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- Baltar, Valéria Troncoso, et al.
(author)
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Smoking, secondhand smoke, and cotinine levels in a subset of EPIC cohort
- 2011
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In: Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention. - : American Association for Cancer Research. - 1055-9965 .- 1538-7755. ; 20:5, s. 869-875
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Several countries are discussing new legislation regarding the ban on smoking in public places, based on the growing evidence of the hazards of secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure. The objective of the present study is to quantitatively assess the relationship between smoking, SHS, and serum cotinine levels in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) cohort. Methods: From a study on lung cancer in the EPIC cohort, questionnaire information on smoking was collected at enrolment, and cotinine was measured in serum. Three statistical models were applied by using samples available in a cross-section design: (i) cotinine levels by categories combining smoking and SHS (n = 859); (ii) the effect of hours of passive smoking exposure in nonsmokers only (n = 107); (iii) the effect of the number of cigarettes consumed per day in current smokers only (n = 832). All models were adjusted for country, sex, age, and body mass index. Results: Among nonsmokers, passive smokers presented significant differences in cotinine compared with nonexposed, with a marked (but not significant) difference among former-smokers. A one hour per day increment of SHS gave rise to a significant 2.58 nmol/L (0.45 ng/mL) increase in mean serum cotinine (P < 0.001). In current smokers, a one cigarette per day increment gave rise to a significant 22.44 nmol/L (3.95 ng/mL) increase in cotinine mean (P < 0.001). Conclusions: There is clear evidence that not only tobacco smoking but also involuntary exposure increases cotinine levels. Impact: This study strengthens the evidence for the benefits of a smoking ban in public places.
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| 2. |
- Chuang, Shu-Chun, et al.
(author)
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Cellular immune activity biomarker neopterin is associated hyperlipidemia : results from a large population-based study
- 2016
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In: Immunity & Ageing. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1742-4933. ; 13
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Increased serum neopterin had been described in older age two decades ago. Neopterin is a biomarker of systemic adaptive immune activation that could be potentially implicated in metabolic syndrome (MetS). Measurements of waist circumference, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC), systolic and diastolic blood pressure, glycated hemoglobin as components of MetS definition, and plasma total neopterin concentrations were performed in 594 participants recruited in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC).Results: Higher total neopterin concentrations were associated with reduced HDLC (9.7 %, p < 0.01 for men and 9.2 %, p < 0.01 for women), whereas no association was observed with the rest of the MetS components as well as with MetS overall (per 10 nmol/L: OR = 1.42, 95 % CI = 0.85-2.39 for men and OR = 1.38, 95 % CI = 0.79-2.43).Conclusions: These data suggest that high total neopterin concentrations are cross-sectionally associated with reduced HDLC, but not with overall MetS.
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| 3. |
- Chuang, Shu-Chun, et al.
(author)
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Circulating Biomarkers of Tryptophan and the Kynurenine Pathway and Lung Cancer Risk
- 2014
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In: Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention. - 1055-9965 .- 1538-7755. ; 23:3, s. 461-468
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Imbalances in tryptophan metabolism have been linked to cancer-related immune escape and implicated in several cancers, including lung cancer. Methods: We conducted a nested case-control study within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer andNutrition (EPIC) that included 893 incident lung cancer cases and 1,748matched controls. Circulating levels of tryptophan and six of its metabolites were measured and evaluated in relation to lung cancer risk. Results: Tryptophan (P-trend = 2 Chi 10(-5)) and the kynurenine/ tryptophan ratio (KTR; P-trend 4 Chi 10(-5)) were associated with lung cancer risk overall after adjusting for established risk factors. The ORs comparing the fifth and first quintiles (OR5th (vs. 1st)) were 0.52 [ 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.37-0.74] for tryptophan and 1.74 (95% CI, 1.24-2.45) for KTR. After adjusting for plasma methionine (available fromprevious work, which was strongly correlated with tryptophan), the associations of tryptophan (adjusted P-trend 0.13) and KTR (P-trend = 0.009) were substantially attenuated. KTR was positively associated with squamous cell carcinoma, the OR5th vs. 1st being 2.83 (95% CI, 1.62-4.94, P-trend -3 Chi 10(-5)) that was only marginally affected by adjusting for methionine. Conclusions: This study indicates that biomarkers of tryptophan metabolism are associated with subsequent lung cancer risk. Although this result would seem consistent with the immune system having a role in lung cancer development, the overall associations were dependent on methionine, and further studies are warranted to further elucidate the importance of these metabolites in lung cancer etiology. Impact: This is the first prospective study investigating the tryptophan pathway in relation to lung cancer risk.
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