Nutrition and Alzheimer Disease.

We gathered some theoretic and practical concepts related to the importance of nutrition in the prevention and management of Alzheimer disease (AD). Besides the role of nutrients in brain development and functioning, some nutrients exert special control in the development of AD, due to their participation in neurotransmitter synthesis, their modulation in epigenetics mechanisms, and as antioxidants. In addition, some non-nutrient food-derived substances have shown potential in the control of neuroinflammation and consequently in the prevention of AD. Finally, it is important to be aware of the nutritional status and food intake patterns of the patient with AD.

Nutrición parenteral: elementos traza, energía, complicaciones y monitorización / Parenteral nutrition: trace elements, energy, complications and monitoring

En el niño enfermo, una excelente alternativa en caso de no contar con nutrición enteral, es la nutrición parenteral (NP). Los requerimientos de los elementos traza, no están bien definidos. El síndrome de realimentación se puede presentar en niños con desnutrición moderada o grave, con desequilibrio metabólico y electrolítico. Las complicaciones pueden ser infecciosas, metabólicas, mecánicas, hepáticas, gastrointestinales, y psicológicas. En la práctica clínica la monitorización de los parámetros bioquímicos, mecánicos y antropométricos debe ser seguida. La nutrición domiciliaria, debe ser el objetivo fundamental en pacientes que dependen al 100% del apoyo por NP.

In the sick child, an excellent alternative if you do not have enteral nutrition is parenteral nutrition (PN). The requirements of trace elements are not well defined. The refeeding síndrome can occur in children with moderate or severe malnutrition, metabolic and electrolyte imbalance. Complications can be infectious, metabolic, mechannical, hepatic, gastrointestinal, and psychological. In clinical practice the monitoring of biochemical parameters and anthropometric mechanics must be followed. Home nutrition should be the primary goal in patients who dependo n the support 100% of the PN.

Desnutrición aguda severa en niños hospitalizados en el Hospital Pereira Rossell aplicación y evaluación de una pauta de diagnóstico y tratamiento / Severe acute malnutrition in children hospitalized in the Hospital Pereira Rossell: implementation and evaluation of a course of diagnosis and treatment

Introducción:La desnutrición aguda severa requiere el comienzo inmediato de un tratamiento específico. En el Hospital Pereira Rossell se creó y se puso en práctica una pauta de diagnóstico y tratamiento del niño con desnutrición aguda severa, basada en recomendaciones de OMS. Objetivo:evaluar los resultados de la aplicación de dicha pauta. Pacientes y Métodos: estudio prospectivo realizado entre el 1/5 y el 30/9 del 2008, incluyendo todos los niños hospitalizados en la Unidad de Nutrición, con diagnóstico de desnutrición aguda severa. Se aplicó la pauta de diagnóstico y tratamiento.Conclusiones: la desnutrición aguda severa afecta a niños pequeños. Se debe principalmente a fallas en la alimentación. Estos niños pueden ser tratados en forma exitosa con fórmulas de bajo costo y el agregado de electrolitos y micronutrientes. La ausencia decomplicaciones habilita a que el tratamiento nutricional pueda llevarse a cabo en domicilio.

Introduction: Severe acute malnutrition requires the immediate commencement of a specific treatment. Hospital Pereira Rossell was developed and implemented a guideline for diagnosis and treatment of children with severe a c u t e ma l n u t r i t i o n , b a s e d o n WHO recommendations. Objective:To evaluate the results of applying this standard. Patients and Methods: A prospective study between 1/5 and 30/9, 2008, including all children hospitalized in the Nutrition Unit, diagnosed with severe acute malnutrition.We applied the standard of diagnosis and treatment. Conclusions:Severe acute malnutrition affects young children. Is mainly due to power failures. These children can be treated successfully with low-cost formula and the addition of electrolytes and micronutrients. The absence of complications enables that nutritional therapy can be done at home

Zinc en la infancia: rompiendo paradigmas / Zinc in childhood: breaking paradigms

El zinc es un ejemplo de un micronutriente esencial, cuya deficiencia juega un papelimportante en la comprensión de las altas tasas de mortalidad y morbilidad infantil en países en desarrollo. Tanto la deficiencia intermedia de zinc como de vitamina A, pueden pasar inadvertidas clínicamente. Con respecto a la inmunidad, el zinc es fundamental para las funciones de tejidos de alto recambio, especialmente en el sistema inmunitario, y su deficiencia se asocia a alteraciones de la inmunidad innata, la inmunidad humoral y la inmunidad celular. Existe evidencia que avala la s u p l eme n t a c i o n d e z i n c d u r a n t e e inmediatamente después de un episodio de diarrea aguda, con lo que se disminuye su tiempo de duración y la gravedad, con reducción en la incidencia de diarrea en los dos o tres meses siguientes.Aun no se conoce exactamente cuál es el mecanismo que explique por qué se encuentra limitada la proliferación celular ante la deficiencia de zinc.

Zinc is an example of an essential micronutrient whose deficiency plays an important role in understanding the high rates of infant mortality and morbidity in developing countries. Both intermediate zinc deficiency and vitamin A, may go unnoticed clinically.With respect to immunity, zinc is essential for the functions of tissues of high turnover, especially in the immune system, and its deficiency is associated with alterations of innate immunity, humoral immunity and cellular immunity. There is evidence supporting zinc supplementation during and immediately after an episode of acute diarrhea, which shortens their duration and severity, with a reduction in the incidence of diarrhea in the two or three months. Still not known exactly what the mechanism that explains why it is limited to cell proliferation in zinc deficiency.

Micronutrient regulation in pregnant and lactating wome from Rio de Janeiro / Regulación de micrnutrientes en embarazadas y mujeres lactantes de Río Janeiro

Studies with low-income pregnant and lactating women from the city of Rio de Janeiro, conceened mainly with the changes in micronutrient homeostasis during pregnancy and lactation in the absence of overt clinical deficiencies, are reported. These studies focused on folate, cobalamin, iron, zinc and vitamin A. Factors that may effect the maternal micronutrient state, such as dietary intakes, use of supplements and interrelationships of micronutrients have been considered, as well as the implications of changes for maternal-fetal transfer and milk composition. Although these studies were not designed to evaluate the prevalence of sub-clinical micronutrient deficiencies in pregnant and women, they indicate that high frequencies of sub-clinical deficiencies of folate, iron, zinc and vitamin A, especially in pregnant women, are expected to be found in Rio de Janeiro

Zinc in urban infants and children from Brasilia / Zinc en infantes y niños urbanos de Brasilia

The substandard living conditions of the poor families in the growing urban population of Brazilian cities puts children in the more vulnerable group of micronutrient deficiency. The chemical analysis of milk diets consumed by infants showed that zinc is insufficiently provided in bottle-fed infants and possibly a first-limiting nutrient in breast-fed babies, at least during the first 6 months of life

Micronutrients and urban life-style: lessons from Guatemala / Micronutrientes y estilo de vida urbana: lección de Guatemala

Guatemala is a nation of 10 million persons, at the northern point of the chain of five Republics derived from Spanish colonies on the Ishmus of Central America. The country is diverse in its ethnicities, its climate and terrain, and its agricultural pursuits. The majority of its population is poor, illiterate, and under-employed. It has had aunique and turbulent political history, and only recently has emerged. The traditional basis of the diet, dating to Mayan times, is maize and beans. Guatemala City, with its population in excess of 2 million inhabitants, having doubled since the Earthquake of 1976, is the only major metropolis. The pattern of dietary selection and the format of eating meals is changing in relationship to the size, congestion, economic evolution, and modernization of the capital city. A wider selection of foods is consumed in the city, but preparation follows the traditions of the cuisine. Street vendors play an ever larger role in the feeding of the urban poor. Quantitative data are only available for vitamin A and zinc, and only in certain subsegment of the population. The vitamin A in fortified foods, notably table sugar which is fortified with retinyl palmitate by legal mandate, makes up over one-third of the intake. The maize tortilla is an important sources of calcium, iron, zinc and copper. Average zinc intakes are appropriate, but the biological availability of the metal is low. The intake of iodine is totally dependent upon table salt which is inconsistently fortified. Data on micronutrient status exists for vitamin A, iron, iodine, riboflavin and zinc. With respect to rural areas, no major advantages or disadvantages in the adequacy of micronutrient nutriture can be calimed for the urban population. IT is probable that, in the metropolitan area, vitamin A nutriture is slightly better and riboflavin status somewhat poorer than in the countryside. The prospects for tuture directions in urban lifestyle, in micronutrient status and in their interaction are uncertain. The pressures of growth are straining the ability of the municipal infrastructure and the industrial base to respond with provision of services and employment

Micronutrient deficiency in urban Indonesia / Deficiencia de micronutrientes en area urbana de Indonesia

The economic situation of characterized by a large increase in the gross national product which has been on average 7 por ciento annually during the last ten years. This was accompanied by rapid urbanization. With the economic improvement, "First World" health and nutrition problems are coexisting in Indonesia. In 1992, the most common of death cause was cardiovascular disease whereas tuberculosis was the second ranking. About 40 por ciento of the preschool children are stunted. The main stable food and source is rice, although the urban population has a more diverse food pattern than the rural population. In Jakarta, many children receive too late colostrum feeding and mothers are not aware about the importance of correct breastfeeding practices after delivery. Three studies had shown that about one fidth of preschool children and one fourth of elderly take micronutriens. Nevertheless are prevalent in Jakarta. About one third of women suffer from moderate vitamin A deficiency (plasma retino <0.70 mmol/L) and 50 por ciento of pregnant women are anemic. More information is necessary on other micronutrient deficiencies. For example, a small study revealed that nearly two thirds of non-institutionalized alderly living in Jakarta experience thiamine deficiency. Appropriate interventions to reduce micronutrient deficienies should sensitiza the urban population to the fact that the government should restrict itself no use its resources to assist only the poorest individuals and groups, whereas it must be expected from the middle class to spend more to solve their own problemas