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Biomedical subjects

H Barros

Publications and source records attributed to H Barros.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1996

Correlates of postnatal depression in mothers and fathers.

BACKGROUND: We compare and contrast some correlates of paternal and maternal depression after the live birth of a first child, as part of a longitudinal study. METHOD: Fifty-four first-time mothers attending obstetric services in Oporto, Portugal, and 42 of their husbands or partners participated in a longitudinal study of their mental health. All subjects were given a semi-structured clinical interview (SADS) at six months antenatally and at 12 months postnatally and sub-samples were interviewed at three months postnatally. At all these times all the mothers and fathers also completed a translated version of a self-rating scale for depression, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and a series of other questionnaires and interviews to measure different psychosocial variables. Profiles of risk factors associated with depression in the first postnatal year were analysed by means of logistic regressions. RESULTS: In the mothers, aside from a history of depression, the only other powerful predictor of postnatal depression was the mean objective negative impact score of life events. 'Postnatal' depression in fathers was associated with a history of depression in themselves and with the presence of depression in their wives or partners during pregnancy and soon after delivery. CONCLUSION: Prevention and early treatment of depression in fathers may benefit not only themselves but also their spouses and their children.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Independent effect of maternal birth weight on infant birth weight.

The relationship between the birth weights of the mother and her infant was evaluated in a sample of 106 women consecutively delivered of a single live birth. Women were included in the study if their birth weight was available in hospital files or from another reliable source. Women that were themselves a twin or had diseases complicated the course of the pregnancy were excluded. A positive significant correlation was found between mother and infant birth weights (r = 0.29, p = 0.003). This correlation remained significant (partial r = 0.22, p = 0.039) after adjusting for other covariables such as the mother's age, height, education, whether the pregnancy was planned, number of cigarettes smoked daily during pregnancy, month of first antenatal visit and number of visits, weight at end-pregnancy, gestational age and sex of the newborn. In the multiple linear regression model, mother's birth weight explained 3% of the variation observed in infant birth-weight. A weaker crude correlation was also found between mothers' birth weight and gestational age (r = 0.19, p = 0.06). This study shows that maternal birth weight is an independent predictor of infant birth weight, and confirms previous findings suggesting that this maternal factor has a stronger effect on the birth weight than on the gestational age of the newborn.

Birth Weight↗
PubMed1996

In vitro effects of ethanol on human gastric and pancreatic lipolytic activities/enzymes.

BACKGROUND: Ethanol ingestion may disturb fat digestion and absorption by affecting gastric, intestinal, hepatic, and pancreatic functions. Involved mechanisms are not well understood. We examined in vitro ethanol effects on gastric and pancreatic lipolytic activity. METHODS: Human gastric juice, pure gastric lipase, pancreatic lipase, colipase, carboxyl ester lipase, phospholipase A2, and duodenal contents were a) preincubated at 37 degrees C with ethanol (0-30%) and then assayed under normal conditions (pH-stat titration), or b) assayed in the presence of various ethanol concentrations (0-30%). RESULTS: Ethanol reduced gastric and pancreatic lipolytic activities in a dose-dependent manner. The effect was more pronounced with alcohol present in the assay medium, with 5% ethanol reducing carboxyl ester lipase activity by 10%, gastric lipase activity by 20%, and pancreatic lipase activity by 46%. Colipase and phospholipase A2 activities were only slightly affected by ethanol. CONCLUSIONS: Observed effects of ethanol on gastric and pancreatic lipase may be important when fat digestion is already impaired due to gastric, intestinal hepatic, and/or pancreatic diseases.

Carboxylesterase↗
PubMed1995

Cold: a risk factor for stroke?

A retrospective study was performed to investigate seasonal variation in stroke incidence and to evaluate the hypothesis that cold might be a risk factor. Data were obtained from the central registry of the Hospital de S. João, Porto, Portugal, concerning 4048 patients consecutively admitted for cerebrovascular disease during a period of 33 months. Monthly admissions for stroke and its subtypes were related to mean values of ambient temperature using linear correlation. There was a strong inverse correlation between average temperature and total admissions for cerebrovascular disease (r = -0.72, P < 0.00005), intracerebral haemorrhage (r = -0.66, P < 0.00005), ischaemic stroke (r = -0.46, P = 0.007) and transient ischaemic attack (r = -0.41, P = 0.017). These correlations were independent of any seasonal variation in the number of hospital admissions due to all causes. No relation was found between temperature and subarachnoid haemorrhage. The rhythmometric analysis showed the presence of a statistically significant rhythm with an acrophase in the coldest months. These results support the hypothesis of stroke being a chronorisk disease to which cold might represent a triggering factor.

Cerebrovascular Disorders↗
PubMed1995

[Growth and development of children with low birth weight at their first birthday].

The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate the effect of low birthweight on growth and development at one year of age, in a cohort of infants born between March 1992 and March 1993 at Hospital de Famalicão. Information was obtained from 199 children, 89 low birthweight cases and 110 born with a normal (> or = 2500 g) weight. The infant mortality rate (56 vs 9 per 1000), the frequency of growth (32% vs 4%, p = 0.0000003) or developmental delay (30% vs 11%, p = 0.002) were significantly higher in low birthweight babies. However, all cases of developmental delay corresponded to minor impairments. At age one, children born with a normal weight presented mean higher values for weight (10.0 +/- 1.1 kg vs 9.2 +/- 1.2 kg; p = 0.000005), length (74.2 +/- 7.1 cm vs 72.9 +/- 3.1 cm, p = 0.0006) and head circumference (46.4 +/- 1.9 cm vs 45.8 +/- 1.6 cm; p = 0.004). Prenatal characteristics such as the planning of the pregnancy, gestational birth weight, diseases during the pregnancy, gestational age or twining, significantly affected development at one year of age, showing that delays can be prevented before a child is born. In addition, post-natal exposures, such as home conditions, energy and nutrient intake, or coping with vaccination schedules and the occurrence of diseases during the neonatal and post-neonatal periods were significantly associated to developmental delay.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Child Development↗
PubMed1995

[Mother-child transmission of immunoglobulins G].

The placental transfer of immunoglobulins is made by active transport and only IgG class of immunoglobulins is transferred. In a full-term gestation IgG concentration is usually higher in the cord serum than in the mother serum. It has been shown that the ratio of cord/maternal IgG is higher when maternal IgG values are low. A series of 44 mother-child pairs from the north of Portugal were studied. Quantitative determination of IgG in all sera was made by single radial immunodiffusion and results were expressed in milligrams/deciliter (mg/dl). In the first 48 hours after delivery, mothers were interviewed and clinical, social and demographic data were collected. In 35 pairs, cord IgG exceeded the corresponding maternal concentration. The ratio of cord/maternal IgG ranged from 0.75 to 2.86 (mean 1.27). From all studied variables only maternal IgG concentration and age were correlated with that ratio. Transplacental concentration (ratio of cord/maternal IgG) was higher for lower levels of maternal IgG. Significant contribution of maternal age did not stand when a woman with extreme values of IgG and age was withdrawn from the analysis. Values found for this series of Portuguese mother-child pairs were similar to those found for other caucasian populations and are in agreement with current proposed models for placental transfer of IgG.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

[Nutrition and bone mineral density in premenopausal women].

Environmental factors have an important role in osteoporosis. Diet and, in particular, nutrients like calcium, vitamin D or phosphorus were extensively studied as determinants of bone mineral density, but the results remain conflicting and there is no clear evidence for an independent effect of such factors in the bone density of premenopausal women. We studied 66 healthy premenopausal women (20-40 years-old) aiming to relate bone mineral density, as measured in three different sites (distal forearm, lumbar spine and femoral neck) using single X ray and dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, with nutritional intake as estimated by a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Demographic, anthropometric and other life style variables were also assessed. There was a significant correlation between distal forearm and femoral neck (r = 0.57) or lumbar spine (r = 0.45) bone mineral density. No significant effect of age was observed for distal forearm bone mineral density in these women. In a stepwise multiple linear regression model, evaluating the contribution of all the variables studied, only body mass index (p=0.038) and vitamin A ingestion (p = 0.020) had an independent contribution for the variation in distal forearm bone mineral density. Mean bone mineral density, assessed in the femoral neck (p = 0.003) or the lumbar spine (p = 0.056) was different across tertiles of alcohol ingestion, being higher in non-drinkers. However, among regular drinkers there was a significant positive correlation between alcohol ingestion and femoral neck bone mineral density (Spearman's r = 0.53, p = 0.015). This study shows that the effect of nutrition seems dependent on the anatomical site assessed and that there is a weak correlation between nutritional intake and the actual bone mineral density.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Accuracy of twenty-four-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (night-day values) for the diagnosis of secondary hypertension.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the accuracy of 24-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, using the relationship between night-time and daytime values, in diagnosing secondary hypertension. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A prospective study was performed in a referred population of 402 hypertensive patients (clinic systolic/diastolic blood pressure > 140/90 mmHg). The ambulatory monitoring data included 24-h mean, awake (daytime) and sleeping (night-time) values. Secondary hypertension was diagnosed by standard procedures. To describe the accuracy of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, receiver-operator characteristic curves were constructed, using sensitivity and specificity values for deciles of the distribution of overnight blood pressure falls (absolute and percentage). Measurements included the fall in nocturnal blood pressure, sensitivity (the percentage of those with secondary hypertension who were classified as non-dippers), specificity (the percentage of non-secondary hypertensives who were classified as dippers) and predictive values of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. RESULTS: On average, overnight systolic/diastolic blood pressure fell in primary hypertensives (n = 290) by 20/18 mmHg (13%/19%), in white-coat hypertensives (n = 65, daytime ambulatory blood pressure <135/87 mmHg) by 17/15 mmHg (13%/19%) and in patients with secondary hypertension (n = 47, renal/renovascular and endocrine forms) by 13/11 mmHg (9%/12%). From receiver-operator characteristic curves, the nocturnal blood pressure fall of 15 mmHg showed the highest accuracy, with a sensitivity/specificity of 61%/69% (systolic) and 75%/62% (diastolic) whereas 10% (systolic) and 15% (diastolic) nocturnal falls had a sensitivity/specificity of 62%/74% (systolic) and 62%/70% (diastolic). The ambulatory blood pressure data had a high (>93%) negative predictive value for secondary hypertension. CONCLUSIONS: Secondary hypertension is associated with a blunted nocturnal fall in blood pressure. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring data are not critically important for the diagnosis and screening of secondary hypertension but may be helpful in excluding it.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Absorption and incorporation into tissue lipids of 3H-arachidonic- and 14C-linoleic acid: effects of ethanol in jejunal tissue cultures and in vivo.

The effects of ethanol in the rat on the absorption and incorporation of 3H-arachidonic (20: 4, n-6) and 14C-linoleic acid (18:2, n-6) into tissue lipids was examined in jejunal tissue cultures in vivo. The pattern of incorporation earlier seen in the small intestine in vivo, ie. a preferential incorporation of 3H-20: 4 in comparison to 14C-18: 2 into phospholipids (PL), particularly phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and phosphatidylinositol (PI) was seen in the jejunal tissue cultures. 10 mM ethanol slightly decreased the incorporation of 3H-20: 4 into PE and PI, but did not change the partitioning of labelled fatty acids into phospholipids and triacylglycerols (TG). Ethanol (100 mM) decreased the incorporation of both 3H and 14C into both PL and TG and caused a moderate increase in the TG/PL radioactivity ratio. Rats were also infused intraduodenally with either 10% ethanol or saline and given 3H-20: 4 and 14C-18: 2 in Intralipid. Radioactivity of tissue lipids were analysed after 1, 2 and 3 h. Ethanol did not significantly influence the absorption or the retention in small intestine, liver or heart of 3H or 14C, or the time course for the 3H- and 14C lipid radioactivity in serum. The distribution of 3H and 14C between total nonpolar lipids and individual PLs was also similar in the two groups, 3H-20: 4 thus exhibiting the same preferential incorporation into PLs, compared to 14C-18: 2, in both groups. Significant amounts of 3H and 14C appeared in phosphatidylethanol (PEth) of the small intestine, heart and liver, when the tissues from the ethanol-infused animals were stored frozen before extraction. When the tissues were extracted immediately after the experiment, the proportions of 3H and 14C migrating as PEth did not exceed 0.5%. Although sufficient amounts of ethanol and the phospholipase D activity necessary for PEth formation were thus present in the tissues examined, little PEth formation thus occurred during the ethanol infusion. In the ethanol treated group about 1% of the 3H and 14C radioactivity of the small intestine was in ethyl ester. Intraduodenal infusion of 10% ethanol in vivo thus has little acute effects on the metabolism of absorbed 18: 2 and 20: 4 in the intestinal mucosal cells. Formation of some ethyl ester occurs, however.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Hepatitis C virus antibodies in asymptomatic chronic carriers of hepatitis B surface antigen.

UNLABELLED: The objectives of the study were to evaluate the prevalence, incidence and clinical significance of antibodies to hepatitis C virus in HBsAg chronic carriers. The evaluation of stored sera was combined with the follow up of a cohort of cases observed in a referral-based university hospital. A total of 183 HBsAg asymptomatic chronic carriers were identified during routine screening and followed for a mean period of 3.8 years. Stored sera and sera obtained during follow-up were tested for anti-HCV using ELISA. Second-generation RIBA (Ortho) was used as a possible confirmatory test. Demographic data and risk factors were assessed using a standard questionnaire. The prevalence of HCV infection in HBsAg chronic carriers was 2.7% (95% Cl: 1.2%-63%), higher in males than females (3.1% vs 1.8%, p = 0.52) and also higher than that found in voluntary blood donors from the same region. Only 3 out of 5 ELISA-positive cases were RIBA-positive. Patients positive for both types of virus more frequently admitted drug abusers. The presence of anti-HCV was not significantly related to the histological severity. During follow-up no new cases of infection were found. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of HCV infection in asymptomatic chronic carriers is higher than in blood donors but lower than previously reported for other populations of chronic hepatitis B cases. HCV infection was not found responsible for the frequency or the type of lesions observed in these HBsAg chronic carriers.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

[Maternal anthropometric characteristics. Risk of intrauterine growth retardation].

The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between maternal nutritional factors and intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR). We studied 1233 mothers who delivered single term newborns: 144 IUGR-birth weight less than one 10th percentile for sex and gestational age and 1119 controls-birth weight between the 10th and the 90th percentile. Maternal anthropometric factors (height, weight before and at the end of pregnancy, total and weekly weight gain and body mass index) were stratified according to quartiles of distribution in the studied population. Unconditional multiple logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (OR), adjusting each anthropometric parameter for non nutritional confounders (parity, smoking, gestational illness and history of low birth weight) and the effect of prepregnancy weight or weight gain. Mothers of IUGR cases showed significantly lower mean values of pre and end pregnancy weight, body mass index and total or weekly weight gain. Compared to the reference category (first quartile) women in upper quartiles of total or weekly weight gain, or end pregnancy weight showed significantly lower risks. For a total weight gain of 10-11 kg an OR of 0.43 was found, and that for a weekly gain of 238-297 g was 0.35. An end pregnancy weight between 63 and 68 kg had an OR or 0.45. However, compared to the second no evident benefit was found for the third or fourth quartiles of weight gains, where an increased risk of macrosomia can be anticipated. These results indicate that attitudes during prenatal care towards adequate weight gains may further reduce the risk of IUGR and the associated morbidity and mortality.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

[The risk of diabetes mellitus in relatives of diabetics treated with insulin].

The objective of this study was to compare the risk of diabetes mellitus in the relatives of type 1 (defined as cases diagnosed before 40 years and beginning insulin less than two years later) and in those of type 2 diabetics, treated with insulin. A random sample of 303 patients was obtained from responders to a postal survey sent to all 2800 diabetics living in the Oporto self county and identified as users of insulin the injection pen. After selecting those who completed the questions for sex, age, dates of diabetes diagnosis and of first insulin prescription, we were left with 192 index cases. They provided data concerning sex; age, and presence of diabetes for 1370 relatives (parents, siblings, offspring and spouses). The risk of diabetes (unspecified type) in family members was significantly lower in relatives of type 1 diabetics (OR = 0.31, CI 95%:0.19-0.48, p < 0.0005). This family risk was lower when the index case was a male (OR = 0.24, CI 95%:0.12-0.47 vs OR = 0.39, CI 95%:0.21-0.74) or for female relatives (OR = 0.22, CI 95%:0.11-0.42 vs OR = 0.43, CI 95%:0.22.-0.82). After adjustment for confounders applying logistic regression to each family stratum, the risk remained significantly lower for parents (OR = 0.35, CI 95%:0.17-0.71) and siblings of type 1 diabetics compared to similar relatives of type 2 cases (OR = 0.84, CI 95%:0.06-10.6) but was not significantly different for the offspring (OR = 0.68, CI 95%:0.11-4.17) or the spouses (OR = 0.84, CI 95%:0.06-10.6).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Acute tuberculous perforation of the small bowel during antituberculosis therapy.

An acute, free perforation of a tuberculous ileal lesion occurred in a 25-year-old man during antituberculous therapy. The increasing incidence of extrapulmonary tuberculosis and the rarity of some of the related symptoms and complications, as presented by this patient, emphasize the importance of an early diagnosis. This case report also points out the importance of obtaining endoscopic biopsy material for bacterial culture, even if an apparently normal mucosa is seen, for the diagnosis of tuberculous intestinal disease.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1993

[Hepatitis C virus infection in chronic asymptomatic carriers of HBs antigen].

UNLABELLED: The objectives of the study were to evaluate the prevalence, the incidence and the clinical significance of antibodies to hepatitis C virus in HBsAg chronic carriers. The evaluation of Stored sera was combined with the follow-up of a cohort os cases observed in a referral-based university hospital. A total of 183 HBsAg asymptomatic chronic carriers were identified during routine screening and followed for a mean period of 3.8 years. Stored sera and sera obtained during follow-up were tested for anti-HCV using ELISA. Second generation RIBA (Ortho) was used as a possible confirmatory test. Demographic data and risk factors were assessed using a standard questionnaire. The prevalence of HCV infection in HBsAg chronic carriers was 2.7% (95% CI: 1.2%-6.3%), higher in male than female (3.1% vs 1.8%, p = 0.52) and also higher than the one found in voluntary blood donors from the same region. Only 3 out of 5 ELISA-positive cases were RIBA-positive. Patients positive for both types of virus more frequently admitted drug abuse. The presence of anti-HCV was not significantly related to the histologic severity. During follow-up no new cases of infection were found. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of HCV infection in asymptomatic chronic carriers is higher than in blood donors but lower than previously reported for other populations of chronic hepatitis B cases. HCV infection was not found responsible for the frequency or the type of lesions observed im these HBsAg chronic carriers.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

[Risk or pre-term labor. A cross-sectional study of its determinant factors].

Substancial evidence links gestational duration to birth outcome, and a large number of determinants for premature delivery have been identified. However, most preterm births (gestational age of less than 37 weeks) remain unexplained, and there is a wide geographical variation in risk factors. The purpose of this epidemiologic survey was to study the relationship between gestational duration and the mother's demographic, obstetric and nutritional characteristics, clinical course of pregnancy and labour, alcohol, coffee and tobacco consumption, and prenatal care. Data were collected for 740 consecutive deliveries (3.6% preterm) corresponding to 750 live-births. Except for the number of prenatal visits, no relation was found between gestational age and the variables assessed (r approximately equal to 0). There was an increased risk for preterm delivery when a disease complicated the course of pregnancy (OR = 2.7), there were less than 6 prenatal visits (OR = 4.9), pelvic presentation (OR = 5.7) or twins (OR = 12.7). After adjustment for these variables only prenatal care and twinning remained significantly associated with an increased risk. In this population, the authors identified prenatal care as the most important modifiable factor associated with preterm delivery.

Cross-Sectional Studies↗
PubMed1990

Arachidonic acid absorption in human jejunum in organ culture: effects of ethanol.

Human jejunal tissue obtained by peroral biopsy was cultured in control medium and in medium containing 100 mmol l-1 ethanol. Subsequently, the incorporation and metabolism of [3H]-arachidonic and [14C]-linoleic acid were evaluated. Of the two fatty acids a significantly higher amount of [3H]-arachidonic acid was incorporated into phospholipids and more [14C]-linoleic acid was incorporated into triacylglycerols. This preferential distribution of the labelled fatty acids was not affected by ethanol, but when ethanol was present in the tissue culture medium, there was a significant decrease in the incorporation of both fatty acids into tissue phospholipids. The study thus shows that ethanol in moderate concentrations can affect human jejunal absorption and metabolism of polyenoic fatty acids, contributing to a decrease in the amount of eicosanoid precursors available in jejunal tissue.

Arachidonic Acid↗
PubMed1990

Hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol by human pancreatic phospholipase A2.

Pure human pancreatic phospholipase A2 efficiently hydrolyzed the 2-ester bond of 14C-2-linoleoyl and 14C-2-arachidonyl phosphatidylinositol (PI). The rate of hydrolysis varied markedly with the bile salt (sodium taurocholate to sodium taurodeoxycholate, 3:4 mol/mol) concentration, the hydrolysis being decreased with increasing bile salt to PI ratio. The influence of bile salts was thus similar to that which has earlier been described for the hydrolysis of phosphatidylcholine (PC) with pig pancreatic phospholipase A2. When 2-3H-arachidonyl PC and 2-14C-arachidonyl PI were incorporated into a mixed substrate, PI was hydrolyzed even faster than PC, the hydrolysis of both phospholipids varying in the same manner with bile salt concentration. 2-14C-arachidonyl PI was also efficiently hydrolyzed by human duodenal content, although at a somewhat slower rate than 2-3H-arachidonyl PC. It is concluded that PI is a good substrate for human phospholipase A2. This minor but arachidonate-rich dietary phospholipid may thus be digested and absorbed by pathways similar to those of the major dietary and bile phospholipid, phosphatidylcholine.

Bile Acids and Salts↗