Prunes May Blunt Adverse Effects of Oral Contraceptives on Bone Health in Young Adult Women: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Background: Oral contraceptives (OCs) may promote bone loss, thereby leading to suboptimal bone health later in life. Research is needed to determine whether dietary interventions can blunt OC-related bone loss; prune consumption, shown to be effective in improving bone density in previous studies, could provide a safe and inexpensive solution. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine whether 12 mo of consuming 50 g of prunes daily would prevent bone loss or increase bone accrual in young (18-25 y) OC users. Methods: Ninety women were randomly assigned to a control group not using OCs (non-OC), an OC group not consuming prunes (OC), and an OC group consuming 50 g prunes daily (OC+P) for 12 mo. Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured at baseline and after 12 mo via dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (at all sites) and peripheral quantitative computed tomography (at tibia). Blood samples were collected at baseline and after 6 and 12 mo to assess biomarkers. Results: There were no significant differences between groups for dietary intake, physical activity, serum tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase-5b, or bone alkaline phosphatase concentrations. Baseline serum C-reactive protein and vitamin D concentrations were higher (P < 0.001) for OC and OC+P groups than those in the non-OC group. Serum parathyroid hormone was higher for non-OC group than OC group at both baseline (P = 0.049) and final (P = 0.032). BMD measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry at all sites did not change among groups. Ultradistal radius BMD increased over time (P < 0.05) within non-OC and OC+P groups. Trabecular density of the distal tibia as measured by peripheral quantitative computed tomography decreased from baseline to 12 mo within the OC group only (P = 0.016). Conclusions: OC use tended to promote minor negative effects on bone and consuming prunes tended to provide a potential protective effect on trabecular density of the distal tibia and ultradistal radius.This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as NCT04785131.

Postural sway is not affected by estrogen fluctuations during the menstrual cycle.

When people stand still, they exhibit a phenomenon called postural sway, or spontaneous movement of the body's center of pressure, which is related to balance control. In general females show less sway than males, but this difference only begins to appear around puberty, pointing to different levels of sex hormones as one potential mechanism for sway sex differences. In this study, we followed cohorts of young females using oral contraceptives (n = 32) and not using oral contraceptives (n = 19), to investigate associations between estrogen availability and postural sway. All participants visited the lab four times over the putative 28-day menstrual cycle. At each visit, we performed blood draws to measure plasma estrogen (estradiol) levels, and tests of postural sway using a force plate. During late follicular and mid-luteal phase, estradiol levels were lower in participants using oral contraceptives (mean differences [95% CI], respectively: -231.33; [-800.44, 337.87]; -613.26; [-1333.60, 107.07] pmol/L; main effect p < 0.001), reflecting expected consequences of oral contraceptive use. Despite these differences, postural sway was not significantly different between participants who were using oral contraceptives and participants who were not (mean difference: 2.09 cm; 95% CI = [-1.05, 5.22]; p = 0.132). Overall, we found no significant effects of the estimated menstrual cycle phase-or absolute levels of estradiol-on postural sway.

Effects of moderate ethanol consumption as a function of n-6:n-3 dietary ratio on lipid profile, inflammation, and liver function in mice.

Objective: It is critical to understand how moderate ethanol exposure interacts with dietary components such as essential fatty acids to influence inflammatory processes underlying CVD pathogenesis. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of moderate ethanol consumption and dietary n-6:n-3 fatty acid composition on markers associated with CVD in mice. Methods: Twenty-three C57BL/6J mice consumed an 18% ethanol solution or 26.9% maltose dextrin solution (isocaloric control) for 12 weeks. Within each group, the mice were fed either a high n-6 (n-6:n-3 = 50:1) diet or a balanced n-3 (n-6:n-3 = 1:1) diet ad libitum. Following the exposure period, serum samples were analyzed to assess lipid profile, inflammatory markers, antioxidant capacity, DNA damage, and liver function enzyme activity. Results: The control group gained more weight than the ethanol group (P = 0.020). In ethanol-exposed mice, HDL was significantly increased (P = 0.009). C-reactive protein (CRP; P < 0.001), high mobility group box 1 protein (HMGB1; P = 0.011), 8-oxo-deoxyguanosine (8-oxo-dG; P = 0.019), ALT (P = 0.002) and AP (P = 0.021) were lower in the ethanol group. There was a significant main effect of the n-3 diet on total antioxidant capacity (TAC; P < 0.001) and 8-oxo-dG (P = 0.047). Conclusion: These findings indicate that moderate ethanol consumption and a balanced n-6:n-3 diet improve several inflammatory and lipid markers associated with CVD. Observed differences in weight gain between groups should be considered when interpreting these results.

Nonpresenting Dichorionic Twins and Placental Vascular Malperfusion.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the hypothesis that selective placental pathology affecting the nonpresenting twin is a significant contributory factor mediating the smaller size at birth of nonpresenting dichorionic twins. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of all dichorionic twin deliveries in a single tertiary center between 2002 and 2015 where by departmental policy, all placentas from multifetal gestations are routinely sent for pathologic examination. Maternal charts, neonatal charts, and pathology reports were reviewed. Placental abnormalities were classified into lesions associated with maternal vascular malperfusion, fetal vascular malperfusion, placental hemorrhage, and chronic villitis. Comparison of neonatal outcomes and placental abnormalities was made between all nonpresenting and all presenting twins as well as within twin pairs. RESULTS: A total of 1,322 women with dichorionic twins were studied. Nonpresenting twins were smaller at birth compared with the presenting cotwin starting at 32 weeks of gestation (birth weight [±standard deviation] 2,224±666 g compared with 2,278±675 g, P=.036). Nonpresenting twins had smaller placentas (361±108 g compared with 492±129 g, P<.001) as early as 24 weeks of gestation. Nonpresenting twins had higher odds for any placental abnormality (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.91, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.63-2.23), small placenta (adjusted OR 4.69, 95% CI 3.75-5.88), and maternal vascular malperfusion (OR 2.75, 95% CI 2.32-3.27) compared with their presenting cotwins. In nonpresenting twins, the presence of maternal vascular malperfusion pathology was associated with lower birth weight compared with their presenting cotwin during the third trimester. CONCLUSION: The lower birth weight of nonpresenting fetuses in dichorionic twin pregnancies is correlated with a higher rate of placental maternal vascular malperfusion pathology.