MnSOD Val16Ala gene polymorphism is associated with REDOX biomarkers in the elderly of primary health care in the city of Porto Alegre.

Studies suggest that redox imbalance may be closely associated with pathological aging, contributing effectively to the genesis of several chronic diseases. One of the major defence enzymes against oxidation is Manganese-dependent superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) that acts within the mitochondria. The gene encoding this enzyme is polymorphic and Val16Ala variant is one of its most investigated polymorphisms regarding aging and oxidative stress. This study aimed to verify the occurrence of the MnSOD Val16Ala gene polymorphism association with markers of REDOX metabolism in the elderly of primary health care. A cross-sectional study was performed. The sample consisted of 270 elderly individuals from Family Health Strategy in the city of Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil (EMISUS). The following variables were investigated in all subjects: sociodemographic: gender, age, marital status, schooling and income; Anthropometric: weight, height, body mass index (BMI); REDOX markers: advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP), ischemia-modified albumin (IMA), nitric oxide metabolites (NOx), ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) and malondialdehyde (MDA), MnSOD Val16Ala gene polymorphism. Val16Ala gene polymorphism was evaluated by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Statistically significant associations were observed in the elderly with AA genotype compared to those with VV genotype, concerning AOPP (p = 0.023) and FRAP (p = 0.027) quartile frequencies, respectively. No statistically significant differences were observed between MnSOD genotypes with MDA, NOx and IMA oxidative markers. Val16Ala gene polymorphism is associated with AOPP and FRAP quartiles frequencies in the elderly of primary health care.

Association of oxytocin levels and oxytocin receptor gene polymorphism (rs2254298) with cardiovascular risk factors in Brazilian elderly from Primary Health Care.

BACKGROUND: Morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular disease is a typical phenomenon in the elderly, and are related to unfavorable genetic, hormonal and environmental (lifestyle) interactions. In this context, oxytocin (OT) seems plays a key role in the development of CVD by performing important actions in metabolism energy and hemodynamic variables. OBJECTIVE: To verify if there is an association between (OT) levels and the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) polymorphism (rs2254298) with cardiovascular risk factors (CRF) in the elderly. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study in community-dwelling elderly attending primary health care. The genotyping was done using the polymerase chain reaction technique. The CRF factors investigated included hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, sedentary lifestyle, and obesity. Levels of triglycerides (TGC) postprandial and glucose were measured in capillary blood. OT and cortisol levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: The sample comprised 177 elderly individuals. OT levels showed a significant negative correlation with postprandial triglycerides (p = 0.030) and BMI (p = 0.019). OT levels were also associated with leanness (p = 0.005). On Poisson regression analysis, OT remained a predictor for leanness (p = 0.010). No significant associations were observed between the OXTR polymorphism and CRF. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that Postprandial TGC levels are increased, while OT levels are decreased, and this hormone was significantly elevated in lean elderly. Future studies are needed to confirm these findings, and the role of OT in metabolic parameters.

Impact of human aging and modern lifestyle on gut microbiota.

Human evolution and lifestyle changes caused by the agricultural and industrial revolutions have led to great advances in medicine and increased life expectancy, whilst also profoundly altering the ecological relationships and disease patterns of populations. Studies involving populations that still enjoy a rural way of life and with traits similar to the Paleolithic period reveal them to present a more robust, resistant and diverse gut microbiota, in comparison to highly industrialized civilizations. The human diet has expanded and broadened to include the consumption of high-calorie foods, particularly from animal sources such as game meat and eggs. For some time, authors have been alert to the fact that a modern lifestyle leads to reduced intake of beneficial bacteria, suggesting that nonpathogenic bacteria are being eradicated. Furthermore, therapeutic procedures, including the use of probiotics and prebiotics, have been proposed to lead to recovery of this microbiota, which is altered due to both the ageing process and lifestyle related aspects. Accordingly, this article aims to review the impact of human aging and modern lifestyle on gut microbiota, within an evolutionary, ecological, epidemiological and therapeutic context.

Efeito do método Pilates em fatores de risco para doenças cardiometabólicas: uma revisão sistemática / Effect of Pilates exercises in risk factors for cardiometabolic diseases: a systematic review

Objetivos: realizar uma revisão sistemática da literatura sobre o efeito do método Pilates em fatores de risco para doenças cardiometabólicas. Métodos: A busca foi realizada nas bases de dados LILACS, SciELO, PubMed e Scopus, nos idiomas inglês e português. Os termos de busca utilizados foram exercícios de Pilates com as seguintes palavras chaves e seus correlatos em inglês: sedentarismo, obesidade, índice de massa corporal, composição corporal, pressão arterial, diabetes mellitus e dislipidemia. Os critérios de inclusão foram estudos de intervenção com Pilates, artigos originais e disponíveis na íntegra em inglês e português, população alvo portadora de pelo menos um fator de risco cardiometabólico e sedentários. Estudos que não preencheram esses critérios foram excluídos. O período de captura dos artigos foi de 2004 a 2014 e a elaboração do artigo ocorreu entre julho de 2014 e janeiro de 2015.Resultados: foram encontrados 93 artigos, sendo que apenas sete atenderam aos critérios de seleção. Destes, três estudos (42,86%) investigaram o efeito do Pilates em fatores de risco cardiometabólicos clássicos: triglicerídeos, glicose e lipoproteína de alta densidade ligada ao colesterol, porém não foram encontrados resultados benéficos nesses parâmetros no grupo intervenção com Pilates. Por outro lado, dos sete estudos incluídos, seis deles (85,71%) verificaram reduções estatisticamente significativas em algum dos seguintes fatores: pressão arterial sistólica e diastólica, índice de massa corporal, percentual de gordura corporal, massa gorda e relação cintura-quadril entre os grupos intervenção com Pilates e controle (P<0,05). Conclusões: O Pilates está se consolidando como um exercício eficaz na redução de porcentagem de gordura corporal, massa gorda, relação cintura/quadril e da pressão arterial em indivíduos de diferentes faixas etárias. Esses benefícios, principalmente da redução da relação cintura/quadril e pressão arterial têm um impacto clinicamente relevante na morbimortalidade por doenças cardiovasculares e cerebrovasculares. Contudo, mais estudos randomizados e controlados necessitam ser conduzidos nessa área.

Aims: To perform a systematic review of the literature on the effect of Pilates on risk factors for cardiometabolic diseases. Methods: The search was conducted in the LILACS, SciELO, PubMed, and Scopus databases both in English and in Portuguese. The search term used was Pilates exercise combined with the following key words and their equivalents in Portuguese: sedentary lifestyle, obesity, body mass index, body composition, blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, and dyslipidemia. The inclusion criteria consisted of intervention studies on Pilates, original articles in English and Portuguese available in their full-length versions, and target population with at least one cardiometabolic risk factor and with a sedentary lifestyle. Studies that failed to meet these criteria were excluded. The articles were collected from 2004 to 2014, and this review was written between July 2014 and January 2015.Results: Ninety-three articles were selected, but only seven met the selection criteria. Of these, three studies (42.86%) investigated the effect of Pilates on classic cardiometabolic risk factors: triglycerides, glucose, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, but no beneficial results were obtained for these parameters in the intervention group. On the other hand, six (85.71%) out of the seven studies, revealed statistically significant reductions in some of the following factors: systolic and diastolic blood pressure, body mass index, body fat percentage, fat mass, and waist-to-hip ratio between the intervention and control groups (P<0.05).Conclusions: Pilates has proven effective in reducing body fat percentage, fat mass, waist-to-hip ratio, and systemic blood pressure in different-aged individuals. These benefits, mainly the reduction of waist-to-hip ratio and of systemic blood pressure, have a clinically relevant impact on morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. However, more randomized controlled trials need to be conducted in this area.

The association between the chronic use of non-steroidal anti- inflammatory drugs and oxidative and inflammatory markers in the elderly.

OBJECTIVES: Investigate the association between the chronic or occasional use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and plasma levels of oxidative and inflammatory markers in elderly at the Family Health Strategy in Brazil. METHODS: It was a cross-sectional study of data collected from random elderly volunteers. A questionnaire including sociodemographic, health and medicine use data was administered. The blood levels of FRAP (ferric reducing ability of plasma), AOPP (plasma advanced oxidation protein products), MDA (malondialdehyde) and insulin were measured. RESULTS: The study sample comprised 758 elderly patients, of which 121 (15.96%) used NSAIDs. The mean age was 68.53 years and 68.41 for individuals who used NSAIDs occasionally and chronically, respectively. Gastric problems may be associated with the chronic or occasional use of NSAIDs (P = 0.042). Which indicates mean plasma levels of Insulin and HOMA-IR (Homeostasis Model Assessment Insulin Resistance) are increased in chronic use of NSAIDs and describes a statistical trend (P = 0.065) for the association of chronic NSAIDs use with the BMI (body mass index) of the subjects studied. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that there is no association between the chronic or occasional use of NSAIDs and oxidative and inflammatory markers. It is known that NSAIDs have innumerable adverse effects, but they can have some benefits. So, additional studies are needed to clarify whether NSAIDs are associated with these markers and whether they are related with their real consequences.

Associação dos polimorfismos rs53576 e rs2254298 do genereceptor da ocitocina com depressão: uma revisão sistemática / Association of oxytocin receptor gene polymorphisms rs53576 and rs2254298with depression: a systematic review

Objetivos: Embora a etiologia da depressão seja reconhecidamente multifatorial, estudos têm sugerido que esteja associada a uma mutaçãono gene receptor da ocitocina (OXTR). O objetivo deste estudo foi verificar, por meio de uma revisão sistemática da literatura, a ocorrênciade associação dos OXTR rs53576 e rs2254298 com depressão e sintomas ou temperamento depressivo.Métodos: A pesquisa foi realizada nas bases Lilacs, PubMed, SciELO, Web of Science, Scopus e Embase, abrangendo o período de 2004 a2014, nos idiomas inglês e português, com o descritor gene receptor da ocitocina/oxytocin receptor gene, adicionado aos descritores depressão/depression, temperamento depressivo/depressive temperament ou distúrbios do humor/mood disorder. Foram utilizados os seguintes critériospara a inclusão dos artigos: estudos originais com conteúdo disponível na íntegra em idioma inglês ou português; somente estudos com sereshumanos com diagnóstico clínico de depressão, ou rastreamento de sintomas e temperamento depressivos; estudos com as variantes rs53576ou rs225298 do gene OXTR; e a investigação de associação entre os polimorfismos OXTR e depressão e/ou sintomas ou temperamentodepressivo.Resultados: Foram capturados inicialmente 126 artigos, entretanto apenas oito estudos preencheram os critérios de inclusão. Dos oito artigosincluídos, seis estudos encontraram associação significativa entre as variantes OXTR rs53576 e rs2254298 com depressão, temperamento esintomas depressivos, enquanto dois estudos não encontraram associação.Conclusões: Os resultados sugerem que os OXTR rs53576 e rs2254298 estão associados a sintomas, temperamento depressivo e depressão.Contudo, é importante levar em consideração que esses polimorfismos não atuam de forma determinística, ou seja, são influenciados oumodulados por condições ambientais, que podem envolver fatores biopsicossociais, afetivos, étnicos e de gênero.

Aims: Although the etiology of depression is known to be multifactorial, studies have pointed to its association with a mutation in the oxytocinreceptor gene (OXTR). The aim of this study was to determine, by means of a systematic review of the literature, whether OXTRs rs53576and rs2254298 are associated with depression and depressive symptoms or temperament.Methods: The survey was conducted on the databases Lilacs, PubMed, SciELO, Web of Science, Scopus and Embase, covering the period2004-2014, in English and Portuguese, with the descriptors receptor da ocitocina/oxytocin receptor gene, added to depressão/depression,temperamento depressivo/depressive temperament, or distúrbios do humor/mood disorder. The following criteria were used for the inclusionof items: original studies with content available in full in English or Portuguese language; only human studies with clinical diagnosis ofdepression, or screening for symptoms and depressive temperament; studies on the variants rs53576 or rs22524298 of OXTR; and search forassociation between OXTR polymorphisms and depression and/or depressive symptoms or temperament.Results: Initially 126 articles were captured, but only eight studies met the inclusion criteria. Of the eight articles included, six studies founda significant association between variants OXTR rs53576 and rs225298 with depression, mood and depressive symptoms, while two studiesfound no association.Conclusions: The results suggest that OXTR rs53576 and rs2254298 are associated with depressive symptoms and temperament as well aswith depression. However, it should be noted that these polymorphisms do not act deterministically; rather, they are influenced or modulatedby the environment, which may involve biopsychosocial, affective, ethnic, and gender factors.

Associations among metabolic syndrome, ischemia, inflammatory, oxidatives, and lipids biomarkers.

CONTEXT: Metabolic syndrome (MS) is described as a cluster of cardiometabolic risk factors. Studies suggest that ischemia-modified albumin (IMA) is a biomarker of cardiovascular diseases. IMA levels could be associated with cardiometabolic risks and represent a possible indication of microvascular dysfunction in MS patients. OBJECTIVE: To confirm this possible association, we evaluated the association between IMA levels and MS. DESIGN: We performed a case-control study (32 healthy individuals and 74 subjects with MS) to evaluate the association between MS, IMA, and other biomarkers [high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), oxidized low-density lipoprotein (OxLDL), oxidized low-density lipoprotein autoantibodies (anti-OxLDL), IL-6, lipid profile, and glucose]. RESULTS: The MS group showed higher levels of IMA (0.618 +/- 0.1355) as well as higher levels of hs-CRP, OxLDL, anti-OxLDL, and IL-6 than did control subjects (IMA = 0.338 +/- 0.0486) (P < 0.01). Multivariate analysis showed that IMA and MS association was independent of sex, age, diabetes mellitus 2, and hypercholesterolemia. CONCLUSION: We found an association between IMA and MS. Additional studies including prospective genetic variation approaches need to be performed to help elucidate this association between IMA and MS and its potential clinical role.