Browsing by Author "Martins, Cristina"
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- Association of 3-Phenoxybenzoic Acid Exposure during Pregnancy with Maternal Outcomes and Newborn Anthropometric Measures: Results from the IoMum Cohort StudyPublication . Guimarães, Juliana; Bracchi, Isabella; Pinheiro, Cátia; Moreira, Nara Xavier; Coelho, Cláudia Matta; Pestana, Diogo; Prucha, Maria do Carmo; Martins, Cristina; Domingues, Valentina F.; Delerue-Matos, Cristina; Dias, Cláudia C.; Azevedo, Luís Filipe R.; Calhau, Conceição; Leite, João Costa; Ramalho, Carla; Keating, Elisa; Fernandes, Virgínia CruzThe aims of this study were to characterize the exposure of pregnant women living in Portugal to 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3-PBA) and to evaluate the association of this exposure with maternal outcomes and newborn anthropometric measures. We also aimed to compare exposure in summer with exposure in winter. Pregnant women attending ultrasound scans from April 2018 to April 2019 at a central hospital in Porto, Portugal, were invited to participate. Inclusion criteria were: gestational week between 10 and 13, confirmed fetal vitality, and a signature of informed consent. 3-PBA was measured in spot urine samples by gas chromatography with mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The median 3-PBA concentration was 0.263 (0.167; 0.458) μg/g creatinine (n = 145). 3-PBA excretion was negatively associated with maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) (p = 0.049), and it was higher during the summer when compared to winter (p < 0.001). The frequency of fish or yogurt consumption was associated positively with 3-PBA excretion, particularly during the winter (p = 0.002 and p = 0.015, respectively), when environmental exposure is low. Moreover, 3-PBA was associated with levothyroxine use (p = 0.01), a proxy for hypothyroidism, which could be due to a putative 3-PBA—thyroid hormone antagonistic effect. 3-PBA levels were not associated with the anthropometric measures of the newborn. In conclusion, pregnant women living in Portugal are exposed to 3-PBA, particularly during summer, and this exposure may be associated with maternal clinical features.
- Exposure to naturally occurring metals during early-pregnancy and pregnancy outcomes: results from the IoMum cohortPublication . Marques, Beatriz; Dias, Ana; Brachi, Isabella; Guimarães, Juliana; Coelho, Cláudia M.; Pinheiro, Cátia; Prucha, Carmo; Martins, Cristina; Pinto, Edgar; Azevedo, Rui; Delerue-Matos, Cristina; Fernandes, Vírginia C.; Almeida, Agostinho; Ramalho, Carla; Keating, ElisaThis work aimed to characterize exposure to Aluminium (Al), Lithium (Li), Barium (Ba), and Strontium (Sr) and their association with sociodemographic and lifestyle factors, anthropometric parameters of the newborn and pregnancy complications. Spot urine samples (n=349) of eligible pregnant women attending the routine 1st-trimester ultrasound scan from April 2018 to April 2019 at Centro Hospitalar Universitário de S. João were analysed through ICP-MS to quantify the metals’ urinary concentrations (MUC). Inclusion criteria were: gestational age between 10 weeks and 13 weeks plus 6 days with confirmed foetal vitality and signature of the informed consent. MUCs are presented through median (IQR) in µg/L or µg/g creatinine.
- Iodine knowledge is associated with iodine status in Portuguese pregnant women: results from the IoMum cohort studyPublication . Pinheiro, Cátia; Moreira, Nara Xavier; Ferreira, Pedro; Coelho, Cláudia Matta; Guimarães, Juliana; Pereira, Gonçalo; Cortez, Alice; Bracchi, Isabella; Pestana, Diogo; Mota, Inês Barreiros; Prucha, Carmo; Martins, Cristina; Ribeiro, Célia Alves; Pinto, Edgar; Almeida, Agostinho; Delerue-Matos, Cristina; Montenegro, Nuno; Dias, Cláudia Camila; Moreira-Rosário, André; Azevedo, Luís Filipe; Brantsæter, Anne-Lise; Ramalho, Carla; Fernandes, Virgínia Cruz; Leite, João Costa; Calhau, Conceição; Keating, ElisaLack of knowledge about iodine has been suggested as a risk factor for iodine deficiency in pregnant women, but no studies have addressed this issue in Portugal. So, the aim of this study was to investigate iodine knowledge among Portuguese pregnant women and its association with iodine status. IoMum, a prospective observational study, included 485 pregnant women recruited at Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de S. João, Porto, between the 10th and 13th gestational weeks. Partial scores for knowledge on iodine importance, on iodine food sources or on iodised salt were obtained through the application of a structured questionnaire. Then, a total iodine knowledge score was calculated and grouped into low, medium and high knowledge categories. Urinary iodine concentration (UIC) was measured in spot urine samples by inductively coupled plasma MS. Of the pregnant women, 54 % correctly recognised iodine as important to neurocognitive development, 32 % were unable to identify any iodine-rich food and 71 % presented lack of knowledge regarding iodised salt. Of the women, 61 % had a medium total score of iodine knowledge. Knowledge on iodine importance during pregnancy was positively associated with iodine supplementation and also with UIC. Nevertheless, median UIC in women who correctly recognised the importance of iodine was below the cut-off for adequacy in pregnancy (150 µg/l). In conclusion, knowledge on iodine importance is positively associated with iodine status. Despite this, recognising iodine importance during pregnancy may not be sufficient to ensure iodine adequacy. Literacy-promoting actions are urgently needed to improve iodine status in pregnancy.
- Peptide-ionic liquid conjugates towards the treatment of skin infectionsPublication . Gomes, Ana; Bessa, Lucinda; Fernandes, Iva; Teixeira, Cátia; Aguiar, Luísa; Ferraz, Ricardo; Monteiro, Cláudia; Martins, Cristina; Mateus, Nuno; Gameiro, Paula; Gomes, PaulaThe treatment of complicated skin infections, like diabetic foot ulcers and other chronic wounds, are often associated with persistent polymicrobial biofilms that delay and difficult the healing process. The most severe cases culminate in inpatient hospital admission, where infections can be exacerbated by hospital-acquired pathogens, in particular, if caused by the so-called ESKAPE pathogens, for which few efficient antibiotics are available. The current biomedical approaches to chronic wounds aim at providing both protection against multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria and a matrix scaffold, often collagen-based, to boost the reestablishment of healthy skin. Therefore, new options and new antibiotics are urgently needed and having that in mind our strategy is to use: i) antimicrobial peptides (AMP) to prevent or treat infection in the open wound; ii) collagen-inducing peptides (CBP) to induce fast healing; iii) and ionic liquids (IL) with intrinsic antimicrobial chemical permeation enhancement properties for an improved skin permeation. Through different combinations of these three types of building blocks, we aim to find a new class of active pharmaceutical ingredients suitable for topical application in the treatment of complicated skin infections. All the different conjugates designed and tested in vitro thus far will be presented. The most promising ones result from conjugation of CBP with IL, delivering a new type of conjugate with potent antibacterial, antifungal, and collagen-inducing effects on human dermal fibroblasts. Hence, these peptide-ionic liquid conjugates are promising leads towards the development of a topical formulation for the treatment of complicated skin infections.
- Peptide/ionic liquid conjugates to tackle complicated skin infections: antimicrobial, antibiofilmand collagen-boosting effectsPublication . Gomes, Ana; Bessa, Lucinda; Fernandes, Iva; Aguiar, Luisa; Ferraz, Ricardo; Monteiro, Cláudia; Martins, Cristina; Mateus, Nuno; Gameiro, Paula; Teixeira, Cátia; Gomes, PaulaComplicated skin and soft tissue infections (cSSTI) like, e.g., diabeticfoot ulcers (DFU), are severe cases of cutaneous and deeper soft tis-sue infections. Their symptoms are consistent with local polymicro-bial biofilms, which are difficult to eliminate and delay the healing process. The standard-of-care for cSSTI requires oral antibiotics andother measures, often complex and distressing (e.g., amputations). Due to widespread multidrug resistant (MDR) microbes, efficient treatments for cSSTI are being exhausted. These should promote both antimicrobial protection and fast tissue regeneration, to at one the inefficient healing in elderly people afflicted with, e.g., diabetes orvenous/arterial insufficiency.
- The association of milk and dairy consumption with iodine status in pregnant women in Oporto regionPublication . Ferreira, Pedro; Pinheiro, Cátia; Coelho, Cláudia Matta; Guimarães, Juliana; Pereira, Gonçalo; Moreira, Nara Xavier; Cortez, Alice; Bracchi, Isabella; Pestana, Diogo; Mota, Inês Barreiros; Prucha, Carmo; Martins, Cristina; Ribeiro, Célia Alves; Pinto, Edgar; Almeida, Agostinho; Delerue-Matos, Cristina; Montenegro, Nuno; Dias, Cláudia Camila; Moreira-Rosário, André; Azevedo, Luís Filipe; Brantsæter, Anne-Lise; Ramalho, Carla; Fernandes, Virgínia Cruz; Calhau, Conceição; Leite, João Costa; Keating, ElisaThe role of milk and dairy products in supplying iodine to pregnant women is unknown in Portugal. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between milk and dairy product consumption and the iodine status of pregnant women in the IoMum cohort of the Oporto region. Pregnant women were recruited between 10 and 13 weeks of gestation, when they provided a spot urine sample and information on lifestyle and intake of iodine-rich foods. Urinary iodine concentration (UIC) was determined by inductively coupled plasma MS. A total of 468 pregnant women (269 iodine supplement users and 199 non-supplement users) were considered eligible for analysis. Milk (but not yogurt or cheese) intake was positively associated with UIC, in the whole population (P = 0·02) and in the non-supplement users (P = 0·002), but not in the supplement users (P = 0·29). In non-supplement users, adjusted multinomial logistic regression analysis showed that milk consumption <3 times/month was associated with a five times increased risk of having UIC < 50 µg/l when compared with milk consumption ≥2 times/d (OR 5·4; 95 % CI 1·55, 18·78; P = 0·008). The highest UIC was observed in supplement users who reported consuming milk once per d (160 µg/l). Milk, but not yogurt or cheese, was positively associated with iodine status of pregnant women. Despite the observed positive association, daily milk consumption may not be sufficient to ensure adequate iodine intake in this population.