Inflammatory diseases, incidence

Thus, our attention should shift from the concern of potential adverse effects to the health benefits imparted by hormonal contraceptives. The use of oral contraceptives for at least 12 months reduces the risk of developing endometrial cancer by 50%. Furthermore, the risk of epithelial ovarian cancer in users of oral contraceptives is reduced by 40% compared with that on nonusers. This kind of protection is already seen after as little as 3-6 months of use. Oral contraceptives also decrease the incidence of ovarian cysts and fibrocystic breast disease. They reduce menstrual blood loss and thus the incidence of iron-deficiency anemia. A decreased incidence of pelvic inflammatory disease and ectopic pregnancies has been reported as well as an ameliorating effect on the clinical course of endometriosis. 

NSAIDs are used as the first-line treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, systemic lupus erythematosis and other inflammatory diseases, and are thus amongst the most widely used dtugs in the developed world. This widespread use inevitably entailed a considerable associated morbidity, in particular a high incidence of gastric toxicity. In the USA alone, perforations, ulcers and bleeds lead to the hospitalisation of 100,000 patients per year, and about 15% of these die while under intensive care. 

Taking the contraceptive hormones provides health benefits not related to contraception, such as regulating the menstrual cycle and decreased blood loss, and incidence of iron deficiency anemia, and dysmenorrhea Health benefits related to the inhibition of ovulation include a decrease in ovarian cysts and ectopic pregnancies. hi addition, there is a decrease in fibrocyctic breast disease, acute pelvic inflammatory disease endometrial cancer, ovarian cancer, maintenance of bone density, and symptoms related to endometriosis in women taking contraceptive hormones. Newer combination contraceptives such as norgestimate and ethinyl estradiol... 

Women using DMPA have a lower incidence of Candida vulvovaginitis, ectopic pregnancy, pelvic inflammatory disease, and endometrial and ovarian cancer compared to women using no contraception. The median time to conception from the first omitted dose is 10 months. 

Loftus, E.V., Clinical epidemiology of inflammatory bowel disease Incidence, prevalence, and environmental influences, Gastroenterology, 126, 1504, 2004. 

The incidence of STDs, by their nature, closely follow changes in sexual behaviour and practices of the population as evidenced by the decline of many, but not all, STDs in the safe sex era induced by the AIDS pandemic. However, STDs continue to be a major health problem worldwide. Apart from acute morbidity they also are a major cause of pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility among women of child-bearing age, and cause congenital infections among the newborn. 

The sahcylates are useful in the treatment of minor musculoskeletal disorders such as bursitis, synovitis, tendinitis, myositis, and myalgia. They may also be used to relieve fever and headache. They can be used in the treatment of inflammatory disease, such as acute rheumatic fever, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and certain rheumatoid variants, such as ankylosing spondylitis, Reiter s syndrome, and psoriatic arthritis. However, other NS AIDS are usually favored for the treatment of these chronic conditions because of their lower incidence of GI side effects. Aspirin is used in the treatment and prophylaxis of myocardial infarction and ischemic stroke. 

The asthma market is thought to be worth some 6 billion worldwide, and consists mainly of inhaled products—bronchodilators and corticosteroids. It is a growing market because the incidence of asthma is increasing, especially in developed countries. It has been postulated that this increase is partly related to overuse of inhaled bronchodilators, which can mask progression of the underlying inflammatory disease process. Current recommendations specify the routine use of anti-inflammatory therapy (e g. inhaled steroids) for mild asthma, with bronchodilators used to relieve acute attacks in more serious cases. 

It is important to note that an elevated and/or altered plasma lipid level is only one of a wide range of risk factors that contribute to the clinical manifestations of cardiovascular disease in humans (Lusis, 2000). Consequently, in some studies, the reduced incidence of atherosclerosis in animals fed CLA was not accompanied by an improvement in the plasma lipid profile during the CLA feeding phase (Wilson et al, 2000). Reasons for these effects are not understood fully. However, atherosclerosis can also be considered as a chronic inflammatory disease (Libby, 2002) and several important anti-inflammatory effects have been associated with the use of RA these include a reduction in the expression of COX-2, PGE2, reduced release of nitric oxide, a decreased production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and PPARy activation (Urquhart et al, 2002 Yu et al, 2002 Toomey et al, 2003). 

In most cases, the reduced incidence of atherosclerosis in animals fed CLA or RA was not accompanied by a decrease in plasma total or LDL-cholesterol level or an increase in HDL-cholesterol level. Thus, other mechanisms must be responsible for the prevention of atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is recognized nowadays as a chronic inflammatory disease, and RA has been shown to exhibit a number of important anti-inflammatory properties (Yu et al., 2002) ... 

Intake of dietary sources of n-3 fatty acids is associated with reduced incidence and severity of inflammatory disorders, cardiovascular diseases, and some cancers in humans (12, 98-103). Populations consuming fish that are rich in n-3 fatty acids are known to have a low incidence of atherosclerotic disorders (104). Dietary fish oil, which is high in EPA and DHA, also was shown to reduce myocardial ischemic damage (105) and ventricular fibrillation (106). The antitumorigenic effect of n-3 fatty acids was demonstrated in breast cancer (107), colon cancer (108-110), and pancreatic neoplasm (111). In addition to their beneficial influence on cardiovascular disorders and cancers, n-3 fatty acids are also known to decrease the severity and minimize symptoms of inflammatory diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis (15) and inflammatory bowel disease (16), and may be of benefit in correcting psychological disorders (17). 

In the elderly, a small decrease in albumin concentration is associated with a small decrease in binding for salicylate, diazepam, phenylbutazone and valproic acid. Also in the elderly, an increase in concentration of AAG is associated with an increase in binding of AAG-bound drugs. Such an increase in AAG concentrations could be related to the greater incidence of inflammatory diseases in this population. 

The risk of ovarian failure and infertility has been studied in 84 women with an underlying inflammatory disease receiving intravenous cyclophosphamide (65). The incidence of sustained amenorrhea was 22% and was independent of the underlying inflammatory disease. After treatment with cyclophosphamide following bone marrow transplantation, ovarian function can occasionally recover, resulting in a successful pregnancy up to 7 years after treatment (66). No specific factors correlated with recovery of normal ovarian function. However, recovery was rare if the patient had undergone concurrent total body irradiation (67). 

AA protein is often deposited in chronic inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (incidence up to 20%) and other inflammatory joint diseases, and in chronic suppurative and granulomatous infections such as tuberculosis and osteomyelitis. Deposits of AA protein are also observed in nonlymphoid tumors such as renal and gastric carcinomas and in Hodgkin s disease. Deposits of AA protein are most often found in the kidneys, liver, and spleen, usually resulting in nephrotic syndrome and hepatosplenomegaly. 

The rationale for n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated long-chain fatty acid (PUFA) supplementation in the treatment of AD resides in the antiinflammatory effects of these lipid compounds. Over the past few years, a growing body of evidence has demonstrated that n-3 and n-6 PUFAs alleviate a number of inflammatory diseases. Actually, the first evidence of the importance of dietary intake of these lipids was derived from epidemiological observations about the very low incidence of chronic inflammatory condition in Eskimos. 

Oral contraceptives have major benefits related to menstruation, including more regular menstruation, reduced menstrual blood loss and less iron-deficiency anemia, and decreased frequency of dysmenorrhea. There also is a decreased incidence of pelvic inflammatory disease and ectopic pregnancies, and endometriosis may be amehorated. 

Pelvic inflammatory disease is increasing in incidence in sexually active adolescents, and is due to either Chlamydia trachomatis or Neisseria gonorrhea infection. Infection ascends from the cervix to involve the endometrium and fallopian tubes. The fallopian tubes become edematous and hyperemic... 

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