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Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system.To investigate plasma and erythrocyte zinc status and its relationship to MS.Cross-sectional study, including 98 participants, distributed in groups: case (MS, n = 49), diagnosed with MS and control (n = 49), matched by age and sex with the case group. Zinc was analyzed by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity by spectrophotometry.Mean plasma zinc was 94.6 (22.1) μg/dL for MS patients and 81.5 (31.3) μg/dL for control group, with statistical difference (p = 0.023). The mean erythrocyte zinc was 83.6 (41.6) µg/gHb for case group and 72.6 (31.5) µg/gHb for control. Erythrocyte SOD activity was above reference values, significantly different for MS patients (p = 0.003). There was a significant direct correlation between erythrocyte zinc and SOD (r = 0.835; p 0.001). SOD showed inverse correlation with MS outbreaks (r = -0.317; p = 0.027).Patients with MS have normal plasma and elevated erythrocyte zinc. Erythrocyte zinc showed positive correlation with SOD, which correlated inversely to outbreaks.

Background Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) had a 1.5-fold increase in cardiovascular diseases (CVD) mortality, compared with those without MS. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the CVD risk in MS patients by multiple cardiometabolic indexes and to investigate associated factors. Methods The MS group included 57 patients matched for age and sex to 57 healthy controls. They were evaluated for physical activity, smoking, anthropometric indices, blood pressure, and plasma biomarkers. Framingham risk score (FRS) and multiple cardiovascular risk indexes were calculated. Clinical course of disease, age at onset, disease duration, disease-modifying therapy, relapse rate, EDSS, physical and functional impairment were investigated. Results The mean age was 34.6 years old. The majority (89.5%) in the MS group had a RRMS clinical course and a mild level of disability (EDSS=1.0). WC (p = 0.022) and FM% (p = 0.007) were different between the MS and control groups. The FRS was higher in the MS group (10% versus 0%) and this was related with high prevalence of dyslipidemia (43.8% versus 36.8%). The atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) (0.013) and Castelli risk indexes I (CRI-I) (p = 0.017) and II (CRI-II) (p = 0.008) and non-HDL-C (p = 0.044) were higher in the MS group. Conclusion MS patients, with controlled disease course, have a higher cardiovascular risk than comparable healthy individuals. We emphasize that the use of FRS, and the monitoring of CRI-I and II, as well as AIP, are important lipid markers to manage CVD risk in individuals with MS.

This study aims at analyzing the association between the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) and the clinical condition of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. It is a quantitative, cross-sectional analytical study that included 137 MS patients assisted at a reference center for MS treatment in the Brazilian northeast. Data was collated through a structured questionnaire and medical records consultation, also involving demographic, clinical, and nutritional variables. Clinical variables included the MS type, diagnosis and follow-up start dates, investigation of recent urinary tract symptoms, use of immunomodulatory, vitamin D supplementation, number of recent pulse therapies, relapse rate in the last 2 years, muscular strength assessment (MRC), disability degree (EDSS), and a gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan in the central white matter (CWM). The DII was calculated according to the Shivappa et al. methodology. There was no difference in any of the variables according to the DII (p > 0.05). The Dietary Inflammatory Index did not affect the clinical condition of individuals with multiple sclerosis.

Summary Background & aims The Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) consists of a tool that assesses dietary inflammatory potential based on the assignment of an inflammatory score to a variety of nutrients, seasonings and bioactive compounds. Pro-inflammatory diets are associated to weight and abdominal fat excess. High Body Mass Index (BMI) and Waist Circumference (WC) seem to contribute to a worse prognosis in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients. Therefore, this study seeks to investigate the relation between anthropometric indexes and body adiposity with the clinical condition and the Dietary Inflammatory Index of MS individuals. Methods This is a cross-sectional, analytical study that included 137 MS patients residing in the Brazilian northeast. Through a structured questionnaire and medical records consultation, we collected data on demographics, nutritional state, arterial pressure, clinical and dietary variables. Clinical variables included the MS type, number of pulse therapies and attack rate in the last two years, number of days of most recent pulse therapy and muscular strength assessment scores (MRC) and most recent disability level (EDSS). The nutritional state was evaluated based on BMI, WC, waist-hip ratio (WHR), Body Roundness Index (BRI), Body Shape z score Index (ABSIz) and body fat percentage (%BF). The DII was calculated according to a validated methodology. Results The ABSIz presented a positive correlation with regards to the EDSS score (r = 0.294. p = 0.001). WC and WHR presented a negative correlation in relation to the number of pulse therapy days (r = −0.255. p = 0.022 and r = −0.251. p = 0.024). BMI and %BF were not correlated to clinical variables (p > 0.05). The DII was positively correlated to the BMI in people with progressive MS (r = 0.556. p = 0.025). Conclusions The DII may interfere in the nutritional state of MS patients and the nutritional state may affect disability levels but it is necessary to establish which nutritional indicator can better predict the relation between DII and the clinical condition of MS patients.

Objetivo: Conhecer a percepção de cuidadoras sobre alimentação, dinâmica familiar e emocional de crianças e adolescentes com câncer. Métodos: Pesquisa descritiva, com abordagem qualitativa das informações, realizada entre março e maio de 2013 em um centro pediátrico de referência no diagnóstico e tratamento do câncer infantojuvenil, em Fortaleza/CE. Foram selecionadas, por amostragem não probabilística, aleatória e por conveniência, 24 cuidadoras de crianças com câncer. Coletaram-se informações por entrevista semiestruturada e grupo focal; posteriormente, realizou-se a análise de conteúdo. Resultados: Definiram-se as seguintes categorias: “Dinâmica familiar e suas implicações emocionais”, “Preocupação com a alimentação saudável” e “Mitos alimentares”. Os conteúdos expõem cuidadoras preocupadas com as mudanças na dinâmica familiar devido à sua ausência constante do lar para dedicarem-se à criança doente. O principal problema enfrentado foi a recusa alimentar da criança doente, pois dele emerge a alimentação como ato de amor, cuidado e cura. As mães referiram aspectos culturais que interferem na organização da dieta de sua família, especificamente os mitos. Conclusão: Na percepção das mães cuidadoras entrevistadas, existem importantes repercussões do diagnóstico de câncer que geram modificações na alimentação, dinâmica familiar e emocional, demandando adaptação da criança doente e de sua família.

This study aims at analyzing the association between the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) and the clinical condition of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients.It is a quantitative, cross-sectional analytical study that included 137 MS patients assisted at a reference center for MS treatment in the Brazilian northeast. Data was collated through a structured questionnaire and medical records consultation, also involving demographic, clinical, and nutritional variables. Clinical variables included the MS type, diagnosis and follow-up start dates, investigation of recent urinary tract symptoms, use of immunomodulatory, vitamin D supplementation, number of recent pulse therapies, relapse rate in the last 2 years, muscular strength assessment (MRC), disability degree (EDSS), and a gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan in the central white matter (CWM). The DII was calculated according to the Shivappa et al. methodology.There was no difference in any of the variables according to the DII (p 0.05).The Dietary Inflammatory Index did not affect the clinical condition of individuals with multiple sclerosis.

Objective: To assess the nutritional knowledge of women with breast cancer on the dietdisease interface and its association with nutritional status. Methods:...

El objetivo del trabajo fue investigar la influencia de las actividades educativas (AEs) en los conocimientos sobre nutricion de las mujeres con cancer de mama. Se trata de un estudio longitudinal y de intervencion, cuanti-cualitativo, realizado en un Centro de Oncologia de Fortaleza, Ceara, Brasil, en los momentos T0 - Evaluacion nutricional y medida del conocimiento nutricional (CN); T1 (desarrollo de AEs) y y T2 - Evaluacion nutricional y medicion de CN despues de las AEs. La muestra estuvo compuesta por 11 mujeres. En los momentos T0 y T2 se evaluaron peso, altura, indice de masa corporal (IMC) y circunferencia de la cintura (CC); el CN fue evaluado por la Escala de Conocimientos sobre Nutricion (ECN). En el momento T1 se realizaron tres AEs y, por medio de ruedas de conversacion, se organizaron los testimonios de las mujeres en categorias tematicas: origen del cancer de mama, actitudes que evitarian la aparicion del cancer, creencias sobre la relacion entre dieta-enfermedad y concepciones sobre fibras. La mayor parte de la muestra (n=6; 54,5%) presento diagnostico nutricional de sobrepeso. No se encontraron diferencias significativas en peso, IMC y CC entre los momentos T0 y T2. En T2 se encontro un aumento significativo (p