Prevalence of obesity among Portuguese children (6-8 years old) using three definition criteria: COSI Portugal, 2008.

INTRODUCTION: Previous studies place Portugal among the five countries with the highest prevalence of childhood obesity in Europe. This paper describes the prevalence of thinness, overweight and obesity in Portuguese children of 6-8 years of age, based on the first data collection from Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative Portugal, which took place during the 2007/2008 school year. METHODS: This study uses a semi-longitudinal design with repeated cross-sectional national representative samples. Specific prevalence of overweight (including obesity) and obesity was determined using three different diagnostic criteria. Across the seven geographic regions, 3765 children were enrolled from 181 schools; 50.3% of participants were males. RESULTS: Using the International Obesity Task Force reference, the prevalence of thinness, overweight and obesity were 4.8%, 28.1% and 8.9%, respectively; using the Center for Disease Control and Prevention reference they were 2.1%, 32.2% and 14.6%, respectively; and according to the World Health Organization reference, they were 1.0%, 37.9% and 15.3%, respectively. Univariate analysis showed a higher risk of obesity in older children, in boys and in the Azores region. The islands of Madeira and the Azores were the regions with the highest prevalence of overweight at 39.4% and 46.6%, respectively, and Algarve was the one with the lowest (21.4%). CONCLUSION: These findings demonstrate the need for urgent action in Portugal and provide policy-makers with comprehensive and detailed information to assist with this.

Relación entre el volumen espiratorio máximo en un segundo, el índice BODE y la calidad de vida percibida por el paciente de enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica / Relation between maximum expiratory volume in one section, BODE index and quality of life perceived by the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patient

Objetivo: Evaluar la correlación existente entre la calidad de vida percibida por los pacientes y dos parámetros objetivos de gravedad: a) la gravedad de la obstrucción por el volumen espiratorio máximo en el primer segundo (FEV1), y b) el índice BODE (Body Mass Index, Airflow Obstruction, Dyspnea and Exercice Capacity). Material y métodos: Estudio observacional descriptivo de corte transversal, realizado en 40 pacientes diagnosticados de la enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica (EPOC) y clasificados según la escala GOLD (Global initiative for chronic obstructive lung disease) en moderados o graves, a los que se entrevistó mediante el cuestionario respiratorio de St. George (SGRQ). Se calculó el índice BODE, previa medición de los parámetros que lo componen. También se recogieron datos antropométricos y demográficos de los pacientes. Resultados: De los 40 pacientes del estudio, 38 eran varones (95%), con una edad media ± desviación estándar (DE) de 76,15 ± 5,82 años. Las medias ± DE obtenidas en referencia a la variable subjetiva del cuestionario SGRQ fueron de 33,58 ± 18,14. En referencia a los datos conseguidos de las variables objetivas, obtuvimos del FEV1 una media ± DE de 49,05 ± 15,731, y del índice BODE de 2,33 ± 1,8 y de sus parámetros integrantes: test de los 6 minutos, 440 ± 87,9; escala Medical Research Council, 1,4 ± 0,6; índice de masa corporal, 28,16 ± 4,4. Según los valores obtenidos observamos la existencia de correlación entre SGRQ y el índice BODE, al igual que entre la actividad, como subescala de la SGRQ y el índice BODE. Conclusiones: El resultado del índice BODE se correlaciona débilmente con los resultados de la SGRQ de forma conjunta, por lo que un elevado índice BODE afecta negativamente a la calidad de vida de los pacientes con EPOC moderados o graves (AU)

Objective: To measure the correlation between perceived quality of life and two objective severity parameters: forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and body mass, airflow obstruction, dyspnea and exercise capacity (BODE) index. Material and methods: Observational descriptive cross-sectional study involving 40 Chronic Obstruction Pulmonary Disease (COPD) patients. They were classified using the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) classification system into moderate or severe. The Saint George Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) was carried out by interview and the BODE value was analyzed after measurement of the parameters included in it. Anthropometry and demography data were also collected. Results: A study including 40 patients, 38 of them men 38 (95%), with mean age 76.15 ± 5.82 was performed. The means obtained for the subjective variable of the SGRQ was 33.58 ± 18.14. Regarding the data obtained for the objective variables, the FEV1 had a mean of 49.05 ± 15.731, and the BODE index showed 2.33 ± 1.8. The parameters making it up were: 6-minute exercise test 440 ± 87.9, mean MRC score: 1.4 ± 0.6, and body mass index (BMI) 28.16 ± 4.4. According to the values obtained, we observed the existence of a correlation between SGRO and the BODE index and between the activity, and subscale of the SGRO and BODE index. Conclusions: The BODE index are weakly correlative with the results of the SGRO combined. High index BODE negatively affects the perceived quality of life of moderate/severe COPD patients (AU)

Losartan improves resistance artery lesions and prevents CTGF and TGF-beta production in mild hypertensive patients.

Although structural and functional changes of resistance arteries have been proposed to participate in arterial hypertension (HTA) outcome, not all therapies may correct these alterations, even if they normalize the blood pressure (BP). The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanisms of the protection afforded by the angiotensin receptor antagonist losartan in resistance arteries from patients with essential HTA. In all, 22 untreated hypertensive patients were randomized to receive losartan or amlodipine for 1 year and the morphological characteristics of resistance vessels from subcutaneous biopsies were evaluated. Protein expression of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta), and collagens III and IV was detected by immunohistochemistry. In comparison with normotensive subjects, resistance arteries from hypertensive patients showed a significant media:lumen (M/L) ratio increment and a higher protein expression of CTGF, TGF-beta, and collagens. After 1 year of treatment, both losartan and amlodipine similarly controlled BP. However, M/L only decreased in patients under losartan treatment, whereas in the amlodipine-treated group this ratio continued to increase significantly. The administration of losartan prevented significant increments in CTGF, TGF-beta, and collagens in resistance arteries. By contrast, amlodipine-treated patients showed a higher vascular CTGF, TGF-beta, and collagen IV staining than before treatment. Our results show that the administration of losartan, but not amlodipine, to hypertensive patients improves structural abnormalities and prevents the production of CTGF and TGF-beta in small arteries, despite similar BP lowering. These data may explain the molecular mechanisms of the better vascular protection afforded by drugs interfering with the renin-angiotensin system.

Spectrophotometric determination of promethazine by flow injection analysis and oxidation by CeIV.

A flow injection analysis (FIA) procedure is proposed for the determination of promethazine. The sample solution is directly injected into the carrier-reagent stream which comprises a solution of ceric ions in a sulphuric acid medium. The absorbance at 514 nm from the red colour developed by the oxidation of promethazine is measured. Effects of foreign substances have been investigated and the procedure has been applied to the determination of promethazine in a pharmaceutical formulation (tablets).