Influence of visual and auditory biofeedback on partial body weight support treadmill training of individuals with chronic hemiparesis: a randomized controlled clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Stroke is an important causal factor of deficiency and functional dependence worldwide. OBJECTIVE: To determine the immediate effects of visual and auditory biofeedback, combined with partial body weight supported (PBWS) treadmill training on the gait of individuals with chronic hemiparesis. DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial. SETTING: Outpatient rehabilitation hospital. POPULATIONS: Thirty subjects with chronic hemiparesis and ability to walk with some help. METHODS: Participants were randomized to a control group that underwent only PBWS treadmill training; or experimental I group with visual biofeedback from the display monitor, in the form of symbolic feet as the subject took a step; or experimental group II with auditory biofeedback associated display, using a metronome at 115% of the individual's preferred cadence. They trained for 20 minutes and were evaluated before and after training. Spatio-temporal and angular gait variables were obtained by kinematics from the Qualisys Motion Analysis system. RESULTS: Increases in speed and stride length were observed for all groups over time (speed: F=25.63; P<0.001; stride length: F=27.18; P<0.001), as well as changes in hip and ankle range of motion - ROM (hip ROM: F=14.43; P=0.001; ankle ROM: F=4.76; P=0.038), with no time*groups interaction. Other spatio-temporal and angular parameters remain unchanged. CONCLUSIONS: Visual biofeedback and auditory biofeedback had no influence on PBWS treadmill training of individuals with chronic hemiparesis, in short term. Additional studies are needed to determine whether, in long term, the biofeedback will promote additional benefit to the PBWS treadmill training. CLINICAL REHABILITATION IMPACT: The findings of this study indicate that visual and auditory biofeedback does not bring immediate benefits on PBWS treadmill training of individuals with chronic hemiparesis. This suggest that, for additional benefits are achieved with biofeedback, effects should be investigated after long-term training, which may determine if some kind of biofeedback is superior to another to improve the hemiparetic gait.

Accuracy of twenty-four-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (night-day values) for the diagnosis of secondary hypertension.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the accuracy of 24-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, using the relationship between night-time and daytime values, in diagnosing secondary hypertension. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A prospective study was performed in a referred population of 402 hypertensive patients (clinic systolic/diastolic blood pressure > 140/90 mmHg). The ambulatory monitoring data included 24-h mean, awake (daytime) and sleeping (night-time) values. Secondary hypertension was diagnosed by standard procedures. To describe the accuracy of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, receiver-operator characteristic curves were constructed, using sensitivity and specificity values for deciles of the distribution of overnight blood pressure falls (absolute and percentage). Measurements included the fall in nocturnal blood pressure, sensitivity (the percentage of those with secondary hypertension who were classified as non-dippers), specificity (the percentage of non-secondary hypertensives who were classified as dippers) and predictive values of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. RESULTS: On average, overnight systolic/diastolic blood pressure fell in primary hypertensives (n = 290) by 20/18 mmHg (13%/19%), in white-coat hypertensives (n = 65, daytime ambulatory blood pressure <135/87 mmHg) by 17/15 mmHg (13%/19%) and in patients with secondary hypertension (n = 47, renal/renovascular and endocrine forms) by 13/11 mmHg (9%/12%). From receiver-operator characteristic curves, the nocturnal blood pressure fall of 15 mmHg showed the highest accuracy, with a sensitivity/specificity of 61%/69% (systolic) and 75%/62% (diastolic) whereas 10% (systolic) and 15% (diastolic) nocturnal falls had a sensitivity/specificity of 62%/74% (systolic) and 62%/70% (diastolic). The ambulatory blood pressure data had a high (>93%) negative predictive value for secondary hypertension. CONCLUSIONS: Secondary hypertension is associated with a blunted nocturnal fall in blood pressure. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring data are not critically important for the diagnosis and screening of secondary hypertension but may be helpful in excluding it.

Influence of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs on renal function and 24h ambulatory blood pressure-reducing effects of enalapril and nifedipine gastrointestinal therapeutic system in hypertensive patients.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the influence of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs; aspirin and indomethacin) on the renal and antihypertensive effects of enalapril and nifedipine gastrointestinal therapeutic system (GITS) in patients with essential hypertension. DESIGN AND METHODS: In a crossover study, 18 patients on an unrestricted-salt diet were randomly assigned to receive either enalapril (20-40 mg/day) or nifedipine-GITS (30-60 mg/day) for 4-8 weeks, followed by aspirin (100 mg/day for 2 weeks) and then indomethacin (75 mg/day for 1 week). Blood pressure was measured by 24h ambulatory monitoring. RESULTS: Enalapril and nifedipine-GITS significantly reduced blood pressure compared with placebo. Aspirin did not alter the antihypertensive effect of either drug. Indomethacin attenuated (by 45%) the antihypertensive effect of enalapril throughout the 24h period of evaluation, but did not interfere with the effect of nifedipine. Furthermore, indomethacin significantly reduced the fractional excretion of sodium and plasma levels of prostaglandins in a similar way when added to either the enalapril or the nifedipine regimen. CONCLUSIONS: Vasodilatory prostaglandins are probably involved in the antihypertensive effects of enalapril but not of nifedipine, and this interaction seems to be independent of any indomethacin-induced decrease in renal sodium excretion. Nifedipine may be an appropriate drug to treat hypertensive patients requiring concomitant therapy with NSAID.

Measurement of trough-to-peak ratios of four anti-hypertensive drugs on the basis of 24 h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring: different methods may give different results.

With 24 h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM), the trough-to-peak (T/P) ratios (corrected for placebo) of atenolol 100 mg, cilazapril 2.5 mg, enalapril 20 mg and nifedipine-GITS 30 mg administered once daily for 4 weeks were determined in four groups of hypertensive patients. T/P ratios were calculated by three different methods: directly from the curves that averaged all individual 24 h profiles (A); averaging all individual T/P ratios after ABPM data were averaged for each patient over either 1 h intervals (B) or 3 h intervals (C). Methods B and C produced different values of T/P which, for each drug, were significantly higher with method C. With method A, nifedipine appeared to have the higher T/P. With methods B and C (which in contrast to method A, permitted statistical comparisons), differences between nifedipine and the other drugs were not significant. Meanwhile, method B appears to adhere most closely to FDA guidelines by taking more into account the interindividual variability of BP profile. Thus, we suggest that precise guidelines for measuring T/P on the basis of ABPM are needed, whereas for the comparison between drugs, both the mean value of the T/P and its variance must be determined.

Differences in behavior profile between normotensive subjects and patients with white-coat and sustained hypertension.

It has been hypothesized that white-coat hypertensives (WCHs) have lower cardiovascular risk than sustained hypertensives (HTs), but higher emotional reactivity. We evaluated 92 HT patients (clinic and daytime BP>140/90 mmHg), 52 WCHs (clinic BP>140190 and ambulatory daytime BP<134/ 85 mmHg), and 74 normotensive subjects (NTs, clinic BP<140/90 and ambulatory daytime BP<134/85 mmHg), aged between 24 and 72 years, and matched for educational level, age, gender, and weight for depression, psychopathology, well-being, and quality of life. HTs showed worse scores than WCHs and NTs on most of the psychological variables; no differences were found between WCHs and NTs except on physical mobility. Daytime BP variability was HTs>WCHs>NTs, whereas nighttime BP variability was HTs>WCHs=NTs. We conclude that HTs have worse psychological profiles than the other two groups. WCHs and NTs have similar psychological profiles, although WCHs have a higher daytime BP variability, which is not associated with higher emotional reactivity.

Arterial distensibility in subjects with white-coat hypertension with and without diabetes or dyslipidaemia: comparison with normotensives and sustained hypertensives.

BACKGROUND: Arterial distensibility can be assessed by measuring pulse-wave velocity (PWV). OBJECTIVE: To determine whether diabetes, smoking and dyslipidaemia were associated with greater than normal stiffness of aortic walls in subjects with white-coat hypertension. METHODS: Arterial distensibility was assessed by automatic measurement of carotid-femoral PWV in 35 healthy normotensives, 46 white-coat hypertensives (WCH, clinic blood pressures >140/90 mm Hg, daytime blood pressures <130/85 mm Hg) and 81 ambulatory hypertensives (clinic blood pressures >140/90 mmHg, daytime blood pressures > or =130 mm Hg systolic or > or =85 mm Hg diastolic, or both) all matched for age, sex and body mass index. Nineteen normotensives (subgroup A), 28 WCH (subgroup A) and 37 ambulatory hypertensives (subgroup A) had only one or no other major cardiovascular risk factor whereas 16 normotensives (subgroup B), 18 WCH (subgroup B) and 44 ambulatory hypertensives (subgroup B) had also some combination of non-insulin-dependent diabetes, a smoking habit and dyslipidaemia. RESULTS: Both for the WCH and for ambulatory hypertensives diabetes and dyslipidaemia (subgroups B) were associated with higher (P<0.04) PWV (11.6+/-0.3 and 12.8+/-0.3m/s, respectively) than for subgroups A (9.3+/-0.5 and 10.9+/-0.6 m/s, respectively). In contrast, PWV for WCH in subgroup A (9.3+/-0.5m/s) did not differ (P>0.35) from those for the normotensive subgroups A (9.2+/-0.3m/s) and B (9.6+/-0.4m/s). PWV was not correlated to levels of glycaemia, glycosylated haemoglobin and cholesterolaemia. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that, both for ambulatory hypertensives and for WCH, diabetes and dyslipidaemia are associated with an impairment of arterial distensibility that can entail a greater than normal cardiovascular risk, which might dictate a more than usually stringent treatment of concomitant risk factors and possibly of high blood pressure. In contrast, PWV in WCH of the subgroup A did not differ from those in normotensives, reinforcing the hypothesis that WCH is associated with a benign cardiovascular outcome in the absence of other cardiovascular risk factors.

[Dermatosis among the Xavánte from the Pimentel Barbosa Indian Reservation, Mato Grosso, (Brazil)]. / Dermatoses entre os Xavánte da área indígena Pimentel Barbosa, Mato Grosso (Brasil).

The authors present the results of a dermatological survey conducted among the Xavánte Indians from the Pimentel Barbosa Reservation, state of Mato Grosso, Brazil Scabies, pediculosis, and pioderma were the most frequent diseases, clearly related to poor hygiene. The finding of perleche indicates the presence of nutritional deficiency. Endemic pemphigus foliaceus (fogo selvagem) was the most serious dermatological affection found in this population.

[Reduction of the antihypertensive effects of enalapril by indomethacin. Its independence from renal sodium retention]. / Atenuacão dos efeitos anti-hipertensores do enalapril pela indometacina. Sua independência da retencão renal de sódio.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate in hypertensive patients whether or not the sodium-retaining effects of indomethacin can explain the indomethacin-induced attenuation of enalapril antihypertensive effects. DESIGN: Randomized, single-blinded, placebo controlled study with a placebo phase (2 weeks) followed by enalapril 20 mg/d (4 weeks, once daily) and enalapril 20 mg + indomethacin 75 mg/d (1 week). Enalapril dose increased up to 40 mg/d if inadequate response to 20 mg. PATIENTS: Twenty-four patients with mild-moderated hypertension, showing an adequate response to enalapril (20-40 mg/d). METHODS: Blood pressure evaluated by "casual" methods and by 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, measurement of 24-hour urinary sodium excretion and fractional excretion of sodium: at the end of placebo, enalapril and enalapril + indomethacin treatments. Determination of the correlations between the changes induced by indomethacin (when added to enalapril) on the blood pressure and on sodium excretion effects of enalapril. RESULTS: Enalapril significantly reduced casual blood pressure (systolic/diastolic) by 33/18 mmHg and 24-hour blood pressure by 20/9 mmHg. When added to enalapril, indomethacin attenuated (by 50%) the antihypertensive effects of enalapril and significantly decreased the 24-hour (from 120 +/- 11 mmol to 106 +/- 10 mmol) and fractional excretion of sodium (from 1.11 +/- 0.09% to 0.75 +/- 0.06%). However, the indomethacin-induced attenuation of enalapril hypotensive effects did not correlate with indomethacin-induced changes of sodium excretion. CONCLUSIONS: When indomethacin is administrated to hypertensive patients that are well controlled with enalapril, it produces a marked attenuation of enalapril hypotensive effects and produces sodium retention. However, the amount of the attenuation of the hypotensive effects of enalapril by indomethacin are completely independent of the amount of the indomethacin-induced sodium retention. These results suggest that the mechanisms involved in interaction between both drugs at the blood pressure domain are probably localized at an extra-renal level.

Poisoning with calcium channel blockers--a case report and review of the literature.

The incidence of poisoning with calcium channel blockers, accidental or intentional, has increased in recent years, associated with more frequent use. We present a clinical case of bradycardia and shock of unknown cause, which came to be revealed a poisoning by 3240 mg of slow-release diltiazem, managed with temporary transvenous pacing and dopamine in high concentration. We make a review of the cardiovascular manifestations of the three classic calcium channel blockers: verapamil, diltiazem and nifedipine; namely, hypotension, rhythm and conduction disturbances. We point out the late appearance of the beginning of manifestations with the use of slow releasing formulations. The toxicity by calcium channel blockers can lead to a wide variety of manifestations in the central nervous system, gastrointestinal system, endocrine-metabolic, hematologic and respiratory systems. There is a high clinical suspicion when the following factors are present: hypotension with bradycardia, mental state disturbances, lactic acidosis, hyperglycemia, sinus pauses and refractory shock. Treatment is based on general measures of intoxication support, decreasing the drug absorption and improvement of cardiac function. The bradyarrhythmias are corrected with the use of intravenous calcium, glucagon, atropine and pacemaker. If the intoxication causes depression of cardiac contractility, the use of calcium or/and glucagon is indicated. If there is refractoriness with these measures, catecholamines should be employed. There are alternative and adjuvant drugs such as amrinone, insulin-glucose, 4-aminopyridine and calcium entry promoters. Charcoal hemoperfusion can be useful in the overdose of sustained release preparations, but hemodialysis is unworthy of therapeutical interest.