Aerobic Interval Exercise Training Induces Greater Reduction in Cardiac Workload in the Recovery Period in Rats

Background

Aerobic interval exercise training has greater benefits on cardiovascular function as compared with aerobic continuous exercise training.

Objective

The present study aimed at analyzing the effects of both exercise modalities on acute and subacute hemodynamic responses of healthy rats.

Methods

Thirty male rats were randomly assigned into three groups as follows: continuous exercise (CE, n = 10); interval exercise (IE, n = 10); and control (C, n = 10). Both IE and CE groups performed a 30-minute exercise session. The IE group session consisted of three successive 4-minute periods at 60% of maximal velocity (Max Vel), with 4-minute recovery intervals at 40% of Max Vel. The CE group ran continuously at 50% of Max Vel. Heart rate (HR), blood pressure(BP), and rate pressure product (RPP) were measured before, during and after the exercise session.

Results

The CE and IE groups showed an increase in systolic BP and RPP during exercise as compared with the baseline values. After the end of exercise, the CE group showed a lower response of systolic BP and RPP as compared with the baseline values, while the IE group showed lower systolic BP and mean BP values. However, only the IE group had a lower response of HR and RPP during recovery.

Conclusion

In healthy rats, one interval exercise session, as compared with continuous exercise, induced similar hemodynamic responses during exercise. However, during recovery, the interval exercise caused greater reductions in cardiac workload than the continuous exercise.     

The effect of ballroom dance on balance and functional autonomy among the isolated elderly

The aim of the present study was to analyze the influence of a ballroom dancing program on the functional autonomy and physical balance of institutionalized elderly individuals. The study enrolled 75 sedentary elderly subjects from long-term institutions who were randomly divided into a ballroom dance program group (EG; n=39) and a control group (CG; n=36). The protocol of the Latin American Group for Maturity (GDLAM) was used to evaluate functional autonomy. Physical balance was analyzed using a stabilometer and posture meter platforms. The level of significance in statistical tests was set at p<0.05. Regarding the physical balance evaluation, only the members of the EG achieved a significant reduction in weight (Δ=-0.98 kg) following the experiment, both in the intragroup (p=0.002) and in the intergroup analysis (p=0.012). In the evaluation of functional autonomy, only the EG showed a significant reduction in the execution time of all the tests and in the GDLAM index: GI (Δ=-6.99), both in the intragroup (p<0.001) and in the intergroup analysis (p=0.011). Thus, it can be inferred that sedentary elderly individuals who are residents of long-term institutions can improve their functional autonomy and balance with a ballroom dance program.     

Dasatinib overrides imatinib resistance mediated by the F359I residue mutation in two patients with chronic myeloid leukemia

Despite the beneficial effects of imatinib mesylate, some patients may either not respond or respond suboptimally. Here, we report two chronic myelogenous leukemia patients; one had a suboptimal response according to European LeukemiaNet criteria (a major molecular response was not achieved after 18 months of standard-dose imatinib therapy) and the other had failure with a standard dose of imatinib. At the time of the suboptimal response in patient 1 and the failure in patient 2, we were able to detect the F359I mutation in the BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase domain using DNA sequencing in both patients. Therefore, it was decided to change the therapeutic regimen to dasatinib at a dose of 100 mg once daily in both patients. This change resulted in the achievement of complete cytogenetic remission in patient 1 after 4 months and a major molecular response within 2 and 3 months in both patients. Detection of the F359I mutation in our two cases likely explains the suboptimal response to imatinib in case 1 and the failure in case 2. This implies that in such cases dasatinib should be considered to effectively suppress the mutated clones.     

High frequency of osteoporosis and fractures in women with dermatomyositis/polymyositis

Bone mass was only previously studied in juvenile dermatomyositis/polymyositis (DM/PM) patients. Therefore, the objective this study was to evaluate the prevalence of osteoporosis and fractures in adult DM/PM. Forty female DM/PM and 78 age-, gender-, and BMI-matched healthy controls were studied. Medical charts and clinical interviews of all patients were evaluated for demographic and clinical data, including disease activity, cumulative doses of glucocorticoid, menarche and menopause age, and fractures. Bone mineral density (BMD) using dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) were measured at lumbar spine (L1–L4) and hip. A decreased BMD in lumbar spine [0.902 (0.136) vs. 0.965 (0.141) g/cm², P?=?0.022] and femoral neck [0.729 (0.12) vs. 0.784 (0.127) g/cm², P?=?0.027] was observed in patients compared to controls. In addition, osteoporosis was more frequent in patients than in controls in both lumbar spine (20 vs. 3.8%, P?=?0.007) and the femoral neck (27.5 vs. 10.3%, P?=?0.016). Moreover, a high prevalence of fractures was found in patients in comparison to healthy subjects (17.9 vs. 5.1%, P?=?0.040; OR?=?3.92; CI 95%:1.07–14.33). Comparing DM/PM patients with (n?=?17) and without (n?=?23) osteoporosis/fractures, significant differences were observed regarding age [56.8 (11.9) vs. 48.3 (13.2) years, P?=?0.042], weight [62.05 (13.56) vs. 71.51 (11.46) kg, P?=?0.022] and frequency of post menopausal women (94.1 vs. 65.2%, P?=?0.0002). No differences were observed concerning height, lean mass, total fat mass, disease activity, mean value of creatine kinase, cumulative glucocorticoid dose, or bisphosphonate use. Logistic regression analysis revealed a negative association between the presence of osteoporosis/fractures and weight (OR: 0.92, 95% CI: 0.85–0.98; P?=?0.016). This is the first study that analyzed bone mass in adult DM/PM patients and it demonstrated that about one quarter of these patients have osteoporosis/fracture.     

Oral glucose for pain relief during examination for retinopathy of prematurity: a masked randomized clinical trial

OBJECTIVE:

Ophthalmologic examination for retinopathy of prematurity is a painful procedure. Pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions have been proposed to reduce pain during eye examinations. This study aims to evaluate the analgesic effect of 25% glucose using a validated pain scale during the first eye examination for retinopathy of prematurity in preterm infants with birth weight ≤1,500 g and/or gestational age ≤32 weeks.

METHODS:

A masked, randomized clinical trial for one dose of 1 ml of oral 25% glucose solution 2 minutes before the first ophthalmologic examination for retinopathy of prematurity was conducted between March 2008 and April 2010. The results were compared to those of a control group that did not receive oral glucose solution. Pain was evaluated using a Neonatal Infant Pain Scale immediately before and immediately after the ophthalmologic examination in both groups. Clinicaltrials.gov: {"type":"clinical-trial","attrs":{"text":"NCT00648687","term_id":"NCT00648687"}}NCT00648687

RESULTS:

One hundred and twenty-four patients who were examined for the first time for retinopathy of prematurity were included. Seventy were included in the intervention group and 54 in the control group. The number of patients with pain immediately before the procedure was similar in both groups. The number of patients with pain after ophthalmologic examination was 15.7% in the intervention group and 68.5% in the control group (p<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS:

One ml of oral 25% glucose solution given 2 minutes before an ophthalmologic examination for retinopathy of prematurity was an effective measure for pain relief.     

Ankle-brachial index as a predictor of coronary disease events in elderly patients submitted to coronary angiography

OBJECTIVES:

To correlate the importance of the ankle-brachial index in terms of cardiovascular morbimortality and the extent of coronary arterial disease amongst elderly patients without clinical manifestations of lower limb peripheral arterial disease.

METHODS:

We analyzed prospective data from 100 patients over 65 years of age with coronary arterial disease, as confirmed by coronary angiography, and with over 70% stenosis of at least one sub-epicardial coronary artery. We measured the ankle-brachial index immediately after coronary angiography, and a value of <0.9 was used to diagnose peripheral arterial disease.

RESULTS:

The patients'' average age was 77.4 years. The most prevalent risk factor was hypertension (96%), and the median late follow-up appointment was 28.9 months. The ankle-brachial index was <0.9 in 47% of the patients, and a low index was more prevalent in patients with multiarterial coronary disease compared to patients with uniarterial disease in the same group. Using a bivariate analysis, only an ankle-brachial index of <0.9 was a strong predictive factor for cardiovascular events, thereby increasing all-cause deaths and fatal and non-fatal acute myocardial infarctions two- to three-fold.

CONCLUSION:

In elderly patients with documented coronary disease, a low ankle-brachial index (<0.9) was associated with the severity and extent of coronary arterial disease, and in late follow-up appointments, a low index was correlated with an increase in the occurrence of major cardiovascular events.