Metabolic Syndrome and Breast Cancer Risk.

OBJECTIVE: The study was meant to estimate the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in patients with breast cancer and to establish its role as an independent risk factor on occurrence of breast cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty women aged between 40 and 80 years with breast cancer and fifty controls of similar age were assessed for metabolic syndrome prevalence and breast cancer risk factors, including age at menarche, reproductive status, live births, breastfeeding, and family history of breast cancer, age at diagnosis of breast cancer, body mass index, and metabolic syndrome parameters. RESULTS: Metabolic syndrome prevalence was found in 40.0% of breast cancer patients, and 18.0% of those in control group (P = 0.02). An independent and positive association was seen between metabolic syndrome and breast cancer risk (odds ratio = 3.037; 95% confidence interval 1.214-7.597). CONCLUSIONS: Metabolic syndrome is more prevalent in breast cancer patients and is an independent risk factor for breast cancer.

Maternal Overt Hypothyroidism and Neurobehavioral Outcome of Neonates: A Cohort Study from an Iodine-deficient Area of Northern India.

OBJECTIVE: To study the relation between maternal overt hypothyroidism and neurodevelopmental outcome of neonates in iodine-deficient region of Northern India (Kashmir Valley). DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: Endocrinology department of a tertiary-care hospital. PARTICIPANTS: 82 hypothyroid pregnant women were enrolled and followed up till delivery. The neonates born to this group represented the case neonates. 51 euthyroid healthy pregnant women were selected as control group. The neonates born to these mothers served as controls. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Early neonatal behavioral assessment at 3-4 weeks of age. RESULTS: The mean TSH and free T4 in neonates of mothers with well controlled hypothyroidism was significantly different from those born to mothers with poorly controlled hypothyroidism and controls in 1st trimester, but the difference was statistically insignificant for 2nd and 3rd trimester values. CONCLUSION: Overt maternal hypothyroidism in iodine-deficient area constitutes a risk factor for an abnormal neurobehavioral development of affected child.