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Copyright of Acta Neurológica Colombiana is the property of Colombian Association of Neurology / Asociacion Colombiana de Neurologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Megaloblastic anemia belongs to the subgroup of deficiency anemias. With the objective of describing the effect of B9 and B12 vitamins deficiency on the genesis of megaloblastic anemia, this research was carried out. Megaloblastic anemia occurs when the levels of folic acid (Vitamin B9) and cyanocobalamin (vitamin B12) are low, thus generating a decrease in the cellular capacity to synthesize deoxyribonucleic acid, which causes hematological alterations in all cell lines of the marrow bone (erythrocytes and platelets), mainly causing the generation of large red blood cells with low hemoglobin concentration. Vitamins B9 and B12 participate in the normal synthesis of nucleic acids, being directly involved in the synthesis of purines and pyrimidines, as well as cell maturation. The deficiency of these vitamins has an effect on the central nervous system functioning.

Introducción: el ataque cerebrovascular (ACV) en pacientes jóvenes está asociado a factores de riesgo no convencionales y su búsqueda activa puede disminuir la recurrencia de estos eventos. Presentación del caso: se presentaron dos casos de pacientes jóvenes con infección por virus de inmunodeficiencia humana (VIH) que mostraron síntomas neurológicos, con evidencia en resonancia magnética (RM) de un evento isquémico de evolución subaguda y niveles de homocisteína elevados, a quienes se les realizó una búsqueda de mutación de metilenotetrahidrofolato reductasa (MTHFR), la cual fue positiva para mutación homocigota. Discusión: la infección por VIH aumenta el riesgo de ACV en la población joven, sin embargo, su efecto en pacientes con viremia controlada está poco claro (1). La presencia de déficit de proteína S y la hiperhomocisteinemia son los estados procoagulantes más frecuentes en pacientes con VIH (2). El papel que juegan la presencia de mutaciones genéticas en relación con la hiperhomocisteinemia en pacientes con VIH aún está por establecerse. Conclusiones: la búsqueda activa de factores de riesgo no frecuentes en pacientes jóvenes con ACV juega un rol importante en la prevención de futuros eventos y modificación de la enfermedad. Así, las pruebas genéticas abren nuevas posibilidades para entender la fisiopatología de la enfermedad y encontrar nuevas relaciones entre factores de riesgo.

Copyright of Ginecología y Obstetricia de México is the property of Federacion Mexicana de Ginecologia y Obstetricia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Introduction: folic acid plays a crucial role in the epigenetic regulation of embryofetal development and its deficiency has been shown to be related to the appearance of different congenital defects. Objectives: to determine the time trend curves of five types of non-syndromic folatesensitive birth defects and to identify risk factors associated with them. Methods: an observational, analytical, retrospective, population-based case-control study was conducted in Villa Clara Province between 2013 and 2018. Prevalence rates of congenital defects among live births, stillbirths and elective terminations of pregnancy were determined and the analysis of the polynomial trend line of prevalence rates for the different types of congenital defects was performed. Results: a decreasing or stable trend was observed for cleft lip and palate, gastroschisis and Down syndrome, while a slightly increasing trend was observed for congenital conotruncal heart defects and neural tube defects. Conclusions: the discrete upward trend identified in the prevalence rates of congenital congenital heart disease and neural tube defects has a multifactorial origin, in which genetic predisposition and different risk factors such as deficient consumption of folic acid in critical periods of embryonic development are intertwined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: the purpose of this study was to assess the impact of 14 treatments including a total of 10 dietary antioxidants on the risk of prostate cancer. Material and methods: we searched PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and the Web of Science for only randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to investigate the effect of these 10 antioxidants on the risk of getting prostate cancer. Using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment Tool, the methodological quality of the included studies was evaluated. Data extraction: studies were appraised by two investigators and data were extracted. Using a surface under cumulative ranking (SUCRA) probability, a Bayesian network meta-analysis was undertaken to evaluate the relative ranking of agents. Results: from the earliest accessible date through August 2022, RCTs were gathered. A total of 14 randomized controlled trials were included with a total sample size of 73,365 males. The results of the network meta-analysis showed that green tea catechins (GTCs) significantly reduced the risk of prostate cancer (SUCRA, 88.6 %) followed by vitamin D (SUCRA, 55.1 %), vitamin B6 (54.1 %), and folic acid was the lowest (22.0 %). Conclusion: based on the Ranking Plot of the Network, we can state that GTCs might have an impact on the prevention of prostate cancer compared to other dietary antioxidants, but we still need quality literature to further prove it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As células tumorais liberam no líquido ascítico e no meio de cultura um fator com capacidade de inibir atividade da enzima xantina desidrogenase. Tal fator inibidor não foi evidenciado em exsudato peritoneal induzido por antígenos não tumorais e no fluido sobrenadante de cultura de linfócitos. A inibição da enzima é provocada por um fator dialisável que se apresentou com comportamentos químicos e físicos semelhantes aos da 6-hidroxipterina, um catabólito do ácido fólico e de folatos derivados de células malignas.

Introdução: A cirurgia bariátrica é o tratamento mais eficaz para a obesidade. No entanto, a restrição energética e má absorção de nutrientes aumentam o risco de deficiências nutricionais. Em gestantes pós cirurgia bariátrica, a deficiência de ácido fólico pode trazer complicações para a mãe e feto. Objetivo: Avaliar a deficiência de ácido fólico em gestantes que realizaram cirurgia bariátrica, através de revisão sistemática da literatura. Materiais e Métodos: A partir da base de dados PubMed, foram incluídos artigos originais observacionais, sem restrição de idioma e ano de publicação, que reportassem os níveis de ácido fólico ou a prevalência da sua deficiência em gestantes que realizaram cirurgia bariátrica, sem restrição de técnica cirúrgica. Resultados: Foram identificados 29 artigos compatíveis com o tema. Após aplicados os critérios de elegibilidade, foram incluídos 5 artigos para serem analisados neste estudo. Os níveis de ácido fólico na maioria dos estudos se mantiveram adequados, podendo estar associados a utilização de suplementos multivitamínicos em alguns estudos ainda combinado com suplemento de ácido fólico. Discussão: É possível que a associação com uso de suplemento durante a gestação em mulheres que realizaram cirurgia bariátrica garanta um aporte vitamínico adequado, protegendo o feto de anomalias congênitas e deficiências no tubo neural, assim como garante uma boa nutrição da gestante. Conclusão: A partir desta revisão sistemática foi possível identificar a baixa prevalência de deficiência de ácido fólico, assim como níveis séricos médios de acordo com valores de referência para ácido fólico.

Introducción: La Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS) y diferentes organizaciones gubernamentales en distintos países recomiendan la suplementación con 0.4 mg de ácido fólico al día a todas las mujeres en edad fértil para prevenir los Defectos del Tubo Neural (DTN), se calcula que, si todas las mujeres en edad fértil consumieran diariamente 400 µg de ácido fólico, se podrían prevenir hasta el 75% del total de casos de los DTN. Objetivo: evaluar el nivel de conocimiento sobre el ácido fólico en los estudiantes de la Licenciatura en Enfermería de una Universidad Pública en Querétaro, México. Metodología: estudio observacional descriptivo transversal. La población de estudio fueron estudiantes de la Licenciatura en Enfermería. Se utilizó la fórmula para poblaciones finitas, un muestreo estratificado proporcional y un muestreo aleatorio simple. Para la recolección de datos se utilizó un cuestionario diseñado por Saxena y colaboradores, el cual no ha sido validado por expertos. Los datos se analizaron con el programa IBM SPSS versión 23. Resultados principales: de 93 estudiantes, 97.8% conocía el ácido fólico, 89.2% conocía que la deficiencia del ácido fólico es el principal factor para que se presenten los DTN, 63.4% señaló que el ácido fólico debe de ingerirse en el periodo periconcepcional, pero sólo 17.2% reconoció qué grupo en particular debe de ingerirlo, similar al 18.3% que seleccionó la dosis correcta. En general, el conocimiento de los estudiantes resultó ser bajo. Conclusión general: Dadas las cifras de prevalencia de DTN y anemia megaloblástica, se sugiere aumentar la instrucción en materia de la suplementación con ácido fólico.

Copyright of Ginecología y Obstetricia de México is the property of Federacion Mexicana de Ginecologia y Obstetricia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Introduction: Malformations of the central nervous system (CNS), the type of congenital defect second only to cardiac malformations, cause infant disability and mortality. Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate the incidence of congenital malformations of the CNS in newborns treated at a regional public hospital in Southern Mexico and explore the associated factors. Methods: This descriptive study included 113 newborns with CNS malformations. A specific diagnosis was provided and information was obtained from the parents in relation to age, schooling, occupation, prenatal control, intake of folic acid, and exposure to pesticides. A database was created in the statistical program Epi Info version 3.4.3 to carry out univariate and bivariate analyses using the Chi-square test, with significance considered at p < 0.05. Results: The most frequent malformations were hydrocephalus (45.1%), Arnold-Chiari (32.7%), and encephalocele (8.0%). Of the 113 newborns herein examined, a greater percentage of congenital malformations was found when the first pregnancy took place in mothers 12-19 versus over 19 years of age (78.8% vs. 21.2%, respectively; p < 0.05). Furthermore, 40.2% of mothers were exposed to insecticides and 39.8% to herbicides and/or fungicides before or during pregnancy. Only 15.4% of the mothers consumed folic acid during the first trimester of pregnancy. Conclusion: The incidence of congenital abnormalities of the CNS in newborns is a serious problem, perhaps associated with exposure of the mother to pesticides and a deficient intake of folic acid. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen prenatal care and health literacy to help reduce the occurrence of these disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Brazilian Journal of Biology is the property of Instituto Internacional de Ecologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Fundamento: La salud reproductiva está presente durante el ciclo vital de las mujeres y los hombres; en la que juega un papel decisivo la planificación familiar, el conocimiento y manejo del riesgo reproductivo. Objetivo: Evaluar la efectividad de una intervención educativa, en mujeres de edad fértil con riesgo preconcepcional, pertenecientes al consultorio "La Colonia", del Policlínico "Rafael Teope Fonseca", "El Salvador", Guantánamo, desde septiembre 2017 a abril 2019. Metodología: Se realizó un estudio cuasiexperimental, tipo intervención educativa sobre riesgo preconcepcional, con diseño antes y después. El universo fue de 65 mujeres en edad fértil. Se utilizó muestreo no probabilístico intencional. La muestra fue de 45 mujeres con riesgo preconcepcional. La investigación se realizó en 3 etapas: diagnóstica, intervención y evaluación. La información se recogió en una encuesta semiestructurada que se aplicó antes y después de la intervención. Las variables fueron: métodos para planificar el embarazo, edad óptima para el embarazo, antecedentes obstétricos desfavorables, importancia del consumo de ácido fólico antes del embarazo y conocimiento general sobre el tema. Se determinó el test de McNemar para el análisis estadístico e índice de kappa para determinar efectividad de la intervención. Resultados: Antes de la intervención se diagnosticó nivel de conocimiento inadecuado sobre los métodos para planificar el embarazo (42 %), edad óptima para el embarazo (40 %) y en los antecedentes obstétricos (36 %). Posterior a la intervención el nivel de conocimiento adecuado fue significativo (p

Copyright of Revista de Ciencias Médicas de Pinar del Río is the property of Editorial Ciencias Medicas and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Introduction: Introduction and objective: a study was made of the folic acid (Fol) and vitamin B12 (B12) serum concentrations in critical patients with septic shock upon admission and after three days of stay in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), with an analysis of their association to inflammatory parameters and patient morbidity-mortality. Methods: a prospective analytical study was made of 30 critically ill patients with septic shock. Demographic data, comorbidities, clinical information and severity scores were recorded. Data collected included serum Fol and B12 levels using the DxI® Autoanalyzer (Beckman Coulter) based on a competitive electrochemoluminescence immunoassay. Results: mean serum Fol was within the reference range stipulated by the laboratory on the first day. Nevertheless, a total of 21.4 % of the patients had high Fol levels, with 14.2 % being Fol deficient. An association was observed between Fol (p ˂ 0.012) status and 28-day mortality, and the number of days of mechanical ventilation, fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2) and fibrinogen increased in patients with higher Fol levels (p ˂ 0.05). In addition, 85.7 % of cases had B12 levels above the reference values, with a correlation being observed between B12 and Fol. Conclusions: this study proposes Fol as a novel morbidity-mortality biomarker in critical septic patients, and reinforces the usefulness of B12 as a morbidity biomarker. It is thus suggested that the measurement of Fol upon admission and over the first 72 hours of hospital stay could provide prognostic information about the clinical course and outcome of septic shock patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Neural tube defects are a heterogeneous group of alterations of the central nervous system with multifactorial origin, mainly caused by a failure in the mechanisms of closure of the neural tube which involves skin, paravertebral muscles, connective tissue, bone and spinal cord. Clinical case: 36-year-old woman with a pregnancy of 25.3 weeks, corroborated by second trimester ultrasound. She had a previous pregnancy with anencephaly and a poor prenatal care in the actual pregnancy. An obstetric ultrasound was performed with the diagnosis of craniorachischisis, which is why the delivery was performed by vaginal birth with labor induction with prostaglandins. Conclusions: The craniorachischisis is a rare defect of the neural tube that must be diagnosed early because it is a pathology incompatible with life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Bariatric surgery is the most effective treatment for obesity. However, energy restriction and nutrient malabsorption increase the risk of nutritional deficiencies. In post-bariatric surgery pregnant women, folic acid deficiency can cause complications for the mother and fetus. Objective: To evaluate folic acid deficiency in pregnant women who underwent bariatric surgery, through a systematic literature review. Matarals and methods: From the PubMed database, original observational articles were included, without language restriction and year of publication, that reported the levels of folic acid or the prevalence of its deficiency in pregnant women who underwent bariatric surgery, without restriction of surgical technique. Results: From an initial search conducted in the PUBMED database, 29 articles were identified that were compatible with the chosen theme. After applying the eligibility criteria, 5 articles were included to be analyzed in this study. The levels of folic acid in most studies remained adequate and may be associated with the use of multivitamin supplements in some studies even combined with folic acid supplementation. Discussion: It is possible the association with the use of supplements during pregnancy in women who underwent bariatric surgery, ensure an adequate vitamin supply, protecting the fetus from congenital anomalies and deficiencies in the neural tube, as well as ensuring good nutrition for the pregnant woman. Conclusion: From this systematic review it was possible to identify the low prevalence of folic acid deficiency, as well as average serum levels according to reference values for folic acid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tem como objetivo discutir os fatores associados ao uso de ácido fólico durante a gestação. Estudo descritivo-reflexivo com embasamento teórico elaborado a partir de artigos científicos atualizados. Apesar dos benefícios do ácido fólico e mesmo se tratando de uma recomendação mundial, a prevalência de consumo deste suplemento é, ainda, insatisfatória. Alguns estudos têm mostrado que mulheres com gravidez não planejada, menor escolaridade e nível socioeconômico, sem companheiro e com pré-natal insuficiente são mais susceptíveis a não consumir esse suplemento durante a gestação. A suplementação com ácido fólico é uma intervenção imprescindível, atuando na prevenção primária dos defeitos do tubo neural. Assim, políticas públicas que venham a incentivar ainda mais a suplemen­tação materna com ácido fólico são de grande valia, uma vez que reduzem a morbimortalidade neonatal. Também é necessário o planejamento de ações que visem minimizar a ação dos fatores associados ao uso de ácido fólico durante a gestação.

Introducción: El consumo de la vitamina B9 durante la gestación previene la aparición de defectos del tubo neural, por lo que se recomienda, además del consumo de fuentes naturales (folato), la ingesta de suplementos (ácido fólico) de esta vitamina. Objetivo: Determinar la relación que existe entre el nivel de conocimiento y el consumo de la vitamina B9 en las gestantes del Centro de Salud Carmen de la Legua, Callao, 2018. Material y métodos: Estudio con enfoque cuantitativo de diseño no experimental, nivel correlacional y corte transversal. Se tuvo una muestra de 75 gestantes en quienes se aplicó dos instrumentos: un cuestionario de conocimientos sobre la vitamina B9 y un recordatorio de 24 horas. Resultados: El 57,3% las gestantes encuestadas tienen conocimiento adecuado acerca de la vitamina B9, mientras que el 62,7% tiene un nivel de consumo adecuado de esta vitamina (≥400 μg). Con la prueba U Mann de Whitney se encontró una relación significativa entre el nivel de conocimiento y el consumo de ácido fólico (p=0,048), pero no con el folato ni con la vitamina B9 en total. Conclusión: Los conocimientos que adquieren las gestantes acerca de la vitamina B9 están centrados más en el consumo de suplementos de ácido fólico que en las fuentes naturales de folato.

Copyright of Nursing at the Vanguard / Revista Enfermería a la Vanguardia (REVAN) is the property of Revista Enfermeria a la Vanguardia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista Habanera de Ciencias Médicas is the property of Universidad de Ciencias Medicas de La Habana and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Arquivos de Neuro-Psiquiatria is the property of Thieme Medical Publishing Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objetivos: descrever prevalência e fatores associados ao uso deácido fólico e ferro entre puérperas do município de São Luís, Maranhão. Métodos: estudo transversal com 4.036 puérperas através de questionário padronizado. As variáveis dependentes (desfechos) foram: uso durante a gestação de ácido fólico, ferro e ácido fólico antes da gestação. As variáveis independentes: idade; escolaridade; cor da pele; situação conjugal; renda; gravidez planejada; local e número de consultas do pré-natal. As análises estatísticas foram realizadas no STATA 14.0. Para os dois primeiros desfechos, utilizou-se modelo de Poisson com variância robusta. Para o último, regressão logística. Resultados: a prevalência do uso de ácido fólico e ferro durante a gestação foram, respectivamente, 77,27% e 84,98%. Entretanto, apenas 0,37% declararam uso antes da gestação. Na análise ajustada, as variáveis associadas com uso de ácido fólico durante a gestação foram: escolaridadee renda; parausode ferro durante a gestação, apenas a idade; e para as que fizeram uso de ácido fólico antes da gestação, nenhuma variável mostrou-se estatisticamente significativa. Conclusões: alto percentual de puérperas fez uso de suplementos de ácido fólico e ferrodurante a gestação, porém o uso recomendado de ácido fólico antes da gestação mostrou-se baixo e que fatores maternos, sociais e econômicos influenciam no consumo destes suplementos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spina bifida is a congenital malformation that results in inadequate spinal closure of the newborn's spine during the third and fifth gestational week. It is presented in two ways: spina bifida cystica or open and closed spina bifida, being the first one most common. The purpose of this work is to evaluate the prevalence of the number of cases of this anomaly in newborn's cases. The data was collected from DATASUS, considering the period between 2015 until 2017. Analysing the obtained and evaluated data, it was observed the importance of comprehending the reality of each Brazilian region and the mom's feature, aiming at prevention and decrease of spina bifida's incidence, since among the studied variables, the socioeconomic factor is the most significant for the increasing on the number of the cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introducción: El consumo de ácido fólico (AF) es de gran importancia en la etapa periconcepcional por los beneficios que representa para el feto, en especial en la prevención de los defectos del cierre del tubo neural. Objetivo: Describir la información sobre el consumo periconcepcional de ácido fólico en las puérperas del Instituto Nacional Materno Perinatal (INMP), durante el mes de junio de 2016. Metodología: Estudio descriptivo, en 252 puérperas hospitalizadas en el INMP, a quienes se les realizó una encuesta, la cual fue complementada con datos de historias clínicas. Resultados: Del total de puérperas, el 29,37% sabía que debe consumir ácido fólico tres meses antes del embarazo; un 53,17% sabía que el ácido fólico debe ser consumido durante todo el embarazo; y sólo el 36,11% sabía que el consumo a prevenir los defectos del tubo neural. Sobre las fuentes de información, la más frecuente fue el profesional de salud con 76,39%, familiares y/o amigos con 47,22%, y el internet con un 23,61%. Los medios de información más comunes fueron la consulta de planificación familiar en el 30,00% de los casos; las charlas educativas, también con 30%; y la consulta ginecológica con 20,90%. Conclusiones: Los conocimientos acerca del consumo periconcepcional de AF son muy bajos, a pesar de la información brindada por los profesionales de la salud que las puérperas manifiestan haber recibido antes y durante la gestación. Es necesario complementar las actividades educativas con talleres o actividades de sensibilización multidisciplinaria.

El ácido fólico es una vitamina hidrosoluble perteneciente al grupo del complejo B, cuya importancia en el organismo está dada por su capacidad de transportar unidades de un carbono, para la síntesis de proteínas y ácidos nucleicos. Su deficiencia produce retraso en el desarrollo y anemia en animales en crecimiento, y en cerdas gestantes produce mal formaciones congénitas en sus crías. La suplementación dietaria de ácido fólico ha mostrado mejorar la eficiencia reproductiva y el rendimiento productivo en cerdos. En la actualidad hay varias guías nutricionales que publican los niveles sugeridos de ácido fólico en cerdas y lechones. El objetivo de la elaboración de esta revisión es proporcionar una fuente de información que presente de manera resumida y concreta la importancia del ácido fólico en la nutrición de cerdas y lechones permitiendo al nutricionista elaborar una dieta que incluya los niveles adecuados de esta vitamina. Los requerimientos de ácido fólico para cerdas están entre 1,3 a 5,5 mg/kg de alimento y para lechones el rango está entre 0,3 a 3 mg/kg. Debido a la variabilidad en el contenido de esta vitamina en los principales ingredientes usados en la alimentación porcina se hace necesaria su inclusión en el alimento a través de una pre-mezcla vitamínica.

Introduction: Background: folic acid participates in one-carbon metabolism, which supplies methyl groups to numerous reactions in the body. Impaired delivery of these methyl groups affects gene expression. We hypothesize that offspring exposed to less folic acid will express higher levels of Pomc (proopiomelanocortin) gene mRNA. Aim: to investigate the Pomc gene and protein expression pattern in the female offspring of female rats receiving a folic acid-deficient diet during gestation, lactation, and post-weaning. Methods: the study involved female rat offspring (n = 10) born from mothers subjected to a control (2.0 mg of folic acid/kg of food) or folic acid-deficient (0.5 mg of folic acid/kg of food) diet, and fed the same diet during post-weaning. Samples were collected from the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus of the female offspring for real-time PCR and Western blotting analyses. Results: the female offspring in the folic acid-deficient diet group had significantly higher Pomc gene and protein expression than the female offspring in the control diet group (p = 0.03, p = 0.01, respectively). Conclusion: a folic acid-deficient diet during gestation, lactation, and post-weaning increases Pomc gene and protein expression, but does not modify food intake or body weight of female rat offspring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Megaloblastic anemias group a series of disorders that are characterized by the morphological change of the erythrocytes and their alteration in the development and maturation at the level of the bone marrow. The causes of megaloblastic anemia are numerous, but in most cases it is due to a deficiency of folates and vitamin B12. This last has been involved in multiple physiological and metabolic processes including the development of the central nervous system, the synthesis of neurotransmitters and cellular integrity. The deficit or absence of these compounds generates megaloblastic anemia, a condition that deforms blood cells and causes various symptoms such as fatigue, weakness, weight loss and in early childhood can generate intellectual deficiencies and persistent motor disorders. A bibliographic search was carried out in order to review the deficiency of vitamin B12 and folate in relation to its complications at the neurological level [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: the sequencing of the human genome has been one of the most important achievements in the history of science. However, scientists around the world are beginning to realize that knowing the genetic information is not enough to understand the different phenotypic manifestations. The genome codes for a potential information, but the way in which the deoxynucleic acid sequence translates into a certain phenotype does not depend directly on the sequence itself, but on the interaction with environmental factors. This is when epigenetics plays its part. Objective: to provide updated information on the different epigenetic processes involved in the origin of some congenital defects related to folic acid deficiency. Method: the medical literature published in the last five years in Spanish and English was reviewed, Google Academic and PubMed search engines were used, the SciELO and Cochrane digital libraries were consulted, the Medline database was used and appropriate keywords were used. Development: there are different epigenetic mechanisms involved in the origin of congenital defects related to maternal deficiency of folic acid and other micronutrients. Conclusions: the fact that epigenetic alterations, in contrast to genetic changes such as mutations, are reversible has important implications for the implementation of strategies to prevent different congenital defects related to maternal deficiency of folic acid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Arquivos Brasileiros de Oftalmologia is the property of Arquivos Brasileiros de Oftalmologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Siempre hemos sabido que el ácido fólico y el hierro son fundamentales previo al embarazo y durante el mismo; el servicio de salud los tiene dentro de su protocolo de atención. Pero, ¿qué otros aspectos nutricionales se deben considerar antes del embarazo?, ¿qué papel juega la alimentación en esta etapa?, ¿cómo influye la alimentación en la capacidad reproductiva?

Objetivo: A suplementação materna com ácido fólico tem um efeito positivo na prevenção de defeitos do tubo neural. É controversa a relação entre a suplementação com altas doses de ácido fólico (5mg) e a asma na criança. O objetivo desta revisão é conhecer a evidência da associação entre a suplementação com altas doses de ácido fólico durante a gravidez e o risco de desenvolvimento de asma na infância. Fontes de dados: National Guideline Clearinghouse, Canadian Medical Association Pratice Guidelines, Cochrane Library, DARE, Bandolier, PubMed e Índex de Revistas Médicas Portuguesas. Métodos de revisão: Pesquisa de meta-análises, revisões sistemáticas, estudos originais e normas de orientação clínica publicados entre julho/2006 e julho/2016 nas línguas portuguesa, inglesa, espanhola e francesa, utilizando os termos MeSH: Folic Acid, Asthma e Pregnancy. Foi utilizada a escala SORT (Strength of Recommendation Taxonomy), da American Academy of Family Physicians, para atribuição do nível de evidência e forças de recomendação. Resultados: Foram selecionados cinco estudos de um total de 29 artigos encontrados: duas meta-análises e três estudos originais. As meta-análises não sustentam a associação entre a suplementação periconcecional com ácido fólico e o aumento do risco do desenvolvimento de asma na infância. No entanto, nenhum dos estudos incluídos nas meta-análises estratificam os resultados de acordo com a dose de ácido fólico fornecida à gestante durante a gestação e o risco de asma. Por outro lado, os estudos originais sugerem que a suplementação com altas doses de ácido fólico durante a gravidez pode aumentar o risco de desenvolvimento de asma na infância. Conclusões: A evidência da associação entre a suplementação com ácido fólico durante a gravidez e o risco de desenvolvimento de asma durante a infância é controversa. Os estudos com resultados estratificados por dose de ácido fólico mostraram que altas doses de suplementação (>800mg) estão associadas ao aumento do risco de desenvolvimento de asma na infância (SORT B).

Introdução: Há múltiplas evidências da associação entre doenças mentais e baixos níveis de ácido fólico. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a prevalência da deficiência de ácido fólico numa amostra de doentes da consulta externa de psiquiatria. Métodos: O estudo foi retrospetivo e incluiu 428 doentes da consulta externa de psiquiatria com os diagnósticos de depressão ou de psicose não afetiva, nos quais os níveis de ácido fólico tinham sido avaliados em análises de rotina. Foram também registados os níveis de ácido fólico de outros doentes do hospital, no mesmo período temporal. Resultados e Discussão: A prevalência de deficiência de ácido fólico nesta amostra foi de 18%. Os doentes não psiquiátricos com fatores de risco para deficiência de ácido fólico tiveram uma prevalência de 15% de deficiência. Nos homens e em doentes mais jovens os níveis de ácido fólico foram significativamente mais baixos, a prevalência de deficiência atingiu os 26%. Conclusão: A alta frequência de deficiência de ácido fólico nesta amostra de doentes comprova que os níveis de ácido fólico devem ser avaliados sistematicamente em doentes da consulta de psiquiatria com diagnósticos de depressão ou psicose, para evitar persistência de sintomas e resistência ao tratamento.

Este artículo describe de forma comprehensiva parte del devenir histórico que han tenido, el conocimiento médico de los defectos del tubo neural (DTN) y el descubrimiento de la vitamina B9 o ácido fólico, así como algunos de los acontecimientos investigativos relevantes que a través de varios siglos definieron las relaciones entre la comprensión de la embriología del sistema nervioso central, el descubrimiento de la vitamina, la correlación del ácido fólico con la proliferación celular y finalmente el desarrollo de medidas preventivas de este tipo de defectos. Se pretende, a través de esta narrativa, exponer los conceptos históricamente relevantes que sustentan las acciones de índole clínico y de impacto poblacional que previenen los DTN a través del consumo preconcepcional de ácido fólico.

Objective.To identify the use of folic acid during pregnancy, as well as the new mothers´ knowledge about folic acid. Methodology. Quantitative, descriptive exploratory, and prospective study. A total of 198 mothers were interviewed in the pediatric outpatient service of Hospital de Base Sao José do Rio Preto, Brazil. They have taken their children for neonatal screening and formally consented to participating in the study. The research project was approved by the Research Ethics Committee (350,287). A specific instrument was used for data collection. The data were entered into an appropriate spreadsheet and later statistically analyzed. Pearson´s chi-squared test, p

Introducción: el consumo de ácido fólico representa un problema de salud a nivel mundial, diversos son los defectos congénitos que se pueden prevenir si existiera un suficiente nivel materno de ácido fólico. Objetivo: demostrar los efectos del ácido fólico sobre algunas variables morfométricas en ratas Wistar recién nacidas. Material y método: se realizó un estudio experimental analítico en 116 ratas Wistar recién nacidas. Se utilizaron como variables: longitud de la cola, diámetro biparietal y masa corporal. Se formaron cinco grupos de dos ratas cada uno: un grupo control y cuatro grupos tratados con ácido fólico teniendo en cuenta, dosis y tiempo de gestación, las mediciones se tomaron al primer y tercer día de nacidas las ratas. Se aplicaron como análisis de variables: la media y desviaciones estándar y para la comparación de los promedios se utilizó un nivel de significación α ≤ 0,05. Resultados: las mediciones de la longitud de la cola arrojaron significación estadística( P < 0.05) al comparar el grupo control respecto a los grupos tratados, las variables diámetro biparietal y masa corporal no presentaron significación estadística a pesar de que la medias en la variable masa corporal de los grupos tratados fueron superiores con respecto al grupo control. Conclusiones: se demostró la necesidad del suministro de ácido fólico antes y durante la gestación en ratas Wistar, por la influencia que ejerce como cofactor durante la vida fetal estimulando la secreción de alguno de los factores de crecimiento presentes durante la vida posnatal.

Objective. To evaluate whether child dietary intake of folate and vitamin B12, is associated with mental and psychomotor development in Mexican children, respectively, at 24 and 30 months of age. Materials and methods. Information about neurodevelopment and dietary intake of folate and vitamin B12 at 24 and 30 months of age among 229 children belonging to a perinatal cohort was analyzed longitudinally. Dietary information was assessed using a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire, and neurodevelopment by Bayley Scale of Infant Development II. Results. At 30 months of age, dietary folate intake was marginally associated with increased Mental Development Index (MDI) (β=8.33; 95%CI -0.48, 17.14; p=0.06). Nonsignificant positive associations of vitamin B12 with MDI were found. Psychomotor Development Index (PDI) was not associated with these nutrients. Conclusion. Dietary folate intake in early childhood may benefit the mental development of children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJETIVO:Identificar o perfil de uso de medicamentos no primeiro trimestre de gravidez com ênfase na avaliação da segurança e na adoção do ácido fólico e do sulfato ferroso por gestantes em uma Unidade Básica de Saúde da região Sul do Brasil.MÉTODOS:Trata-se de estudo transversal aninhado a uma coorte de gestantes. Os medicamentos foram classificados segundo a Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC), e a segurança avaliada segundo a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) e a Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária (ANVISA). Foi investigado o uso/prescrição de sulfato ferroso e ácido fólico segundo o protocolo do Ministério da Saúde.RESULTADOS:Foram incluídas 212 gestantes. Dessas, 46,7% estavam em uso de medicamentos no momento do diagnóstico da gravidez e 97,6% utilizaram medicamentos no primeiro trimestre gestacional. O percentual mais elevado de automedicação ocorreu antes do início do pré-natal (64,9%). Observou-se maior exposição a medicamentos de risco D e X, segundo a classificação do FDA, antes do início do pré-natal (23,0%). Entre as gestantes, 32,5% não seguiam o protocolo de uso de ácido fólico e sulfato ferroso do Ministério da Saúde. No total, 67,9% das gestantes tiveram exposição inadequada aos medicamentos. Houve diferença entre as proporções de medicamentos utilizados segundo a ATC, e os principais grupos anatômicos identificados foram os dos medicamentos que atuam no sangue e órgãos hematopoiéticos e anti-infecciosos de uso sistêmico. Na época do diagnóstico da gravidez, observou-se expressivo uso de medicamentos que atuam no sistema geniturinário e hormônios sexuais (16,2%), como anticoncepcionais orais, o que provavelmente está relacionado ao percentual de gestações não planejadas (67,0%), nessa mesma ocasião 4 gestantes utilizaram ácido fólico e 3 utilizaram o sulfato ferroso.CONCLUSÃO:Os resultados demonstram uso expressivo de medicamentos durante a gravidez. Mesmo que haja menor exposição aos medicamentos no momento do diagnóstico da gravidez, observa-se maior consumo de medicamentos de risco e da prática de automedicação nesse período.

Introduction: ethanol is a teratogenic agent and its excessive consumption represents a major worldwide health problem. Objective: to demonstrate the protective role of folic acid on the Central Nervous System and craniofacial dimensions in a biomodel of prenatal alcohol intoxication in Wistar rats. Methods: an experimental study with offspring of three groups of pregnant rats: without alcohol intoxication; with 5 ml of 40 % ethanol during gestation and with 5 ml of 40 % ethanol plus 200 µg/day of folic acid. The presence of meningocele, encephalocele and microcephaly was evaluated in the offspring and the craniofacial dimensions were measured. The comparison of proportions for independent samples, the Kruskal-Wallis test and a statistically significant risk association was estimated for an Odds-Ratio confidence interval not containing the unit. Results: supplementation with folic acid in pregnant rats with alcohol intoxication prevented the onset of encephalocele of the offspring, reduce the microcephaly, diminution of the biparietal diameter and the distance between the eyeballs, however the damage of the Central Nervous System could not completely avoided, and not prevent the reduction of the anteroposterior diameter or the nasal-ear pore distance. Conclusion: the biomodel demonstrated the toxic effect of ethanol and the protection of folic acid on the Central Nervous System and some craniofacial dimensions of the offspring. A higher dose of folic acid, than the one used in the research, could be recommended to achieve a better protection of the offspring.

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Introduction: Despite different nutritional deficits such as folic acid have been associated with schizophrenia and other psychiatric disorders, little is known about the possible nutritional deficits in children and adolescents with psychiatric disorders. Objective: To describe folic acid and vitamin B12 values and possible deficits of children and adolescents hospitalized due to psychiatric disorders and compared them between diagnostic categories. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the charts of patients hospitalized during 2015 in the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology Department, Hospital Clínic in Barcelona, Spain. Levels of folic acid and vitamin B12 were registered as well as sociodemographic data and diagnostic category, according to DSM-IV-TR criteria. Results: 278 patients were reviewed, mean age: 14.8 years, 64% females. Vitamin B12 mean value was 420.5±152.4 pg/mL, with significant lower levels in adolescent vs children and males vs females. We also found significant differences between patients with depressive (381.3±107.5 pg/mL) vs. eating disorders (523.1 ±229.6pg/mL) (p=0.002). Folic acid mean value was 8±4.8 ng/mL, with significant lower levels in adolescents compared to children. Significant differences between patients with psychotic (5,9±2.2ng/mL) vs. eating disorders were also observed (8.1±3.6ng/mL) (p=0.019). 11.2% patients had deficit of vitamin B12, folic acid or both. Conclusions: Around 11% of our sample had deficit of vitamin B12, folic acid or a combination of them, with some significant differences among diagnostic categories. It would be interesting to deeply study this issue due to the importance of these deficits in the paediatric population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]