Evaluation of salivary protein patterns among a rural population exposed and non-exposed to arsenic-contaminated drinking water in areas of Tucumán (Argentina): a pilot study

Arsenic contamination in the environment and groundwater is a major global public health problem. Several researchers suggest that the toxicity of arsenic could be related to oral cancer development, usually resulting from potentially malignant lesions. During pathological processes, salivary proteins suffer modifications, which could lead to the discovery of new biomarkers. Objective: To analyze the protein profile in human saliva samples from a rural population exposed to high levels of arsenic in drinking water and its association with potentially malignant lesions. Methodology: This observational, analytic and cross-sectional design included 121 patients from the state of Graneros (Tucumán, Argentina). Arsenic concentration in drinking water was determined and, according to the values obtained, individuals were divided into 2 groups: exposed group and non-exposed group. Saliva samples were obtained, and total protein concentration was measured by Bradford method. Finally, Laemmli SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was conducted to obtain the protein profile. Results: Total protein concentration in saliva was lower in the exposed group than in the non-exposed group. Average areas of 20 and 42 KDa bands were significantly lower in exposed group than non-exposed group. Conclusion: Chronic intake of high arsenic concentrations in drinking water produces changes in the salivary protein profile, which is associated with the presence of potentially malignant lesions

Neighbourhood socioeconomic disadvantage and fruit and vegetable consumption:a seven countries comparison

BACKGROUND: Low fruit and vegetable consumption is a risk factor for poor health. Studies have shown consumption varies across neighbourhoods, with lower intakes in disadvantaged neighbourhoods. However, findings are inconsistent, suggesting that socio-spatial inequities in diet could be context-specific, highlighting a need for international comparisons across contexts. This study examined variations in fruit and vegetable consumption among adults from neighbourhoods of varying socioeconomic status (SES) across seven countries (Australia, Canada, Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Scotland, US). METHODS: Data from seven existing studies, identified through literature searches and knowledge of co-authors, which collected measures of both neighbourhood-level SES and fruit and vegetable consumption were used. Logistic regression was used to examine associations between neighbourhood-level SES and binary fruit and vegetable consumption separately, adjusting for neighbourhood clustering and age, gender and education. As much as possible, variables were treated in a consistent manner in the analysis for each study to allow the identification of patterns of association within study and to examine differences in the associations across studies. RESULTS: Adjusted analyses showed evidence of an association between neighbourhood-level SES and fruit consumption in Canada, New Zealand and Scotland, with increased odds of greater fruit intake in higher SES neighbourhoods. In Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Portugal, those residing in higher SES neighbourhoods had increased odds of greater vegetable intake. The other studies showed no evidence of a difference by neighbourhood-level SES. CONCLUSIONS: Acknowledging discrepancies across studies in terms of sampling, measures, and definitions of neighbourhoods, this opportunistic study, which treated data in a consistent manner, suggests that associations between diet and neighbourhood-level socioeconomic status vary across countries. Neighbourhood socioeconomic disadvantage may differentially impact on access to resources in which produce is available in different countries. Neighbourhood environments have the potential to influence behaviour and further research is required to examine the context in which these associations arise

Avaliação da função tubular renal de pacientes sobreviventes de insuficiência renal aguda severa submetidos à diálise

Introdução: Em torno de 30 a 50% dos pacientes críticos desenvolvem insuficiência renal aguda (IRA), sendo que sua progressão leva à necessidade de terapia renal substitutiva (TRS). Dentre os sobreviventes, em torno de 15 a 23% possuem a necessidade de diálise após alta. A ocorrência da insuficiência renal aguda tem sido associada à futura progressão para doença renal crônica. É possível que marcadores tubulares estejam alterados após a recuperação da IRA, antecipando o desenvolvimento de doença renal crônica. Objetivos: Comparar a β2 Microglobulina, as enzimas urinárias N-acetil- β-D-glucosaminidase, lactato desidrogenase e fosfatase alcalina, as frações de excreção de magnésio, fósforo, potássio e ácido úrico e o gradiente transtubular de potássio, bem como a presença de microalbuminúria e proteinúria entre pacientes normais sem qualquer história prévia de dano ou qualquer tipo de disfunção renal, com pacientes sobreviventes de IRA severa com necessidade de hemodiálise que recuperaram função renal de forma a avaliar se existem diferenças entre os 2 grupos. Métodos: Foram incluídos pacientes que apresentaram insuficiência renal aguda com necessidade de hemodiálise internados no centro de terapia intensiva (CTI) do Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre e que receberam alta nos períodos de 2007 a 2010, sem apresentar as seguintes co-morbidades: insuficiência renal crônica, hepatopatia crônica, pacientes HIV positivo, transplantados, doença vascular severa, diabetes com complicações crônicas e rim único funcionante e que apresentavam função renal normal definida por taxa de filtração glomerular > 60 mL/min/1.73m2 calculada pela equação CKD-EPI. Os mesmos foram comparados com voluntários sadios pareados por sexo e idade (+/- 4 anos). Para avaliação das frações de excreção e do gradiente transtubular de potássio foram feitas análises excluindo o uso de medicamentos diuréticos, inibidores da ECA e bloqueadores dos receptores de angiotensina. Resultados: A fração de excreção de magnésio encontrou-se aumentada no grupo com IRA prévia seguida por um menor gradiente transtubular de potássio bem como lactato desidrogenase elevada. O grupo com IRA prévia apresentou proteinúria e microalbuminúria e embora sem significância estatística (P=0,052) uma maior fração de excreção de fósforo. Conclusão: Mesmo com taxa de filtração glomerular normal comparável, os sujeitos do grupo com ira prévia apresentaram sugestivas alterações em nível tubular refletidas por maior fração de excreção de magnésio, elevada lactato desidrogenase e um menor gradiente transtubular de potássio, microalbuminúria e proteinúria que refletem um possível dano renal. Estes achados levam à hipótese de que sujeitos com prévia IRA severa com necessidade de terapia de renal substitutiva, apresentam uma possível sequela relativa à IRA prévia ou uma predisposição para insuficiência renal crônica.Background: About 30 to 50% of the critically ill patients develop acute renal failure (ARF) and the progression leads to the need of renal replacement therapy. Between the survivors 15 to 23% has the need of dialysis after discharge. The severity of the ARF is a robust predictor for the development of a future chronic kidney disease. The occurrence of acute renal failure has been associated with future progression of chronic kidney disease. Objective: Compare β2-microglobulin, the urinary enzymes N-acetyl-β- D-glucosaminidase, lactate dehydrogenase, alkaline phosphatase fractional excretion of magnesium, phosphorous, potassium and uric acid transtubular potassium gradient, including the presence of microalbuminuria and proteinuria between subjects with normal renal function without any previous history of acute renal injury or any kind of renal dysfunction with survivors of severe ARF with the needed of hemodialysis that recovered renal function in order to evaluate if there are differences between the 2 groups. Methods: It was enrolled patients that presented acute renal failure with the need of hemodialysis hospitalized on intensive care unit (ICU) and discharged on the period of 2007 to 2010 at Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, without the following co-morbidities chronic renal failure, chronic hepatopathy, positive HIV, transplants, severe vascular disease, diabetes with chronic complications and single functioning kidney that presented normal renal function defined as glomerular filtration rate (GFR) > 60 mL/min/1.73m2 calculated by CKD EPI formula The subjects were compared with healthy volunteers and paired by sex and age (+/- 4 years). To evaluate fractional excretions and transtubular potassium gradient, analyses were made excluding subjects that were taken diuretic medication, ACE inhibitors and angiotensin block receptors. Results: The fractional excretion of magnesium was finding increased on the previous ARF group followed by a lower transtubular potassium gradient and elevated lactate dehydrogenase. The previous ARF group showed proteinuria and microalbuminuria and although without statistical significance (p=0.052) an elevated phosphorous excretion. Conclusion: Although normal glomerular filtration rate, the subjects with previous ARF, showed suggested tubular alterations reflected by a higher fractional excretion of magnesium, elevated lactate dehydrogenase and a lower transtubular potassium gradient, microalbuminuria and proteinuria that reflects a possible renal damage. Those findings lead to the hypothesis that subjects with previous severe ARF with the need of renal replacement therapy present a possible sequel related to previous ARF or a predisposition to chronic kidney disease