CA125 Levels in BRCA mutation carriers - a retrospective single center cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Ovarian cancer screening in BRCA1/2 mutation carriers utilizes assessment of carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA125) and transvaginal ultrasound (TVU), despite low sensitivity and specificity. We evaluated the association between CA125 levels, BRCA1/2 mutation status and menopausal status to provide more information on clinical conditions that may influence CA125 levels. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed repeated measurements of CA125 levels and clinical data of 466 women at high risk for ovarian cancer. CA125 levels were compared between women with and without deleterious mutations in BRCA1/2. Pearson's correlation was used to determine the association between age and CA125 serum level. Differences in CA125 levels were assessed with the Mann-Whitney U test. The effect of BRCA1/2 mutation status and menopausal status on the change in CA125 levels was determined by Two-factor analysis of variance (ANOVA). RESULTS: The CA125 serum levels of premenopausal women (median, 13.8 kU/mL; range, 9.4 - 19.5 kU/mL) were significantly higher than in postmenopausal women (median, 10.4 kU/mL; range, 7.7 - 14.0 kU/mL; p < .001). There was no significant difference in the CA125 levels of BRCA mutation carriers and non-mutation carriers across all age groups (p = .612). When investigating the combined effect of BRCA1/2 mutation and menopausal status, variance analysis revealed a significant interaction between BRCA1/2 mutation status and menopausal status on CA125 levels (p < .001). There was a significant difference between the CA125 levels of premenopausal and postmenopausal women, with a large effect in BRCA mutation carriers (p < .001, d = 1.05), whereas in non-mutation carriers there was only a small effect (p < .001, d = 0.32). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that hereditary mutations in BRCA1/2 affect the decline of CA125 levels with increasing age. To prove a definite effect of this mutation on the CA125 level, prospective trials need to be conducted to define new cut-off levels of CA 125 in mutation carriers and optimize ovarian cancer screening.

Parental evaluation of the Living Smart sexuality education program.

Parents completed 75 of 200 distributed questionnaires designed to elicit information about their perceptions of the Living Smart program, attitudes toward sexuality, and perceptions of their child's sexual behavior. Analysis indicated support for the course and provided additional information concerning parental support for the program and parental attitudes toward and perceptions of their own child's sexuality.

Incorporation of 14C-arachidonic acid into platelet phospholipids of untreated patients with schizophreniform or schizophrenic disorders.

The incorporation rate of 14C-labeled arachidonic acid (14C-AA) into membrane phospholipids was measured in a group of untreated (greater than 6 months) psychiatric patients (n = 33) and healthy controls (n = 31). Platelets from controls and from patients with schizophrenia (n = 10), schizophreniform disorder (n = 11), schizoaffective disorder (n = 6), major depression (n = 2), or an atypical psychosis (n = 4), diagnosed according to DSM-III, were incubated with 14C-AA. Platelets from patients with a schizophreniform and a schizoaffective disorder incorporated greater than 50% less 14C-AA than the platelets from controls. The incorporation rates of platelets from schizophrenic patients were slightly (18%), but not significantly, reduced compared to controls. Characterization of variables affecting arachidonic acid and phospholipid metabolism may be helpful in studies focused on the assessment of first-episode psychotic patients and in long-term outcome studies.

Low platelet MAO activity in psychiatric patients and plasma factors: no evidence for inhibitory influences on MAO in the circulating platelet population.

The influence of plasma and low and high molecular weight plasma fraction on MAO activity in platelets from controls were studied. Plasmas were obtained from patients with decreased platelet MAO activity and suffering from chronic schizophrenia of different syndrome subtypes, unipolar depressions, and alcoholism. Up to 50% inhibition and activation of MAO activity alterations were not different between the plasmas from schizophrenic, depressive, and alcoholic patients. Plasmas from schizophrenic patients without medication or on neuroleptics showed similar inhibition and/or activation of MAO activity in platelets from controls. The results indicate, in accordance with recent findings, that a number of low and high molecular weight substances can trigger platelet MAO activity changes. These plasma factors do not appear to be characteristic of schizophrenic patients with low platelet MAO activity.

[On improved prophylaxis of endogenous-phasic psychoses. Influence of L-aspartate on lithium transport (author's transl)]. / Zur Verbesserung der Lithiumprophylaxe endogen phasischer Psychosen. Einfluss von L-Aspartat auf die Aufnahme und Eliminierung von Lithium.

The influence of aspartate on lithium transport was studied with humna red blood cells (rbc) in vitro and after i.p. injection of Li-DL-asp or LiCl in different tissues of the rat. After administration of Li-asp the lithium concentrations in brain and rbc of the rats increased more slowly compared to rat treated 3 to 6 days with Li-asp were more than two times higher than those of rats treated with LiCl. After daily injection of the two salts, lithium levels in the brains of rats teated with LiCl. Results of in vitro experiments with human rbc indicate that the effect of aspartate on lithium transport is specific for L-aspartate. In addition a similar but smaller effect has been observed with l-glutamate.