title: Platinum concentration and platinum oxidation states in body fluids, tissue, and explants from women exposed to silicone and saline breast implants.
abstract: Comments on a previous study necessitate a response on our part. Descriptive statistics were the most appropriate statistical tool for data analysis, given the small number of samples studied, and conclusions based on inferential statistics applied to the control subsets would have been inappropriate. Cross-study comparisons and drawing conclusions based on the published literature are commonly used standard methods for exposure analysis and interpretation. No oxidation artifacts were observed for the digestion conditions used. Since standards only exist for Pt 0, +2, and +4, Pt +1, +3, +5, and +6 were inferred. We hypothesize that the catalyst may be deteriorating due to the interaction at 37 degrees C with miscelles of mainly unsaturated fatty acids. The miscelles, through hydro-phobicity, may dissociate the aged Pt catalyst from the silicone cross-linkage and facilitate migration into the tissues. The conclusions, that the study was the most comprehensive report to show that women exposed to silicone breast implants have Pt levels that exceed that of the general population, and the first report to show oxidized forms of Pt present in samples from exposed women, are entirely supported by the data and are robust.
authors.affiliation: ExperTox, Inc., Deer Park, TX 77536, USA.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lykissa
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Maharaj
mesh_terms: D018427:Breast Implants; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010984:Platinum / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D020034:Silicone Gels / Q000032:analysis; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D020034:Silicone Gels; D010984:Platinum