Does carotid intima-media thickness have relationship with polycystic ovary syndrome?

Polycystic ovary syndrome [PCOS] is a common reproductive endocrine disorder associated with cardiovascular disease [CVD] risk factors and metabolic disturbances and a genetically heterogeneous disease. Intima-media thickness [IMT] is an indicator of atherosclerosis. This study aimed to determine the relation between IMT and PCOS in women. This cross-sectional study was performed on 44 PCOS patients and 44 healthy women. Data collection included lipid profiles, blood pressure, waist circumference, body mass index [BMI], and common and internal IMT of carotid artery which were measured in studied subjects. IMT was measured by a radiologist using a linear 12 MHz ultrasound probe [LOGIC S6, GE] in carotid setting. IMT of common carotid artery [56.8 +/- 7.6 in cases versus 49.8 +/- 7.3 in controls], internal carotid artery [56.9 +/- 6.03 in cases versus 49.6 +/- 6.9 in controls], and both common and internal carotid artery [56.6 +/- 6.7 in cases versus 49.7 +/- 6.9 in controls] were significantly higher in PCOS patients than healthy women [P < 0.001]. In summary, results demonstrated that carotid artery thickness as a risk for premature atherosclerosis in patients with PCOS is higher than healthy subjects. And hence care and monitoring of PCOS women with these risk factors sounds to be important and necessary.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of colorectal cancer screening methods in Iran

Screening can prevent colorectal cancer from becoming advanced by early detection of precancerous lesions. Cost-effectiveness analysis of colorectal cancer screening methods is highly necessary due to increased prevalence, decreased age at onset and the limited budget in Iran. Methods of screening currently available in Iran were selected. A systematic search revealed the sensitivity and specificity of each method. For this study, a model for a 20 year screening period of a population of 100000 apparently healthy persons of ages 45-65 years in Isfahan Province was used. The cost-effectiveness of each method and the ratio of cost-effectiveness were calculated based on this model. The most and the least effective methods were CT colonography and fecal occult blood test, respectively. The highest and lowest expenditures in the governmental sector were related to fecal occult blood test and flexible sigmoidoscopy and in the private sector, to CT colonography and fecal occult blood test, respectively. The cost per cancer detected in 20 years of screening in the governmental sector was 0.28, 0.22 and 0.42 billion Rials, respectively for screening by colonoscopy, flexible sigmoidoscopy and fecal occult blood test. In the private sector, these were 1.54 [colonoscopy], 1.68 [flexible sigmoidoscopy], and 1.60 [fecal occult blood test] billion and 2.58 billion Rials for CT colonography, respectively. Although CT colonography is the most effective method, it needs a budget of 2.58 billion Rials for each screened patient. If costs in the governmental sector are considered, flexible sigmoidoscopy would be the most cost-effective method for screening the 45-65-year-old population in Iran