Effects of the use of bioceramic wraps in patients with lower limb venous ulcers: A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Venous ulcer represents the most advanced stage of chronic venous insufficiency. It is an important public health problem and has a significant impact on patients' quality of life due to chronic pain, inability to work, need for hospitalization and frequent outpatient follow-up. OBJECTIVE: We investigated the treatment benefits of far-infrared ceramic (cFIR), in a 90-day study of lower limb venous ulcers and looked at ulcer healing scores, quality of life, serum bio-markers of oxidative stress and antioxidant defense enzymes. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS AND INTERVENTIONS: This is a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study conducted in the Vascular Surgery Service of a hospital located in the northwest region of the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. We included patients with lower limb venous ulcers who were randomized to use either a bioceramics wrap or a placebo wrap for 90 days. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The following evaluations were conducted at baseline and after 15, 30, 60 and 90 days: ulcer healing score, quality of life, and serum markers of oxidative stress and antioxidant enzyme activity. RESULTS: Patients (n = 24) with lower limb venous ulcers were randomized into two treatment groups. cFIR decreased the ulcer size on day 30 (P = 0.042) and 90 (P = 0.034) and the total ulcer healing scale scores on day 30 (P = 0.049) and 90 (P = 0.02) of the treatment, when compared to baseline. Additionally, cFIR improved tissue type (epithelial tissue) on day 60 (P = 0.022) when compared to baseline evaluation. CONCLUSION: cFIR clinically improved ulcer healing in patients with lower limb venous ulcers. TRIAL REGISTRATION: RBR-8c7xzn on ReBEC.

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids have beneficial effects on visceral fat in diet-induced obesity model.

This study evaluated the effects of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) on oxidative stress and energy metabolism parameters in the visceral fat of a high-fat-diet induced obesity model. Energy intake, body mass, and visceral fat mass were also evaluated. Male Swiss mice received either a control diet (control group) or a high-fat diet (obese group) for 6 weeks. After this period, the groups were divided into control + saline, control + omega-3, obese + saline, and obese + omega-3, and to these groups 400 mg·(kg body mass)-1·day-1 of fish oil (or saline) was administered orally, for 4 weeks. Energy intake and body mass were monitored throughout the experiment. In the 10th week, the animals were euthanized and the visceral fat (mesenteric) was removed. Treatment with omega-3 PUFAs did not affect energy intake or body mass, but it did reduced visceral fat mass. In visceral fat, omega-3 PUFAs reduced oxidative damage and alleviated changes to the antioxidant defense system and the Krebs cycle. The mitochondrial respiratory chain was neither altered by obesity nor by omega-3 PUFAs. In conclusion, omega-3 PUFAs have beneficial effects on the visceral fat of obese mice because they mitigate changes caused by the consumption of a high-fat diet.

Diet-induced obesity causes hypothalamic neurochemistry alterations in Swiss mice.

The aim of this study was to assess inflammatory parameters, oxidative stress and energy metabolism in the hypothalamus of diet-induced obese mice. Male Swiss mice were divided into two study groups: control group and obese group. The animals in the control group were fed a diet with adequate amounts of macronutrients (normal-lipid diet), whereas the animals in the obese group were fed a high-fat diet to induce obesity. Obesity induction lasted 10 weeks, at the end of this period the disease model was validated in animals. The animals in the obese group had higher calorie consumption, higher body weight and higher weight of mesenteric fat compared to control group. Obesity showed an increase in levels of interleukin 1ß and decreased levels of interleukin 10 in the hypothalamus. Furthermore, increased lipid peroxidation and protein carbonylation, and decreased level of glutathione in the hypothalamus of obese animals. However, there was no statistically significant difference in the activity of antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase and catalase. The obese group had lower activity of complex I, II and IV of the mitochondrial respiratory chain, as well as lower activity of creatine kinase in the hypothalamus as compared to the control group. Thus, the results from this study showed changes in inflammatory markers, and dysregulation of metabolic enzymes in the pathophysiology of obesity.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids Attenuate Brain Alterations in High-Fat Diet-Induced Obesity Model.

This study evaluated the effects of omega-3 on inflammation, oxidative stress, and energy metabolism parameters in the brain of mice subjected to high-fat diet-induced obesity model. Body weight and visceral fat weight were evaluated as well. Male Swiss mice were divided into control (purified low-fat diet) and obese (purified high-fat diet). After 6 weeks, the groups were divided into control + saline, control + omega-3, obese + saline, and obese + OMEGA-3. Fish oil (400 mg/kg/day) or saline solution was administrated orally, during 4 weeks. When the experiment completed 10 weeks, the animals were euthanized and the brain and visceral fat were removed. The brain structures (hypothalamus, hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, and striatum) were isolated. Treatment with omega-3 had no effect on body weight, but reduced the visceral fat. Obese animals showed increased inflammation, increased oxidative damage, decreased antioxidant enzymes activity and levels, changes in the Krebs cycle enzyme activities, and inhibition of mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes in the brain structures. Omega-3 treatment partially reversed the changes in the inflammatory and in the oxidative damage parameters and attenuated the alterations in the antioxidant defense and in the energy metabolism (Krebs cycle and mitochondrial respiratory chain). Omega-3 had a beneficial effect on the brain of obese animals, as it partially reversed the changes caused by the consumption of a high-fat diet and consequent obesity. Our results support studies that indicate omega-3 may contribute to obesity treatment.

Preoperative vitamin C supplementation improves colorectal anastomotic healing and biochemical parameters in malnourished rats.

PURPOSES: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of supplementation with vitamin C on intestinal anastomosis healing in malnourished rats. METHODS: Male Wistar rats were divided into three groups: (1) sham, well-nourished rats that received vehicle; (2) FR+Veh, rats that were subjected to food restriction and received vehicle; and (3) FR+VC, rats that were subjected to food restriction and received vitamin C. Four days before surgery, the animals received vitamin C (100 mg/kg/day) via gavage and underwent colon resection with anastomosis in a single plane. The survival rate of rats was monitored until day 7 after surgery. Regarding anastomosis tissues, we examined intra-abdominal adhesion index, hydroxyproline content, collagen density, inflammatory parameters, and oxidative damage to proteins and lipids. RESULTS: Malnutrition decreases body weight and increases mortality; the survival rate was 90 % in group 1, 60 % in group 2, and 80 % in group 3. Vitamin C was able to increase hydroxyproline concentration and density of collagen and decrease the intra-abdominal adhesion index, as well as the infiltration of neutrophils and oxidative damage to proteins in malnourished rats compared to group treated with vehicle. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative vitamin C supplementation can improve the intestinal anastomosis healing, biochemical alterations, and prolong survival in rats subjected to food restriction.