Role of smoke-free legislation on emergency department admissions for smoking-related diseases in Kocaeli, Turkey.

Legislation banning smoking in all indoor public places was introduced in Turkey in July 2009. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of smoke-free legislation on the number of emergency department admissions for smoking-related diseases in Kocaeli city. A retrospective analysis was made of hospital records from the first 6 months of 2009 and 2010 (before and after legislation). Total admissions for smoking-related diseases were 83 089 in 2009 and 64 314 in 2010, a 22.6% decrease. Time-series analysis showed that the decreases were significant for bronchitis and lower respiratory tract infections. Emergency admissions for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, myocardial infarction and allergic rhinitis were lower but not significantly so. The number of patients admitted with asthma showed a non-significant increase. Smoke-free legislation might have important short-term effects on emergency department admissions, but further studies are needed in order to evaluate the long-term effects of legislation on smoking-related diseases.

Role of smoke-free legislation on emergency department admissions for smoking-related diseases in Kocaeli, Turkey

Legislation banning smoking in all indoor public places was introduced in Turkey in July 2009. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of smoke-free legislation on the number of emergency department admissions for smoking-related diseases in Kocaeli city.A retrospective analysis was made of hospital records from the first 6 months of 2009 and 2010 [before and after legislation]. Total admissions for smoking-related diseases were 83 089 in 2009 and 64 314 in 2010, a 22.6% decrease. Time-series analysis showed that the decreases were significant for bronchitis and lower respiratory tract infections.Emergency admissions for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, myocardial infarction and allergic rhinitis were lower but not significantly so. The number of patients admitted with asthma showed a non-significant increase. Smoke-free legislation might have important short-term effects on emergency department admissions,but further studies are needed in order to evaluate the long-term effects of legislation on smoking-related diseases

La législation sur l'interdiction de fumer dans tous les lieux publics intérieurs a été adoptée en Turquie en 2009. L'objectif de la présente étude était d'évaluer les effets de la législation antitabac sur le nombre de patients admis aux urgences pour des maladies liées au tabagisme dans la ville de Kocaeli. Une analyse rétrospective des dossiers hospitaliers a été réalisée, et celle-ci portait sur les six premiers mois de 2009 [avant l'adoption de la législation] ainsi que sur les six premiers mois de 2010 [après l'adoption de la législation]. Le nombre total d'hospitalisations pour des maladies liées au tabagisme était de 83 089 en 2009 et de 64 314 en 2010, représentant une baisse de 22,6 %.L'analyse des séries chronologiques a démontré que les diminutions étaient importantes pour la bronchite et les infections des voies respiratoires inférieures. Le nombre d'hospitalisations en urgence pour la bronchopneumopathie chronique obstructive, l'infarctus du myocarde et la rhinite allergique était inférieur mais la baisse n'était pas significative. Le nombre de patients asthmatiques hospitalisés a augmenté de manière non significative. Une législation antitabac peut produire d'importants effets à court terme sur le nombre d'hospitalisations au service des urgences,mais des études supplémentaires sont requises afin d'évaluer les effets à long terme de la législation sur les maladies liées au tabagisme

Selective pressure during tumor promotion by phenobarbital leads to clonal outgrowth of beta-catenin-mutated mouse liver tumors.

Tumor promoters are non-mutagenic chemicals which increase the probability of cancer by accelerating the clonal expansion of cells transformed during tumor initiation. Phenobarbital (PB) is an antiepileptic drug which promotes hepatocarcinogenesis in rodents when administered subsequent to an initiating carcinogen like diethylnitrosamine (DEN). Here we have investigated the prevalence and patterns of mutations in two genes, Ha-ras and beta-catenin, both known mutational targets in mouse hepatocarcinogenesis. Liver tumors were generated by a single administration of DEN to 6 week old mice followed by feeding of PB (0.05%) containing or control diet for 39 weeks. Mutations at Ha-ras codon 61 were screened by allele-specific oligonucleotide hybridization; beta-catenin mutations were detected by direct sequencing of PCR products spanning exon 2. In tumors from mice treated with DEN alone, the prevalence of Ha-ras mutations was approximately 30% (6/20), while no beta-catenin mutations (0/13) were detectable in tumors of this treatment group. By contrast, Ha-ras mutations were undetectable in tumors from mice treated with DEN/PB (0/32), while approximately 80% (37/46) of tumors from this group showed beta-catenin mutations. These results demonstrate that PB strongly affects the prevalence of mutations in the two cancer-related genes, presumably by positive and negative selection for cells harboring the respective mutation.