OBJETIVO: Conhecer a prevalência de hipertensão arterial em funcionários de um complexo hospitalar e relacionar com variáveis sócio demográficas. MÉTODOS: Foi medida a pressão arterial com aparelho de coluna de mercúrio e manguito adequado à circunferência do braço, o peso e a altura em amostra de 864 dos 9.905 funcionários do Hospital Universitário estratificada de acordo com sexo, idade e ocupação. RESULTADOS: A prevalência de hipertensão foi de 26% (hipertensão referida = 62% ou pressão sistólica > 140 e/ou > 90 mm Hg no momento da medida = 38%). Dos que referiram 51% estavam hipertensos no momento da medida. A prevalência foi 17, 23 e 29% (p < 0,05) nos médicos, enfermagem e "outros". Análise univariada mostrou "odds ratio" significante para o sexo masculino, idade > 50 anos, unidade de trabalho para o Instituto de Radiologia e Prédio da Administração, escolaridade <primeiro grau, tempo de trabalho > 10 anos e índice de massa corporal (IMC) maior ou igual a 30 kg/m². O modelo de regressão logística com procedimento "stepwise" mostrou associação estatisticamente significante com hipertensão arterial para as variáveis: sexo, idade, cor da pele, renda familiar e IMC. CONCLUSÃO: A prevalência de hipertensão foi alta em funcionários do Complexo Hospital das Clínicas, principalmente nos de ocupação diferente de médico e enfermagem. Os grupos de maior risco (homens, cor preta, baixa renda familiar, obesos) precisam ser orientados quanto a prevenção e diagnóstico precoce da doença através de programas especiais.

PURPOSE: To find out the prevalence of hypertension in employees of the Hospital and relate it to social demographic variables. METHODS: Blood pressure measurement was performed with a mercury sphygmomanometer, using an appropriate cuff size for arm circumference, weight, and height in a population sample of 864 individuals out of the 9,905 employees of a University General Hospital stratified by gender, age, and job position. RESULTS: Hypertension prevalence was 26% (62% of these reported being aware of their hypertension and 38% were unaware but had systolic/diastolic blood pressures of >140 and/or >90 mm Hg at the moment of the measurement). Of those who were aware of having hypertension, 51% were found to be hypertensive at the moment of the measurement. The prevalence was found to be 17%, 23%, and 29% (P <.05) in physicians, nursing staff, and "others", respectively. The univariate analysis showed a significant odds ratio for the male gender, age >50 years, work unit being the Institute of Radiology and the Administration Building, educational level <elementary school, length of work >10 years, and body mass index >30 kg/m². The multivariate logistic regression model revealed a statistically significant association of hypertension with the following variables: gender, age, skin color, family income, and body mass index. CONCLUSIONS: Hypertension prevalence was high, mainly in those who were not physicians or members of the nursing staff. High-risk groups (obese, non-white, men, low family income) should be better advised of prevention and early diagnosis of hypertension by means of special programs.

Until recently, dietary sources of nucleotides were thought not to be essential for good nutrition. Certain states with higher metabolic demands may require larger amounts that cannot be provided by endogenous production. The objective of the present study was to determine the action of nucleotides on the recovery from lactose-induced diarrhea in weaned rats. Thirty-six weanling Fisher rats were divided into two groups. Group 1 received a standard diet and group 2 received a diet containing lactose in place of starch. On the 10th day, six animals per group were sacrificed for histopathological evaluation. The remaining animals were divided into two other subgroups, each with 6 animals, receiving a control diet, a control diet with nucleotides (0.05% adenosine monophosphate, 0.05% guanosine monophosphate, 0.05% cytidine monophosphate, 0.05% uridine monophosphate and 0.05% inosine monophosphate), a diet with lactose, and a diet with lactose and nucleotides. On the 32nd day of the experiment all animals were sacrificed. Animals with diarrhea weighed less than animals without diarrhea. The introduction of nucleotides did not lead to weight gain. Mean diet consumption was lower in the group that continued to ingest lactose, with the group receiving lactose plus nucleotides showing a lower mean consumption. Animals receiving lactose had inflammatory reaction and deposits of periodic acid-Schiff-positive material in intestinal, hepatic and splenic tissues. The introduction of nucleotides led to an improvement of the intestinal inflammatory reaction. In lactose-induced diarrhea, when the stimulus is maintained - lactose overload - the nucleotides have a limited action on the weight gain and on recovery of intestinal morphology, although they have a protective effect on hepatic injury and improve the inflammatory response.

Camundongos isentos de germes (GF) e convencionais (CV) foram alimentados com rações contendo 4,4, 13,2 ou 26,4% de proteína (peso/peso). Os camundongos CV alimentados com ração baixa em proteína não ganharam peso durante quatro semanas, enquanto a ração deficiente em proteína não afetou o crescimento dos camundongos GF. Após quatro semanas nessas rações, os camundongos foram inoculados com 5x103 tripomastigotos de Trypanosoma cruzi. A deficiência em proteína afetou menos os camundongos GF do que os CV, segundo os seguintes parâmetros: ganho em peso, hemoglobina, níveis em proteína e albumina no plasma e conteúdos em água e proteína na carcassa. A infecção com T. cruzi produziu um decréscimo significante nos níveis em hemoglobina, na contagem de células vermelhas sanguíneas e nos conteúdos em água e proteína na carcassa. Este descréscimo foi mais acentuado nos camundongos GF. Histopatologicamente, não houve diferença entre os tratamentos nos animais com o mesmo estatuto microbiológico (GF ou CV). Contudo, a doença foi mais grave nos camundongos GF do que nos CV.

Germfree (GF) and conventional (CV) mice were fed on diets containing 4.4, 13.2 or 26.4% of protein (weight/weight). CV mice fed on low protein diet did not gain weight during four weeks, whereas the protein deficient diet did not affect the growth of GF mice. After four weeks on these diets, the mice were inoculated with 5x103 trypomastigotes of Trypanosoma cruzi. The protein deficiency affected less the GF than the CV mice, according to the following parameters: weight gain, hemoglobin, plasma protein and albumin levels and water and protein contents of the carcass. Infection with T. cruzi produced a significant decrease in hemoglobin levels, red blood cell count, and water and protein contents in the carcass. This decrease was more pronounced in the GF mice. Histopathologically, there was no difference between the treatments in animals with the same microbiological status (GF or CV). However, the disease was more severe in the GF than in the CV mice.

Camundongos CFW (LOB) e ratos Wistar e Sprague-Dawley isentos de germes (GF) e convencionais (CV) foram infectados com Trypanosoma cruzi. A doença foi mais grave nos animais GF do que nos CV, o que foi demonstrado por: (1) uma parasitemia mais precoce e mais intensa: (2) uma mortalidade mais precoce: (3) baço duas vezes maior; (4) um parasitismo celular e tissular mais intenso; (5) sinais viscerais de insuficiência cardíaca.

Germfree (GF) and conventional (CV) CFW (LOB) mice and Wistar and Sprague-Dawley rats were infected with Trypanosoma cruzi. The disease was more severe in the GF than in the CV animals as revealed by: (1) an earlier and more intense parasitemia; (2) a more precocious mortality; (3) a twice enlarged spleen: (4) a more intense cell and tissue parasitism; (5) visceral signs of cardiac failure.

Pesquisas realizadas em camundongos Sw, não singeneicos, mostraram não ter havido correlação entre a intensidade da reação granulomatosa pulmonar e o grau de resistência adquirida contra a infeccção por S.mansoni induzida pelo BCG.

Studies carried out in Sw outbred mice showed that there is no correlation between the degree of lung granulomatous reaction and the level of acquired resistance against S. mansoni infection induced by BCG.