Ching Hung Hsieh

Caffeic acid induces apoptosis in human cervical cancer cells through the mitochondrial pathway.

OBJECTIVE The anti-proliferation effect of caffeic acid (3,4-dihydroxycinnamic acid), isolated from Ocimum gratissimum Linn, on human cervical cancer cells (HeLa cells) was examined to elucidate the associated mechanism and death mode. MATERIALS AND METHODS Flow cytometry showed that caffeic acid treatment results in dramatically increased apoptosis of HeLa cells. Western blot analysis revealed that caffeic acid activates various processed caspases. RESULTS Caffeic acid significantly reduced proliferation of HeLa cells in a concentration-dependent manner. Morphological evidence of apoptosis, including nuclei fragmentation was clearly observed 24 and 48 hours after exposure to caffeic acid (1 mM and 10 mM) by flow cytometry. Time-dependent inhibition was also observed. Caffeic acid decreased levels of uncleaved caspase-3 and Bcl-2, and induced cleaved caspase-3 and p53. CONCLUSION Caffeic acid induces apoptosis by inhibiting Bcl-2 activity, leading to release of cytochrome c and subsequent activation of caspase-3, indicating that caffeic acid induces apoptosis via the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway. This also suggests that caffeic acid has a strong anti-tumor effect and may be a promising chemopreventive or chemotherapeutic agent.

Prevalence of and attitude toward urinary incontinence in postmenopausal women

To investigate the prevalence of urinary incontinence, and the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of Taiwanese women aged 60 years or older.

Risk factors for urinary incontinence in taiwanese women aged 20-59 years

OBJECTIVE To assess the risk factors for urinary incontinence among Taiwanese women. MATERIALS AND METHODS A sample of 4,549 women was selected using a multistage random sampling protocol. The women selected were interviewed face-to-face by well-trained interviewers. The usual risk factors, which included marital status, age, body mass index, menstrual status, alcohol intake, drug allergy, diabetes mellitus, hypertension and gynecologic events, were evaluated. The factors were assessed by frequency analysis and logistic regression analysis using a significance level of less than 0.05. RESULTS A total of 3,537 women were successfully interviewed, producing a response rate of 77.8% (3,735/4,549). The prevalence of urinary incontinence increased significantly with marriage (21.7%; 95% confidence interval, CI, 20.2-23.2), alcohol intake (24.9%; 95% CI, 19.3-30.5), drug allergy (24.5%; 95% CI, 19.9-29.2), diabetes mellitus (40.3%; 95% CI, 29.3-51.2), hypertension (30.1%; 95% CI, 23.8-36.4), body mass index (odds ratio, 1.05 per unit increase; 95% CI, 1.02-1.09) and a previous gynecologic operation (25.5%; 95% CI, 19.9-31.2). Age was also a risk factor for urinary incontinence (odds ratio, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.03-1.05), but there was no relationship between urinary incontinence and parity, route of delivery, smoking or menstrual status. CONCLUSION There is a high prevalence of urinary incontinence among women who suffer from diabetes or hypertension, or who have undergone a gynecologic operation, in particular hysterectomy. From a public health viewpoint, it is important to promote better health education in order to improve understanding of urinary incontinence and its risk factors and to increase the awareness of the availability of mainstream treatments.

Risk factors for nocturia in Taiwanese women aged 20-59 years

OBJECTIVE To assess the risk factors for nocturia among Taiwanese women aged 20-59 years. MATERIALS AND METHODS A random sample of 4,549 women aged 20-59 years was selected by multistage sampling. A total of 3,537 women were interviewed face-to-face by well-trained interviewers and local public health nurses. The definition of lower urinary tract symptoms used is that as defined by the International Continence Society. Variables of sociodemography, medical histories, obstetric and gynecologic histories, and lower urinary tract symptoms were recorded. The factors were assessed by frequency and logistic regression analyses using a significance level of less than 0.05. RESULTS The prevalence of nocturia increased significantly with age (p < 0.001), body mass index (p < 0.001), diabetes mellitus (p = 0.024), hypertension (p = 0.001), previous gynecologic operation (p = 0.003), drug allergy (p = 0.036), and marital status (p = 0.000). However, there was no relationship between nocturia and smoking, alcohol consumption, parity, hysterectomy, menopause or hormone therapy. CONCLUSION Although the answers to the etiology of nocturia are still not all known, nocturia has been associated with various factors, suggesting that multiple approaches are necessary in the treatment of patients with nocturia.

Analysis of Caffeic Acid Extraction From Ocimum gratissimum Linn. by High Performance Liquid Chromatography and its Effects on a Cervical Cancer Cell Line

OBJECTIVE Ocimum gratissimum is a herbal medicine and caffeic acid (3,4-dihydroxycinnamic acid) is one of its main components. Caffeic acid is known to control the levels of cholesterol and triglycerides, reduce the activity of cancer cells, and enhance immunity in the human body. The amounts of caffeic acid in herbal medicine and vegetable oils have not been reported in the literature since an analytical method has not yet been established. In this study, we explored the effects of caffeic acid treatment on anti-proliferation in HeLa cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS This paper presents a method of extraction of caffeic acid from O. gratissimum and Ju ZenTa (Ocimum basilicum L.) using high performance liquid chromatography. Treatment of HeLa cells with the extracted caffeic acid (10 mM) was analyzed. RESULTS We showed that caffeic acid isolated from several kinds of vegetables and from the herb of O. gratissimum had anti-proliferative effects on cervical cancer cell lines. Caffeic acid can significantly reduce the proliferation of HeLa cells in a time-dependent manner. CONCLUSION This paper shows that high performance liquid chromatography is a suitable analytical method for determining caffeic acid levels in O. gratissimum, Ju ZenTa, and several vegetable oils. Caffeic acid can suppress the proliferation of HeLa cells.

Risk factors for urinary incontinence in Taiwanese women aged 60 or over

To determine risk factors of urinary incontinence (UI) in Taiwanese women aged 60 or over, face-to-face interviews with 1,517 women, selected by a multistage random method, were completed. The prevalence of UI in this age group was 29.8%. Factors and their prevalence associated with UI were age [odds ratio (OR)=1.04 per year], diabetes mellitus (39.8%, p = 0.002), hypertension (39.5%, p = 0.001), abdominal gynecological surgery (41.4%, p = 0.001), hysterectomy (42.4%, p = 0.003), history of drug allergy (41.3%, p = 0.001), smoking (45.5%, p = 0.010), hormone replacement therapy (41.5%, p = 0.026), and high body mass index (OR = 1.05 per unit). Alcohol consumption and marriage did not increase the risk of UI. UI is a common and costly problem in elderly women. It diminishes the quality of life of the affected women. Of the associated factors that are preventable, modifiable, or controllable, smoking, prior hysterectomy, and obesity may have the greatest impact on the prevalence of UI.

Nocturia among women aged 60 or older in Taiwan

Background:  From a public health point of view, it is important to evaluate the prevalence of nocturia and to identify the associated factors for nocturia among the elderly that might impair the quality of life of sufferers. However, those among the Taiwanese female population aged 60 or older are still unclear.

Prevalence of and attitude toward urinary incontinence in Taiwanese women.

Most epidemiological studies of urinary incontinence (UI) have sampled populations composed almost exclusively of white women and they found a prevalence of 9—52%. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of UI among Taiwanese women aged between 20 and 59 years their knowledge attitude and practices (KAP) regarding UI. In coordination with the National Institute of Family Planning (NIFP) 4549 women from a population of 5.9 million were selected using a multistage random sampling design. Of these 3537 were interviewed by well-trained NIFP interviewers who obtained a response rate of 77.8%. The questionnaire included items on the women’s general background past history lower urinary tract symptoms and KAP regarding UI. (excerpt)

Serum ferritin levels and polycystic ovary syndrome in obese and nonobese women

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study is to evaluate serum ferritin levels and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)-related complications in obese and nonobese women. MATERIALS AND METHODS This retrospective study included 539 (286 with PCOS and 253 without PCOS). RESULTS Serum ferritin correlated with menstrual cycle length, sex hormone-binding globulin, total testosterone, androstenedione, triglyceride, and total cholesterol in both obese and nonobese women. Obese women with high ferritin levels exhibited higher insulin resistance, impaired glucose tolerance, and liver enzymes (glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, glutamic pyruvic transaminase) than obese women with low ferritin levels. However, among nonobese women, insulin resistance and risk of diabetes were not significantly different between the high and low ferritin groups. Independent of obesity, hypertriglyceridemia was the major metabolic disturbance observed in women with elevated serum ferritin levels. CONCLUSION Elevated serum ferritin levels are associated with increased insulin resistance and risk of diabetes in obese women but not in nonobese women. However, higher serum ferritin levels were correlated with a greater risk of hyperglyceridemia in both obese and nonobese women. Therefore, hypertriglyceridemia in women with PCOS might be associated with iron metabolism.

Hydrodistention plus bladder training versus hydrodistention for the treatment of interstitial cystitis

OBJECTIVE To assess the efficacy of hydrodistention (HD) followed by bladder training (BT) versus HD alone in patients with interstitial cystitis (IC). METHODS A total of 70 patients with IC were included and randomly assigned to two groups: one treated with HD (HD group) and the other treated with HD plus BT (HD plus BT group). Each patient was followed up using a weekly diary for 8 weeks after HD and monthly thereafter for 6 months after HD. Evaluation parameters included age, duration of IC in years, how many doctors visited before treatment, urgency, bladder pain, daytime voided volume per void, nocturnal volume per void, daytime voids per day, and nocturia per day. RESULTS Age, duration of IC in years, doctors visited before treatment, and voiding profiles of patients before treatments between the two groups did not show statistical significance. However, at 24 weeks after HD, the proportions of urgency, and bladder pain of the HD group versus the HD plus BT group were 43.48% versus 10.71% (p = 0.008), and 34.78% versus 14.29% (p = 0.086), respectively. Concurrently, the mean ± standard deviation of daytime voided volume per void, nocturnal volume per void, daytime voids per day, and nocturia per day of the HD group and HD plus BT group are 212.2 ± 114.2 mL and 300.1 ± 90.2 mL (p = 0.005), 276.8 ± 113.0 mL and 360.0 ± 129.6 mL (p = 0.018), 8.2 ± 3.2 and 6.2 ± 1.4 (p = 0.010), and 2.2 ± 1.2 and 1.5 ± 0.7 (p = 0.019), respectively. CONCLUSION HD followed by BT produced a statistically significantly better effect than HD alone in the treatment of patients with IC.