Inflammatory cytokines are associated to lower glomerular filtration rate in patients with hypertensive crisis.

Introduction: Hypertension and kidney function are closely related. However, there are few studies on renal function during acute elevation of blood pressure (BP), denominated hypertensive crisis (HC). Objectives: To evaluate the relationship between renal function and inflammatory cytokines in HC, subdivided into hypertensive urgency (HUrg) and emergency (HEmerg). Materials and methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out in 74 normotensive (NT) and 74 controlled hypertensive individuals (ContrHT) followed up in outpatient care. Additionally, 78 subjects with hypertensive emergency (HEmerg) and 50 in hypertensive urgency (HUrg), attended in emergency room, were also evaluated. Hypertensive crisis was classified into HEmerg, defined by systolic blood pressure (BP) ≥ 180 mmHg and/or diastolic BP ≥ 120 mmHg in presence of target-organ damage (TOD), and HypUrg, clinical situation with BP elevation without TOD. The glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was estimated, and cytokine levels were measured. Statistical analysis was performed using the Kruskal-Wallis or Mann-Whitney test and Spearman's correlation, with significant differences p-value < 0.05. Results: The median age was 53.5 years in the NT group (52 female), 61 years in the ContrHT group (52 female), and 62.5 years in the HC group (63 female) (p-value < 0.0001). The median BP was 118.5/75 mmHg for NT, 113.5/71 for ContrHT, and 198.5/120 mmHg for HC, respectively (p-value < 0.0001 among groups). BP and heart rate levels were significantly higher in the HC group compared to the NT and ContrHT groups (P < 0.001 for all). The eGFR was significantly lower in HC group compared to the NT and ContrHT groups. The cytokine levels were higher in the HEmerg and HUrg groups compared to ContrHT group (P < 0.0001, except for IL-1ß in HUrg vs. ContrHT), without difference between the acute elevation of BP groups. Thus, all cytokines were significantly elevated in patients with HC compared to the control groups (NT and ContrHT). There was a negative correlation between eGFR and the cytokines (IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, and TNF-α) in the HC group. Conclusion: Elevated inflammatory cytokines are associated with reduced eGFR in individuals with HC compared to control groups, suggesting that the inflammatory process participates in the pathogenesis of acute elevations of BP.

Força de preensão palmar em portadoras de linfedema secundário ao tratamento para câncer de mama / Hand grip force in patients with lymphedema post breast cancer therapy

Introdução. A abordagem terapêutica do linfedema secundário ao tratamento do câncer de mama propõe-sea prevenir limitações de movimento da cintura escapular, alterações posturais, fibrose e aderência cicatricial, com o objetivo primordial de melhorar a qualidade de vida de tais pacientes. Nesse contexto, este estudo procurou identificar alterações de força muscular no segmento distal do membro superior linfedematoso, nointuito de, possivelmente, incrementar o processo de reabilitação a partir do favorecimento à ação das bombas musculares do antebraço no retorno venolinfático, e tendo em vista o tratamento para o câncer de mama não ser considerado fator causal de modificações na estrutura osteomuscular analisada. Método. Participaram do grupo de estudo (GE) 16 mulheres com linfedema unilateral, que tiveram o membro linfedematoso comparado com o membro contralateral sadio, e ambos comparados a um grupo controle (GC)de 25 mulheres sadias. A força de preensão palmar foi mensurada pelo dinamômetro Sammons Preston®, tendo sido realizadas três medições em cada membro, alternadamente, e anotado o maior valor de cada um. Para análise estatística foram utilizados o teste t pareado e o teste t não pareado, com p d” 0,05. Resultados. Os resultados apontaram uma diferença significativa na força de preensão palmar entre o membro acometido e o membro contralateral em portadoras de linfedema (p = 0,0002), mas não identificou diferenças entre as forças de preensão do membro dominante e não dominante em mulheres sem a linfopatia (p = 0,1177). A comparação do membro linfedematoso com os membros do grupo controle também apresentou diferença estatisticamente significante, tendo sido o valor de p = 0,0026 em relação ao membro dominante, e p = 0,0226 quando comparado ao membro não dominante, enquanto que o membro sadio das portadoras de linfedema não teve diferença estatística em relação às mulheres sadias. Conclusão. Os dados obtidos apontam uma redução da força de preensão palmar...

Introduction: The therapeutic approach toward lymphedema secondary to breast cancer management suggests preventing restrictions of shoulder girdle motion, postural changes, fibrosis, and scar tissue adherence primarily aiming at improving the patients’ quality of life. In this context, the present study sought to identify the changes of muscle strength in the distal segment of the lymphedematous lower limb, in order to possibly develop the rehabilitation process from promoting the action of the forearm muscle pump in the venous-lymphatic return, and keeping in mind that the breast cancer management is not considered to be acausative factor of changes in the analyzed musculoskeletal structure. Method: The study group (SG) included 16 women with unilateral lymphedema who were compared to their non affected arm and also to a control group (CG) comprised of 25 healthy women. The hand grip force was measured by a hand dynamometer(Sammons Preston™, Bolingbrook, IL). The measurements were performed 3 times in each limb, alternately, and then the highest value of which one of them was chosen. The data were assessed using a paired and anunpaired Student’s t-tests. We considered p d” .05 as statistically significant. Results: The results showed a significant difference in hand grip forces between the affected limb and the limb on the opposite side inpatients with lymphedema post-mastectomy (p = 0.0002). However, this study did not identify significant differences between the hand grip forces in both dominant and non-dominant limb in healthy women (p =0.1177). When the lymphoedematous limb was compared with the limbs of the control group it was observed a statistically significant difference in relation to both dominant and non-dominant member (p = 0.0026 and0.0226, respectively). However, there was no statistically difference between the non affected limb of patients with lymphedema when compared to the control group of healthy women...

Tratamento do linfedema em portador de deficiência mental / Lymphoedema treatment in a mentally disabled patient

Relata-se o caso de um paciente de 28 anos de idade com linfedema de membros inferiores e deficiência mental. O linfedema surgiu por volta dos sete anos de idade, porém, nunca foi realizado tratamento específico. O envolvimento de uma equipe interdisciplinar, na qual o psicólogo deu suporte para os membros da equipe em relação aos aspectos psicológicos, facilitou o tratamento. O resultado foi a melhora clínica, redução perimétrica e volumétrica com adesão do paciente ao tratamento. A atuação de uma equipe interdisciplinar deve ser encorajada no tratamento do linfedema em pacientes com deficiência mental, podendo ser facilitadora na sua abordagem.