Analysis of pain symptoms, flexibility and hydroxyproline concentration in individuals with low back pain submitted to Global Postural Re-education and stretching

Aim: To evaluate pain, flexibility and hydroxyproline (HP) urinary levels in patients with nonspecific low back pain submitted to Global Postural Re-education (GPR) and stretching. Materials & methods: 39 individuals who reported low back pain were randomly assigned to a group submitted to GPR (GPRG) or stretching exercises (SG) for 8 weeks. Pain and flexibility were assessed using the Borg CR10 scale and goniometry, respectively. Results: The GPR group showed a significant reduction in the HP levels and significant improvements in flexibility after the intervention when compared with SG. Both groups presented a significant reduction in HP and pain after the intervention. Conclusion: Both interventions were effective in the treatment of low back pain. However, the GPR method presented better responses than stretching.

STIMULATION OF REPARATION IN A LINEAR WOUND MODEL IN RATS BY BISCHOFIT GEL

The aim of the article is to evaluate Bischofit gel reparative activity in a linear wound model in rats.Materials and Methods. The study was conducted on 36 male Wistar rats weighing from 193 to 218 grams. On the 8th day after modeling a linear wound defect 50±1 mm long, the reparative effect of bischofite, Actovegin and Contractubex in the gel compositions was evaluated. The evaluation was carried out using: the following methods: 1) studying the physicomechanical characteristics of the wound defect (a wound-tearing machine Metrotest REM-0.2-1); 2) morphological examination of the skin graft taken from the wound area (stained with hematoxylin-eosin and Van Gieson‘s solution); 3) determining the ratio of collagen types I and III in a polarizing microscope (the picrosirius was red); 4) cоlorimetric analysis of the hydroxyproline concentration in the wound surface tissues.Results. On the 8th day, the wound defects sampled from the bischofite treated animals, were characterized by the most pronounced strength (the average force at the rupture moment was 13.70 N), which was significantly higher (p<0.01) than in the control group (11.76 N). Actovegin showed less influence on this parameter (12.60 N), and the use of Contractubex led to its decrease (8.10 N). The effect of the drugs on the morphological state of the skin tissue was similar. The hydroxyproline concentration in the studied groups’ samples was: Bischofit 13.23±1.68; Actovegin 15.89±1.37; Contractubex 17.61 ± 0.67; the Control was 16.59±1.08. According to the impact on the ratio of collagen in types I and III, the studied drugs were arranged in the following sequence: Bishofit (0.73±0.023) > Actovegin (0.67±0.017) > Control (0.56±0.012) > Contractubex (0.38 ±0.020).Conclusion. The carried out study showed that Bischofit has a pronounced ability to stimulate the regeneration of the skin wound defect. Hereby, the reference drug Actovegin showed less activity, and Contractubex worsened wound healing.

The Effect of Infliximab on Intestinal Anastomosis Healing in Rats

Intestinal anastomosis healing is a complex physiological process in which many local and systemic factors play a role. One of the significant cytokines in this process is TNF-α. Infliximab is a chimeric monoclonal antibody which binds to TNF-α with high affinity. Although this agent is used in ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, intestinal surgery may be required in these patients. In this study it was aimed to determine whether or not there was any negative effect of preoperative single dose infliximab treatment on intestinal anastomosis healing. Two groups of 10 rats were formed. One of these groups was administered with a single dose of infliximab 8 mg/kg as a 20-minute intravenous infusion from the femoral vein. Four days after the infusion, a full layer incision was made to the colon and anastomosis was applied to all the rats. At 7 days after anastomosis, the subjects were sacrificed. The anastomosis segment was removed and the bursting pressure was measured. Tissue samples were taken from this segment for hydroxyproline concentration and histopathological examination. A blood sample was taken to measure TNF-α values. No statistically significant difference was determined between the groups in terms of bursting pressure, tissue hydroxyproline concentration or histopathological scoring. A single dose of 8 mg/kg infliximab administered 4 days preoperatively was not found to have any negative effect on intestinal anastomosis healing in rats.

Effects of bromopride on the healing of left colonic anastomoses in rats with induced abdominal sepsis

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effects of bromopride on the healing of left colonic anastomoses in rats with induced abdominal sepsis. METHODS: Forty rats were divided into two groups to receive either bromopride (experimental group- E) or saline (control group- C). Each group was divided into subgroups of ten animals each to be euthanized on third (E3 and C3) or seventh day (E7 and C7) after surgery. Sepsis was induced by cecal ligation and puncture. The rats underwent segmental left colon resection and end-to-end anastomosis. Adhesion formation, tensile strength and hydroxyproline concentration were assessed. Histomorphometry of collagen and histopathological analysis were also performed. RESULTS: On postoperative third day, anastomoses in bromopride-treated animals showed lower tensile strength (p=0.02) and greater reduction in hydroxyproline concentration (p=0.04) than in control animals. There was no statistical difference in these parameters on seventh day, and the remaining parameters were similar across subgroups. Collagen content was also similar across subgroups. CONCLUSION: In the presence of abdominal sepsis, the administration of bromopride was associated with decreased tensile strength and hydroxyproline concentration in left colonic anastomoses in rats three days after surgery.

Liver cirrhosis on the colonic anastomotic healing in rats

PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of cirrhosis on colonic anastomosis healing in rats. METHODS: Fifty five Wistar male rats were used (23 in the control group and 32 in the cirrhosis group). On the first day of the procedure, the rats in the cirrhosis group underwent double ligation and folding of the common bile duct to induce liver cirrhosis, and the control rats underwent a laparotomy and intestinal manipulation. On the fourteenth and thirty-fifth days, all of the animals were biochemically assessed for serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase, bilirubin, total protein, and albumin and for liver histopathology. On the thirty-fifth day, cirrhosis was confirmed. On the twenty-eighth day, all of the animals were subjected to left colon transection and anastomosis. On the seventh day after the colonic anastomosis, the rats were sacrificed and macroscopically evaluated for dehiscence. The region of the colonic anastomosis was removed and subjected to hydroxyproline content measurement, conventional histology, and the immunohistochemical determination of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and matrix metalloproteinase type 1 (MMP 1). RESULTS: The biochemical and histopathological examinations confirmed cirrhosis in all of the animals in the cirrhosis group. More deaths occurred after anastomosis in the cirrhosis group (5/25) than in the control group (0/21), and anastomotic dehiscence was more frequent in the cirrhosis group (8/25) than in the control group (0/21). The average hydroxyproline concentration was lower in the cirrhosis group than in the control group. The immunohistochemical studies showed that the average VEGF expression in the cirrhosis group was lower than in the control group, and the average MMP1 expression was higher in the cirrhosis group. CONCLUSION: Hepatic cirrhosis leads to increased mortality and colonic anastomotic dehiscence, an increased distance between the mucosal edges of the anastomosis area, and a lower hydroxyproline concentration in the colonic anastomosis; therefore, these conditions are deleterious to healing.

Does metoclopramide impair anastomotic healing of the left colon of rats?

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effects of metoclopramide on the formation of adhesion and the healing of left colonic anastomoses in rats. METHODS: Forty rats underwent sectioning of the left colon and end-to-end anastomosis and were divided into two groups of 20 animals for the administration of metoclopramide (experimental group - E) or saline solution (control group - C). Each group was divided into subgroups of 10 animals each to be killed on the third (E3 and C3) or seventh postoperative day (E7 and C7). Adhesion was assessed, and a colonic segment containing the anastomosis was removed for analysis of breaking strength and hydroxyproline concentration. RESULTS: There were no deaths or dehiscence on the 3rd postoperative day. There was one death and one blocked anastomotic dehiscence in the E7 group. No significant differences between groups were found in the analysis of clinical outcome, intra-cavity adhesion, adhesion to the anastomosis or breaking strength on the 3rd and 7th postoperative day. Hydroxyproline concentration was higher in the control group on the 3rd (p=0.006) but not on the 7th postoperative day (p=0.241). CONCLUSION: Metoclopramide did not have harmful effects on the healing of intestinal anastomoses in rats.

Muscular Strength and Hydroxyproline Concentration in Urine After Different Flexibility Training Protocols

Muscular Strength and Hydroxyproline Concentration in Urine After Different Flexibility Training ProtocolsThe objective of this study was to evaluate variation in the lumbar spine extension (LSE) muscular strength index and the hydroxyproline (HP) urinary concentrations as a function of flexibility training with maximum intensity (flexibilizing) statically, by proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) and submaximally. The sample population - with an age of 17.13 ± 1.23; body mass of 63.23 ± 6.36 kg; height of 173.62 ± 5.465 cm and body fat percentage of 10 ± 3.62% - comprised 60 male individuals divided randomly into four equal groups: CG (control), StrG (stretching), SFG (static flexibilizing) and PNFG (flexibilizing by PNF). The statistical program SPSS 14.0 for Windows was used to perform a Shapiro Wilk test to verify the normality of the data and Levene's test to analyze the homogeneity of the sample, repeated measures ANOVA for multiple comparisons among groups and the Tukey's HSD Post Hoc test to determine the statistical difference within groups of the variables. A significance level of 95% (p<0.05) was adopted. The results showed a significant difference in LSE between PNFG and CG (D% = 11%; p = 0.029). It can be concluded that the practice of PNF increased strength in the study group.

Habitual exercise attenuates myocardial stiffness in diabetes mellitus in rats

The effects of regular voluntary (habitual) exercise on left ventricular (LV) diastolic performance, as well as on those hemodynamic, LV geometric and myocardial interstitial changes that influence myocardial diastolic function, were examined in streptozocin (50 mg/kg)-induced diabetes mellitus (DM) in male rats. After 16 wk of regular exercise on voluntary running wheels, cardiac performance was measured in anesthetized open-chest ventilated rats. Rats with DM developed a decrease in LV end diastolic (LVED) chamber and myocardial wall compliance associated with an increase in myocardial collagen fluorescence (a measure of collagen advanced glycosylation end product concentrations), an increase in systemic blood pressure, and a dilated LV. However, LV end-systolic elastance and total myocardial hydroxyproline concentration were unchanged. Habitual exercise prevented the augmented LVED chamber stiffness (slope of linearized LVED pressure-strain relation, DM vs. exercise DM, P < 0.01) and myocardial wall stiffness (slope of linearized LVED stress-strain relation, DM vs. exercise DM, P < 0.001) produced by DM. However, neither markers of blood glucose control, blood pressure, LV geometry, myocardial hydroxyproline concentration, nor collagen fluorescence were altered by the exercise program. A reduced LVED chamber and myocardial wall stiffness, as noted in euglycemic control rats in response to regular exercise, was also not associated with hemodynamic or myocardial interstitial alterations. Therefore, regular voluntary exercise opposes the decrement in myocardial diastolic performance produced by DM in male rats without influencing the accumulation of myocardial advanced glycosylation end products thought to be partly responsible for the stiff myocardium after chronic hyperglycemia. The beneficial effects of regular exercise on myocardial compliance are likely to be a consequence of changes in active as opposed to passive properties of the myocardial wall.

Interstitial space and collagen alterations of the developing rat diaphragm

The effect of growth on the relative interstitial space [%total cross-sectional area (CSA)] and collagen content of the rat diaphragm muscle was examined at postnatal ages of 0, 7, 14, and 21 days as well as in adult males. The proportion of interstitial space relative to total muscle CSA was determined by computerized image analysis of lectin-stained cross sections of diaphragm muscle. To assess collagen content and extent of collagen maturation (i.e., cross-linking), high-pressure liquid chromatography analysis was used to measure hydroxyproline concentration and the nonreducible collagen cross-link hydroxylysylpyridinoline (HP), respectively. At birth, interstitial space accounted for approximately 47% of total diaphragm muscle CSA. During postnatal growth, the relative contribution of interstitial space decreased such that by adulthood the interstitial space accounted for approximately 18% of total muscle CSA. The change in relative interstitial space occurred without a concomitant change in hydroxyproline concentration. However, the concentration of HP markedly increased with age such that the adult diaphragm contained approximately 17 times more HP than at birth. These results indicate that during development the relative CSA occupied by interstitial space decreases as muscle fiber size increases. However, the reduction in relative interstitial space is not associated with a change in collagen concentration. Thus collagen density in the interstitial space may increase with age. It is possible that the observed changes in relative interstitial space and collagen influence the passive length-force properties of the diaphragm.