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Alcohol, coffee and Helicobacter pylori
150
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vascular diseases was 30-40% lower among men and women taking at least one drink per day than among non-drinkers. On the other hand, mortality from cancers of the breast, gastrointestinal tract and liver, and cirrhosis of the liver was higher among those admitting to two or more drinks per day. Overall, the risk of death was lowest among men and women who reported one drink daily (Thun M.J. et aI., New EnglandJournal ofMedicine 1997, 337,1705).
Alcohol, coffee and Helicobacter pylori
reduced in patients who supplemented their diet with retinol (25,000IV) for up to 5 years. All the participants had a prior history of skin cancer. The 1157 subjects who took retinol supplements had a hazard ratio for time to first new squamous cell carcinoma of 0.74 (95% CI 0.56-0.99) when compared with the 1140 taking the placebo. A total of 249 subjects developed skin cancer of the squamous cell type in the study period (Moon T .E. et aL, Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention 1997,6,949).
Helicobacter pylori is a bacterial infection associated
Heart disease In the elderly
with an increased risk of gastritis and other gastrointestinal complaints, including cancer. A study of 447 German patients on routine visits to their general practitioners suggests that alcohol consumption (beer or wine) may afford some protection against H pylori infection, while coffee may have the opposite effect. The odds ratio for active H pylori infection associated with the consumption of three or more cups of coffee a day (compared with those drinking no coffee) was 2.49 [95% confidence interval (Cl) 1.23-5.03] (Brenner H. et al., British MedicalJournal1997, 315, 1489).
A study of very old Seventh-Day Adventists indicates that even at the age of 85 or more the effects of previous dietary habits and traditional risk factors are still important predictors of death from heart disease. An analysis of nearly 1400 deaths (364 from coronary heart disease) following 12,000 person-years of observation revealed that the frequent consumption of nuts had a protective effect against heart disease, as did regular exercise, while the consumption of one or more doughnuts each week (presumably an indicator of poor dietary patterns) was associated with an increased risk of heart disease mortality (Fraser G.E. and Shavlik D.]., Archives ofInternalMedicine 1997, 157,2249).
An accompanying editorial from a professor of nutritional sciences and medicine at the University of Toront, notes that a recent study of over 47,000 men found no increased risk of duodenal ulcer associated with coffee or alcohol consumption and warns of the dangers of premature conclusions in this important area (jenkins D.J.A., ibid. 1997,315, 1481).
Drinking-water calcium and colon cancer A study comparing 1714 residents of Taiwan who died from colon cancer with an equal number of controls has found a reduced cancer risk to be associated with calcium in the drinking water. The odds ratio for colon cancer death for water calcium levels between 24.4 and 42.3 mg/litre was 0.79 (95% CI 0.64-0.98) relative to the reference group who were exposed to 24 mg/litre or less. In areas with calcium levels of 42.4 mg/litre or more, the odds ratio was lower still at 0.58 (0.47-0.73) (Yang C.-Y. et al.,Japanese Journal ofCancer Research 1997, 88, 928).
Retinol supplementation suppresses recurrence of skin cancer The recurrence of one type of skin cancer (squamous cell carcinoma) has been shown to be
Oestrogenic activity of DDT isomers in human cells in culture In a human breast cancer cell line, the two DDT isomers, p,p'-DDT and o,p'.DDT, were shown to enhance oestrogen-stimulated cell growth and to induce the expression of oestrogen-sensitive genes. When the DDT isomers were mixed together, they were active at concentrations 10o-fold lower than those required when each was administered alone. When tested individually, p,p'.DDT was more effective than o,p'·DDT (Shekhar P.V.M. et al., Journal oftheNationalCancer Institute 1997, 89, 1774).
Reproductive toxicity of methoxychlor in rats An oral study has failed to establish a clear no-effect level for developmental toxicity. This pesticide was administered to female rats at doses of 5-150 mg/kg body weight/day for the week before and the week after birth and then for a short period to the pups. There were no clear effects in the adult females at the lowest dose, but the female pups showed a slight decrease in ovary weight (statistically significant at higher doses) and a significant reduction in serum levels of follicle stimulating hormone. The low-dose male pups showed a
Information Section
vascular diseases was 30-40% lower among men and women taking at least one drink per day than among non-drinkers. On the other hand, mortality from cancers of the breast, gastrointestinal tract and liver, and cirrhosis of the liver was higher among those admitting to two or more drinks per day. Overall, the risk of death was lowest among men and women who reported one drink daily (Thun M.J. et aI., New EnglandJournal ofMedicine 1997, 337,1705).
Alcohol, coffee and Helicobacter pylori
reduced in patients who supplemented their diet with retinol (25,000IV) for up to 5 years. All the participants had a prior history of skin cancer. The 1157 subjects who took retinol supplements had a hazard ratio for time to first new squamous cell carcinoma of 0.74 (95% CI 0.56-0.99) when compared with the 1140 taking the placebo. A total of 249 subjects developed skin cancer of the squamous cell type in the study period (Moon T .E. et aL, Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention 1997,6,949).
Helicobacter pylori is a bacterial infection associated
Heart disease In the elderly
with an increased risk of gastritis and other gastrointestinal complaints, including cancer. A study of 447 German patients on routine visits to their general practitioners suggests that alcohol consumption (beer or wine) may afford some protection against H pylori infection, while coffee may have the opposite effect. The odds ratio for active H pylori infection associated with the consumption of three or more cups of coffee a day (compared with those drinking no coffee) was 2.49 [95% confidence interval (Cl) 1.23-5.03] (Brenner H. et al., British MedicalJournal1997, 315, 1489).
A study of very old Seventh-Day Adventists indicates that even at the age of 85 or more the effects of previous dietary habits and traditional risk factors are still important predictors of death from heart disease. An analysis of nearly 1400 deaths (364 from coronary heart disease) following 12,000 person-years of observation revealed that the frequent consumption of nuts had a protective effect against heart disease, as did regular exercise, while the consumption of one or more doughnuts each week (presumably an indicator of poor dietary patterns) was associated with an increased risk of heart disease mortality (Fraser G.E. and Shavlik D.]., Archives ofInternalMedicine 1997, 157,2249).
An accompanying editorial from a professor of nutritional sciences and medicine at the University of Toront, notes that a recent study of over 47,000 men found no increased risk of duodenal ulcer associated with coffee or alcohol consumption and warns of the dangers of premature conclusions in this important area (jenkins D.J.A., ibid. 1997,315, 1481).
Drinking-water calcium and colon cancer A study comparing 1714 residents of Taiwan who died from colon cancer with an equal number of controls has found a reduced cancer risk to be associated with calcium in the drinking water. The odds ratio for colon cancer death for water calcium levels between 24.4 and 42.3 mg/litre was 0.79 (95% CI 0.64-0.98) relative to the reference group who were exposed to 24 mg/litre or less. In areas with calcium levels of 42.4 mg/litre or more, the odds ratio was lower still at 0.58 (0.47-0.73) (Yang C.-Y. et al.,Japanese Journal ofCancer Research 1997, 88, 928).
Retinol supplementation suppresses recurrence of skin cancer The recurrence of one type of skin cancer (squamous cell carcinoma) has been shown to be
Oestrogenic activity of DDT isomers in human cells in culture In a human breast cancer cell line, the two DDT isomers, p,p'-DDT and o,p'.DDT, were shown to enhance oestrogen-stimulated cell growth and to induce the expression of oestrogen-sensitive genes. When the DDT isomers were mixed together, they were active at concentrations 10o-fold lower than those required when each was administered alone. When tested individually, p,p'.DDT was more effective than o,p'·DDT (Shekhar P.V.M. et al., Journal oftheNationalCancer Institute 1997, 89, 1774).
Reproductive toxicity of methoxychlor in rats An oral study has failed to establish a clear no-effect level for developmental toxicity. This pesticide was administered to female rats at doses of 5-150 mg/kg body weight/day for the week before and the week after birth and then for a short period to the pups. There were no clear effects in the adult females at the lowest dose, but the female pups showed a slight decrease in ovary weight (statistically significant at higher doses) and a significant reduction in serum levels of follicle stimulating hormone. The low-dose male pups showed a