Objective: To evaluate body composition, nutritional status through food selectivity and degree of inadequate intake, and mealtime behavior in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) compared to neurotypical children.Method: A cross‐sectional case–control study was carried out in 144 children (N = 55 with ASD; N = 91 with neurotypical children) between 6 and 18 years of age. Body composition, nutritional intake, food consumption frequency (FFQ), and mealtime behavior were evaluated.Results: Results showed a greater presence of children with a low weight (18.4% ASD vs. 3.20% comparison group) and obesity (16.3% ASD vs. 8.6% comparison group) in the ASD group for body mass index (BMI) categories (p = .003; number needed to take [NNT] = 8.07). The presence of obesity in ASD children compared to the comparison group was even higher when considering the fat component (47.5% ASD vs. 19.4% comparison group, p = .002; NNT = 10.3). ASD children had greater intake inadequacy (50% ASD vs. 22% comparison group, p = .014; NNT = 3.58), high food selectivity by FFQ (60.6% ASD vs. 37.9% comparison group, p < .037; NNT = 4.41), and more eating problems (food rejection, limited variety, disruptive behavior), compared to neurotypical children (p = .001).Conclusion: Children with ASD showed an unbalanced body composition toward both underweight and obesity, a greater degree of inadequate intake, high food selectivity as indicated by their consumption frequency, and more disturbed eating behavior than children with neurotypical development. We suggest monitoring nutritional inadequacies and implementing nutritional strategies to expand the variety of foods children with ASD consume.

The aim of this study was to evaluate oxidative stress from glutathione depletion in critically ill patients with a septic shock through the abnormal presence of pyroglutamic acid (PyroGlu) in the urine (indirectly) and through its serum level (directly). This was a prospective analytical study of 28 critically ill patients with a septic shock who were monitored from admission (initial) to 3 days of stay (final) in the intensive care unit (ICU). Data collected included PyroGlu and glutamic acid (Glu) using liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry, and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activity with a colorimetric assay. The differences in Glu, PyroGlu, and GPX activity between the septic shock group and healthy control group serving as reference values were evaluated using the Mann–Whitney test. The correlations between Glu, PyroGlu, and GPX activity and clinical outcomes were determined using Spearman’s correlation coefficient. In patients with septic shock, serum and urine PyroGlu levels were higher, erythrocyte GPX activity/gr Hb was lower, and urine Glu levels were lower compared to healthy control reference values, for both initial and final values. Initial serum Glu levels were also lower. Serum PyroGlu levels had a correlation with both initial and final serum Glu levels; levels also correlated in the urine. Initial serum Glu correlated with the days of mechanical ventilation (P = 0.016) and the days of ICU stay (P = 0.05). Urine Glu/mg creatinine correlated with APACHE II (P = 0.030). This positive correlation observed for serum Glu was not observed for PyroGlu. The current study found that septic patients have higher levels of PyroGlu, lower levels of Glu, and lower erythrocyte GPX activity, suggesting that these biomarkers could be used as an indicator of glutathione depletion. In addition, Glu is related to severity parameters. This study can guide future studies on the importance of monitoring the levels of pyroglutamic acidosis in critical patients with septic shock in order to preserve the oxidative status and its evolution during the stay in the ICU.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of melatonin supplementation on antioxidant capacity and DNA damage in high intensity interval training (HIIT) athletes. A 2-week randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial with two groups was conducted. Placebo (PG) and melatonin (MG) (20 mg/d) athletes were monitored over a two-week period of HIIT and strength training. The total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and the glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities were analysed in blood samples. DNA damage was measured in isolated lymphocytes by comet assay prior to and immediately after exercise. The supplementation increased plasma melatonin levels in the melatonin-treated group (p<0.05) after two weeks of intervention. Analysis of antioxidant status indicated higher (p<0.05) TAC and GPx in MG than PG post-intervention. No differences were found in SOD enzyme activity. DNA damage was diminished in MG (p<0.05) compared to PG in post-training conditions. Antioxidant status was associated with DNA damage (r=-0.679; p=0.047) in the melatonin-treated athletes. The present study suggest that melatonin supplementation improves antioxidant status and may prove to have beneficial effects preventing DNA damage induced by high intensity training.

The aims of the present study were to analyze mobility, dynamic balance and lower-limb strength and the prevalence of asymmetry according to the type of sport and assess the association between inter-limb asymmetry and sports performance. A total of 23 basketball and 25 handball players performed a test battery consisting of functional movements and a jump test. Inter-limb asymmetry was calculated using a standard percentage difference equation. A between-groups comparison analysis was carried out, and Pearson’s correlation coefficients (r) were calculated to establish a relationship between asymmetries and physical performance. The results found athletes in different sports to exhibit different performance in functional movements and the jump test, but no bilateral asymmetries. The reactive strength index (RSI) and stiffness asymmetries were significantly associated with the anterior reach Y-balance test (YBT) (r = −0.412; p < 0.01 and r = −0.359; p < 0.05, respectively), and the unilateral triple hop test (THTU) was negatively correlated to anterior reach, posterior lateral reach YBT and YBT composite YBT (r = −0.341 to −0.377; p < 0.05). These findings suggest that the asymmetries exhibited important dispersion not dependent upon the type of sport but on each individual and the applied test. In addition, asymmetry in anterior direction YBT showed the strongest association to the rest of the sports performance variables.