Aspirin increases the risk of death by 23% in type II diabetic patients

This study was published in Diabetes Care 2003 Dec;26(12):3264-72

Study title and authors:
Primary prevention of cardiovascular events with low-dose aspirin and vitamin E in type 2 diabetic patients: results of the Primary Prevention Project (PPP) trial.

Sacco M, Pellegrini F, Roncaglioni MC, Avanzini F, Tognoni G, Nicolucci A; PPP Collaborative Group.
Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Epidemiology, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Consorzio Mario Negri Sud, S. Maria Imbaro (CH), Italy.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14633812

The study investigated the effects of aspirin on death rates in people with type II diabetes. The study included 1,031 people with diabetes who were followed for an average of 3.7 years. The patients were allocated to receive either 100 mg/day aspirin or no aspirin.

The study found:
(a) The patients taking aspirin therapy had a 23% increase in total death rates compared to the patients not taking aspirin.
(b) The patients taking aspirin therapy had a 23% increase in cardiovascular disease death rates compared to the patients not taking aspirin.

This study shows how aspirin increases the risk of death in type II diabetic patients.

Links to other studies:
Does aspirin increase the risk of heart disease and stroke?
Aspirin provides NO benefit for patients who have or are at risk of heart disease
Fifteen-fold increase of gastrointestinal tract bleeding with regular aspirin intake

Statins increase the risk of colon adenomas by 54%

This study was published in the Journal of gastrointestinal cancer 2011 Sep 6

Study title and authors:

Association of Type 2 Diabetes and Colon Adenomas.

Eddi R, Karki A, Shah A, Debari VA, Depasquale JR.

Division of Gastroenterology, Seton Hall University School of Health and Medical Sciences, South Orange, NJ, USA, rodney_eddi@yahoo.com.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21894459

An adenoma is a benign tumor (-oma) of glandular origin. Adenomas can grow from many organs including the colon, adrenal glands, pituitary gland, thyroid, prostate, etc. Although these growths are benign, over time they may progress to become malignant, at which point they are called adenocarcinomas. Even while benign, they have the potential to cause serious health complications by compressing other structures (mass effect) and by producing large amounts of hormones in an unregulated, non-feedback-dependent manner (paraneoplastic syndrome).

The thiazolidinediones also known as glitazones, are a class of medications used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

This study, which lasted 3 years, of 783 people (of which 261 had adenomas) sought to determine (i) the association between type 2 diabetes and colon adenomas and (ii) factors that increase the risk of adenomas.

The study found;
(i) Those who had diabetes had a 45% increased risk of developing colon adenomas.
(ii) Factors that increased the risk of adenomas included:
(a) Exposure to insulin increased the risk of adenoma by 73%.
(b) Exposure to thiazolidinediones increased the risk of adenoma by 183%.
(c) Exposure to smoking increased the risk of adenoma by 47%.
(d) Use of aspirin increased the risk of adenoma by 59%.
(e) Use of statins increased the risk of adenoma by 54%.

To conclude: This study shows a significant association between type 2 diabetes and colon adenomas. Colon adenomas are shown to be associated with smoking and various pharmaceutical drugs such as statins, aspirin and thiazolidinediones. Colon adenomas have the potential to cause serious health complications including progressing to become cancerous.