Red clover isoflavones enriched with formononetin lower serum LDL cholesterol-a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

BACKGROUND: Although postmenopausal combined hormone replacement therapy reduces the risk of hip fracture, long-term use may be associated with an increased risk of breast cancer, and in women more than 10 years after menopause it is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Isoflavones, because of preferential binding to estrogen receptor beta, may retain the beneficial effects on bone but lessen the adverse effects on the breast. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to study the effects of an isoflavone obtained from red clover (Rimostil) on bone mineral density, and on low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. DESIGN: In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial, 50 mg of Rimostil was given to women who were menopausal for at least 1 year. Bone mineral density of the spine, femoral neck and forearm and serum LDL cholesterol were measured at baseline and at 6-month intervals. The duration of follow-up was 2 years. RESULTS: There was no beneficial effect of Rimostil on bone density at any site. There was a 12% fall in serum LDL cholesterol in the Rimostil-treated arm, which was significantly greater than the 2% drop seen in the control arm (P=0.005).

Primary peritoneal mesodermal adenosarcoma: report of a case and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Mesodermal (müllerian) adenosarcoma arising from the peritoneum is rare and is thought to arise from pluripotent mesothelial and mesenchymal cells of the pelvic cavity or from endometriotic deposits. CASE: A case of primary peritoneal mesodermal adenosarcoma arising from the omentum is described. A 50-year-old woman presented with sudden abdominal distension. Initial laparotomy revealed a 13-kg mass arising from the omentum, which was determined from frozen and paraffin sections to be serous cystadenofibroma. The tumor recurred within 10 months and weighed 18 kg at a second laparotomy. Histopathology and review of the original tumor established the correct diagnosis of mesodermal adenosarcoma. The patient died from disseminated disease 6 months later. CONCLUSION: Adenosarcomas are difficult to differentiate from adenofibromas or endometriosis histologically because of the presence of large areas of low cellularity and infrequent mitotic figures. In such cases, stromal nuclear atypia and periglandular stromal cuffing are features that are diagnostic of adenosarcoma.