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Biomedical subjects

J J Faintuch

Publications and source records attributed to J J Faintuch.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Anthropometric assessment of nutritional depletion after surgery injury.

Triceps skinfold (TS), arm muscle circumference (AMC) and body weight (BW) were studied prospectively in 20 adults, admitted to elective operations on the digestive tract, in order to evaluate these anthropometric parameters in planned surgical procedures performed in non-critically ill, non-stressed patients. Mean duration of the preoperative period was 19.2 days (range 1--38), and of the postoperative period, 14.1 days (range 6--31). Mean changes for BW were, respectively, -0.2% and -2.5%, AMC decreased -0.5% before operation and -3.4% afterwards, and TS was reduced to -1.9% in the preoperative phase, and to -8.4% postoperatively. These results are consistent with minimal anthropometric changes during the presurgical stay, with more striking decreases after operative injury. Postoperative findings were further examined in relationship to degree of surgical trauma and length of postoperative hospitalization. After the arbitrary selection of a 10% reduction as the limit for significant decrease in any of the analysed parameters, the percentage of impaired measurements was determined in the sub-groups of medium and large operations, two consecutive procedures, as well as postoperative stay of 6 to 14 days, 15 to 21 days, and over 3 wks. Decreased parameters comprised 6.0% (2/33) of the observations after moderate surgical manipulation, 27.7% (5/18) after serious trauma, and 66.6% (6/9) after two operations. Simarilarly they represented 2.7% (1/36) of the findings in patients discharged within 2 weeks, 33.3% (4/12) in those staying between 2--3 weeks, and 66.6% (8/12) in the cases remaining for longer periods. Despite the limited sensitivity of anthropometric parameters in the detection of acute moderate changes in body constitution, they were useful in separating the patients undergoing medium surgical injury from those subjected to more severe metabolic stress, when only changes greater than 10% of initial value were considered.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Nutritional abnormalities in nonhospitalized patients with primitive cardiomyopathy.

The present investigation was aimed at studying the influence of primitive myocardial disease on the nutritional status of nonhospitalized patients. In a group of 93 consecutive cases, without additional organic disabilities of known nutritional deficits, a simplified protocol of anthropometric and biochemical measurements was applied, including weight/height, triceps skinfold, arm muscle circumference, albumin, cholesterol, hemoglobin, and creatinine excretion. All these findings were analyzed in the light of the left ventricular functional status, as assessed by phonomechanographic parameters. The conclusions were: (1) primitive cardiomyopathy with significant ventricular impairment is associated with some signs of malnutrition; (2) triceps skinfold is the most affected index in those cases.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Acute lethal intoxication caused by mercury vapor].

Nowadays mercury poisoning usually results from the oral ingestion of methylmercury or from inhalation of mercury vapor. Mercury intoxication in a gold prospector after inhalation of mercury vapor is described. The patient presented a history of fever, tachypnea and headache. Despite the treatment with dimercaprol, penicillamine and intensive supportive care the patient died with symptoms of acute respiratory distress.

Acute Disease↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Hematologic changes in female athletes].

Iron deficiency is the most common cause of anemia throughout the world. Physical performance, endurance capacity and resistance to fatigue in human are dependent upon many different factors. One of them is the oxygen carrying capacity of blood, mainly determined by hemoglobin concentration. We used questionnaires, physical examination and laboratory investigation to study the hematologic patterns in 18 volley-ball athletes. Their average intake of iron was 13.99 +/- 6.26 mg/day; the average serum iron concentration was 108.61 +/- 29.13 micrograms/dl; the hemoglobin concentration was 12.94 +/- 1.10 g/dl. Four athletes had less than 12 g of hemoglobin/dl and a serum iron concentration of 99.25 +/- 39.73 micrograms/dl. The maximal aerobic exercise capacity measured by exercise electrocardiography showed no important differences between the athletes with hemoglobin values higher or lower than 12 g/dl. These data support the idea that in São Paulo among young female athletes overt anemia is uncommon.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Lethal pulmonary involvement in neurofibromatosis].

A unusual case of a 61-year-old man who presented dyspnea and cough associated to skin and subcutaneous lesions typical of neurofibromatosis type 1 is reported. Chest roentgenograms and CT-scan showed emphysematous bullae. The patient underwent drainage of the greatest bulla, but death eventually ensured as a consequence of upper digestive bleeding. It can be expected that with the longer survival of neurofibromatosis patients with respiratory troubles, that are generally considered unusual will be recognized more frequently.

Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Cardiovascular impact of alcoholism].

A history of alcohol abuse associated with hypertension and chronic alcohol consumption is the leading cause of secondary cardiomyopathy. Both acute and chronic alcohol consumption precipitate arrhythmias. However moderate alcohol intake exerts a protective effect against coronary heart disease and stroke. Morbidity is lowest among light drinkers, slightly higher among lifelong abstainers and much higher among heavy drinkers. Magnesium deficiency is common among chronic alcoholics and frequent in Brazil. Magnesium therapy may have beneficial effects when there is excessive ethanol consumption.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Hematologic features of olympic volley-ball athletes].

Athletes tend to have lower hemoglobin concentrations than sedentary counterparts. Sports anemia is used to describe both pseudodilutional anemia and the true anemia of athletes. Pseudodilutional anemia is a beneficial adaptation to endurance training; the two most common causes of true anemia are iron deficiency and intravascular hemolysis. We used questionnaires, physical examination and laboratory investigation to study 16 volley-ball highly trained athletes and 23 outpatients with the same ages and gender that have not had any significant disease. All athletes and patients had Hb > 13 g/dl; the athletes hab Hb and hematocrit lower than the control patients; 25% of the athletes had both total and indirect bilirubin increased. Seven patients and only one athlete had intestinal parasitic infestation. These data support the idea that in São Paulo-Brazil among athletes overt anemia is uncommon but the volleyball athletes are in a borderline anemic state.

Adult↗