The effect of risky alcohol use and smoking on suicide risk: Findings from the German MONICA/KORA-Augsburg Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Smoking and heavy alcohol use predicts suicidal behaviour. Whether the simultaneous presentation of both conditions induces an amplified effect on risk prediction has not been investigated so far. METHODS: In a community-based cohort study, a total of 12,888 subjects (6,456 men, 6,432 women; age range of 25-74 years at assessment) from three independent population-based cross-sectional MONICA surveys (conducted in 1984/85, 1989/90, and 1994/95), representative for the Southern German population, was followed up until 31 December 2002. Standardized mortality ratios (SMR) for deaths from suicide using German population rates were calculated for smoking and high alcohol consumption. RESULTS: After a mean follow-up time of 12.0 (SD 4.4) years and 154,275 person-years at risk, a total of 1,449 persons had died from all causes and 38 of them from suicide. Compared to the general population, mortality from suicide was increased for risky alcohol consumption (SMR = 2.37; 95% CI 1.14-4.37) and for smoking (SMR = 2.30; 95% CI 1.36-3.63). A substantial increase in suicide mortality (SMR = 4.80; 95% CI 2.07-9.46) was observed for smokers with risky alcohol consumption. CONCLUSIONS: The approximately fourfold increased relative risk for completed suicide in subjects with smoking and risky alcohol consumption indicates a synergistic effect which deserves an increased alertness

Proteomic Approaches for Studying the Phases of Wound Healing

© 2009, Springer Berlin Heidelberg. Proteome level information is necessary to understand the function of specific cell types and their roles in health and disease. Proteomics is a rapidly developing field with a wide range of applications in wound healing. The ability to use proteomics to assess the wound healing process would have many benefits, including earlier evidence of healing and better understanding of how different treatments affect the wound at the protein level. The basis of what is known about the chronic wound proteome is based on results from a broad collection of studies utilizing a number of different proteomic techniques on fluids and tissues from wounds with different etiologies. The identification of biomarkers associated with healing or delayed healing in chronic wounds could have great significance in the use of current treatments, as well as in the development of new therapeutic interventions