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Biomedical subjects

R Lipnick

Publications and source records attributed to R Lipnick.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

Circulating intercellular adhesion molecule-1 in patients with systemic sclerosis.

In view of recent data demonstrating increased expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) in the skin of patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) we studied whether levels of soluble ICAM-1 (s-ICAM-1) shed into the circulation are increased in patients with this disorder. We also compared blood levels of s-ICAM-1 in SSc with those in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and we investigated any possible association of s-ICAM-1 with soluble IL-2 receptor (s-IL 2R) levels, the latter being considered as a marker of lymphocyte activation. Patients with SSc had increased levels of sICAM-1 compared with healthy control subjects (mean +/- SEM, 587 +/- 34 versus 373 +/- 27 ng/ml, P < 0.0001). Patients with diffuse rapidly progressive disease had the highest s-ICAM-1 levels. No association was observed between the extent of skin or internal organ involvement and s-ICAM-1 levels. Patients with digital ulcers had significantly elevated s-ICAM-1, but not s-IL 2R, levels. No correlation was detected between individual s-ICAM-1 and S-IL 2R levels in SSc patients. These novel findings suggest that circulating s-ICAM-1 levels may be a useful marker of endothelial activation in SSc; however, further studies are needed to determine the role of ICAM-1 in the pathogenesis of this disorder.

Adolescent↗

Smoking behavior among participants in the nurses' health study.

We analyzed smoking behavior of 91,651 married female nurses, aged 30-55 years in 1976. The prevalence of smoking was similar among all birth cohorts. The largest percentage increase in starting to smoke occurred between ages 15 and 25 years; by age 25, 50 per cent had started smoking. The cessation rate was lowest in earlier birth cohorts and among nurses starting to smoke at earlier ages. The cessation rate increased substantially between 1963-73 compared with the period 1948-58.

Adult↗

A case-control study of risk indicators among women with premenopausal and early postmenopausal breast cancer.

Among 714 premenopausal and 130 postmenopausal breast cancer cases matched with 8440 controls for age in years and menopausal status, risk indicators for breast cancer were similar, although most associations were stronger in the premenopausal women. Compared with nulliparous women, the relative risk (RR) for those with first birth before age 25 years was 0.7 (95% confidence limits [CL] from 0.5 to 0.9) among premenopausal women, and 0.7 (0.4-1.4) for postmenopausal women. In the premenopausal cases, a history of breast cancer in a sister gave a RR of 3.0 (2.1-4.1) and in a mother 1.9 (1.4-2.5), whereas for the postmenopausal women the RRs were 1.4 (0.6-3.1) and 1.3 (0.6-2.6), respectively. Fibrocystic breast disease was also a significant predictor of subsequent breast cancer in the premenopausal and postmenopausal women. In relation to women having a single birth, premenopausal women with six or more births had a risk of breast cancer of 0.6 (0.4-1.0), which was present even after adjustment for age at first birth.

Age Factors↗

Cigarette smoking, relative weight, and menopause.

To examine the interrelationships of cigarette smoking, relative weight, and the occurrence of natural menopause, the authors prospectively evaluated the experience of 66,663 female US registered nurses who were premenopausal in 1976. Over a two-year period, 5004 women became post-menopausal. Current smokers were more likely than past or never smokers to develop menopause, although the effects of smoking diminished with age. The rate ratios of menopause for current smokers vs. never smokers (with 95% confidence limits) for women aged 30-39, 40-44, 45-49, and 50-55 years were 1.90 (1.10-3.28), 2.16 (1.73-2.69), 1.53 (1.41-1.67), and 1.20 (1.12-1.28). These rate ratios were not appreciably affected by adjustment for relative weight. Median ages at menopause were 52.4 for never smokers and 51.9, 51.0, 50.7, and 50.4 years for women who currently smoked 1-14, 15-24, 25-34, and 35 or more cigarettes per day. A crude linear relationship between relative weight and occurrence of menopause was observed. Comparing the leanest and heaviest quintiles, rate ratios for menopause among women aged 30-39, 40-44, 45-49, and 50-55 years were 1.42 (0.74-2.75), 1.26 (0.95-1.69), 1.25 (1.13-1.41) and 1.08 (0.99-1.19). The effect of relative weight was in part explained by the tendency of current smokers to weigh less than nonsmokers. After adjustment for current cigarette consumption a weak linear relationship between relative weight and menopause remained among women who smoked, although no such association was seen among nonsmokers.

Adult↗