Effects of spironolactone in spontaneously hypertensive adult rats subjected to high salt intake

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of spironolactone on ventricular stiffness in spontaneously hypertensive adult rats subjected to high salt intake. INTRODUCTION: High salt intake leads to cardiac hypertrophy, collagen accumulation and diastolic dysfunction. These effects are partially mediated by cardiac activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. METHODS: Male spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs, 32 weeks) received drinking water (SHR), a 1% NaCl solution (SHR-Salt), or a 1% NaCl solution with a daily subcutaneous injection of spironolactone (80 mg.kg-1) (SHRSalt- S). Age-matched normotensive Wistar rats were used as a control. Eight weeks later, the animals were anesthetized and catheterized to evaluate left ventricular and arterial blood pressure. After cardiac arrest, a doublelumen catheter was inserted into the left ventricle through the aorta to obtain in situ left ventricular pressurevolume curves. RESULTS: The blood pressures of all the SHR groups were similar to each other but were different from the normotensive controls (Wistar = 109±2; SHR = 118±2; SHR-Salt = 117±2; SHR-Salt-S = 116±2 mmHg; P<0.05). The cardiac hypertrophy observed in the SHR was enhanced by salt overload and abated by spironolactone (Wistar = 2.90±0.06; SHR = 3.44±0.07; SHR-Salt = 3.68±0.07; SHR-Salt-S = 3.46±0.05 mg/g; P<0.05). Myocardial relaxation, as evaluated by left ventricular dP/dt, was impaired by salt overload and improved by spironolactone (Wistar = -3698±92; SHR = -3729±125; SHR-Salt = -3342±80; SHR-Salt-S = -3647±104 mmHg/s; P<0.05). Ventricular stiffness was not altered by salt overload, but spironolactone treatment reduced the ventricular stiffness to levels observed in the normotensive controls (Wistar = 1.40±0.04; SHR = 1.60±0.05; SHR-Salt = 1.67±0.12; SHR-Salt- S = 1.45±0.03 mmHg/ml; P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Spironolactone reduces left ventricular hypertrophy secondary to high salt intake and ventricular stiffness in adult SHRs

The impact of Chikungunya chronic arthralgia on women’s upper limbs motor function: a crosssectional study

Post-Chikungunya chronic arthralgia (PCCA)may lead to musculoskeletal repercussions and functionalloss. The objective was to assess the upper limb physicaldisability and symptoms during daily, work, and leisureactivities of women presenting PCCA compared to healthycontrols (HC). This was a cross-sectional study conductedwith 52 women. The participants were divided into PCCA (37)and HC (15) groups. Handgrip strength, range of motion,level of pain (numerical rating scale), and participants’physical disability and symptoms (Disabilities of the Arm,Shoulder, and Hand Questionnaire – DASH) were evaluated.Differences between groups were evaluated using theStudents t-test and Pearson’s correlations. The chi-squaretest was applied for categorical variables. The significancewas set at α=0.05. The disease duration was 19.5±13.1 months.We found no differences between groups for peak force(PCAA:23.6±7.4kgf; HC: 24.5±6.2kgf; p=0.676). The resultsshowed a significant difference between groups regardingrange of motion (PCCA: 63.5±17.3o; HC: 77.2±9.6o), levelof hand pain (PCCA: 5.8±2.2; HC: 0.4±1.5), and upperlimbs functional levels (PCCA: 44.5±17.4; HC: 16.2±20.5).Participants related severe difficulty or inability to performtasks such as opening a jar (78.4%), placing objects abovehead height (48.7%), doing heavy household chores (56.8%),and gardening (51.4%). Impairment in the upper limb physicalfunction in daily, work, and leisure activities shows the higherprevalence in the long-termA artralgia crônica pós-Chikungunya (ACPC)pode gerar repercussões musculoesqueléticas e perdafuncional. Nesse sentido, o objetivo deste estudo foiavaliar a incapacidade física e os sintomas de membrossuperiores de mulheres com ACPC durante atividadesdiárias, laborais e de lazer comparadas aos controlessaudáveis (CS). Para tanto, realizou-se um estudotransversal conduzido com 52 mulheres. As participantesforam divididas entre os grupos com ACPC (37) eCS (15). Foram avaliados força de preensão, amplitude demovimento (ADM), nível de dor (escala numérica de dor)e incapacidade física e sintomas por meio do Disabilitiesof the Arm, Shoulder and Hand Questionnaire (Dash).Diferenças entre os grupos foram avaliadas pelo teste t de Student e correlações de Pearson. O teste qui-quadrado foiutilizado para variáveis categóricas e α=0,05 foi estabelecidocomo nível de significância. Verificou-se que a duração da ACPCfoi de 19,5±13,1 meses. Não houve diferença entre os grupospara a força pico (ACPC: 23,6±7,4kgf; CS: 24,5±6,2kgf; p=0,676).Os resultados demonstraram diferença significativa entre osgrupos em termos de ADM (ACPC: 63,5±17,3o; CS: 77,2±9,6o), nívelde dor nas mãos (ACPC: 5,8±2,2; CS: 0,4±1,5) e níveis funcionaisdos membros superiores (ACPC: 44,5±17,4; CS: 16,2±20,5).As participantes relataram extrema dificuldade ou incapacidadepara realizar tarefas como abrir um pote (78,4%), colocar objetosem um local acima da cabeça (48,7%), realizar atividadesdomésticas pesadas (56,8%) e atividades de jardinagem (51,4%).Conclui-se que a função física dos membros superiores duranteas atividades diárias, laborais e de lazer constitui o maiorcomprometimento apresentado a longo prazoLa artralgia crónica poschikunguña (ACPC) puedetener como efecto repercusiones musculoesqueléticas y pérdidafuncional. En este sentido, el objetivo de este estudio fue evaluarla discapacidad física y los síntomas de miembros superiores demujeres con ACPC durante las actividades diarias, laborales y deocio en comparación con controles sanos (CS). Por ello, se realizó unestudio transversal con 52 mujeres. Las participantes se dividieronen los grupos ACPC (37) y CS (15). La fuerza de agarre, el rango demovimiento (ROM), el nivel de dolor (escala numérica de dolor),la discapacidad física y los síntomas se evaluaron mediante elDisabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand Questionnaire (Dash).Las diferencias entre los grupos se evaluaron con la aplicación dela prueba t de Student y las correlaciones de Pearson. Se utilizó laprueba de chi-cuadrado para las variables categóricas y se estableciócomo nivel de significación α=0,05. Se encontró que la duraciónde la ACPC fue de 19,5±13,1 meses. No hubo diferencia entre losgrupos para la fuerza máxima (ACPC: 23,6±7,4kgf; CS: 24,5±6,2kgf;p=0,676). Los resultados mostraron una diferencia significativaentre los grupos respecto al ROM (ACPC: 63,5±17,3o; CS: 77,2±9,6o),el nivel de dolor en la mano (ACPC: 5,8±2,2; CS: 0,4±1,5) y los nivelesfuncionales de miembros superiores (ACPC: 44,5±17,4; CS: 16,2±20,5).Las participantes informaron una extrema dificultad o incapacidadpara realizar tareas como abrir un frasco (78,4%), poner objetos enun lugar más alto (48,7%), realizar actividades domésticas pesadas(56,8%) y actividades de jardinería (51,4%). Se concluyó que la funciónfísica de los miembros superiores durante las actividades diarias,laborales y de ocio constituye el mayor compromiso a largo plazo

Adherence to physical activity in adults with chronic diseases: ELSA-Brasil

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to investigate the adherence and the factors that influence adherence to physical activity in adults with dyslipidemia, hypertension, or diabetes. METHODS: The analyses were based on data collected at the baseline of the 14,521 participants from the study ELSA-Brasil aged between 35 and 74 years. The level of leisure time physical activity was determined using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Logistic regression analyses were performed to examine the influence of the demographic data, socioeconomic conditions, perceived health status, and access to exercise facilities in the neighborhood on adherence to physical activity. RESULTS: Men with hypertension and dyslipidemia were more active than women. The results show that 17.8%, 15.1%, and 13.9% of the subjects who reported dyslipidemia, hypertension, and diabetes, respectively, adhere to the physical activity recommendations. The factors positively associated with adherence were higher education and income. Older individuals who reported poor perceived health, were overweight and obese, regularly smoked, and had fewer opportunities to exercise in the neighborhood presented lower adherence. CONCLUSIONS: The number of adults with dyslipidemia, hypertension, and diabetes who adhere to the physical activity recommendations is very low. Higher education and income are positively associated with adherence, while age, excess body weight, negative perceived health, regular smoking, and lack of opportunity to exercise in the neighborhood were considered barriers to physical activity

Copyright © 2012 by Institute of Pharmacology Polish Academy of Sciences

colony-stimulating factor improves early remodeling in isoproterenol-induced cardiac injury in rat

Carvedilol prevents ovariectomy-induced myocardial contractile dysfunction in female rat.

Carvedilol has beneficial effects on cardiac function in patients with heart failure but its effect on ovariectomy-induced myocardial contractile dysfunction remains unclear. Estrogen deficiency induces myocardial contractile dysfunction and increases cardiovascular disease risk in postmenopausal women. Our aim was to investigate whether carvedilol, a beta receptor blocker, would prevent ovariectomy-induced myocardial contractile dysfunction. Female rats (8 weeks old) that underwent bilateral ovariectomy were randomly assigned to receive daily treatment with carvedilol (OVX+CAR, 20 mg/kg), placebo (OVX) and SHAM for 58 days. Left ventricle papillary muscle was mounted for isometric tension recordings. The inotropic response to Ca(2+) (0.62 to 3.75 mM) and isoproterenol (Iso 10(-8) to 10(-2 )M) were assessed. Expression of calcium handling proteins was measured by western blot analysis. Carvedilol treatment in the OVX animals: prevented weight gain and slight hypertrophy, restored the reduced positive inotropic responses to Ca(2+) and isoproterenol, prevented the reduction in SERCA2a expression, abolished the increase in superoxide anion production, normalized the increase in p22(phox) expression, and decreased serum angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) activity. This study demonstrated that myocardial contractile dysfunction and SERCA2a down regulation were prevented by carvedilol treatment. Superoxide anion production and NADPH oxidase seem to be involved in this response