Prevalence of constipation in adults with obesity class II and III and associated factors

BACKGROUND: Constipation and obesity have common risk factors. However, little is known about the occurrence of constipation in individuals with severe obesity and the associated factors. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prevalence of intestinal constipation and its associated factors in adults with obesity class II and III. METHOD: This study analyzed baseline data from a randomized clinical trial with adults aged 18–64 with a Body Mass Index (BMI) ≥ 35 kg/m2, living in the metropolitan region of Goiânia, Brazil. Data were collected using a questionnaire containing sociodemographic, lifestyle, level of obesity, presence of comorbidities, water intake and food consumption variables. The outcome variable was constipation assessed by the Rome III criteria and the Bristol Stool Form Scale. Multiple Poisson regression analysis was used to assess the association between explanatory variables and the outcome. RESULTS: Among the 150 participants, the prevalence of constipation was 24.67% (95% CI: 17.69–31.64). After multiple regression analyses constipation was associated with polypharmacy (adjusted PR: 2.99, 95% CI: 1.18–7.57, p = 0.021), younger age group i.e. 18–29 years (adjusted PR: 3.12, 95% CI: 1.21–8.06, p = 0.019) and former smoking (adjusted PR: 3.24, 95% CI: 1.28–9.14, p = 0.014). There was no statistically significant association between constipation and daily consumption of fiber-rich foods, however, the non-consumption of whole grains was borderline significant (adjusted PR: 2.92, 95% CI: 1.00 to 8.49, p = 0.050). CONCLUSION: A high prevalence of constipation was found in adults with obesity class II and III. Constipation was significantly associated with the simultaneous use of five or more medications, younger age group and being a former smoker

Serum and Dietary Vitamin D in Individuals with Class II and III Obesity: Prevalence and Association with Metabolic Syndrome

The association between vitamin D deficiency and metabolic syndrome (MS) in severe obesity is unclear and controversial. We analyzed serum and dietary vitamin D and their association with MS in 150 adults with class II and III obesity (BMI ≥ 35 kg/m2) from the DieTBra Trial (NCT02463435). MS parameters were high fasting blood glucose, low HDL cholesterol, high triglycerides, elevated waist circumference, and hypertension. Vitamin D deficiency was considered as a level &lt; 20 ng/mL. We performed multivariate Poisson regression adjusted for sociodemographic and lifestyle variables. The prevalence of serum vitamin D deficiency was 13.3% (mean 29.9 ± 9.4 ng/mL) and dietary vitamin D median was 51.3 IU/day. There were no significant associations between vitamin D, serum, and diet and sociodemographic variables, lifestyle, and class of obesity. Serum vitamin D deficiency was associated with age ≥ 50 years (p = 0.034). After a fully adjusted multivariate Poisson regression, MS and its parameters were not associated with serum or dietary vitamin D, except for lower HDL, which was associated with serum vitamin D deficiency (PR = 0.71, 95% CI 0.52–0.97; p = 0.029). Severe obese individuals had a low prevalence of vitamin D deficiency, which was not associated with MS.</jats:p

The Effectiveness of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and the Traditional Brazilian Diet in Reducing the Inflammatory Profile of Individuals with Severe Obesity: A Randomized Clinical Trial

We analyzed the effectiveness of two nutritional interventions alone and together, EVOO and the DieTBra, on the inflammatory profile of severely obese individuals. This study was an RCT with 149 individuals aged from 18 to 65 years, with a body mass index ≥ 35 kg/m2, randomized into three intervention groups: (1) 52 mL/day of EVOO (n = 50); (2) DieTBra (n = 49); and (3) DieTBra plus 52 mL/day of EVOO (DieTBra + EVOO, n = 50). The primary outcomes we measured were the-neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and the secondary outcomes we measured were the lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR); leukocytes; and C reactive protein (CRP). After 12 weeks of intervention, DieTBra + EVOO significantly reduced the total leucocytes (p = 0.037) and LMR (p = 0.008). No statistically significant differences were found for the NLR in neither the intra-group and inter-group analyses, although a slight reduction was found in the DieTBra group (−0.22 ± 1.87). We observed reductions in the total leukocytes and LMR in the three groups, though without statistical difference between groups. In conclusion, nutritional intervention with DietBra + EVOO promotes a significant reduction in inflammatory biomarkers, namely leukocytes and LMR. CRP was reduced in EVOO and DieTBra groups and NLR reduced in the DieTBra group. This study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov under NCT02463435

Bone Mineral Density in Severely Obese Women: Health Risk and Health Protective Risk Factors in Three Different Bone Sites

Factors associated with bone mineral density (BMD) are poorly known in severely obese individuals i.e., a body mass index (BMI) > 35 kg/m^{2}. The objectives of this study were to describe the bone health profile of severely obese Brazilian women, to identify the health risk and health protective factors for BMD in this group and to assess whether these factors vary according to three different bone sites. BMD was assessed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). This study analyzed baseline data from 104 women who had an average BMI of 43.7 ± 4.5 kg/m^{2} and presented the following BMD status: 1.283 ± 0.094 g/cm2 for total body, 1.062 ± 0.159 g/cm^{2} for vertebral column and 1.195 ± 0.134 g/cm2 for hip. They took part in the “Effect of nutritional intervention and olive oil in severe obesity” randomized clinical trial (DieTBra Trial). The risk factors negatively associated with lower BMD were age ≥50 years for the three bone sites i.e., total body, vertebral column and hip. Smoking for total body BMD (p = 0.045); BMI ≥ 50kg/m^{2} for vertebral column and hip; menopause for hip; high C-reactive protein (CRP) levels (p = 0.049), insufficient zinc (p = 0.010) and previous fracture for vertebral column (p = 0.007). The protective factors positively associated with BMD were physical activity (≥150 min/week (p = 0.001)) for hip; type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) (p < 0.0001) total body and adequate vitamin D levels from food consumption (p = 0.039) for vertebral column. A BMI ≥ 50 kg/m^{2} was a risk factor for lower BMD. The findings showed that protective and risk factors varied by bone site. The original study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov. (protocol number: NCT02463435)

Osmotic tolerance and freezability of isolated caprine early-staged follicles

Isolated caprine early-staged follicles were submitted to osmotic tolerance tests in the presence of sucrose, ethylene glycol (EG), or NaCl solutions and were exposed to and cryopreserved (by slow or rapid cooling) in MEM alone or MEM supplemented with sucrose, EG (1.0 or 4.0 M), or both. When follicles were exposed to 1.5 M NaCl, only 2% of the follicles were viable, whereas 87% of the follicles were viable after exposure to 4.0 M EG. Regarding exposure time, the highest percentage of viable follicles was obtained when follicles were exposed for 10 min to 1.0 M EG + 0.5 M sucrose; exposure for 60 s to 4.0 M EG + 0.5 M sucrose also maintained high percentage viability in follicles. Slow cooling in the presence of 1.0 M EG + 0.5 M sucrose (75%) or rapid cooling in the presence of 4.0 M EG + 0.5 M sucrose (71%) resulted in a significantly higher proportion of viable follicles than all other treatments (P < 0.05). A 24-h culture of frozen-thawed follicles was used to assess survival; only slow-frozen follicles showed viability rates similar to control follicles (64% vs. 69% respectively; P > 0.05). Interestingly, the percentage of viable rapid-cooled follicles (59%) was similar to that obtained after in vitro culture of conventional slow-cooled follicles but was significantly lower than that in controls. Thus, in addition to determining improved procedures for the exposure of follicles to EG and sucrose before and after freezing of caprine early-staged follicles, we report the development of rapid- and slow-cooling protocols

Morphologic and Genetic Analysis of Synhimantus (Synhimantus) laticeps from a Long-Eared Owl (Asio otus)

The long-eared owl (Asio otus) is a medium-sized owl species that is well-distributed in almost all of the territories in Portugal. Nematodes were found in the oral cavity of a long-eared owl (A. otus) admitted to CRASSA (Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre of Santo Andre). During a physical exam and stabilization of the bird, five nematodes were collected. The worms were examined and measured under light microscopy, and photos were taken. After a morphological analysis was conducted, all the nematodes (five females) were identified as Synhimantus (Synhimantus) laticeps. Two specimens were subjected to molecular analysis, which confirmed the result. This study provides a combined morphological and genetic approach to S. laticeps. To the authors' best knowledge, this is the first report including genetic sequencing of S. laticeps in a long-eared owl (A. otus) from Portugal.This work was supported by the projects UIDB/CVT/00772/2020 and LA/P/0059/2020 funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT). S.S.-S. thanks FCT for the financial support of his PhD work under the 2021 scholarship 2021.09461.BD contract through the Maria de Sousa-2021 program

First report of human Thelazia callipaeda infection in Portugal

The zoonotic parasitic nematode Thelazia callipaeda, also known as the oriental eye worm, is endemic in several European countries, including Portugal. Infections may result in ocular disease in domestic and wild animals as well as humans, with more or less severe manifestations. We report the first human case of ocular thelaziosis by T. callipaeda in Portugal, a country where the parasite had already been found to infect dogs, cats, red foxes, wild rabbits and a beech marten. An 80-year-old patient from east-central Portugal, who had been suffering from tearing for a few years, had whitish filiform fragments removed from the left eye. Polymerase chain reaction of partial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 and 18S small subunit rRNA genes followed by bidirectional sequencing and BLAST analysis confirmed T. callipaeda haplotype 1, the only haplotype previously reported in Europe. The endemicity of T. callipaeda in domestic and wild animals in east-central Portugal makes it very likely that infection of the human patient had occurred locally. In east-central and other geographical areas of Portugal, veterinarians and physicians, especially ophthalmologists, should regard T. callipaeda as a cause of ocular pathology in animals and humans. © 2022This work was supported by national funds, through Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT, Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology), under projects UIDB/CVT/00772/2020 and LA/P/0059/2020, and also projects UIDB/04750/2020 and LA/P/0064/2020

Erratum to “Gastroenteropancreatic Neuroendocrine Neoplasia Characterization in Portugal: Results from the NETs Study Group of the Portuguese Society of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism”

In the article titled "Gastroenteropancreatic Neuroendocrine Neoplasia Characterization in Portugal: Results from the NETs Study Group of the Portuguese Society of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism"[1], the affiliation for I. Claro was labeled incorrectly. The correct affiliation of the author I. Claro is Instituto Portugûes de Oncologia de Lisboa, Francisco Gentil (IPOLFG), 1099-023 Lisboa, Portugal

Choque Séptico Secundário a Peritonite Bacteriana Espontânea em Doente com Drepanocitose e Hepatite Auto-Imune

Introdução: A doença de células falciformes (DCF) e a doença hepática autoimune (HAI) podem coexistir. A HAI grave pode associar-se a cirrose e ascite sendo a peritonite bacteriana espontânea (PBE) uma das complicações infeciosas mais comuns. Descrição do caso: Adolescente de 17 anos, sexo feminino, com DCF e HAI-1 em estadio cirrótico e ascite refratária, sob terapêutica imunossupressora, diuréticos, rifaximina e hidroxicarbamida. Internada por crise vaso-oclusiva para analgesia endovenosa. Em D3, por suspeita de síndrome torácico agudo, iniciou ceftriaxone e posteriormente claritromicina (D9), por agravamento clínico. Em D10 reiniciou febre e queixas álgicas com agravamento da distensão abdominal e hipotensão (TA 53/27mmHg). Analiticamente: agravamento da anemia (Hb 7.9g/dL) e dos parâmetros de infecção (25400/µL leucócitos, 84,1% neutrófilos), PCR 1 mg/dL. Administrada expansão com NaCl 0.9%, transfusão de concentrado eritrocitário e foi transferida pelo TIHP para a UCIP. Na admissão apresentava TAM 49 mmHg, distensão abdominal e sinal de onda líquida. Repetiu bólus de NaCl 0.9% e iniciou dopamina que manteve até D2, realizou transfusão/permuta (HbS pré: 60%) e albumina (D1 e D3). Realizou paracentese com saída de líquido ascítico (LA) com 1527 leucócitos/uL, 778/uL PMN, confirmando PBE. Os exames culturais (LA e sangue) foram negativos. Completou 10 dias de piperacilina-tazobactam, 7 de amicacina e 7 de teicoplanina com evolução clínica e analítica favorável. Discussão: Apresenta-se um caso de elevada complexidade. A correção do choque, diagnóstico de PBE e a antibioticoterapia precoce, associados a transfusão/permuta possibilitaram a boa evolução. O caso é paradigmático de duas doenças graves concomitantes com equilíbrio delicado.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio