1365
results depend upon the high prevalence of anti-HCV in
our
geographical area, so the risk for health-care workers is related to socioeconomic variables. In a survey on hepatitis B virus serological markers in the same setting, we found similar results.3 M. DE LUCA A. ASCIONE C. VACCA A. ZARONE
Departments of Hepatic Pathophysiology, Immunohaematology, and Legal Medicine, Ospedale Cardarelli, 80131 Naples, Italy
M, Canestrini C, Gallo ML, Iaccarino L, et al. Prevalence of antibody to hepatitis C virus m hospital personnel. Ital J Gastroenterol 1990; 22:
1. Ascione A, De Luca
152. 2. De Luca M, Ascione A, Canestrini C, et al. Prevalence of
antibody to hepatitis C virus hospital personnel. Minerva Gastroenterol Dietol 1991, 37: 141-49. 3. Zarone A, Ascione A, Schiano S, Vacca C. Studio sulle prevalenze degli indicaton sierici di infezione da virus dell’epatite B nei lavoratori ospedalieri dell’USL 40 di Napoli. Il Cardarelli 1988; 30: 1-32. in
Implants and breast cancer SIR,-Recent publicity about the possibility of adverse health effects, including breast cancer, of silicon breast implants has worried
women who have received such implants. We have done case-control studies of breast cancer in western Washington state that included a question on breast implants for augmentation. These studies (in women aged 21-44 and 50-64) used controls identified through random digit dialling. The frequency of breast augmentation implants (ie, excluding implants used for reconstruction after breast cancer) was low so the ability (power) to detect an association or to substantiate the absence of one is limited. The relation between silicon implant and risk of breast cancer may be confounded by other factors but the small numbers of women with implants precluded control of potential confounders other than age. Despite these limitations we thought readers would be interested in our findings: Breast implant Cases Controls RR* (95% Cl)
two
Age 21-44 No Yes Age 50-64 No Yes
(1983-89t) 684 816 69
10 0 0.8
(0-3-2-2)
(1988-90)
*Adjusted for age
406 1 tYear of
diagnosis or
339 6 reference
10
0-2(0’1-1-3)
Of 22 controls who had a silicon implant (including 7 controls not eligible for case-control studies owing to age, reference year, or race) 3 reported leakage and 3 reported scar tissue formation. Of 7 breast cancer cases who had an implant, 1 reported leakage, and 2 reported scar tissue formation. Although we find no evidence of breast cancer risk associated with silicon implant, we cannot rule out a relative risk of2.2 in women of ages less than 45 or a 30% increase in relative risk among women aged 50-64.
Division of Public Health Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington 98104, USA
KATHLEEN E. MALON JANET L. STANFORD JANET R. DALING LYNDA F. VOIGT
Endocrine effects of sumatriptan SIR,-Sumatriptan (5HT,1D) is a new rapidly acting drug. This as an agonist of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) on 5-HTtD receptors, exerting a vasoconstrictor action on the large arteries and veins of the brainy Various experimental studies have agent acts
shown that 5-HT receptors, which are also present at the a part in the regulation of anterior pituitary hormone secretion. However, the involvement of specific 5-HT receptor subtypes in this action has not yet been fully elucidated. The aim of this study was to investigate whether 5-HT m-receptor stimulation affects pituitary secretion in man. 3 male and 3 female healthy adults (aged 22-26 years) gave informed consent to receive in random order a subcutaneous
hypothalamic level,2 play
Mean plasma GH and cortisol values in six adults at baseline and after subcutaneous injection of sumatriptan 6 mg (solid
lines) or placebo (dotted lines). *p
results depend upon the high prevalence of anti-HCV in
our
geographical area, so the risk for health-care workers is related to socioeconomic variables. In a survey on hepatitis B virus serological markers in the same setting, we found similar results.3 M. DE LUCA A. ASCIONE C. VACCA A. ZARONE
Departments of Hepatic Pathophysiology, Immunohaematology, and Legal Medicine, Ospedale Cardarelli, 80131 Naples, Italy
M, Canestrini C, Gallo ML, Iaccarino L, et al. Prevalence of antibody to hepatitis C virus m hospital personnel. Ital J Gastroenterol 1990; 22:
1. Ascione A, De Luca
152. 2. De Luca M, Ascione A, Canestrini C, et al. Prevalence of
antibody to hepatitis C virus hospital personnel. Minerva Gastroenterol Dietol 1991, 37: 141-49. 3. Zarone A, Ascione A, Schiano S, Vacca C. Studio sulle prevalenze degli indicaton sierici di infezione da virus dell’epatite B nei lavoratori ospedalieri dell’USL 40 di Napoli. Il Cardarelli 1988; 30: 1-32. in
Implants and breast cancer SIR,-Recent publicity about the possibility of adverse health effects, including breast cancer, of silicon breast implants has worried
women who have received such implants. We have done case-control studies of breast cancer in western Washington state that included a question on breast implants for augmentation. These studies (in women aged 21-44 and 50-64) used controls identified through random digit dialling. The frequency of breast augmentation implants (ie, excluding implants used for reconstruction after breast cancer) was low so the ability (power) to detect an association or to substantiate the absence of one is limited. The relation between silicon implant and risk of breast cancer may be confounded by other factors but the small numbers of women with implants precluded control of potential confounders other than age. Despite these limitations we thought readers would be interested in our findings: Breast implant Cases Controls RR* (95% Cl)
two
Age 21-44 No Yes Age 50-64 No Yes
(1983-89t) 684 816 69
10 0 0.8
(0-3-2-2)
(1988-90)
*Adjusted for age
406 1 tYear of
diagnosis or
339 6 reference
10
0-2(0’1-1-3)
Of 22 controls who had a silicon implant (including 7 controls not eligible for case-control studies owing to age, reference year, or race) 3 reported leakage and 3 reported scar tissue formation. Of 7 breast cancer cases who had an implant, 1 reported leakage, and 2 reported scar tissue formation. Although we find no evidence of breast cancer risk associated with silicon implant, we cannot rule out a relative risk of2.2 in women of ages less than 45 or a 30% increase in relative risk among women aged 50-64.
Division of Public Health Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington 98104, USA
KATHLEEN E. MALON JANET L. STANFORD JANET R. DALING LYNDA F. VOIGT
Endocrine effects of sumatriptan SIR,-Sumatriptan (5HT,1D) is a new rapidly acting drug. This as an agonist of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) on 5-HTtD receptors, exerting a vasoconstrictor action on the large arteries and veins of the brainy Various experimental studies have agent acts
shown that 5-HT receptors, which are also present at the a part in the regulation of anterior pituitary hormone secretion. However, the involvement of specific 5-HT receptor subtypes in this action has not yet been fully elucidated. The aim of this study was to investigate whether 5-HT m-receptor stimulation affects pituitary secretion in man. 3 male and 3 female healthy adults (aged 22-26 years) gave informed consent to receive in random order a subcutaneous
hypothalamic level,2 play
Mean plasma GH and cortisol values in six adults at baseline and after subcutaneous injection of sumatriptan 6 mg (solid
lines) or placebo (dotted lines). *p
