Ada Clarice Gastaldi

Amlodipine and enalapril promote distinct effects on cardiovascular autonomic control in spontaneously hypertensive rats: the role of aerobic physical training.

Background: We compared the autonomic and hemodynamic cardiovascular effects of amlodipine and enalapril treatment associated with an aerobic physical training program on spontaneously hypertensive rats. Methods: Eighteen-week-old (n = 48) spontaneously hypertensive rats were assigned to one of two groups: sedentary (n = 24) and trained (n = 24) through a 10-week swimming training program. Each group was subdivided into three groups (n = 8): control (vehicle group), amlodipine (amlodipine group; 10 mg/kg per day) and enalapril (enalapril group; 10 mg/kg per day) (both for 10 weeks). We cannulated the femoral artery and vein of all animals for recording arterial pressure and injecting drugs, respectively. Autonomic assessment was performed by double blockade with propranolol and atropine, analysis of heart rate variability (HRV), systolic arterial pressure variability and baroflex sensitivity. Results: Arterial pressure reduction was more prominent in the sedentary and trained enalapril groups. Amlodipine sedentary group presented important autonomic adjustments characterized by a predominance of vagal tone in cardiac autonomic balance, increased HRV associated with sympathetic autonomic modulation reduction and increased vagal autonomic modulation, and increased baroflex sensitivity. All findings were not potentialized by physical training. In turn, the enalapril trained group, but not its sedentary counterpart, also had vagal tone prevalence in cardiac autonomic balance, increased HRV, increased baroflex sensitivity and decreased low-frequency band in systolic arterial pressure variability. Conclusion: Amlodipine was more effective in promoting beneficial autonomic cardiovascular adaptations in sedentary animals. In contrast, enalapril achieved better autonomic results only when combined with aerobic physical training.

Bilateral Shoulder Dysfunction Related to the Lung Resection Area After Thoracotomy.

AbstractThis study aimed to investigate the mobility, pain, and disability of the shoulders after different pulmonary surgical procedures.It is a cross-sectional prospective study. A total of 38 patients who underwent lung surgery via thoracotomy (mean age = 57 ± 10 years) were evaluated in the preoperative period, and first and second postoperative days were assessed for range of motion of shoulder; pain intensity; and application of the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index questionnaire. This study compared the 3 days of evaluation, and the subgroups according to the resection area (biopsy/nodulectomy, lung segmentectomy and lobectomy).There was a decrease of flexion (153° ± 16°–98° ± 23°), abduction (151° ± 20°–126° ± 38°), and increased Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (2.4–44.3) in the shoulder ipsilateral to surgery from the preoperative to the first postoperative day (P < 0.05). There was a greater loss of ipsilateral flexion and abduction in the lobectomy subgroup (P < 0.05), and decreased abduction of the contralateral shoulder in the lung segmentectomy and lobectomy subgroups (P < 0.05).After pulmonary surgery, there is bilateral impairment in shoulder range of motion, with greater limitation on ipsilateral shoulder, and larger resections.

Effects of an Airway Clearance Device on Inflammation, Bacteriology, and Mucus Transport in Bronchiectasis

BACKGROUND: Bronchiectasis is characterized by abnormal and permanent dilation of the bronchi, caused by the perpetuation of inflammation and impairment of mucociliary clearance. Physiotherapy techniques can help to decrease the retention of respiratory secretions. The flutter valve combines high-frequency oscillation and positive expiratory pressure to facilitate the removal of secretions. We evaluated the effects of the flutter valve on sputum inflammation, microbiology, and transport of respiratory secretions in patients with bronchiectasis. METHODS: Seventeen participants underwent sessions with flutter or control (flutter-sham), for 30 min/d, in a randomized crossover study, with 4 weeks with one of the therapies, a 2-week wash-out period, and then another 4 weeks with the other modality. Secretion samples were collected every week throughout the protocol and were assessed for the mucociliary transport, displacement in a simulated cough machine, contact angle, and cell cytology with percentage of neutrophil count, eosinophils, and macrophages, and the microbiology was assessed by the number of colony-forming units. RESULTS: Treatment with flutter resulted in greater displacement in a simulated cough machine and smaller contact angle, comparing the results between the first week (9.94 ± 3.12 cm and 26.5 ± 3.21°, respectively) and fourth week of treatment (13.96 ± 5.76 cm and 22.76 ± 3.64°, respectively) and was associated with a decrease in the total number of inflammatory cells. CONCLUSIONS: The use of a flutter valve for 30 min/d for at least 4 weeks is enough to change physical properties and improve mucus transport by coughing and can contribute to the reduction of the total number of inflammatory cells of the respiratory secretions of subjects with bronchiectasis. (ClinicalTrials.gov registration NCT01209546.)