EPIGIST: An observational real-life study on patients with metastatic gastrointestinal stromal tumors receiving imatinib.

Background: Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are rare, but represent the most common mesenchymal neoplasms of the gastrointestinal tract. EPIdemiology GIST, is an observational multicenter longitudinal follow-up cohort study reporting the prescribing patterns of imatinib in patients with GIST and the impact of the treatment in a real-world (standard clinical) setting.

Methods: Eligible patients had a confirmed diagnosis of unresectable or metastatic KIT-positive GIST and started treatment with imatinib for the first time between May 24, 2002, and June 30, 2010.

[Low bone mineral density in children with Crohn's disease].

Unlabelled: Recent studies have reported low bone mineral density in children with Crohn's disease. The aims of this retrospective study were to quantify its frequency and to search for risk factors.

Population And Methods: Bone mineral density of 29 children with Crohn's disease was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry.

[Vascular risk and menopause: role of hormone replacement therapy].

Rationale: Menopause dramatically increases cardiovascular risk in women who lack the protecting effects of estrogens. This emphasizes the importance of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) which, until recently, was considered beneficial in spite of the heterogeneous nature of clinical studies. Such a benefit was supposed to result from the favorable effects of estrogens, including lipid lowering and a complex vasodilating action including the improvement of vascular endothelial function.