Assessment of the Maximal Range of Motion from Initial Sensation of Stretching to the Limits of Tolerance

The aim of this study was to determine whether the first sensation of stretching (ROM_FSS) may predict the maximum range of motion (ROM_MAX) in male (N = 37) and female (N = 32) volunteer subjects, and to assess the reliability of the ROM perceived by subjects in relation to a pre-determined ROM (ROM_50%). Subjects attempted three experimental sessions with 48 hours between sessions 1 and 2 and 28 days between sessions 1 and 3. Within each session, five trials were performed with isokinetic equipment to assess posterior thigh muscle flexibility. The results revealed a strong and significant correlation between ROM_MAX and ROM_FSS for both sexes, females (r = 0.96, p < 0.001, R² = 0.92) and males (r = 0.91, p < 0.001; R² = 0.82). The accuracy of the model verified by the standard error of estimate (SEE) was high in the equations proposed for both female (SEE = 4.53%) and male (SEE = 5.45%). Our results revealed that ROM_FSS may predict the ROM_MAX for both male and female subjects. The ROM_FSS may contribute to the development of evaluation methods that do not subject the individuals to conditions that may include unnecessary risk of injury and is well suited to monitor the training process of stretching exercises with submaximal loads.Key points

• An individual’s tolerance to stretching can be considered a continuum marked by the first sensation of stretching and the maximum range of motion as the continuum’s end-points.
• The first sensation of stretching and the point representing halfway between the first sensation and maximal range of motion are reliable measures in young men and women.
• The first sensation of stretching may be a safe and useful predictor of maximal range of motion.

Key words: Prediction equation, range of motion, onset of pain, muscle stretch intensity     

Proper microsurgical nerve suture may impede Wallerian degeneration of completely transected nerves. An electron microscopic study

Electron microscopic findings on the nerve of the biventer cervicis muscle of the chick, which was completely transected and immediately after submitted to an adequate microsurgical nerve suture, confirmed our previous statement that proper microsurgical nerve suture may impede the Wallerian degeneration that normally occurs in the distal segment of a completely transected nerve.     

Pseudoaneurisma gigante da via de saída do ventrículo esquerdo: uma patologia rara

Pseudoaneurysm of the left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) is a rare disease with high morbidity and mortality, resulting from left ventricular damage due to myocardial infarction, infective endocarditis or surgical trauma. A case of giant pseudoaneurysm of the LVOT, even more rarely reported in the literature, is described. The lesion was detected 12 years after aortic valve replacement for infective endocarditis in a young patient, a former intravenous drug user. As it is an uncommon disease, little is known about its clinical presentation and treatment.     

Prevalência de aterosclerose subclínica e reclassificação de risco cardiovascular pela medida da espessura íntimo-medial carotídea em pacientes hipertensos ambulatoriais

Introduction and ObjectivesAlthough carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) is considered a surrogate marker of subclinical atherosclerosis, with known value in risk stratification, its routine use in hypertensive patients is not recommended. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of subclinical atherosclerosis through measurement of CIMT and its impact on reclassification of risk in hypertensive patients.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study of 94 middle-aged (56.99±11.89 years) hypertensive outpatients without overt cardiovascular disease, 68.1% female. All participants underwent clinical examination, biochemical tests, echocardiogram and measurement of CIMT by high-resolution ultrasound.ResultsAlthough the majority of patients were stratified as low (63.5%) or intermediate risk (23%) according to their Framingham score, a high prevalence (75.3%) of increased CIMT was observed in the overall sample, including in the low (61%) and intermediate risk groups (93.8%). CIMT measurement resulted in risk reclassification of 70.31% of the patients, 61% of those at low risk being reclassified as intermediate risk and 93.8% of those at intermediate risk being reclassified as high risk.ConclusionIn these hypertensive outpatients, predominantly middle-aged and female, CIMT measurement revealed a high prevalence of subclinical atherosclerosis and resulted in risk reclassification in the majority of cases.     

High ratio of triglycerides to HDL-cholesterol predicts extensive coronary disease

An abnormal ratio of triglycerides to HDL-cholesterol (TG/HDL-c) indicates an atherogenic lipid profile and a risk for the development of coronary disease. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between lipid levels, specifically TG/HDL-c, and the extent of coronary disease. METHODS: High-risk patients (n=374) submitted for coronary angiography had their lipid variables measured and coronary disease extent scored by the Friesinger index. RESULTS: The subjects consisted of 220 males and 154 females, age 57.2+/-11.1 years, with total cholesterol of 210+/-50.3 mg/dL, triglycerides of 173.8+/-169.8 mg/dL, HDL-cholesterol (HDL-c) of 40.1+/-12.8 mg/dL, LDL-cholesterol (LDL-c) of 137.3+/-46.2 mg/dL, TG/HDL-c of 5.1+/-5.3, and a Friesinger index of 6.6+/-4.7. The relationship between the extent of coronary disease (dichotomized by a Friesenger index of 5 and lipid levels (normal vs. abnormal) was statistically significant for the following: triglycerides, odds ratio of 2.02 (1.31-3.1; p=0.0018); HDL-c, odds ratio of 2.21 (1.42-3.43; p=0.0005); and TG/HDL-c, odds ratio of 2.01(1.30-3.09; p=0.0018). However, the relationship was not significant between extent of coronary disease and total cholesterol [1.25 (0.82-1.91; p=0.33)] or LDL-c [1.47 (0.96-2.25; p=0.0842)]. The chi-square for linear trends for Friesinger >4 and lipid quartiles was statistically significant for triglycerides (p=0.0017), HDL-c (p=0.0001), and TG/HDL-c (p=0.0018), but not for total cholesterol (p=0.393) or LDL-c (p=0.0568). The multivariate analysis by logistic regression OR gave 1.3+/-0.79 (p= .0001) for TG/HDL-c, 0.779+/-0.074 (p= .0001) for HDL-c, and 1.234+/-0.097 (p=0.03) for LDL. Analysis of receiver operating characteristic curves showed that only TG/HDL-c and HDL-c were useful for detecting extensive coronary disease, with the former more strongly associated with disease. CONCLUSIONS: Although some lipid variables were associated with the extent of coronary disease, the ratio of triglycerides to HDL-cholesterol showed the strongest association with extent.     

Adolescent pregnancy and completion of basic education: a study of young people in three state capital cities in Brazil

This study evaluated the association between adolescent pregnancy and the completion of basic education, mediated by macrosocial indicators. A cross-sectional household survey was conducted with individuals between the ages of 18 and 24 in three Brazilian cities. For the purposes of this study, individuals between the ages of 20 and 24 were selected from this sample survey that included 4,634 people. A total of 29.6% of the girls declared that they had become pregnant prior to reaching the age of 20, while 21.4% of the boys stated that they had made a girl pregnant in adolescence. Girls from households with a per capita family income of US$70 or less and who became pregnant at least once during adolescence were more likely to have not completed basic education; whereas from households with a per capita family income of US$70 or less, with parents who separated before the adolescent reached the age of 20 and that had made a partner pregnant prior reaching the age of 20 were more likely to have not completed basic education. It is vital that the school system provides girls and boys with guidance on sexuality and contraception and encourages them to remain in education.