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1. Alcohol Consumption, Lipoprotein Particle Size and Associated Lower Risk of CHD2. Low Vitamin D Levels in Healthy People Despite Abundant Sun Light3. Media Registration for ENDO 2007 Annual Meeting in Toronto June 2-54. New Patient Fact Sheet on Diabetes and Incretin-based Therapy Available from Hormone Foundation

1. Alcohol Consumption, Lipoprotein Particle Size, and Associated Lower Risk of Heart Disease

Findings from a study of healthy older adults suggest that alcohol's effect on lipoprotein particle size may play a role in the relationship between alcohol intake and lower risk for coronary heart disease. In the study, alcohol consumption was associated with larger lipoprotein particle sizes and a lower prevalence of small LDL and HDL particles.

High-density lipoproteins (HDL) are sometimes called good cholesterol, or HDL-C. High levels of HDL-C seem to protect against cardiovascular diseases while low HDL cholesterol levels are associated with increased risk for heart disease. Low-density lipoproteins (LDL) are commonly referred to as bad cholesterol since high LDL levels are associated with cardiovascular disease.

Recently, researchers have begun to look at how the size and number of the individual HDL and LDL particles influence the risk of heart disease. High concentrations of small LDL particles are associated with earlier and more severe cardiovascular disease events and death, and small HDL particles seem to be less protective than larger ones.

In the study, average particle sizes of all three lipoproteins were positively associated with alcohol intake in a cross-sectional analysis of 1,850 participants of the Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS) aged 65 years and older and free of clinical cardiovascular disease.

People who consumed one or more drinks per week had the highest number of large LDL particles, while consumers of 7-13 drinks per week had the lowest number of small LDL particles. Alcohol consumption was strongly positively associated with large and medium sized HDL particles, but had an inverse relationship with concentrations of small HDL particles and small and medium sized Very Low Density Lipoprotein (VLDL) particles (a third, potentially harmful type of particle).

This paper has been published online and will appear in the July 2007 issue of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, a publication of The Endocrine Society.

TitleAlcohol Use and Lipoprotein Subclasses

AuthorsKenneth J. Mukamal, Division of General Medicine and Primary Care, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA; R.H. Mackey, Lewis H. Kuller, Department of Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA; R.P. Tracy, Department of Pathology, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT; R.A. Kronmal, Department of Biostatistic, University of Washington, Seattle, WA; M.A. Mittleman, Division of General Medicine and Cardiology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA; Department of Pathology, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT; D.S. Siscovick, Departments of Epidemiology, and Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA

2 Low Vitamin D Levels in Healthy People Despite Abundant Sun Exposure

Vitamin D is often called the "sunshine vitamin" because it is naturally produced by the body when exposed to the Sun's ultraviolet rays. A new study suggests, however, that even people who receive abundant Sun exposure (nearly 30 hours per week) may still suffer from low serum levels of vitamin D. The researchers measured a form of vitamin D known as 25-hydroxyvitamin, commonly written as 25(OH)D.

"Low vitamin D status is very common and can contribute to the development of osteoporosis and rickets," said Dr. Neil Binkley of the University of Wisconsin Osteoporosis Clinical Research Program, Madison, and principal author of the study. "Low levels of vitamin D may also play a role in certain cancers, multiple sclerosis, hypertension, and diabetes."

Researchers conducted a study of 93 adults in Hawaii with self-reported Sun exposure of 28.9 hours per week. Of the 93 participants (30 women and 63 men), 47 (51 percent) had low levels of vitamin D. No correlation was found between serum 25(OH)D and age, lightest or darkest skin color, hours per week of Sun exposure without sunscreen, sun index, total hours of Sun exposure per week, or body mass index (BMI).

The researchers suggest the common clinical recommendation to allow Sun exposure to the hands and face for 15 minutes a day may not assure vitamin D sufficiency.

This paper has been published online and will appear in the June 2007 issue of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, a publication of The Endocrine Society.

Title:Low Vitamin D Status Despite Abundant Sun Exposure

Authors:Neil Binkley, University of Wisconsin Osteoporosis Clinical Research Program, Madison, WI; R. Novotny, Human Nutrition, Food and Animal Sciences, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI; D. Krueger, T. Kawahara, University of Wisconsin Osteoporosis Clinical Research Program, Madison, WI; Y. G. Daida, Human Nutrition, Food and Animal Sciences, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI; G. Lensmeyer, Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI; B. W. Hollis, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC; M. K. Drezner, University of Wisconsin Osteoporosis Clinical Research Program, Madison, WI

3. Media Registration for ENDO 2007 Annual Meeting in Toronto June 2-5

Members of the media are invited to register to attend The Endocrine Society's 89th Annual Meeting. ENDO 2007 will be held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, located at 255 Front Street West in Toronto, Ontario, from Saturday-Tuesday, June 2-5, 2007. Approximately 7,000 researchers, scientists and clinicians from around the world are expected to attend this premier meeting of hormone research and endocrinology.

Benefits of registration include access to press materials, pre-registration for Web casts and the opportunity to pre-schedule interviews with key researchers and thought leaders in endocrinology.

Eligibility for press registration:Working press employed by bona fide news media with a press card, business card, or letter of introduction from an editor of a recognized publication. Freelance writers with current membership cards from the American Medical Writers Association or the National Association of Science Writers; evidence of by-lined work pertaining to science, health, medicine, or biomedical research intended for the general public and published within the past two years; or a letter of assignment from a recognized publication.

Public information officers of scientific societies, medical associations, educational institutions, and government agencies.

4. New Patient Fact Sheet on Diabetes and Incretin-based Therapy Available from Hormone Foundation

The Hormone Foundation has published a bilingual (English/Spanish) fact sheet on diabetes and incretin-based therapy. This new publication describes incretin-based drug therapies that improve the effects of the incretin GLP-1 in controlling blood sugar in patients with type 2 diabetes. The two therapies described are incretin mimetics, such as exenatide, which mimic the way GLP-1 works in the body, and DPP-IV inhibitors, which slow the natural breakdown of GLP-1, allowing GLP-1 to last and act longer in the body. The new fact sheet can be located online at .