Prolonged Exposure to Alcohol Vapor Causes Change in Cardiovascular Function in Female but not in Male Rats

Background: Alcohol abuse is a health concern worldwide. Studies have associated alcohol abuse with cardiovascular impairments. In this study, we investigated differences in the effects of chronic alcohol vapor exposure on cardiovascular function between male and female rats by using the alcohol vapor chamber method to induce alcohol addiction-like behaviors in rats. Methods: We exposed male and female Long-Evans rats to alcohol vapor for 14 hours, followed by ethanol withdrawal for 10 hours, for 30 consecutive days or room air (control groups). The animals underwent preparation for the surgical implantation of cannulas into femoral vessels, for allowing the assessment of the basal arterial pressure and heart rate values, baroreflex function, and autonomic activity. Results: Female control rats showed higher basal heart rate compared to male control rats. Chronic alcohol vapor inhalation reduced basal heart rate in females, but not in males; this effect was followed by an increase in the parasympathetic tone of the heart. Further, female rats subjected to alcohol vapor showed an increase in the baroreflex activity. Conclusions: These findings suggest that females are more sensitive to chronic alcohol vapor exposure than males because they had a reduction in basal heart rate and changes in the baroreflex activity.Laboratory of Neuropsypharmacology Pharmaceutical Sciences School Universidade Estadual Paulista-UNESPJoint Graduate Program in Physiological Sciences UFSCar/UNESPPharmacology Laboratory Paulista Medicine School Universidade Federal de São Paulo—UNIFESPJoint Graduate Program in Pharmacology Pharmacology and Molecular Biology Institute—INFARFaculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences University of Campinas (UNICAMP)Bioregulation Department Health Sciences Institute Universidade Federal da Bahia (ICS/ UFBA)Laboratory of Neuropsypharmacology Pharmaceutical Sciences School Universidade Estadual Paulista-UNESPJoint Graduate Program in Physiological Sciences UFSCar/UNES

Mortality, morbidity, and hospitalisations due to influenza lower respiratory tract infections, 2017 : an analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017

CITATION: Troeger, C. E., et al. 2019. Mortality, morbidity, and hospitalisations due to influenza lower respiratory tract infections, 2017 : an analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017. Lancet Respiratory Medicine, 7(1):69-89, doi:10.1016/S2213-2600(18)30496-X.The original publication is available at https://www.thelancet.comBackground: Although the burden of influenza is often discussed in the context of historical pandemics and the threat of future pandemics, every year a substantial burden of lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) and other respiratory conditions (like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) are attributable to seasonal influenza. The Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) 2017 is a systematic scientific effort to quantify the health loss associated with a comprehensive set of diseases and disabilities. In this Article, we focus on LRTIs that can be attributed to influenza. Methods We modelled the LRTI incidence, hospitalisations, and mortality attributable to influenza for every country and selected subnational locations by age and year from 1990 to 2017 as part of GBD 2017. We used a counterfactual approach that first estimated the LRTI incidence, hospitalisations, and mortality and then attributed a fraction of those outcomes to influenza. Findings Influenza LRTI was responsible for an estimated 145 000 (95% uncertainty interval [UI] 99 000–200 000) deaths among all ages in 2017. The influenza LRTI mortality rate was highest among adults older than 70 years (16·4 deaths per 100 000 [95% UI 11·6–21·9]), and the highest rate among all ages was in eastern Europe (5·2 per 100 000 population [95% UI 3·5–7·2]). We estimated that influenza LRTIs accounted for 9 459 000 (95% UI 3 709 000–22 935 000) hospitalisations due to LRTIs and 81 536 000 hospital days (24 330 000–259 851 000). We estimated that 11·5% (95% UI 10·0–12·9) of LRTI episodes were attributable to influenza, corresponding to 54 481 000 (38 465 000–73 864 000) episodes and 8 172 000 severe episodes (5 000 000–13 296 000). Interpretation This comprehensive assessment of the burden of influenza LRTIs shows the substantial annual effect of influenza on global health. Although preparedness planning will be important for potential pandemics, health loss due to seasonal influenza LRTIs should not be overlooked, and vaccine use should be considered. Efforts to improve influenza prevention measures are needed.https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanres/article/PIIS2213-2600(18)30496-X/fulltext#%20Publisher's versio