Metabolic syndrome in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus genotype 1 infection who do not have obesity or type 2 diabetes

OBJECTIVE: The individual components of metabolic syndrome may be independent predictors of mortality in patients with liver disease. We aimed to evaluate the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its related components in hepatitis C virus-infected patients who are not obese and do not have type 2 diabetes. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 125 patients infected with hepatitis C virus genotype 1. Metabolic syndrome was defined according to the International Diabetes Federation. Anthropometric data were measured according to standardized procedures. Bioimpedance analysis was performed on all patients. RESULTS: Metabolic syndrome was diagnosed in 21.6&#37; of patients. Of the subjects with metabolic syndrome, 59.3&#37; had hypertension, 77.8&#37; had insulin resistance, 85.2&#37; were overweight, 48.1&#37; had a high waist circumference, 85.2&#37; had an increased body fat percentage, and 92.3&#37; had an elevated waist:hip ratio. In the bivariate analysis, female sex (OR 2.58; 95&#37; CI: 1.09-6.25), elevated gamma-glutamyl transferase (&#947;GT) (OR 2.63; 95&#37; CI: 1.04-7.29), elevated fasting glucose (OR 8.05; 95&#37; CI: 3.17-21.32), low HDL cholesterol (OR 2.80; 95&#37; CI: 1.07-7.16), hypertriglyceridemia (OR 7.91; 95&#37; CI: 2.88-22.71), elevated waist circumference (OR 10.33; 95&#37; CI: 3.72-30.67), overweight (OR 11.33; 95&#37; CI: 3.97-41.07), and increased body fat percentage (OR 8.34; 95&#37; CI: 2.94-30.08) were independent determinants of metabolic syndrome. Using the final multivariate regression model, similar results were observed for abdominal fat (OR 9.98; 95&#37; CI: 2.63-44.41) and total body fat percentage (OR 8.73; 95&#37; CI: 2.33-42.34). However, metabolic syndrome risk was also high for those with blood glucose >5.55 mmol/L or HDL cholesterol <0.9 mmol/L (OR 16.69; 95&#37; CI: 4.64-76.35; OR 7.23; 95&#37; CI: 1.86-32.63, respectively). CONCLUSION: Metabolic syndrome is highly prevalent among hepatitis C virus-infected patients without type 2 diabetes or obesity. Metabolic syndrome was significantly associated with hypertension, insulin resistance, increased abdominal fat, and overweight

Prescribed use of methylphenidate hydrochloride and its correlates among Brazilian college students

Background: The prevalence of prescribed use of methylphenidate (MPH) and its correlates are not well-known in Brazil. Objective: To estimate the prevalence of prescribed use of MPH and its correlates in a sample of Brazilian college students. Methods: Twelve-thousand seven hundred and eleven college students filled out a drug use questionnaire. They were divided into two groups based on the lifetime use of MPH: MPH users (MPHU) and MPH non-users (MPHNU). Quasi-binomial regression models were carried out in order to evaluate the correlation among MPHU and other variables. Results: A lifetime use of MPH was reported from 0.9% of college students (MPHU). Being from the Midwest (PR = 4.8, p &lt; 0.01) and South (PR = 5.2, p &lt; 0.05), living in students housing (PR = 5.8, p &lt; 0.001), prescribed use of amphetamines (PR = 8.9, p &lt; 0.001) and benzodiazepines (&lt; 3 weeks: PR = 4.4, p &lt; 0.001; &gt;= 3 weeks: PR = 6.7, p &lt; 0.001), and harmful use of alcohol (PR = 4.0, p &lt; 0.05) were correlated with MPHU. Discussion: The association of alcohol and drug use with prescribed use of MPH among college students suggests the importance of screening drinking patterns and use of other drugs among students with ADHD symptoms. Cesar ELR, et al. / Rev Psiq Clin. 2012; 39(6):183-

Força muscular respiratória de mulheres obesas mórbidas e eutróficas

The morbid obesity is a clinical condition that affects functional capacity, and the respiratory muscles are also impaired. This study aimed to evaluate the inspiratory and expiratory muscle strength of morbidly obese women (OW) and eutrophic women (EW). Cross-sectional study, whose sample was composed by 21 women (14 OW and 7 EW) paired by age and height. Inspiratory and expiratory muscle strength evaluation was carried out by means of maximal inspiratory and expiratory pressure recordings (MIP and MEP, respectively) using manovacuometry. When comparing the maximal static respiratory pressures with predicted values for OW and EW, we observed that EW presented values of MIP=119.14±1.9 cmH2O (152% of predicted value) and MEP=141.1±10.2 cmH2O (98.5% of predicted value) within or above normal limits, while in OW group, MIP=66±18.7 cmH2O (84.3% of predicted value) and MEP=78.4±14.2 cmH2O (54.3% of predicted value) were lower than the predicted values. When comparing maximal static respiratory pressures of OW and EW, we observed a significant difference for MIP (66±18.7 versus 119±1.9 cmH2O) and MEP=78.4±14.2 versus 141.14±10.20) with statistical significance of 0.001. We conclude that respiratory muscle strength is notably decreased in OW when compared to EW.A obesidade mórbida é uma condição clínica que afeta a capacidade funcional, sendo a musculatura respiratória igualmente comprometida. Objetivou-se avaliar a força muscular inspiratória e expiratória de mulheres obesas mórbidas (MO) e eutróficas (ME). Estudo transversal com amostra composta por 21 mulheres (14 MO e 7 ME), pareadas pela idade e altura. A avaliação da força muscular inspiratória e expiratória foi realizada por meio da verificação das pressões inspiratória e expiratória por manovacuometria. Quando comparadas as pressões respiratórias estáticas máximas obtidas com os valores preditos para ME e MO, constata-se que as do primeiro grupo apresentam valores de P Imáx=119,14±1,9 cmH2O (152% do predito) e P Emáx=141,1±10,2 cmH2O (98,5% do predito) dentro dos limites de normalidade ou acima, enquanto no grupo de obesas mórbidas os valores de P Imáx=66±18,7 cmH2O (84,3% do predito) e P Emáx=78,4±14,2 cmH2O (54,3% do predito) foram inferiores aos preditos. Comparando-se as pressões respiratórias estáticas máximas obtidas de MO com ME, observa-se diferença significativa tanto para os valores de P Imáx (66±18,7 versus 119±1,9 cmH2O) como P Emáx (78,4±14,2 versus 141,14±10,20) com significância estatística de 0,001. Conclui-se que a força muscular respiratória é marcadamente diminuída em MO, quando comparadas a ME

Visão de massa

O futebol é o esporte mais praticado no mundo. Sabedor disso a mídia tende a massificá-lo, pois ele está inserido em muitas culturas, o que facilita o acesso das grandes empresas e o marketing dos seus produtos... O que as mídias propiciam, num primeiro momento, é um grande mosaico sem estrutura lógica aparente, composto de informações desconexas, em geral descontextualizadas e recebidas individualmente, não instaurando portanto, um verdadeiro processo de comunicação. (BETTI,2003,p.93) xxx(livro)259.&nbsp; Desde seu início o futebol teve um imenso empurrão das mídias, por ele ser um dos únicos de sua época a ser jogado com os pés, logo caiu no gosto popular por ser algo diferente de tudo que já existia. Por causa dessa força popular que se criou, vários políticos começaram a usar isso a seu favor, investindo em times de massa para autopromoção, o futebol tem alto relevância no cunho histórico-político, e até foi capaz de pausar guerras para que todos pudessem assistir partidas.&nbsp