Quantification of angiogenesis in estrogen receptor-positive and negative breast carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to evaluate angiogenesis according to CD34 antigen expression in estrogen receptor (ER)-positive and negative breast carcinomas. METHODS: This study comprised 64 cases of infiltrating ductal carcinoma in postmenopausal women divided into two groups: Group A: ER-positive, n = 35; and Group B: ER-negative, n = 29. The anti-CD34 monoclonal antibody was used as a marker for endothelial cells. Microvessel count was carried out in 10 fields per slide using a 40x objective lens (magnification 400x). Statistical analysis of the data was performed using Student's t-test (p < 0.05). RESULTS: The mean number of vessels stained with the anti-CD34 antibody in the estrogen receptor-positive and negative tumors was 23.51 +/- 1.15 and 40.24 +/- 0.42, respectively. The number of microvessels was significantly greater in the estrogen receptor-negative tumors (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: ER-negative tumors have significantly greater CD34 antigen expression compared to ER-positive tumors.

Follow-up clinic and ambulatory blood pressure in untreated white-coat hypertensive patients (evaluation after 2-5 years).

BACKGROUND: It is still under debate whether subjects with persistently elevated clinic blood pressure but normal ambulatory blood pressure, [white-coat hypertensives (WCH)] have a higher propensity for further development of ambulatory hypertension. METHODS: We prospectively evaluated for 3.5 years (from 26 up to 59 months) the transition of clinic and ambulatory blood pressure values in 36 untreated subjects (17-65 years) with WCH (clinic blood pressure > 140/90 and awake ambulatory blood pressure < 132/84 mmHg and without any other major cardiovascular risk factors) and of 52 clinic and ambulatory normotensive subjects (clinic blood pressure < 140/90 mmHg and awake blood pressure < 132/84 mmHg, 24-61 years). RESULTS: Average values of clinic blood pressure, 24 h blood pressure and awake blood pressure values did not differ from baseline to the end of the follow-up period in both populations. Development of ambulatory hypertension occurred in four out of 36 (11%) subjects with WCH and in three out of 52 (6%) normotensives if defined by awake blood pressure >/= 140/90 mmHg and in eight out of 36 (22%) subjects with WCH and in eight out of 52 (15%) normotensives if defined by awake blood pressure >/= 132/84 mmHg, respectively. Patients who reached ambulatory hypertension had baseline awake blood pressure values within the upper quintile of distribution of blood pressure in their respective group. CONCLUSION: After an average of 3.5 years of follow-up, a transition to ambulatory hypertension occurred in a similar way in normotensives and subjects with WCH without any other cardiovascular risk. A small propensity for the development of sustained hypertension may affect patients with higher initial ambulatory blood pressure values. Although a slow evolution towards sustained hypertension cannot be excluded in subjects with WCH, these findings suggest that this transition might be similar to that in normotensive subjects.