Effects of long-term hormone replacement therapy: results from a cohort study.

The positive effects of hormonal replacement therapy (HRT) in protecting the cardiovascular system in women have been supported by several observational studies, while also being questioned by other randomized controlled trials. Today, it is unclear whether HRT plays a crucial role, or even whether there is any role at all, for this therapy in preventing or in lowering cardiovascular disease (CVD). In the present study, we have evaluated the effectiveness of long-term HRT in post-menopausal women on the incidence of cardiovascular events and arterial remodeling, as well as on some metabolic factors. Eighty-four post-menopausal women (mean age: 46.3 ± 5.2; age range: 42-66 yr) underwent HRT for 10.9 ± 1.2 yr (range: 8-12 yr). None of these subjects showed new cardiovascular events, and we found a reduction of the intima-media thickness (baseline: 1.39 ± 0.2, 1.35 ± 0.2, 1.31 ± 0.2 mm) and total cholesterol, LDL and antithrombin III levels were lower, while HDL and fibrinogen levels increased. The study highlights a number of positive effects both on vascular conditions and metabolic and coagulative markers that are usually considered as generic and crucial risk factors for CVD. The relatively low number of patients is perhaps a limitation of this study, however, the long-term period of followup should be considered an interesting and important factor. Furthermore, this study underlines the real-life clinical experience of a Menopause Center.

Polymorphisms of steroid 5-alpha-reductase type I (SRD5A1) gene are associated to peripheral arterial disease.

Although animal studies support the hypothesis that androgenic biological actions may affect experimental atherosclerosis progression, evidence for a relationship between androgen effects and peripheral arterial disease (PAD), a common clinical form of atherosclerosis, is weak or contradictory. Testosterone, the main androgen hormone, is converted in a 5alpha-reduced form by enzymatic activities in the target cells and some specific actions are mediated by such metabolites. Steroid 5-alpha reductase isoenzymes (SRD5A1 and SRD5A2) catalyze the conversion to the bioactive potent androgen dihydrotestosterone and other reduced metabolites and represent relevant regulators of local hormonal actions. In the present study we tested for the association of selected single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) of SRD5A1 and SRD5A2 with symptomatic PAD patients. Two different SNP in the SRD5A1 were significantly associated which the PAD phenotype (p<0.03, odds ratio 1.73), while no association was found between PAD phenotypes and SRD5A2. Since the examined SRDA1 gene variant was previously associated with a low enzymatic activity, we suggest that a decreased local enzymatic conversion of testosterone may contribute to PAD genetic susceptibility.

Synthesis of ionones and carvone analogues: olfactory properties and preliminary toxicity assays.

Vilsmeier reagents react with alpha/beta-ionones and carvone to produce aldehydes 7-11 in a one-step procedure. The indene derivative 11, which came from the double iminoalkylation of carvone and ring closure with the elimination of dimethylamine, was practically odourless, while all the others had peculiar odours which were very different from the starting material. The cytotoxicity data of 9 and 10, which are the most promising potential perfume ingredients, are also reported.

HPLC determination of adenosine in human synovial fluid.

A high-performance liquid chromatographic method has been developed for the quantitative determination of adenosine in human synovial fluid. The method is simple, rapid and, overall, selective. No interference with the components of the biological matrix was observed in these chromatographic conditions. An ODS (250 x 4.6 mm) 5 microm column was used with an isocratic elution of a phosphate buffer-acetonitrile mobile phase. Detection was carried out on a UV detector at 260 nm. Calibration curve was found to be linear in the 0.7--70 microg ml(-1) range. Linear regression analysis of the data demonstrates the efficacy of the method in terms of precision and accuracy. The precision of this method, calculated as the relative standard deviation (RSD) of the recoveries (1.57--2.21%), was excellent. The limits of quantitation (LOQ) and detection (LOD) were respectively 0.7 and 0.2 microg ml(-1). The method was applied to some samples of synovial effusion from patients affected by rheumatoid arthritis. The concentrations of adenosine which were found were included in the range of the calibration curve.

Simultaneous HPLC determination of multiple components in a commercial cosmetic cream.

A high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the simultaneous determination of magnesium ascorbyl phosphate (I), imidazolidinylurea (II), a mixture of methyl-(III), ethyl-(IV), propyl-(V), butyl-(VI) parabens dissolved in phenoxyethanol, and ascorbyl palmitate (VII), was studied by using a cyano-propyl column and a methanol gradient at 220 and 240 nm. Calibration curves were found to be linear in the 0.05-5 mg ml(-1) range (compounds I, II, VII) and 0.9-160 mg ml(-1) (compounds III-VI). Linear regression analysis of the data demonstrates the efficacy of the method in terms of precision and accuracy. An extraction method is developed and validated in order to apply this chromatographic method to a commercial cosmetic cream. The precision of this method, calculated as the relative standard deviation (RSD) of the recoveries (1.57-2.21%) was excellent for all compounds I-VII.

High frequency of Chlamydophila pneumoniae infections: patients with peripheral arterial disease and those with risk factors for cardiovascular diseases compared to normal subjects.

The role of bacterial infections, mainly Chlamydophila pneumoniae, on atherosclerotic processes as well as the therapeutic utility of additional antibiotic treatment is still an open question. In this study we compared the serological profiles of 160 patients (80 with peripheral arterial disease (PAD), diagnosed with an ankle/brachial index (ABI) ≤ 0.9 and 80 with risk factors for cardiovascular disease - CVD) with those of 80 healthy subjects, serum levels of specific C. pneumoniae antibodies using the microimmunofluorescence test. Our results show that PAD patients had a higher frequency of C. pneumoniae infection than those with risk factors for cardiovascular disease. This frequency was lower if compared to the previous two groups in controls. 44 out of the 80 (55%) patients with PAD and 34 out of the 80 (42.58%) subjects with risk factors for cardiovascular disease were seropositive while only 24 of the 80 (30%) healthy subjects showed seropositivity to C. pneumoniae. Furthermore, higher anticorpal titers were also found in patients with peripheral arterial disease and in patients with cardiovascular risk factors if compared to healthy subjects. On the basis of these results, we confirm that C. pneumoniae infection is frequent in peripheral arterial disease patients and we believe that it could be considered as an additional risk factor involved in the pathogenesis of this disease.