Diabetes and hypertension in elderly women: interactions between severity and failure to control inflammation.

Elderly women are more susceptible to the development of chronic non-communicable diseases. Among these, diabetes mellitus (DM) and systemic arterial hypertension (SAH) stand out. This work aimed to carry out an expanded study on the interactions of anthropometric, biochemical and inflammatory parameters associated with the risk of severity in elderly women with hypertension and diabetes. The study involved the evaluation of 126 elderly women with hypertension and diabetes mellitus. The women were divided according disease severity (low, moderate, high and very high). Anthropometric data were collected by bioimpedance analysis. The inflammatory and biochemical data were obtained from volunteer blood samples. Waist circumference, waist circumference/height ratio, and systolic and diastolic pressures increased with severity. Biochemical marker levels increased with risk of severity, except HDLc. In the very high risk group, there was a higher IL-1ß, IFN-γ and TNF-α production, however, lower IL-10 levels were observed. The very high risk group showed change values for the IL-10/IL-1ß, IL-10/IL-17 and IL-10/TNF-α ratios. The results showed to be extensively altered in the very high risk group, where the inflammatory profile loses its responsiveness. This is the first study that shows an expanded view of the different parameters evaluated in elderly women with hypertension and diabetes.

Physical activity reduces intradermal bacterial load in a murine model submitted to forced swim training - a pilot study.

Regular exercise is beneficial to health. This study evaluated the effects of moderate and intense physical exercise modalities on intradermal infection by Staphylococcus aureus in a murine model. Mice that practiced moderate exercise had lower bacterial load on lymph nodes and less inflammatory infiltrate in dermis. They presented greater weight, however, less amount of epididymal fat: the weight was increased while they had fat diminished. A positive correlation was observed between lipid content and bacterial load in mice trained at moderate intensity. Animals that were under high intensity exercises presented superior bacterial load on the lymph nodes, increased neutrophil count and circulating lymphocytes, and had leukocyte recruitment to the dermis augmented, when compared to the ones in moderate exercise. These findings suggest that moderate physical activity modulates the immune response in dermal infection caused by S. aureus in a murine model.

Gender-related differences in the modulation of anthropometric, biochemical, and immune markers by physical activity in hypertensive and diabetic individuals.

Systemic arterial hypertension (SAH) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) compose the two major noncommunicable chronic inflammatory diseases. Physical activity has been shown as a promising complementary approach to control the systemic inflammation. However, it is still unclear whether this modulation is gender-dependent. The objective of this study was evaluate the gender-related influence of physical activity on the inflammatory response and biochemical profile of individuals with SAH and T2DM. An international physical activity questionnaire was applied to 376 individuals diagnosed with SAH and T2DM in order to access their exercises routine and was evaluated the influence of physical activity in biochemical, anthropometrical, and immunological markers involved in these disorders in men and women. Even though active individuals have exhibited lower serum levels of IL-1ß, IFN-γ, TNF-α, and IL-17A, the ratios between IL-10 and all inflammatory cytokines were higher in men than in women. Physically active individuals also demonstrated increased HDL/LDL and HDL/VLDL ratios. Moreover, multiple correlations revealed that in active women both IL-10 and TNF-α serum levels positively correlate with fasting glucose levels, and were negatively associated with HDL levels. Our findings suggest that gender-related differences dictate a distinct crosstalk between inflammatory and biochemical markers in physically active individuals.

Association between body composition and inflammation: A central role of IL-17 and IL-10 in diabetic and hypertensive elderly women.

In women, aging is evidenced by physiological hormonal alterations that trigger changes in body composition, emergence of chronic low-grade inflammation, which is an important pre-disposition to the development of chronic diseases such as Systemic Arterial Hypertension (SAH) and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM). Although it is a strong pro-inflammatory nature disorder, little is known about how body composition interferes with inflammatory markers in diabetic and hypertensive elderly women. Therefore, this study's objective was to evaluate the inflammation in diabetic and hypertensive elderly women, and their association with fat mass. It comprised the evaluation of 144 women aged between 60 and 80 years old, diagnosed with SAH and T2DM, assisted by Family Health Units in Vitória da Conquista, Bahia, Brazil. According to body mass index (BMI), these women were classified as either eutrophic or overweight. In the eutrophic females, the IL-10 / IL-17A ratio was increased when compared to those overweight. In addition, IL-17 correlated negatively with HDL and positively with total cholesterol, LDL, triglycerides, VLDL, and glucose in the eutrophic ones, but not in the overweight individuals. IL-10 also showed differences in the correlation pattern observed between the groups, since for this eutrophic cytokine, it presented positive correlation with the waist circumference, waist/height ratio, and negative association with IL-17, while in overweight elderly women, it was not observed such pattern. Hence, this work demonstrates how the amount of fat mass interferes with the balance of cytokines, especially IL-10 and IL-17, and how it may exert an effect on biochemical parameters and risk factors associated with T2DM and SAH.

Surveillance of donated blood during the 2016 arbovirus outbreak in Brazil.

Reports of arboviral transmission via blood transfusion may be a cause of concern among asymptomatic infected donors. This study evaluated the presence of arboviruses in donated blood products during the 2016 outbreak in Vitória da Conquista (Bahia-Brazil). Serum samples (n = 676) were screened for ZIKV, CHIKV, and the four DENV serotypes using a one-step reverse transcriptase-based Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR). No samples tested positive for any of the targets, whereas positive controls performed as expected. The results suggest a low risk of arboviral transmission via transfusion of blood products in the endemic area studied during the 2016 outbreak.