Elevated leptin levels in healthy climacteric women from Northeastern Brazil: an effect of age or adiposity?

ABSTRACT Objective Climacterium is associated with elevated leptin levels and increased risk of cardiovascular disorders. Conflicting data diverge on whether high leptin levels in climacterium reflect increasing adipose mass or, at least partially, age-related hormonal changes. This study addresses this issue in women from a Brazilian state with a low human development index. Subjects and methods A case-control study was conducted, enrolling 136 women from the state of Maranhão, 52 (38.2%) climacteric and 84 (61.8%) non-climacteric. Biometric, biochemical, hormonal and immunological parameters were analyzed. Results Climacteric women showed a moderately increased waist/hip ratio (0.894 versus 0.834, p < 0.05), sustained body mass index (27.46 versus 28.68, p > 0.05) increased leptin levels (9.59 versus 7.13, p < 0.05) and no evidence of metabolic syndrome. No other parameters were altered. The climacteric cohort didn't show significant body fat gains but displayed a typical age-related redistribution of adipose tissue. Even so, leptin levels were significantly elevated compared with non-climacteric women. Conclusions Altogether, these data support the hypothesis that leptin is elevated, at least partially, as a function of age and climacterium and is not necessarily correlated with metabolic dysfunction and systemic inflammation. Further studies are needed to evaluate the impact of higher leptin levels on postmenopausal women. Arch Endocrinol Metab. 2020;64(3):276-81

Observations on the extragenital effects of oestrogen in females: a report.

Some extragenital effects of the female sex steroids are known for a long time and serious research is going on in this matter. A study was carried out at Medical College, Kolkata on 10 female patients suffering from perimenopausal syndrome--they were administered synthetic oestrogen tablets and the oestrogen-induced changes were noted on some parameters ie, psycho-analytical score, electroencephalograph, lung function tests, electrocardiograph, blood female sex hormone level. On the basis of the study it was observed that with low doses of oestrogen (ethinyloestradiol 0.5 mg once daily) the changes were not marked enough. But when it is compared with animal study, where it causes appreciable changes, it can safely be concluded that oestrogen causes (i) some desynchronisation (faster rhythm, lesser voltage) of EEG, (ii) bradycardia/increased sinus arrhythmia and increased amplitude of ventricular complex in ECG, (iii) reduction of scoring rate for anxiety and depression.

Efeito da terapia de reposição hormonal sobre o estado férrico / Effect of hormone replacement therapy in iron status

Introdução: Na literatura, numerosas publicações relatam a determinação do estado férrico em crianças, adolescentes e mulheres em fase reprodutiva, no entanto são raras as pesquisas quanto às alterações do ferro em estoque e eritrograma pós-terapia de reposição hormonal (TRH) em pré-menopausadas e menopausadas. O aumento dos estoques de ferro em mulheres pré-menopausadas e menopausadas pode conduzir à elevação do estresse oxidativo e, conseqüentemente, ao risco de desenvolvimento de câncer e doenças cardiovasculares. Objetivo: Avaliar o efeito da TRH sobre o eritrograma e o estado férrico em mulheres na pré-menopausa e na menopausa. Métodos: Foram determinados os eritrogramas e as dosagens de ferro, capacidade total de ligação do ferro a transferrina (CTLF) e ferritina séricas em 30 mulheres no climatério antes e após seis meses de TRH com medroxiprogesterona e estradiol. Os eritrogramas, as dosagens de ferro e CTLF foram determinados por meio da utilização de métodos clássicos, e a ferritina, por quimiluminescência. Resultados: Após o uso da TRH, constataram-se significante redução do número de eritrócitos, elevação dos índices hematimétricos e tendência à diminuição nos níveis de ferro sérico e CTLF. Nenhuma alteração significante nos níveis de ferritina e no índice de saturação de transferrina foi detectada após a TRH. Discussão e conclusão: No presente estudo não foram encontradas alterações nos paramêtros hematimétricos e no estado férrico que impeçam a utilização da TRH no climatério e na menopausa. Os resultados sugerem que a TRH exerceu efeito benéfico sobre o estado férrico nas mulheres no climatério deste estudo, mantendo os estoques de ferro normais e promovendo a elevação dos índices hematimétricos.

A study of extra genital effects of estrogen and progesterone.

Although some extragenital effects (EGEs) of the female sex steroids (FSS) have been known for fairly long time, serious research on it has been taken up only in recent time. This paper has tried to explore the EGEs of Estrogen (E) and Progesterone (P). This study was based on human beings as experimental subjects. In this clinical study, three further subdivisions were made: (i) Patients of dysfunctional uterine bleeding (DUB) who were therapeutically advised to use orally ingestible synthetic P tablets. These subjects were studied for any P induced changes in the psychoanalytical score, EEG, lung function tests (LUFTs), ECG; their blood Female sex steroid levels were also measured. (ii) Another group of women suffering from perimenopausal syndrome were given synthetic E tablets and the E induced changes (if any) of the same above mentioned parameters were studied. (iii) A third group consisting of healthy women were given oral contraceptive pills (OCP) containing both E and P and the above mentioned parameters were studied to see whether the OCP could cause any change. The results have been discussed. Attempts have been made to see whether our findings give any hint of any mode of action of the FSS studied and so forth.

Evaluación médica de la paciente climatérica / Medical evaluation of climateric patient

Se decidió elaborar un plan para evaluación de las mujeres mayores de 35 años con síntomas de climaterio, consistente en la aplicación de una encuesta, un examen ginecológico completo que incluyó citología vaginal, ecosonograma pélvico con transductor vaginal y mamografía, y determinaciones de calcio, fósforo, fosfatasa alcalina, colesterol triglicéridos, radiografías de columna vertebral y densitometría monofotónica de radio. Se encontró lo siguiente: la media fue de 50 años (DE 7.6 años y mediana 49 años), 34/65 mujeres habían sido sometidas a histerctomía y colo 34/64 habían recibido inmunización antitetánica. Había una enfermedad crónica en 36/59, consumo de alcohol en 5/66 y de tabaco en 9/66; mientras que 32/68 aceptaron no hacer ejercicio regularmente. Se encontró hipercolesterolemia en 19/66 e hipertrigliceridemia en 8/6a. Hubo osteopenia en 33/60. Hubo hallazgos "menores" a niveles de ECG, mamagrafía y ecosonografía pélvica. Estos resultados muestran la necesidad de estructurar un plan de manejo pera este segmento de la población, especialmente en esta área donde la Encuesta Nacional de Salud 1988, señala como pa principal causa de mortalidad en mujeres mayores de 50 años a la lesión coronaria

Symptomatology and hormonal levels among Thai women with natural menopause.

The hormonal levels and symptoms after natural menopause have been studied in 100 patients. The mean age was 56.8 years while menopausal age was 50.3 years. Postmenopausal symptoms presented 55.0 per cent with the three most common complaints of hot flushes, emotional lability and vaginal dryness, respectively. The levels of plasma FSH, estradiol and testosterone were also reported corresponding to the years after menopause. Both gonadotropins reach a maximum concentration at two to three years after the menopause and then gradually declined. The LH/FSH ratio was 0.6. The mean concentration of estradiol was 10.07 pg/ml, the level remained consistently low during the menopausal period. Testosterone concentration declined little in postmenopausal women.

Clonidina no tratamento de pacientes climatericas / Clonidine in the treatment of climateric patients

Noventa e quatro pacientes climatericas sintomaticas e hipertensas foram tratadas com 0,4mg de clonidina (agonista alfa adrenergetico) durante 6 meses. Os resultados revelaram diminuicao do indice menopausal de Kupperman ao fim do sexto mes de tratamento, principalmente as custas dos sintomas vasomotores e parestesia...

An investigation into the climacteric in Nigerians.

The alterations in the hormonal levels during menopause have been studied in Nigerian women. There was a significant decrease in estradiol level of early menopausal and late menopausal women while the testosterone level increased (P less than 0.01). The luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) showed significant elevation (P less than 0.01). The elevation of follicle stimulating hormone was about fourteen times higher in early menopausal women and sixteen times higher in late menopausal women when compared to the level in controls. Luteinizing hormone, however, showed an elevation eight times higher in early menopausal women and twelve times higher in late menopausal women. The level of these hormones, the intensity of climacteric symptoms among menopausal Nigerian women and attainable age of menopause was found to be the same as in Caucasians.