Influence of diet on the risk of developing endometriosis

Endometriosis is a hormone-dependent chronic inflammatory disease characterized by the presence of endometrium beyond the uterine cavity. The disease affects 5–15% of women of child-bearing age, 30–50% of whom suffer from infertility. Understanding the role of dietary factors in the development of endometriosis is critical to development of effective dietary instructions for prevention. Existing studies concerning nutrition and endometriosis suggest that diet is a potentially modifiable risk factor for endometriosis. Fruits and vegetables, fish oils, dairy products rich in calcium and vitamin D, and Omega-3 fatty acids are likely connected with a lower risk of developing endometriosis. Risk factors that increase the risk of endometriosis include consumption of products rich in trans-unsaturated fatty acids, consumption of fats generally, and consumption of beef and other kinds of red meat and alcohol. Currently, there are no clear correlations between par­ticular food products and the risk of endometriosis. Further research is needed in order to fully understand the influence of consumed food products on the risk of development of this disease

Dietary supplement intake by recreationally trained men and motives behind these procedures

Introduction: In the last 2-3 decades a significant increase in consumption of dietary supplements in physically active subjects has been observed. Supplements are easily accessible as they are sold by numerous companies on-line or at most food markets and pharmacies. Physically active men and women are constantly adding new supplements to their diets. Most scientists agree that exercise performance can be improved only through a combination of a proper training program, a well-balanced diet and specific supplementation geared to individual needs. Objective: The main objective of this research was to assess the type of supplements used by recreationally trained men in fitness clubs. Additionally the motives behind using particular supplements were evaluated. Material and methods: The research was conducted through interviews directly at fitness clubs and through the internet. The research subjects include 99 men between the age of 20 and 40 training at fitness clubs on a regular basis. The statistical analysis was conducted with the Statistica Microsoft Office Excel 2013 program. Results: From the 99 interviewed subjects 79% used supplements, with 47% declaring the objective of enhanced performance. Complex vitamin-mineral products were the most popular supplements among the interviewed group. The second most often used supplements included protein powders (52%), as well as protein-carbohydrate complexes and carbohydrate powders or liquids. According to the interviewed men creatine monohydrate was the most effective single supplement (25%). Conclusions: The most often reported motive for supplementation intake of recreationally trained men included enhanced performance and supplementation of daily diet. Taking into consideration the very dynamic development of dietary supplements industry such research should be conducted on a regular basis in different populations of men and women at a wide age scope

Application of pixantrone in a III line of treatment as a bridge therapy to allotransplantation of stem cells

Diffuse large B-cell lymphomas are the most common group among all lymphomas. Despite the effectiveness of the I line therapy in 10–40% of patients, the possibility of relapse should be taken into account. The anthracycline antibiotics used in the II line therapy carry a high risk of cardiac complications. In patients with refractory or recurrent disease, emergency treatment is used, aiming for the transplantation of hematopoietic cells. If the II line therapy fails, the prognosis is bad. A new chance for patients with refractory or recurrent B-cell lymphoma is pixantrone dimaleate, a drug structurally related to anthracyclines with a significantly lower cardiotoxic potential. The paper presents a case of a 65-year-old patient with relapsing DLBCL lymphoma, after two treatment lines: R-CHOP and R-DHAP, and after autologous transplantation of stem cells, in which the use of pixantrone in the treatment of recurrence allowed to achieve remission and prepare the patient for the allo-HSCT procedure

Usefulness of spinal magnetic resonance imaging in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes

Background: Myelodysplastic syndrome is a rare, chronic hematological disease characterized by heterogeneous clinical presentations. Subtypes of myelodysplastic syndrome are characterized by different survival times and ability to transform into acute myeloid leukemia. Objectives: The objective of the study included the assessment of the relationship between the images obtained by magnetic resonance scans of lumbar spine and the clinical symptoms of the disease in patients diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome, as well as the assessment of the correlation of the images with the phase of transformation into acute myeloid leukemia. Material/Methods: The study-related tests were carried out in Specialist Hospital No. 1 in Bytom between 2006 and 2011 and involved 53 patients aged 55÷77, divided into groups according to the diagnosed subtype of myelodysplastic syndrome. The study also included the prognosis of overall survival and time to transformation into AML on the basis of valid classifications. The spinal magnetic resonance scans were obtained from medical documentation. The analysis included images obtained using T1- and T2-weighted sequences in sagittal, transverse and frontal planes in all patients, images obtained using the STIR sequence from 21 patients as well as 40 images obtained after contrast administration. The statistical analysis of the results was carried out using STATISTICA software. Conclusions: The obtained results demonstrated that the magnetic resonance scans revealed statistically significant changes in the images of bone marrow in vertebral body scans; with a decrease in the intensity of MRI signals correlated with the RAEB subtype, particularly with transformation into acute myeloid leukemia as well as with the high IPSS risk score with regard to the time of survival and transformation into acute myeloid leukemia. The research-related test results indicate the importance of magnetic resonance imaging in diagnostics and the assessment of the disease dynamics