Abstract
Malnutrition is responsible for a number of alterations that occur in the organism, including alterations in the cardiovascular system. We hypothesize that long periods of malnutrition occurring after weaning may also be responsible for alterations in the cardiovascular system. Wistar rats were separated into the two following experimental groups: a labina® diet-fed control group (CG) and a malnourished group (MG), fed a multi-deficient diet. Results showed that the mg presented significantly lower body weight (p < 0.001) in rats of all ages, higher heart rate (HR) (p < 0.05) when rats were 3, 4 and 5 months old and lower HR in rats from 6 to 9 months of age, in relation to the CG. Spectral analysis showed a significant increase in the low frequencies (LF) components in the MG compared to the CG from the third month onwards (p < 0.05), showing evidence of sympathetic predominance greater cardiac autonomic balance in the MG versus that of CG indicated that, although aging influences autonomic behavior, it may also be altered by nutrition. Morphologically, an increase in the ventricle weight/body weight ratio was seen in the MG. These results show that the hearts of rats in the MG were not spared from malnutrition age-related detrimental cardiac effects associated with malnutrition
Highlights
Malnutrition is a complex phenomenon caused by various etiologies (OLIVARES et al, 2005) and is responsible for a number of alterations that occur in the organism, including alterations in the cardiovascular system
malnourished group (MG): 44 ± 1 g), rats from the MG weighed significantly less at all ages when compared to rats from the control group (CG)
Our data confirms that blood pressure parameters are maintained in the MG similar to the CG; the heart rate (HR) in the MG was increased compared to the CG, but showed a decrease with age
Summary
Malnutrition is a complex phenomenon caused by various etiologies (OLIVARES et al, 2005) and is responsible for a number of alterations that occur in the organism, including alterations in the cardiovascular system. 467-475, Oct.-Dec., 2014 periods of development, may be responsible for alterations in the cardiovascular system, such as the following: increase in blood pressure (MURÇA et al, 2012; OLIVEIRA et al, 2004) and heart rate (OLIVEIRA et al, 2004), electrophysiological alterations (OLIVARES et al, 2005; PISSAIA et al, 1980; SARAIVA et al, 1992), morphological and histological modifications of the heart (PISSAIA et al, 1980), change in the contractile function of the myocardium (NUTTER et al, 1979; PINOTTI et al, 2010) and maybe even alterations in the regulatory mechanisms of the cardiovascular system as, for example, in the autonomic nervous system (ANS) (PENITENTE et al, 2007; TROPIA et al, 2001).The principal cause of chronic malnutrition is the socioeconomic status of an individual; it may arise when adequate nutrition is available in qualitative terms, if associated with diseases like cystic fibrosis, chronic kidney disease, Aids and alcoholism, among others (OLIVEIRA et al, 2004), or even due to voluntary dietary restriction for various reasons, including psychological reasons such as anorexia nervosa (SHETTY, 2006). The aim of this study was to examine heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), and spectral analysis of the HR of rats subjected to malnutrition from 21 days to 9 months of age, seeking to compare the effects of malnutrition on the process of aging and the mechanism of cardiovascular disease
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