Frequency of obesity and related risk factors among school children and adolescents in a low-income community. A cross-sectional study

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: The frequency of obesity at an early age may contribute to atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease (CVD) in adults. This study measured the frequency of obesity and cardiovascular risk factors in children and adolescents aged 6 to 17 years. DESIGN AND SETTING: Cross-sectional study in a school located in a region of low income and socioeconomic status in Santa Rita do Sapucai, Minas Gerais, Brazil. METHODS: A total of 175 students were classified using body mass index (BMI) and their waist circumference, blood pressure, number of hours of sedentary behavior and school meals were evaluated. Serum concentrations of fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C) were analyzed. RESULTS: 37.2% of the students had BMI above the 85th percentile and had significantly lower age, higher prevalence of hypertension, higher serum TC, LDL-C and TG, and greater waist circumference than those with BMI below the 85th percentile. Hypertension was observed in 2.9% of the students; 5.1% presented impaired glucose tolerance, 40% had two risk factors for atherosclerosis and 26.9% had three risk factors. A sedentary lifestyle was significantly less prevalent among subjects with BMI above the 85th percentile and was significantly correlated with serum TC and LDL-C. The school meals were hypoglycemic, hyperproteic and hyperlipidemic. CONCLUSION: One third of the children and adolescents had weights greater than or equal to the age-adjusted weight, and this was associated with greater waist circumference, hypertension and prevalence of dyslipidemia

Herpesvirus Type 7 Infection May Play An Important Role In Individuals With A Genetic Profile Of Susceptibility To Graves' Disease.

An inherited profile of genes related to the response to aggressive environmental factors such as viruses and chemicals may be related to an increased susceptibility to Graves' disease (GD). This prospective case-control study was designed to examine the relationship between human herpesviruses (HHV) infection, determined by circulating DNA; tumour protein p53 (TP53) apoptotic ability; and detoxification system genes, and GD. We studied 280 confirmed GD patients paired to 284 controls with respect to environmental exposure. Exclusion criteria included medications that could interfere with thyroid function evaluation and a recent history of viral and bacterial infections. A stepwise regression analysis adjusted for age, gender, and ethnicity established the inheritance of glutathione S-transferase pi 1 (GSTP1) (odds ratio (OR)=3.423; 95% confidence interval (CI)=2.120-5.527; P<0.001) and cytochrome P450, family 1, subfamily A, polypeptide 1 (CYP1A1) variants (OR=1.649; 95% CI=1.012-2.686; P=0.0445) as significant risk factors for the disease. HHV-7 infection was much more common in GD patients (64.64%) than in controls (38.73%; chi(2), P<0.0001), and it increased the risk for GD more than three times (OR=3.133; 95% CI=1.959-5.011; P<0.0001). The inheritance of less efficient Pro/Pro TP53 gene variants significantly increased the risk of GD development (OR=5.196; 95% CI=2.112-12.783; P<0.0001) and also favored HHV-7 infection (OR=2.835; 95% CI=1.100-7.310; P=0.0275). In addition, 72TP53 variants augmented the risk of GD relapse (OR=1.860; 95% CI=1.015-3.410; P=0.0446). We suggest that an inherited genetic profile involving TP53 may favor HHV-7 infection and maintenance, which, in turn, may initiate and perpetuate GD autoimmune process.162315-2

High Serum Tsh Levels Are Associated With Depression In The Elderly.

In order to investigate the association between elevated serum TSH levels and depression in the elderly, we conducted a population-based study of 451 over 60-year-old outpatients of a general University Hospital. Patients were divided into Group I (GI) (248 individuals) with high serum TSH levels, but otherwise no important condition or disease, and Group II (GII) (203 patients) with no previous diagnosis of thyroid or mood disease, referred to the hospital because of nonthyroidal severe diseases. All patients were clinically examined and classified according to DMS-IV for mood disturbance and had serum TSH, free T4 levels and antithyroid antibodies measured. High serum TSH levels (11.6+/-14.8 mU/l) were observed in 65/203 (32%) patients of GII. Among these patients, 42/65 (65%) had normal free T4 concentrations (1.23+/-0.98 ng/dl), no clinical manifestation of hypothyroidism and thus were considered to present subclinical hypothyroidism. Depression was observed in 24 cases from GI (9.7%) and 29 from GII (14.3%) and was frequent in the subclinical hypothyroid patients (49%). Our results suggest that mood disturbances are frequent in the elderly with elevated serum TSH levels, but they do not differ in the primary hypothyroid and the nonthyroidal sick patients.36281-

Prenatal Vitamin Compounds Available In Brazil Are Not Suitable For Adequate Iodine Supplementation Of Pregnant Women.

2632

Serum selenium and selenoprotein-P levels in autoimmune thyroid diseases patients in a select center: a transversal study

ABSTRACT Objective: Selenium (Se) supplementation has been used to help prevent the progression of Graves’ ophthalmopathy (GO) and autoimmune thyroid diseases (AITD) patients. We investigated Se serum and selenoprotein P (SePP) levels in Graves’ disease (GD) with and without GO, Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) patients and in 27 control individuals (C). Subjects and methods: We studied 54 female and 19 male patients: 19 with GD without GO, 21 GD with GO, 14 with HT and 19 with HT+LT4. Se values were measured using graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Serum SePP levels were measured by ELISA. Results: Median Se levels were similar among all groups; GD patients: 54.2 (46.5-61.1 μg/L), GO: 53.6 (43.5-60.0 μg/L), HT: 51.9 (44.6-58.5 μg/L), HT+LT4 54.4 (44-63.4) and C group patients: 56.0 (52.4-61.5 μg/L); P = 0.48. However, serum SePP was lower in GO patients: 0.30 (0.15-1.05 μg/mL) and in HT patients: 0.35 (0.2-1.17 μg/mL) compared to C group patients: 1.00 (0.564.21 μg/mL) as well as to GD patients: 1.19 (0.62-2.5 μg/mL) and HT+LT4 patients: 0.7 (0,25-1.95); P = 0.002. Linear regression analysis showed a significant relationship between SePP and TPOAb values (r = 0.445, R2 = 0.293; P < 0.0001). Multiple regression analysis found no independent variables related to Se or SePP. Conclusion: A serum Se concentration was lower than in some other countries, but not significantly among AITD patients. The low serum SePP levels in GO and HT patients seems to express inflammatory reactions with a subsequent increase in Se-dependent protein consumption remains unclear

Serum selenium and selenoprotein-P levels in autoimmune thyroid diseases patients in a select center: a transversal study

<div><p>ABSTRACT Objective: Selenium (Se) supplementation has been used to help prevent the progression of Graves’ ophthalmopathy (GO) and autoimmune thyroid diseases (AITD) patients. We investigated Se serum and selenoprotein P (SePP) levels in Graves’ disease (GD) with and without GO, Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) patients and in 27 control individuals (C). Subjects and methods: We studied 54 female and 19 male patients: 19 with GD without GO, 21 GD with GO, 14 with HT and 19 with HT+LT4. Se values were measured using graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Serum SePP levels were measured by ELISA. Results: Median Se levels were similar among all groups; GD patients: 54.2 (46.5-61.1 μg/L), GO: 53.6 (43.5-60.0 μg/L), HT: 51.9 (44.6-58.5 μg/L), HT+LT4 54.4 (44-63.4) and C group patients: 56.0 (52.4-61.5 μg/L); P = 0.48. However, serum SePP was lower in GO patients: 0.30 (0.15-1.05 μg/mL) and in HT patients: 0.35 (0.2-1.17 μg/mL) compared to C group patients: 1.00 (0.564.21 μg/mL) as well as to GD patients: 1.19 (0.62-2.5 μg/mL) and HT+LT4 patients: 0.7 (0,25-1.95); P = 0.002. Linear regression analysis showed a significant relationship between SePP and TPOAb values (r = 0.445, R2 = 0.293; P < 0.0001). Multiple regression analysis found no independent variables related to Se or SePP. Conclusion: A serum Se concentration was lower than in some other countries, but not significantly among AITD patients. The low serum SePP levels in GO and HT patients seems to express inflammatory reactions with a subsequent increase in Se-dependent protein consumption remains unclear.</p></div