Association of interleukin-1B and interleukin-1RN polymorphisms with gastric cancer in a high-risk population of Costa Rica.

Several risk factors have been associated with gastric cancer, among them Helicobacter pylori infection. This bacterium yields inflammation, the degree of which depends on the bacterial strain and the severity of the host response. The inflammatory response involves a complex cytokine network. Recently, polymorphisms of the genes coding for interleukin-1beta (IL-1B), interleukin-1Ra (ILRN) and interleukin-10 have been associated with an increased risk of gastric cancer. In order to determine the association of the IL-1B, IL-1RN and IL-10 polymorphisms with gastric cancer in a high-risk Costa Rican population, we analysed purified DNA of 58 gastric cancer patients, 99 controls and 41 patients classified as group I or II, according to the Japanese classification. Genotyping was carried out by PCR, PCR-RFLP and pyrosequencing analysis. We did not find any association of the IL-1B-31, IL-1B-511 and IL-10 polymorphisms with the risk for developing gastric cancer in the studied population. Carriers of the IL-1B+3954T/- had an increased risk for developing gastric cancer (OR 3.7; 95%CI: 1.34-10.2). Also we found an increased risk for developing gastric cancer for allele 2 heterozygotes of the IL-1RN (OR 2.94; 95%CI: 1.09-7.93). This is the first time that IL-1B+3954 has been associated with gastric cancer. This is one of the first studies trying to describe the role played by IL-1B, IL-1RN and IL-10 genetic polymorphisms in gastric cancer in one of the highest risk American countries. Further investigation on American countries is needed.

[Changes in epidemiological pattern of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections in a tertiary hospital. Experience of 5 years]. / Cambios en los patrones epidemiológicos de la infección por Staphylococcus aureus resistente a la meticilina en un hospital de tercer nivel. Experiencia de 5 años.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the demographic pattern and tendency of the infections by MRSA between 1992 and 1997. DESIGN AND METHODS: Descriptive study of the infections by MRSA in a tertiary-care hospital. RESULTS: 267 MRSA infections, 131 infections were included within 58 buds and 136 cases isolated form. The more affected services were Internal Medicine, Urology, Neurology, Vascular surgery and intensive care unit. A tendency was observed to the increase in > 65 years cases and in medical services. CONCLUSIONS: The increase of elderly cases in medical services and > 65 years carriers in their nose could translate the existent situation in the community.

Micronuclei frequency in lymphocytes of individuals occupationally exposed to pesticides.

Pesticides have been widely used in developing countries over the years. A large amount of these remains in the environment and organisms. Pesticide pollution is detrimental to human health. The effects can be seen on a short or a long-term basis and the symptoms can vary from headache to cancer. Only a minority of studies focuses on their genotoxic effect. This study assesses the genotoxic effect of the pesticides used at banana-packaging plants with binucleate micronuclei assay using cultured lymphocytes. The studied population included 32 exposed and 37 unexposed women from Costa Rica. There is no significant difference between the two groups. However, women who worked at the packaging plant and had stillbirths or spontaneous abortions were 1.45 times more (alpha = 0.06) likely to have an increased micronuclei frequency than their coworkers who lacked those disorders; this may indicate genetic susceptibility. In vitro pesticides studies and susceptibility biomarkers are needed to identify subgroups with higher risks.

Short-term effects of celiprolol on blood pressure and left ventricular performance in hypertensive cardiomyopathy.

Celiprolol (C) is a new selective beta 1-blocker with partial beta 2-agonistic activity. The purpose of this study was to explore its antihypertensive efficacy and its short-term effect on systemic vascular resistances (SVR), cardiac output (CO), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and left ventricular diastolic performance (LVDP). The Doppler technique was used. In an open-label study, 20 hypertensive patients (15 males, 5 females, age range of 29-68 years) with left ventricular hypertrophy detected by echography were daily treated with 400 mg of C in a single dose, for a period of 4 weeks. C reduced significantly the systolic blood pressure (SBP) and the diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (158 +/- 12 vs. 142 +/- 11 mm Hg, p < 0.05 and 101 +/- 6 vs. 87 +/- 4 mm Hg, p < 0.001, respectively) with a decrease in heart rate (74 +/- 12 vs. 67 +/- 8 beats/min, p = NS). The SVR decreased significantly (2,050 +/- 22 vs. 1,495 +/- 23 dyn/s/cm5, p < 0.001) with a slight but not significant increase in the CO (4.5 +/- 0.69 vs. 5.11 +/- 0.82 L/min). The LVEF did not decrease significantly (58 +/- 5 vs. 56.9 +/- 6%, p = NS) while the LVDP was modified favorably, significantly reducing the early diastolic deceleration time (EDDT) (199 +/- 61 vs. 132 +/- 80 ms, p < 0.01) and reducing the isovolumetric relaxation time (IVRT) (167 +/- 16 vs. 117 +/- 23 ms, p < 0.001).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)