Estudio asocia a la dieta con riesgo de endometriosis

Study links diet to endometriosis risk

Endometriosis
August 2, 2004

2004 AUG 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) – Las mujeres podrían disminuir el riesgo a padecer de endometriosis comiendo más frutas frescas y vegetales verdes.Por el contrario,comer carne roja y jamón aparentemente aumenta el riesgo, según investigadores de Milán, Italia.

Women may be able to lower their risk of endometriosis by eating more fresh fruit and green vegetables. But, eating red meat and ham appears to increase their risk, say researchers in Milan, Italy.

Estos investigadores sugieren que se haga un estudio prospectivo para investigar otras asociaciones entre la dieta y la endometriosis.Estos resultados fueron publicados el 15 de julio de 2004 en la revista científica Human Reproduction. (Selected food intake and risk of endometriosis. Human Reprod, 2004;19(8): 1755-1759).

They are calling for a prospective study to investigate further the possible links between diet and endometriosis. Their findings were published in the July 15, 2004, issue of the journal Human Reproduction (Selected food intake and risk of endometriosis. Human Reprod, 2004;19(8):1755-1759).

Endometriosis es una condición dolorosa e incapacitante en la que tejido de endometrio, el cual en condiciones normales se encuentra dentro del útero, crece fuera del útero y se adhiere a ligamentos y órganos en la cavidad abdominal. Este tejido responde al ciclo menstrual como si estuviera dentro del útero. El crecimiento y desintegración del tejido que ocurre de manera cíclica mensualmente en el abdomen puede causar hemorragias, dolor, inflamación, adherencias e infertilidad. Se estima que endometriosis afecta 5 de cada 100 mujeres en Italia y probablemente en el resto de Europa.

Endometriosis is a painful and distressing condition whereby endometrial tissue, which under normal circumstances is found only in the lining of the womb, develops outside the uterus and attaches itself to ligaments and organs in the abdominal cavity. This tissue responds to the menstrual cycle as though it were still inside the uterus. The repeated growth and disintegration of endometrial tissue in the abdomen can cause bleeding, pain, inflammation, adhesions and infertility. It is estimated to affect up to 5 in every 100 women in Italy and probably in the rest of Europe.

Los investigadores utilizaron cuestionarios y entrevistas para comparar el historial reproductivo, clínico y de estilos de vida de más de 500 pacientes de endometriosis con un grupo de más de 500 mujeres sin la enfermedad.

The researchers used interviews and structured questionnaires to compare the medical and reproductive history, lifestyle and diet of over 500 women with clinically confirmed endometriosis with a group of over 500 matched controls with no history of the disease.

El investigador principal del estudio, Fabio Parazzini, de la Clínica Ginecológica de la Universidad de Milán, explicó: “Le preguntamos a mujeres acerca de su dieta en el año previo. En particular, queríamos saber cuántas veces a la semana comían porciones de ciertos alimentos que son fuente de retinoides y carotenoides en la dieta italiana. También les preguntamos sobre su consumo de alcohol y café. Encontramos que había una reducción relativa de 40% en el riesgo de endometriosis en mujeres con consumo alto de vegetales verdes y frutas frescas. Pero, en aquellas mujeres con consumo alto de carne roja y jamón, vimos un aumento de 80 a 100% en riesgo relativo a padecer endometriosis”.

Lead researcher Fabio Parazzini from the Gynecologic Clinic of the University of Milan, explained: "We asked women about their diet in the year leading up to the interview. In particular, we asked how many times a week they ate portions of selected dietary items, including the major sources of retinoids and carotenoids in the Italian diet. We also asked about their alcohol and coffee consumption. "We divided their intake into portions approximating to low, intermediate and high intake of the various dietary factors," he continued. "What we found was that there was a 40% relative reduction in risk of endometriosis in women with higher consumption of green vegetables and fresh fruit. But, for those with a high intake of beef, other red meat and ham, there was an increase of about 80-100% in relative risk.”

“Con una prevalencia de 5% en Italia, esto quiere decir que si nuestros hallazgos son confirmados en estudios prospectivos, tendríamos el potencial de bajar la prevalencia de endometriosis a un 3 o 4%, lo cual representa aproximadamente 200,000 casos (y cerca de 10,000 nuevos casos al año) menos en Italia, y unos 800,000 casos menos en Europa”, dijo Parazzini.

"With a prevalence of 5% in endometriosis in Italy, this means that if our findings are confirmed in prospective studies, we have the potential to cut the prevalence of endometriosis to around 3-4%, which would mean about 200,000 prevalent cases (and about 10,000 new cases a year) fewer in Italy and probably 800,000 fewer prevalent cases in Europe," Parazzini said.

No se encontró una asociación significativa entre endometriosis y el consumo de leche, hígado, zanahorias, quesos, pescado, granos, café o alcohol, y no hubo asociación con mantequilla, margarina o aceites.

There was no significant link between endometriosis and consumption of milk, liver, carrots, cheese, fish, whole-grain foods, coffee or alcohol, and there was no association with butter, margarine or oil.

Parazzini comentó sobre las limitaciones del studio: la sección de dieta estaba restringida a unos pocos indicadores de alimentos, y no habían estimados del tamaño de las porciones (por lo tanto no había un estimado del total de calorías consumidas). Sin embargo, como ni los entrevistadores ni la mayoría de las pacientes sabían que el propósito del estudio era investigar el rol de la dieta en la endometriosis, este factor no debería afectar los resultados, dijo.

Parazzini noted some limitations to the study: the diet section was restricted to a few selected indicator foods, and there was no estimate of portion size (therefore no estimate of the total intake in calories). However, because the possible relationship between diet and endometriosis was probably not known to the interviewers or the majority of women interviewed, this was unlikely to have biased the results, he said.

Es poco probable que la asociación entre vegetales, frutas y carnes con endometriosis sea el resultado del azar, ya que los investigadores analizaron varios componentes de la dieta, de acuerdo a Parazzini. Sin embargo, es posible que exista un efecto “mujer saludable”, ya que el consumo alto de vegetales y frutas son indicadores generales de una actitud pro salud. Además, aquellas mujeres que prestan atención especial a su salud tienen mayor probabilidad de que le diagnostiquen endometriosis.

The association between vegetables, fruit and meat was unlikely to be a result of chance, because the researchers analyzed several dietary items, according to Parazzini. However, it was possible there was a "healthy woman" effect, as a high intake of green vegetables, fruit and fish may be generally indicators of more health-conscious attitudes. Also, women who paid closer attention to their health were probably more likely to have endometriosis diagnosed.

“Sin embargo, a pesar de estas limitaciones, nuestro estudio sugiere que hay una relación entre la dieta y el riesgo a sufrir de endometriosis e indica que necesitamos hacer estudios intervencionales a largo plazo para poder estudiar estos factores. Endometriosis es una condición que afecta la calidad de vida de muchas mujeres, y si se pueden hacer ajustes en la dieta para bajar el riesgo entonces es vital que obtengamos evidencia firme acerca de cuáles alimentos protegeny cuáles aumentan el riesgo a endometriosis”, concluyó Parazzini.

"However, despite these limitations, our study does suggest that there is some link between diet and risk of endometriosis and indicates that we now need a proper prospective interventional investigation to study these factors. Endometriosis is a distressing condition that affects the quality of life for many women and if there are adjustments that can be made in the diet to lower the risk it is vital that we gain really firm evidence about which foods protect and which foods increase risk," Parazzini concluded.

This article was prepared by OBGYN & Reproduction Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2004, OBGYN & Reproduction Week via NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net.

Traducción libre por Idhaliz Flores, PhD.