Biomedical subjects

D de Aloysio

Publications and source records attributed to D de Aloysio.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Uterine vascularization and pregnancy outcome in patients undergoing intracytoplasmatic sperm injection: the role of nitric oxide.

PURPOSE: To evaluate whether, after pituitary desensitisation, the impedance to flow in the uterine vessels may be an indicator of an ICSI programme outcome, and to test the relationship between intrafollicular nitric oxide and oocyte/embryo quality. METHODS: Thirty-eight women, on the basis of impedance to flow at the level of uterine artery, evaluated on the first day of COH, were divided in patients with normal (Pulsatility Index--PI, 2.5; Group II, n=27) PI values. The patients were submitted to hormonal, ultrasonographic and Doppler evaluations. Plasma and follicular fluid concentrations of nitrites/nitrate (NO(2) (-)/NO(3) (-)) were assayed. RESULTS: In the Group I, the impedance to flow remained lower than in Group II and was associated to good quality embryos and to a higher pregnancy rate. Follicular fluid NO(2) (-)/NO(3) (-) levels were inversely correlated with the embryo quality. The uterine artery PI and the pregnancy rate were inversely correlated. The PIs analysed on the day 1 of stimulation, were positively correlated with those registered on day 8 and on the day of ovum pick-up. CONCLUSIONS: A Doppler analysis done on day 1 of controlled ovarian hyperstimulation may be an useful indicator of ART outcome.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Transdermal HRT and Doppler findings in normotensive and hypertensive postmenopausal patients.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of transdermal hormone replacement therapy (HRT) on plasma viscosity, serum levels of thromboxane B2 (TXB2) and vascular impedance in the uterine, bladder wall, internal carotid and ophthalmic arteries in normotensive and hypertensive postmenopausal patients. METHODS: Thirty postmenopausal patients underwent continuous estradiol transdermal supplementation at a dose of 50 microg/day and 12-day courses of medroxyprogesterone acetate 10 mg/day every 2 months. The women were divided into two groups according to their blood pressure: normotensive women (Group 1, n=14) and hypertensive subjects (Group 2, n=16). Before starting HRT and after 6 months of therapy, the patients underwent: transvaginal ultrasonographic examination of the pelvic organs; Doppler examination of the blood flow velocities in the uterine, bladder wall, internal carotid and ophthalmic arteries; and analysis of plasma viscosity and plasma TXB2. RESULTS: After 6 months of HRT plasma viscosity had decreased in both groups (mean reduction in Group 1, (14+/-1)%, P=0.005; mean reduction in Group 2, (10+/-1)%, P=0.005) as had the TXB2 levels (mean reduction in Group 1, (93+/-2)%, P<0.001; mean reduction in Group 2, (92+/-3)%, P<0.001). The mean percentage reduction in plasma viscosity was smaller in hypertensive women than in normotensive women (P<0.05). There was also a significant reduction in vascular impedance in the uterine artery (mean reduction in Group 1, (16+/-1)%, P=0.005; mean reduction in Group 2, (19+/-1)%, P=0.005), the bladder wall arteries (mean reduction in Group 1, (23+/-2)%, P=0.005; mean reduction in Group 2, (18+/-1)%, P=0.005), the internal carotid artery (mean reduction in Group 1, (25+/-1)%, P=0.005; mean reduction in Group 2, (26+/-1)%, P=0.005) and the ophthalmic artery (mean reduction in Group 1, (24+/-2)%, P=0.005; mean reduction in Group 2, (16+/-1)%, P=0.005). The percentage reduction in vascular impedance did not differ significantly between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that transdermal HRT is effective in reducing plasma viscosity, TXB2 levels and vascular impedance in the peripheral and central vessels both in normotensive and hypertensive postmenopausal patients.

Administration, Cutaneous↗

PubMed2005

Female precocious puberty, obesity and polycystic-like ovaries.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the characteristics of obese girls with gonadotropin releasing hormone-dependent precocious puberty with and without polycystic-like ovaries. METHODS: Forty-seven overweight (> 75(th) centile of the Italian reference data) girls with a diagnosis of isosexual precocious puberty underwent auxological analysis, hormonal assay and utero-ovarian sonographic and Doppler evaluation. On the basis of sonography the patients were subdivided into two groups, girls presenting normal ovaries (Group I; n = 31) and those with polycystic-like ovaries (Group II; n = 16). RESULTS: The mean body weight was significantly higher (P = 0.003) in Group II than it was in Group I. In addition, the patients with polycystic-like ovaries fell within our definition of superobese (> or = 97(th) centile of the Italian reference data) in 44% of cases. The uterine and ovarian volumes were significantly greater in Group II compared with Group I patients. The Doppler evaluation showed intraparenchymal ovarian vascularization and low downstream impedance to flow in all patients in Group II. CONCLUSIONS: Girls with precocious puberty and polycystic ovaries, compared with those without polycystic ovaries, have a higher incidence of body weight exceeding the 85(th) centile of the Italian reference data (obesity).

Child↗

PubMed2004

Transdermal hormone replacement therapy and Doppler findings in normal and overweight postmenopausal patients.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of transdermal hormone replacement therapy on some biological cardiovascular risk factors, specifically the thromboxane B2 levels, plasma viscosity and the lipid profile. Furthermore, we investigated the Doppler flow modifications at the level of the uterine artery, the internal carotid, the ophthalmic and the bladder wall arteries, and we finally evaluated whether there were significant differences in the examined parameters between normal and overweight postmenopausal women. Forty-five postmenopausal women (mean age+/-standard deviation, 53.5+/-3.8 years) participated in the study and were divided into two groups (27 with a body mass index of < 25 kg/m2 and 18 with a body mass index of > 25 kg/m2). Patients were treated with a continous estradiol transdermal supplement and a 12-day course of medroxyprogesterone acetate every 2 months, and were studied at baseline and after 6 months (in the estrogen-only phase of the second cycle). Our results showed a beneficial effect of hormone substitution on plasma viscosity, thromboxane B2 levels and lipid profile after 6 months of therapy and significant improvements of Doppler flow parameters in the examined vessels. Furthermore, we observed a lower impact of the treatment in overweight women. In conclusion, obesity represents an additional cardiovascular risk condition and it can only partially be modified by the administration of hormone replacement therapy.

Administration, Cutaneous↗

PubMed2003

Embryonic production of nitric oxide and its role in implantation: a pilot study.

PURPOSE: To investigate the ability of human embryos to produce nitric oxide (NO) and correlate its production with embryo quality and pregnancy rate. METHODS: Twenty-three women participated in the study and were submitted to controlled ovarian stimulation and intracytoplasmic sperm injection. Embryos were singularly cultured in medium microdrops of 50 microL and were replaced, by transcervical transfer, at the 2- to 6-cell stage. In the culture media of each embryo the NO production was assessed by monitoring the levels of its stable oxidation products (nitrites/nitrates). RESULTS: All the 23 patients underwent embryo transfer. After microinjection 64 embryos were obtained. The mean number of transferred embryos was 2.61 +/- 0.46 and the pregnancy rate was 26%. The mean nitrite/nitrate concentrations of culture medium of each embryo was significantly higher (5.88 +/- 2.34 micromol/L) than in pure P-1 medium (0.81 +/- 0.21 micromol/L; p < 0.001) demonstrating an embryonic secretion of NO. Comparing pregnant (7.34 +/- 2.72 micromol/L) versus nonpregnant patients (5.53 +/- 1.49 micromol/L; p = 0.022), the mean nitrite/nitrate concentrations were significantly higher. Furthermore, the best quality embryos of pregnant women produced significantly higher nitrite/nitrate concentrations than those of not pregnant patients. CONCLUSIONS: It seems that NO production in nidating embryos is increased and that it may be primarily associated with a better morphology and a better growth potential of developing embryos.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

Determinants of age at menopause in Italy: results from a large cross-sectional study. ICARUS Study Group. Italian Climacteric Research Group Study.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the determinants of age at menopause in an Italian population, using data from the Italian Climacteric Research Group Study (ICARUS). METHODS: ICARUS is a prospective study of the effect of menopause on women's health that has been running in menopause clinics throughout Italy since 1995. A total of 4300 women with spontaneous menopause, aged 55 years or more and observed for the first time at the participating centres are included in the present analysis. RESULTS: The mean age at menopause in the total population was 50.9 years. After taking into account potential covariates, the women reported smoking, had a slightly lower mean age at menopause than non smokers 50.4 versus 50.9 years; P = 0.01. The mean age at menopause in nulliparae was 50.0 years, and, respectively 50.4, 50.6, 50.9, 51.2 and 50.9 years in those reporting 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 or more births (P < 0.01). A low body mass index and an early age at menarche were associated with early menopause in the crude analysis, but these associations disappeared after taking into account the confounding factors. CONCLUSIONS: This study offers an estimate of the mean age at menopause of women attending menopause clinics in Italy, on the basis of the data obtained from a large sample. It also indicates that smoking and nulliparity are associated with early menopause.

Age Factors↗

PubMed2000

Sociodemographic and clinical factors associated with HRT use in women attending menopause clinics in Italy.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this analysis is to find any association between the use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and sociodemographic and clinical factors among women attending 54 menopause clinics in Italy. METHODS: The analysis includes data relating to 17,851 women who attended one of 54 menopause clinics in Italy for general gynecological evaluations and counselling between 1995 and 1997. The characteristics of women reporting ever HRT use were compared with those of never users. The odds ratios (ORs) of HRT use were computed in relation to selected reference categories, together with their 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: Of the 17,851 women interviewed, 8539 reported ever HRT use. The mean age of the never and ever HRT users was 52.8 years and 53.7 years, respectively. Higher education was associated with an increased frequency of HRT use: in comparison with women reporting no or primary-/middle-school education, the OR of HRT use of women reporting a high-school diploma or university degree was 1.3 (95% CI 1.1-1.6). HRT use tended to be less frequently reported with increasing body mass index (BMI): in comparison with women whose BMI was < 23.4 kg/m2, the OR of HRT use in those with a BMI of 23.4-26.1 kg/m2 and > or = 26.2 kg/m2 was 0.8 (95% CI 0.8-0.9) and 0.6 (95% CI 0.5-0.7), respectively. Among the postmenopausal women, those who had undergone surgical menopause had an OR of HRT use of 1.3 (95% CI 1.2-1.4). A history of breast cancer was associated with a lower frequency of HRT use (OR 0.3, 95% CI 0.2-0.4). Likewise, a history of thromboembolic disease (OR 0.5, 95% CI 0.4-0.7) or myocardial infarction (OR 0.7, 95% CI 0.6-0.9) was associated with a lower frequency of HRT use. CONCLUSIONS: In our study population, the variable most closely related to HRT use was education/social class, thus underlining the impact of information campaigns on HRT and women's health. Among the medical determinants, our analysis indicates that a history of myocardial infarction, thromboembolic disease or breast cancer is associated with less frequent use of HRT.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

The effect of menopause on blood lipid and lipoprotein levels. The Icarus Study Group.

There is increasing evidence from epidemiological studies that exogenous estrogen (hormone replacement therapy) protects against the elevated risk of cardiovascular disease in women after the menopause. However, it is still uncertain whether the postmenopausal decrease in endogenous estrogen in itself contributes significantly to this increase in risk. Most of the studies that have provided evidence linking cardiovascular disease with menopause have involved North American women, who may differ significantly from Europeans in terms of lifestyle and diet. ICARUS (Italian Climacteric Research Group Study) is an observational study that involves Italian Menopause Clinics, with the objective of collecting observational data on menopause and its management. The results of a cross-sectional analysis of 9309 women, free from any hormonal treatment and enrolled up to March 1997, are reported here. Data show that the menopause has a marked effect on the circulating levels of lipids and lipoproteins. From pre- to post-menopause there are significant increases in total cholesterol (6.9% before and 4.4% after adjustment for covariates including chronological age, educational level, center, BMI, smoking habits, hypertension and diabetes, previous contraceptive use, and time since menopause), LDL (7.5% before, 4.0% after), and triglycerides (9.0% before, 3.2% (ns) after). However, there is no significant change in HDL. Among postmenopausal women, no effect on lipid profile of time since menopause was observed.

Cholesterol↗

PubMed1998

Bleeding patterns in recent postmenopausal outpatients with uterine myomas: comparison between two regimens of HRT.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate and to compare the bleeding patterns obtained with two regimens of hormone replacement therapy given to early postmenopausal women with asymptomatic uterine leiomyomas. METHODS: In this randomised prospective 1-year study 50 early postmenopausal women with one to four asymptomatic uterine leiomyomas were enrolled into two study-groups to take two regimens of hormone replacement therapy for 12 28-day cycles: (A) Tibolone, 2.5 mg/day; (B) conjugated equine estrogens (CEE), 0.625 mg/day plus medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA), 5 mg/day. The bleeding patterns and the changes in uterine volume of the 47 outpatients who completed the study were evaluated and compared. RESULTS: Amenorrhea incidence was higher in group A (75.0% of the cycles) than in group B (65.6% of the cycles), while irregular bleeding and irregular spotting incidences were higher in group B (29.7 and 4.7% of the cycles, respectively) compared to group A (22.6 and 2.4% of the cycles, respectively). The mean bleeding and spotting lengths were not statistically different between patients in group A and those in group B. Finally, at the end of the study period transvaginal ultrasonography showed no significant change in leiomyoma size. CONCLUSIONS: The results demonstrate that, in early postmenopausal patients with asymptomatic uterine leiomyomas, Tibolone treatment seems to be preferable compared to CEE-MPA continuous combined treatment in relation to the lesser occurrence of irregular bleeding. Furthermore, neither Tibolone nor CEE-MPA therapy, at the doses used here, promote fibroid growth.

Anabolic Agents↗

PubMed1998

[Postmenopausal osteoporosis in the Emilia-Romagna region. Extent of the problem].

BACKGROUND: The purposes of this paper are to summarise the epidemiological data concerning the frequency of postmenopausal osteoporosis and its related fractures in Emilia-Romagna, a province of northern Italy, and to determine the future impact of this disease. METHODS: To evaluate how many people suffer from postmenopausal osteoporosis it was decided to calculate the number of hospital admissions due to this disease or to its related fractures in postmenopausal women--included and excluded according to the ICD9-CM codes relative to the hospital discharges--during the years 1994 and 1995. RESULTS: The results show that incidence rates of these hospital admissions increase with age, as well as the number of osteoporotic fractures. Hip fractures, which represent a major problem due to their costs and consequences, are the more frequent osteoporotic fractures which need hospital admission, while it is possible that a large part of other fractures (which do not need hospitalisation or have been treated in private structures) has not been calculated. CONCLUSIONS: When projected to the population of women living in Emilia-Romagna in the future decade, also keeping the age-specific fracture rates constant, these data suggest that the occurrence of postmenopausal osteoporosis and of osteoporotic fractures will increase, with a dramatic escalation of economic and human costs. Finally, direct costs related to postmenopausal osteoporosis have been calculated for the decade 1995-2004.

Aged↗

PubMed1997

Three-year longitudinal study with quantitative ultrasound at the hand phalanx in a female population.

A longitudinal study was conducted to assess the value of quantitative ultrasound (QUS) measurement in predicting the risk of fracture and to evaluate how QUS parameters change with ageing and the climacteric. A group of 211 female subjects underwent assessment by QUS at the distal metaphysis of the first phalanx of the last four fingers of the hand on two occasions 3 years apart. The subjects were selected from outpatients attending the orthopaedic clinic, provided they were not affected by metabolic disease or under treatment with drugs known to interfere with bone metabolism. In vivo the coefficient of variation and the standardized coefficient of variation of the QUS device were respectively 0.5% and 3.5%. The correlation between the values of the amplitude-dependent speed of sound (AD-SoS) in the two measurements was r = 0.92. In 77.3% of the subjects during the observation period we recorded a reduction in AD-SoS. During the study 22 fractures were observed in peripheral sites, 8 of which were associated with 'low-energy trauma'. By multiple logistic regression analysis we found that the relative risk of fracture for a 1 SD reduction in AD-SoS was 1.5 (95% CI 1.1-1.7) (p < 0.03). The percentage of low-energy fractures significantly increased among those subjects with an AD-SoS value lower than 1850 m/s (T-score < -3.5) at the first examination (p <0.0001). QUS investigation proved to be especially sensitive to hormonal changes associated with the climacteric: we observed a mean decrease of 56 m/s in the AD-SoS for women who entered the menopause between the first and the second QUS test (average time since menopause 2 years), as against 10 m/s in subjects remaining premenopausal. In a group of 146 subjects with 'normal' Ad-SoS at the first examination, we observed a significant reduction in AD-SoS only after 40 years of age. This study demonstrates that measurement of the AD-SoS at the phalanx is reproducible, can be employed to assess the risk of fracture, and is able to detect age-related alterations in bone tissue.

Adult↗

PubMed1997

Bone effects of transdermal hormone replacement therapy in postmenopausal women as evaluated by means of ultrasound: an open one-year prospective study.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effectiveness of transdermal oestrogen replacement therapy plus medrogestone (HRT) in postmenopausal bone loss prevention by means of US. METHODS: We enrolled 112 healthy postmenopausal women in an open, prospective study. These women, after a gynaecological evaluation and an US assessment of the skeletal status, were advised to take cyclic sequential oestrogen/progestagen therapy: 50 microg/day of transdermal 17beta-oestradiol (Rotta Research Laboratorium) plus 5 mg/day of medrogestone, for 12 days per cycle (Wyeth-Ayerst). After 1 year we recalled these women: only 32 of them were taking HRT, while 49 had declined HRT without taking alternative therapies. The remaining women were excluded from the study as they were either unavailable for the check-up or they were taking prohibited therapies. We used DBM Sonic 1200 (Igea, Italy) to assess US parameter changes at phalanxes at enrollment and after 1 year. This device enabled us to evaluate US transmission velocity (AD-SoS) and US attenuation pattern (UBPS). In a previous study we had evaluated the intra- and inter-observer reproducibility of AD-SoS measurements (0.4 and 1.0% respectively). Using the same data we evaluated the intra- and inter-observer precision of UBPS. RESULTS: The UBPS intra-operator reproducibilities were 5.3% and 6.1% (for the 1st and the 2nd operator, respectively), while inter-observer precision was 8.8%. Both AD-SoS and UBPS significantly decreased in the non-user group(-0.7%, P < 0.001 and -14.3%, P < 0.001 respectively). In the user group AD-SoS showed a significant increase (+0.7%, P < 0.01), while a slight but significant decrease was observed for UBPS (-2.8%, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings show that the effectiveness of transdermal HRT in slowing or even arresting postmenopausal bone loss can be monitored by quantitative US studies. The trend difference observed between AD-SoS and UBPS with and without therapy is at least partially explained by a different response to HRT with regard to bone density as well as structure.

Administration, Cutaneous↗

PubMed1997

Plasma catecholamines in pre- and in postmenopausal women with mild to moderate essential hypertension.

The sympathetic nervous system (SNS) is thought to play an important role in the pathogenesis of essential hypertension and many studies have established a relationship between plasma levels of norepinephrine (NE) and epinephrine (E) and sympathetic nervous activity (SNA). Furthermore, it has been suggested that climacteric women are more exposed to psychosocial stress which can produce a transient rise in blood pressure (BP) and, with time, determine a hypertensive state. Plasma NE and E levels were measured at rest and after physiological stimulation (head-up tilt test) in 20 hypertensive (BP: 146 +/- 13/101 +/- 4 mm Hg) and in 20 normotensive women (BP: 132 +/- 7/85 +/- 4 mm Hg). Women in each of these two groups were further subdivided according to their climacteric status (10 premenopausal and 10 postmenopausal women). No difference in NE values at rest was found between groups and subgroups. During head-up tilt test, Ln NE plasma values increased in normotensive and hypertensive groups; the rise was significantly higher in hypertensive than in normotensive women (P < 0.01). In climacteric subgroups, Ln NE appeared markedly increased above resting levels in pre- and postmenopausal hypertensive women when their position was changed from supine to upright (P < 0.01). Since high plasma NE levels after stimulation (head-up tilt) are associated with sympathetic overactivity, we conclude that SNA is involved in the pathogenesis of essential hypertension in climacteric women.

Blood Pressure↗

PubMed1997

Bone density changes in postmenopausal women with the administration of ipriflavone alone or in association with low-dose ERT.

Ipriflavone is a synthetic flavonoid that has been shown to exert a direct inhibitory effect on osteoclastic activity and possibly stimulate the osteoblast activity in different experimental models. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of either ipriflavone alone or ipriflavone plus low dose hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in the prevention of postmenopausal bone loss. Patients were randomly allocated to different treatment groups receiving calcium (500 mg/day, control group), continuous HRT (25 or 50 micrograms/day of transdermal 17 beta-estradiol) plus medrogestone 5 mg/day for 12 days/month, ipriflavone at the standard dose of 600 mg/day, or finally ipriflavone 600 mg/day plus 17 beta-estradiol 25 micrograms/day plus medrogestone 5 mg/day for 12 days/month. No significant differences in basal levels of biochemical markers of bone turnover or in basal bone mineral density (BMD) values were evident in the different groups. In the control group after 12 months, spine BMD showed a significant (p < 0.05) 3.41% decrease. The pattern of BMD modification was significantly different from controls in the high dose HRT group (+1.84%), the ipriflavone group (+0.11%), and the combined ipriflavone/HRT group (-0.22%). Conversely, the BMD pattern in the low dose HRT group (-0.55%) was similar to that observed in controls. Thus, present results confirm that ipriflavone and 50 micrograms/day of transdermal 17 beta-estradiol are effective measures in the prevention of postmenopausal osteopenia. A lower transdermal estrogen dose is unable to increase the antiresorptive effect of ipriflavone and did not exert any further action in the prevention of postmenopausal osteopenia.

Administration, Cutaneous↗

PubMed1996

Ultrasound velocity changes at the proximal phalanxes of the hand in pre-, peri- and postmenopausal women.

We evaluated the bone tissue modifications which occur in pre-, peri- and postmenopausal women by means of an ultrasound (US) device which measures US propagation velocity in the distal metaphysis of the proximal phalanxes of the hand. Before starting the study, two operators assessed the in vivo short-term precision of the device in 12 volunteers, each measured 10 times (5 times by each operator). Then the US velocity in the dominant (DO) and non-dominant (ND) hand was measured in 228 women to evaluate whether there was a difference between US values measured at these sites. Finally, another selected group of 417 healthy pre-, peri- and postmenopausal women, aged from 40 to 65 years, was studied to evaluate the physiological climacteric changes in the US parameter measured: amplitude-dependent speed of sound (AD-SoS). In the 12 volunteers, intra- and inter-observer short-term precision (CV) was 0.4% (for both the operators) and 1.0%, respectively. DO and ND hand AD-SoS values (2074.1 +/- 63.8 m/s and 2077.1 +/- 65.5 m/s, respectively) proved to be highly correlated (r = 0.96, p < 0.0001) in the 228 women studied. AD-SoS distribution (417 subjects) was correlated with age, climacteric condition (premenopause with regular or irregular cycles and natural postmenopause) and body mass index (BMI). In premenopause (253 subjects) the US velocity was higher among women with regular cycles (2107.2 +/- 48.5 m/s) than among those with irregular cycles (2074.7 +/- 44.1 m/s) (p < 0.0001). In postmenopause (164 subjects) an inverse correlation between AD-SoS and the time elapsed since menopause was found (r = -0.42, p < 0.0001). Furthermore, age and BMI were shown to be inversely related to AD-SoS (r = -0.47, p < 0.0001 and r = -0.30, p < 0.0001, respectively) when evaluated in the whole study group. The results obtained confirm that US transmission at the phalanxes is sensitive to pre-, peri- and postmenopausal bone changes. Further studies are needed to evaluate its ability to predict osteoporotic fracture risk.

Adult↗

PubMed1996

Premenopause-dependent changes.

The authors retrospectively evaluated 1,773 climacteric outpatients in order to establish: (a) criteria able to distinguish different conditions in the transitional phase before menopause (advanced fertile age and premenopause) and (b) premenopause-related changes during the transition from one to the other of several clinical and laboratory parameters. Results showed an increase in gonadotropin plasma levels, a decrease in estrogen plasma levels and a greater frequency of women complaining of hot flushes in premenopause compared to advanced fertile age, as an expression of the progressive decline of ovarian function. Premenopause-related changes were a decrease in thyroid function and an increase in the body mass index, the beginning of bone loss, an increase in glucose, total cholesterol and triglyceride serum levels and a greater frequency of women complaining of hypertension and urinary stress incontinence. An increase in total proteins, uric acid and aminotransferase serum levels was also noted.

Adult↗

PubMed1995

Climacteric symptoms and control of the cycle in women aged 35 years or older taking an oral contraceptive with 0.150 mg desogestrel and 0.020 mg ethinylestradiol.

In a multicenter prospective trial, 58 healthy women aged between 35 and 49 years were studied for one year (639 cycles) while taking an oral contraceptive (OC) containing desogestrel 0.150 mg and ethinylestradiol (EE) 0.020 mg. Efficacy, control of the cycle, side effects, complaints, and climacteric symptoms were monitored after 3, 6, 9 and 12 cycles. No pregnancies occurred during the study period. Spotting gradually decreased from 29.3% in cycle 1 to 4.2% in cycle 12, while breakthrough bleeding (BTB) disappeared after cycle 7. One case of superficial thrombophlebitis and 3 cases of minor side effects were registered. With regard to the complaints, breast tenderness, headache, and depression gradually decreased during the study (basal vs. 12-month data: 50.9% vs. 31.2%, 48.3% vs. 18.7%, 39.6% vs. 20.8%, respectively), while nausea disappeared after three months. A significant treatment-dependent reduction of climacteric symptoms was obtained after cycle 3 and this tendency was maintained up to cycle 12. No changes were registered in body mass index (BMI) or blood pressure.

Adult↗

PubMed1995

The combined effect of a GnRH analog in premenopause plus postmenopausal estrogen deficiency for the treatment of uterine leiomyomas in perimenopausal women.

Thirty-four perimenopausal women with uterine leiomyomas were treated with intramuscular injections of leuprolide acetate depot each 28 days for 6 cycles, and 12 of them after 168 days of no medication underwent a second 6-month therapy cycle. At the end of the observation period the expected improvement during treatment was maintained at cessation of therapy in 15 patients, due to the effect of the natural postmenopausal estrogen deficiency. Only 3 women underwent hysterectomy, due to the regrowth to baseline values of uterine size. It is concluded that the therapy with gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogs in perimenopause offers an effective alternative to surgery in the treatment of uterine leiomyomas.

Drug Administration Schedule↗