Ex vivo treatment with fucoidan of mononuclear cells from SARS-CoV-2 infected patients.

COVID-19 is a worldwide health emergency, therapy for this disease is based on antiviral drugs and immunomodulators, however, there is no treatment to effectively reduce the COVID-19 mortality rate. Fucoidan is a polysaccharide obtained from marine brown algae, with anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and immune-enhancing properties, thus, fucoidan may be used as an alternative treatment (complementary to prescribed medical therapy) for the recovery of COVID-19.  This work aimed to determine the effects of ex-vivo treatment with fucoidan on cytotoxicity, apoptosis, necrosis, and senescence, besides functional parameters of calcium flux and mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) on human peripheral blood mononuclear cells isolated from SARS-CoV-2 infected, recovered and healthy subjects. Data suggest that fucoidan does not exert cytotoxicity or senescence, however, it induces the increment of intracellular calcium flux. Additionally, fucoidan promotes recovery of ΔΨm in PBMCs from COVID-19 recovered females. Data suggest that fucoidan could ameliorate the immune response in COVID-19 patients.

[Maternal and fetal outcomes in pregnancy following bariatric surgery]. / Resultados materno-fetales de la gestación tras cirugía bariátrica.

BACKGROUND: Obesity is the most frequent metabolic disease in the World, and is associated with several comorbidities. Bariatric procedures arise as a promising treatment when classical approach is ineffective. Half of the operated patients are reproductive-aged women and there is evidence that obesity is related to worse maternal and fetal outcomes. Because nutritional status is affected by bariatric surgery and is a vital component during pregnancy, the aim of our study is to asses the impact of bariatric surgery on pregnancy in these patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We studied 10 women and 15 pregnancies following bariatric surgery between 2003 and 2009. The visits took place every three months by an obstetrician and an endocrinologist with experience in nutrition, recording clinical features and lab work. RESULTS: We found iron deficiency in 80% of the pregnancies, vitamin D in 46,7%, vitamin A in 20%, vitamin E in 13,3% and vitamin B12 in 26,7%. There were no complications during pregnancy, except one case of gravidic hiperemesis. There were nine deliveries without malformations, three of them were small for gestational age newborns and one suffered aspiration pneumonia. There were three stillbirths and one preterm delivery with fetal death. CONCLUSIONS: our results show fewer complications during pregnancy in these women than obese women and similar to general population.

Resultados materno-fetales de la gestación tras cirugía bariátrica / Maternal and fetal outcomes in pregnancy following bariatric surgery

Introducción: La obesidad es la enfermedad metabólica más frecuente en el mundo y conlleva múltiples comorbilidades,siendo la cirugía bariátrica (CB) una opción terapéutica cuando fallan las medidas clásicas. La mitad de los pacientes intervenidos son mujeres en edad fértil y está demostrado que la obesidad se asocia a peores resultados obstétricos y fetales. Dado que el estado nutricional se ve afectado por la CB y es un factor esencial para el adecuado desarrollo del embarazo, el objetivo de nuestro trabajo es valorar los efectos de la CB sobre la gestación en mujeres obesas intervenidas. Material y métodos: Seguimiento de 10 mujeres y 15 gestaciones tras CB durante el periodo 2003-2009. Se realizaron visitas trimestrales en consultas de Nutrición y Obstetricia, con evaluación clínica y de laboratorio en cada una.Resultados: Se evidenció deficiencia de hierro en el80% de las gestaciones, de vitamina D en el 46,7%, de vitaminaA en el 20%, de vitamina E en el 13,3% y de vitamina B12 en el 26,7%. No hubo complicaciones durante la gestación salvo un caso de hiperémesis gravídica. Hubo9 partos de recién nacidos vivos sin malformaciones de los cuales 3 fueron recién nacidos pequeños para la edad gestacional (RNPEG) y uno presentó neumonía por aspiración de meconio. Hubo 3 abortos y un parto prematuro con feto muerto. Conclusiones: En nuestro grupo de estudio hubo menos complicaciones durante la gestación comparado con lo descrito en obesas no operadas y similares a la población general (AU)

Background: Obesity is the most frecuent metabolic disease in the World, and is associated with several comorbidities. Bariatric procedures a rise as a promising treatment when classical approach is in effective. Half of the operated patients are reproductive-aged women and there is evidence that obesity is related to worse maternal and fetal outcomes. Because nutritional status is affected by bariatric surgery and is a vital component during pregnancy, the aim of our study is to asses the impact of bariatric surgery on pregnancy in these pacients. Material and methods: We studied 10 women and 15 pregnancies following bariatric surgery between 2003 and 2009. The visits took place every three months by an obstetrician and an endocrinologist with experience innutrition, recording clinical features and lab work. Results:We found iron deficiency in 80% of the pregnancies,vitamin D in 46,7%, vitamin A in 20%, vitamin E in13,3% and vitamin B12 in 26,7%. There were no complications during pregnancy, except one case of gravidic hiperemesis. There were nine deliveries without malformations, three of them were small for gestational age newborns and one suffered aspiration pneumonia. There were three stillbirths and one preterm delivery with fetal death. Conclusions: our results show fewer complications during pregnancy in these women than obese women and similar to general population (AU)