The strong inflammatory reaction that occurs in the heart during the acute phase of Trypanosoma cruzi infection is modulated by cytokines and chemokines produced by leukocytes and cardiomyocytes. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) have recently emerged as modulators of cardiovascular inflammation. In the present study we investigated the role of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in T. cruzi-induced myocarditis, by use of immunohistochemical analysis, gelatin zymography, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and real-time polymerase chain reaction to analyze the cardiac tissues of T. cruzi-infected C57BL/6 mice. Increased transcripts levels, immunoreactivity, and enzymatic activity for MMP-2 and MMP-9 were observed by day 14 after infection. Mice treated with an MMP inhibitor showed significantly decreased heart inflammation, delayed peak in parasitemia, and improved survival rates, compared with the control group. Reduced levels of cardiac tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interferon-gamma, serum nitrite, and serum nitrate were also observed in the treated group. These results suggest an important role for MMPs in the induction of T. cruzi-induced acute myocarditis.
The use of intravenous amiodarone was assessed during 23 episodes of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia in 15 children aged 9 days to 11 years. Five of the fifteen patients had congenital structural heart disease, and three had Wolf-Parkinson-White syndrome. Tachyarrhythmias were returned to sinus rhythm during 20 of the 23 episodes (87%). No major adverse effects occurred. Recurrence of tachycardia was not observed during short-term follow-up. In conclusion, intravenous amiodarone is an effective, safe antiarrhythmic drug for short-term treatment of supraventricular tachycardia in children.
Objective:To investigate the association between serum uric acid levels and insulin
resistance in children and adolescents with obesity.Methods:Cross-sectional study with 245 children and adolescents (134 obese and 111
controls), aged 8-18 years. The anthropometric variables (weight, height and waist
circumference), blood pressure and biochemical parameters were collected. The
clinical characteristics of the groups were analyzed by t-test or
chi-square test. To evaluate the association between uric acid levels and insulin
resistance the Pearson's test and logistic regression were applied.Results:The prevalence of insulin resistance was 26.9%. The anthropometric variables,
systolic and diastolic blood pressure and biochemical variables were significantly
higher in the obese group (p<0.001), except for the
high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol. There was a positive and significant
correlation between anthropometric variables and uric acid with HOMA-IR in the
obese and in the control groups, which was higher in the obese group and in the
total sample. The logistic regression model that included age, gender and obesity,
showed an odds ratio of uric acid as a variable associated with insulin resistance
of 1.91 (95%CI 1.40-2.62; p<−0.001).Conclusions:The increase in serum uric acid showed a positive statistical correlation with
insulin resistance and it is associated with and increased risk of insulin
resistance in obese children and adolescents.
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