naturopathydigest.com -- Critical Research

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Critical Research

Critical Research is a regular feature in Naturopathy Digest. Each month, we provide abstracts from studies published in the top peer-reviewed journals; each abstract includes the complete citation and an online link to the journal. Whenever possible, this link directs you to a page where you can order the full text of the study, if desired.

A systematic review of the role of hydrolyzed infant formulas in allergy prevention.

Tiffani Hays, MS, RD, LN; Robert A. Wood, MD

Objective: To critically examine the published literature to determine whether feeding hydrolyzed infant formulas from birth has a role in allergy prevention.
Data Sources: We identified data through a MEDLINE search using allergy prevention and infant formulas as indexing terms. The search was restricted to 1985 through the present, English-language articles, and human subjects.
Study Selection: Criteria for inclusion in the review were prospective controlled trials published in peer-reviewed journals.
Data Extraction: Symptoms of allergy were defined and observed by health care providers (physicians and nurses).
Data Synthesis: Nine published trials evaluated the use of extensively hydrolyzed formulas, 12 evaluated the use of partially hydrolyzed formulas in high-risk infants, and 1 evaluated the use of partially hydrolyzed formulas in an unselected infant population. The reports compared hydrolyzed formulas with breastfeeding, cow's milk formulas, soy formulas, and combinations thereof. The cohort of studies consistently showed reductions in the cumulative incidence of atopic disease from 12 to 60 months of age among high-risk infants fed extensively hydrolyzed casein formulas or partially hydrolyzed whey formulas vs. cow's milk formulas. No studies showed an increase in allergy risk with any hydrolyzed formulas.
Conclusions: Extensively hydrolyzed casein formulas and partially hydrolyzed whey formulas are appropriate alternatives to breast milk for allergy prevention in infants at risk. Because atopic disease in children cannot be predicted, the use of these formulas in the general population should be considered, and one must weigh cost, compliance, and long-term benefits.
Source: Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine September 2005;159(9):810-816.

Maternal vitamin D status during pregnancy and childhood bone mass at age 9 years: a longitudinal study.

MK Javaid, SR Crozier, NC Harvey, CR Gale, EM Dennison, BJ Boucher, NK Arden, KM Godfrey, C Cooper - The Princess Anne Hospital Study Group

Background: Vitamin D insufficiency is common in women of childbearing age and increasing evidence suggests that the risk of osteoporotic fracture in adulthood could be determined partly by environmental factors during intrauterine and early postnatal life. We investigated the effect of maternal vitamin D status during pregnancy on childhood skeletal growth.
Methods: In a longitudinal study, we studied 198 children born in 1991-1992 in a hospital in Southampton, U.K.; the body build, nutrition, and vitamin D status of their mothers had been characterised during pregnancy. The children were followed up at age 9 years to relate these maternal characteristics to their body size and bone mass.
Findings: Forty-nine (31%) mothers had insufficient and 28 (18%) had deficient circulating concentrations of 25(OH)-vitamin D during late pregnancy. Reduced concentration of 25(OH)-vitamin D in mothers during late pregnancy was associated with reduced whole-body (r=0.21, p=0.0088) and lumbar-spine (r=0.17, p=0.03) bone-mineral content in children at age 9 years. Both the estimated exposure to ultraviolet B radiation during late pregnancy and the maternal use of vitamin D supplements predicted maternal 25(OH)-vitamin D concentration (p<0.0001 and p=0.0110, respectively) and childhood bone mass (p=0.0267). Reduced concentration of umbilical-venous calcium also predicted reduced childhood bone mass (p=0.0286).
Interpretation: Maternal vitamin D insufficiency is common during pregnancy and is associated with reduced bone-mineral accrual in the offspring during childhood; this association is mediated partly through the concentration of umbilical venous calcium. Vitamin D supplementation of pregnant women, especially during winter months, could lead to long- lasting reductions in the risk of osteoporotic fracture in their offspring.
Source: The Lancet, Jan. 7, 2006;367(9504):36-43.

Green tea consumption and serum malondialdehyde-modified LDL concentrations in healthy subjects.

Reiko Hirano-Ohmori, PhD; Rie Takahashi, MS; Yukihiko Momiyama, MD, PhD; et al.

Objective: Green tea was shown to inhibit LDL oxidation, platelet aggregation, and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) activities in vitro. We tried to elucidate whether or not green tea consumption may have these effects in vivo, which may be protective against atherosclerotic disease.
Methods: We measured serum malondialdehyde-modified LDL (MDA-LDL) concentrations and urine 8-epi-prostaglandin (PG) F in 22 healthy male nonsmokers. They drank 7 cups/day of water for 2 weeks and drank 7 cups/day of green tea for the next 2 weeks. Regarding platelet aggregation, plasma thromboxane B₂ (TXB₂) and 6-keto-PGF concentrations and ex vivo platelet aggregation were evaluated. Plasma MMP-2 and -9 concentrations were also measured.
Results: Of the 22 subjects, 20 had been in the habit of drinking green tea before the study. Plasma catechins concentrations significantly decreased at the end of the water period and then increased at the end of the green tea period. Although no change in plasma LDL-cholesterol concentrations (110 +/- 33 vs. 113 +/- 28 mg/dL, p = NS) was found, MDA-LDL concentrations (84 +/- 45 vs. 76 +/- 40 IU/L, p < 0.05) and the ratio of MDA-LDL/LDL-cholesterol (0.74 +/- 0.21 vs. 0.65 +/- 0.20, p < 0.02) significantly decreased at the end of the green tea period. However, no significant changes were observed in urine 8-epi-PGF concentrations, in platelet aggregation, nor in plasma TXB₂, 6-keto-PGF or MMP concentrations.
Conclusion: Daily consumption of green tea decreased serum MDA-LDL concentrations, but it had no significant effects on platelet aggregation, platelet TX production or plasma MMPs concentrations. Our results suggest that green tea consumption may inhibit LDL oxidation in vivo.
Source: Journal of the American College of Nutrition 2005;24(5):342-46.

Topical honey application vs. acyclovir for the treatment of recurrent herpes simplex lesions.

Noori S. Al-Waili

Background: The objective of this research was to investigate the effect of the topical application of honey on recurrent attacks of herpes lesions, labial and genital, as compared to acyclovir cream.
Material/Methods: Sixteen adult patients with a history of recurrent attacks of herpetic lesions, 8 labial and 8 genital, were treated by topical application of honey for one attack and acyclovir cream for another attack.
Results: For labial herpes, the mean duration of attacks and pain, occurrence of crusting, and mean healing time with honey treatment were 35%, 39%, 28% and 43% better, respectively, than with acyclovir treatment. For genital herpes, the mean duration of attacks and pain, occurrence of crusting, and mean healing time with honey treatment were 53%, 50%, 49% and 59% better, respectively, than with acyclovir. Two cases of labial herpes and one case of genital herpes remitted completely with the use of honey. The lesions crusted in 3 patients with labial herpes and in 4 patients with genital herpes. With acyclovir treatment, none of the attacks remitted, and all the lesions, labial and genital, developed crust. No side-effects were observed with repeated applications of honey, whereas 3 patients developed local itching with acyclovir.
Conclusions: Topical honey application is safe and effective in the management of the signs and symptoms of recurrent lesions from labial and genital herpes.
Source: Medical Science Monitor 2004;10(8):MT94-98.

Antibiotic use in relation to the risk of breast cancer.

Christine M. Velicer, PhD; Susan R. Heckbert, MD, PhD; Johanna W. Lampe, PhD, RD; John D. Potter, MD, PhD; Carol A. Robertson, RPh; Stephen H. Taplin, MD, MPH

Context: Use of antibiotics may be associated with risk of breast cancer through effects on immune function, inflammation, and metabolism of estrogen and phytochemicals; however, clinical data on the association between antibiotic use and risk of breast cancer are sparse.
Objective: To examine the association between use of antibiotics and risk of breast cancer.
Design, Setting and Participants: Case-control study among 2,266 women older than age 19 years with primary, invasive breast cancer (cases) enrolled in a large, nonprofit health plan for at least 1 year between January 1, 1993, and June 30, 2001; and 7,953 randomly selected female health plan members (controls), frequency-matched to cases on age and length of enrollment. Cases were ascertained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results cancer registry. Antibiotic use was ascertained from computerized pharmacy records.
Main Outcome Measure: Association between extent of antibiotic use and risk of breast cancer.
Results: Increasing cumulative days of antibiotic use were associated with increased risk of incident breast cancer, adjusted for age and length of enrollment. For categories of increasing use (0, 1-50, 51-100, 101-500, 501-1000, and greater/equal 1001 days), odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) for breast cancer were 1.00 (reference), 1.45 (1.24-1.69), 1.53 (1.28-1.83), 1.68 (1.42-2.00), 2.14 (1.60-2.88), and 2.07 (1.48-2.89) (P<.001 for trend). Increased risk was observed in all antibiotic classes studied and in a subanalysis having breast cancer fatality as the outcome. Among women with the highest levels of tetracycline or macrolide use, risk of breast cancer was not elevated in those using these antibiotics exclusively for acne or rosacea (indications that could be risk factors for breast cancer due to altered hormone levels), compared with those using them exclusively for respiratory tract infections, adjusted for age and length of enrollment (odds ratio, 0.91; 95% confidence interval, 0.44-1.87).
Conclusions: Use of antibiotics is associated with increased risk of incident and fatal breast cancer. It cannot be determined from this study whether antibiotic use is causally related to breast cancer, or whether indication for use, overall weakened immune function, or other factors are pertinent underlying exposures. Although further studies are needed, these findings reinforce the need for prudent long-term use of antibiotics.
Source: Journal of the American Medical Association, Feb. 18, 2004;291:827-835.