A patients' view of OA: the Global Osteoarthritis Patient Perception Survey (GOAPPS), a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Globally, osteoarthritis (OA) is the third condition associated with disability. There is still poor treatment in OA but science holds the key to finding better treatments and a cure. It is essential to learn what's important to patients from them to implement the most effective OA management. The OA Patients Task Force, conducted the Global OA Patient Perception Survey (GOAPPS)-the first global survey made by patients to analize the quality of life (QoL) & patient perceptions of care. The goal was to collect data on OA patients' perception of OA to understand patients' needs and expectations to improve OA management. METHODS: Observational, cross-sectional study by online survey data collection from six countries, translated into three languages. The questionnaire was comprised of 3 sections: patient demographics and clinical symptomology characteristics; relationship with physicians: perception of attention, treatment, and information provided; and OA impact on daily activity and QoL. The results of the survey were evaluated using the Limited Data Set. The survey results were analyzed using descriptive statistics to characterize the patients' answers. Additionally, Cronbach's alpha was calculated to determine internal consistency validity. RESULTS: A total of 1512 surveys were completed in 6 countries. 84.2% of respondents reported pain/tenderness and 91.1% experienced limitations to physical activities. 42.3% of patients were not satisfied with their current OA treatment. 86% had comorbidities, especially hypertension, and obesity. 51.3 and 78% would like access to additional drug or additional non-drug/non-surgical treatments respectively. 48.2% of patients perceived their QoL to be affected by OA. The Cronbach's alpha was 0.61. CONCLUSIONS: OA has a significant impact on patients' daily activities and their desire to play an active role in managing this disease. Patients are seeking additional treatments, especially no pharmacological/no surgical treatments stressing the need for investing in clinical research, implementing OA preventive measures, and managing interventions to improve the healthcare value chain in OA.

Antioxidant activity of four color fractions of bee pollen from Mérida, Venezuela.

Bee pollen has been reported to show antioxidant and radical scavenging activities; contributing to anti-inflammatory and gastroprotective properties. Venezuelan honeybee pollen has been little studied, but is consumed because its properties are known from other countries reports. On the basis of these reports, water, ethanol and methanol soluble fractions were prepared from dried bee-pollen commercially available and produced by La Montaña farm (Mérida, Venezuela). These fractions were evaluated for their functional properties, specifically, polyphenol content and total antioxidant activity. Pollen samples were separated by color in four fractions: yellow, brown, orange and ochre. Polyphenol content ranged between 396.7 to 1286.7 gallic acid equivalents GAE/100 g pollen; it was highest in pollen homogenates obtained with ethanol, followed by those obtained with methanol and water. The antioxidant activity ranged from 0.50 to 1.84 micromoles Trolox equivalents TEAC/100 g for water and ethanol homogenates respectively. The results presented in this work suggest that the ethanol extract of bee pollen show a potent antioxidant activity, comparable to human plasma, probably due to total polyphenol content of bee pollen. This is important because the bee pollen would be beneficial not only as a dietary supplement but also as a functional food.

Antioxidant activity of four color fractions of bee pollen from Mérida, Venezuela

Bee pollen has been reported to show antioxidant and radical scavenging activities; contributing to anti-inflammatory and gastroprotective properties. Venezuelan honeybee pollen has been little studied, but is consumed because its properties are known from other countries reports. On the basis of these reports, water, ethanol and methanol soluble fractions were prepared from dried bee-pollen commercially available and produced by La Montaña farm (Mérida, Venezuela). These fractions were evaluated for their functional properties, specifically, polyphenol content and total antioxidant activity. Pollen samples were separated by color in four fractions: yellow, brown, orange and ochre. Polyphenol content ranged between 396.7 to 1286.7 gallic acid equivalents GAE/100 g pollen; it was highest in pollen homogenates obtained with ethanol, followed by those obtained with methanol and water. The antioxidant activity ranged from 0.50 to 1.84 μmoles Trolox equivalents TEAC/100 g for water and ethanol homogenates respectively. The results presented in this work suggest that the ethanol extract of bee pollen show a potent antioxidant activity, comparable to human plasma, probably due to total polyphenol content of bee pollen. This is important because the bee pollen would be beneficial not only as a dietary supplement but also as a functional food.

Actividad antioxidante de polen apícola de Mérida, Venezuela, fraccionado en cuatro colores. Se ha reportado que el polen de las abejas tiene actividad antioxidante y secuestra radicales libres; relacionada con sus propiedades antiinflamatorias y gastroprotectivas. El polen apícola de Venezuela ha sido poco estudiado, pero se consume gracias a las propiedades conocidas por reportes provenientes de otros países. Tomando como base estos reportes, se prepararon fracciones solubles en agua, etanol y metanol del polen apícola seco comercialmente disponible y producido por la Granja La Montaña (Mérida, Venezuela). Estas fracciones fueron evaluadas en cuanto a sus propiedades funcionales, específicamente, contenido de polifenoles y la actividad antioxidante total. Las muestras de polen fueron separadas en cuatro fracciones de acuerdo al color: amarillo, marrón, naranja y ocre. El contenido de polifenoles se encontraba entre 396,7 a 1286,7 equivalentes de ácido gálico EAG/100 g de polen, y fue mayor en los homogenatos obtenidos con etanol, seguido por aquellos obtenidos con metanol y agua. La actividad antioxidante varió entre 0.50 a 1.84 μmoles equivalentes de Trolox TEAC/100 g par los homogenatos de agua y etanol respectivamente. Los resultados presentados en este trabajo sugieren los extractos de etanol de polen de abejas presentan una potente actividad antioxidante, comparable al plasma humano, probablemente debida a su contenido total de polifenoles. Esto es importante ya que el polen de abejas podría servir no solo como un suplemento alimenticio sino como una alimento funcional.