Prognostic significance of thymidylate synthase in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer who receive protracted venous infusions of 5-fluorouracil.

BACKGROUND: This study was conducted to evaluate the prognostic significance of thymidylate synthase (TS) expression in the tumor tissue of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) who received protracted venous infusions of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the prognostic value of TS expression as compared with other clinical prognostic factors in 57 patients with metastatic CRC. RESULTS: On univariate analysis, survival was significantly related to TS expression (low vs high; P = 0.0015), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) level (<300 vs > or =300 IU/l; P = 0.0037), performance status (0 or 1 vs 2 or 3; P = 0.0073), and white blood cell count (<10,000/mm3 vs > or =10,000/mm3; P = 0.0001), with number of metastatic sites (1 vs > or =2; P = 0.06) approaching significance. On multivariate analysis, survival was significantly related to TS expression (hazard ratio [HR], 2.97) and ALP level (HR, 2.26). CONCLUSION: In patients with metastatic CRC who received protracted venous infusions of 5-FU, TS expression was related to survival independently of other established clinical prognostic factors.

Influence of differences in their jobs on cardiovascular risk factors in male blue-collar shift workers in their fifties.

This study examined relationships between different job types of shift work and hypertension, obesity, and dyslipidemia. Male blue-collar workers 50-59 years of age (n = 210) on the same three-shift schedule in a pulp and paper mill were divided into two groups; 118 in paper manufacturing (group 1) and 92 in the chemical products section (group 2). Only the frequency of hypertension differed significantly (p = 0.012) between the groups, 52.2% (n = 48) in group 2 vs 33.9% (n = 40) in group 1. The odds ratio for group 2 in relation to hypertension was 2.3 (95% CI 1.2-4.2). These results indicate a positive association between job type of shift work and hypertension and suggest that different job types of shift workers should not be combined when the effects of shift work on blood pressure are being examined.

Influence of waterproof covering on finger skin temperature and hand pain during immersion test for diagnosing hand-arm vibration syndrome.

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of waterproof covering on finger skin temperature (FST) and hand pain during immersion test for diagnosing hand-arm vibration syndrome complying with the proposal of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO/ CD14835-1, 2001) for measurement procedure. Six healthy male subjects took part in the immersion tests and immersed their both hands into water at 12 degrees C for 5 min, repeatedly with two types of waterproof covering (polyethylene and natural rubber gloves) or without hand covering (bare hands) during immersion. The FST data from middle fingers and subjective pain scores for hand pain were analyzed. Statistically significant differences in FST among three conditions were observed showing the highest FST with natural rubber gloves, followed by the FST with polyethylene gloves and the lowest with bare hands. Significant differences in pain score among three conditions were observed during immersion showing the lowest pain score with natural rubber gloves, followed by the pain score with polyethylene gloves and the highest with bare hands. Immersion test with polyethylene gloves instead of bare hands during immersion seems to be suitable for reducing subject suffering.

A comparison of heart rate during rest and work in shift workers with different work styles.

To determine if the type of work performed should be considered in research on shift work and cardiovascular disease, we compared the heart rates, total number of steps walked, and blood pressures of 12 shift workers on the same rotating 3-shift schedule in a pulp and paper mill. Six workers were selected from the paper manufacturing section (group 1) and six workers from the chemical products section (group 2). Average heart rate (in beats per min) monitored during duty time was 84.3 in group 1 and 87.4 in group 2. Average heart rate during work was not significantly higher than that during rest in both groups 1 (work 85.8, rest 75.3) and 2 (work 87.9, rest 83.1). There was no significant difference in the total number of steps walked. A non-significant decrease in systolic blood pressure value was found in group 1 compared with that in group 2. Although future studies will be needed to explain the relation between different work styles and their effects on the health of shift workers, our results suggest no significant difference in heart rates among workers engaged in different kinds of work on the same shift work schedule.