Browsing by Author "Silva, Ana Paula"
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- HCV and HBV prevalence in the population: Large disparity between Hepatitis C in the general population, comparing with high risk groupsPublication . Carvalhana, Sofia; Pinto, Rui; Leitão, Jorge; Silva, Ana Paula; Alves, Catarina; Bourbon, Mafalda; Carvalho, Armando; Cortez-Pinto, HelenaIntroduction: The burden of hepatitis B and C infections around the world is high1,2; With the upcoming very effective treatments for hepatitis C and the rather effective treatments for hepatitis B, there is urge to identify these patients and estimate their prevalence in each country.
- Hepatitis B serologic markers after 14 years of universal new-born vaccinationPublication . Carvalhana, Sofia; Pinto, Rui; Leitão, Jorge; Silva, Ana Paula; Alves, Catarina; Bourbon, Mafalda; Carvalho, Armando; Cortez-Pinto, HelenaIntroduction: The burden of hepatitis B infection around the world is very high1; Hepatitis B National Vaccination Programe in Portugal: - all adolescents since 1995 - all new-borns in the year 2000. Aim: evaluate how it affected serological markers of hepatitis B in the general population and in high-risk group.
- Metabolite composition of chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) upon cooking: Proximate analysis, fibre, organic acids and phenolicsPublication . Gonçalves, Berta; Borges, Olga; Costa, H.S.; Bennett, Richard; Santos, Mariana; Silva, Ana PaulaThe aim of this research was to study the processing effects (roasting and boiling) on primary and secondary metabolite composition of fruits from the following chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) cultivars (cvs.) of three Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) areas in the Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro region (Portugal): PDO Terra Fria (cvs. Aveleira, Boaventura, Côta, Lamela and Trigueira), PDO Padrela (cvs. Judia, Lada, Longal and Negra) and PDO Soutos da Lapa (cvs. Longal and Martaínha). The cooking processes significantly (p < 0.0001) affected primary and secondary metabolite composition of the chestnuts. Roasted chestnuts had higher protein contents, insoluble and total dietary fibre and lower fat contents whilst boiled chestnuts had lower protein, but higher fat contents. Cooking increased citric acid contents, especially in roasted chestnuts. On the other hand, raw chestnuts had higher malic acid contents than cooked chestnuts. Moreover, roasted chestnuts had significantly higher gallic acid and total phenolics contents, and boiled chestnuts had higher gallic and ellagic acids contents, when compared to raw chestnuts. The present data confirms that cooked chestnuts are a good source of organic acids and phenolics and have low fat contents, properties that are associated with positive health benefits.
- No Evidence for Lower Levels of Serum Vitamin D in the Presence of Hepatic Steatosis. A Study on the Portuguese General PopulationPublication . Leitão, Jorge; Carvalhana, Sofia; Silva, Ana Paula; Velasco, Francisco; Medeiros, Isabel; Alves, Ana Catarina; Bourbon, Mafalda; Oliveiros, Bárbara; Carvalho, Armando; Cortez-Pinto, HelenaIntroduction and aims: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become highly prevalent, paralleling the pandemic of obesity and diabetes, and represents an important burden. Nutrition knowledge is fundamental, in prevention, evolution and treatment of NAFLD. Association of low serum levels of vitamin D (VD) with several diseases, including NAFLD, has been emphasized in the last decade. We evaluated how serum levels of VD correlate with the presence of hepatic steatosis, and VD intake, in a random sample of the Portuguese adult population. Methods: Participants underwent a dietary intake inquiry, using a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire representative of the usual intake over the previous year. Anthropometric measures, blood tests and ultrasound were done. Hepatic steatosis was quantified according to Hamaguchi's ultrasonographic score (steatosis defined by a score ≥ 2). Results: We recruited 789 adult individuals, 416 males (52.7%), mean age of 49.9 ± 17.0 years (18-79). Prevalence of hepatic steatosis was 35.5%, and after exclusion of excessive alcohol consumption, 28.0%. Mean VD serum levels were 26.0 ± 9.8 ng/ml and 68.4% participants had serum VD levels below 30 ng/ml. Mean serum levels of VD were not significantly different between participants with steatosis vs. no steatosis: 25.2±8.7 vs. 26.4±10.3 ng/ml, respectively (p=0.071). There was no correlation between VD serum levels and VD intake, measured by the FFQ, r=0.075 (p= 0.383). Conclusions: In spite of a high prevalence rate, there was no evidence that decreased VD serum levels were associated with hepatic steatosis. No significant correlation was found between VD dietary ingestion and VD serum levels.
- Prevalence and risk factors of fatty liver in Portuguese adultsPublication . Leitão, Jorge; Carvalhana, Sofia; Cochicho, Joana; Silva, Ana Paula; Velasco, Francisco; Medeiros, Isabel; Alves, Ana Catarina; Bourbon, Mafalda; Oliveiros, Bárbara; Rodrigues, Vitor; Sousa, Rita; Sampaio, Filipa; Carvalho, Armando; Cortez‐Pinto, HelenaBackground: Prevalence of fatty liver (FL) and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) depends mainly on obesity, diabetes and genetic factors. FL and NAFLD prevalence was evaluated in Portuguese adult population and correlated with several risk factors and related mortality data, within the same period. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional, population-based multicenter study, voluntary and randomly selected in 834 Portuguese adults (18-79 years). Participants were evaluated after 12-hour fasting. Anthropometric data, past history including alcohol consumption, and associated diseases were registered. Blood samples were collected for biochemical testing. Dietary intake was evaluated using a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Presence of FL was evaluated using ultrasound, and NAFLD was diagnosed after exclusion of other causes for liver disease. Results: Adjusted prevalence of FL and NAFLD was 37.8% and 17.0%, respectively. FL individuals were older, more frequently males, with increased probability of having obesity, diabetes or harmful alcohol consumption (HAC). NAFLD individuals were also older, but had a similar sex distribution and an increased probability of obesity and diabetes. In both groups, no differences were found regarding dietary pattern or physical activity. During the same time period, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) liver-related deaths in Portugal were 0.105/100 000, while alcohol-related liver disease mortality was 6.790/100 000. Conclusion: The large spectrum of FL was present in more than one third of the population, although only less than half could be classified as NAFLD. Other significant risk factors, such as HAC, are probably implicated in FL, explaining the low NASH-related mortality compared with the high alcohol-related mortality during the same time period.
- Prevalence of hepatic steatosis in the general Portuguese population: using fatty liver index (FLI) and ultrasoundPublication . Carvalhana, Sofia; Leitão, Jorge; Silva, Ana Paula; Alves, Catarina; Bourbon, Mafalda; Carvalho, Armando; Cortez-Pinto, HelenaIntrodution: The fatty liver index (FLI)1 has been used as a noninvasive measure of hepatic steatosis (HS), but has not been widely validated and not examined in the Portuguese population. According to Bedogni FLI < 30 rules out and FLI ≥ 60 rules in HS1. Aims:- Estimate the prevalence of HS in the Portuguese adult population by FLI and correlate with the ultrasound findings; - Validate FLI for prediction of fatty liver in the Portuguese population.