¿Tiene la oligomenorrea un siginificado patológico?: importancia de este síntoma en medicina interna / Has oligomenorrhea a pathological meaning?: the importance of this symptom in internal medicine

Background: Oligomenorrhea, defined as a menstrual cycle lasting 36 to 90 days, can be a normal condition in the first years after the menarche. When it persists or appears after a period of normal menstrual cycles, an underlying illness must be sought. Aim: To assess ovulation and causes of anovulatory cycles in women with oligomenorrhea, compared with causes of secondary amenorrhea. Patients and methods: One hundred one women of less the 35 years old, presenting with oligomenorrhea persisting 5 years after menarche or lasting more than two years after a period of normal menstrual cycles, were studied. Ovulation was studied measuring serial plasma progesterone during normal or induced (with intramuscular progesterone) menstrual cycles. Results: Eighty nine percent of women had anovulatory oligomenorrhea. The main causes were polycystic ovarian disease in 51percent and hypothalamic dysfunction in 31percent. Thirty percent of women with secondary amenorrhea had polycystic ovarian disease and 14percent had hyperprolactinemia. Women older than 20 years old or with more than 10 years of gynecological age had a higher frequency of polycystic ovarian disease and a lower prevalence of hypothalamic dysfunction. Conclusions: There is a high frequency of anovulatory oligomenorrheas. Therefore, this symptom deserves a thorough endocrinological assessment to uncover underlying diseases. Special attention must be paid to polycystic ovary syndrome, due to its importance in internal medicine as a risk factor for myocardial infarction, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes mellitus

Polycystic ovary syndrome: clinical and laboratory evaluation

Objective: To evaluate clinically, and with laboratory, tests, women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCO). Patients: One hundred and twelve women with PCO were studied. Methods: The following data was recorded: Current age; age at menarche; menstrual irregularity, occurrence of similar cases in the family; fertility, obstetric history; body mass index (BMI); and presence of hirsutism. Serum measurements of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), prolactin, free testosterone, and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate were taken. Results: All patients presented either oligomenorrhea (31 percent), periods of secondary amenorrhea (9 percent), or both alterations (60 percent). The majority of the patients were infertile (75.6 percent). The LH/FSH ratio was higher than 2:1 in 55 percent of the patients and higher than 3:1 in 26.2 percent. The ultrasonographic aspect of the ovaries was considered to be normal in 31 percent. Conclusion: The main clinical feature of the PCO is the irregularity of menses since menarche, and that the laboratory tests would be important to exclude other disorders such as hyperprolactinemia or hyperandrogenemia caused by late-onset congenital adrenal hyperplasia.

Asociación de acromegalia y tiroiditis de Hashimoto / Association of acromegaly and chronic lymphocitic thyroiditis

La tiroiditis de Hashimoto es contrariamente a lo que se aceptaba hace algunos años, una entidad relativamente frecuente en nuestro medio y responsable de un alto porcentaje de bocio e hipotiroidismo, especialmente en mujeres jovenes y de mediana edad. La asociación de esta patología con acromegalia es excepcionalmente rara. Se presenta un caso en el que se desarrolla una tiroiditis linfocítica crónica en una paciente acromegálica. Se discute el proceso diagnóstico y el tratamiento