Hand grip endurance test relates to clinical state and prognosis in COPD patients better than 6-minute walk test distance

Miroslav Kovarik,1,2 Vera Joskova,1,2 Anna Patkova,1,2 Vladimir Koblizek,3 Zdenek Zadak,2 Miloslav Hronek1,2 1Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Kralove, Charles University, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic; 2Department of Research and Development, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic; 3Department of Pulmonary Medicine, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic Purpose: Patients with COPD present peripheral muscle dysfunction and atrophy, expressed as muscle strength and endurance reduction. The goal of this study was direct dynamometric assessment of hand grip endurance and strength in relation to the stage of disease, multidimensional predictors of mortality, and 6-minute walk test (6MWT). To the best of our knowledge, there has been no previous study determining these parameters.Patients and methods: In this observational study, 58 consecutive outpatients with stable COPD and 25 volunteers without respiratory problems were compared. All COPD subjects underwent a comprehensive examination to determine COPD severity, prognostic scales, and 6MWT. Body composition, basic spirometric parameters, and hand grip strength and endurance were determined in all study participants.Results: Patients in the COPD group had a 15% decrease in maximum strength (P=0.012) and a 28% decrease in area under the force/time curve (AUC) of the endurance test (P<0.001) compared to the control group. Dynamometric parameters were significantly negatively associated with the stage of disease and values of multivariable prediction indexes, and positively associated with the results of 6MWT. In most cases, closer associations were found with AUC than with 6MWT and in the gender-specific groups.Conclusion: Both hand grip strength and endurance are impaired in COPD patients in comparison with the control group. In particular, AUC could be considered as an attractive option not only to assess exercise capacity but also as a predictive marker with a better prognostic value than 6MWT in COPD patients. This is the first study to observe the dependence of hand grip endurance on combined COPD assessment. Keywords: dynamometry, muscle strength, muscle endurance, BODE inde

Cancer anorexia is modulated by interaction of hypothalamic-VMH dopamine (DA)

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Sugar composition of apple cultivars and its relationship to sensory evaluation

The increasing consumption of sugars is one of the factors contributing to the obesity epidemic. Our research was carried out on the sugar composition of apples. The purpose of the study was to determine the quantitative and qualitative composition of sugars of different apple varieties from the East Bohemia region. In this study dry matter content and sensory characteristics were also evaluated. Apples contain fructose, glucose and sucrose. Fructose is known to be a highly lipogenic sugar that has profound metabolic effects in the liver, and has been associated with many of the components of the metabolic syndrome (insulin resistance, elevated waist circumference, dyslipidemia, and hypertension). Fructose, glucose and sucrose in different apple cultivars were extracted with ethanol, derivatized, and determined by gas chromatography. 17 cultivars of apple were analysed. The average fructose content was 6.52 ± 1 g/100 g of apple (8.1 – ‘Golden Delicious’, 4.8 – ‘Selena’), glucose content 1.46 ± 0.55 g/100 g of apple (3 – ‘Red Delicious’, 0.9 – ‘Ontario’), and sucrose content 4.75 ± 1.35 g/100 g of apple (7.2 – ‘Opal’, 2.1 – ‘Melrose’). The cultivars suitable for nutrition of patients with metabolic syndrome are ‘Selena’ and ‘Ontario’.Zwiększenie spożycia cukrów jest jednym z czynników mających wpływ na epidemię otyłości. Prezentowane wyniki badań dotyczą składu cukrów w jabłkach. Celem badań był wybór odmian jabłek odpowiednich pod względem zdrowego odżywiania, tj. ilościowego i jakościowego składu cukrów. Jabłka zawierają fruktozę, glukozę i sacharozę. Dla przykładu fruktoza jest cukrem wysoce lipogennym, który ma istotny wpływ na metabolizm w wątrobie i wiąże się z wieloma czynnikami zespołu metabolicznego (oporność na insulinę, otyłość brzuszna, dyslipidemia i nadciśnienie). Fruktoza, glukoza i sacharoza z jabłek różnych odmian zostały wyekstrahowane etanolem, derywatyzowane i oznaczane metodą chromatografii gazowej. Analizie poddano 17 odmian jabłek. Zawartość fruktozy kształtowała się na poziomie 6,52 ± 1 g/100 g jabłek (8,1 – ‘Golden Delicious’, 4,8 – ‘Selena’). Zawartość glukozy wynosiła 1,46 ± 0,55 g/100 g jabłek (3,0 – ‘Red Delicious’, 0,9 – ‘Ontario’), a sacharozy – 4,75 ± 1,35 g/100 g jabłek (7,2 – ‘Opal’, 2,1 – ‘Melrose’). Odmiany jabłek ‘Selena’ i ‘Ontario’ okazały się jako najbardziej odpowiednie do stosowania w żywieniu pacjentów z zespołem metabolicznym

Specific effects of olive oil-based lipid emulsions in critical care. A preliminary report

The article addresses the impact of predominantly olive oil-containing parenteral fat emulsions, in critically ill patients, on cholesterol precursors (squalene) and on other metabolites, with no impact on indices of lipid peroxidation