OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of the fermented wheat germ extract (Avemar)in patients with severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: Fifteen female RA (Steinbrocker II-III) patients, who had unsuccessfully tried two different DMARD treatments, were enrolled in an open-label, 1-year long, pilot clinical study. DMARD and steroid therapies were recorded and continued. All patients received Avemar as additional therapy. For measurement of efficacy the Ritchie Index, the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) and the assessment of morning stiffness were applied. Patients were evaluated at baseline, 6 and 12 months. For statistical analyses the Wilcoxon test was used. RESULTS: At both 6 and 12 months, Ritchie index, HAQ and morning stiffness showed significant improvements compared with the baseline values. Dosages of steroids could be reduced in about half of the patients. No side effects of Avemar were observed. CONCLUSION: Supplementation of standard therapies with a continuous administration of Avemar is beneficial for RA patients.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Time factors and trends in the onset of the menarche, sex maturation and experience of orgasm in a questionnaire administered to 971 women in Vojvodina].

A questionnaire and interview of 971 women aged 15-80 years or more from three Voivodina communes (Becej, Veternik, Mali Idos) have supplied the following information: the arithmetic mean of the age of women during menarche is 13.459 +/- 1.523 years, the median being 13.872 years. Menarche appears earlier in the town (13.334 +/- 1.373) than in villages (13.668 +/- 1.61). The arithmetic mean of menarche recedes towards younger age groups (y = 12.90 +/- 0.106; r = 0.890, p less than 0.01), so that below 20 years is 1.4 years, and this is more pronounced in the town than on villages. The arithmetic mean of the age of women at sexarche (the first sexual intercourse) is 19.088 +/- 2.495 years, and the median is 18.964. The interval between the arithmetic mean of menarche and sexarche is 5.6 years, smaller in the urban (5.0) than in the rural environment (6.4). Sexarche recedes towards younger age groups (y = 18.136 +/- 0.130; r = 0.540), more intensively than the acceleration of menarche. In the course of their sexual life, 16.4% of women rarely experienced orgasm, 11.2% never did. The experience of orgasm "rarely" or "never" is statistically significantly more frequent in women over 40 years of life in relation to younger women (X2 = 6.893, p less than 0.01).

Adult↗