The aim of this study was to compare the nutritional status of zinc and copper in patients with and without diabetes submitted to chronic hemodialysis. Thirty-three patients with type 2 diabetes (DM group), 30 nondiabetic patients (NDM group), and 20 healthy individuals (control group) were studied. Plasma, erythrocyte, and urinary zinc and plasma copper were obtained from atomic absorption spectrophotometry and ceruloplasmin by immunonephelometry. The anthropometric parameters were similar among the groups. Plasma zinc was lower and erythrocyte zinc was higher in the DM and NDM groups in relation to the control group. No difference in urinary zinc was observed comparing the groups. Plasma copper was higher in the DM group when compared to the NDM and control groups. Ceruloplasmin was similar in the three groups. Serum urea was a positive independent determinant of plasma zinc concentrations. The determinants of erythrocyte zinc were MAMC midarm muscle circumference and Kt/V dialysis adequacy. The determinants of plasma copper concentration were serum creatinine and serum glucose. The results of this study demonstrate an alteration in the distribution of zinc in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) independently of the presence of DM. Also, the status of copper seems not to be influenced by CKD, but only by the metabolic derangements associated with diabetes.
Constipation is a common clinical condition in women, and the use of probiotics is indicated for the improvement of gastrointestinal functions. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a mix of 6 strains of probiotics (genera Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium) in women with symptoms of constipation. A randomized, double-blind, placebocontrolled clinical trial was conducted with 84 women diagnosed with constipation (ROMA III criteria) who were followed for 6 weeks. 1-2x109 CFU of probiotics (intervention group) and 3-6g of maltodextrin (placebo group) were used. For comparison between groups, Pearson's chi-squared and Student's t tests (p≤0.05) were applied. In the intervention group, 38 women completed the study versus 31 in the placebo group. In the ROMA III criteria grouping, the placebo group showed an improvement in the 3rd and 4th weeks (p=0.033) when given two daily doses of the products. The number of bowel movements increased from ≤ 3-at baseline in both the intervention and control groups-to an average of 4.42±1.7 and 4.87±3.2 at week six, respectively, with no differences between weeks (p>0.05). There was an improvement in gastrointestinal symptoms and stool consistency over the period, the latter being significant at the 5th intervention week (p=0.039). It was concluded that despite the improvement in the number of bowel movements, stool consistency, gastrointestinal symptoms and the ROMA III criteria grouping, there were the group using probiotics was not superior to the placebo.
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