Work productivity and activity impairment in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome.

OBJECTIVES: In this observational, analytical, cross-sectional study we aimed to describe the impact of primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) on work productivity and activities of daily living (ADL) to assess the association between ADL impairment and clinical manifestations and to compare ADL impairment according to patients' socioeconomic condition. METHODS: Patients diagnosed with pSS attending 11 centres from Argentina were included. To evaluate work productivity and ADL impairment, a work productivity and activity impairment questionnaire (WPAI) was used. A multiple linear regression model was performed, considering deterioration on ADL due to health as a dependent variable, adjusted for potential confounders. RESULTS: 252 patients were included, 98.4% were women, with a mean age of 52.6 years (±14.8). The average percentage of time lost due to health was 15.7 hours (±30.1 95% CI: 9.6-21.9); the decrease in work productivity was 27.2 (±30.2 95% CI: 21.3-33.1), the total disability was 33.7 (±35.8 95% CI: 26.4-4) and ADL deterioration was 34.2 (±30.9. 95% CI: 30.4-38). In the multivariate analysis, xerostomia, arthritis and depression showed significant and independent association. The mean of ADL impairment was 38.2 (±30.7) in patients attending public centres versus 28 (± 30.6) in private centres, which was a statistically significant difference. CONCLUSIONS: We found a compromise in all WPAI domains. Arthritis, xerostomia and depression were associated significantly and independently with ADL impairment. Deterioration in ADL was greater in patients treated in public centres. Considering these aspects will allow a better understanding of patients who suffer from this disease.

Modification of fatty acid composition in broiler chickens fed canola oil.

This article describes the possibility of modifying the composition of fat tissue in broiler chickens fed canola oil, which is high in monounsaturated fatty acids. 128 one-day old broiler chickens, randomly assigned into 4 groups of 32 chicks each, received one of four diets containing 15% oil with different percentages of canola oil (diet 1: 0% canola oil, diet 2: 5% canola oil, diet 3: 10% canola oil and diet 4: 15% canola oil), for 31 days. Each group was divided into 4 subgroups of 8 chicks. The birds were sacrificed at day 45 to obtain tissue samples. The fatty acid composition was measured in meat (legs and breasts), fat (abdominal and subcutaneous) and plasma. An increase in oleic acid (p<0.01) was detected, as well as a decrease in linoleic acid (p<0.01), together with a slight increase in α-linolenic acid (p<0.05) with a higher percentage of canola oil. The composition of fat tissue was more representative of the dietary fatty acids than muscle tissue. In conclusion, canola oil increased the content of omega 9 and omega 3 fatty acids and decreased the content of omega 6 fatty acids in meat, fat and plasma in broiler chickens.

Fatty acid profile of plasma, muscle and adipose tissues in Chilota lambs grazing on two different low quality pasture types in Chiloé Archipelago (Chile).

There is no information about the effect of different pasture types on tissue fatty acid profiles of a native rustic lamb breed of the Chiloe Archipelago, the Chilota. Eight Chilota lambs were grazed on a 'Calafatal' pasture (CP), a typical secondary succession of Chiloé Archipelago (Chile) and eight Chilota lambs were located to graze on naturalized pasture (NP) of Chiloé. Botanical, chemical and lipid composition of the two types of pastures and of different lamb tissues (muscle, subcutaneous - and tail adipose tissues) and plasma were performed. Both pasture types induced high n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and CLAcis-9,trans-11 proportions in Chilota meat. Thus, in muscle, Chilota lambs grazing CP showed higher sum PUFA, sum n-6 PUFA proportion and n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio compared with Chilota lambs grazing NP. In tail fats of Chilota lambs grazing CP significantly higher proportions of 18:3n-3, sum saturated fatty acids, sum PUFA, n-3 and n-6 PUFA were detected compared with Chilota lambs grazing NP. Feeding of different pasture types (CP vs. NP) caused significant differences in fatty acid composition of muscle and the two fat depots in Chilota lambs, but also point to tissue-specific responses of de novo synthesized fatty acid deposition in the tissues.

Successful treatment of perforating granuloma annulare with 0.1% tacrolimus ointment.

Perforating granuloma annulare (PGA) is a rare subtype of granuloma annulare (GA) named in 1971 by Owens and Freeman. It is characterized by necrobiotic areas surrounded by histiocytes and lymphocytes with transepidermal elimination. Many treatments for PGA have been used, often with unsatisfactory results. Tacrolimus in its topical formulation has been established as a safe and effective alternative to topical corticosteroids because of its mild side effects and its minimal systemic absorption. Topical tacrolimus has been approved for the treatment of atopic dermatitis; moreover, ample data exist which demonstrate the usefulness of tacrolimus for the specific treatment of other inflammatory diseases. We report a 70-year-old diabetic woman with PGA, in whom the ulceration due to PGA responded to 0.1% topical tacrolimus.

Modification of fatty acid composition in broiler chickens fed canola oil

This article describes the possibility of modifying the composition of fat tissue in broiler chickens fed canola oil, which is high in monounsaturated fatty acids. 128 one-day old broiler chickens, randomly assigned into 4 groups of 32 chicks each, received one of four diets containing 15% oil with different percentages of canola oil (diet 1: 0% canola oil, diet 2: 5% canola oil, diet 3: 10% canola oil and diet 4: 15% canola oil), for 31 days. Each group was divided into 4 subgroups of 8 chicks. The birds were sacrificed at day 45 to obtain tissue samples. The fatty acid composition was measured in meat (legs and breasts), fat (abdominal and subcutaneous) and plasma. An increase in oleic acid (p<0.01) was detected, as well as a decrease in linoleic acid (p<0.01), together with a slight increase in α-linolenic acid (p<0.05) with a higher percentage of canola oil. The composition of fat tissue was more representative of the dietary fatty acids than muscle tissue. In conclusion, canola oil increased the content of omega 9 and omega 3 fatty acids and decreased the content of omega 6 fatty acids in meat, fat and plasma in broiler chickens.