Effects of an exercise program on hepatic metabolism, hepatic fat, and cardiovascular health in overweight/obese adolescents from Bogotá, Colombia (the HEPAFIT study): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Background: A considerable proportion of contemporary youth have a high risk of obesity-related disorders such as cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, or non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Although there is consistent evidence for the positive effects of physical activity on several health aspects, most adolescents in Colombia are sedentary. It is, therefore, important to implement strategies that generate changes in lifestyle. The HEPAFIT study aims to examine whether a 6-month exercise program has benefits for hepatic fat content and cardiovascular health outcomes among overweight/obese adolescents from Bogotá, Colombia. Methods/design: Altogether, 100 hundred overweight/obese, sedentary adolescents (aged 11–17 years) attending two public schools in Bogotá, Colombia, will be included in a parallel-group randomized controlled trial. Adolescents will be randomly assigned to an intervention group following one of four curricula: (1) the standard physical education curriculum (60 min per week of physical activity, n = 25) at low-to-moderate intensity; (2) a high-intensity physical education curriculum (HIPE, n = 25), consisting of endurance and resistance games and non-competitive activities, such as running, gymkhanas, lifting, pushing, wrestling, or hauling, for 60-min sessions, three times per week, with an energy expenditure goal of 300 to 500 kcal/session at 75–85% maximum heart rate (HRmax); (3) a low-to-moderate intensity physical education curriculum (LIPE, n = 25) consisting of endurance and resistance games and non-competitive activities (e.g., chasing, sprinting, dribbling, or hopping) for 60-min sessions, three times per week with an energy expenditure goal of 300 kcal/session at 55–75% HRmax; and (4) a combined HIPE and LIPE curriculum (n = 25). The HIPE, LIPE, and combined interventions were performed in addition to the standard physical education curriculum. The primary outcome for effectiveness is liver fat content, as measured by the controlled attenuation parameter 1 week after the end of the intervention program. Discussion: The translational focus may be suitable for collecting new information in a school setting on the possible effects of physical activity interventions to reduce liver fat content and to improve metabolic profiles and the cardiometabolic health of overweight/obese adolescents. This may lead to the more efficient use of school physical education resources.The HEPAFIT study was carried out with the financial support of Instituto Colombiano para el Desarrollo de la Ciencia y la Tecnología “Francisco José de Caldas” COLCIENCIAS (code 59700 and no 122277757900). Katherine González-Ruíz receive a scholarship from Universidad del Rosario, Colombia, Escuela de Medicina y Ciencias de la Salud, to do a Doctorate. This article presents independent research commissioned by COLCIENCIAS under its Program Grants for Applied Research funding scheme (Convocatoria 777–2017)

A broad range of symptoms in allgrove syndrome: single center experience in Southeast Anatolia

PMID = 3143588

The evaluation of thiol-disulfide homeostasis in children with Triple-A syndrome

OBJECTIVE: Triple-A syndrome occurs due to the dysfunction of the ALADIN protein as a result of a mutation in the AAAS gene. ALADIN is involved in redox homeostasis in human adrenal cells and steroidogenesis. It has also been shown to have important roles in DNA repair and the protection of cells against oxidative stress. We planned to investigate serum thiol/disulfide homeostasis, which is a part of redox hemostasis in patients with Triple-A syndrome. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study included patients with the Triple-A syndrome (26 patients) and healthy children (26 patients). Thiol and disulfide levels of patients and healthy groups were compared. In addition, patients with the Triple-A syndrome were divided into 2 subgroups according to the mutation type, and their thiol and disulfide levels were compared. RESULTS: Triple-A syndrome patients had increased native thiol (SH), total thiol (SH+SS) concentrations, and native thiol/total thiol (SH/SH+SS) ratios than healthy controls. However, Triple-A syndrome patients had lowered disulfide (SS), disulfide/native thiol (SS/SH), and disulfide/total thiol (SS/SH+SS) ratios than the controls. When the group with the p.R478* mutation and the group with other mutation were compared, disulfide level, disulfide/native thiol ratio, and disulfide/total thiol ratio were statistically higher in the group with the p.R478* mutation, while native thiol/total thiol ratio was found to be lower. However, no statistical difference was found between native thiol and total thiol levels. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study in the literature to evaluate thiol-disulfide homeostasis in patients with the Triple-A syndrome. Patients with Triple-A syndrome had an increased level of thiol compared with healthy controls. Comprehensive studies are needed to clarify these thiol levels, which are thought to be compensatory. Also, mutation type affects thiol-disulfide levels

SAT107 Assessing Continuous Glucose Monitor Alarm Use By Families Of Children With Diabetes

Background: Continuous glucose monitors (CGM) offer customizable alarms which alert persons with diabetes and their caregivers of current or pending glycemic changes. However, there has been little work studying real-world CGM alert setting use in large clinical populations. We sought to understand CGM alarm use through report analyses. Methods: After IRB approval we analyzed data from two-week CGM reports obtained clinically to determine common settings and compared those to target guidelines. Results: CGM download data from 150 children using a Dexcom® G6 were analyzed (median age 14y, (range: 1-19), 89% white, 9.5% black, and 1.5% Asian, 47% female, 51% pump users). Median A1c was 7.8% (range: 5.4-15). Median CGM glucose was 190 (range: 56-374). Average time in range was 47.7% (range: 3.4-99.1).A Low Alarm alert was set for 131 participants (87%) with a median sensor glucose alert threshold of 74 mg/dL (range: 60-100). The High Alarm was used by 109 children (73%) with a median threshold of 272 mg/dL (range: 120-400). The Signal Loss alarm was used by 103 (69%) participants with a median time until notification of 20 min (range: 20-240). Low Repeat and High Repeat alarms were used by only 50 (33%) and 36 (24%) of children, respectively. Rise Rate and Fall Rate alarms were used by 18 (12%) and 34 (23%). There was a significant difference between the median High alarm cutoff of 272 mg/dL and a recommended standard (e.g. PantherProgram.org) of 250 mg/dL (p=0.0016). The same was true with the median Low alarm cutoff of 74 mg/dL and a recommended 70 mg/dL (p<0.0001). There was significant difference between the median High Repeat notification time of 1 hour and the recommended 2 hours (p<0.0001). Pump users were 2.2x more likely to use High Repeat alarms compared to injection users (95% CI: 1.18-4.15, p<0.01). The same was true with the Low Repeat alarm being 1.8x more likely to be used by pumpers compared to injection users (95% CI: 1.12-2.99, p=0.01). There were no significant differences in Low, High, Rise Rate, Fall Rate, Urgent Low Soon, Urgent Low Soon Repeat, or Signal Loss alarms. When the group was divided based on age, above 12 and <=12, younger CGM users were 1.2 times more likely to use the Low alarm compared to older users (95% CI: 1.03-1.30). Also, younger CGM users were more likely to use the Rise Rate (RR=3.6, 95% CI:1.37-9.67), Low Repeat (RR=1.7, 95% CI:1.09-2.71), Signal Loss (RR=1.3, 95% CI:1.04-1.60), Urgent Low Soon (RR=1.2, 95% CI:1.07-1.41), and Urgent Low Soon Repeat (RR=1.2, 95% CI:1.05-1.38) alarms. There were no significant differences in High, High Repeat, or Fall Rate alarm settings. Conclusions: The wide variability of alarm settings used by patients indicates likely educational gaps in CGM onboarding and use. Ensuring CGM alarm best practices will help children with diabetes and their caregivers get needed real-time glycemic data while minimizing alarm fatigue

Acute leukemia case presented with hypercalcemia

An 8-year-old girl patient referred to our emergency clinic with articular pain, stomachache and fever complaints. Past history revealed that she was suffering from pain in both knees and ankle joints for 8 days. The joint temperature increased and swelling did not accompany articular pain. Family history was unremarkable. In the physical examination, there was sensitivity in the knees, elbows and ankles during movement. The patient had normal complete blood cell count, and no blast or atypical cells were observed in peripheral smear. Serum electrolytes, liver and kidney function tests were normal except for hypercalcemia. The 25 (OH) vitamin D and 1-25 (OH)2 vitamin D levels were within normal range. In bone marrow aspiration, infiltration of cells with lymphoblastic and homogenous cellular features was observed. With positivity of cCD79, CD19, CD45, the case was considered as preB cell leukemia. Body bone scintigraphy performed for bone metastasis was normal. After the chemotherapy, hydration and furosemid treatment, the calcium level returned to normal. This case emphasized on the fact that, children with hypercalcemia should undergo a detailed examination for malignancies even though no blast or atypical lymphocyte are observed in their peripheral blood smear before steroid treatment is applied and if necessary, bone marrow aspiration should be taken into account.</span

Effects of pentoxifylline on oxidative stress in rats with abdominal compartment syndrome model

Background: Abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS) causes severe pathology in the cardiovascular, renal and pulmonary systems. Recent studies showed that pentoxifylline (PTX) has effects on increasing tissue oxygenation, healing capillary refill and reducing superoxides and hydroxyl radicals by inhibiting xanthine oxidase. In this study, our aim was to study the effects of PTX on free oxygen radicals and oxidative damage in rats with ACS model