Severity of pain and circadian changes in uterine artery blood flow in primary dysmenorrhea.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the severity of pain and circadian changes in uterine artery blood flow in primary dysmenorrhea cases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 27 cases diagnosed as primary dysmenorrhea and 25 individuals who had no dysmenorrhea complaint. Bilateral uterine artery systole/diastole rates (S/D), pulsatility indices (PI) and resistance indices (RI) of all cases were measured using transvaginal colour Doppler at 12.00-02.00 p.m. and 12.00-02.00 a.m. Severity of pain was evaluated in dysmenorrhea cases at the same hours using a verbal pain assessment scale. FINDINGS: Doppler measurements of dysmenorrhea cases conducted at 12.00-02.00 p.m. showed right uterine artery S/D: 3.37 +/- 0.26, RI: 0.73 +/- 0.07, PI: 2.38 +/- 0.34 and left uterine artery S/D: 3.33 +/- 0.37, RI: 0.74 +/- 0.14, PI: 2.41 +/- 0.15, while measurements carried out at 12.00-02.00 a.m. showed right uterine artery S/D: 3.88 +/- 0.12, RI: 0.87 +/- 0.14, PI: 2.94 +/- 0.21 and left uterine artery S/D: 3.90 +/- 0.27, RI: 0.92 +/- 0.12, PI: 2.93 +/- 0.21. Comparisons revealed significantly higher Doppler indices at night (P < 0.05) than in the day in dysmenorrhea cases. There was not any significant circadian difference in individuals who did not have dysmenorrhea (P > 0.05). Pain score in the verbal pain assessment of dysmenorrhea cases was found 3.6 +/- 1.4 in the day and 5.8 +/- 1.7 at night. The difference was found significant (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Uterine artery blood flow is reduced at night in dysmenorrhea cases. In correlation with this, the cases feel more pain at night. Our results may be important on the planning of working hours and their quality of life.

Treatment of symptomatic uterine leiomyoma with letrozole.

Uterine leiomyomas are the most common benign tumours of the female genital tract, often necessitating hysterectomy. The most common symptoms are dysmenorrhoea, menorrhagia, infertility and abortion. Ovarian hormones seem to play an essential role in pathogenesis, and deprivation of ovarian oestrogen causes leiomyomas to shrink significantly. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of the non-steroidal aromatase inhibitor letrozole on uterine leiomyomas and on bone metabolism. A prospective, open clinical trial was conducted in a university-based hospital. Sixteen premenopausal women with symptomatic uterine leiomyomas were treated with letrozole 5 mg/day orally for 3 months. The main outcome measures of uterine and uterine leiomyoma sizes, serum FSH, LH, oestradiol concentrations, ovarian volumes and myoma-related symptoms were noted at baselines and once a month during treatment. Lumbar spine bone mineral density and biochemical markers of bone metabolism were studied at the beginning and at the end of 3 months. Letrozole significantly decreased uterine leiomyoma sizes (P < 0.01) and promptly benefited women with heavy menstrual bleeding associated with leiomyomas without changing bone mineral density. Aromatase inhibitors may represent a new generation of medications for the treatment of leiomyoma and associated symptoms. Larger clinical trials are needed, however, to fully evaluate their safety and efficacy.

Effects of tibolone on plasma homocysteine levels in postmenopausal women.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of tibolone on levels of plasma homocysteine, an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disorders, in postmenopausal women. DESIGN: Prospective, randomized clinical study. SETTING: University hospital. PATIENT(S): Postmenopausal healthy women. INTERVENTION(S): Tibolone (2.5 mg/d) or calcium (1250 mg/d) and conjugated equine estrogens (0.625 mg/d) plus medroxyprogesterone acetate (5 mg/d) were administered orally for 6 months. Blood samples were collected at the start and the end of therapy. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Plasma homocysteine levels. RESULT(S): Administration of tibolone and calcium caused only a 4% decrease in plasma homocysteine levels compared with initial levels. In contrast, conjugated equine estrogens plus medroxyprogesterone acetate caused a 29% decrease in plasma homocysteine levels. CONCLUSION(S): Despite the reported beneficial effect of tibolone on the serum lipid profile, tibolone had no statistically significant effect on serum homocysteine levels in postmenopausal women. The possible cardiovascular protective role of tibolone might be unrelated to its effects on homocysteine levels.