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Objetivo: relatar os efeitos da reabilitação interdisciplinar de Fisioterapia e Terapia Ocupacional em uma paciente diagnosticada com Doença de Marchiafava-Bignami, em um Centro Especializado de Reabilitação. Método: estudo de caso realizado entre 2018 a 2019, que utilizou avaliações pré e pós intervenções. Resultados: paciente do sexo feminino de 60 anos, solteira, ex-etilista (consumo excessivo até 2006), ex-tabagista e com hipertensão arterial sistêmica. Realizou-se 14 sessões, nas quais verificou-se: Medida de Independência Funcional – Pré = 65 / Pós = 89; Escala para Avaliação e Graduação de Ataxia - Pré = 29.5/ Pós = 22.5; Medida de Habilidade Manual - Pré = - 0.119 logits / Pós = 0.263 logits; Medida Canadense de Desempenho Ocupacional - Desempenho Pré = 4.2 / Pós = 5.5 e Satisfação Pré = 3.5 / Pós = 5.5. Conclusão: O programa de reabilitação interdisciplinar favoreceu a aquisição da função manual, equilíbrio, da mobilidade funcional e do autocuidado

Objetivo: Esta pesquisa tem como objetivo mensurar a funcionalidade e qualidade de vida de pacientes com Esclerose Lateral Amiotrófica (ELA) e fornecer evidências sobre a possível sobrecarga de cuidados gerados aos seus cuidadores informais. Método: Trata-se de um estudo descritivo exploratório do tipo quantitativo, com delineamento transversal. A amostra do estudo foi composta por 24 participantes, sendo 12 pacientes com ELA e 12 cuidadores informais, recrutados em um Centro Especializado de Reabilitação. Foram administrados aos indivíduos com ELA os instrumentos: Questionário sobre Informações Demográficas; Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Functional Rating Scale-Revised (ALSFRS-R); Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Assessment Questionnaire (ALSAQ-40) e aos cuidadores: Questionário de Avaliação da Sobrecarga do Cuidador Informal (QASCI); Escala de Apoio Social do Medical Outcomes Study (MOS). Resultados: Foram encontradas fortes correlações entre ALSFRS-R e ALSAQ-40 (r = - 0.709 e p < 0.010), entre o domínio Atividades de Vida Diária e a ALSFRS-R (r = - 0.877 e p

Este é um relato de experiência, realizado no período de novembro de 2018 a dezembro de 2019, num Centro Especializado de Reabilitação de Vila Velha, Espirito Santo, com objetivo de descrever a experiência de constituição de um grupo multidisciplinar de educação em saúde, com pessoas diagnosticadas com Esclerose Lateral Amiotrófica, seus familiares e cuidadores. O grupo se intitulou “Café com Ela” e houveram oito encontros com a participação de três a nove pacientes e quatro a 21 cuidadores ou familiares. As temáticas escolhidas se deram a partir das demandas dos participantes. O grupo foi caracterizado como homogêneo quanto às condições de saúde dos membros, e aberto com relação à entrada em cada encontro, sendo sempre conduzidos e construídos de forma multidisciplinar. A abordagem de grupo no contexto da reabilitação promoveu acesso a informação, maior conhecimento sobre a Esclerose Lateral Amiotrófica, apoio emocional através do compartilhamento de experiências, ampliação e construção de redes sociais e de suporte para o enfrentamento da doença.

Mercury is known to cause harmful neural effects affecting the cardiovascular system. Here, we evaluated the chronic effects of low-dose mercury exposure on the autonomic control of the cardiovascular system. Methods: Wistar rats were treated for 30 days with HgCl2 (1st dose 4.6 μg/kg followed by 0.07 μg/kg/day, i.m.) or saline. The femoral artery and vein were then cannulated for evaluation of autonomic control of the hemodynamic function, which was evaluated in awake rats. The following tests were performed: baroreflex sensitivity, von Bezold-Jarisch reflex, heart rate variability (HRV) and pharmacological blockade with methylatropine and atenolol to test the autonomic tone of the heart. Exposure to HgCl2 for 30 days slightly increased the mean arterial pressure and heart rate (HR). There was a significant reduction in the baroreflex gain of animals exposed to HgCl2. Moreover, hemodynamic responses to the activation of the von Bezold-Jarisch reflex were also reduced. The changes in the spectral analysis of HRV suggested a shift in the sympathovagal balance toward a sympathetic predominance after mercury exposure, which was confirmed by autonomic pharmacological blockade in the HgCl2 group. This also exhibited reduced intrinsic HR after the double block suggesting that the pacemaker activity of the sinus node was also affected. These findings suggested that the autonomic modulation of the heart was significantly altered by chronic mercury exposure, thus reinforcing that even at low concentrations such exposure might be associated with increased cardiovascular risk. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Background Lead induces endothelial dysfunction and hypertension in humans and animals. Seven-day exposure to a low dose in rats reduces vasocontractile responses and increases nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability. We hypothesized that this occurs by angiotensin II receptors (AT1/AT2) activation. Materials and Results Wistar rats were exposed to lead acetate (1 st dose 4 μg/100 g, subsequent dose 0.05 μg/100 g/day i.m., 7 days) or saline (control group). Lead acetate exposure reduced the phenylephrine vascular response. NO synthase inhibitor N-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) or phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor (wortmannin) incubation increased the contractile response in aortas from lead-treated rats. Pre-incubation with AT2 antagonist (PD123319) restored normal vascular contraction, and both PD123319 or AT1 antagonist (losartan) impeded the potentiated effects of L-NAME and wortmannin. Reinforcing those findings, increased NO bioavailability was blunted by AT1 and AT2 antagonists without summative effect when co-incubated. Finally, to test whether activation of AT1 could upregulate AT2 to increase NO bioavailability rats were simultaneously exposed to lead acetate and treated with losartan (15 mg/kg/day, orally given). Losartan prevented changes on vascular reactivity and endothelial modulation in lead-exposed group. Moreover, incubation with PD123319 had no more effects in aortic from losartan-treated rats. Conclusion Our results suggest that low-dose lead acetate exposure induces an increase of NO involving mainly AT2 receptor activation and the PI3K/Protein Kinase B (PI3K/Akt) pathway. Additionally, we suggest that AT1 activation plays a role in AT2 upregulation, probably as a protective mechanism. Altogether, these effects might contribute to preserving endothelial function against the harmful effects by lead in the vascular system.

Chronic exposure to low lead concentration produces hypertension; however, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We analyzed the role of oxidative stress, cyclooxygenase-2-dependent pathways and MAPK in the vascular alterations induced by chronic lead exposure. Aortas from lead-treated Wistar rats (1st dose: 10 μg/100 g; subsequent doses: 0.125 μg/100 g, intramuscular, 30 days) and cultured aortic vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) from Sprague Dawley rats stimulated with lead (20 μg/dL) were used. Lead blood levels of treated rats attained 21.7 ± 2.38 μg/dL. Lead exposure increased systolic blood pressure and aortic ring contractile response to phenylephrine, reduced acetylcholine-induced relaxation and did not affect sodium nitroprusside relaxation. Endothelium removal and L-NAME left-shifted the response to phenylephrine more in untreated than in lead-treated rats. Apocynin and indomethacin decreased more the response to phenylephrine in treated than in untreated rats. Aortic protein expression of gp91(phox), Cu/Zn-SOD, Mn-SOD and COX-2 increased after lead exposure. In cultured VSMCs lead 1) increased superoxide anion production, NADPH oxidase activity and gene and/or protein levels of NOX-1, NOX-4, Mn-SOD, EC-SOD and COX-2 and 2) activated ERK1/2 and p38 MAPK. Both antioxidants and COX-2 inhibitors normalized superoxide anion production, NADPH oxidase activity and mRNA levels of NOX-1, NOX-4 and COX-2. Blockade of the ERK1/2 and p38 signaling pathways abolished lead-induced NOX-1, NOX-4 and COX-2 expression. Results show that lead activation of the MAPK signaling pathways activates inflammatory proteins such as NADPH oxidase and COX-2, suggesting a reciprocal interplay and contribution to vascular dysfunction as an underlying mechanisms for lead-induced hypertension, This work was supported by MINECO (SAF2012-36400), ISCIII 7 (RD12/0042/0024), PRONEX-CNPq/FAPES (48511935/2009). MRS was a 8 fellow of CAPES and CNPq. AMB was supported by the Ramon y Cajal 9 Program (RyC2010-06473).

The goal of the present study was to evaluate vascular potassium channels and Na+-K+-ATPase activity in estrogen deficient female rats. Female rats that underwent ovariectomy were assigned to receive daily treatment with placebo (OVX) or estrogen replacement (OVX+E2, 1mg/kg, once a week, i.m.). Aortic rings were used to examine the involvement of K+ channels and Na+-K+-ATPase in vascular reactivity. Acetylcholine (ACh)-induced relaxation was analyzed in the presence of L-NAME (100μM) and K+ channels blockers: tetraethylammonium (TEA, 5mM), 4-aminopyridine (4-AP, 5mM), iberiotoxin (IbTX, 30nM), apamin (0.5mM), charybdotoxin (ChTX, 0.1mM) and iberiotoxin plus apamin. When aortic rings were pre-contracted with KCl (60mM) or pre-incubated with TEA (5mM), 4-aminopyridine (4-AP, 5mM) and iberiotoxin (IbTX, 30nM) plus apamin (0.5μM), the ACh-induced relaxation was less effective in the ovariectomized group. Additionally, 4-AP and IbTX decreased the relaxation by sodium nitroprusside in all groups but this reduction was greater in the ovariectomized group. Estrogen deficiency also increased aortic functional Na+-K+ ATPase activity evaluated by K+-induced relaxation. L-NAME or endothelium removal were not able to block the increase in aortic functional Na+-K+ ATPase activity, however, TEA (5mM) restored this increase to the control level. We also found that estrogen deficiency increased superoxide anion production and reduced nitric oxide release in aortic ring from ovariectomized animals. In summary, our results emphasize that the process underlying ACh-induced relaxation is preserved in ovariectomized animals due to the activation of K+ channels and increased Na+-K+ ATPase activity.

Lead (Pb) induces adverse effects when it chronically accumulates in the body, including effects on the nervous and cardiovascular systems. Wistar rats were exposed to lead acetate for 30 days (first dose 4 µg/100 g followed by 0.05 µg/100 g/day, i.m.) to investigate the cardiovascular system impact on the autonomic control. The femoral artery and vein were catheterised to perform hemodynamic evaluations in awake rats: heart rate variability (HRV), baroreflex sensitivity, cardiopulmonary reflex and hemodynamic responses to vagal and sympathetic pharmacological blockade. Rats exposed to Pb exhibited a higher blood pressure and reduced HRV in the time domain when compared to the saline-injected group. Spectral analysis of the HRV in the frequency-domain showed an augmented low-frequency component of the spectrum. Methylatropine and atenolol administration suggest increased sympathetic tone and reduced vagal tone on the control of heart rate. Chronic Pb exposure decreased the sensitivity of the baroreflex without significantly changing the cardiopulmonary reflex. This study demonstrated for the first time in an animal model of a controlled, low-dose chronic lead exposure that cardiovascular changes, such as arterial hypertension, are accompanied by impaired autonomic control of the cardiovascular system, as characterised by reduced baroreflex sensitivity and a sympathovagal imbalance.

The goal of the present study was to evaluate vascular potassium channels and Na

Seven day exposure to a low concentration of lead acetate increases nitric oxide bioavailability suggesting a putative role of K+ channels affecting vascular reactivity. This could be an adaptive mechanism at the initial stages of toxicity from lead exposure due to oxidative stress. We evaluated whether lead alters the participation of K+ channels and Na+/K+)-ATPase (NKA) on vascular function. Wistar rats were treated with lead (1st dose 4 μg/100 g, subsequent doses 0.05 μg/100g, im, 7 days) or vehicle. Lead treatment reduced the contractile response of aortic rings to phenylephrine (PHE) without changing the vasodilator response to acetylcholine (ACh) or sodium nitroprusside (SNP). Furthermore, this treatment increased basal O₂⁻ production, and apocynin (0.3 μM), superoxide dismutase (150 U/mL) and catalase (1000 U/mL) reduced the response to PHE only in the treated group. Lead also increased aortic functional NKA activity evaluated by K+-induced relaxation curves. Ouabain (100 μM) plus L-NAME (100 μM), aminoguanidine (50 μM) or tetraethylammonium (TEA, 2 mM) reduced the K+-induced relaxation only in lead-treated rats. When aortic rings were precontracted with KCl (60 mM/L) or preincubated with TEA (2 mM), 4-aminopyridine (4-AP, 5 mM), iberiotoxin (IbTX, 30 nM), apamin (0.5 μM) or charybdotoxin (0.1 μM), the ACh-induced relaxation was more reduced in the lead-treated rats. Additionally, 4-AP and IbTX reduced the relaxation elicited by SNP more in the lead-treated rats. Results suggest that lead treatment promoted NKA and K+ channels activation and these effects might contribute to the preservation of aortic endothelial function against oxidative stress.

Mercury chloride exposure for 30 days decreases NO bioavailability and increases oxidative stress. However, the mechanisms underlying the effects of mercury on the cardiovascular system are not completely understood, and it is not known if they are dose-dependent or if some concentrations have no harmful effects. Thus, we investigated the effects of chronic exposure to doses low (half) and high (2.5-fold higher) than that needed to obtain 29 nmol/L of HgCl2 on the vascular function. Three-month-old male Wistar rats received intramuscular (i.m.) HgCl2 for 30 days and were divided in three groups: lower (Low Hg); higher (High Hg); and saline was used as the control. High Hg exposure increased the contractile response to phenylephrine (PHE) in aortic rings, but Low Hg reduced it. The hyporesponsiveness in the Low Hg rats was blunted by endothelial denudation and NOS inhibition with l-NAME (100 μmol/L). The phosphorylated-eNOS/eNOS protein ratio increased in the aortas of Low Hg rats. In the High Hg group, endothelial denudation increased the PHE-induced contractions, while l-NAME had no effects and indomethacin (10 μmol/L), losartan (10 μmol/L) and apocynin (30 μmol/L) reduced this response. In the High Hg group, protein levels of the NADPH oxidase subunit gp91phox and cyclooxygenase-2 increased. Our results support previous suggestions that High Hg increases oxidative stress that might activate an inflammatory cascade and the renin-angiotensin system. However, very low Hg concentrations below the level considered safe still reduced vascular reactivity, suggesting the need for special attention to continuous exposure as a putative cause of increased cardiovascular risk.

Estrogen deficiency induces myocardial contractile dysfunction and increases cardiovascular disease risk. However, the mechanism underlying this response is unclear. Our aim was to investigate whether AT(1)receptor blockade would prevent ovariectomy-induced myocardial contractile dysfunction.Female rats (8 weeks old, 280 g) that underwent bilateral ovariectomy were randomly assigned to receive daily treatment with losartan (OVX + LOS, 15 mg/kg, s.c., in 0.9 % NaCl), placebo (OVX), estrogen replacement (OVX + E2, 1 mg/ kg, once a week, i.m.) and SHAM for 58 days.Losartan and estrogen treatment 1) prevented ovariectomy-induced weight gain and slight hypertrophy, 2) restored the positive inotropic responses to Ca(2+) and isoproterenol in the isolated papillary muscle in the OVX group, 3) prevented the reduction in SERCA2a levels and the increase in phospholamban (PLB) expression in the OVX group, 4) abolished the increase in superoxide anion that was increased in the OVX group, and 5) normalized the increase in p22(phox) expression after ovariectomy. Estrogen treatment but not losartan restored the increase in serum angiotensin converting enzyme activity in the OVX group.This study demonstrated that myocardial contractile dysfunction induced by ovariectomy and expression of key Ca(2+)-handling proteins were prevented by losartan treatment and that AT(1) receptor activation is involved in this response.

Background There is a growing need to improve heart preservation benefit the performance of cardiac operations, decrease morbidity, and more important, increase the donor pool. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the cardioprotective effects of Krebs-Henseleit buffer (KHB), Bretschneider-HTK (HTK), St. Thomas No. 1 (STH-1), and Celsior (CEL) solutions infused at 10°C and 20°C. Methods Hearts isolated from male albino Wistar rats and prepared according to Langendorff were randomly divided equally into 8 groups according to the temperature of infusion (10°C or 20°C) and cardioprotective solutions (KHB, HTK, STH-1, and CEL). After stabilization with KHB at 37°C, baseline values were collected (control) for heart rate (HR), left ventricle systolic pressure (LVSP), coronary flow (CF), maximum rate of rise of left ventricular pressure during ventricular contraction (+d P /d t ) and maximum rate of fall of left ventricular pressure during left ventricular relaxation (−d P /d t ). The hearts were then perfused with cardioprotective solutions for 5 minutes and kept for 2 hours in static ischemia at 20°C. Data evaluation used analysis of variance (ANOVA) in all together randomized 2-way ANOVA and Tukey's test for multiple comparisons. The level of significance chosen was P Results We observed that all 4 solutions were able to recover HR, independent of temperature. Interestingly, STH-1 solution at 20°C showed HR above baseline throughout the experiment. An evaluation of the corresponding hemodynamic values (LVSP, +d P /d t , and −d P /d t ) indicated that treatment with CEL solution was superior at both temperatures compared with the other solutions, and had better performance at 20°C. When analyzing performance on CF maintenance, we observed that it was temperature dependent. However, when applying both HTK and CEL, at 10°C and 20°C respectively, indicated better protection against development of tissue edema. Multiple comparisons between treatments and hemodynamic variable outcomes showed that using CEL solution resulted in significant improvement compared with the other solutions at both temperatures. Conclusion The solutions investigated were not able to fully suppress the deleterious effects of ischemia and reperfusion of the heart. However, these results allow us to conclude that temperature and the cardioprotective solution are interdependent as far as myocardial protection. Although CEL solution is the best for in myocardial protection, more studies are needed to understand the interaction between temperature and perfusion solution used. This will lead to development of better and more efficient cardioprotective methods.

Gender associated differences in vascular reactivity regulation might contribute to the low incidence of cardiovascular disease in women. Cardiovascular protection is suggested to depend on female sex hormones' effects on endothelial function and vascular tone regulation. We tested the hypothesis that potassium (K+) channels and Na+K+-ATPase may be involved in the gender-based vascular reactivity differences. Aortic rings from female and male rats were used to examine the involvement of K+ channels and Na+K+-ATPase in vascular reactivity. Acetylcholine (ACh)-induced relaxation was analyzed in the presence of L-NAME (100 µM) and the following K+ channels blockers: tetraethylammonium (TEA, 2 mM), 4-aminopyridine (4-AP, 5 mM), iberiotoxin (IbTX, 30 nM), apamin (0.5 µM) and charybdotoxin (ChTX, 0.1 µM). The ACh-induced relaxation sensitivity was greater in the female group. After incubation with 4-AP the ACh-dependent relaxation was reduced in both groups. However, the dAUC was greater in males, suggesting that the voltage-dependent K+ channel (Kv) participates more in males. Inhibition of the three types of Ca2+-activated K+ channels induced a greater reduction in Rmax in females than in males. The functional activity of the Na+K+-ATPase was evaluated by KCl-induced relaxation after L-NAME and OUA incubation. OUA reduced K+-induced relaxation in female and male groups, however, it was greater in males, suggesting a greater Na+K+-ATPase functional activity. L-NAME reduced K+-induced relaxation only in the female group, suggesting that nitric oxide (NO) participates more in their functional Na+K+-ATPase activity. These results suggest that the K+ channels involved in the gender-based vascular relaxation differences are the large conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channels (BKCa) in females and Kv in males and in the K+-induced relaxation and the Na+K+-ATPase vascular functional activity is greater in males.