Inflammation is an essential component of the first phase of anastomotic wound healing, and it is suppressed by corticosteroids. The anti-inflammatory effect of corticosteroids is largely responsible for the impairment of wound healing in bowel anastomosis. It has been reported that local application of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) improves the healing process in dermal wounds. In the present study, we investigated the effects of locally injected GM-CSF on anastomotic wound healing in long-term corticosteroid treated rats. Eighty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized into four groups. (1) control, (2) steroid, (3) steroid + local GM-CSF, (4) steroid + systemic GM-CSF. In groups 2, 3, and 4, methylprednisolone (5 mg/kg) was injected IM daily for 14 days. After 14 days, following anesthesia and laparotomy, colonic anastomosis was performed 3 cm away from the peritoneal reflection. In group 3, 50 mg GM-CSF was injected into the perianastomotic area. In group 4, 50 mg GM-CSF was applied subcutaneously. On postoperative day 3, repeat laparotomies were performed and bursting pressures, hydroxyproline levels, and histopathology examinations were studied. The mean values of bursting pressures and hydroxyproline levels in group 3, treated with steroid + local GM-CSF, were significantly higher than that of the group 2 and group 4 values. In the histopathology examination, the mean score of group 3 was significantly higher than that of groups 2 and 4. Our study indicates that local application of GM-CSF significantly improves the impaired anastomotic wound healing in rats treated with long-term corticosteroid.

A hospital-based case-control study was carried out among 504 women with breast cancer and 610 controls to analyse the risk factors for breast cancer in Turkey. Adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for each risk factor were obtained from logistic regression analysis. Risk factors for breast cancer were found to be long-term lactation (> or = 5 years versus never OR 0.31, 95% CI 0.12-0.79), young age at menarche (< 15 years versus > or = 15 OR 1.72, 95% CI 1.30-2.28), late age at first full-term pregnancy (> or = 30 versus < 20 OR 2.86, 95% CI 1.32-6.21), oral contraceptive use (ever versus never OR 1.51, 95% CI 1.10-2.08), positive family history (positive versus negative OR 2.81, 95% CI 1.35-5.82), and menstrual irregularity (yes versus no OR 1.61, 95% CI 1.05-2.49). The results of the present study will lead to a better understanding of the risk factors for breast cancer in a developing country.

Obstructive jaundice leads to bacterial translocation (BT) by disruption of the gut barrier, intestinal microecology, and impaired host immune defence. The objective of the present study is to investigate the effects of different enteral nutrients on BT that is induced by obstructive jaundice in rats. Eighty male Wistar-Albino rats were randomly assigned into 4 groups. Group 1: 20 rats underwent laparotomy, common bile duct (CBD) was not actually ligated and transected, but sham ligation of CBD was performed. Groups 2–4: 60 rats underwent laparotomy, CBD ligation and transection. Group 1 and 2 rats were given rat chow, group 3 rats were fed a glutamine and arginine supplemented enteral diet, and group 4 rats were fed an arginine, m-RNA and ω-3 supplemented enteral diet, an immunonutrient. Rats in groups 3 and 4 had significantly less BT to mesenteric lymph nodes compared to rats in group 2 (p = 0.001). These findings suggest that oral administration of an arginine and glutamine supplemented diet and immunonutrition reduce BT in rats with obstructive jaundice.

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