Covid-19 em áreas de aglomerados subnormais e não subnormais no Espírito Santo, Brasil

Objectives: to estimate the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in residents of the Greater Vitória region living in subnormal and non-subnormal agglomerations; and, compare sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of total residents (infected and not infected with SARS-CoV-2), among these clusters. Method: Population-based prevalence study, through serological testing carried out in 2020, with a study unit in households in Greater Vitória, grouped into census tracts classified as sub-normal clusters (AGSN) and non-sub-normal clusters (AGNSN ). The two groups were compared in terms of prevalence and associated factors. The significance level adopted was 5%. Results: The prevalence found in the AGSN was 12.05% (95% CI from 9.59 to 14.50%), and in the AGNSN group it was 10.23% (95% CI from 7.97% to 12.50% ) this difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.273). Comparing the sociodemographic characteristics, more people who declare themselves to be of mixed race were found in the SGNA, a higher percentage of illiterates and people with only elementary education, greater number of residents per household, longer stay in public transport, sharing a bathroom with another household , fewer bedrooms per residence and higher frequency of irregular water supply when compared to AGNSN(P<0.05). Conclusions: The epidemiological characteristics of the SNGA residents show the social inequalities that can hinder control measures in a pandemic situation.Objetivos: estimar prevalência de infecção pelo SARS-CoV-2 em residentes na região da Grande Vitória moradores de aglomerados subnormais e não subnormais; e, comparar características sociodemográficas e clínicas dos residentes totais (infectados e não infectados com o SARS-CoV-2), entre esses aglomerados.  Método: Estudo de prevalência de base populacional, por meio de teste sorológico realizado em 2020, com unidade de estudo em domicílios da Grande Vitória, agrupados em setores censitários classificados como Aglomerados sub-normais (AGSN) e os Aglomerados não sub-normais (AGNSN). Os dois grupos foram comparados quanto a prevalência e fatores associados. O nível de significância adotado foi de 5%. Resultados: A prevalência encontrada no AGSN foi 12,05% (IC 95% de 9,59 a 14,50%), e no grupo AGNSN foi 10,23% (IC 95% de 7,97% a 12,50%) esta diferença não foi estatisticamente significante (p = 0,273). Comparando-se as características sociodemográficas foram encontradas nos AGSN mais pessoas que se autodeclaram da raça cor parda, percentual maior de analfabetos e pessoas apenas com ensino fundamental, maior número de moradores por domicílio, maior permanência em transporte coletivo, compartilhamento de banheiro com outro domicílio, menos dormitórios por residência e maior frequência de abastecimento irregular de água quando comparadas aos AGNSN(P<0,05). Conclusões: As características epidemiológicas dos moradores de AGSN evidenciam as desigualdades sociais que podem dificultar as medidas de controle em uma situação de pandemia

Resistin as an Intrahepatic Cytokine : Overexpression during Chronic Injury and Induction of Proinflammatory Actions in Hepatic Stellate Cells

Obesity and insulin resistance accelerate the progression of fibrosis during chronic liver disease. Resistin antagonizes insulin action in rodents, but its role in humans is still controversial. The aims of this study were to investigate resistin expression in human liver and to evaluate whether resistin may affect the biology of activated human hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), key modulators of hepatic fibrogenesis. Resistin gene expression was low in normal human liver but was increased in conditions of severe fibrosis. Up-regulation of resistin during chronic liver damage was confirmed by immunohistochemistry. In a group of patients with alcoholic hepatitis, resistin expression correlated with inflammation and fibrosis, suggesting a possible action on HSCs. Exposure of cultured HSCs to recombinant resistin resulted in increased expression of the proinflammatory chemokines monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 and interleukin-8, through activation of nuclear factor (NF)-κB. Resistin induced a rapid increase in intracellular calcium concentration, mainly through calcium release from intracellular inositol triphosphate-sensitive pools. The intracellular calcium chelator BAPTA-AM blocked resistin-induced NF-κB activation and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 expression. In conclusion, this study shows a role for resistin as an intrahepatic cytokine exerting proinflammatory actions in HSCs, via a Ca(2+)/NF-κB-dependent pathway and suggests involvement of this adipokine in the pathophysiology of liver fibrosis