Defective Adaption of Erythrocytes During Acute Hypoxia Injury in an Elderly Population

The present study investigated the changes in several erythrocyte oxidative stress biomarkers in hypoxic elderly individuals to analyze the deleterious effects of low oxyhemoglobin saturation in an elderly population. We collected blood samples from one normoxic middle-aged group and two groups composed of individuals older than 75 years of age: one normoxic group and one hypoxic group. Aging appeared to provoke a defective erythrocyte antioxidant defense associated with increased oxidative damage in the elderly population. Acute hypoxia activated an insufficient antioxidant defense response as suggested by the oxidative damage observed. The oxidative imbalance presented in older participants and increased in hypoxia participants had a direct effect on glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase cell distribution. Oxidative stress levels altered Band 3 protein and mediated caspase-3 activation in erythrocyte from the aged group although it was not extended to hypoxic individuals. Therefore, aged participants appeared to activate an insufficient antioxidant response against hypoxia-related oxidative stress.Instituto Carlos III (FISS-06-RD06/0013/0011); Ministerio de Agricultura and FEDER (INIA RTA2007-00087-C02-02); FICYT (Gobierno del Principado de Asturias) (IB09-134)

Impact of interstitial lung disease on the survival of systemic sclerosis with pulmonary arterial hypertension

To assess severity markers and outcomes of patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) with or without pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH-SSc/non-PAH-SSc), and the impact of interstitial lung disease (ILD) on PAH-SSc. Non-PAH-SSc patients from the Spanish SSc registry and PAH-SSc patients from the Spanish PAH registry were included. A total of 364 PAH-SSc and 1589 non-PAH-SSc patients were included. PAH-SSc patients had worse NYHA-functional class (NYHA-FC), worse forced vital capacity (FVC) (81.2 +/- 20.6% vs 93.6 +/- 20.6%, P < 0.001), worse tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) (17.4 +/- 5.2 mm vs 19.9 +/- 6.7 mm, P < 0.001), higher incidence of pericardial effusion (30% vs 5.2%, P < 0.001) and similar prevalence of ILD (41.8% vs. 44.9%). In individuals with PAH-SSc, ILD was associated with worse hemodynamics and pulmonary function tests (PFT). Up-front combination therapy was used in 59.8% and 61.7% of patients with and without ILD, respectively. Five-year transplant-free survival rate was 41.1% in PAH-SSc patients and 93.9% in non-PAH-SSc patients (P < 0.001). Global survival of PAH-SSc patients was not affected by ILD regardless its severity. The multivariate survival analysis in PAH-SSc patients confirmed age at diagnosis, worse NYHA-FC, increased PVR, reduced DLCO, and lower management with up-front combination therapy as major risk factors. In conclusion, in PAH-SSc cohort risk of death was greatly increased by clinical, PFT, and hemodynamic factors, whereas it was decreased by up-front combination therapy. Concomitant ILD worsened hemodynamics and PFT in PAH-SSc but not survival regardless of FVC impairment

Impact of interstitial lung disease on the survival of systemic sclerosis with pulmonary arterial hypertension

To assess severity markers and outcomes of patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) with or without pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH-SSc/non-PAH-SSc), and the impact of interstitial lung disease (ILD) on PAH-SSc. Non-PAH-SSc patients from the Spanish SSc registry and PAH-SSc patients from the Spanish PAH registry were included. A total of 364 PAH-SSc and 1589 non-PAH-SSc patients were included. PAH-SSc patients had worse NYHA-functional class (NYHA-FC), worse forced vital capacity (FVC) (81.2 ± 20.6% vs 93.6 ± 20.6%, P &lt; 0.001), worse tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) (17.4 ± 5.2 mm vs 19.9 ± 6.7 mm, P &lt; 0.001), higher incidence of pericardial effusion (30% vs 5.2%, P &lt; 0.001) and similar prevalence of ILD (41.8% vs. 44.9%). In individuals with PAH-SSc, ILD was associated with worse hemodynamics and pulmonary function tests (PFT). Up-front combination therapy was used in 59.8% and 61.7% of patients with and without ILD, respectively. Five-year transplant-free survival rate was 41.1% in PAH-SSc patients and 93.9% in non-PAH-SSc patients (P &lt; 0.001). Global survival of PAH-SSc patients was not affected by ILD regardless its severity. The multivariate survival analysis in PAH-SSc patients confirmed age at diagnosis, worse NYHA-FC, increased PVR, reduced DLCO, and lower management with up-front combination therapy as major risk factors. In conclusion, in PAH-SSc cohort risk of death was greatly increased by clinical, PFT, and hemodynamic factors, whereas it was decreased by up-front combination therapy. Concomitant ILD worsened hemodynamics and PFT in PAH-SSc but not survival regardless of FVC impairment

Long-term training induces a healthy inflammatory and endocrine emergent biomarker profile in elderly men

The objective of the present study was to investigate the changes in a large panel of emergent geriatric biomarkers in long-term trained elderly men to analyze the effects of long-term exercise on an aged population. We collected blood samples from two groups of male volunteers older than 65 years who maintain a measure of functional independence: one group of sedentary subjects without a history of regular physical activity and the other of subjects who have sustained training, starting during adulthood (mean training time = 49 ± 8 years). We studied morbidity, polypharmacy, cellular and serological inflammatory parameters, and endocrine mediators. After adjusting for confounding factors, we observed reduced medication intake per subject and lower number of diseases per subject with statistical differences nearly significant in the long-term exercise group. We showed that long-term training was associated with lower levels of white blood cell counts, neutrophil counts, interleukin-6, interleukin-10, interleukin-1 receptor antagonist, and soluble TNF receptor-I. Furthermore, we noted an increase in the concentrations of insulin-like growth factor-1 and dehydroepiandrosterone in the long-term training group. We concluded that long-term exercise training from adulthood to old age is clearly associated with a healthy profile of emergent geriatric biomarkers. Long-term training could improve the inflammatory–endocrine imbalance associated with disease, frailty, functional decline, and mortality in elderly men. Our results point to the benefits of prolonged exercise from adulthood to old age

Juegos de ayer... para niños de hoy

Como resultado de este trabajo se publicó un libro con el mismo título. Este proyecto participó en el Programa Aula Abierta de la Dirección Regional de Educación de 1997Un grupo de profesores de Educación Física de cinco colegios del concejo de Corvera de Asturias (Cancienes, Las Vegas y Los Campos), tomaron la iniciativa de recuperar juegos infantiles, que en algunos casos eran desconocidos por sus alumnos. A lo largo de dos años de investigación y recopilación, en la que colaboraron alumnos y familiares, lograron reunir más de cien juegos con multitud de variantes, según la zona (el origen de la población de la zona es dispar al producirse una migración interior importante en la época de la industrialización siderometalúrgica de la comarca). Juegos tan tradicionales como las canicas, las chapas, el cascayu, el aro, la gancheta, la goma, la llave, la peonza, la rana, los zancos aparecen en unas fichas que contienen un texto explicativo, ilustraciones y en algunos casos las letras de las canciones de acompañamiento de los juegos. Cada juego se presenta con una relación de símbolos que informan del tipo de juego que es (número de participantes, de interior o exterior, si es de inteligencia, habilidad, de azar o corporal) así como la duración media del juego y el tiempo de preparación estimado. Desde el curso 1993-94 en junio todos los años se reunen diversos grupos de los colegios de la zona para celebrar una 'Olimpiada de juegos de antes' y en mayo de 1996 se hizo la 'Primera Olimpiada Regional de juegos de antes' con participación de alumnos de toda Asturias.AsturiasES