Carlos Ascaso — Page 2

PubMedDate not supplied

Cyproterone acetate could counteract the benefits of estradiol valerate in oophorectomized cholesterol-fed rabbits.

OBJECTIVE: The administration of hormonal replacement treatment to women with an intact uterus needs to be supplemented with progestogenic compounds to avoid endometrial hyperplasia. However, progestins may cancel the beneficial effects of estrogens on the cardiovascular system. The goal of this study was to examine the effects of adding cyproterone acetate to estradiol (E(2))on aorta atherogenesis. DESIGN: Thirty-two cholesterol-fed New Zealand white rabbits were studied for 4 months. The animals underwent laparotomy and were randomly allocated to four groups. Twenty-four rabbits underwent bilateral ovariectomy, and the other eight were sham-operated (group S). The ovariectomized rabbits were allocated to three groups of eight animals each receiving E(2) valerate (group E), E(2) valerate plus cyproterone acetate (group EC), or placebo after sterilization (group C). RESULTS: After 4 months, the cholesterol-rich diet caused atherosclerotic aortic lesions in both treated groups that affected 17.91% +/- 10.19% and 28.16% +/- 7.97% of the aortic surface of groups E and EC, respectively, with a markedly lower aortic plaque size in group E than in groups C and S. Rabbits from group E (but not from group EC) had aortic cholesterol content significantly lower than rabbits from the sham-operated and control groups. CONCLUSION: E(2) valerate reduces aortic atheromatosis in cholesterol-fed, ovariectomized rabbits, and the addition of cyproterone acetate may neutralize this effect.

Analysis of Variance↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Decrease in specific micronutrient intake in colorectal cancer patients with tumors presenting Ki-ras mutation.

BACKGROUND: The diversity of the Mediterranean diet and the heterogeneity of acquired genetic alterations in colorectal cancer (CRC) led us to examine the possible association between dietary factors and mutations, such as Ki-ras mutations, in genes implicated in the pathogenesis of these neoplasms. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study was based on 246 cases and 296 controls. For the molecular study only 117 patients with Ki-ras tumor expression were included. Dietary patterns were assessed using a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. RESULTS: Patients with Ki-ras mutations in codon 12 (K12) consumed significantly less vitamin A (p=0.02), B1 (p=0.01), D (p=0.02) and iron (p=0.03) than controls, whereas patients without these mutations had similar intakes of these nutrients to controls. The consumption of fiber, folate, vitamin E and potassium was lower in the two subgroups of patients (K12-positive or -negative) than in controls. Mutation in codon 13 was not associated with any nutrient deficit. CONCLUSION: These results support previous findings that certain micronutrients protect against colorectal neoplasia and emphasize the importance of considering the different molecular forms of CRC as etiologically distinct diseases.

Aged↗