Effect of the Fat Eaten at Breakfast on Lipid Metabolism: A Crossover Trial in Women with Cardiovascular Risk.

Recent studies point out that not only the daily intake of energy and nutrients but the time of day when they are ingested notably regulates lipid metabolism and cardiovascular risk (CVR). Therefore, the aim of the study was to assess if the type of fat ingested at breakfast can modify lipid metabolism in women with CVR. A randomized, crossover clinical trial was performed. Sixty volunteers were randomly assigned to a (A) polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA)-rich breakfast, (B) saturated fatty acid (SFA)-rich breakfast, or (C) monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA)-rich breakfast. Plasma lipoprotein and apolipoprotein subfractions were determined. Our data showed that the PUFA-rich breakfast decreased lipoprotein (a) (Lp(a)), very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL), and intermediate-density lipoproteins (IDL), and increased high-density lipoproteins (HDL). A similar trend was observed for the MUFA-rich breakfast, whereas the SFA-rich breakfast, although it decreased VLDL, also increased IDL and reduced HDL. The PUFA-rich breakfast also decreased ß-lipoproteins and apolipoprotein-B. In summary, varying the type of fat eaten at breakfast is enough to significantly modify the lipid metabolism of women with CVR, which can be of great relevance to establish new therapeutic strategies for the treatment of these subjects.

The effect of surface electromyography biofeedback on the activity of extensor and dorsiflexor muscles in elderly adults: a randomized trial.

Surface electromyography-biofeedback (sEMG-B) is a technique employed for the rehabilitation of patients with neurological pathologies, such as stroke-derived hemiplegia; however, little is known about its effectiveness in the rehabilitation of the extension and flexion of several muscular groups in elderly patients after a stroke. Therefore, this research was focused on determining the effectiveness of sEMG-B in the muscles responsible for the extension of the hand and the dorsiflexion of the foot in post-stroke elderly subjects. Forty subjects with stroke-derived hemiplegia were randomly divided into intervention or control groups. The intervention consisted of 12 sEMG-B sessions. The control group underwent 12 weeks (24 sessions) of conventional physiotherapy. Muscle activity test and functionality (Barthel index) were determined. Attending to the results obtained, the intervention group showed a higher increase in the average EMG activity of the extensor muscle of the hand and in the dorsal flexion of the foot than the control group (p < 0.001 in both cases), which was associated with an increase in the patients' Barthel index score (p = 0.006); In addition, Fugl-Meyer test revealed higher effectiveness in the lower limb (p = 0.007). Thus, the sEMG-B seems to be more effective than conventional physiotherapy, and the use of this technology may be essential for improving muscular disorders in elderly patients with physical disabilities resulting from a stroke.

Dietary Factors Associated with Frailty in Old Adults: A Review of Nutritional Interventions to Prevent Frailty Development.

Frailty syndrome is a medical condition that is characterised by a functional decline, usually from 65 years old on, and creates the need for assistance to perform daily living activities. As the population ages, the need for specialised geriatric care will increase immensely, and consequently, the need for specialised services for the care of these people will increase accordingly. From a nutritional point of view, to control or balance the nutritional status of residents will be essential in order to prevent sarcopenia and, consequently, frailty development. In this line, previous studies have highlighted the association among low energy intake, inadequate intake of protein and vitamin D, and an increased risk of frailty development. However, there is a lack of intervention studies on frail patients, especially in the realm of quality clinical trials. The few studies performed to date seem to indicate that there is a protective role of protein supplementation against frailty syndrome. In this regard, it is tempting to suggest daily 30 g protein supplements to prevent frailty. However, it is well established that excess protein can also be harmful; therefore, specific individual characteristics should be considered before prescribing these supplements. On the other hand, the relevance of other nutritional interventions, such as vitamin D, omega-3, and medium-chain triglycerides, is much more scarce in the literature. Therefore, we encourage the development of new clinical trials to carry out effective therapies to prevent frailty development.

Effectiveness of a nutrition education program for the prevention and treatment of malnutrition in end-stage renal disease.

OBJECTIVE: In end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients, malnutrition is mainly addressed from a pharmacological but not educational point of view. Therefore, the objective of this study was to implement a nutritional education program (NEP) and to evaluate and compare its effectiveness in the treatment and prevention of malnutrition with oral supplementation (OS)-the standard treatment in these patients. DESIGN: This study was a longitudinal, 4-month prospective study. SETTINGS: The study was conducted from January to May 2012 in the Hemodialysis Fresenius Medical Care Clinic of Murcia. SUBJECTS: One hundred twenty patients with ESRD undergoing hemodialysis were randomly assigned to a NEP or to OS. INTERVENTION: Patients assigned to the NEP group followed an educational program for 4 months that aimed to improve general nutritional knowledge and included culinary recommendations and an elaboration of balanced menus. The OS group received a nutritional supplement during the hemodialysis procedure. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The main outcome measure was certain biochemical markers of nutritional and metabolic status. Nutrition knowledge was also evaluated. RESULTS: After 4 months of intervention, nutritional knowledge was increased in all patients (P < .050) after the NEP, which was reflected in a decrease in the prevalence of malnutrition, especially in this group. Creatinine clearance, total protein serum values, and other biochemical parameters improved significantly in both groups (P < .050 in all cases), although other parameters such as C-reactive protein were impaired only in the NEP group. CONCLUSION: The NEP was at least as effective as OS for preventing and even treating malnutrition in patients with chronic renal failure on hemodialysis, improving their nutritional status, which may result in a long-term decrease in the mortality and morbidity of these patients.