Association of serum lipid components and obesity with genetic ancestry in an admixed population of elderly women.

The prevalence of metabolic disorders varies among ethnic populations and these disorders represent a critical health care issue for elderly women. This study investigated the correlation between genetic ancestry and body composition, metabolic traits and clinical status in a sample of elderly women. Clinical, nutritional and anthropometric data were collected from 176 volunteers. Genetic ancestry was estimated using 23 ancestry-informative markers. Pearsons correlation test was used to examine the relationship between continuous variables and an independent samples t-test was used to compare the means of continuous traits within categorical variables. Overall ancestry was a combination of European (57.49%), Native American (25.78%) and African (16.73%). Significant correlations were found for European ancestry with body mass index (r = 0.165; p = 0.037) and obesity (mean difference (MD) = 5.3%; p = 0.042). African ancestry showed a significant correlation with LDL (r = 0.159, p = 0.035), VLDL (r = -0.185; p = 0.014), hypertriglyceridemia (MD = 6.4%; p = 0.003) and hyperlipidemia (MD = 4.8%; p = 0.026). Amerindian ancestry showed a significant correlation with triglyceride levels (r = 0.150; p = 0.047) and hypertriglyceridemia (MD = 4.5%; p = 0.039). These findings suggest that genetic admixture may influence the etiology of lipid metabolism-related diseases and obesity in elderly women.

[Study of the pharmacotherapy prescribed for older-adult in a Brazilian long-term care facility]. / Estudo da farmacoterapia prescrita a idosos em Instituição Brasileira de Longa Permanência.

OBJECTIVE: this study evaluated the medication prescribed to older-adults residing in a long-term facility in the Brazilian Federal District. MATERIAL AND METHODS: social-demographic parameters as well the overall degree of disability and autonomy of the subjects were investigated. Regarding the pharmacotherapy, qualitative and quantitative aspects of the medication were assessed, including the mean number of drugs, most prescribed pharmacological classes and principles, appropriateness to the age strata and agreement to lists of essential drugs. RESULTS: in our setting, the female gender constituted a predisposing condition to an increased number of prescriptions, whereas polypharmacy and a favorable level of autonomy have played roles of main risk factors for the potential onset of drug-related problems. CONCLUSIONS: the occurrence of polypharmacy coupled to potentially serious problems related to these drugs allow to conclude that the pharmacotherapy employed for this group of older-adults present questionable therapeutical value, at least on what concerns some medications, prompting attention to the model of medical and pharmaceutical assistance provided for this population.

Histoplasmona com derrame pleural: relato de um caso / Histoplastoma with pleural effusion: report of a case

Efusöes pleurais surgem raramente em associaçäo com a histoplasmose capsulata, ocorrendo em geral nas formas agudas da doença. Relatamos e discutimos um caso clínico em que um histoplasma subpleural acompanhou-se de dor pleurítica, hidrotórax e pleurite fibrosante