Browsing by Author "Rebelo, Irene"
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- Association between bilirubin and lipid profile in Portuguese elderly individualsPublication . Gomes, Ana; Rodrigues, Carina; Fernandes, Adília; Vaz, Josiana A.; Rebelo, IreneSeveral studies showed that mildly elevated bilirubin blood concentration is inversely associated with coronary artery disease (CAD). The most commonly mechanism contributing to CAD prevention is the bilirubin antioxidant effect, protecting several macromolecules from oxidation. Recently, other studies have found that higher serum bilirubin levels (BL) are associated with beneficial effects improving lipid profile and that might contribute to decrease cholesterol and triacylglycerol. In the meantime, a consistently negative association between BL and body mass index (BMI) was observed. The aim of this study was evaluate the cardiovascular risk protection by bilirubin analyzing the association between bilirubin levels and lipid profile in elderly. Clinical data, anthropometric measurements (BMI, Visceral Fat and Body Fat Percentage), lipid profile (total cholesterol-TC; triglycerides-TG; high-density lipoprotein cholesterol-HDL-c; low-density lipoprotein cholesterol-LDL-c; apoliprotein A-Apo-A; apoliprotein B-Apo-B) were evaluated in 70 institutionalized elderly, 43 females (mean age= 88.2±5.5 years old) and 27 males (mean age= 87.7±7.7 years old). Anthropometric measurements were obtained by bioimpedance, using specific scale (Tanita BC Model: 545). The lipid parameters were performed in autoanalyzer (Cobas Mira S, Roche, Switzerland) using available commercial kits. Correlation analysis revealed positive associations between BL and the HDL-c in males (total bilirubin: r=0.51; p<0.007) and no association in females (r=0.40; p<0.50). Positive associations were also found to TB levels and Apo-A (males: r=0.40; p<0.50 and females: r=0.270; p<0.013). Interestingly, the conjugated bilirubin present a stronger positive association with this two parameters (male: r=0.64; p<0.000; female: r=0.29; p<0.052). No associations were found between bilirubin and triglycerides; total cholesterol and anthropometric measurements. Low levels of HDL-c are a risk factor for coronary heart disease. A similar association has been shown for Apo-A1. These results suggest higher bilirubin is associated with higher cardioprotective agents, which indicates that the determination of total bilirubin should be included for more accurate cardiovascular disease risk assessment.
- Association between bilirubin and lipid profile in Portuguese elderly individualsPublication . Gomes, Ana; Rodrigues, Carina; Fernandes, Adília; Vaz, Josiana A.; Rebelo, IreneSeveral studies showed that mildly elevated bilirubin blood concentration is inversely associated to coronary artery disease (CAD). The most commonly mechanism contributing to CAD prevention is the bilirubin antioxidant effect, protecting several macromolecules from oxidation. Recently, other studies have found that higher serum bilirubin levels (BL) are associated with beneficial effects improving lipid profile and that might contribute to decrease cholesterol and triacylglycerol. In the meantime, a consistently negative association between BL and body mass index (BMI) was observed. The aim of this study was evaluate the cardiovascular risk protection by bilirubin analyzing the association between bilirubin levels and lipid profile in elderly. Clinical data, anthropometric measurements (BMI, Visceral Fat and Body Fat Percentage), lipid profile (total cholesterol-TC; triglycerides-TG; high-density lipoprotein cholesterol-HDL-c; low-density lipoprotein cholesterol-LDL-c; apoliprotein A-Apo-A; apoliprotein B-Apo-B) were evaluated in 70 institutionalized elderly, 43 females (mean age= 88.2±5.5 years old) and 27 males (mean age= 87.7±7.7 years old). Anthropometric measurements were obtained by bioimpedance, using specific scale (Tanita BC Model: 545). The lipid parameters were performed in autoanalyzer (Cobas Mira S, Roche, Switzerland) using available commercial kits. Correlation analysis revealed positive associations between BL and the HDL-c in males (total bilirubin: r=0.51; p<0.007) and no association in females (r=0.40; p<0.50). Positive associations were also found to TB levels and Apo-A (males: r=0.40; p<0.50 and females: r=0.270; p<0.013). Interestingly, the conjugated bilirubin present a stronger positive association with this two parameters (male: r=0.64; p<0.000; female: r=0.29; p<0.052). No associations were found between bilirubin and triglycerides; total cholesterol and anthropometric measurements. Low levels of HDL-c are a risk factor for coronary heart disease. A similar association has been shown for Apo-A1. These results suggest higher bilirubin is associated with higher cardioprotective agents, which indicates that the determination of total bilirubin should be included for more accurate cardiovascular disease risk assessment.
- Associaton between anthropometric indicators of adiposity and risk factors for cardiovascular disease in elderlyPublication . Gomes, Ana; Rodrigues, Carina; Rebelo, IreneAccording to the World Health Organization (WHO). Portugal remains one of the European countries with the highest rates of children and adults with overweight/obesity and it is estimated that 24% of the adult Portuguese population is obese. Dyslipidemias are the main risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, which are the leading cause of death in developed countries. Numerous studies have been conducted to establish the anthropometric measures as screening tools in clinical practice instead of using laboratory tests. The use of body mass index (BMI) as indicator of nutritional and metabolic status in elderly has difficulties due to the decrease in height, lean body mass, amount of body water and fat accumulation and the presence of certain conditions age-related that can cause bias in body composition (1,2). Some authors state that, in the absence of specific cutoff points for BMI according to age and gender limits the use of this indicator (3). This study aims to investigate the association between anthropometric measurements and the cardiovascular risk factors (lipid profile) in the elderly. A random sample of 70 elderly subjects, 43 women (mean age= 88.2 + 5.5) and 27 men (mean age = 87.7 + 7.7) institutionalized in 3 different nursing homes of Braganza was studied. The lipid profile was estimated from fasting blood samples of all participants. The selected parameters were Total Cholesterol (TC), High Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol(HDL-c), Low Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (LDL-c), triglycerides (TRG), apolipoprotein - A. (APO-A) and apolipoprotein B (APO-B). Lipids and lipoproteins plasma concentration were determinate using a biochemical autoanalyzer (Cobas 400 plus, Roche). Some anthropometric parameters (metabolic age, visceral fat, muscle mass, body fat percentage -% BF) were performed by bioimpedance, using a specific scale (Tanita BC model: 545). The height (to calculate BMI) was considered according to the identity card. After performing descriptive analysis of anthropometric and lipid profile variables, comparing the elderly values according the gender, we used Spearman correlation coefficient to determine the relationship between biochemical and anthropometric parameters. In the analyzed sample, 4.2% of subjects had an underweight BMI (≤18.4), 35.2% of subjects normal BMI (18.5-24.9) and 59.2% overweight (25-29.9) and obesity (≥30). As expected, statistically significant differences between men and women were found in regard to muscle mass (50.6 + 5.9 vs. 39.6 + 6; p <0.000), visceral fat (17.5 + 3.4 vs. 10.9 + 2.2, p <0.000) and % BF (26.5 + 6.4 vs. 33.3 + 6.5; p = 0.002). It was found that in the women group there is a strong positive correlation between BMI and % BF (men = 0.73; p <0.000 and women = 0.85; p <0.000). Correlation analysis between anthropometric measurements and lipid profile parameters showed a positive association between BMI and TRG concentration (r = 0:26; p = 0.03) and a negative association between BMI and HDL-c concentration (r = -0.24; p = 0.048). The same results were observed in other studies, the main lipid/lipoprotein abnormalities related to obesity were a decrease in serum HDL-c concentration and an increase in serum TRG concentration (4). As described in the literature, the average in % BF difference, between men and women, increases with age, where women accumulate more body fat than men. In this context, it would be important to define new limits to anthropometric indicators, according to age and gender, which allows them to replicate more accurately the metabolic and nutritional status. In this study, there were no significant correlations between anthropometric parameters and lipid parameters. However, we can confirm, despite the limitations of BMI already mentioned, this was the anthropometric indicator with the highest correlation with lipid profile parameters. Keywords: BMI, anthropometric measurements, cardiovascular risk factors, lipid profile, dyslipidemias
- Banda 3 profile as a marker of oxidative stress in hereditary spherocytosisPublication . Granjo, Elisa; Santos-Silva, Alice; Rebelo, Irene; Nóvoa, Ana; Costa, Elísio; Barbot, José; Ribeiro, Manuela; Quintanilha, Alexandre
- Hematological and biochemical parameters in hereditary spherocytosis under oxidative stressPublication . Granjo, Elisa; Santos-Silva, Alice; Rebelo, Irene; Nóvoa, Ana; Costa, Elísio; Barbot, José; Ribeiro, Leticia; Quintanilha, Alexandre
- Protein deficiency balance as a predictor of clinical outcome in hereditary spherocytosisPublication . Rocha, Susana; Rebelo, Irene; Costa, Elísio; Catarino, Cristina; Belo, Luís; Castro, Elisabeth; Cabeda, José; Barbot, José; Quintanilha, Alexandre; Santos-Silva, AliceVertical and horizontal interactions between membrane constituents account for integrity, strength and deformability of the erythrocyte. Disruption of vertical interactions caused by membrane protein deficiencies in hereditary spherocytosis (HS), favor membrane vesiculation with development of spherocytic cells. Our aim was to evaluate the hematological and clinical presentation of HS according to the type and amount of protein deficiency. We studied 81 Portuguese individuals, 71 belonging to 21 families plus 10 unrelated subjects, and found that 51 of them were HS patients. Patients were classified as presenting mild, typical or severe HS, according to laboratory results and clinical follow-up. We performed screening tests and the standardized electrophoretic membrane protein analysis to identify and quantify protein deficiencies. We found band 3 and ankyrin deficiencies as the major causes for HS. The ratios between the value of the primary and/or secondary protein deficiencies showed significantly different values according to the severity of HS, and a significant inverse correlation with the severity of HS was observed. In mild HS, the ratios between protein deficiencies reflected equivalent protein deficiencies, while an unbalance was observed in typical HS, which was enhanced in severe HS. Our data suggest that the relative quantification of each major membrane protein and of the ratios between the values of protein deficiencies may be helpful in providing additional data about the clinical outcome of HS.