Publications by authors named "Bittencourt M"
Single-variable analyses have limited ability to explain complex phenomena such as the regulation of prolonged physical (aerobic) performance. Our study aimed to identify predictors of performance in rats subjected to incremental-speed running exercise. Notably, most variables assessed were associated with rats' thermoregulation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is a growing health concern in the context of an aging population. Older adults comprise a distinct population, with an increased vulnerability for mTBI due to comorbid diseases and age-associated frailty compared with the adult population. The aim of this study was to assess the recovery course and determinants of outcome in a large cohort of older patients with mTBI.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Infective endocarditis is a life-threatening disease with diverse clinical presentations, making diagnosis challenging and requiring a range of complementary tests. The level of suspicion, based on clinical judgment, guides decisions regarding the initiation of empirical treatment and the selection of appropriate diagnostic tools. This study aimed to develop and validate the EndoPredict-Dx score for early prediction of infective endocarditis diagnosis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSudden cardiac death (SCD) risk stratification and primary prevention implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) recommendations are based on differing strategies for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). This study aimed to evaluate the impact of the 2023 European Society of Cardiology (ESC) guidelines on the 2014 ESC and the 2024 American Heart Association (AHA)/American College of Cardiology (ACC) systems in terms of primary prevention ICD recommendations for HCM. A cohort of 200 patients with HCM in Brazil was assessed for SCD risk profile according to current guidelines.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFProspective association between the Cardiovascular Health Diet Index and subclinical atherosclerosis: the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil) cohort study.
Br J Nutr
December 2024
The Cardiovascular Health Diet Index (CHDI) is a diet quality score based on the dietary guidelines of the American Heart Association for cardiovascular health but with some adaptations, such as red meat, dairy products, beans and ultra-processed foods in its components. The CHDI has shown good relative validity parameters; however, its association with health outcomes is still unclear. Thus, our aim was to investigate the association between the CHDI score with subclinical atherosclerosis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCardiovascular Computed Tomography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging Guideline of the Brazilian Society of Cardiology and the Brazilian College of Radiology - 2024.
Arq Bras Cardiol
October 2024
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates whether a liberal or restrictive blood transfusion strategy is more effective in reducing all-cause mortality in patients with anemia due to acute myocardial infarction (AMI).
- Through a meta-analysis of three randomized controlled trials involving over 4,200 participants, it found no significant differences in mortality or other major health outcomes after 30 days between the two transfusion approaches.
- The variability in blood transfusion use among patients receiving a restrictive strategy may account for the differing results across the trials, suggesting that individual treatment plans might need to be tailored based on patient needs.
Objectives: to assess the association between indicators of emotional distress and dispositional mindfulness in health students at a Brazilian federal public university.
Methods: a cross-sectional study, developed with university students in the health area of a public institution from May to June 2022. In the analysis, multiple linear regression was used using SPSS software.
Objective: To report and rank orthodontic finishing errors recorded in the clinical phase of the Brazilian Board of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics (BBO) examination and correlate pretreatment case complexity with orthodontic treatment outcomes.
Materials And Methods: This single-center cross-sectional survey collected retrospective data from the clinical phase of BBO examinations between 2016 and 2023. The quality of orthodontic clinical outcomes of each case was assessed by means of the Cast-Radiograph Evaluation (CRE), while case complexity was evaluated using the Discrepancy Index (DI), both tools provided by the American Board of Orthodontics.
The association of thyroid function with essential and non-essential amino acids is understudied, despite their common metabolic roles. Thus, our aim was to evaluate the association of thyroid function with the levels of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs-leucine, isoleucine, and valine) and of alanine in the general population. We utilized data from the São Paulo research center of ELSA-Brasil, a longitudinal population-based cohort study.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Cardiovascular disease and cancer share a common risk factor: chronic stress/allostatic load (AL). A 1-point increase in AL is linked to up to a 30% higher risk of major cardiac events (MACE) in patients with prostate cancer. However, AL's role in MACE in breast cancer, lung cancer, or colorectal cancer remains unknown.
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- Hypertriglyceridemia (HTG) is linked to cardiovascular disease and pancreatitis, with severe cases often having genetic causes, and this study focused on Brazilian patients with severe HTG.
- A cohort of 212 patients with extremely high triglyceride levels was analyzed, resulting in 13% having identifiable pathogenic genetic variants, while 80% of detected variants were classified as Variants of Unknown Significance (VUS).
- The study identified common gene mutations associated with severe HTG and reported 16 new genetic variants, contributing valuable information for genetic counseling and healthcare in Brazil.
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates physical activity levels in people living with HIV (PLHIV) and those without HIV (PWOH) in Uganda, focusing on its relationship with coronary artery disease (CAD) as detected by computed tomography.
- Researchers analyzed data from 168 participants, revealing that males engaged in more moderate-to-vigorous physical activity than females, although overall activity levels were low for both groups compared to recommended guidelines.
- After considering age and sex, the study found no significant link between physical activity and the presence of CAD, suggesting that other factors may contribute to cardiovascular disease risk in this population.
Article Synopsis
- The study assesses the effectiveness of US-based cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk scores in a Brazilian cohort, revealing that these scores often overestimate risk for individuals in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
- A total of 12,155 adults aged 40-75 were analyzed, and all risk scores had good overall prediction ability, but particularly struggled with accuracy in white women, showing an AUC score below 0.6.
- The findings emphasize the need for customized risk assessment tools that reflect the specific demographics and health challenges of populations in LMICs, as current scores can overestimate risk by 32%-170%.
Article Synopsis
- Coronary artery calcification (CAC) is linked to heart disease and assessed through a genome-wide association study (GWAS) involving 22,400 participants from various backgrounds.
- The study confirmed connections with four known genetic loci and discovered two new loci related to CAC, with supportive replication findings for both.
- Functional tests suggest that ARSE promotes calcification in vascular smooth muscle cells and its variants may influence CAC levels, identifying ARSE as a key target for potential treatments in vascular calcific diseases.
Atherosclerosis is an inflammatory disease. Coronary artery calcium (CAC) is a marker of atherosclerotic disease events and mortality risk. Increased GlycA, an emerging marker of inflammation, is associated with a higher risk for coronary artery disease (CAD).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: Older adults (OA) after mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) have a high risk of developing persistent post-injury cognitive impairments. Lower pre-morbid cognitive reserve (CR) is increasingly investigated as a risk factor for cognitive dysfunction in OA. However, how CR protects against effects of mTBI at the brain level remains largely understudied.
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- - Erythema elevatum diutinum (EED) is a rare skin condition characterized by painful, itchy nodular lesions, often associated with other diseases.
- - A case study highlights a 65-year-old woman who experienced such lesions on her elbows, hands, knees, and foot for a year, and a biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of EED.
- - Treatment with dapsone led to significant improvement in her symptoms, emphasizing the importance of recognizing this rare condition to prevent misdiagnosis and ensure timely treatment.
Background: Coronary computed tomography angiogram (CCTA) is a crucial tool for diagnosing CAD, but its impact on altering preventive medications is not well-documented. This systematic review aimed to compare changes in aspirin and statin therapy following CCTA and functional stress testing in patients with suspected CAD, and in those underwent CCTA when stratified by the presence/absence of plaque.
Results: Eight studies involving 42,812 CCTA patients and 64,118 cardiac stress testing patients were analyzed.