Effects of hazelnut-enriched diet on plasma cholesterol and lipoprotein profiles in hypercholesterolemic adult men.

OBJECTIVE: Frequent consumption of nuts is associated with favorable plasma lipid profiles and reduced risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). This study was conducted to investigate the effects of hazelnut-enriched diet on plasma cholesterol and lipoprotein profiles in hypercholesterolemic adult men compared with baseline and control diet, and also to measure the anthropometric parameters, habitual physical activities, nutrient intake and endothelial function. SUBJECTS AND DESIGN: Fifteen hypercholesterolemic men aged 48+/-8 years were recruited voluntarily. A well-controlled, 2-period (P1 and P2) study design with a total of 8-week was implemented. In the P1, subjects consumed a control diet (low-fat, low-cholesterol and high-carbohydrate). During the P2, the control diet was supplemented with MUFA-rich hazelnut (40 g/day), which provided 11.6% of total energy content. Anthropometric parameters and habitual physical activities were recorded. Plasma total and HDL cholesterol, TAG, ApoA-1, Apo B, total homocysteine and glucose concentrations were measured. All parameters and measurements were obtained at baseline and end of each 4-week diet period. RESULTS: Body weights of subjects remained stable throughout the study. Compared with baseline, the hazelnut-enriched diet decreased (P<0.05) the concentrations of VLDL cholesterol, triacylglycerol, apolipoprotein B by 29.5, 31.8, and 9.2%, respectively, while increasing HDL cholesterol concentrations by 12.6%. Total/HDL cholesterol and LDL/HDL cholesterol ratios favorably decreased (P<0.05). Although insignificant there was a decreasing trend for the rest of parameters, particularly in total (5.2%) and LDL cholesterol (3.3%) in subjects consuming a hazelnut-enriched diet compared to that of the baseline. No changes were found in fasting levels of glucose, Apo A-1 and homocysteine between the control and hazelnut-enriched diets. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that a high-fat and high-MUFA-rich hazelnut diet was superior to a low-fat control diet because of favorable changes in plasma lipid profiles of hypercholesterolemic adult men and, thereby positively affecting the CHD risk profile. SPONSORSHIP: Funding provided by a grant from the Hazelnut Promotion Group, Giresun, Turkey.

Predictability of retroperitoneal lymph node metastasis by using clinicopathologic variables in surgically staged endometrial cancer.

The purpose of this study was to predict lymphatic involvement in endometrial cancer using clinicopathologic variables of patients treated with surgical staging. Overall, 461 patients treated with an initial surgical staging procedure including complete pelvic-para-aortic lymphadenectomy were included. The mean number of resected lymph nodes was 27 (median 26; range 15-83), and 54 patients (12%) had lymphatic involvement. Of these patients, 32 had only pelvic, 15 had both pelvic and para-aortic, and 7 had isolated para-aortic metastases. In the multivariate analysis, deep myometrial invasion (P= 0.02), lymphvascular space invasion (P= 0.001), positive peritoneal cytology (P= 0.002), and cervical involvement (P= 0.003) predicted retroperitoneal lymph node metastasis (RLN) significantly. Two hundred seventy-four patients (59.4%) had at least one of these poor prognostic factors identified by multivariate analysis. In this patient population, 53 (19.3%) had lymphatic involvement compared to 1 patient in the group of 187 patients with low-risk criteria. Ninety-eight percent of patients with RLN were predicted by this model, and with the advent of accurate diagnostic techniques, 40% of patients could be saved from undergoing lymphadenectomy.

Lacrimal function and ocular complications in patients treated with systemic isotretinoin.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect on lacrimal function and ocular complications in patients with severe acne vulgaris during systemic treatment with 13-cis-retinoic acid (isotretinoin). METHODS: Forty patients with acne vulgaris were treated with systemic isotretinoin at dosages of 0.5-1 mg/kg per day for two months. Full ophthalmologic examination, Schirmer I test, fluorescein break-up (BUT) and microbiological investigations of the conjunctival flora were done before, during the second month and at least one month after the end of the treatment. RESULTS: The average Schirmer values before and after the treatment were 21.6 mm/5 minutes (SD +/- 7.01) and 18.48 mm/5 minutes (SD +/- 7.87) respectively. After the treatment BUT was less than 10 seconds in 50% of the patients and 55% had blepharitis. Subjective symptoms like dryness, itching and contact lens intolerance occurred in 42.5% and colonization of the conjunctiva by Staphylococcus aureus increased significantly during treatment (p= 0.031). All abnormal findings disappeared one month after the cessation of treatment. DISCUSSION: Isotretinoin causes signs and symptoms of dry eye, probably by reducing meibomian gland function, but ocular complications are generally not serious when low doses are used for a limited time, and are reversible after discontinuation.