Effect of natural early menopause on bone mineral density.

OBJECTIVES: Early menopause (EM) is included among the risk factors for osteoporosis. Several studies have shown that women with early menopause have lower bone mineral density (BMD) than those with normal expected age of menopause. The aim of our cross-sectional study was to investigate the effects of time of menopause on vertebral bone mass in healthy postmenopausal women and to evaluate if early menopause is a risk factor for lower vertebral BMD. METHOD: We studied 782 who had never received drugs acting on bone mass. The study population was divided into three groups: women with early, normal (NM), and late (LM) menopause. Our study population was further categorized in 5-year age segments between 45 and >75. RESULTS: The three groups examined did not differ for age, age at menarche, body mass index (BMI), and vertebral BMD, while there were significant differences in age at menopause and years since menopause. Our study showed that women with EM presented significantly lower vertebral BMD than NM and LM in 50-54 age segments. Beyond 55 years, EM, NM, and LM women had no differences in lumbar BMD values. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, controversial data demonstrated that the absolute amount of bone loss is greater after early menopause than after normal or late menopause, even if a slight effect of early menopause on bone mass cannot be excluded.

[Evaluation of the accuracy of calcaneus bone tissue findings by a contact ultrasound system. Comparison with the most used absorptiometry methods]. / Valutazione della validità dei rilievi sul tessuto osseo calcaneare di un sistema a ultrasuoni a contatto. Confronto con le più diffuse metodiche assorbimetriche.

BACKGROUND: Ultrasound measurements of bone include Broadband Ultrasound Attenuation (BUA) and Speed Of Sound (SOS) through a skeletal segment. These techniques do not expose patients to ionizing radiations. Aim of the present study was to evaluate reproducibility, specificity, sensibility and accuracy of these measurements as compared with those obtained by absorptiometric devices at the distal radius and lumbar spine (L2-L4). METHODS: Mean c.v. for repeated measurements on the same subjects was 2.7% for BUA and 0.9 for SOS. Both BUA and SOS were able to separate young normal from healthy post-menopausal subjects and patients with recent vertebral osteoporotic fractures as well as absorptiometric techniques. RESULTS: All compared methods of bone measurements showed non statistically significant differences for what concerns sensibility, specificity and accuracy. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude by affirming that both BUA and SOS measurements at the os calcis with the contact ultrasound analyzer CUBA may represent safe and available methods for routinary assessment of skeletal health. The contact device allows more rapid measurements than other US devices the use of whom is conditioned by the immersion of the foot in a water bath; furthermore the CUBA system detects BUA and SOS in the mid os calcis: at this level bone density resulted more homogeneous than in other regions of the same bone.

[Use of hydrogen peroxide is combination with drug cocktails in the treatment of thrombophlebitis and its sequelae and of in the treatment of varicose ulcer]. / L'uso del perossido di idrogeno in associazione a cocktails medicamentosi nel trattamento delle tromboflebiti, loro sequele e dell'ulcera varicosa.

An association of hydrogen peroxide and drug cocktails was given interarterially and by slow arterial in 19 cases of lower extremity phlebopathy. Repair of ulcer lesions, even those of considerable extent, was achieved in a relatively short space of time, together with the disappearance of marked regression of subjective symptoms and local oedema.