenteral: relato de caso / Hydrothorax due to parenteral nutrition: a case report

Hidrotórax secundário à infusão de nutrição parenteral é uma condição rara, embora se apresente cada vez mais comum. Neste relato de caso, uma paciente com síndrome do intestino curto desenvolveu instabilidade hemodinâmica e insuficiência respiratória algumas horas após o início da infusão de nutrição parenteral. Ressaltamos também as manobras para evitar e tratar tal complicação.

Hydrothorax due to parenteral nutrition infusion is a rare, although increasingly common event. This report shows a short bowel patient who developed hemodynamic instability and respiratory failure few hours after parenteral nutrition infusion's start. We also emphasize the maneuvers to avoid and treat such complication.