Serum uric acid levels associated with biochemical parameters linked to preeclampsia severity and to adverse perinatal outcomes.

AIMS: Evaluating the association between serum uric acid levels and biochemical parameters linked to preeclampsia (PE) severity and to adverse perinatal outcomes. METHODS: Cross-sectional study. Information about gestational and biochemical parameters were collected before delivery, whereas perinatal outcomes were observed after it. Pregnant women were divided into hyperuricemia-HU (uric acid ≥ 6 mg/dL) or normouricemia (uric acid, 2.6-5.9 mg/dL) groups. Poisson regression models (prevalence ratio-PR; 95% confidence interval-95% CI), multinomial logistic regression (odds ratio-OR; 95% CI), and Pearson's correlation (correlation coefficient-r) were applied by taking into consideration p < 0.05 as significance level. RESULTS: The total sample comprised 267 pregnant women with PE. HU was observed in 25.8% of patients; it was associated with black pregnant women (p = 0.014) and with primiparity (p = 0.007). Uric acid levels were higher in early PE cases than in late PE cases (p = 0.013); however, there was no significant difference between mild and severe PE cases (p = 0.121). Uric acid recorded a positive correlation to urea (p < 0.001), creatinine (p = 0.002), glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (p < 0.001), glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (p = 0.005), ferritin (p = 0.002) and globulin (p = 0.002); as well as negative correlation to platelets (p = 0.035), lactic dehydrogenase (p = 0.039) and albumin (p > 0.001). HU was a factor associated with cesarean delivery (p = 0.030), prematurity (p = 0.001), low birth weight (p < 0.001) and small for gestational age (p = 0.020). CONCLUSION: High serum uric acid levels were associated with early-onset PE. Maternal features were correlated to biochemical parameters linked to PE severity and to adverse perinatal outcomes.

Validation and reproducibility of a FFQ focused on pregnant women living in Northeastern Brazil.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the current study is to assess the validity and reproducibility of a FFQ focused on pregnant women living in Northeastern Brazil. DESIGN: Three 24-hour-dietary recalls (24 hR) and two FFQ were applied at 15-d intervals between research stages in order to confirm the validity and reproducibility of the FFQ. Validity assessment was based on Pearson's correlation coefficient (PCC) or Spearman's correlation coefficient (SCC) between FFQ and the mean of three 24 hR (the 24 hR was used as reference standard), whereas reproducibility assessment was based on the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) among FFQ, and P < 0·05 was set as significance level. SETTING: Public health network of a capital city in Northeastern Brazil. PARTICIPANTS: Overall, 100 pregnant women were included in the study. RESULTS: The PCC or SCC adopted in the validity analysis recorded the recommended values (from 0·4 and 0·7) for energy (0·44; P < 0·001), carbohydrate (0·40; P < 0·001), vitamins B2 (0·40; P < 0·001), B5 (0·40; P < 0·001), E (0·47; P < 0·001), B12 (0·48; P < 0·001), phosphorus (0·92; P < 0·001), Mg (0·81; P < 0·001), Se (0·70; P < 0·001), cholesterol (0·64; P < 0·001), saturated (0·76; P < 0·001), polyunsaturated (0·73; P < 0·001) and monounsaturated fats (0·87; P < 0·001) and fibres (0·77; P < 0·001). Mg (0·72; P < 0·001), Fe (0·65; P < 0·001), lipid (0·56; P < 0·001) and energy (0·55; P < 0·001) presented ICC within the recommended reproducibility values. CONCLUSIONS: The FFQ developed in the current study is a useful tool to assess the usual food intake of pregnant women.

Biomarkers of placental redox imbalance in pregnancies with preeclampsia and consequent perinatal outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: To compare redox and inflammatory markers between normal and PE-derived placentas and to evaluate the relationship between placental redox imbalance markers and perinatal outcomes in pregnancies with PE. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study conducted at the maternity hospital of a university hospital in Maceio-Alagoas, Brazil, in 2017, including women diagnosed with PE and healthy pregnant women and their conceptuses. After screening, standardized questionnaires containing socioeconomic, clinical, obstetric and anthropometric data were applied. After delivery, placental samples were collected for quantification of biomarkers of redox imbalance (catalase - CAT; malondialdehyde - MDA; hydrogen peroxide - H2O2; superoxide dismutase - SOD; reduced glutathione - GSH; oxidized glutathione - GSSG; and their ratio - GSH/GSSG) and inflammation (myeloperoxidase - MPO; interleukin (IL)-6; IL-8; IL-10; and tumor necrosis factor-alpha - TNF-α). All biomarkers were evaluated via linear regression with adjustments of variables with measures of weight, length, head circumference (HC), chest circumference (CC) and gestational age of newborns at birth, considering p < 0.05 as significant. RESULTS: A total of 100 pregnant women with PE and 50 healthy pregnant women were studied. Higher placental levels of catalase (p = 0.018), SOD (p = 0.031), the GSH/GSSG ratio (p = 0.019) and IL-6 (p = 0.010) and lower GSSG (p = 0.001) were observed in pregnant women with PE than in the control group. Positive associations between placental GSH levels and body weight, HC, CC and gestational age at birth (p < 0.05) were identified. CONCLUSION: PE-derived placentas had high concentrations of some antioxidants (enzymes and thiols), which might be a compensation mechanism against oxidative stress. Placental GSH levels were the only biomarker, among the studied ones, related positively with beneficial perinatal outcomes, suggesting that this endogenous antioxidant plays an important role in maintaining the health of the conceptus and women with PE.

Food frequency questionnaires developed and validated for pregnant women: Systematic review.

OBJECTIVES: Assessing food intake of pregnant women is extremely important, because maternal dietary patterns can influence fetal development as well as have either positive or negative effects on both the mother and fetus. Thus, the aim of the present study was to carry out a systematic review of the literature on food frequency questionnaires developed and validated for pregnant women, in order to assess their methodological quality and validation process. METHODS: A systematic review of studies focused on validating food frequency questionnaires for pregnant women was carried out in the PubMed, Embase, Scopus, LILACS, and OpenGrey databases. The selected studies were assessed based on their correlation coefficient in validation and reproducibility analyses, whereas their methodological quality was assessed based on the scoring system proposed by the EURopean micronutrient RECommendations Aligned Network of Excellence. RESULTS: In total, 10 965 articles were identified in these databases; among them, 14 studies, with sample sizes ranging from 46 to 221 participants, and with participants (pregnant women) at a mean age of 28.68 ± 4.34 y, were selected. Most of the included studies used the 24-h food recall as the method for developing the food list (n = 6), with composition ranging from 46 to 255 items. With respect to the methodological assessment of the selected articles, half of the assessed tools were classified as having excellent methodological quality; their validation and reproducibility correlation coefficients were classified as moderate and high (r ≥ 0.40). CONCLUSIONS: Food frequency questionnaires developed for pregnant women appear to be reliable tools to assess food intake by this group. Overall, they had good methodological quality and adequate correlation coefficients compared with reference methods.

Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: The Crosslink among Inflammation, Nitroxidative Stress, Intestinal Microbiota and Alternative Therapies.

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is characterized by a set of metabolic complications arising from adaptive failures to the pregnancy period. Estimates point to a prevalence of 3 to 15% of pregnancies. Its etiology includes intrinsic and extrinsic aspects of the progenitress, which may contribute to the pathophysiogenesis of GDM. Recently, researchers have identified that inflammation, oxidative stress, and the gut microbiota participate in the development of the disease, with potentially harmful effects on the health of the maternal-fetal binomial, in the short and long terms. In this context, alternative therapies were investigated from two perspectives: the modulation of the intestinal microbiota, with probiotics and prebiotics, and the use of natural products with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which may mitigate the endogenous processes of the GDM, favoring the health of the mother and her offspring, and in a future perspective, alleviating this critical public health problem.

The impact on colostrum oxidative stress, cytokines, and immune cells composition after SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy.

Background: Limited data are available regarding the differences between immunological, biochemical, and cellular contents of human colostrum following maternal infection during pregnancy with coronavirus 2 disease (COVID-19). Objective: To investigate whether maternal COVID-19 infection may affect immunological, biochemical, and cellular contents of human colostrum. Methods: Using a case-control study design, we collected colostrum from 14 lactating women with a previous diagnosis of COVID-19 during pregnancy and 12 without a clear diagnosis during September 2020 to May 2021. Colostrum samples were analysed for some enzymes and non-enzymatic oxidative stress markers (SOD, CAT, GPx, MDA, GSH, GSSG, H2O2, MPO) and for IL-1ß, IL-6, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α, protein induced by interferon gamma (IP)-10, IL-8, IFN-λ1, IL12p70, IFN-α2, IFN-λ2/3, granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), IFN-ß, IL-10 and IFN-γ, along with IgA and IgG for the SARS-CoV-2 S protein. We perform immunophenotyping to assess the frequency of different cell types in the colostrum. Results: Colostrum from the COVID-19 symptomatic group in pregnancy contained reduced levels of H2O2, IFN-α2, and GM-CSF. This group had higher levels of GSH, and both NK cell subtypes CD3-CD56brightCD16-CD27+IFN-γ+ and CD3-CD56dimCD16+CD27- were also increased. Conclusion: The present results reinforce the protective role of colostrum even in the case of mild SARS-Cov-2 infection, in addition to demonstrating how adaptive the composition of colostrum is after infections. It also supports the recommendation to encourage lactating women to continue breastfeeding after COVID-19 illness.

The consumption of ultra-processed foods reduces overall quality of diet in pregnant women. / Consumo de alimentos ultraprocessados reduz a qualidade global da dieta de gestantes.

This study analyzed the role of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) in the food and nutritional profile of pregnant women's diet. This was a cross-sectional study conducted in a representative sample of pregnant women attending primary healthcare units in Maceió, capital of the State of Alagoas, Brazil. Food consumption was assessed with the application of two 24-hour food recalls on nonconsecutive days, and the consumption items were grouped according to the NOVA classification. Overall estimates were expressed as absolute dietary consumption (mean calorie intake) and relative consumption (percentage of total energy intake according to food groups and consumption items). Analysis of variance was used to compare mean energy and nutrient intake according to food groups. The association between quintiles of the energy share from UPFs (exposure variable) and (1) consumption items and food groups, (2) percentage of total energy from macronutrients, and (3) micronutrient density was analyzed via adjusted linear regression models. Mean energy intake in pregnant women was 1,966.9Kcal/day, 22% of which from UPFs. A direct relationship was observed between the percentage of energy from UPFs and total energy consumption (ß = 228.78Kcal; SE = 21.26). In addition, an increase in the share of UPFs was associated with a statistically significant reduction in the intake of protein, fiber, magnesium, iron, potassium, zinc, selenium, folate, and vitamins D and E, as well as in the consumption of traditional foods such as protein, beans, roots, and tubers. Our data thus indicate that the consumption of UPFs reduces the overall nutritional and food quality of diet in pregnant women.

Este trabalho analisou a contribuição dos alimentos ultraprocessados (AUP) no perfil alimentar e nutricional da dieta de gestantes. Trata-se de um estudo transversal conduzido com uma amostra representativa de gestantes usuárias de unidades básicas de saúde de Maceió, Alagoas, Brasil. O consumo alimentar foi avaliado pela aplicação de dois recordatórios de 24 horas em dias não consecutivos e os itens de consumo agrupados segundo a classificação NOVA. As estimativas gerais foram expressas no consumo alimentar absoluto (média de ingestão calórica) e relativo (percentual da ingestão energética total segundo grupos de alimentos e itens de consumo). Análises de variâncias foram utilizadas para comparar as médias do consumo energético e de nutrientes, segundo grupos alimentares. A associação entre os quintis de contribuição energética dos AUP (variável de exposição) e (1) itens de consumo e grupos alimentares, (2) contribuição percentual para o total de energia de macronutrientes e (3) densidade de micronutrientes foi analisada por meio de modelos ajustados de regressão linear. O consumo médio de energia das gestantes foi de 1.966,9Kcal/dia, sendo 22% proveniente dos AUP. Observou-se relação direta entre a contribuição energética dos AUP na dieta e o consumo energético total (ß = 228,78Kcal; EP = 21,26). Ainda, o aumento da participação de AUP implicou a redução estatisticamente significativa da ingestão de proteínas, fibras, magnésio, ferro, pótassio, zinco, selênio, folato e vitaminas D e E, assim como o consumo de alimentos tradicionais, como arroz, feijão, raízes e tubérculos. Portanto, nossos dados apontam que o consumo de AUP reduz a qualidade global (nutricional e alimentar) da dieta de gestantes.

Este estudio analizó la contribución de los alimentos ultraprocesados (AUP) al perfil alimentario y nutricional de la dieta de gestantes. Se trata de un estudio transversal, realizado con una muestra representativa de gestantes usuarias de unidades básicas de salud de Maceió, Alagoas, Brasil. El consumo alimentario se evaluó mediante la aplicación de dos recordatorios de 24 horas en días no consecutivos y los ítems de consumo agrupados según la clasificación NOVA. Las estimaciones generales fueron expresadas en el consumo alimentario absoluto (media de ingestión calórica) y relativo (porcentaje de la ingestión energética total según grupos de alimentos e ítems de consumo). Se utilizaron análisis de variancias para comparar las medias del consumo energético y de nutrientes, según grupos alimentarios. La asociación entre los quintiles de contribución energética de los AUP (variable de exposición) y (1) ítems de consumo y grupos alimentarios, (2) porcentaje de contribución para el total de energía de macronutrientes y (3) se analizó la densidad de micronutrientes mediante modelos ajustados de regresión lineal. El consumo medio de energía de las gestantes fue 1.966,9Kcal/día, siendo un 22% proveniente de los AUP. Se observó una relación directa entre la contribución energética de los AUP en la dieta y el consumo energético total (ß = 228,78Kcal; EP = 21,26). Asimismo, el aumento de la participación de AUP implicó la reducción estadísticamente significativa de la ingestión de proteínas, fibras, magnesium, hierro, potasio, zinc, selenio, folato y vitaminas D y E, así como en el consumo de alimentos tradicionales como: arroz, frijoles, raíces y tubérculos. Por tanto, nuestros datos apuntan que el consumo de AUP reduce la calidad global (nutricional y alimentaria) de la dieta de gestantes.

N-Acetylcysteine (NAC): Impacts on Human Health.

N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is a medicine widely used to treat paracetamol overdose and as a mucolytic compound. It has a well-established safety profile, and its toxicity is uncommon and dependent on the route of administration and high dosages. Its remarkable antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capacity is the biochemical basis used to treat several diseases related to oxidative stress and inflammation. The primary role of NAC as an antioxidant stems from its ability to increase the intracellular concentration of glutathione (GSH), which is the most crucial biothiol responsible for cellular redox imbalance. As an anti-inflammatory compound, NAC can reduce levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukins (IL-6 and IL-1ß) by suppressing the activity of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB). Despite NAC's relevant therapeutic potential, in several experimental studies, its effectiveness in clinical trials, addressing different pathological conditions, is still limited. Thus, the purpose of this chapter is to provide an overview of the medicinal effects and applications of NAC to human health based on current therapeutic evidence.

Biomarkers of Inflammation and Redox Imbalance in Umbilical Cord in Pregnancies with and without Preeclampsia and Consequent Perinatal Outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: To compare redox imbalance and inflammation biomarkers in umbilical cords from pregnancies with and without preeclampsia (PE) and to analyse their relationships with perinatal outcomes. METHODS: A controlled cross-sectional study was conducted in Maceió, Alagoas, Brazil, that involved pregnant women with PE and a group of women without the disease, through the application of a standardized questionnaire. After delivery, umbilical cord samples were collected to measure antioxidant defense, products from oxidative damage, and inflammation biomarkers such as myeloperoxidase (MPO), interleukin- (IL-) 6, IL-8, IL-10, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). Statistical analyses were performed using Stata version 13.0 software and IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) 20.0, adopting a 95% confidence level (α = 0.05), with the chi-square test, the Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test, and the multinomial and Poisson regression tests. RESULTS: One hundred PE pregnant women and 50 women without the disease were studied. The umbilical cords from PE pregnancies showed higher levels of reduced glutathione (GSH) (p ≤ 0.001), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) (p = 0.016), and malondialdehyde (MDA) (p = 0.028) and lower levels of IL-6 (p = 0.030) and TNF-α (p ≤ 0.001) than the other group, with some associations among these biomarkers with perinatal outcomes. CONCLUSION: The higher levels of GSH and GPx, in addition to the lower levels of IL-6 and TNF-α, found in the PE umbilical cord, may result from adaptive mechanisms to maintain the oxidative and inflammatory balance; however, despite these changes, the damage to the cell membranes was not minimized, as the MDA level was higher in women with PE than in women without the disease. This implies that a redox imbalance is present, confirming that other physiological and adaptive mechanisms are being activated to preserve foetal health. Therefore, the present work unveils an important role of the umbilical cord in controlling redox imbalance and inflammation in PE pregnancies. Our results reinforce the necessity for continuous research on GSH as a protective compound for the perinatal outcome, especially in PE women.

Associated factors with excessive weight gain in pregnant women from Maceió, Northeastern Brazil.

This article aims to evaluate the associated factors with excessive weight gain in pregnant women from Maceió, the capital of Alagoas, Northeastern Brazil. Cross-sectional study with pregnant women attended in public health in the city of Maceió in 2014, of which socioeconomic, clinical (glycemia, capillary hemoglobin, and blood pressure measurement), dietary, and anthropometric data, including in the latter gestational weight gain, classified as insufficient, adequate and excessive according to the US Institute of Medicine, were collected. The combination of excessive weight gain with the independent variables was tested using the Poisson regression expressed by the Prevalence Ratio (PR) and a 95% confidence interval (CI95%). We studied 403 pregnant women with a mean age of 24.08 ± 6.01 years, with 19.9% of them displayed insufficient weight gain; 14.1% displayed adequate weight gain, and 66.0% displayed excessive weight gain, that was associated with maternal hyperglycemia (PR = 1.35; CI95% = 1.17 to 1.57; p < 0.001). Excessive weight gain is common among pregnant women evaluated with the association of this variable with maternal hyperglycemia.

Premature birth, low birth weight, small for gestational age and chronic non-communicable diseases in adult life: A systematic review with meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Individuals who were born prematurely (PT), with low birth weight (LBW), or small for gestational age (SGA) appear to present a set of permanent changes that make them more susceptible to develop chronic non-communicable diseases (CNCD) in adult life. AIM: Investigating the association between PT birth, LBW or SGA at birth and CNCD incidence in adult life. METHODS: Systematic review with meta-analysis of studies available in three databases - two of them are official (PubMed and Web of Science) and one is gray literature (OpenGrey) - based on pre-established search and eligibility criteria. RESULTS: Sixty-four studies were included in the review, 93.7% of them only investigated one of the exposure variables (46.7% LBW, 35.0% PT and 18.3% SGA at birth), whereas 6.3% investigated more than one exposure variable (50.0% LBW and PT; 50.0% SGA and PT). There was association among all exposure variables in the following outcomes: cardiometabolic (CMD) and glycidic metabolism (GMD) disorders, changes in body composition and risk of developing metabolic syndrome (MS). Female sex was identified as risk factor in the exposure-outcome association. Eighteen (18) articles were included in the meta-analysis. There was positive association between LBW and incidence of CMD (OR: 1.25 [95%CI: 1.11; 1.41]; 07 studies), GMD (OR: 1.70 [95%CI: 1.25; 2.30]; 03 studies) and MS (OR: 1.75 [95%CI: 1.27; 2.40]; 02 studies) in adult life. PT was positively associated with CMD (OR: 1.38 [95%CI: 1.27; 1.51]; 05 studies). CONCLUSIONS: LBW and PT are associated with CMD and GMD development, as well as with the risk of developing MS in adult life.

Oxidative stress markers in preeclamptic placentas: A systematic review with meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Oxidative stress (OS) is the basis of several diseases. Preeclampsia (PE) is a multisystemic syndrome, considered one of the major causes of maternal and fetal mortality. The placenta is considered the main anatomical pathogenetic substrate for the disease, being the placental OS a likely critical pathway in the pathogenesis of PE. This meta-analysis aimed to verify whether there is OS in the preeclamptic placenta and which markers are altered in this condition. METHODS: The search was conducted in the following databases: MEDLINE (via PubMed), Lilacs and Scopus. Relevant studies were identified until May 2020. The quality of the studies was evaluated according to the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. RESULTS: From the 3998 screened records, 43 were finally included in the systematic review, and 23 in the meta-analysis. The biomarkers evaluated were related to cell and macromolecules' damage, such as malondialdehyde (MDA), 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OH-dG), lipid peroxides, isoprostane, total oxidant status (TOS), carbonylated proteins and some of the reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS), like hydrogen peroxide and nitric oxide. It was also related to antioxidant activity, both enzymatic, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione S-transferase and total antioxidant status, and non-enzymatic, through quantification of reduced glutathione, vitamin C and E, zinc and copper. CONCLUSION: It was observed that there was OS in the preeclamptic placentas, based on results, like lower activity of some of the enzymes of the antioxidant system (SOD and GPx) as well as the increase in oxidative damage markers (MDA and lipid peroxide), corroborating literature data.

Pre-eclampsia is associated with later kidney chronic disease and end-stage renal disease: Systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies.

OBJECTIVES: To assess whether there is a risk of kidney disease during the postpartum period of women who had preeclampsia (PE). STUDY DESIGN: Observational trials were searched in the PubMed, Science Direct, Clinical trials, Cochrane, LILACS and Web of Science databases. The data extracted from the studies were systematized, and the risk of bias was evaluated for each of them. Meta-analyses were performed with studies that evaluated chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage renal disease (ESRD), pooling the natural logarithms of the adjusted risk measures and the confidence intervals of each study in a random effects model. RESULTS: Of the 4149 studies evaluated, 35 articles were included in the review, of which 3 of the CKD and 6 of the ESRD presented the necessary outcomes to compose the meta-analysis. A formal registration protocol was included in the PROSPERO database (number: CRD42019111821). There was a statistically significant difference between the development of CKD (hazard ratio (HR): 1.82, confidence interval to 95% (95% CI): 1.27-2.62, P < 0.01) and ESRD (HR: 3.01, confidence interval to 95% (95% CI): 1.92-4.70, P < 0.01) in postpartum women affected by PE. CONCLUSIONS: PE was considered a risk factor for the onset of CKD and ESRD in the postpartum period. Thus, more research is needed to clarify the underlying mechanisms of this association, and to assist in determining the most appropriate and effective clinical conduct to prevent and/or treat such complications.

Cross-Talk between Oxidative Stress and Inflammation in Preeclampsia.

The occurrence of hypertensive syndromes during pregnancy leads to high rates of maternal-fetal morbidity and mortality. Amongst them, preeclampsia (PE) is one of the most common. This review aims to describe the relationship between oxidative stress and inflammation in PE, aiming to reinforce its importance in the context of the disease and to discuss perspectives on clinical and nutritional treatment, in this line of research. Despite the still incomplete understanding of the pathophysiology of PE, it is well accepted that there are placental changes in pregnancy, associated with an imbalance between the production of reactive oxygen species and the antioxidant defence system, characterizing the placental oxidative stress that leads to an increase in the production of proinflammatory cytokines. Hence, a generalized inflammatory process occurs, besides the presence of progressive vascular endothelial damage, leading to the dysfunction of the placenta. There is no consensus in the literature on the best strategies for prevention and treatment of the disease, especially for the control of oxidative stress and inflammation. In view of the above, it is evident the important connection between oxidative stress and inflammatory process in the pathogenesis of PE, being that this disease is capable of causing serious implications on both maternal and fetal health. Reports on the use of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds are analysed and still considered controversial. As such, the field is open for new basic and clinical research, aiming the development of innovative therapeutic approaches to prevent and to treat PE.

[Factors associated with the lack of breastfeeding upon discharge from hospital in a public maternity facility in Maceió, Alagoas, Brazil]. / Fatores associados à ausência de aleitamento materno na alta hospitalar em uma maternidade pública de Maceió, Alagoas, Brasil.

This article sets out to evaluate the prevalence and associated factors with the lack of breastfeeding upon discharge from hospital in a public maternity facility in Maceio, Alagoas, Brazil. It involved a cross-sectional study performed with women who had recently given birth at the moment of discharge from the maternity ward of a university hospital in the capital. Prevalence ratios (PR) and confidence intervals of 95% (CI95%) were calculated by Poisson regression with the use of a hierarchical model. Approximately 20% of mothers did not breastfeed. Smoking during pregnancy [PR = 5.20; (CI95% =1.75 to 15.33), p = 0.003]; complications during pregnancy [PR =3.50; (CI95% =1.04 to 11.77), p = 0.042] and insufficient information about breastfeeding during prenatal care [PR = 5.44; (CI95% 1.78 to 16.67); p = 0.003] were the major negative factors associated with the lack of breastfeeding. Breastfeeding in the maternity ward was lower than ideal. Guidelines on smoking prevention and encouragement of breastfeeding must be highlighted during prenatal care, especially for women with complications during pregnancy.

O objetivo deste artigo é avaliar a prevalência e os fatores associados à ausência de aleitamento materno na alta hospitalar em uma maternidade pública de Maceió, Alagoas, Brasil. Estudo transversal realizado com puérperas sob alta hospitalar assistidas na maternidade do hospital universitário da capital. Foram calculadas razões de prevalência (RP) e respectivos intervalos de confiança de 95% (IC95%) por regressão de Poisson com emprego de modelo hierarquizado. Aproximadamente 20% das puérperas não estavam amamentando. Hábito tabagista na gravidez [RP = 5,20; (IC95% = 1,75-15,33); p = 0,003]; intercorrências na gestação [RP = 3,50; (IC95% = 1,04-11,77); p = 0,042] e falta de informações sobre aleitamento materno no pré-natal [RP = 5,44; (IC95% = 1,78-16,67); p = 0,003] foram fatores desfavoráveis à amamentação. A prática de aleitamento materno dentro da maternidade está aquém do ideal. Evidencia-se a importância do pré-natal, visando fornecer orientações quanto à prevenção do tabagismo na gestação e aconselhamento sobre aleitamento materno, com atenção especial àquelas puérperas que tiveram intercorrências na gestação.

[Maternal nutritional status and its association with birth weight in high-risk pregnancies]. / Estado nutricional materno e sua associação com o peso ao nascer em gestações de alto risco.

The clinical and nutritional status of pregnant women are important variables for birth-weight risk inadequacies. Thus, this study sought to evaluate the nutritional status of high-risk pregnant women and its association with birth weight of their offspring. It involved a cross-sectional study with high-risk pregnant women assisted at the university hospital of Maceio in the State of Alagoas and their newborns. The nutritional status of pregnant women and their offspring was evaluated according to body mass index for gestational age and birth weight, respectively. The association between maternal factors (comorbidities and nutritional status) and birth weight was assessed by the chi-square test and Pearson correlation, by adopting a confidence level of 95%. One hundred and forty-nine pregnant women were studied, 19.7% of whom were of normal weight; 32% were underweight; and 48.3% were overweight. Among newborns, 39.6% referred to as small for gestational age (SGA); 26.8% appropriate for gestational age (AGA) and 33.6% large for gestational age (LGA). LGA offspring were associated with overweight and the presence of metabolic comorbidities and SGA offspring were associated with insufficient gestational weight gain, whereby interventions are needed to reduce these outcomes.

O estado clínico e o nutricional da gestante representam importantes variáveis para o risco de inadequações de peso ao nascer. Assim, o presente estudo visou avaliar o estado nutricional de gestantes de alto risco e sua associação com o peso ao nascer de seus conceptos. Estudo transversal com gestantes de alto risco assistidas no Hospital Universitário de Maceió-AL e seus recém-nascidos. O estado nutricional das gestantes e de seus conceptos foi avaliado segundo o Índice de Massa Corporal para a idade gestacional e o peso ao nascer, respectivamente. A associação entre fatores maternos (comorbidades e estado nutricional) e o peso ao nascer foram realizadas pelos testes de qui-quadrado e correlação de Pearson, adotando um nível de confiança de 95% (α = 0,05). Foram estudadas 149 gestantes, com 19,7% delas com baixo peso; 32,0% eutróficas e 48,3% com excesso de peso. Entre os recém-nascidos, 39,6% eram pequenos para idade gestacional (PIG); 26,8% adequados para a idade gestacional (AIG) e 33,6% grandes para a idade gestacional (GIG). O excesso de peso gestacional e a presença de comorbidades metabólicas se associaram com o nascimento de recém-nascidos GIG e o ganho ponderal gestacional insuficiente com o nascimento de recém-nascidos PIG, sendo fundamentais intervenções para redução desses desfechos.

Absence of breastfeeding on discharge from preterm infants: prevalence and associated factors

INTRODUCTION: Several strategies focused on providing healthcare to premature children have been implemented. Among them, one finds breastfeeding. OBJECTIVE: Investigating the prevalence of, and factors associated with, lack of premature newborn breastfeeding at hospital discharge. METHODS: Cross-sectional study conducted with puerperal women and their preterm newborns in the public health network of Maceió, Brazil. Maternal information was obtained socioeconomic, obstetric, prenatal, and anthropometric data, through questionnaire application, where as information about newborns was collected in their medical records (gestational age at birth, sex, delivery method (vaginal birth or cesarean section), weight, and length at birth, and Apgar scores in the 1st and 5th minute of life), as well as information about the practice of breastfeeding at hospital discharge time. Poisson regression analysis in a hierarchical model was carried out to identify factors associated with the outcome of interest. Results were expressed in Prevalence Ratio (PR) and respective 95% Confidence Intervals (95%CI). RESULTS: 381 dyads were evaluated, 167 (43.8%) of them were not breastfeeding at hospital discharge time. Clinical complications observed in newborns (PR=2.20 95%CI 1.73-2.80), late postpartum contact between mother and child (PR=1.76 95%CI 1.34-2.31), low Apgar in the 1st minute of life (PR=1.44 95%CI 1.15-1.82), and small premature newborn (gestational age at birth <34 weeks) (PR=1.48 95%CI 1.18-1.84) were the factors associated with lack of breastfeeding. CONCLUSION: Lack of premature newborn breastfeeding at hospital discharge time was often observed in the current study and associated with birth-relevant factors.

INTRODUÇÃO: Diversas estratégias têm sido implementadas com enfoque na assistência à saúde da criança prematura, sendo a amamentação umas delas. OBJETIVO: Identificar a prevalência e os fatores associados à ausência de aleitamento materno na alta hospitalar de recém-nascidos prematuros. MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal realizado na rede pública de saúde de Maceió, Brasil com puérperas e seus recém-nascidos pré-termos. Foram obtidas informações maternas sobre dados socioeconômicos, obstétricos, de pré-natal e antropométricos, por meio de questionário, informações dos recém-nascidos via consulta aos prontuários médicos (idade gestacional ao nascer, sexo da criança, via de parto (vaginal ou cesariana), peso e comprimento ao nascimento e índices de Apgar no 1º e 5º minutos de vida) e sobre a prática do aleitamento materno no momento da alta hospitalar. Análise de regressão de Poisson em modelo hierarquizado foi realizada para identificação dos fatores associados ao desfecho de interesse, com os valores expressos em Razão de Prevalência (RP) e respectivos Intervalos de Confiança de 95% (IC95%). RESULTADOS: Foram avaliadas 381 díades, das quais 167 (43,8%) não estavam em aleitamento materno no momento da alta hospitalar. Intercorrências clínicas no recém-nascido (RP=2,20, IC95% 1,73-2,80), contato tardio entre mãe e filho no pós-parto (RP=1,76 IC95% 1,34-2,31), baixo Apgar no 1º minuto (RP=1,44 IC95% 1,15-1,82) e ter idade gestacional ao nascer < 34 semanas (RP=1,48 IC95% 1,18-1,84) foram fatores associados à ausência do aleitamento materno. CONCLUSÃO: A ausência de aleitamento materno na alta hospitalar de recém-nascidos prematuros foi frequente, estando associada a fatores pertinentes ao nascimento.

Cardiovascular risk assessment according to the Framingham score and abdominal obesity in individuals seen by a clinical school of nutrition.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the relation of abdominal obesity on cardiovascular risk in individuals seen by a clinic school of nutrition, classifying them based on Framingham score. METHODS: Cross-sectional study, conducted at the nutrition clinic of a private college in the city of Maceió, Alagoas. We included randomly selected adults and elderly individuals with abdominal obesity, of both sexes, treated from August to December of 2009, with no history of cardiomyopathy or cardiovascular events. To determine the cardiovascular risk, the Framingham score was calculated. All analyzes were performed with SPSS software version 20.0, with p <0.05 as significative. RESULTS: We studied 54 subjects, 83% female, the mean age was 48 years old, ranging from 31 to 73 years. No correlation was observed between measurements of waist circumference and cardiovascular risk in the subjects studied (r=0.065, p=0.048), and there was no relationship between these parameters. CONCLUSION: Abdominal fat distribution was weakly related to cardiovascular risk in patients seen by a clinical school of nutrition.

Consumo de alimentos ultraprocessados reduz a qualidade global da dieta de gestantes / El consumo de alimentos ultraprocesados reduce la calidad global de la dieta de gestantes / The consumption of ultra-processed foods reduces overall quality of diet in pregnant women

Este trabalho analisou a contribuição dos alimentos ultraprocessados (AUP) no perfil alimentar e nutricional da dieta de gestantes. Trata-se de um estudo transversal conduzido com uma amostra representativa de gestantes usuárias de unidades básicas de saúde de Maceió, Alagoas, Brasil. O consumo alimentar foi avaliado pela aplicação de dois recordatórios de 24 horas em dias não consecutivos e os itens de consumo agrupados segundo a classificação NOVA. As estimativas gerais foram expressas no consumo alimentar absoluto (média de ingestão calórica) e relativo (percentual da ingestão energética total segundo grupos de alimentos e itens de consumo). Análises de variâncias foram utilizadas para comparar as médias do consumo energético e de nutrientes, segundo grupos alimentares. A associação entre os quintis de contribuição energética dos AUP (variável de exposição) e (1) itens de consumo e grupos alimentares, (2) contribuição percentual para o total de energia de macronutrientes e (3) densidade de micronutrientes foi analisada por meio de modelos ajustados de regressão linear. O consumo médio de energia das gestantes foi de 1.966,9Kcal/dia, sendo 22% proveniente dos AUP. Observou-se relação direta entre a contribuição energética dos AUP na dieta e o consumo energético total (β = 228,78Kcal; EP = 21,26). Ainda, o aumento da participação de AUP implicou a redução estatisticamente significativa da ingestão de proteínas, fibras, magnésio, ferro, pótassio, zinco, selênio, folato e vitaminas D e E, assim como o consumo de alimentos tradicionais, como arroz, feijão, raízes e tubérculos. Portanto, nossos dados apontam que o consumo de AUP reduz a qualidade global (nutricional e alimentar) da dieta de gestantes.

Este estudio analizó la contribución de los alimentos ultraprocesados (AUP) al perfil alimentario y nutricional de la dieta de gestantes. Se trata de un estudio transversal, realizado con una muestra representativa de gestantes usuarias de unidades básicas de salud de Maceió, Alagoas, Brasil. El consumo alimentario se evaluó mediante la aplicación de dos recordatorios de 24 horas en días no consecutivos y los ítems de consumo agrupados según la clasificación NOVA. Las estimaciones generales fueron expresadas en el consumo alimentario absoluto (media de ingestión calórica) y relativo (porcentaje de la ingestión energética total según grupos de alimentos e ítems de consumo). Se utilizaron análisis de variancias para comparar las medias del consumo energético y de nutrientes, según grupos alimentarios. La asociación entre los quintiles de contribución energética de los AUP (variable de exposición) y (1) ítems de consumo y grupos alimentarios, (2) porcentaje de contribución para el total de energía de macronutrientes y (3) se analizó la densidad de micronutrientes mediante modelos ajustados de regresión lineal. El consumo medio de energía de las gestantes fue 1.966,9Kcal/día, siendo un 22% proveniente de los AUP. Se observó una relación directa entre la contribución energética de los AUP en la dieta y el consumo energético total (β = 228,78Kcal; EP = 21,26). Asimismo, el aumento de la participación de AUP implicó la reducción estadísticamente significativa de la ingestión de proteínas, fibras, magnesium, hierro, potasio, zinc, selenio, folato y vitaminas D y E, así como en el consumo de alimentos tradicionales como: arroz, frijoles, raíces y tubérculos. Por tanto, nuestros datos apuntan que el consumo de AUP reduce la calidad global (nutricional y alimentaria) de la dieta de gestantes.

This study analyzed the role of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) in the food and nutritional profile of pregnant women's diet. This was a cross-sectional study conducted in a representative sample of pregnant women attending primary healthcare units in Maceió, capital of the State of Alagoas, Brazil. Food consumption was assessed with the application of two 24-hour food recalls on nonconsecutive days, and the consumption items were grouped according to the NOVA classification. Overall estimates were expressed as absolute dietary consumption (mean calorie intake) and relative consumption (percentage of total energy intake according to food groups and consumption items). Analysis of variance was used to compare mean energy and nutrient intake according to food groups. The association between quintiles of the energy share from UPFs (exposure variable) and (1) consumption items and food groups, (2) percentage of total energy from macronutrients, and (3) micronutrient density was analyzed via adjusted linear regression models. Mean energy intake in pregnant women was 1,966.9Kcal/day, 22% of which from UPFs. A direct relationship was observed between the percentage of energy from UPFs and total energy consumption (β = 228.78Kcal; SE = 21.26). In addition, an increase in the share of UPFs was associated with a statistically significant reduction in the intake of protein, fiber, magnesium, iron, potassium, zinc, selenium, folate, and vitamins D and E, as well as in the consumption of traditional foods such as protein, beans, roots, and tubers. Our data thus indicate that the consumption of UPFs reduces the overall nutritional and food quality of diet in pregnant women.