Biomedical subjects

F Figueras

Publications and source records attributed to F Figueras.

23 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed1999

Prevalence of bacterial vaginosis and correlation of clinical to Gram stain diagnostic criteria in low risk pregnant women.

The present study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of bacterial vaginosis, and the correlation of clinical Amsel criteria with Gram Nugent criteria for the diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis in a low risk population of pregnant women. Pregnant women under 28 weeks of gestation who were followed in the low risk clinics at two centers were evaluated for the presence of bacterial vaginosis using the Amsel clinical criteria, and underwent vaginal samples for Gram staining. Gram smears were examined for the diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis on the basis of Nugent's criteria. A total of 492 women were included in the study. Bacterial vaginosis was diagnosed in 1.6% (8/492) women on the basis of clinical criteria, and in 4.5% (22/492) according to Gram stain. The sensitivity and specificity of Amsel criteria compared with Gram stain were 35% and 99%, respectively. In accordance with other recent reports, the prevalence of bacterial vaginosis appears to be much lower in certain areas than figures previously suggested. In these populations, the correlation of composite clinical criteria defined in groups with high prevalence of bacterial vaginosis appears to be also poor.

Coloring Agents↗

PubMed1999

Long-term compliance with estrogen replacement therapy in surgical postmenopausal women: benefits to bone and analysis of factors associated with discontinuation.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate prospectively the effects of long-term estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) on bone density in surgical postmenopausal women treated for 5 years with two different modalities and to determine the factors associated with discontinuation of ERT. DESIGN: We included in the present study 165 women (mean age, 46.8 +/- 4.6 years) who had undergone surgical menopause. ERT was prescribed immediately after surgery, and bone mineral density was measured at the lumbar spine before the women entered the study and at 12, 24, 36, 48, and 60 months after being included. Treated patients were assigned at random to one of two groups. The first group received conjugated equine estrogens 0.625 mg/day continuously, and the second group received transdermal 17beta-estradiol 50 mg/day continuously. Treated groups were compared with a nontreated control group. RESULTS: Our data showed that although ERT clearly protected against bone loss in women who had experienced surgical menopause, only one third of the treated patients continued ERT at the end of follow-up. The main reason for discontinuation was fear of cancer (36.1 % of cases). In addition, no differences were observed between oral and transdermal groups of treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term ERT may have a protective effect against bone loss in surgically postmenopausal women; however, two thirds of treated patients discontinued therapy after 5 years and 43% of them presented a negative balance on bone mass in one or more bone density assessments. For this reason, enhancing compliance and monitoring treatment are mandatory.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗

PubMed1999

Two-year prospective and comparative study on the effects of tibolone on lipid pattern, behavior of apolipoproteins AI and B.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate long-term lipid and lipoprotein changes in postmenopausal women treated with tibolone in a prospective study using appropriate control groups. DESIGN: Seventy-six of 105 postmenopausal women initially selected for this study completed the 2-year follow-up. Patients were allocated into three groups. The first received 2.5 mg/day tibolone continuously (n = 27; group T), the second received 0.625 mg/day conjugated equine estrogen plus 2.5 mg/day of medroxyprogesterone (group E-P) continuously (n = 25), and a third group contained an additional 24 women who did not receive replacement therapy; these constituted the untreated control group (group C). Plasma lipids and lipoproteins were determined in all patients before joining the study and also at 12 and 24 months after being included. RESULTS: Women treated with tibolone experienced the greatest decreases in cholesterol, both total and high density lipoprotein (HDL), and triglycerides (TG), whereas the highest increase in HDL was observed in the group E-P. A decrease in low density lipoprotein levels was detected in both therapy groups, whereas a significant increase was observed in the control group. TG were increased after E-P therapy. In all the groups, apolipoprotein AI showed parallel trends to HDL and apolipoprotein B to low density lipoprotein. CONCLUSIONS: Both therapy groups, tibolone and E-P, induced changes in levels of plasma lipids, lipoproteins and apolipoproteins. Long-term tibolone treatment is associated with a marked and significant decrease in HDL apolipoprotein AI and TG, an effect that defines the major difference with standard HRT. Clearly, further studies are necessary to establish the definite risk/benefit ratio of tibolone with respect to its overall effect on lipid metabolism.

Anabolic Agents↗

PubMed1998

Facial wrinkling in postmenopausal women. Effects of smoking status and hormone replacement therapy.

BACKGROUND: There is some evidence that hormone replacement therapy may produce significant improvements in fine wrinkling, while aging skin is more frequently found in smokers. However, studies of the combined effect of a protective factor, such as HRT, and a damaging factor, such as smoking, are rare. OBJECTIVES: To determine in postmenopausal women the relationship between smoking status and the average number of packets of cigarettes since the subject took up smoking (packs-years) on the one hand, and facial wrinkling on the other, and to evaluate the role of hormone replacement therapy in the prevention of wrinkles in smokers and non-smokers. METHODS: All subjects were recruited from our menopause clinic at Hospital Clínic i Provincial in Barcelona and were placed into one of three groups according to their smoking status: 215 life-long non-smokers, 306 former smokers and 209 current smokers. Smoking status, pack-years and hormone replacement were assessed by direct questioning. Facial wrinkle scores were estimated by standardized visual assessment. RESULTS: The relative risk of moderate-severe wrinkling for current smokers compared to that for life-long non-smokers was 2.57 (confidence interval: 1.83-3.06; P < 0.0005). Pack-years was positively related to facial wrinkles. Life-long non-smokers receiving HRT had lower facial wrinkle scores than Life-long non-smokers who had never received HRT. HRT did not, in general, modify the facial wrinkle score in current smokers. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that the risk of facial wrinkles is greater in smokers and that HRT does not diminish this risk.

Adult↗

PubMed1998

Spontaneous recovery of bacterial vaginosis during pregnancy is not associated with an improved perinatal outcome.

BACKGROUND: Bacterial vaginosis in pregnant women is an established risk factor for premature labor, rupture of membranes, and preterm delivery, but information on its natural history during pregnancy is limited. METHOD AND MATERIAL: In this study, 635 pregnant women at less than 35 weeks' gestation were screened for bacterial vaginosis. RESULTS: The prevalence of bacterial vaginosis, as assessed by Gram stain examination of vaginal smears, was 19.7% (125/635). Ninety-two women were retested 4 to 8 weeks later, and bacterial vaginosis persisted in 51.1% (47/92). The incidence of preterm delivery was significantly increased in women with bacterial vaginosis at enrollment (RR 3.1, 95% CI: 1.8-5.4). However, the risk of prematurity was similar in women with or without a persistence of bacterial vaginosis. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis at any point during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of perinatal complications in spite of spontaneous recovery in subsequent examinations.

Abortion, Spontaneous↗