Dietary calcium and risk for prostate cancer: a case-control study among US veterans.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to examine the association between calcium intake and prostate cancer risk. We hypothesized that calcium intake would be positively associated with lower risk for prostate cancer. METHODS: We used data from a case-control study conducted among veterans between 2007 and 2010 at the Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center. The study consisted of 108 biopsy-positive prostate cancer cases, 161 biopsy-negative controls, and 237 healthy controls. We also determined whether these associations differed for blacks and whites or for low-grade (Gleason score <7) and high-grade prostate cancer (Gleason score ≥7). We administered the Harvard food frequency questionnaire to assess diet and estimate calcium intake. We used logistic regression models to obtain odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: Intake of calcium from food was inversely related to risk for prostate cancer among all races in a comparison of cases and biopsy-negative controls (P = .05) and cases and healthy controls (P = .02). Total calcium was associated with lower prostate cancer risk among black men but not among white men in analyses of healthy controls. The highest tertile of calcium from food was associated with lower risk for high-grade prostate cancer in a comparison of high-grade cases and biopsy-negative controls (OR, 0.37; 95% CI, 0.15-0.90) and high-grade cases and healthy controls (OR, 0.38; 95% CI, 0.17-0.86). CONCLUSION: Calcium from food is associated with lower risk for prostate cancer, particularly among black men, and lower risk for high-grade prostate cancer among all men.

A high ratio of dietary n-6/n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids is associated with increased risk of prostate cancer.

Experimental studies suggest omega-3 (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) suppress and n-6 PUFA promote prostate tumor carcinogenesis. Epidemiologic evidence remains inconclusive. The objectives of this study were to examine the association between n-3 and n-6 PUFA and prostate cancer risk and determine if these associations differ by race or disease aggressiveness. We hypothesize that high intakes of n-3 and n-6 PUFA will be associated with lower and higher prostate cancer risk, respectively. A case-control study comprising 79 prostate cancer cases and 187 controls was conducted at the Durham VA Medical Center. Diet was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire. Logistic regression analyses were used to obtain odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for the associations between n-3 and n-6 PUFA intakes, the dietary ratio of n-6/n-3 fatty acids, and prostate cancer risk. Our results showed no significant associations between specific n-3 or n-6 PUFA intakes and prostate cancer risk. The highest dietary ratio of n-6/n-3 was significantly associated with elevated risk of high-grade (OR, 3.55; 95% CI, 1.18-10.69; P(trend) = 0.03), but not low-grade prostate cancer (OR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.43-2.17). In race-specific analyses, an increasing dietary ratio of n-6/n-3 fatty acids correlated with higher prostate cancer risk among white men (P(trend) = 0.05), but not black men. In conclusion, our findings suggest that a high dietary ratio of n-6/n-3 fatty acids may increase the risk of overall prostate cancer among white men and possibly increase the risk of high-grade prostate cancer among all men.

Cavitary pyoderma gangrenosum treated with local infusion of corticosteroid.

BACKGROUND: Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is a rare inflammatory skin condition, characterized by progressive and recurrent skin ulceration, often representing a pathergy response. OBSERVATIONS: We report a case of spontaneous retrosternal PG that developed on the background of previous PG of the skin of the back. The patient had underlying ulcerative colitis. After failure of prednisone, minocycline, and dapsone, a novel method was instituted. Local flushing with dexamethasone, by a radiologically inserted retrosternal catheter with precordial suction, induced a rapid and sustained response. Subsequently maxillary sinus PG developed after the patient's tooth extraction. This responded to local corticosteroid injections in combination with systemic corticosteroid. LIMITATIONS: Further reports of this technique are required to consolidate its use and infusion variables. CONCLUSIONS: Two unusual sites of PG have been described, with successful treatment by a novel local steroid infusion. The profound sensitivity to trauma is demonstrated, which suggests that prophylactic corticosteroid may be useful for essential surgical intervention.

Maxillofacial fractures at Waikato Hospital, New Zealand: 1989 to 2000.

AIM: To describe the patterns of facial fractures presenting to a tertiary referral centre in New Zealand, and to identify risk indicators for maxillofacial trauma. METHOD: Clinical records of 2527 patients referred to a tertiary base hospital for the treatment of maxillofacial fractures from 1989 to 2000 were retrospectively analysed. Age, sex, ethnicity, cause of injury, anatomic location of facial fractures, alcohol involvement, and treatment received were recorded. RESULTS: The number of facial fractures treated by the Maxillofacial Unit at Waikato Hospital annually almost doubled over the 12-year study period (1989 to 2000). Eighty percent of those presenting with maxillofacial injuries were male, and 40% were aged between 15 and 24 years. Interpersonal violence and road traffic accidents were the most frequent causes of facial fractures. Alcohol consumption was associated with just over one-third of all cases, and was strongly associated with interpersonal violence. CONCLUSION: Presentation of patients with facial fractures at the Maxillofacial and Oral Surgery Unit at Waikato Hospital almost doubled over the 12 years. Risk indicators for presentation with a maxillofacial fracture included male gender, alcohol consumption, and interpersonal violence. There is an urgent need for appropriate health promotion to reduce interpersonal violence.