Aspirin Therapy and Seniors'\Sexual Activity

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Physician's First Watch for December 7, 2010
David G. Fairchild, MD, MPH, Editor-in-Chief


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Daily Aspirin Associated with Reduced Cancer Mortality in Meta-Analysis

Sex Remains Important to Many Elderly Men

NIH Issues Guidelines on Managing Food Allergies

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Daily Aspirin Associated with Reduced Cancer Mortality in Meta-Analysis


Daily aspirin use confers a reduction in risk for death from several common cancers, in addition to its known benefit on colorectal cancer risk, according to a Lancet meta-analysis.


Researchers pooled data from eight studies including some 25,000 individuals assigned to daily aspirin or control therapy for at least 4 years. (The studies originally investigated aspirin's effects on cardiovascular events.)


Overall, aspirin recipients showed a lower odds ratio for cancer deaths during the trials; when individual patient data were available (on some 23,500 patients), the decrease appeared only after 5 years of aspirin use. The apparent benefit increased with duration of treatment, was not related to daily dose, and seemed confined to adenocarcinomas (e.g., esophageal and lung).


In three U.K. trials, cancer registries were used to extend follow-up to establish 20-year risks, which remained lower among aspirin recipients even after the end of their trial participation.


Lancet article (Free abstract)

Physician's First Watch coverage of study showing link between low-dose aspirin and reduced colorectal cancer risk (Free)





Sex Remains Important to Many Elderly Men


Roughly half of elderly men consider sex to be at least somewhat important to them, according to an Annals of Internal Medicine study.


Some 3000 community-dwelling men aged 75 to 95 in Australia completed questionnaires about sexual activity and health conditions. (The men also underwent sex-hormone measurement several years earlier.)


Among the findings:


Overall, 30% reported having sex in the previous year; the prevalence was highest among the youngest men (40% among 70- to 79-year-olds vs. 11% among 90- to 95-year-olds).
Of those who reported being sexually active, more than half were satisfied with the frequency.
Independent predictors of not being active included a diagnosis of prostate cancer, osteoporosis, or diabetes; antidepressant or beta-blocker use; and lack of interest or physical limitations of one's partner.
Higher free testosterone levels were associated with increased odds of activity.

Annals of Internal Medicine article (Free abstract)

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