Gonadal function in adolescents and young women with juvenile systemic lupus erythematosus.

The authors analysed the gonadal function and age of menarche of 23 female adolescents and young women with SLE, and correlated these with clinical, SLEDAI and therapeutic parameters. The presence of one or more clinical and laboratory parameters defined normal gonadal function: normal menstrual cycles with or without dysmenorrhea; elevated cervical mucus length; normal levels of plasma FSH, LH, estradiol, progesterone, prolactin and testosterone; normal urinary hormonal cytology; serial pelvic ultrasound compatible with ovulatory pattern; and present or previous pregnancy. The mean age of menarche (13.5 +/- 1.4 years) was greater than that found among 2578 healthy Brazilian adolescents (12.5 +/- 1.3 years; P = 0.0002). The delay in menarche correlated with an increase in the duration of the disease (P = 0.0085) and the cumulative dose of prednisone (P = 0.0013) used until the appearance of the menarche. The mean phase length in SLE was 31.5 +/- 10.3. Sixteen female (70%) patients showed normal and seven (30%) abnormal gonadal function. Gonadal function was not correlated with parameters of SLE. These results suggest that the patients of this study reach adulthood with a high chance of fertility.

Comparison between casual blood pressure and ambulatory blood pressure monitoring parameters in healthy and hypertensive adolescents.

Casual blood pressure measurements were compared with mean ambulatory blood pressure values during wakefulness and sleep in 45 normotensive and 30 hypertensive adolescents of both sexes aged 10-18 years. Two sets of auscultatory casual blood pressure were obtained, one in a pediatric office setting (office blood pressure), performed by the physician, and one in the ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) unit, performed by a trained nurse, prior to the initiation of ABPM (pre-ABPM blood pressure). In normotensive and hypertensive subjects of both sexes, the mean office systolic blood pressure (SBP) was lower than the mean pre-ABPM SBP, and the mean office diastolic blood pressure (DBP) was lower than the mean pre-ABPM DBP. In normotensive participants, the mean pre-ABPM SBP/DBP was lower than the mean ABPM SBP/DBP while awake, the mean ABPM SBP/DBP during sleep being lower than the mean ABPM SBP/DBP values while awake and the mean pre-ABPM SBP/DBP. No statistical difference was demonstrated between the mean office SBP and the mean ABPM SBP during sleep, the mean ABPM DBP during sleep being lower than the mean office DBP. The hypertensive adolescents presented a blood pressure profile similar to that of the normotensive group, albeit shifted upwards, with no significant difference between the mean pre-ABPM SBP and the mean ABPM SBP while awake but a higher mean pre-ABPM DBP than mean ABPM DBP while awake. This study suggests that, by evaluating the casual blood pressure in different environment/observer situations, the power of casual blood pressure to predict inadequate blood pressure control, manifested as abnormal ABPM parameters, can be enhanced. Our data indicate ABPM to be the method of choice for the early diagnosis and adequate follow-up of adolescent hypertension.

White coat hypertension in adolescents.

BACKGROUND: Although white coat hypertension (WCH) seems to occur in 20% or more of the adult hypertensive population, this clinical condition has rarely been described in adolescents. DESIGN: Routine use of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) procedure as part of the investigation of arterial hypertension in adolescents. METHODS: Office blood pressure was checked after 5 minutes of rest in the seated position by the auscultation method and ABPM was performed with oscillometrical equipment (SpaceLabs 90207, Redmond, Washington, USA). RESULTS: In the present study 6 adolescents (5 females, 3 white), suspected to suffer from arterial hypertension as judged by office blood pressure measurements, mean age 15.1 years (12.2 - 17.7), mean height 164.5 cm, mean weight 77.2 kg, mean body mass index 28.8 kg/m2 (25 - 35.2), were diagnosed with WCH using ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM). CONCLUSION: White coat hypertension should also be considered in the evaluation of arterial hypertension in adolescents.

Sex education in school: preventing unwanted pregnancy in adolescents.

Sexual activity during adolescence may represent a risk for young women's quality of life as well as their health. This practice can result in early pregnancy, abortion, AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases. The need for sexual education in order to identify and prevent the risk factors of an unwanted pregnancy during adolescence becomes increasingly clearer. In order to accomplish this purpose all segments of society shall be convened. If the goal is educating, informing or, even better, forming, then the school stands out from among the other reference groups because this is its essential role. A few basic principles should be established for the success of the educators' actions. Perhaps the most important one being not only to base sexual education on the use of preservatives and contraceptive methods, but rather on rescuing the individual as a result of his/her own actions. This favors the development of a sense of citizenship, respect, commitment, self-care and care for others.

[Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring in normal adolescents]. / Monitorização ambulatorial da pressão arterial em adolescentes normais.

PURPOSE: To evaluate technical aspects of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) in normal adolescents. METHODS: Forty five normal adolescents (27 female), 10-18 years old. RESULTS: ABPM recordings showed a mean of 90% successful readings; 30% of the patients complained of sleep disruption related to the functioning of the ABPM monitor; the mean systolic, diastolic and heart rate fall during sleep was 13%, 23% and 24% respectively; the mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure load, while awake, was in male adolescents 25.4 +/- 27.7% and 11.8 +/- 14.6%, and in female adolescents, 17.5 +/- 18.7% and 11.8 +/- 11.4%, respectively; the mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure load, while asleep, was in male adolescents 15.4 +/- 22.9% and 2.8 +/- 4.9% and, in female adolescents, 10.5 +/- 18.2% and 1.8 +/- 2.7%, respectively; the mean diastolic values of the first two hours of recording were higher than the ones obtained during the rest of the hours of recording while awake; different mean systolic, diastolic and heart rate values were found during the afternoon and nocturnal sleep periods. CONCLUSION: ABPM was well accepted by the adolescent population, with good technical results.