Magnesium supplementation and preeclampsia in low-income pregnant women - a randomized double-blind clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Preeclampsia is the major cause of maternal morbidity and mortality in developing countries. Magnesium sulfate is considered first-line therapy against eclampsia and magnesium deficiency in pregnancy has been associated with unfavourable perinatal outcomes. However there are doubts if magnesium supplementation during pregnancy can previne preeclampsia especially in population with high nutritional risk. This trial aims to verify the effect of oral magnesium supplmentation on preeclampsia incidence in low income pregnant women. METHODS: This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial investigated the effect of oral magnesium citrate supplementation for preeclampsia in low-income Brazilian pregnant women, i.e. annual per capita income of US$ 1025 or less. Participants were admitted to the study with gestational age between 12 and 20 weeks. Magnesium serum level was measured pre-randomization and participants with hypermagnesemia were excluded. After randomizationg participants received magnesium citrate capsule (300 mg magnesium citrate) or a daily placebo capsule, until delivery. Intent-to-treat analysis was performed. RESULTS: A total of 416 pregnant women were screened and 318 enrolled according to the inclusion criteria; 159 for each arm. Twenty-eight pregnant women were lost to follow-up. 55/290 (18.9%) of pregnant women developed preeclampsia; 26/143 (18.1%) in magnesium group and 29/147 (19.7%) in the control group; OR 0.90 (CI 95% 0.48-1.69), p = 0.747. No cases of eclampsia were registered. CONCLUSION: Oral magnesium supplementation did not reduce preeclampsia incidence in low-income and low-risk pregnant women. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (Identifier NCT02032186), December 19, 2013.

Impaired neurovascular reactivity in the microvasculature of pregnant women with preeclampsia.

INTRODUCTION: PE is associated with maternal vascular dysfunction, leading to serious cardiovascular risk both during and following pregnancy. OBJECTIVE: To assess microvascular reactivity in pregnant women with PE. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was performed in 36 pregnant women with PE and 36 normotensive pregnant women (C) in the third trimester. Skin microvascular blood flow was measured using LDF at rest (RF), during the maximum hyperemic response to brief arterial occlusion (MF) and during the sympathetically mediated constrictor response to deep IBH. RESULTS: In pregnant women with PE, RF was higher [C, 8.1 (4.6); PE, 12.0 (7.6), P<.001; PU perfusion units; median (IQR)] and MF/RF [C, 6.1 (3.7); PE, 3. 9 (4.9) P<.001] and peak CVC lower (P=.009) compared to normotensive controls. The constrictor response to IBH [C, 62.4% (27.9); PE, 33.0% (50.6), P=.008] was reduced in women with PE. In univariate analysis, MF/RF was associated with PE status (r=-.417, P=.0001), systolic (r=-.385, P=.001), and diastolic (r=-.388, P=.001) blood pressure, but not BMI (r=.077, P=.536). CONCLUSIONS: Women with PE are more than three times more likely to exhibit a reduced microvascular reactivity in the third trimester of pregnancy than normotensive pregnant controls. These differences may be attributable in part to an altered sympathetic neural microvascular tone in PE.

Visceral Adiposity in the First Half of Pregnancy in Association with Glucose, Lipid and Insulin Profiles in Later Pregnancy: A Cohort Study.

Background Obesity is the most common risk factor in pregnancy but few studies have assessed the association of between visceral adiposity (VAT) depth in early to mild pregnancy and insulin resistance (IR), dysglycemia and dyslipidemia in later pregnancy. Objective To assess the association between VAT depth in early to mid pregnancy and IR [homeostatic model assessment of IR (HOMA-IR)], dysglycemia and dyslipidemia in later pregnancy. Methods We completed a prospective cohort study of 344 pregnant women at a single large hospital in Recife, Brazil. VAT depth was measured by ultrasound at 15-20 weeks gestation. Serum glucose, insulin and lipids were evaluated at 32-37 weeks gestation. Results In contrast to pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI), VAT depth at 15-20 weeks was generally inferior in explaining the variation in the biochemical measures at 32-37 weeks gestation. This was the case for fasting HOMA-IR (adjusted r(2): 0.21 vs. 0.11, respectively), fasting insulin (adjusted r(2): 0.27 vs. 0.09, respectively), and lipids. Only for fasting glucose was the opposite true, but marginally (adjusted r(2) 0.03 vs. 0.06, respectively). Conclusion VAT depth measured in the first half of pregnancy is not better than pre-pregnancy BMI in predicting IR and related biochemical measures in later pregnancy.

Early-life nutrition and adult-life outcomes.

OBJECTIVES: To verify the association between early-life nutrition and chronic adult diseases. DATA SOURCES: Medline, Embase, Cochrane Database, and Lilacs. SUMMARY OF FINDS: The Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) hypothesis postulates that a mismatch between early-life circumstances and later-life situations may have an impact on chronic diseases. In this review, the authors emphasize the research supporting the impact of early nutrition on the origins of adult height, obesity and metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases, and reproductive outcomes. CONCLUSION: Even though this is a new topic and there are still many research questions to be answered, there is strong evidence that both deficiency and excess nutrition in early life can cause epigenetic changes that have effects that last a lifetime and contribute to the development of chronic diseases. Public health efforts to protect adults from getting chronic diseases should focus on nutrition in the first 1000 days of life, from conception to the end of the second year of life.

Patterns of physical activity and SARS-CoV-2 severe pneumonia: A case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Regular physical activity is associated with a low risk of severe community-acquired infections. However, the hypothesis that a physical inactivity pattern is associated with a higher risk for severe COVID-19 has not been completely proven, especially with severe pneumonia. OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to confirm the link between physical activity patterns and severe SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia. DESIGN: Case-control study. METHODS: This study involved 307 patients who developed SARS-CoV-2 severe pneumonia and were hospitalized in an intensive care unit. Age- and sex-matched controls (307) were selected from the same population: patients with mild to moderate forms of COVID-19 who were not hospitalized. Physical activity patterns were assessed using the short version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. RESULTS: The mean physical activity levels were lower in the SARS-CoV-2 severe pneumonia group as compared to the control group: 1576±2939 vs 2438±2999, metabolic equivalent of task (MET-min/week), p<0.001. A high or moderate physical activity level was more common in the control group, and a low physical activity level was more observed in the case group (p<0.001). Obesity was also associated with severe SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia (p<0.001). Multivariable analysis showed that a low physical activity level was associated with a higher risk for severe SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia, independent of nutritional status (CI 3.7; 2.24-5.99), p<0.001). CONCLUSION: A higher and moderate level of physical activity is linked to a lower risk of SARS-CoV-2 severe pneumonia.

Effects of exergaming on the microcirculation of adolescents with overweight or obesity-a clinical trial efficacy.

To assess the effect of exergaming on the microcirculation function of adolescents with overweight or obesity, this non-randomized clinical trial efficacy was conducted with 61 adolescents aged between 10 and 16 years. The intervention group (n = 31) performed exergaming three times per week for 8 weeks. Both groups received guidelines for a healthy diet and staying physically active. Microcirculation was assessed using a laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) at baseline and after intervention. Primary outcomes derived from LDF assessment included resting flow, maximum flow, maximum/resting flow ratio, area under hyperemia, and post-occlusive reactive hyperemia (PORH). Secondary outcomes were body mass index and systemic blood pressure. Unpaired Student's t test compared intergroup analyses, and paired Student's t test compared intragroup analyses. The significance was set at 5%. Statistical analysis intergroup and intragroup was done by fitting a two-way mixed effects model. Microcirculation was similar between groups. Maximum flow (109.0 ± 38.3 versus 124.6 ± 43.0, P = 0.022), area under hyperemia (1614 ± 472 versus. 1755 ± 461, P = 0.023), and PORH (2.18 ± 0.49 versus 2.01 ± 0.52, P = 0.031) were statistically different after intervention. Body mass index decreased in intervention (24.5 ± 3.8-24.1 ± 4.0 kg/m2, P = 0.002) and control (25.2 ± 3.2-25.1 ± 3.3 kg/m2, P = 0.031) groups. Systolic blood pressure decreased significantly in the intervention group (110 ± 10-106 ± 9 mm Hg; P = 0.041) but not diastolic blood pressure (66.0 ± 7-68.8 ± 8 mm Hg; P = 0.089). Exergaming for 8 weeks led to improvements in the microcirculation function in adolescents with overweighed or obesity. Clinical trials: NTC03532659.

Effectiveness of Mentha piperita in the Treatment of Infantile Colic: A Crossover Study.

Background. Infantile colic is a distressing and common condition for which there is no proven standard treatment. Objective. To compare the efficacy of Mentha piperita with simethicone in treatment for infantile colic. Methods. A double-blind crossover study was performed with 30 infants attending IMIP, Recife, Brazil. They were randomized to use Mentha piperita or simethicone in the treatment of infantile colic during 7 days with each drug. Primary outcomes were mother_s opinion about responses to the treatment, number of daily episodes of colic, and time spent crying, measured by a chronometer. Mann-Whitney and chi-square tests were used to compare the results. This study was previously approved by the Ethical Committee in Research at IMIP. Results. At baseline daily episodes of infantile colic was 3.9 (±1.1) and the mean crying time per day was 192 minutes (±51.6). At the end of the study daily episodes of colic fell to 1.6 (±0.6) and the crying duration decreased to 111 (±28) minutes. All mothers reported decrease of frequency and duration of the episodes of infantile colic and there were no differences between responses to Mentha piperita and simethicone. Conclusions. These findings suggest that Mentha piperita may be used to help control infantile colic. However, these results must be repeated by others studies.

Effect of Kangaroo Position on microcirculation of preterm newborns: a controlled randomized clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of Kangaroo Position (KP) in microcirculation (MC) of the flexor muscles of preterm newborns. METHOD: A controlled clinical trial was conducted in the city of Recife, Brazil, with 26 preterm children randomized in the Kangaroo Group (13) and in the Control Group (13). Assessments of blood flow, temperature, and tissue oxygen saturation (SO2) were made at two different times and in the biceps brachii muscle and hamstrings muscle group: before the KP and after 24 h of KP. In the Control Group, the registrations were performed at the times corresponding to those of the Kangaroo Group. The mean values among the times were analyzed by paired t-test for repeated measures. The clinical trial was recorded in Clinical Trials (NCT03611088). RESULTS: In the Kangaroo Group there was an increase in tissue temperature and blood flow at the time evaluation periods (p < 0.05). In the control group, there was no statistical difference between the recording moments hamstring muscles group, but in the biceps brachii, there was a reduction in mean blood flow (p = 0.023). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the KP has effects on the microcirculation of the flexor muscles of preterm newborns.

Prevalence and predictors of physical inactivity in a slum in Brazil.

The aim of this study was to ascertain the prevalence of physical inactivity and examine the role of potential predictors in a very low-income adult population in a slum located in Recife city, northeast of Brazil. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 1,176 subjects aged 20-60 years residing in a slum. Using the short version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, 307 (26.1%) study participants-97 (23.8%) men and 210 (27.3%) women-have a low physical activity score (MET-minutes per week). Increased age was associated with physical inactivity only in people without overweight/obesity. Low physical activity was less common (i.e., respondents were more active) than in other Brazilian population-based studies. These results suggest that the relationship between physical activity and socioeconomic level is more complex and depends on the internal characteristics of the community.

Neuroimaging in Children Born With Congenital Zika Syndrome: A Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Neuroimaging findings have been associated with adverse neurologic outcomes in children with congenital Zika virus infection. Our purpose is to describe the brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of children around 3 years of age, born with congenital Zika syndrome. METHODS: This cohort study followed 62 children born with congenital Zika syndrome who had head computed tomography (CT) performed during the first months of life. All these children had clinical, neuroimaging, and serological confirmation of congenital Zika. Around 3 years of age, these children received a brain MRI. RESULTS: In 35 children, we could perform an MRI. All these children had severe impairment in neuromotor development. In general, the examinations showed the same alterations of the CT examinations: delayed myelination (82.8%), intracranial calcification (71.4%) although with decreased intensity and size as compared with previously CT examinations, ventriculomegaly (91.4%), cerebellar hypoplasia (68.5%), and cortical development abnormalities (85.8%). CONCLUSION: The serious brain alterations observed through head CT examinations in children born with congenital Zika syndrome continued to be detected through an MRI examination carried out at around 3 years of age. This indicates a poor prognosis for these children who had a severe neuromotor development delay.

Zika virus seroprevalence in women who gave birth during Zika virus outbreak in Brazil - a prospective observational study.

BACKGROUND: The recent Zika virus (ZIKV) outbreak in Brazil started in August 2015 and ended in May 2017 without effective public health measures for its control have been taken. The immunological status of a community may not only predict future outbreaks as well to answer questions regarding ZIKV not known yet. OBJECTIVE: To verify the seroprevalence of ZIKV in a group of women who were pregnant during the Zika virus outbreak in Recife, three to nine months after the delivery, and to evaluate the neurodevelopment of their children. METHODS: A cross-sectional study enrolled participants of a cohort study held at Instituto de Medicina Integral Professor Fernando Figueira (IMIP) during the ZIKV outbreak in Recife. Mothers who gave birth between the last trimester of 2015 and the first semester of 2016, period of the peak of microcephaly outbreak in Recife, were invited. All participants had the serum tested by the anti-ZIKV IgG/IgM enzyme-liked immunosorbent assays, ELISA kit (Euroimmun, Lübeck, Germany). All children whose mothers presented positive serology for ZIKV performed the IgG/IgM ELISA test for ZIKV. These children were also evaluated by a neuropediatrician and the Denver II development screening test was applied. RESULTS: Among the 132 studied pregnant women who gave birth at the peak of ZIKV outbreak in Recife, all were ZIKV IgM negative and 81 (61,3%) had ZIKV IgG positive. Mothers ZIKV IgG positive had more fever and rash during the pregnancy as compared with mothers negative for ZIKV; respectively 27/81 (33,3%) vs 6/51 (11,7%), p = 0.005 and 22/81 (27,2%) vs 4 (7,8%), p = 0.016. Only one child had IgG positive serology for ZIKV. No children had neurodevelopment defect for the age group and the Denver II normal scores. CONCLUSIONS: A high ZIKV IgG seroprevalence in pregnant women at the end of the ZIKV outbreak in Recife was found. This finding suggests that community protective immunity may have contributed to the end of ZIKV outbreak in Recife, Brazil.

Effect of kangaroo mother care on postpartum depression.

Postpartum depression (PPD) is a serious public health issue. Kangaroo mother care (KMC) is widely considered to be the most feasible, readily available and preferred intervention for decreasing neonatal morbidity and mortality in developing countries. We conducted a prospective study to assess the effect of KMC on PPD. The study population included 177 low-income mothers with their preterm infants. We used the validated Portuguese version of the Postpartum Depression Screening Scale for the assessment of maternal depression. The mothers were evaluated twice, at Neonatal Intensive Care Unit admission and at KMC discharge. We found 66 mothers (37.3%) with depression and it decreased to 30 (16.9%) after KMC intervention; p < 0.0001. None developed PPD during the Kangaroo stay. We concluded that KMC may lessen maternal depression. Further studies, may be required to clarify these preliminary findings.

Decline in hospital mortality rate after the use of the World Health Organization protocol for management of severe malnutrition.

We studied the implementation of the World Health Organization protocol for the treatment of malnourished children at the largest maternal and infant hospital in the northeast of Brazil. The implementation of the protocol resulted in a reduction in the mortality rate from 38.0% to 16.2%.

Effects of physical activity on children's growth.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the current scientific knowledge on the effects of physical exercise on the growth of children and adolescents since intrauterine life. SOURCE OF DATA: A search was carried out in the Medline, Embase, Scielo, and Cochrane databases of studies published from 1990 to 2018. The authors included studies with different designs: clinical trials, cohort, cross-sectional and review studies. SYNTHESIS OF DATA: Studies that addressed the subject of physical exercise or physical activity, and weight-height growth or bone or muscle tissue growth were identified. These studies were analyzed, classified, and presented by age group: fetuses, preterm newborns, preschoolers, schoolchildren, and adolescents. It was observed that almost all studies indicated the safety of physical exercises, of mild to moderate intensity, for pregnant women, as well as children and adolescents, including both aerobic and anaerobic exercises. The retrieve studies did not demonstrate that the practice of physical exercises or certain sports, especially basketball and floor gymnastics, influenced the linear growth of children or adolescents. Some studies showed an increase in bone and muscle tissue growth in child and adolescent athletes. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the small number of studies with adequate methodology, especially randomized clinical trials, evidence appears to indicate that physical exercise is safe for both the pregnant woman and the child, from fetal life to adolescence. Physical exercise does not appear to impair the child's linear growth and contributes to the ideal shaping of bone and muscle tissues, ensuring possible beneficial effects throughout life.

Early-life nutrition and adult-life outcomes

Abstract Objectives To verify the association between early-life nutrition and chronic adult diseases. Data Sources Medline, Embase, Cochrane Database, and Lilacs. Summary of finds The Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) hypothesis postulates that a mismatch between early-life circumstances and later-life situations may have an impact on chronic diseases. In this review, the authors emphasize the research supporting the impact of early nutrition on the origins of adult height, obesity and metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases, and reproductive outcomes. Conclusion Even though this is a new topic and there are still many research questions to be answered, there is strong evidence that both deficiency and excess nutrition in early life can cause epigenetic changes that have effects that last a lifetime and contribute to the development of chronic diseases. Public health efforts to protect adults from getting chronic diseases should focus on nutrition in the first 1000 days of life, from conception to the end of the second year of life.

A Digital Health Platform to Deliver Tailored Early Stimulation Programs for Children with Developmental Delays.

Developmental delay is a deviation from the regular development of normative milestones during childhood. Early stimulation is a standardized and straightforward technique to support children with developmental delays (aged 0-3 years) in reaching basic motor skills, which are essential for the execution of everyday activities, such as playing, feeding and locomotion. In doing so, early stimulation reduces the chances of permanent motor impairment, thus allowing the child to live a more functional life. However, outcomes of this treatment depend heavily on the involvement of the family, who are required to continue the early stimulation activities at home on a daily basis. To empower and educate families to administer standardized early stimulation programs at home, we developed an electronic early stimulation program, which provides personalized guidance to parents to administer early stimulation; together with evidence-based clinical decision support to therapists in tailoring ESP to observed needs.

Does breast feeding provide protection against acute appendicitis? A case-control study.

Breast feeding stimulates a more tolerant lymphoid tissue at the base of the appendix and this could provide protection against acute appendicitis. Two studies reported that children and adolescents with appendicitis were less likely to have been breast fed. In a case-control study of 200 children with histologically confirmed acute appendicitis matched by 200 siblings with the same sex and difference age - up to three-year-old - we found breast feeding in at least the first two months of life and for more than four months provides protection against acute appendicitis. These findings suggesting that breast feeding may possibly give protection against the development of appendicitis.

Tepid sponging plus dipyrone versus dipyrone alone for reducing body temperature in febrile children.

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: The role of tepid sponging to promote fever control in children is controversial. We did not find any studies reporting on the effectiveness of tepid sponging in addition to dipyrone. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of tepid sponging plus dipyrone with dipyrone alone for reducing fever. DESIGN AND SETTING: A randomized clinical trial was undertaken at Instituto Materno-Infantil Professor Fernando Figueira, Recife, Pernambuco. METHODS: Children from six months to five years old with axillary temperature greater than 38 masculineC in the emergency ward between January and July 2006 were eligible. One hundred and twenty children were randomly assigned to receive oral dipyrone (20 mg/kg) or oral dipyrone and tepid sponging for 15 minutes. The primary outcome was mean temperature reduction after 15, 30, 60, 90 and 120 minutes. Secondary outcomes were crying and irritability. RESULTS: 106 children finished the study. After the first 15 minutes, the fall in axillary temperature was significantly greater in the sponged group than in the control group (p < 0.001). From 30 to 120 minutes, better fever control was observed in the control group. Crying and irritability were observed respectively in 52% and 36% of the sponged children and in none and only two of the controls. CONCLUSIONS: Tepid sponging plus dipyrone cooled faster during the first 15 minutes, but dipyrone alone presented better fever control over the two-hour period. Tepid sponging caused mild discomfort, crying and irritability for most of the children. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ACTRN12608000083392.

Congenital Zika Syndrome and Infantile Spasms: Case Series Study.

Recently described, the congenital Zika syndrome caused by the Zika virus has many features of other congenital infections. This case series study reports 22 infants with congenital Zika syndrome in Brazil who developed infantile spasms during their first year of life. The median age of infantile spasms onset was 4.3 (±1.4) months and ranged from 1 to 7 months. Neurologic evaluation showed that all 22 children presented severe impairment of neuropsychomotor development. A total of 18 infants had an interictal hypsarrhythmia electroencephalogram (EEG) pattern. Vigabatrin was prescribed as first-line treatment; however, only 5 patients were controlled. Steroid regimes were started for children who did not respond to vigabatrin and they are being followed. In conclusion, congenital Zika syndrome may be considered as an etiological agent of infantile spasms.