Erythropoietin doping as cause of sudden death in athletes: an experimental study

Aims: To evaluate the cardiovascular (CV) effects of rhEPO treatment in rats under chronic aerobic exercise and to assess the probable cause of sudden death in one rat. Protocol: Male Wistar rats: control - sedentary; rhEPO - 50 IU/Kg/3xwk; swimming (EX) -1 hr, 3x/wk; EX+EPO. Hematology, catecholamines and serotonin, redox status and inflammation, were assessed. One rat of EX+EPO group suffered a sudden death episode. Results: rhEPO treatment in trained rats promoted several markers of increased CV risk. The sudden death rat tissues presented: lungs without signs of drowning; brain with vascular congestion; LV hypertrpphy and deregulations of cardiac fibers, together with a "cardiac liver", suggesting the hypothesis of heart failure as cause of death. Conclusion: The sudden death of a EX+EPO rat, due to a cardiac episode, together with the increased CV risk profile, strongly suggest a high life risk associated to the continuous rhEPO doping. The anatomo-pathological studies were determinant to establish the cause of death

Are there differences in auscultatory pulse in total blood flow restriction between positions, limbs and body segments?

Verification of the auscultatory pulse in total blood flow restriction (BFR) has been a limiting factor in studies due to the way in which it is evaluated and prescribed, as hemodynamic measurements can be directly affected by gravity. The aim of the present study was to compare the auscultatory pulse in BFR between positions, genders, limbs and body segments in healthy young individuals. A total of 156 subjects participated in the study, 76 of whom were male and 80 of whom were female (23.9±3.7 years, 66.5±11.5 kg, 1.67±0.07 m). After filling in registration data, anthropometry was evaluated, and BFR pressure was determined. BFR was evaluated in a randomized manner in both limbs (upper and lower) and in both segments (right and left) in the following positions: a) lying in the supine position; B) sitting with knees and trunk at 90°; and c) standing in the anatomical position. Significant differences were observed between the lying, sitting and standing positions (p0.05). The BFR point appears to differ between positions, genders, lower limbs and segments. Therefore, it is recommended that health professionals should check the BFR point in the position relating to the exercise that will be performed, taking into account gender, lower limbs and body segments

Efeitos hemorreológicos e cardiovasculares da eritropoietina num modelo de rato em exercício físico sob a acção de drogas

Recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) has been therapeutically used for correction of anaemia. However, due to the increase in circulating red blood cells (RBCs) it promotes, thus increasing oxygen delivery to muscles and improving performance in sport, it has been also illegally used as sports doping. Besides the well known increase of hematocrit and blood viscosity; which might cause serious complications for the athletes, other disturbances could occur, whose mechanisms remain to be fully elucidated. This study aimed to evaluate the hemorheological and cardiovascular effects of administration of rhEPO to rats under chronic aerobic exercise. A ten week-protocol was performed in four male Wistar rat groups: control — sedentary; rhEPO — 50 IV/kg, 3 times/wk; exercised (EX) — swimming for 1 hr, 3 times/ wk; EX+rhEPO. rhEPO in trained rats promoted erythrocyte count increase, hypertension, heart hypertro-phy, sympathetic and serotonergic overactivation, as well as a trend to increased oxidative stress. In conclusion, rhEPO doping in rats under chronic exercise promotes not only the expected increased hematocrit, but also other serious deleterious cardiovascular and thromboembolic modifications, including live risk, which might be known and assumed by all sports authorities, including athletes and their physicians.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Diversidade genética entre indivíduos de Spondias lutea L. procedentes do baixo são francisco sergipano, por meio de marcadores rapd

A recuperação de matas ciliares com mudas que apresentam o máximo de diversidade genética possível é de suma importância para a conservação das espécies. Assim, este estudo foi realizado com o objetivo de caracterizar geneticamente, por meio de marcadores RAPD, indivíduos de Spondias lutea L. (cajá), com a finalidade de elaborar estratégias de produção de sementes para a recuperação de mata ciliar. O estudo foi realizado em uma área de mata ciliar no Baixo São Francisco sergipano, onde foi coletado material foliar de 17 indivíduos para a análise de RAPD. A extração de DNA foi realizada por meio de tampão CTAB 2%, e para a geração de polimorfismo foram empregados 17 oligonucleotídios. A matriz binária construída com presença (1) e ausência de bandas (0) foi usada para o cálculo da estimativa de similaridade genética e, a partir desta, foi feita a representação simplificada das similaridades, pelo método de agrupamento UPGMA, e a estabilidade dos agrupamentos foi testada pela análise "bootstrap". Para visualização da divergência entre os indivíduos, realizou-se o agrupamento dos indivíduos pelo método de Tocher. A matriz de distância genética foi comparada com a matriz de distância geográfica pelo teste de Mantel, com a finalidade de verificar se há correlação entre as mesmas. A similaridade genética média entre os indivíduos foi de 46,8%, e a amplitude das similaridades variou de 21 a 78%. Não houve associação entre as distâncias genéticas e geográficas (r = 0,08). Com o método de agrupamento de Tocher, houve a formação de cinco grupos e o valor mínimo de similaridade calculado, acima do qual os indivíduos são considerados geneticamente iguais, foi igual a 91%. Assim, os indivíduos analisados são considerados divergentes e podem ser utilizados como matrizes porta-sementes em programas de produção de sementes para a recuperação de mata ciliar