Assessment of micronucleus and oxidative stress in peripheral blood from malnourished children.

INTRODUCTION: malnutrition is one of the most common health problems among children in underdeveloped countries, including Mexico. Previous studies have indicated increased genetic damage in malnourished humans and animal models, but the essential mechanisms remain unclear. In the present study, we assessed the effects of malnutrition on the frequency of micronucleus (MN) in reticulocytes (RET) from the peripheral blood of well-nourished uninfected (WN), well-nourished infected (WNI), moderately malnourished infected (UNM) and severely malnourished infected (UNS) children. Moreover, lipid peroxidation and the antioxidant status were evaluated to investigate the role of oxidative processes in malnutrition-associated genotoxicity. METHODS: the antioxidant status of the study population was determined by measuring superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the red blood cells and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) in whole blood. RESULTS: the UNS and UNM groups have increased percentages of MN-RET compared to the WNI group. Moreover, the data showed a significant increase in lipid peroxidation and a decrease in erythrocyte SOD activity and GPX activity in the malnourished group compared to the well-nourished infected children. CONCLUSION: the data suggest that the antioxidant system was impaired in the cells of malnourished children and that oxidative stress causes a significant increase in DNA damage, as evaluated by the MN-RET frequency.

Assessment of micronucleus and oxidative stress in peripheral blood from malnourished children / Evaluación de micronúcleos y estrés oxidante en sangre periférica de niños desnutridos

Introduction: malnutrition is one of the most common health problems among children in underdeveloped countries, including Mexico. Previous studies have indicated increased genetic damage in malnourished humans and animal models, but the essential mechanisms remain unclear. In the present study, we assessed the effects of malnutrition on the frequency of micronucleus (MN) in reticulocytes (RET) from the peripheral blood of well-nourished uninfected (WN), well-nourished infected (WNI), moderately malnourished infected (UNM) and severely malnourished infected (UNS) children. Moreover, lipid peroxidation and the antioxidant status were evaluated to investigate the role of oxidative processes in malnutrition-associated genotoxicity. Methods: the antioxidant status of the study population was determined by measuring superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the red blood cells and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) in whole blood. Results: the UNS and UNM groups have increased percentages of MN-RET compared to the WNI group. Moreover, the data showed a significant increase in lipid peroxidation and a decrease in erythrocyte SOD activity and GPX activity in the malnourished group compared to the well-nourished infected children. Conclusion: the data suggest that the antioxidant system was impaired in the cells of malnourished children and that oxidative stress causes a significant increase in DNA damage, as evaluated by the MN-RET frequency

Introducción: la desnutrición es uno de los principales problemas de salud entre los niños de los países en desarrollo, incluido México. Estudios previos han mostrado que existe un incremento en el daño genético en humanos y modelos animales desnutridos, pero los mecanismos por los que se desencadena aún son poco claros. En el presente estudio, evaluamos los efectos de la desnutrición en la frecuencia de micronúcleos (MN) en reticulocitos (RET) de sangre periférica de niños bien nutridos no infectados (WN), bien nutridos infectados (WNI), desnutridos moderados infectados (UNM) y con desnutrición severa e infecciones (UNS). Asimismo, se evaluaron la lipoperoxidación y la capacidad antioxidante para investigar el papel del proceso oxidativo en la genotoxicidad asociada a la desnutrición. Métodos: la capacidad antioxidante de la población de estudio fue determinada midiendo la superóxido-dismutasa (SOD) en los eritrocitos y glutatión peroxidasa (GPX) en sangre completa. Resultados: los niños UNS y UNM tienen alto porcentaje de MN-RET comparados con el grupo WNI. Además, los datos mostraron un incremento significativo en la lipoperoxidación y disminución en la actividad de SOD y GPX en el grupo de niños desnutridos comparados con el grupo de niños bien nutridos infectados. Conclusión: los datos sugieren que el sistema antioxidante está deteriorado en las células de los niños desnutridos y que el estrés oxidante causa un incremento significativo en el daño al ADN, el cual se refleja en el incremento en la frecuencia de RET-MN

Malnutrition and infection influence the peripheral blood reticulocyte micronuclei frequency in children.

Malnutrition is a serious public health problem that affects approximately one third of all children. Developing countries have the highest incidence of malnourished children, and approximately 60% of deaths that occur in children under five are directly related to malnutrition and associated diseases. The relationship between malnutrition and genetic damage has been widely studied in humans and animal models. The micronucleus (MN) assay is useful in detecting chromosome damage induced by several factors. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of infection and malnutrition on the frequency of MN in erythrocytes from the peripheral blood of well-nourished, uninfected (WN) and well-nourished, infected (WNI) children, and moderately malnourished (UNM) and severely malnourished (UNS) children, both with infection, using a flow cytometric analysis technique. The percentage of reticulocytes (RETs) was significantly higher (1.5-fold) in WNI children than well-nourished controls. In addition, the UNS group had a 2.2-fold increase in the percentage of RETs compared to the WNI group. The frequency of micronucleated reticulocytes (MN-RETs) was 2.5 times greater, in WNI group compared to the WN group. These frequencies were significantly higher (1.7- and 2.1-fold) in UNM and UNS, respectively, compared to the WNI group. The results suggest that infection and malnutrition induce DNA damage in children.

Tensión arterial en recién nacidos / Blood pressure in newborn infants

Considerando de utilidad intentar establecer, o cuando menos contribuir a la formulación de los valores promedio normales de la tensión arterial en niños recién nacidos mexicanos, se llevó a cabo un estudio de 300 neonatos sanos alojados en las salas de cuna de los servicios de ginecobstetricia del Hospital General de "La Perla", de la Secretaría de Salubridad y Asistencia (SSA), y del Hospital General "Zaragoza" del Instituto de Seguridad y Servicio Social para los Trabajadores del Estado (ISSSTE). Se utilizó el método de auscultación, con esfigmomanómetro de mercurio, tomando en cuenta el primero y cuarto ruidos de Korotkoff. el total de 300 neonatos se dividió en grupos según los resultados obtenidos y se establecieron rangos de normalidad. Asimismo comparamos nuestros resultados con los obtenidos por otros autores mediante métodos indirectos, encontrando semejanza entre ambos. Estimamos conveniente disponer de patrones normales de referencia en nuestro medio, ya que con alguna frecuencia se comprueban ciertos cuando de hipertensión o hipotensión en etapas tempranas de la vida

Complicación por Pseudomonas aeruginosa en tuberculosis generalizada: información de un caso / Complication by Pseudomonas aeuroginosa in generalized tuberculosis: a case report

Se informa un caso de tuberculosis generalizada, complicada con infección por Pseudomonas aeruginosa, diagnosticada y tratada con buenos resultados. Se encontró signología abdominal y pulmonar. Mediante laboratorio algunos datos se consideraron sugerentes de implicación del sistema nervioso central consistentes en alteraciones clínicas evidentes