Transvaginal sonographic features of diffuse adenomyosis in 18-30-year-old nulligravid women without endometriosis: association with symptoms.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether there are sonographic features of diffuse adenomyosis in 18-30-year-old nulligravid women without endometriosis and to examine their association with symptoms of dysmenorrhea and abnormal uterine bleeding. METHODS: This was a prospective observational study including women referred from a gynecology outpatient center to our university hospital for ultrasound examination. Inclusion criteria were age between 18 and 30 years, regular menstrual cycle and nulligravid status. Exclusion criteria were a past or current history of endometriosis, fibroids, ovarian cysts or lesions, endometrial pathology, current use of hormonal treatments or medications that would affect the menstrual cycle, previous uterine surgery and history of infertility. Women underwent a detailed clinical assessment and a two- (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) transvaginal ultrasound (TVS) examination. 2D-TVS features associated with diffuse adenomyosis were predefined as: (1) heterogeneous myometrium; (2) hypoechoic striation in the myometrium; (3) myometrial anechoic lacunae or cysts; (4) asymmetrical myometrial thickening of the uterine walls with the presence of straight vessels, extending into the hypertrophic myometrium, on power Doppler examination. On 3D-TVS, endomyometrial junctional zone (JZ) was measured as the distance from the basal endometrium to the internal layer of the outer myometrium on coronal section at any level of the uterus, and the smallest (JZmin) and largest (JZmax) JZ thicknesses and their difference (JZdiff) were recorded. 3D-TVS evaluation was considered suggestive for adenomyosis when JZmax ≥ 8 mm and/or JZdiff ≥ 4 mm. The presence of associated symptomatology represented our main outcome: the amount of menstrual loss was assessed by a pictorial blood loss analysis chart (PBAC) and painful symptoms were evaluated using a visual analog scale (VAS). RESULTS: During the observation period, 205 women (median age, 24 (interquartile range, 23-27) years) were enrolled into the study and 156 met the inclusion criteria. According to the 2D-TVS criteria, diffuse adenomyosis was found in 53 (34.0%) women and asymmetrical myometrial thickening of the uterine walls was the most common sonographic feature observed. ANOVA showed a significant relationship between the number of 2D-TVS features of diffuse adenomyosis and VAS score for dysmenorrhea (P = 0.005) as well as PBAC score for menstrual loss (P = 0.03). 3D-TVS showed that women with 2D-TVS features of diffuse adenomyosis had a significantly higher value of JZmax (6.38 ± 2.30 mm, P < 0.001), JZmin (2.07 ± 0.43 mm, P = 0.002) and JZdiff (4.33 ± 1.99 mm, P < 0.001) than did women without these features. Women with sonographic features of diffuse adenomyosis were symptomatic in 83% of cases, reported dysmenorrhea in 79.2% and showed a higher incidence of heavy bleeding than did those without these features (18.9% vs 2.9%; P = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Sonographic features suggestive of diffuse adenomyosis may develop earlier in reproductive life than previously thought, and may occur in association with dysmenorrhea and abnormal uterine bleeding in nulligravid women. Their observation in these women should therefore warrant further gynecological investigation.

[Combination inositol and glucomannan in PCOS patients]. / Valutazione dell'associazione inositolo-glucomannano nel trattamento di donne affette da PCOS.

AIM: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common endocrinopathies of the reproductive age in women. PCOS is an endocrine-metabolic disorder characterized by insulin resistance. Aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of natural substances such as inositol and glucomannan, and their combination in reducing glucose levels and improving insulin sensitivity in PCOS patients. METHODS: Forty women with clinical and endocrinological signs of PCOS were enrolled in the study and divided into three groups, including ten women each. The three groups were respectively treated with the combination inositol and glucomannan (A group), inositol (B group), glucomannan (C group) for a period of 3 months. Plasma levels of glucose and insulin were evaluated before and after treatment in our laboratory. RESULTS: There was a reduction in blood glucose and insulin levels, with particular significance in the group treated with the combination of inositol-glucomannan. CONCLUSION: Present results show that the association-inositol glucomannan may represent a good therapeutic strategy in the treatment of PCOS women with insulin resistance.

[Treatment with carnitine, acetyl carnitine, L-arginine and ginseng improves sperm motility and sexual health in men with asthenopermia]. / Il trattamento con carnitina, acetilcarnitina, L-arginina e ginseng migliora la motilità spermatica e la salute sessuale negli uomini con astenozoospermia.

AIM: Among the factors contributing to male infertility, asthenospermia constitutes both a health and a social problem frequently associated with alterations in sexual function. Studies have shown that acetyl carnitine and L-arginine improve sperm motility and that ginseng enhances libido and sexual performance. This study examined the effect of treatment with carnitine, acetyl carnitine, L-arginine and ginseng in men with idiopathic asthenospermia and altered sexual function. METHODS: The study population was 180 patients with asthenospermia randomly assigned to two groups: group A (90 men) received treatment and group B (90 men) did not. The sperm count was 16.6 ± 3.2 x 106/mL and the total sperm motility was 26.5 ± 3.4%. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Sexual satisfaction was measured using the sexual satisfaction index (SSI). At the end of therapy, a significant improvement was observed in progressive sperm motility on spermiogram evaluation and in SSI scores in the treatment group.

Unsedated transnasal versus transoral sedated upper gastrointestinal endoscopy: a one-series prospective study on safety and patient acceptability.

BACKGROUND: While conventional oesophagogastroduodenoscopy is frequently performed under sedation to improve acceptability, transnasal oesophagogastroduodenoscopy would appear to be less invasive. STUDY AIMS: To compare diagnostic accuracy, feasibility, acceptability and safety of transnasal oesophagogastroduodenoscopy without sedation versus conventional oesophagogastroduodenoscopy under sedation. PATIENTS: Following anxiety assessment, 30 dyspeptic patients underwent transnasal oesophagogastroduodenoscopy under local anaesthesia (lidocaine) and conventional oesophagogastroduodenoscopy under conscious sedation (i.v. midazolam) on two consecutive days. Transnasal oesophagogastroduodenoscopy was performed with an ultrathin and conventional oesophagogastroduodenoscopy with a standard endoscope. METHODS: Safety, evaluated by monitoring cardio-respiratory functions. Acceptability, rated according to discomfort and preference between the two examinations. Diagnostic accuracy evaluated taking into account endoscopic patterns and adequacy of biopsy specimens for histology. Feasibility, defined according to endoscopic performance, quality of images and overall opinion of the endoscopist. Only gastric biopsies were evaluated. RESULTS: All patients but one who refused conventional oesophagogastroduodenoscopy underwent both transnasal oesophagogastroduodenoscopy and conventional oesophagogastroduodenoscopy. No cardiorespiratory complications occurred during either technique. Majority of patients (87%) preferred transnasal oesophagogastroduodenoscopy. Examinations were completed in all cases, with comparable endoscopic patterns. All biopsy specimens were suitable for histology. CONCLUSIONS: Transnasal oesophagogastroduodenoscopy without sedation provides good diagnostic accuracy, is safer and better accepted than conventional oesophagogastroduodenoscopy under sedation and, therefore, represents a valid alternative in routine diagnosis of upper digestive tract diseases.

Rofecoxib and early relapse of inflammatory bowel disease: an open-label trial.

BACKGROUND: The safety and efficacy of selective cyclo-oxygenase-2 inhibitors in inflammatory bowel disease are under investigation. AIM: To assess, in a prospective, open-label trial, the efficacy and safety of rofecoxib (12.5 mg/day) in inflammatory bowel disease patients and controls. METHODS: The inflammatory bowel disease group included 45 inactive patients (25 Crohn's disease; 20 ulcerative colitis) with associated arthralgia. The control group included 30 dyspeptic patients. The efficacy and safety of rofecoxib were assessed in inflammatory bowel disease patients and controls before and after treatment (range, 3 days to 3 months). RESULTS: In inflammatory bowel disease, nine of the 45 patients (20%) required rofecoxib withdrawal due to gastrointestinal symptoms inducing clinical relapse, which subsided on drug discontinuation. The percentage of patients requiring rofecoxib discontinuation was comparable in patients with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis (20% vs. 20%), but was higher in inflammatory bowel disease patients than in controls (20% vs. 3%; P < 0.001). In inflammatory bowel disease, arthralgia relief was reported by 32 patients (71%): complete relief by eight patients (18%) and partial relief by 24 (53%). Thirteen patients (29%) reported no benefit. A comparable percentage of inflammatory bowel disease patients and controls reported arthralgia relief (71% vs. 70%). CONCLUSIONS: Rofecoxib appears to control arthralgia in almost two-thirds of inflammatory bowel disease patients. Side-effects requiring drug discontinuation are observed, however, in almost one-quarter of patients.

Review article: maintenance treatment of Crohn's disease.

The aetiology of Crohn's disease is unknown and therefore no curative treatments are available for the disease. The natural history of Crohn's disease is characterized by recurrent flare-ups of symptoms. Several drug treatments are effective in inducing clinical remission. However, no drug treatments are available in order to prevent clinical relapses, although several drug regimens may delay clinical flare-ups. Crohn's disease treatment for maintaining clinical remission needs to be tailored in relation to specific characteristics of each patient. The frequency of clinical relapse indeed shows marked variations in subgroups of patients, as the likelyhood of relapse is higher in patients in clinical remission for less than 6 months. Treatment strategies for maintaining remission may therefore differ among inactive patients. In chronically active, steroid-dependent or steroid-refractory Crohn's disease patients immunomodulatory drugs (azathioprine 2-2.5 mg/kg by mouth, 6-mercaptopurine 1-1.5 mg/kg by mouth, or methotrexate 15-25 mg/i.m./week) should be added to oral mesalazine (2.4 g/day), while in long-term inactive Crohn's disease patients mesalazine alone may be effective in delaying relapse. Recently, treatment with anti-tumour necrosis factor-alpha monoclonal antibodies (Infliximab or CDP571) has shown efficacy in delaying relapse in responsive patients. One other issue which needs to be considered before selecting drug treatments for maintaining remission in Crohn's disease, is that Crohn's disease activity is currently assessed on the basis of standard clinical scores which may not appropriately reflect the biological activity of the disease. Clinical remission as defined by standardized scores may include heterogeneous subgroups of patients showing different endoscopic and histological activity or persistence of activated immunocompetent cells within the gut. Several sub-clinical markers of relapse have indeed been reported in quiescent Crohn's disease, although their usefulness in clinical practice in currently uncertain.