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  • Original Article
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Components of variation in serum carotenoid concentrations: the Polyp Prevention Trial

Abstract

Objectives:

The intra- and interindividual variations and season and center effects were estimated from a series of serum carotenoid concentrations in the Polyp Prevention Trial (PPT) participants.

Subjects/Methods:

Fasting blood was collected annually for 4 years in all 1905 participants, and a subcohort of 901 participants were selected within each (of eight) center(s), by gender and dietary arm of the study, for measurement of five major carotenoid peaks. Using variance of component methods, the variation in serum carotenoid concentrations about the underlying mean was partitioned into explanatory components attributed to various sources.

Results:

The contributions of the inter- and intraindividual variances to the overall variation in carotenoid concentrations were in the range of 61–70 and 20–35%, respectively, whereas center and center-by-season effects provided 2.6–9.5 and 0.2–1.4%, respectively. The highest percent (35%) of intraindividual variation was exhibited by lycopene, and the highest percent (70% apiece) of interindividual variation was exhibited by lutein/zeaxanthin and β-carotene. Serum lycopene had the highest ratio of intra- to interindividual variation of 0.57, whereas lutein had the lowest ratio of 0.29. We estimate that the ratio of intra- to interindividual variance around the mean carotenoid concentration can be reduced greatly by collecting 3–4 compared to 1 blood measurement in large-scale trials like the PPT.

Conclusion:

In the largest study of components of variation in individuals at high risk for colorectal cancer, the largest contributors to variation in serum carotenoid concentrations were intra- and interindividual effects followed by center and center-by-season effects.

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Correspondence to M R Forman.

Appendix

Appendix

Participating Centers for the Polyp Prevention Trial: The members of the Polyp Prevention Study Group participated in the conduct of the Polyp Prevention Trial. However, the data presented in this paper and the conclusions drawn from them are solely the responsibility of the listed co-authors.

National Cancer Institute: Schatzkin A, Lanza E, Corle D, Freedman LS, Clifford C, Tangrea J; Bowman Gray School of Medicine: Cooper MR, Paskett E, Quandt S, DeGraffinreid C, Bradham K, Kent L, Self M, Boyles D, West D, Martin L, Taylor N, Dickenson E, Kuhn P, Harmon J, Richardson I, Lee H, Marceau E; University of New York at Buffalo: Lance MP, Marshall JR (currently University of Arizona), Hayes D, Phillips J, Petrelli N, Shelton S, Randall E, Blake A, Wodarski L, Deinzer M, Melton R; Edwards Hines, Jr. Hospital, Veterans Administration Medical Center: Iber FL, Murphy P, Bote EC, Brandt-Whittington L, Haroon N, Kazi N, Moore MA, Orloff SB, Ottosen WJ, Patel M, Rothschild RL, Ryan M, Sullivan JM, Verma A; Kaiser Foundation Research Institute: Caan B, Selby JV, Friedman G, Lawson M, Taff G, Snow D, Belfay M, Schoenberger M, Sampel K, Giboney T, Randel M; Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center: Shike M, Winawer S, Bloch A, Mayer J, Morse R, Latkany L, D’Amato D, Schaffer A, Cohen L; University of Pittsburgh: Weissfeld J, Schoen R, Schade RR, Kuller L, Gahagan B, Caggiula A, Lucas C, Coyne T, Pappert S, Robinson R, Landis V, Misko S, Search L; University of Utah: Burt RW, Slattery M, Viscofsky N, Benson J, Neilson J, McDivitt R, Briley M, Heinrich K, Samowitz W; Walter Reed Army Medical Center: Kikendall JW, Mateski DJ, Wong R, Stoute E, Jones-Miskovsky V, Greaser A, Hancock S, Chandler S; Data and Nutrition Coordinating Center (Westat): Cahill J, Hasson M, Daston C, Brewer B, Zimmerman T, Sharbaugh C, O’Brien B, Cranston L, Odaka N, Umbel K, Pinsky J, Price H, Slonim A; Central Pathologists: Lewin K (University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA), Appelman H (University of Michigan); Laboratories: Bachorik PS, Lovejoy K (Johns Hopkins University); Sowell A (Centers for Disease Control); Data and Safety Monitoring Committee: Greenberg ER (Chair) (Dartmouth University); Feldman E (Augusta, Georgia); Garza C (Cornell University); Summers R (University of Iowa); Weiand S (through June 1995) (University of Minnesota); DeMets D (beginning July 1995) (University of Wisconsin).

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Forman, M., Borkowf, C., Cantwell, M. et al. Components of variation in serum carotenoid concentrations: the Polyp Prevention Trial. Eur J Clin Nutr 63, 763–770 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2008.26

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2008.26

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