Physical (in)activity and its influence on disease-related features, physical capacity, and health-related quality of life in a cohort of chronic juvenile dermatomyositis patients.

OBJECTIVES: To objectively measure physical activity levels in a cohort of juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM) patients; to compare physical capacity and health-related quality of life in JDM patients and their healthy controls (CTRL) matched by physical activity levels; and to associate physical activity variables with disease-related parameters, physical capacity, and health-related quality of life. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study in which 19 JDM patients and 19 CTRL matched by physical activity levels, age, sex, and body mass index were compared. Physical activity was objectively measured using accelerometers. RESULTS: In our cohort, only one of the 19 JDM patients (5%) achieved the minimum recommended moderate-to-vigorous physical activity levels (MVPA) (i.e., minimum of 60min/day). JDM showed lower aerobic condition (e.g., VO2peak), muscle function (e.g., timed-stands test), and health-related quality of life in comparison to CTRL (p < 0.05). Sedentary time was positively correlated with disease duration (r = 0.649; p = 0.003), and negatively with VO2peak (r = -0.459; p = 0.048). Moreover, MVPA was negatively associated with disease duration (r = -0.509; p = 0.026), and positively associated with VO2peak (r = 0.797; p < 0.001), and current use of corticoid (r = 0.748; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Physical capacity and health-related quality of life were reduced in JDM patients when compared with CTRL matched by physical activity levels, suggesting that the disease itself and/or glucocorticoid use may adversely affect overall health in JDM, despite an apparently well-controlled disease. Physical (in)activity correlated with important disease-related and physical capacity parameters, suggesting that sedentary lifestyle may be an important, but preventable, factor associated with poor overall health in JDM.

The liposuction-induced effects on adiponectin and selected cytokines are not affected by exercise training in women.

It has been suggested that the abrupt liposuction-induced decrease in adipose tissue could affect adipokine secretion pattern. We hypothesized that exercise training could positively impact adipokine metabolism following liposuction. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of liposuction on inflammation-related adipokines in women who were either exercise-trained or remained sedentary after surgery. Thirty-six healthy normal-weight women underwent an abdominal liposuction and two months after surgery were randomly allocated into two groups: trained (TR, n = 18, four-month exercise program) and nontrained (NT, n = 18). Inflammation-related adipokine serum levels (TNF- α , IL-6, IL-10, and adiponectin) and abdominal and thigh subcutaneous adipose tissue (scAT) mRNA levels were assessed before (PRE) and six months after surgery (POST6). TNF- α , IL-6, and IL-10 serum levels were unchanged in both groups. In contrast, TNF- α , IL-6, and IL-10 mRNA levels in scAT were increased, whereas adiponectin scAT mRNA and serum levels were decreased at POST6 (P < 0.05, main effect for time). No changes were observed in mRNA levels of MCP-1, CD14, and CD68 in any of the groups. In conclusion, liposuction downregulates adiponectin scAT gene expression and serum levels and upregulates scAT gene expression of inflammation-related genes six months after surgery in normal-weight women, irrespective of exercise training.

Brain creatine depletion in vegetarians? A cross-sectional ¹H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹H-MRS) study.

The present cross-sectional study aimed to examine the influence of diet on brain creatine (Cr) content by comparing vegetarians with omnivores. Brain Cr content in the posterior cingulate cortex was assessed by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹H-MRS). Dietary Cr intake was assessed by 3 d food recalls. Vegetarians had lower dietary Cr intake than omnivores (0.03 (SD 0.01) v. 1.34 (SD 0.62) g/d, respectively; P=0.005). However, vegetarians and omnivores had comparable brain total Cr content (5.999 (SD 0.811) v. 5.917 (SD 0.665) IU, respectively; P=0.77). In conclusion, dietary Cr did not influence brain Cr content in healthy individuals, suggesting that in normal conditions brain is dependent on its own Cr synthesis.