Ângela Quinelato Oliveira

Systemic arterial hypertension (SAH) is a multifaceted condition marked by sustained elevations in arterial blood pressure. Its occurrence is closely related to alterations in target organs, such as the liver. Non-pharmacological treatments have been proposed for these effects. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of açaí supplementation and resistance training, applied individually or in combination, on blood pressure and liver structural parameters. An experimental, quantitative, and longitudinal study was conducted using young Wistar rats (~60 days old) and spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) strains. Fifty rats were divided into five experimental groups: Wistar Control (C), Hypertensive Control (H), Hypertensive Trained (HT), Hypertensive Açaí-Supplemented (HA), and Hypertensive Trained plus Açaí Supplementation (HAT). Each group consisted of ten animals. Subsequently, analyses were performed for the antioxidant capacity and proximate composition of the açaí pulp, systolic blood pressure assessment, and histological evaluation of the liver. The açaí used exhibited high antioxidant capacity. At the end of the experimental period, the trained groups increased their maximal load carried, along with a reduction in systolic blood pressure in all treated groups. Açaí supplementation resulted in lower relative liver mass compared with the H group. The hypertensive condition promoted extracellular matrix expansion and a reduction in hepatocyte proportion. Both interventions attenuated these effects, and the combined treatment (HAT) produced the greatest improvement, indicating an additive response. Hypertension also elevated hepatic glycogen concentration, and the treatments reduced this alteration. It is concluded that açaí supplementation and resistance training could promote positive adaptations in the liver of hypertensive animals.

O Diabetes Mellitus (DM) é uma das principais doenças crônicas prevalentes no Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS), estando associado ao sono, a qual também pode influenciar o desenvolvimento e o controle da doença, desempenhando papel relevante na regulação metabólica e hormonal. Assim, o presente estudo visa relacionar a gravidade da insônia, consumo alimentar e excesso de peso em diabéticos atendidos na atenção primária da cidade de Ubá, Minas Gerais. Trata-se de um estudo transversal, de caráter epidemiológico, realizado com portadores de diabetes mellitus tipo 1 ou 2, usuários do SUS, residentes em Ubá, MG. Os voluntários foram abordados nas unidades básicas de saúde e policlínicas. Um questionário foi aplicado sobre aspectos sociodemográficos e estilo de vida, hábitos de sono e uso de medicamentos, avaliação do consumo alimentar pelo questionário do Sistema de Vigilância Alimentar e Nutricional (SISVAN) e avaliação antropométrica. Dos 358 voluntários, 13,7% apresentaram insônia clínica moderada ou grave, com prevalência no sexo feminino (85,7% vs. 69,3%; p = 0,018). Conforme dados do SISVAN, os participantes com insônia moderada ou grave consumiam com menor frequência frutas (61,2% vs 37,9%; p=0,002) e verduras e/ou legumes (75,5% vs 90,0%; p=0,004) no dia anterior em comparação àqueles sem insônia clínica. Concluiu-se que o maior consumo de frutas frescas, verduras e legumes associou-se à menor prevalência de insônia moderada ou grave, reforçando a importância da alimentação saudável.

Background: The study evaluated the effects of resistance exercise training and açaí supplementation on cardiac parameters in hypertensive animals. Methods: For this study, rats from the Wistar and SHR lines (spontaneously hypertensive rats) were used. The animals were divided into 5 groups: Wistar Control (C); Control Hypertensive (H); Trained Hypertensive (HT); Hypertensive and Supplemented with Açaí (HA); and Hypertensive Trained and Supplemented with Açaí (HAT). Resistance exercise training was carried out through climbing. The supplemented groups received 3 g of açaí/kg of body mass. The animals’ systolic blood pressure (SBP), body mass, and physical test were measured at the beginning and end of the intervention. At the end, an echocardiographic analysis was performed. Histological analysis and oxidative stress of the LV were performed. Results: It was found that hypertensive animals showed an increase in SBP, and the treatments reduced this parameter. The trained groups achieved higher values of maximum carrying load. Hypertension increased the dimension of the left ventricular free wall in diastole and reduced ejection and shortening fractions. The trained groups showed improvement in ejection and shortening fractions. The H group increased the proportion of extracellular matrix and reduced the proportion of cells, with the HAT group attenuating this change. Cell diameter was greater in group H, and all treatments reduced this parameter. Hypertension increased the concentration of malondialdehyde and decreased catalase activity in LV. The treatments managed to mitigate this damage. Conclusions: It is concluded that the treatments managed to generate positive cardiovascular adaptations, and their combination enhanced these effects.