The authors of a study published in the May 1, 2006 issue of the journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology estimate that 43 percent of the increased cardiovascular mortality that occurs with type 2 diabetes (T2D) is due to inflammation and endothelial dysfunction, rather than conventional cardiovascular risk factors such as hypertension, obesity and disordered lipids.

Researchers in the Netherlands evaluated 631 participants in the Hoorn study, a study of glucose tolerance and cardiovascular disease in men and women aged 50 to 75. Subjects were examined upon enrollment and followed up for an average of 11.7 years during which the cause of any deaths was ascertained. Blood samples were tested for markers of endothelial dysfunction and low-grade inflammation as well as homocysteine, cholesterol, and triglycerides. Additionally, data on blood pressure, weight, height, smoking status, glucose tolerance and other factors was obtained. Participants were classified as having normal glucose metabolism, impaired glucose metabolism, or type 2 diabetes.

Low-grade inflammation was associated with both type 2 diabetes and impaired glucose metabolism, while endothelial dysfunction was associated only with diabetes. Over the follow-up period, low-grade inflammation increased the risk of cardiovascular mortality by 43 percent. Among diabetics, the presence of endothelial dysfunction was associated with an 87 percent higher risk of cardiovascular mortality compared to those without the condition.

"T2D-associated endothelial dysfunction and low-grade inflammation can explain approximately 43% of the higher cardiovascular mortality risk conferred by T2D," the authors conclude. "These data emphasize the necessity of randomized controlled trials of strategies that aim to decrease cardiovascular disease risk by improving endothelial function and decreasing low-grade inflammation, especially in T2D, for which endothelial dysfunction is particularly ominous and for which both endothelial dysfunction and low-grade inflammation are highly prevalent."

In an article published online in advance of print in the Annals of Neurology researchers funded in part by the National Institutes on Aging reported an association between consuming a Mediterranean diet and having a lower risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. The Mediterranean diet contains high amounts of fruits, vegetables, legumes and grains, some fish and alcohol, and less meat and dairy products. Recent research has revealed a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and certain cancers associated with this pattern of eating.

Nikolaos Scarmeas of Columbia University Medical Center and his New York team conducted the current study of 2,258 men and women enrolled in the Washington Heights-Inward Columbia Aging project. Participants were free of dementia at the beginning of the study, and were followed for an average of four years. Medical and neurological histories were obtained, and physical and neurological examinations were conducted at the beginning of the study and every 18 months to determine whether dementia had developed. Dietary questionnaires completed by the participants were evaluated to determined how closely the subjects followed a Mediterranean diet, and participants were scored from 0 to 9 according to their adherence.

Two hundred sixty-two subjects were diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease over the follow-up period. Subjects whose diet adherence scores were among the top third of participants had a 40 percent lower risk of developing Alzheimer's disease than those in the lowest third, while those whose scores fell in the middle third experienced a 15 percent lower risk. The response to the diet appeared to be dose-dependent, with each Mediterranean diet score point associated with a reduction in Alzheimer's disease risk of 9 to 10 percent.

"We conclude that higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet is associated with a reduction in risk for Alzheimer's disease," the authors write.

The annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research held in Washington, DC, was the site of a presentation on April 5, 2006 by Shivendra Singh, PhD of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine of the discovery that compounds found in cruciferous vegetables are able to arrest the growth of human prostate cancer tumors implanted into mice. Cruciferous vegetables are a family of vegetables that include broccoli, watercress, cabbage and cauliflower, and have been associated with cancer preventive benefits in a number of studies.

The University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute researchers grafted human prostate tumor tissue into mice, followed by the oral administration of a small quantity of phenethyl-ITC (PEITC), a type of isothiocyanate that is generated in cruciferous vegetables when they are cut or chewed. The amount of the compound given to the animals was equivalent to concentrations achievable human diets.

After 31 days of treatment, the team found that PEITC induced apoptosis, or programmed cell death, in cancerous cells. Mice in whom tumors were implanted who did not receive the compound had an average tumor volume that was 1.9 times greater than those who received PEITC.

Dr Singh commented, "The contribution of diet and nutrition to cancer risk, prevention and treatment have been a major focus of research in recent years because certain nutrients in vegetables and dietary agents appear to protect the body against diseases such as cancer. From epidemiologic data, we know that increased consumption of vegetables reduces the risk for certain types of cancer, but now we are beginning to understand the mechanisms by which certain edible vegetables like broccoli help our bodies fight cancer and other diseases. Our next step is to design clinical trials to determine the efficacy of PEITC for prostate cancer prevention in men."