Browsing by Author "Leiva, A."

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    Efectos clínicos del entrenamiento muscular inspiratorio en pacientes con limitación crónica del flujo aéreo
    (1995) Lisboa Basualto, Carmen; Villafranca, Carlos; Pertuzé, Julio; Leiva, A.; Repetto Lisboa, Paula Beatriz
    The clinical role of inspiratory muscle training (IMT) in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has not been established, because data on its clinical effect is scarce and controversial. To further investigate these aspects we studied 20 COPD patients (FEV1 37 +/- 3% P) who were randomly and double blindly trained for 30 minutes a day during 10 weeks using a threshold inspiratory trainer with either 30% (group 1) or 10% (group 2) of PIMax as a training load. The training load was crossed after each patient completed 10 weeks of training. Effects were assessed through changes in PIMax, dyspnea through the transition dyspnea index (ITD) and the respiratory effort with Borg's score. Walking capacity was measured with the six minutes walking distance test (6WD) and depression symptoms with Beck's score. Daily life activities were also assessed. Results showed that after 10 weeks of IMT, PIMax increased in both groups (p < 0.05), dyspnea improved in group 1 as compared to group 2 (p < 0.04), 6WD increased significantly in patients of group 1, who also complained of less dyspnea (p < 0.05). Depression scores fell significantly in group 2. Daily activities improved more in group 1. After the crossover patients in group 1 disclosed a significant deterioration in PIMax whereas group 2 disclosed significant improvements in PIMax, dyspnea and 6WD. We conclude that IMT using a threshold device with 30% PIMax is a useful procedure for the treatment of severe COPD patients.
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    High total cholesterol and triglycerides levels increase arginases metabolism, impairing nitric oxide signaling and worsening fetoplacental endothelial dysfunction in gestational diabetes mellitus pregnancies
    (2021) Contreras-Duarte, S.; Cantin, C.; Farias, M.; Leiva, A.
    Maternal physiological dyslipidemia (MPD) supports fetal development in human pregnancy. However, some women develop maternal supraphysiological dyslipidemia (MSPD: increased total cholesterol (TC) and triglycerides (TG) levels). MSPH is present in normal and also in gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) pregnancies. MSPD and GDM associate with fetoplacental endothelial dysfunction, producing alterations in nitric oxide (NO)-L-arginine/arginase metabolism. Nevertheless, the effect of MSPD on GDM, and how this synergy alters fetoplacental endothelial function is unknown. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate in human umbilical vein endothelial cells, the effects of MSPD in GDM and how these pathologies together affect the fetoplacental endothelial function. 123 women at term of pregnancy were classified as MPD (n = 40), MSPD (n = 35), GDM with normal lipids (GDM-MPD, n = 23) and with increased lipids (GDM-MSPD, n = 25). TC >= 291 mg/dL and TG >= 275 mg/dL were considered as MSPD. Endothelial NO synthase (eNOS), human cationic amino acid transporter 1 (hCat1), and arginase II protein abundance and activity, were assayed in umbilical vein endothelial cells. In MSPD and GDM-MSPD, TC and TG increased respect to MPD and GDM-MPD. eNOS activity was reduced in MSPD and GDM-MSPD, but increased in GDM-MPD compared with MPD. However, decreased tetrahydrobiopterin levels were observed in all groups compared with MPD. Increased hCatl protein and L-arginine transport were observed in both GDM groups compared with MPD. However, the transport was higher in GDM-MSPD compared to GDM-MPD. Higher Arginase II protein and activity were observed in GDM-MSPD compared with MPD. Thus, MSPD in GDM pregnancies alters fetal endothelial function associated with NO metabolism.