Characterization of dyspnea in chronic diseases and heart failure in patients in a Family Health Program / Caracterización de la disnea en pacientes con enfermedades crónicas e insuficiencia cardíaca de un Programa de Salud Familiar

Abstract Background: Dyspnea is the most common symptom in heart failure. In the elderly, it is common in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and depression. Objective: To estimate the prevalence of dyspnea on exertion, orthopnea and paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea and its association with chronic diseases in primary care. Methods: A cross-sectional study, part of the Digitalis Study, including 633 individuals, between 45 to 99 years old, registered in a primary care program in Niteroi, Brazil. All participants underwent clinical evaluations, blood and urine collection, and responded to a questionnaire in a single day. Self-reports were used for the diagnosis of diseases. Results: Of the 633 individuals, 30% had dyspnea. In the crude analysis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease showed the strongest associations with the three types of dyspnea, followed by depression and heart failure. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease alone did not present any cases of paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea, and heart failure alone showed a very strong relationship with this type of dyspnea. Conclusions: The different behavior of the associations of the types of dyspnea with major chronic diseases in patients in primary care can help in the better characterization of patients with heart failure.

Resumen Introducción: La disnea es el síntoma más común en la insuficiencia cardíaca. En los ancianos es común en la enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica y la depresión. Objetivo: Estimar la prevalencia de disnea de esfuerzo, ortopnea y disnea paroxística nocturna y su asociación con enfermedades crónicas en la atención primaria. Métodos: Estudio transversal, parte del estudio Digitalis, que incluyó a 633 individuos, entre 45 y 99 años de edad, registrados en un programa de atención primaria en Niterói, Brasil. Todos los participantes se sometieron a evaluaciones clínicas, recolección de sangre y orina, y respondieron a un cuestionario en un solo día. Se usaron autorrelatos para el diagnóstico de las enfermedades. Resultados: De los 633 individuos, el 30% presentó disnea. En el análisis crudo la enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica mostró las asociaciones más fuertes con los tres tipos de disnea, seguidos por la depresión y la insuficiencia cardíaca. La enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica, evaluada de forma aislada, no presentó ningún caso de disnea paroxística nocturna, y la insuficiencia cardíaca por sí sola mostró una relación muy fuerte con este tipo de disnea. Conclusiones: El comportamiento diferente de las asociaciones de los tipos de disnea con las principales enfermedades crónicas en pacientes en atención primaria puede ayudar a una mejor caracterización de los pacientes con insuficiencia cardíaca.

Comparison of adipokines in a cross-sectional study with healthy overweight, insulin-sensitive and healthy lean, insulin-resistant subjects, assisted by a family doctor primary care program.

BACKGROUND: In most individuals, obesity and insulin resistance coexist. However, some individuals have excessive adipose tissue mass but remain insulin sensitive. Moreover, lean individuals can develop acute inflammation-induced insulin resistance, even without excess adipose tissue mass. OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to compare inflammatory markers in overweight, insulin-sensitive and lean, insulin-resistant healthy subjects. METHODS: A cross-sectional study with 1098 participants (CAMELIA project) was conducted in family doctor primary care program at Niteroi, RJ, Brazil. In the present substudy, we have selected non-obese healthy subjects (n = 203). Insulin resistance was defined by a homeostatic model assessment (HOMA-IR) >2.6, and overweight subject BMIs were 25< BMI <30 kg/m2. Associations were estimated through binary logistic regression with generalized estimation equation models. RESULTS: We compared overweight, insulin-sensitive healthy individuals (n = 74) with a mean age of 39.2 ± 1.3 and lean, insulin-resistant healthy individuals (n = 18) with a mean age of 31.9 ± 3.6. C-reactive protein levels were positively correlated with body mass index in the lean, insulin-resistant group. In the multiple regression model, a positive association was observed with MCP-1 and IL-6 expression after adjustment for age, waist circumference, glycated hemoglobin, resistin, adiponectin, C-reactive protein and PAI-1 levels. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that a lean, insulin-resistant subject may have higher pro-inflammatory marker levels (MCP-1, IL-6 and resistin) than an overweight, insulin-sensitive subject. This suggest an early risk phenotype that should further be investigated for possible prognostic implications.

Racial differences in HbA1c: a cross-sectional analysis of a Brazilian public primary care population.

BACKGROUND: Blacks show higher levels of HbA1c in studies with different populations and are disproportionately affected by most diabetes-related complications. AIMS: The study aims to investigate if the prevalence of altered glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) varies with skin color and if there is a familial aggregation of either skin color and HbA1c. METHODS: The study used the CAMELIA study (Cardio-Metabolic-Renal familiar) population, conducted between June 2006 and December 2007 (cross sectional). Families were recruited from 13 Family Doctor Program Unities of Niteroi, Brazil, a highly miscegenated population. The visits included questionnaire, medical consultation, anthropometric and nutritional assessment. Blood pressure, blood/urine samples were collected. The dosage of HbA1c was performed by immunoturbidimetry in Labmax 240 equipment. RESULTS: We compare data of 241 (25.5%) Blacks, versus 422 (44.7%) Mulattos or 272 (28.8%) Whites. The groups did not differ significantly with regard to most measures. Blacks had the lowest levels of income/education, higher frequency of diabetes and hypertension (p<0.20) as higher levels of HbA1c (p<0.05) that persisted after adjusting for possible confounders. Among blacks, the correlations between siblings of HbA1c were higher than among white/mulatto, reaching 86% versus 50%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Those results indicate that Brazilian Blacks patients must have more attention, focusing on diabetes preventive care. Longitudinal studies are needed to address the question if the altered level of HbA1c has a real clinical impact.

Low quality of life as an additional criterion for the clinical diagnosis of heart failure in primary care.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to estimate the association of shortness of breath (SOB), fatigue and bilateral lower limb edema (LLE) - typical symptoms of HF - with quality of life (QOL) dimensions, measured by the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted as part of the CAMELIA study (Cardiometabolic Renal Familial Study), which involved families covered by the Family Doctor Program (FDP) in Niteroi, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The study included 455 patients aged 30 and over, assessed by questionnaire, medical consultation, and blood and urine tests. RESULTS: The prevalence of symptoms was: fatigue 56.9%, SOB 22.6% and LLE 16.9%. There were independent and statistically significant associations between SOB and fatigue and all SF-36 dimensions, excepting emotional performance and SOB (p<0.10). CONCLUSION: The combination of SOB and fatigue with low QOL can increase the positive predictive value for a clinical diagnosis of HF and is a possible alternative for prioritizing patients for closer investigation in a primary care setting.

Desnutrição protéica: efeito sobre o espraiamento, fagocitose e atividade fungicida de macrófagos peritoneais / Protein malnutrition: effect on spreading phagocytosis and fungicide activity of peritoneal macrophages

A desnutrição protéico-calórica modifica tanto a resposta imune específica como a inespecífica, predispondo o indivíduo a agentes infecciosos. Neste trabalho avaliamos o efeito da desnutrição protéica sobre o espraiamento, fagocitose e a atividade fungicida de macrófagos peritoneais frente à Candida albicans. Camundongos Swiss, adultos, machos foram divididos em dois grupos: nutrido (controle), alimentado com ração contendo 20 porcento de proteína e grupo desnutrido, que recebeu ração com 4 porcento de proteína. Os macrófagos peritoneais foram ativados por meio da administração intraperitonial de caseinato de sódio 3 porcento. Observamos que macrófagos residentes oriundos de animais desnutridos...