Influence of NQO1, ALDH2, and CYP2E1 genetic polymorphisms, smoking, and alcohol drinking on the risk of lung cancer in Koreans

Objectives  We investigated the association of genetic polymorphisms of NQO1, ALDH2, CYP2E1, and the combined genotype of these genes on lung cancer risk, and also evaluated the association after stratification by cumulative smoking amounts and alcohol drinking levels. Methods  The case–control study was performed in 387 lung cancer patients and 387 age- and sex-matched cancer-free controls. Direct interview was conducted and the genotypes of NQO1, ALDH2, and CYP2E1 were investigated using PCR-RFLP or 5′-nuclease activity assay. Results  The proportion of individuals with occupational history of mining was significantly higher in cases than in controls. The risk of lung cancer was significantly lower in light-drinkers (<108 g/week) than non-drinkers. The NQO1 Pro/Ser + Ser/Ser genotype showed an increased risk for lung cancer with a marginal significance (OR = 1.35, 95% CI = 0.99–1.86) compared with NQO1 Pro/Pro genotype. In heavy-smokers, the combination of NQO1 Pro/Ser + Ser/Ser and CYP2E1 c1/c1 genotype was associated with a significantly increased risk for lung cancer (OR = 2.25, 95% CI = 1.14–4.43) compared with those of NQO1 Pro/Pro and CYP2E1 c1/c2 + c2/c2 genotype. We found a significant interaction between alcohol drinking level and the CYP2E1 genotype (P = 0.0227). Conclusions  Our result suggests that the risk of lung cancer is affected by smoking, alcohol drinking, and the genetic polymorphism of NQO1. In particular, genetic polymorphisms for NQO1, CYP2E1, and ALDH2 synergistically with cumulative smoking amounts and alcohol drinking levels interact in the carcinogenesis of lung cancer in Koreans.     

Interaction between interleukin-1beta -31T/C gene polymorphism and drinking and smoking habits on the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma among Japanese

The risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) increases with the severity of hepatic inflammation. Interleukin (IL)-1beta and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha are proinflammatory cytokines with multiple biological effects and may play essential roles in inflammation-linked tumor development. We conducted a case-control study including 209 incident HCC cases and two control groups (275 hospital controls and 381 patients with chronic liver disease [CLD] without HCC) to investigate whether IL-1B and TNF-A gene polymorphisms influence HCC susceptibility with any interaction with alcohol and tobacco. By comparing HCC cases with CLD patients, we found that IL-1B -31T/C polymorphism was associated with HCC risk among never drinkers and current smokers; adjusted odds ratios (and 95% confidence intervals) for C/T and T/T genotypes compared with C/C genotype were 1.70 (0.76-3.77) and 2.46 (1.05-5.76) (P trend=0.03), respectively, among never drinkers, and 1.53 (0.60-3.99) and 2.54 (0.81-7.95) (P trend=0.11), respectively, among current smokers. Similarly, HCC risk associated with heavy alcohol intake and current smoking differed by this polymorphism among CLD patients. IL-1B -31T/C polymorphism may modify HCC risk in relation to alcohol intake or smoking.     

无症状受试者呼气相空气潴留与年龄及吸烟的相关性调查

目的探讨无症状受试者呼气相空气潴留(air trapping,AT)分布情况,初步分析AT与年龄及吸烟的关系。方法对64例无肺部疾病、呼吸道病史且无呼吸道症状的受试者行肺部呼气相CT扫描,对CT图像上的AT进行定量,分析AT与年龄及吸烟的关系。结果 64例中AT的总发生率为46.88%(30/64),在不同年龄组发生率差异无统计学意义(P>0.05),吸烟组发生率要高于非吸烟组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。烟龄>30年者与≤30年者相比,AT的发生率更大,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论无症状受试者AT发生率为46.88%,且与年龄关系不大,但与吸烟密切相关,烟龄>30年者更容易出现AT。     

Original Papers · Travaux originaux: Factors Affecting the Prevalence of Tinnitus

The prevalence of tinnitus was studied in a large population of noise-exposed workers. It was found that 6.6% had tinnitus which was more than momentary. Results of two other studies were compared. Factors possibly relating to the prevalence of tinnitus were studied. The single most important factor found to be related to tinnitus is hearing level. The higher the hearing level, the faster the rate of increase in the prevalence of tinnitus. Other factors such as sex, age, laterality, smoking and shooting do not seem to have a significant, direct relationship with tinnitus, but they are related to the prevalence of tinnitus indirectly through the influence they have on hearing loss.

La prévalence des acouphènes a été étudiée dans une large population de travailleurs exposés aux bruits industriels. On a relevé que 6,6% des travailleurs avaient des acouphènes plus que passagers. Les résultats de deux autres recherches ont été comparés à celle-ci. Les facteurs associés à la prévalence des acouphènes ont été étudiés et seul le degré de surdité a paru lié. Une surdité importante augmente la probabilité d'acouphènes chez les travailleurs. D'autres facteurs comme le sexe, l'aˇge, la latéralité, le fait de fumer ou de tirer ne semblent pas avoir de rapport direct ou significatif avec les acouphènes mais peuvent ětre liés à ceux-ci indirectement à travers leur influence sur la surdité.     

Hemoglobin oxygen affinity in patients suffering from arterial occlusive disease of the legs

Summary Parameters characterizing the hemoglobin oxygen affinity were determined in blood of 12 male patients suffering from arterial occlusive disease (AOD) of the legs and compared with data obtained earlier from healthy human subjects (controls). Due to a COHb content of 4.8%±2.2% in the cigarette-smoking AOD patients, the standard oxygen dissociation curve (ODC) was left-shifted, the half-saturation pressure (P₅₀) amounted to 24.8±1.7 mmHg (3.30±0.23 kPa), although the 2,3-diphosphoglycerate concentration was increased to 15.3±1.7 µmol/g Hb. Correcting the effects of elevated COHb shifts the P₅₀ to 26.3 mmHg (3.5 kPa) and increases the steepness of the ODC (Hill's n) from 2.79±0.27 to about 2.99, which is significantly different from controls. The Bohr coefficients after acidification of blood with lactic acid (BC_Lac) show high values at low oxygen saturations of hemoglobin (–0.50±0.04 in AOD patients, –0.32±0.04 in controls;P<0.05 at 10% S_O2). The cause of the alterations in hemoglobin oxygen affinity may be a reduced mean erythrocyte age, but also the influence of unknown factors generated, e.g., from anaerobic muscle metabolism in AOD.Abbreviations AOD Arterial occlusive disease of the legs - BC Bohr coefficient - BC_CO2 Bohr coefficient after acidification of blood with CO₂ - BC_Lac Bohr coefficient after acidification of blood with lactic acid - DPG 2,3-Diphosphoglycerate - ODC Oxygen dissociation curve - P₅₀ Oxygen pressure when hemoglobin is half-saturated     

PARP1: A potential biomarker for gastric cancer

Gastric cancer (GC) is the third leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide, with an overall 5-y survival rate of 25%. The majority of GCs are caused by infectious agents, including the bacterium Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) and Epstein–Barr virus (EBV). Furthermore, inappropriate repair of DNA damage can also result in genomic instability, which has shown to be a key factor in carcinogenesis of different regions including gastric region. Present study was designed to explore the association between base excision repair pathway genes, PARP1 and APEX1 and gastric pathology and H. pylori infection. Two hundred gastric cancer tissue samples (114 H. pylori positive and 86 H. pylori negative) and adjacent uninvolved area taken as controls was used for expression analysis of BER pathway genes at mRNA level and protein levels using quantitative PCR (qPCR) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) respectively. Oxidative stress and DNA damage was also determined by measuring the level of antioxidant enzymes and comet assay respectively. Significant upregulation in PARP1 (p < 0.001) and APEX1 (p < 0.02) was observed in GC tissue samples compared to controls and this upregulation was more pronounced in H. pylori positive cases (HPGC) (PARP1, p < 0.02: APEX1, p < 0.04) than H. pylori negative cases (HNGC). Upregulation of BER pathway genes in HPGC was found correlated with smoking status (p < 0.0001), T stage (p < 0.01) and lymph node metastasis (p < 0.03). Moreover, immunohistochemical staining of BER pathway genes was found correlated with a number of clinicopathological characteristics such as tumor type (p < 0.03), tumor size (p < 0.01) and lymph node metastasis (p < 0.01). Expression levels of APEX1 and PARP1 gene also correlated with increased oxidative burden (p < 0.0001) and DNA damage (p < 0.001) in GC patients. Survival analysis showed that upregulation of PARP1 gene was associated with poor overall survival outcome of gastric cancer patients (HR = 2.04 (95% CI = 1.10–3.76; p < 0.02). Univariate and multivariate cox regression analysis showed the upregulated PARP1 gene (HR = 5.03; 95%CI (2.22–11.35); p = 0.0001), positive smoking status (HR = 3.58; 95%CI (1.67–7.65); p = 0.001), positive status for H pylori infection (HR = 4.38; 95%CI (1.82–10.56); p = 0.001) and advance N-stage (HR = 5.29; 95%CI (2.28–12.24); p = 0.0001) were independent prognostic factors for gastric cancer and may serve as a valuable biomarker for the diagnosis and progression of GC and can be helpful in developing individualized treatment strategies for treating GC.     

CATCH: development of a home-based midwifery intervention to support young pregnant smokers to quit

Objective

to develop, implement and evaluate a supportive midwifery intervention, Community Action on Tobacco for Children's Health (CATCH), to help young pregnant smokers to quit.

Design

action research project funded from April 2002 to June 2005.

Setting and participants

CATCH was based in a single hospital maternity unit in the West of Scotland and targeted a deprived population of pregnant smokers aged 25 years and under. Outreach work was undertaken in the local community and cessation support was provided in women's own homes.

Intervention

CATCH aimed to meet the particular needs of young pregnant women through a tailored, non-judgmental approach. The service was distinctive as it employed a holistic approach to smoking cessation which focused not only on individual choices and motivations, but on the wider life circumstances that may preclude behaviour change.

Measures

internal and external teams collaborated to ensure a comprehensive evaluation, gathering of both process and outcome data. Outcomes (including self-reported and carbon monoxide validated quit status) were assessed by quantitative surveys undertaken at enrolment to the service and at 3- and 12-month follow-up. All those lost to follow-up were assumed to still be smoking. Participants’ views of the service were gathered independently by an external evaluation team, and a detailed qualitative case study, capturing ongoing learning, was undertaken. Data were collected from participants who joined the project over a 16-month period (November 2002–February 2004).

Findings

the study demonstrated a feasible approach to engaging young pregnant smokers to help them quit. Obstetricians and midwives were willing to refer to a service based in their maternity unit run by a specially trained midwife, and users reported a positive experience of the service. Of 152 eligible clients referred within the 16-month period, 79 (52%) joined CATCH. Of those who joined, 18 (22.8%) were self-reported non-smokers at 3 months, of whom 16 (20.3%) were validated as non-smokers using carbon monoxide monitoring. Thirteen (16.5%) clients reported being smoke free at 12 months, of whom 10 (12.7%) were validated as non-smokers at 12 months.

Implications for practice

CATCH suggests that close partnership with the multi-disciplinary maternity team and integration into the maternity system is invaluable for smoking cessation services targeting pregnant women. It points to the benefits of the service being delivered by a trained midwife in clients’ own homes. Flexibility and a non-judgmental approach are essential to engagement. Attention to the context and wider circumstances of clients’ lives and involving friends and family enables clients to focus on their own smoking.     

Why girls smoke: a proposed community-based prevention program

OBJECTIVES: To review the literature on reasons teenage girls start smoking and to identify the role and opportunities for nurses to have an impact on this public health problem. In addition, a proposed smoking prevention program targeted to teenage girls is presented. DATA SOURCES: Information was gathered from professional journals and texts and from MEDLINE and PROQUEST. Keywords used in the searches were smoking prevention, tobacco use, smoking and adolescents, teenage girls and smoking, health education and smoking, and smoking prevention programs. DATA SYNTHESIS AND CONCLUSIONS: Smoking initiation in teenage girls is a problem with ramifications for individual health as well as for public health. Although the literature demonstrates the rising incidence of smoking in teenage girls and evidence suggests the reasons girls start smoking differ from those of their male counterparts, a dearth of information on smoking prevention programs exists for this population. It is reasonable to assume that the best practices for adolescent smoking prevention can be applied to programs specifically for girls, along with efforts to address social influences, self-image, and self-esteem, which may be particularly important to teenage girls. The theory of reasoned action provides a framework for prevention strategies that target the behavioral beliefs and attitudes that influence teenage girls to smoke. Nurses can educate themselves about contributing factors that lead teenage girls to start smoking. Implementing this knowledge into nursing practice in a variety of settings could help meet the Healthy People 2010 goals of reducing teenage smoking to 16%.     

An epidemiological study of smoking in urban school boys of Ajmer

In a survey of 1000 school boys aged 8–16 years, 52 (5.2%) were smokers Thirty of them were regular smokers, of whom 27 took to smoking between 10–14 years of age. Only six children thought that they smoked for pleasure. None of the children, whose mothers had university or higher vocational education smoked, (P<0.01) Parental smoking also seemed to influence smoking behaviour of their children. Type of the family-nuclear or joint-did dot affect the smoking prevalence, but children occupying special position in the family smoked more frequently, (P<0.001). Most of the smokers belonged to middle or poor socio-economic group and none to upper socioeconomic group (P<0.001).