Background: Walking is one of the most commonly recommended activities for sedentary individuals. When performed at the correct intensity, it can provide cardiovascular, respiratory, metabolic, and other benefits by providing a training effect in addition to reducing the risk of death from cardiovascular diseases and other chronic health conditions. Objectives: The primary aim of this study was to assess whether individuals who practiced regular unsupervised walking carry out the activity safely and with sufficient effort intensity parameters to have a positive physiological (training) effect. The secondary objective was to compare the training heart rate (HR) and the stability of the HR within the ideal range of training between the sexes. Method: Individuals were selected from walking tracks within the city of Belo Horizonte, Brazil. The study included subjects from 40 to 60 years of age who had practiced walking for at least two months prior to the study, walking at least three times a week. Individuals who agreed to participate in the survey were asked to walk 15 minutes at their usual pace with their HR measured every 5 minutes using a heart rate monitor. Their average walking HR was compared to the average training HR based on the formula: (220 - age) × 70 to 80% that would result in a positive physiological training effect. Results: Of the 142 individuals evaluated, 25.4% achieved the average training HR. This result was significantly lower than those who did not achieve the average training HR while walking (p=0.002). There were significant differences between men and women who had reached the training HR (p=0.0001). Conclusion: The authors found that individuals who walk regularly performed outside the range of the ideal HR intensity that would cause a positive physiological effect and therefore would probably not achieve a beneficial training effect while walking.

FUNDAMENTOS: A síndrome de Gianotti-Crosti (SGC) é uma doença rara e autolimitada caracterizada por erupção eritematopapulosa acrolocalizada e simétrica. Relaciona-se, na maioria das vezes, com infecção pelos vírus da hepatite B e Epstein-Barr, porém há poucas publicações relacionando a SGC com herpesvírus humano tipo 6 (HHV6). OBJETIVO: Estudar aspectos clínicos e laboratoriais e investigar a participação de patógenos virais na etiologia de casos de SGC procedentes de Belém-PA. PACIENTES E MÉTODOS: Dez crianças com diagnóstico clínico de SGC foram investigadas no período de agosto de 1996 a dezembro de 2002, utilizando-se provas laboratoriais de rotina e pesquisa de anticorpos séricos específicos para determinados vírus. O diagnóstico de SGC estabeleceu-se quando, além de aspectos clínicos considerados compatíveis, um ou mais dos seguintes critérios estavam presentes: elevação das enzimas hepáticas, linfocitose, positividade sorológica para um ou mais agentes virais ou história de vacinação prévia. RESULTADOS: Seis pacientes (60%) apresentaram evidência de infecção primária pelo HHV6 demonstrada pela presença de anticorpos específicos da classe IgM. CONCLUSÃO: A detecção de anticorpos anti-HHV6 da classe IgM em seis dos pacientes apresentados sugere um possível papel etiológico desse vírus na doença, recomendando-se que seja acrescentado ao painel sorológico rotineiramente pesquisado em processos exantemáticos com morfologia sugestiva de SGC.

BACKGROUND: Gianotti-Crosti syndrome (GCS) is a rare, self-limited disease characterized by a symmetrical erythematopapulous, acral-based eruption. In most cases a definite relationship with a viral infection can be established, especially when hepatitis B or Epstein-Barr viruses are involved. However, few case reports on associations between GCS and human herpesvirus 6 (HHV6) have been published to date. OBJECTIVE: To study clinical and laboratorial aspects as well as to investigate the role of viral pathogens in the etiology of GCS cases from Belem (PA), Brazil. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From August 1996 to December 2002, ten children with a clinical diagnosis of GCS were investigated through routine laboratory exams and serologically screened for several virus specific antibodies. A diagnosis of GCS was considered for cases that presented clinical aspects considered suggestive, together with one or more of the following criteria: elevated titers of hepatic enzymes, lymphocytosis, positive viral serology or history of a prior vaccination. RESULTS: Six out of 10 children (60%) showed evidence of HHV6 primary infection, as demonstrated through specific IgM-antibody positivity. CONCLUSION: Anti-HHV6-IgM antibody positivity in 6/10 patients suggests that the pathogen can play a role in the etiology of GCS. Consequently, the authors recommend that this virus is added to the routine serological tests when exanthematous processes are concerned, especially those with a morphology suggestive of GCS.