title: [Myocardial morphometric study in protein-energy malnourished adults].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare cardiac muscle cells width and cardiomyocyte lipofuscin pigment presence between malnourished and non-malnourished necropsied adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  Out of 315 necropsy protocols of adults randomly chosen, those with edema, ascitis, systemic arterial hypertension, chronic liver disease, and heart disease were excluded. Malnutrition was defined by body mass index (BMI) < 17 kg/m2. Cardiomyocytes morphometry study and lipofuscin pigment counts were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Malnourished (n = 8) and controls (n = 4), respectively, showed statistical differences in relation to BMI (14.86 +/- 1.13 vs 22.02 +/- 0.9 kg/m2), heart weight/body weight ratio (0.68 +/- 0.09 vs 0.54 +/- 0.07%), cardiomyocytes width (10.91 +/- 0.77 vs 12.90 +/- 1.82 microns) and lipofuscin pigment presence (39.1 vs 54.4%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  When compared with controls, necropsied malnourished adults showed decreased myocardial fibers diameters and lower lipofuscin pigment presence. These findings might reflect altered metabolism, and would be associated with harmful clinical effects in terminally ill patients.
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina do Triângulo Mineiro (FMTM), Uberaba.
authors.forename: D F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: da Cunha
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Pedrini
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Sousa
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: dos Reis
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Ramos
authors.forename: S F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: da Cunha
authors.forename: V de P
authors.initials: Vde P
authors.lastname: Teixeira
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008062:Lipofuscin / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology*; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011502:Protein-Energy Malnutrition / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D008062:Lipofuscin