Gut Microbiome and Organ Fibrosis.

Fibrosis is a pathological process associated with most chronic inflammatory diseases. It is defined by an excessive deposition of extracellular matrix proteins and can affect nearly every tissue and organ system in the body. Fibroproliferative diseases, such as intestinal fibrosis, liver cirrhosis, progressive kidney disease and cardiovascular disease, often lead to severe organ damage and are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, for which there are currently no effective therapies available. In the past decade, a growing body of evidence has highlighted the gut microbiome as a major player in the regulation of the innate and adaptive immune system, with severe implications in the pathogenesis of multiple immune-mediated disorders. Gut microbiota dysbiosis has been associated with the development and progression of fibrotic processes in various organs and is predicted to be a potential therapeutic target for fibrosis management. In this review we summarize the state of the art concerning the crosstalk between intestinal microbiota and organ fibrosis, address the relevance of diet in different fibrotic diseases and discuss gut microbiome-targeted therapeutic approaches that are current being explored.

Effectiveness of a psychoeducational programme for informal caregivers of older adults.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: This study explored the effectiveness of psychoeducational programme for informal caregivers called 'Caring at home'. DESIGN AND METHODS: The sample included 60 informal caregivers of elderly people (≥60 years) living in the community. Socio-demographic information of informal caregivers and care receivers was collected with the COPE Index. The assessment protocol comprised four scales: 12-item Short-Form Health Survey, General Health Questionnaire-12, Positive Aspects of Caregiving and Caregiver Strain Index Modified. There were five assessment moments: a pretest, a post-test and three follow-ups. RESULTS: Informal caregivers had an average age of 52.08 years (SD = 9.11) and were mainly women (90.0%), married/partnered (75.0%) and children of the care recipients (61.7%). The median time spent in care was 12 hours/day (IQR = 18). Results showed a favourable evolution after the psychoeducational intervention, a significant improvement in caregivers' mental health (p = 0.03) from pretest to 1st follow-up (2/3 months after the psychoeducational intervention) and the maintenance of the other assessed dimensions of the caregivers' behaviour. IMPLICATIONS: The psychoeducational intervention seems to promote improvements in mental health and the maintenance of other favourable conditions at baseline. These results may indicate that psychoeducational programme are beneficial to minimise or prevent adverse effects of caregiving.