Demonstration of an action pathway in mouse platelets leading to prolongation of bleeding time by fluoxetine

Fluoxetine is one of SSRIs commonly used as first-line antidepressants. It also induces adverse effects, including bleeding events. This study clarified the bleeding effect of fluoxetine and explored the action cascade of this drug leading to a longer bleeding time. A total of 48 male adult mice were evenly distributed into four groups and given fluoxetine in saline at 0, 4, 8, or 16 mg/kg, for 14 days. On day 15, tail bleeding time of 6 mice/group was measured, and their blood samples were collected for analyses of relevant platelet functions. The remained mice were allowed to survive for another 14 days without fluoxetine, and subjected to the same analyses on day 29. A significant effect of fluoxetine was reveled on bleeding time (F (3,20) = 16.842, P </p

Factors of impotance for women's health at midlife with special emphasis on effect by sex steroids

Menopause is not a disease, but may bring about a wide range of health complaints and increase some risks of illnesses. The aim of this study was to evaluate the general health status and influences of background factors on symptomatology among a cohort of Swedish women aged 50-64 years, with specific emphasis on the effects of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) by investigating a profile of HRT use, long-term effects of HRT by different tapes and routes of administration as well as clinical and metabolic changes by use of low dose HRT. A total of 6917 out of 10870 women (64%) answered a questionnaire and underwent physical and laboratory examinations. Hot flushes were the predominant complaint and peaked during the first year after menopause (57%). Socio-demographic characteristics, lifestyles and concomitant health problems appeared to influence the symptomatology. Psychological problems were abundant in 85% of women, but mood disturbances were not found to have significant relation to menopausal status. The most common somatic symptoms were headache, pain in back and/or leg and joint problems. The prevalence of symptoms differed by hormonal status. The proportion of current HRT users was 39%. In long-term HRT users the addition of a progestogen compromised beneficial effects of the estrogen on women’s emotional well-being and psychosexual activity. Transdermal therapy exhibited not only more apparent therapeutic effects but also more adverse side-effects in comparison with the oral route. A 12-month randomized controlled trial examined the changes of serum lipid profiles and carbohydrate metabolism in healthy post-menopausal women by low doses of estradiol (E2) in combination with norethisterone acetate (NETA). It was found that the low dose therapies, especially the formulation of E2 1mg + NETA 0.5mg, exerted favorable effects on the lipid profile as well as on carbohydrate metabolism

Leukocyte count is associated with incidence of coronary events, but not with stroke: A prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: Elevated leukocyte count is a classic marker of systemic inflammation. This study examined whether the leukocyte count is associated with incidence of coronary events (CE) and stroke during a long follow-up period. METHODS: A total of 17,131 men and 2932 women, aged 27-61 years, without history of cardiovascular disease (CVD), were enrolled. Incidence of CE and stroke was studied in relation to leukocyte concentrations over a mean follow-up of 24 years. RESULTS: During the follow-up period, 2600 CE and 1333 stroke events occurred. After risk factor adjustments, leukocyte concentrations in the highest quartile (vs. lowest, >7.0 vs. 10 years of follow-up). In older men (46-61 years), leukocytes were not associated with CE after more than 10 years of follow-up. The leukocyte count was not associated with incidence of stroke. CONCLUSION: Elevated leukocyte count in men is associated with increased incidence of CE, but not with stroke. The increased risk persisted after more than 10 years of follow-up in younger, but not in older men

Background factors influencing somatic and psychological symptoms in middle-age women with different hormonal status A population-based study of Swedish women.

Objective: To analyse the influence of socio-demographic characteristics and environmental factors on self-reported somatic and psychological symptoms among middle-aged Swedish women. Methods: A total of 6917 women living in the Lund area of southern Sweden were participates of this study. They completed a generic questionnaire pertaining to socio-demographic characteristics, lifestyle factors and current health related problems. According to hormonal status, the participants were subdivided into three groups, i.e. premenopause, postmenopause and perior postmenopausal women with hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Results: By using multiple logistic regression models, a high risk for somatic symptoms was independently associated with unemployment, no exercise, unmarried, high body weight and diseases affecting the cardiovascular system as well as a history of cancer. Psychological symptoms were independently associated with higher educational level, unemployment, no exercise, unmarried, heavy smoking habits (>= 15 cig/day), weight gain and a history of cancer. In addition, the background factors seemed to have less impact on symptoms among women who used HRT. Conclusion: Socio-demographic characteristics, lifestyle factors and concurrent health problems appear to have influences on the frequency and the number of somatic and psychological symptoms in middle-age women. Hormone replacement therapy seems to be able to counteract negative impacts caused by un-healthy lifestyle and other health problems

Incidence of Ischemic Stroke in Relation to Asymptomatic Carotid Artery Atherosclerosis in Subjects with Normal Blood Pressure. A Prospective Cohort Study.

Background:Approximately 10-20% of stroke cases have normal blood pressure (BP). The objective of this study was to explore whether the risk of ischemic stroke is related to the carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and atherosclerotic lesions in a cohort of subjects with normal BP. Methods:Common CIMT and the presence of carotid plaque were determined by B-mode ultrasound in 6,103 subjects, randomly recruited between 1991 and 1994 from the 'Malmo Diet and Cancer' study. Normal BP was defined as BP /=0.81 mm or/and the presence of plaque (i.e. focal CIMT >1.2 mm). The incidence of ischemic stroke was followed over a mean period of 10.7 years. Results:A total of 2,228 subjects (791 men and 1,437 women) had normal BP. During the follow-up, 34 patients suffered a first-ever ischemic stroke (crude incidence: 1.51/1,000 person-years). The Prevalences of CAA in subjects with and without stroke were 68.6 and 39.0%, respectively. It was estimated that the subjects with CAA had a 3-fold higher risk of ischemic stroke (RR: 3.33, 1.37-8.14), independent of other cardiovascular risk factors. Each increase of 1 standard deviation (0.13 mm) in CIMT increased the stroke risk by 43% (RR: 1.43, 1.002-2.02). Several factors were found to have a notable relation with CAA, including age, male sex, smoking, diabetes, systolic BP, HbA1c (glycosylated hemoglobin) and cholesterol. Conclusions: CIMT and atherosclerotic lesions are independent clinical markers for ischemic stroke among normotensive individuals

Quality of life in long-term survivors of cervical cancer

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of life within a sample of cervical cancer survivors. STUDY DESIGN: In this study, 46 cervical cancer survivors at clinical stage I or II and one survivor at stage 0, were evaluated. Two control groups were selected from an ongoing cohort study, in which 527 women were postmenopausal and 344 women were postmenopausal with HRT. All controls and cancer survivors completed a self-evaluating questionnaire pertaining to personal conditions, medical surveillance, individual well-being and quality of life. RESULTS: Eighteen cervical cancer survivors were ovaries preserved. A total of 28 survivors, who had an oophorectomy, were compared with the controls. Most of the cancer survivors had a good socio-economic background and an active lifestyle. Forty-two percent were currently under medical surveillance and used medication regularly. The ratio of HRT users was higher in the oophorectomy group (36% in both short- and long-term therapy). With regard to the quality of life, there were no remarkable differences between oophorectomy survivors and controls. Except that the psychological condition in the ovaries preserved group was worse, the rest of the findings concerning the quality of life derived from the ovaries preserved group were rather close to that of the oophorectomy group. CONCLUSION: The quality of life in long-term cervical cancer survivors is generally satisfactory. The positive results may be due to the higher ratio of HRT use, ovarian preservation, good education, working conditions, as well as an active lifestyle

Electrocardiogram pattern in hypercholesterolemic women: the influence of hormone replacement therapy

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to delineate electrocardiogram (ECG) patterns in postmenopausal women with hypercholesterolemia and to assess the possible influence of female sex hormones. STUDY DESIGN: A total of 72 postmenopausal women with moderately elevated total cholesterol levels constituted the case group, of which 48 came from a clinical trial and 24 from a cohort study. Some 236 women aged 50-59 years with normal levels of cholesterol were participants in the same cohort study in the local area. These 236 women had been subdivided into three groups: premenopausal, postmenopausal and postmenopausal with hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Of the 48 women in the clinical study group, 12 patients showed pathological ECG changes. Six of these patients were treated with HRT for 2 years (transdermal estradiol 50 micrograms/day and a daily dose of 5 mg medroxyprogesterone acetate, MPA) and the rest were non-users of HRT. RESULTS: In the women with hypercholesterolemia, 16 of 72 patients (22%) showed ischemic ECG changes, compared to nine of 88 (10%) with normal cholesterol levels (p = 0.04). We found no significant difference in the prevalence of ECG changes between postmenopausal women with and without HRT in the groups with normal levels of cholesterol. In the hormone treatment group, four of six patients showed an improvement in ECG pattern, in contrast to two of six non-users of HRT. CONCLUSIONS: This preliminary study revealed a higher prevalence of pathological ECG changes in postmenopausal women who had hypercholesterolemia than in normocholesterolemic women. These findings support the idea that hyperlipidemia contributes to the overall increase in cardiovascular disease, as this is also associated with ECG changes. Transdermal estradiol combined with MPA has a beneficial effect in reversing the process of atherosclerosis, as well as improving the ECG pattern. The prevalence of pathological ECG patterns was similar for HRT users and non-users. This outcome may be affected by several factors. Hence, further research is warranted

Quality of life in endometrial cancer survivors

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the health-related quality of life in survivors of endometrial cancer (EC); and to identify common problems that they may encounter, in the hope of paving the way to improving their quality of life. STUDY DESIGN: We investigated and compared the health conditions and quality of life between EC survivors and the general population as a control group. There were 61 EC patients who were at clinical stage I-III and survived for 5-7 years after the primary treatments. The control group was composed of 527 healthy postmenopausal women. All of them completed a self-evaluated questionnaire pertaining to personal conditions, medical surveillance, individual well-being and quality of life. RESULTS: The EC survivors were divided into two groups: an older group (n = 34) and a younger group (n = 27). The latter was compared with the controls. In general, most of the EC survivors were old, low-educated women. The majority of them were in a poor condition. They were inactive, received medical surveillance and had regular medication. The distribution of various complications was higher in the older EC group while the climacteric symptoms were more common in the younger EC group. In both EC groups, the quality of life was lower than in the controls. The prevalence of somatic symptoms was higher in the older EC survivors and psychological problems were a common complaint of the younger EC survivors. CONCLUSION: The quality of life was poor in the EC survivors. To improve their life quality, earlier psychological counseling should be offered to EC survivors, in particular to younger and single women, and hormone replacement therapy (HRT) should be recommended, but on a selective basis, to those patients at low risk of cancer recurrence

Long-Term Stroke Prognosis in Relation to Medical Prevention and Lifestyle Factors. A Prospective Population-Based Study.

Background: Few studies have focused on the quality of secondary prevention among long-term stroke survivors. This study explores the intensity of medical intervention and the impact of lifestyle and other risk factors on the long-term stroke prognosis in a population-based setting of Swedish individuals with a history of stroke. Methods: A population-based cohort (n = 28,449) in Malmo, Sweden, was recruited during 1991-1996. Of them, 394 had a history of stroke, according to self-reported physician diagnosis and record linkage with the Stroke Register in Malmo. Information on medical intervention and lifestyle factors was collected from the questionnaire. The incidence of a cardiac event (CE) or recurrent stroke was followed for 7.5 years after the baseline examination. Results: The prevalence of hypertension was 79.4% in patients with a history of stroke. Only half of them received blood-pressure (BP)-lowering medication, and 11.5% of them achieved a BP <140/90 mm Hg. Most patients with hypercholesterolemia did not receive lipid-lowering medication. Antithrombotic agents were used by 38%. Nearly one third were still smoking, and two thirds were overweight or obese. Compared to subjects without a history of stroke, the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD, i.e. CE or recurrent stroke) was significantly higher in stroke survivors. The increased CVD risk was significantly associated with elevated BP levels. No significant relationship was found between CVD risk and lifestyle risk factors reported at the time of baseline examination. Conclusions: There was a large gap between recommended secondary preventive measures and their implementation in subjects with a history of stroke. Achieving recommended hypertension control may prevent a substantial proportion of the CE and recurrent strokes in this group

Sex-specific cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in a cohort treated for hypertension.

Objective Incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is higher in men than in women. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the gender differential can be modified by pharmacological intervention in a population-based setting. Design and method In a prospective population-based cohort - the Malmo Diet and Cancer study - a total of 3608 hypertensives (1559 men, 2049 women), 45-73 years old, with a mean of 10 years' treatment at baseline examination, participated in the study. Information on blood pressure-lowering medication was collected in a questionnaire. Incidences of first-ever cardiac event, stroke or CVD death were followed. The mean period of follow-up was 7.4 years. Results During follow-up, 341 first-ever CVD events and 128 CVD deaths occurred. The risk of CVD morbidity or mortality was significantly higher in hypertensive men than in hypertensive women: cardiac event [relative risk (RR) = 3.11; 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.13 - 4.54], stroke (RR U 1.50; 95% CI: 1.01 - 2.22) and CVD death (RR = 2.96; 95% CI: 1.86 - 4.20). However, the gender gap in CVD risks was reduced with advancing age. Two background factors - single household and concomitant diabetes - are apt to have an independent sex-specific impact on CVD risk. Conclusions Gender remains a strong independent predictor for CVD morbidity and mortality, irrespective of antihypertensive intervention or other risk factors. Increased clinical attention should be given to hypertensive men living alone and hypertensive women with diabetes