Patterns in metabolite profile are associated with risk of more aggressive prostate cancer: A prospective study of 3,057 matched case–control sets from EPIC

Metabolomics may reveal novel insights into the etiology of prostate cancer, for which few risk factors are established. We investigated the association between patterns in baseline plasma metabolite profile and subsequent prostate cancer risk, using data from 3,057 matched case–control sets from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC). We measured 119 metabolite concentrations in plasma samples, collected on average 9.4 years before diagnosis, by mass spectrometry (AbsoluteIDQ p180 Kit, Biocrates Life Sciences AG). Metabolite patterns were identified using treelet transform, a statistical method for identification of groups of correlated metabolites. Associations of metabolite patterns with prostate cancer risk (OR_1SD) were estimated by conditional logistic regression. Supplementary analyses were conducted for metabolite patterns derived using principal component analysis and for individual metabolites. Men with metabolite profiles characterized by higher concentrations of either phosphatidylcholines or hydroxysphingomyelins (OR_1SD = 0.77, 95% confidence interval 0.66–0.89), acylcarnitines C18:1 and C18:2, glutamate, ornithine and taurine (OR_1SD = 0.72, 0.57–0.90), or lysophosphatidylcholines (OR_1SD = 0.81, 0.69–0.95) had lower risk of advanced stage prostate cancer at diagnosis, with no evidence of heterogeneity by follow-up time. Similar associations were observed for the two former patterns with aggressive disease risk (the more aggressive subset of advanced stage), while the latter pattern was inversely related to risk of prostate cancer death (OR_1SD = 0.77, 0.61–0.96). No associations were observed for prostate cancer overall or less aggressive tumor subtypes. In conclusion, metabolite patterns may be related to lower risk of more aggressive prostate tumors and prostate cancer death, and might be relevant to etiology of advanced stage prostate cancer.     

Radioiodine therapy of Graves' hyperthyroidism in patients without pre-existing ophthalmopathy: can glucocorticoids prevent the development of new ophthalmopathy?

BACKGROUND: Radioiodine therapy (RIT) combined with glucocorticoids is an effective therapy for Graves' disease, but it is debatable whether glucocorticoids should be applied in patients without Graves' ophthalmopathy (GO). METHODS: The effect of 0.4 - 0.5 mg prednisone every second day over a period of 5 weeks after RIT was monitored over a follow-up period of at least 12 months after RIT. A questionnaire was sent to 186 consecutive patients without GO concerning eye symptoms after RIT. 148 patients (80 %) answered. If eye symptoms had occurred after RIT, additional clinical examination was carried out at our outpatient clinic. The primary endpoint was the absence or onset of GO within the first year after RIT. RESULTS: Within 12 months after RIT the examination confirmed GO in 5 out of 148 patients (3.4 %). In all cases the symptoms were transient. No adverse reaction to the use of prednisone after RIT was noted. CONCLUSIONS: The risk of new GO in the first year after RIT was low and the clinical course of GO was mild when RIT was combined with a low-dose glucocorticoid regimen. Preventive administration of glucocorticoids can therefore be recommended in patients with Graves' disease even without evident GO.     

Food preservatives sodium sulfite and sorbic acid suppress mitogen-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells

Antioxidant preservatives prolong the quality of food and ensure the nutritional adequacy, palatability and safety of many processed foods and beverages. Effects of sodium sulfite (E221) and sorbic acid (E200) were investigated in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) which were purified from blood of healthy donors. Cells were stimulated with the mitogen phytohaemagglutinin in vitro, which induces proliferation of T-cells and the production of Th1-type cytokines like interferon-γ. The latter triggers enzyme indoleamine (2,3)-dioxygenase, which degrades tryptophan, and GTP cyclohydrolase I, which leads to increased neopterin production, in monocyte-derived macrophages. Sodium sulfite and sorbic acid suppressed both these biochemical changes in a dose-dependent way (P < 0.01 at 1 mM sodium sulfite and 50 mM sorbic acid). Data demonstrate a suppressive influence of sodium sulfite and sorbic acid on the activated Th1-type immune response.     

Lumbar facet joint tropism does not accelerate degeneration of the facet joints.

PURPOSETo study the relationship of lumbar facet joint tropism to degeneration of the cartilage and subcortical bone in the facet joints and the effect of tropism in intervertebral disk degeneration.METHODSThe orientation of 104 cadaveric lumbar facet joints with respect to sagittal plane was measured on CT scans, and the joints were classified as having no tropism, mild tropism, or severe tropism. On MR images, the severity of cartilage degeneration and bony sclerosis was measured. The correlation between tropism and degeneration was calculated, as was the relationship among age, spinal level, and degeneration.RESULTSWe identified four spinal levels with severe tropism, six with moderate tropism, and 94 without tropism. Cartilage degeneration was not significantly more severe in the joints with tropism than in the joints without. Sclerosis was slightly greater in the joints with tropism than in the joints without it. Sclerosis and cartilage degeneration were significantly related to age and spinal level.CONCLUSIONAge, spinal level, and overall facet joint angle are more important factors in facet joint degeneration than is tropism.     

Bicycle helmet use by adults: the impact of companionship.

Most of the nearly 1,000 fatal bicycle-related injuries annually could be prevented if riders used safety helmets. Helmet use by adult bicyclists has received relatively little attention because educational campaigns to promote helmet use generally focus on children. Helmet use by adult and child bicyclists at 120 suburban and rural sites in three Maryland counties was observed on two Saturdays in 1990-91 during an evaluation of the impact of a mandatory helmet law. Concordance or discordance of helmet use within various groups of bicyclists--adults only, adults with children, and children only--was recorded. Helmet use among 2,068 adult bicyclists was 49 percent, 51 percent, and 74 percent in the three counties. In two counties combined, 52 percent (365 of 706) of solo adult bicyclists wore helmets compared with only 5 percent (5 of 94) of solo child bicyclists (P < .001). Helmet use or nonuse was concordant among 87 percent of 277 adult-adult pairs, 94 percent of 50 child-child pairs, and 91 percent of 32 adult-child pairs of bicyclists observed. Concordance rates of helmet use or nonuse were similarly high among pairs of adult bicyclists of the same or mixed sexes. These data are consistent with the concept that both adults and children tend to adopt the helmet-wearing behaviors of their companions. Public health efforts focused on adults should encourage helmet use by adult bicyclists both to prevent head injuries and to provide a role model for children.     

Non-target visual event-related potentials in evaluation of children with minor head trauma

In 50 children, 4 months to 12 years of age, with minor head trauma non-target visual event-related potentials were performed and compared to a second registration of the potentials some months later. On following-up there was a clear tendency for a relative improvement of the latencies of the endogenous potentials. In this way non-target visual event-related potentials proved to be of value in the investigation of mental impairment in early childhood.     

Total hip arthroplasty. The role of antiinflammatory medications in the prevention of heterotopic ossification

Postoperative prophylaxis with antiinflammatory medications, primarily indomethacin, is extremely effective in preventing the severest degrees of heterotopic ossification (HO) after a total hip arthroplasty (THA) and the recurrence of excised HO developed after a previous hip surgery. Prophylaxis with indomethacin should be given in 25-mg doses three times daily for at least three weeks, starting on the first postoperative morning. However, a shorter treatment period may be equally effective in preventing the severest degrees of HO, and a postoperative delay of five days before the initiation of prophylaxis does not seem to be followed by the development of severe HO. As evaluated one year after surgery, treatment with antiinflammatory medications in the immediate postoperative weeks did not increase the incidence of implant-bone interface radiolucencies, aseptic loosening, or revisions in cemented or cementless THAs when compared with cases that did not have postoperative treatment. However, although no major complications have been reported regarding the use of antiinflammatory medications in the prevention of HO after THA, orthopedic surgeons prescribing such treatment should be aware of their contraindications as well as early and late side effects. Since several antiinflammatory agents are reported to be effective in preventing HO, future reports dealing with HO after THA should always include information about the postoperative antiinflammatory treatment used.