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.     

Early impact of hormone replacement therapy on vascular hemodynamics detected via ocular colour Doppler analysis

Objective: To determine the effects of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) on ocular blood flow.

Study design: In a prospective controlled study, 40 healthy women who presented to the menopause clinic between December 2000 and December 2001 were randomly assigned into the study. The HRT-receiving group was administered estradiol 17-valerate 2 mg the first 11 days, and estradiol 17-valerate 2 mg plus ciproterone acetate 1 mg the next 10 days of the monthly cycle for 6 months. The control group did not receive any HRT for 6 months. The ocular colour Doppler analysis were performed at baseline and after 3 and 6 months. The ocular Doppler analysis was performed in the first half of the cycle in the HRT-receiving group.

Results: Central retinal artery and ophthalmic artery basal Doppler index (peak systolic velocity, end-diastolic velocity, resistive index and pulsatility index) values of the two groups at the beginning of the study did not show any statistically significant difference. Both the right and the left central retinal artery pulsatility index (PI) values of the study group, who received HRT at the end of the third and sixth months, showed a statistically significant decline (paired-samples test, P < 0.05), while the decrease in the resistive indexes was not significant.

Conclusion: These results suggest that 6 months of combined hormone replacement therapy with estradiol 17-valerate 2 mg plus ciproterone acetate 1 mg improves ocular vascular Doppler indices which may be a reflection of cerebral vascular status.     

Issues to debate on the Women's Health Initiative: estrogen: an instrument or the conductor of the orchestra?

Although it is well known that cyclic production of sex hormones is essential to establish reproductive function and female characteristics, distant impacts of the activity of the female endocrine system result from a concert of delicate mechanisms. Estrogen is rather an instrument than a conductor in this physiological orchestra of the female. Thus, controversies in the explanation of results from studies on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention might be eliminated, if we analyse not only the role of estrogen but a broader spectrum of factors leading to CVD. Authors would like to hypothesize that haemorheological changes in women around menopause, such as increased blood and plasma viscosity, haematocrit and fibrinogen, are largely responsible for the increased mortality in the post-menopausal life period. We believe that a cyclic withdrawal bleeding establishes a more favourable haemorheological condition, thus, sequentially administered estrogen might be protective in post-menopausal women. Nevertheless, other factors, that decrease blood viscosity, such as daily exercise, intake of ample amount of fluids as well as ideal nutrition, are equally important. We are confident that sequential HRT, as well as healthy life style and risk prevention programmes have their proper place in the management of this issue.     

Influence of HRT on prognostic factors for breast cancer: a systematic review after the Women's Health Initiative trial

INTRODUCTION: Mortality due to breast cancer has been reported to be the same or even lower in HRT users than in non-users. This has been attributed to earlier diagnosis and to better prognosis. Nevertheless, more advanced disease in HRT users was reported recently by the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) study. The objective of this study was to assess, using a systematic review of current literature, whether the data of the WHI study are in contradiction to observational data. METHODS: We selected 25 studies, for which we evaluated the methodology, the characteristics of the studied populations, confounding breast cancer risk factors and prognostic indicators. RESULTS: The WHI study, showing a worsening of some prognostic parameters, is in contradiction to most published observational studies. Most observational studies are retrospective, not well matched and did not consider most confounding factors. Their methodology and selection criteria varied considerably and the number of patients was often small. No differences in the distributions of histology, grade or steroid receptors were observed in the WHI trial, while this was the case in some of the observational studies. Other parameters (S phase, protein Neu, Bcl-2 gene, protein p53 and E-cadherin, cathepsin D) were not reported in the WHI trial. CONCLUSIONS: In view of these data, the current clinical message to patients should be changed: one can no longer declare that breast cancers developed while using HRT are of better prognosis.     

激素替代治疗子宫内膜异位症根治术后42例疗效观察

目的:探讨应用激素替代治疗改善子宫内膜异位症根治术后围绝经期症状的疗效和安全性。方法:2002年1月~2004年12月因重度子宫内膜异位症行根治术出现围绝经期症状的患者42例,随机分成2组。观察组22例口服倍美力0.3 mg,1次/d,对照组20例口服利维爱1.25 mg,1次/d。治疗前后检测血清FSH(卵泡刺激素)和E2(雌二醇)水平,记录治疗期间盆腔痛、性交痛等子宫内膜异位症相关症状,Kupperm an(K评分)1次/月。结果:两组治疗后围绝经期症状均明显改善,血清E2水平上升,治疗前后比较差异有显著性意义(P<0.01),无内膜异位症复发表现。治疗后的E2水平观察组高于对照组,两组比较差异有显著性意义(P<0.01),但均在安全范围内。结论:小剂量倍美力和利维爱用于重度子宫内膜异位症根治术后患者,能有效地控制围绝经期症状,安全,无复发。     

高度近视眼LASIK前后视网膜神经纤维层厚度的HRT测量

目的 探讨准分子激光原位角膜磨镶术(LASIK)对高度近视眼视网膜神经纤维层厚度的影响.方法 用海德堡视网膜断层扫描仪(HRT)黄斑水肿分析软件(MEM)对施行准分子激光原位角膜磨镶术8例(16只眼),近视度数为-6.75～-11.25 D(-9.75±1.75 D)的高度近视眼患者的黄斑视网膜信号宽度进行测量.检测时间为术前、术后第1、3和7 d.检测部位为黄斑中央及距离黄斑中心凹500 μm的视网膜神经纤维层.结果 准分子激光原位角膜磨镶术术前、术后第1、3和7 d视网膜信号宽度差异有显著意义(P＜0.05).结论 准分子激光原位角膜磨镶术对高度近视视网膜神经纤维层的厚度有影响.     

卵巢早衰治疗策略探讨

目的　评价性激素替代治疗 (hormonereplacementtreatment,HRT)对卵巢早衰 (prematureovarianfail ure ,POF)患者的疗效 ,探讨卵巢早衰可能有效的促排卵方案。方法　采用前瞻性研究方法对 19例卵巢早衰患者 ,行HRT共 3～ 6个周期 ,观察服药前后临床症状、盆腔超声相、血清生殖激素变化及停药后卵泡发育情况 ,并对个别患者行促排卵治疗观察疗效。结果　 19例患者经HRT临床症状明显缓解。与服药前比较 ,血清卵泡刺激素 (FSH)水平明显下降 (P <0 0 1) ,血清黄体生成素 (LH)水平显著下降 (P <0 0 5 )。双侧卵巢及子宫体积无显著变化 (P >0 0 5 ) ,子宫内膜明显增厚 (P <0 0 1)。停药后 1例自然妊娠 ,1例自发排卵 ,1例用促性腺激素释放激素激动剂 (GnRHa) /绝经期促性腺激素 (HMG) /绒毛膜促性腺激素 (HCG)治疗有排卵。服药期间无肝功能损伤及其它副反应。结论　性激素替代治疗卵巢早衰 3～ 6个周期 ,可使临床症状缓解 ,血清FSH、LH明显下降 ,利于促排卵治疗成功。     

促性腺激素释放激素激动剂治疗与骨量丢失

促性腺激素释放激素激动剂（GnRH-a）已广泛应用于妇科子宫内膜异位症、子宫肌瘤、性早熟等雌激素依赖性疾病的治疗。但其导致的低雌激素血症与骨丢失也愈来愈引起人们的认识和重视。GnRH-a与HRT反向添加疗法可以降低骨丢失、改善生活质量,从而延长GnRH-a治疗时间。     

二相厌氧—生物接触氧化工艺处理四环素废水的研究

本文以二相厌氧-生物接触氧化工艺对四环素废水的处理进行了试验研究,并考察了各反应器的运行特性。在进水COD浓度≤3500mg/L,四环素浓度≤230mg/L,二相厌氧中产酸相、产甲烷相及后续生物接触氧化反应器的水力停留时间分别为3、24h和10h时,COD去除率93％,四环素去除率96％,出水COD<230mg/L,生物接触氧化对氨氮的去除率为75％。试验结果表明二相厌氧-生物接触氧化工艺用于处理四环素废水是可行的。