Glutathione-S-transferase P1 gene polymorphism and susceptibility to endometriosis

BACKGROUND: Glutathione-S-tranferase (GST) is the part of the key phase II detoxifying enzyme system. Many studies have investigated the role of GSTM1 and GSTT1 gene polymorphisms in endometriosis. Although GSTP1 was found to be one of the most abundant types of GST in genital system, there are insufficient data about the importance of the role of GSTP1 gene polymorphism in endometriosis. METHODS: This case-control study involved 150 patients with endometriosis and 150 controls. The frequency of GSTP1 single nucleotide polymorphisms was evaluated using PCR and melting curve analysis. RESULTS: The proportion of GSTP1 ile/ile tended to be higher in patients with endometriosis than control group, although the difference was not significant [odds ratio (OR)=1.53; 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.95-2.46]. In contrast, GSTP1 val/val was significantly higher in control patients and seems protective for endometriosis (OR=0.10; 95% CI=0.02-0.42). CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that GSTP1 polymorphism might modulate the risk of endometriosis with significantly decreased risk for GSTP1 val/val and marginally increased risk for GSTP1 ile/ile. Further studies on not only the disease processes but also normal distribution of the enzyme in female genital tract may provide better understanding about the role of GST types and their polymorphs in endometriosis.     

Angiogenesis is an early event in the development of chemically induced skin tumors

In this study we have analyzed the vascular response induced in the two- stage carcinogenesis model in SENCAR mice. The role of angiogenesis has not been explored in this model, which is the paradigm of multistage carcinogenesis and a model for neoplastic lesions derived from exophytic premalignant lesions (e.g. colon carcinoma, bladder papilloma). We investigated if angiogenesis is involved in the formation of papillomas and in the progression from papilloma to carcinoma. To this end we analyzed the vasculature of normal and hyperplastic skin, focal epidermal hyperplasias that are precursors of papillomas, papillomas at different stages and squamous cell carcinomas. We also analyzed the vascularization of papillomas induced in two strains of mice that differ in their susceptibility to malignant progression. We show here that angiogenesis is turned on in the earliest stages of papilloma formation. In late stages, regardless of state of progression, the predominant response is an increase in the size of blood vessels. Thus, in the SENCAR mouse model, representative of exophytic tumors, the angiogenesis switch is a very early event, probably mechanistically related to the development of the primarily exophytic lesions. Therefore, the density of blood vessels cannot be used as a predictor of malignant progression in this model.      

Association between smoking and outcomes in older adults with atrial fibrillation

Tobacco smoking is a risk factor for atrial fibrillation (AF), but little is known about the impact of smoking in patients with AF. Of the 4060 patients with recurrent AF in the Atrial Fibrillation Follow-up Investigation of Rhythm Management (AFFIRM) trial, 496 (12%) reported having smoked during the past two years. Propensity scores for smoking were estimated for each of the 4060 patients using a multivariable logistic regression model and were used to assemble a matched cohort of 487 pairs of smokers and nonsmokers, who were balanced on 46 baseline characteristics. Cox and logistic regression models were used to estimate the associations of smoking with all-cause mortality and all-cause hospitalization, respectively, during over 5 years of follow-up. Matched participants had a mean age of 70 ± 9 years (± S.D.), 39% were women, and 11% were non-white. All-cause mortality occurred in 21% and 16% of matched smokers and nonsmokers, respectively (when smokers were compared with nonsmokers, hazard ratio=HR=1.35; 95% confidence interval=95%CI=1.01-1.81; p=0.046). Unadjusted, multivariable-adjusted and propensity-adjusted HR (95% CI) for all-cause mortality associated with smoking in the pre-match cohort were: 1.40 (1.13-1.72; p=0.002), 1.45 (1.16-1.81; p=0.001), and 1.39 (1.12-1.74; p=0.003), respectively. Smoking had no association with all-cause hospitalization (when smokers were compared with nonsmokers, odds ratio=OR=1.21; 95%CI=0.94-1.57, p=0.146). Among patients with AF, a recent history of smoking was associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality, but had no association with all-cause hospitalization.     

Prevalence and correlates of diabetes mellitus and impaired glucose tolerance among adults in Luzon, Philippines

Recognizing the problem posed by diabetes mellitus, the National Diabetes Commission was created by Republic Act 8191 in 1996. The Commission identified the need for a Second National Diabetes Survey to have an updated estimate of the magnitude of the disease in the country and to have the needed information for developing a diabetes prevention and control program. This paper reports the prevalence of diabetes mellitus and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) in adults and the factors associated with the prevalence of these conditions. A cross-sectional population-based study assessed the occurrence of diabetes and impaired glucose tolerance among a random sample of 7044 adults, aged 20-65 years who were residents of urban and rural areas in Luzon. Blood glucose level was measured by OGTT using the current WHO criteria. The crude diabetes prevalence of 5.1% represented a 54% increase over the figure (3.3%) for a similar population in Luzon in 1982. An increase was also noted in the magnitude of IGT which almost doubled from 4.1% in 1982 to 8.1% in the present survey. Only one in three diabetics reported that they had diabetes. The frequency of diabetes and IGT in urban and rural areas were about the same, although a substantial increase from the earlier survey was noted in rural areas. Women registered a higher prevalence for both conditions than men. Aside from age and gender, the other correlates of diabetes mellitus were hypertension, family history of diabetes, WHR, BMI, and physical inactivity. IGT had similar correlates as diabetes except physical inactivity. The present findings which are consistent with those of other studies underscore the role of lifestyle behaviors in diabetes and should be the target of intervention to prevent further increase in disease frequency.     

Prognostic significance of urokinase plasminogen activator receptor and its cleaved forms in blood from patients with non‐small cell lung cancer

Urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) cleaves its three‐domain cell surface receptor, uPAR, liberating domain I [uPAR(I)] and leaving the cleaved uPAR(II‐III) on the cell surface. Both intact and cleaved uPAR can be shed from the cell surface. uPAR(I) was previously shown to be a prognostic factor in lung tumour extracts. Here we analyse uPAR forms in blood from patients with non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Preoperatively sampled plasma/serum from 32 patients with NSCLC was analysed. Three time‐resolved fluoroimmunoassays (TR‐FIAs) measuring intact uPAR(I‐III) (TR‐FIA 1), uPAR(I‐III) + uPAR(II‐III) (TR‐FIA 2) and uPAR(I) (TR‐FIA 3) were applied. The Spearman rank correlations between plasma and serum levels of uPAR(I‐III), uPAR(I‐III) + uPAR(II‐III), and uPAR(I) were 0.89, 0.94 and 0.68 respectively. Survival analysis demonstrated that high levels of all uPAR forms were associated with shorter survival. Adjusted for histological subtype high plasma uPAR(I‐III) and uPAR(I) levels as well as serum uPAR(I) levels were significantly associated with shorter OS (hazards ratios = 4.3, 2.8 and 3.8 respectively). High blood levels of intact uPAR and its cleaved forms are associated with poor prognosis in NSCLC.     

Treatment of viable cesarean scar ectopic pregnancy with suction curettage.

OBJECTIVE: Pregnancy in previous cesarean scar is the rarest form of ectopic pregnancy. All reported cases in the literature that were treated with uterine curettage either become unsuccessful or complicated. We aimed to present a case of cesarean scar ectopic pregnancy that was successfully treated with suction curettage without any additional therapy. CASE: A 32-year-old asymptomatic woman, gravida 2, para 1 was referred to our hospital with the possible diagnosis of cervical ectopic pregnancy. Transvaginal and transabdominal sonographic examination revealed the diagnosis of viable ectopic pregnancy in a previous cesarean scar. Suction curettage with carman canulles was performed under transabdominal ultrasonographic guidance. beta-hCG decreased progressively postoperatively. CONCLUSION: Suction curettage under ultrasonography guidance can be used in termination of selected cases (early diagnosed, without symptoms that necessitates emergency intervention) of cesarean scar pregnancy.