Speech therapy and hyperbaric oxygen for aphasia after carbon monoxide intoxication.

Acute carbon monoxide (CO) intoxication may result in delayed neurological sequelae, which can include amnesia, ataxia, aphasia, emotional lability, disorientation, dysphagia, and other manifestations. A 27-year-old man reported symptoms of aphasia with agraphia and alexia in a review after CO intoxication. The patient received outpatient speech therapy, as well as repeated sessions of hyperbaric oxygen for 15 days, interspersing speech therapy with hyperbaric oxygen therapy for two months. After this period of combined treatment the aphasic symptomatology remitted, and oral and written language was normal. The complete disappearance of aphasia with agraphia and alexia confirms the efficacy of the combined intervention. More data from large clinical studies are needed to assess the outcomes of hyperbaric oxygen treatment in patients with delayed neurological sequelae after CO intoxication, but this case suggests it may be a good therapeutic option in combination with specific speech therapy.

Metabolomic patterns, redox-related genes and metals, and bone fragility endpoints in the Hortega Study.

BACKGROUND: The potential joint influence of metabolites on bone fragility has been rarely evaluated. We assessed the association of plasma metabolic patterns with bone fragility endpoints (primarily, incident osteoporosis-related bone fractures, and, secondarily, bone mineral density BMD) in the Hortega Study participants. Redox balance plays a key role in bone metabolism. We also assessed differential associations in participant subgroups by redox-related metal exposure levels and candidate genetic variants. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In 467 participants older than 50 years from the Hortega Study, a representative sample from a region in Spain, we estimated metabolic principal components (mPC) for 54 plasma metabolites from NMR-spectrometry. Metals biomarkers were measured in plasma by AAS and in urine by HPLC-ICPMS. Redox-related SNPs (N = 341) were measured by oligo-ligation assay. RESULTS: The prospective association with incident bone fractures was inverse for mPC1 (non-essential and essential amino acids, including branched-chain, and bacterial co-metabolites, including isobutyrate, trimethylamines and phenylpropionate, versus fatty acids and VLDL) and mPC4 (HDL), but positive for mPC2 (essential amino acids, including aromatic, and bacterial co-metabolites, including isopropanol and methanol). Findings from BMD models were consistent. Participants with decreased selenium and increased antimony, arsenic and, suggestively, cadmium exposures showed higher mPC2-associated bone fractures risk. Genetic variants annotated to 19 genes, with the strongest evidence for NCF4, NOX4 and XDH, showed differential metabolic-related bone fractures risk. CONCLUSIONS: Metabolic patterns reflecting amino acids, microbiota co-metabolism and lipid metabolism were associated with bone fragility endpoints. Carriers of redox-related variants may benefit from metabolic interventions to prevent the consequences of bone fragility depending on their antimony, arsenic, selenium, and, possibly, cadmium, exposure levels.

Estrogen receptor genes polymorphisms determine serum lipid profile in healthy postmenopausal women treated with calcium, vitamin D, and genistein.

Cardiovascular risk increases in women after menopause. Unfavorable lipid-lipoprotein changes due to a lack of estrogens may have an important role in this context. Estrogen actions are mainly mediated by their binding to two estrogen receptors (ERs) whose signaling may be conditioned by different factors. Calcium, vitamin D, and genistein, among others, cause a beneficial effect on serum lipid profile by its modulation. Some genetic factors can also determine this signal. We determined the possible additive effect of genistein on calcium and vitamin D supplementation regarding serum lipid profile changes and whether ER polymorphisms may mediate in this effect. We performed a prospective, double blind study in which women were randomized in two groups: one group received calcium and vitamin D and the other group received calcium, vitamin D and genistein. Subsequently, we studied rs9340799, rs928554, and rs4986938 ER polymorphisms in both groups. Our results showed that being a carrier of the variant allele G of rs928554 polymorphism was associated with a greater decrease in triglyceride levels and that the homozygous AA genotype of rs9340799 polymorphism was associated with a greater decrease in total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglyceride levels after calcium, vitamin D, and genistein supplementation. This is the first report showing an association between polymorphisms in ER genes and an improvement of the serum lipid profile after taking calcium, vitamin D, and genistein supplementation in postmenopausal women. It reinforces the hypothesis that genetic factors are crucial in ER signalling.

Impact of obesity on bone metabolism. / Influencia de la obesidad sobre el metabolismo óseo.

High weight is a protective factor against osteoporosis and risk of fracture. In obesity, however, where overweight is associated to excess fat, this relationship does not appear to be so clear, excess weight has sometimes been associated to decreased bone mass. Obesity interferes with bone metabolism through mechanical, hormonal, and inflammatory factors. These factors are closely related to weight, body composition, and dietary patterns of these patients. The net beneficial or harmful effect on bone mass or risk of fracture of the different components of this condition is not well known. We need to recognize patients at a greater risk of bone disease related to obesity to start an adequate intervention.

Effect of quinapril, quinapril-hydrochlorothiazide, and enalapril on the bone mass of hypertensive subjects: relationship with angiotensin converting enzyme polymorphisms.

BACKGROUND: Many alterations in extracellular metabolism of calcium have been associated to hypertension, but the number of studies relating this disease with osteoporosis is extremely low. This study clarifies the therapeutic effect of three treatments-quinapril, quinapril + hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ), enalapril-on bone remodeling markers, bone mineral density (BMD) in hypertensive patients, and relationship with angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) polymorphism. METHODS: This open, prospective study included 134 patients with low-to-moderate hypertension and stable BMD according to Joint National Committee criteria and 96 patients completed the study. After a washout period, patients were randomized to one of the three treatments, which they received for 1 year. Analyses of blood and urine samples and densitometric studies on lumbar spine were performed. RESULTS: Calcium and 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels increased (9.5 +/-0.3 and 9.6 +/-0.3 mg/dL, P =.01 and 46 +/-22 and 58 +/-22 nmol/L, P =.026, respectively) in the quinapril-treated group and calcium levels increased (9.4 +/-0.6 and 9.8 +/-0.4 mg/dL, P =.001) in the quinapril-HCTZ-treated group. The 1, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D levels, calciuria, and calcium/creatinine ratio decreased (64 +/-23 and 43 +/-16 nmol/L, P =.0001;209 +/-93 and 161 +/-93 mg/24 h, P =.0022;0.21 +/-0.09 and 0.17 +/-0.11, P =.04, respectively). In the enalapril-treated group 1, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D levels (61 +/-27 and 42 +/-19 nmol/L, P =.0022) decreased. Only women presented a statistical significance (1.064 +/-0.16 g/cm(2), P =.034) between ID+II polymorphism and BMD decrease, and between DD polymorphism with less BMD under baseline conditions and a BMD increase (1.070 +/-0.16 g/cm(2), P =.017) after ACE inhibitor treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The ACE inhibitors have a beneficial effect on BMD and calcium metabolism alterations in hypertensive subjects. Concerning BMD response, women presenting with the II+ID polymorphism had a poor response to antihypertensive drug treatment, whereas women with the DD polymorphism responded better. This is the first study demonstrating a relationship between ACE polymorphism and BMD response and antihypertensive ACE inhibitor treatment.