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Objective: Despite the importance of insulin resistance (IR) on chronic diseases development, its diagnosis remains invasive. Thus, it's necessary to develop alternative methods to predict IR on clinical practice, and the anthropometric indices are a good alternative to it. Given that, this study's purpose is to evaluate these indices behavior in relation to HOMA-IR (Homeostasis Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance)., Materials and Methods: We collected weight, height and waist circumference from 148 adolescents. Through these indices, we calculated the body mass index (BMI), inverted body mass index (iBMI), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) and conicity index (C index). We also collected data from body composition (body fat percentage - %BF), through electric impedance, and biochemical data (fasting glucose and insulin levels) employed on the HOMA-IR calculation. The HOMA-IR cutoff adopted was of 2.39±1.93. The statistical analysis involved the Spearman correlation analysis, multiple linear regression models and ROC (Receiver Operating Characteristic) curves construction, using 95% CI. We used the statistic pack SPSS v.18, considering p<0.05 as the significance level., Results: All anthropometric indices were statistically and positively correlated to HOMA-IR. The ROC curve showed that WC, WHtR and C index, in this order, were the most efficient to predict IR., Conclusion: Among the indicators studied, those related to central fat accumulation seem the most suitable for predicting IR.

Objective: To determine the factors that influence the adequacy of enteral nutritional therapy in an intensive care unit., Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted in an intensive care unit between 2010 and 2012. Patients >18 years of age underwent exclusive enteral nutritional therapy for ≥72 hours. The energy and protein requirements were calculated according to the ICU protocols. The data regarding enteral nutrition, the causes of non-compliance, and the biochemical test results were collected daily., Results: Ninety-three patients admitted to the intensive care unit were evaluated. Among these patients, 82% underwent early enteral nutritional therapy, and 80% reached the nutritional goal in <36 hours. In addition, 81.6%±15.4% of the enteral nutrition volume was infused, with an adequacy of 82.2%±16.0% for calories, 82.2%±15.9% for proteins, and a mean energy balance of -289.9±277.1 kcal/day. A negative correlation of C-reactive protein with the volume infused and the energy and protein balance was observed. In contrast, a positive correlation was found between C-reactive protein and the time required to reach nutritional goals. Extubation was the main cause for interrupting the enteral nutritional therapy (29.9% of the interruption hours), and the patients >60 years of age exhibited a lower percentage of recovery of the oral route compared with the younger patients (p=0.014)., Conclusion: Early enteral nutritional therapy and the adequacy for both energy and protein of the nutritional volume infused were in accordance with the established guidelines. Possible inadequacies of energy and protein balance appeared to be associated with an acute inflammatory response, which was characterized by elevated C-reactive protein levels. The main cause of interruption of the enteral nutritional therapy was the time spent in extubation.

Background: Several studies suggest that C-reactive protein (CRP) is associated with coronary artery disease in adults. However, this association has not been thoroughly explored in cases of adolescents., Objective: To evaluate the association between CRP and cardiovascular risk factors in obese adolescents., Methods: Eighty-four adolescents (12.6 +/- 1.3 years) of both genders were divided into the following groups: Normal weight (n = 28), Overweight (n = 28), and Obese (n = 28), according to body mass index (BMI). CRP levels (ultrasensitive ELISA), the lipid profile, and anti-oxLDL antibody levels (ELISA) were determined after a 12-hour fast., Results: The groups were similar in age (p = 0.13) and gender (p = 0.83). Total cholesterol, HDL-C, TC/HDL-C, and LDL-C/HDL-C showed significant differences between Normal weight and Obese groups. There was no significant variation in anti-oxLDL levels. CRP values were different among the three groups (p < 0.01). CRP levels showed a significant association with BMI (beta = 2.533), AC (beta = 2.645), WC (beta = 2.945), TC (beta = 0.006), LDL-C (beta = 0.006), and anti-oxLDL antibodies (beta = 0.383), and a negative association with HDL-C (beta = -0.017)., Conclusion: The results indicate that CRP is significantly associated with markers of cardiovascular risk in adolescents.