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G Vlassis

Publications and source records attributed to G Vlassis.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Ultrasound-guided embryo transfer maximizes the IVF results on day 3 and day 4 embryo transfer but has no impact on day 5.

BACKGROUND: The use of ultrasound-guided embryo transfer has been reported to affect success rates in some centres but not others. In a prospective study, we examined the influence of ultrasound guidance in embryo transfer performed on different days after oocyte retrieval. METHODS: Two different methods of embryo transfer were evaluated in 1069 consecutive transfers. The ultrasound-guided embryo transfer was used in 433 cases, whereas 636 embryo transfers were performed with the tactile assessment ('clinical feel') method. RESULTS: Ultrasound-guided embryo transfer yielded a higher overall pregnancy rate than the 'clinical feel' approach, 47 versus 36% (P < 0.001). This difference was statistically significant where embryos were transferred after 3 or 4 days of culture, 45.9 versus 37.1% (P = 0.001) and 42.3 versus 27% (P = 0.035) respectively but not significant (P = 0.112) on day 5 embryo transfer (56.3 versus 45.7%). Likewise, the implantation rate was significantly different between the two groups on day 3 and 4 embryo transfer, 23.3 versus 15.8% (P < 0.01) and 21.6 versus 15.7% (P < 0.05%) respectively but no statistical difference was noted on day 5 embryo transfer, 26.7 versus 23.6%. CONCLUSION: Ultrasound assistance in embryo transfer on day 3 and 4 significantly improved pregnancy rates in IVF but had no impact on day 5.

Culture Techniques↗
PubMed2000

Prenatal diagnosis of epignathus in the first half of pregnancy: a case report and review of the literature.

Congenital teratomas of the oral cavity commonly present as tissue masses projecting from the mouth. The important prognostic determinants are: the age of presentation, technical problems during surgical removal of the mass, associated anomalies, and the nature of the composing tissues. This study reports one case of epignathus (an extremely rare oropharyngeal teratoma) that was diagnosed by ultrasonography at 19 weeks of gestation and reviews the relevant literature.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Effect of treatment with GnRH agonists on new markers of bone metabolism.

To assess the utility of new markers in monitoring bone turnover during treatment with GnRH agonists, alkaline phosphatase (total and bone specific) and urinary N-telopeptides were measured. 16 women undergoing treatment with GnRH agonists for endometriosis or leiomyomas were studied before and 3 months after the onset of treatment. N-telopeptide levels increased significantly (44% of baseline, p < 0.05). Bone specific alkaline phosphatase (BALP), measured with a new ELISA assay, was more elevated (40% of baseline, p = 0.001) than total ALP (15% of baseline, p < 0.001). In conclusion, in estrogen deficiency states, urinary N-telopeptide measurements provide a quantitative measure of bone resoption. In the assessment of bone formation, BALP determination is move sensitive than total ALP and this may be clinically useful.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗
PubMed1998

The window for embryo transfer in oocyte donation cycles depends on the duration of progesterone therapy.

In 192 oocyte donation cycles performed between January 1993 and July 1996, we examined the width of 'the window for embryo transfer' using standard hormonal replacement methods. All transfers were performed within 48 h of insemination. We varied the day of embryo transfer with regard to the initiation of progesterone therapy and, thus, the duration of endometrial exposure to progesterone and analysed the resulting pregnancy rates. Patients were divided into five groups (I-V) and embryo transfers were performed 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 days following initiation of progesterone therapy. The number of pregnancies per transfer cycle achieved in groups I-V were 0 (0%), 3 (12%), 16 (40%), 29 (48.3%), and 10 (20.4%) respectively. The increased pregnancy rate in group III in comparison to group II is statistically significant (P < 0.03). Furthermore, the pregnancy rate in group IV (5 days of progesterone administration before embryo transfer) was significantly higher than in group V (6 days of progesterone administration before embryo transfer; P < 0.005). We also noted that, when embryos were transferred 4 or 5 days after initiation of progesterone therapy, the pregnancy rates were not significantly different between menopausal and cycling recipients (50% vs 43.7%). Our results indicate that the window for embryo transfer is dependent on duration of treatment with progesterone; it begins approximately 48 h after starting progesterone administration and lasts for approximately 4 days. The optimum period for transferring embryos at the 4- to 8-cell stage corresponds to cycle days 18 and 19. Transfers performed on the 17th and 20th days of the cycle can result in successful implantation, although the rates of implantation are highest when transfers are done on days 18 and 19.

Abortion, Spontaneous↗
PubMed1998

Unexpected increase of the CA 19-9 tumour marker in patients with endometriosis.

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the ovarian function of women with endometriosis could be identified by serologic concentration of the oncofetal antigen CA 19-9 before, during and after treatment for 6 months with danazol. A total of 15 women with endometriosis, 20-40 years old, were studied. The serum CA 19-9 antigen was measured by immunoradiometric assay. The measurement of CA 19-9 was repeated during the last 15 days of a 6-month therapy period with danazol and after 3 months from the end of the therapy in only seven women. It was found that: 1) Eight out of 15 women (53.3%) showed higher CA 19-9 values than the upper normal limit. 2) Danazol caused a significant decrease in the antigen values which remained stable after the cessation of therapy. This data suggests that endometriosis should be classified among other diseases which cause an increase in the serum levels of CA 19-9 and that ovarian function is related to antigen levels.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Decreased sensitivity to insulin during treatment with danazol in women with endometriosis.

The aim of this study was to verify to what extent danazol alters insulin sensitivity. To this end, insulin tests were performed before the application of danazol and during the last 15 days of a six-month treatment with this agent on nine women, from 21 to 37 years of age, who had endometriosis. The same test was also performed on nine healthy women, 21 to 35 years of age, in whom laparoscopy did not reveal endometriosis or other pelvic pathology. It was found that the total response of glucose to insulin was significantly lower in women with endometriosis during treatment with danazol than it was in the same women before the application of this agent or in normal women too. Our results support the view that danazol induces resistance to insulin.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

The evaluation of morphological abnormalities of human spermatozoa in fertile and infertile men.

Spermatozoal morphology in semen from 114 fertile men, 107 infertile men with varicocele and 35 infertile men with infection of the accessory genital organs, aged from 18 to 53 years were evaluated by Papanicolaou-stained smears in order to investigate: (a) the frequency of abnormalities in the neck and tail of spermatozoa with an abnormal head and (b) the ability of prediction of the morphology of one sperm part when the morphology of another part is known. The investigation showed that: (1) morphological abnormalities in the neck are significantly higher (P < 0.001, P < 0.01), when the head was abnormal, compared to spermatozoa with a normal head in fertile men and in men with varicocele, respectively; (2) morphological abnormalities in the tail are also higher (0.05 < P < 0.1) in spermatozoa with an abnormal head in men with infection; (3) the proportional reduction of error (PRE) was low in all cases. Our results show that spermatozoa with abnormal heads more often present morphological abnormalities of their counterparts compared to spermatozoa with normal heads. Nevertheless, no prediction can be made on the nature of the morphology of a part of a spermatozoon on the basis of knowledge of its morphology of another part.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

PRL, TSH and their response to the TRH test in patients with endometriosis before, during, and after treatment with danazol.

Ten patients suffering from endometriosis were treated with danazol at a dose of 200 mg three times daily for 6 months. For evaluation of prolactin (PRL) and TSH secretion, a TRH test was carried out in the follicular phase before treatment, during the 6th month of treatment and after the reappearance of the second menses. The same test was also performed, only once, in the follicular phase of 10 normal women. The absence of a significant difference in the basal PRL levels as well as its response to the TRH test between controls and patients with endometriosis before and after danazol treatment supports the view that hyperprolactinemia should not be considered a cause of infertility in endometriotic women. Furthermore, there were no statistically significant changes in the basal levels of serum TSH during danazol treatment. On the contrary, in the TRH test, the response of serum TSH was significantly higher during danazol treatment than before or after treatment.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Coexistence of spermatozoa morphological abnormalities in the semen of subfertile men with varicocele.

Spermatozoal morphology in semen specimens from 107 subfertile men with varicocele, aged from 18 to 50 years, were evaluated from Papanicolaou-stained smears, in order to investigate: (a) the frequency of abnormalities in the neck and tail of spermatozoa with an abnormal head; and (b) the ability of prediction of the morphology of one sperm part when the morphology of another is known. It was found that: (1) Morphological abnormalities in the neck are significantly more frequent (p less than 0.01) in spermatozoa with an abnormal head than in spermatozoa with a normal head. (2) Morphological abnormalities in the tail and cytoplasmic droplet are also more frequent, although not significantly, in spermatozoa with an abnormal head. (3) The proportional reduction in error (PRE) was low in all cases. Our results show that spermatozoa with abnormal heads present morphological abnormalities of their other parts more often than spermatozoa with normal heads. However, no prediction can be made on the nature of the morphology of a part of a spermatozoon on the basis of knowledge of the morphology of another of its parts.

Acrosome↗
PubMed1988

Serum levels of the oncofetal antigens CA-125, CA 19-9 and CA 15-3 in patients with endometriosis.

The levels of the oncofetal antigens CA-125, CA 19-9 and CA 15-3 were measured in serum samples taken from 8 women, aged 21 to 37 yr, before treatment, during the last fifteen days of a 6-month administration of danazol and finally three months after treatment withdrawal. The purpose of the study was to investigate: i) whether endometriosis belongs to the pathologic conditions which induce a concomitant increase in the values of CA-125, CA 19-9 and CA 15-3, and ii) the effect of danazol on the levels of these antigens. Our results indicate that before danazol treatment, three women showed pathologic levels of all three antigens, one of CA 19-9 and CA 15-3, one of CA 19-9 alone, and two of CA 15-3 alone. Administration of the drug significantly reduced the levels of CA-125 (p less than 0.001) and CA 19-9 (p less than 0.05) and to a lesser degree the levels of CA 15-3. Three months after danazol treatment discontinuation, the levels of these three antigens remained significantly lower (p less than 0.05) than the respective pretreatment values. Our findings substantiate the view that endometriosis must be classified with the pathologic conditions which induce a rise in the levels of all three antigens, and that ovarian function mainly influences the levels of CA-125 and CA 19-9.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Coexistence of spermatozoa morphological abnormalities in the semen of potentially fertile men.

Spermatozoal morphology in semen specimens from 114 potentially fertile men, aged from 20 to 40 years, was evaluated from Papanicolaou stained smears, in order to investigate: (a) the frequency of abnormalities in the neck and tail of spermatozoa with an abnormal or normal head, and (b) the ability of prediction of the morphology of one sperm part when the morphology of another is known. It was found that: (1) Morphological abnormalities in the neck are significantly higher (p less than 0.001) in spermatozoa with an abnormal head than in spermatozoa with a normal head. (2) Morphological abnormalities in the tail and cytoplasmic droplet are also higher, although not significant, in spermatozoa with an abnormal head. (3) The proportional reduction in error (PRE) was low in all cases. Our results show that spermatozoa with abnormal heads more often present morphological abnormalities of their other parts than spermatozoa with normal heads. However, no prediction can be made on the nature of the morphology of a part of a spermatozoon on the basis of knowledge of the morphology of another of its parts.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Methods of prenatal determination of fetal maturity based on differentiation of the fetal skin during the last weeks of pregnancy.

During the process of 'maturation' of the fetal skin, detachment of the layer of vernix caseosa takes place from the fetal epidermis into the amniotic fluid, in the course of the last weeks of pregnancy. This results in: (a) a change of the cytological image of the amniotic fluid followed by a considerable increase in the proportion of the keratinized epidermic cells, (b) a simultaneous increase in the turbidity of the amniotic fluid and (c) a parallel increase in the quantity of sediment which remains after centrifugation of the amniotic fluid. The data presented in this paper, measured in 87 samples of amniotic fluid from normal, eutrophic, uncomplicated pregnancies, indicate the difference between the values of the various parameters before and after the main detachment of the vernix caseosa. Since the fetal skin is the organ reflecting most accurately the general status of the fetal maturity at the end of pregnancy, we consider that an overall examination of findings from the amniotic fluid indicating the condition of the fetal skin supplies us with reliable results for making a prenatal prediction of the maturity status of the fetus.

Amniotic Fluid↗
PubMed1980

[Contractility of the uterus in normal pregnancy (author's transl)].

Cardiotocography was applied to 150 pregnant women for antenatal follow-up, between the 24th week of pregnancy and delivery. Pregnancy amounted to 38 weeks or more in all cases. - The uterine contractions recorded from 32 cases were of high frequency and had to be regarded as abnormal, against the background of literature. Yet, premature labour did not occur to any of those 32 women.

Electromyography↗
PubMed1978

[Rapid staining of cytologic smears with methylene blue].

It is described a handy staining of cytological smears suitable for out-patients department use. On a dry not fixed smear we put a drop of 0,25% of aqueous solution blue de methylene and we cover it with a cover slide. The smear is stained in a few seconds and the stain remains for half an hour.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell↗