Therapy In Female Patients Research Articles

Reevaluation of the Acute Cystitis Symptom Score, a Self-Reporting Questionnaire. Part I. Development, Diagnosis and Differential Diagnosis.

This study aimed to reevaluate the Acute Cystitis Symptom Score (ACSS). The ACSS is a simple and standardized self-reporting questionnaire for the diagnosis of acute uncomplicated cystitis (AC) assessing typical and differential symptoms, quality of life, and possible changes after therapy in female patients with AC. This paper includes literature research, development and evaluation of the ACSS, an 18-item self-reporting questionnaire including (a) six questions about “typical” symptoms of AC, (b) four questions regarding differential diagnoses, (c) three questions on quality of life, and (d) five questions on additional conditions that may affect therapy. The ACSS was evaluated in 228 women (mean age 31.49 ± 11.71 years) in the Russian and Uzbek languages. Measurements of reliability, validity, predictive ability, and responsiveness were performed. Cronbach’s alpha for ACSS was 0.89, split-half reliability was 0.76 and 0.79 for first and second halves, and the correlation between them was 0.87. Mann-Whitney U test revealed a significant difference in scores of the “typical” symptoms between patients and controls (10.50 vs. 2.07, p < 0.001). The optimal threshold score was 6 points, with a 94% sensitivity and 90% specificity to predict AC. The “typical” symptom score decreased significantly when comparing before and after therapy (10.4 and 2.5, p < 0.001). The reevaluated Russian and Uzbek ACSS are accurate enough and can be recommended for clinical studies and practice for initial diagnosis and monitoring the process of the treatment of AC in women. Evaluation in German, UK English, and Hungarian languages was also performed and in other languages evaluation of the ACSS is in progress.

Effect of Mula Bandha Yoga in Mild Grade Pelvic Organ Prolapse: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background:Pelvic organ prolapse is the growing health issue related to women of the reproductive and postmenopausal age group in India and across the globe. Treatment option for pelvic organ prolapse includes both surgical and non-surgical intervention. The development of pelvic organ prolapse is an indication for major surgery among 20% of all women. Nevertheless, the recurrence of pelvic organ prolapse is detected among 58% of the patient after surgery. This highlights the need for preventive measures for reducing the impact of pelvic organ prolapse.Aims and Objective:To study the effect of 3 months yoga therapy in female patients suffering from mild pelvic organ prolapse.Material and Methods:50 Participants were allocated into two groups (25 in each group) by generating Random allocation sequence. Women aged 20-60 with symptomatic mild pelvic organ prolapse in the yoga group were offered Mulabandha yoga therapy along with other conventional treatment modalities, while the control group was only on conventional treatment. All participants gave written informed consent. An assessment was done by improvement in chief complaints and Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory-20 (PFDI-20) & Pelvic floor impact Questionnaire-7 (PFIQ-7) at baseline and at the end of 4, 8 & 12 weeks. Results At the end of 12 weeks, Post-study comparison between the two groups showed a significant improvement in chief complaints like perennial pain, P/V discharge, Perineal muscle laxity and Feeling of something coming out P/V (P < 0.001). Participants in the yoga group improved by (on average) 5.7 (95% confidence interval 3.1 to 14.7) points more on the PFDI-20 than did participants in the control group (P = 0.1) and a mean score of PFIQ-7 was also improved significantly.Conclusions:Although Mulabandha (Root Lock) yoga therapy led to a significantly greater improvement in PFDI-20 & PFIQ-7 scores the difference between the groups was below the presumed level of clinical relevance (15 points). More studies are needed to identify factors related to the success of Mulabandha (Root Lock) yoga therapy and to investigate long-term effects.

Complete response to acupuncture therapy in female patients with refractory interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome.

Interstitial Cystitis/Bladder Pain syndrome (IC/BPS) is a considerable issue in urology and gynecology and unfortunately, the treatment options recommended are not fully efficient. Therefore, in this study we aimed to determine the effectiveness of acupuncture treatment in patients with refractory IC/BPS. 12 refractory IC/BPS female patients received ten sessions of acupuncture twice a week. The visual analog score (VAS), interstitial cystitis symptom index (ICSI), interstitial cystitis problem index (ICPI), O'Leary-Saint symptom score (OSS), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ9), Pelvic pain and urgency & frequency patient symptom scale tests (PUF) and maximum voided volume (MVV) was completed in 1st, 3rd, 6th and 12th months following the treatment. There was a statistically significant decrease in all of the scores evaluated at first month compared with the baseline. While the change in VAS score in 1, 3, 6 and 12th months were found statistically significant, measurements of ICSI, OSS and PUF scores and MVV values in the 6th and 12th months and ICPI and PHQ scores in the 12th month were not found statistically significant compared to the pre-treatment period. Response to treatment for the first three months after acupuncture application was (100%), but this ratio was measured as 33.3% (4/12) in the sixth month and 16.6% in the 12th month (2/12). The results of this study suggest that acupuncture appears to be an effective, useful, non-invasive method in IC/BPS patients. It can be used as an appropriate treatment method not only in refractory but also in IC patients since it is rather advantageous compared to other treating agents.

Bivalirudin versus Heparin plus Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa Inhibitors in Women Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Bivalirudin has been shown to be safe and efficacious compared with heparin plus glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor (GPI) in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Whether bivalirudin would have the beneficial effects in female patients undergoing PCI remains unknown. We searched the literature for randomized controlled trials that assessed bivalirudin versus heparin plus GPI therapy in female patients undergoing PCI. The primary efficacy end point was major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) within 30 days. The secondary efficacy end points were 30-day incidence of all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction (MI), urgent/ischemia-driven revascularization of target vessel. The safety end point was major bleeding up to 30 days. A total of 4,501 female patients were included in five randomized trials. No significant difference in MACE emerged between bivalirudin and heparin plus GPI at 30 days (8.15% vs 8.76%, RR 0.94, 95% CI 0.77–1.16, P = .57). There were no significant differences in rates of mortality (1.28% vs 1.91%, RR 0.74, 95% CI 0.45–1.20, P = .22), MI (5.46% vs 5.25%, RR 1.02, 95% CI 0.79–1.32, p = .88), or target vessel revascularization (2.13% vs 1.65%, RR 1.43, 95% CI 0.88–2.30, P = .15). Compared with heparin plus GPI, bivalirudin was associated with a significant reduction in 30-day major bleeding (5.32% vs 9.20%, RR 0.58, 95% CI 0.47–0.72, P < .0001). In conclusion, bivalirudin is associated with a significant reduction in 30-day major bleeding without increased ischemic events compared with heparin plus GPI in female patients undergoing PCI.

Effects of thyroid hormone withdrawal on natriuretic peptides during radioactive iodine therapy in female patients with differentiated thyroid cancer

Objective: We aimed to investigate the effects of thyroid hormone withdrawal on N-terminal prohormone forms of atrial natriuretic peptide (NT-proANP) and brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) during radioiodine therapy in female patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC).Methods: Serum concentrations of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free triiodothyronine (FT3), NT-proANP and NT-proBNP were measured in 51 female patients with DTC (48.7 ± 4.2 years) at three time-points: day of radioiodine therapy (t1 – under acute hypothyroidism), 5 days after radioiodine (t2 – under acute hypothyroidism) and 3 months after radioiodine (t3 – under TSH suppression). Thirty healthy euthyroid women served as controls (42.8 ± 5.6 years).Results: At t1/t2/t3, median NT-proANP was 5.2/1.7/487 pmol/L vs. 297.7 pmol/L in control group (p < 0.001), median NT-proBNP was 50.1/36.5/79.5 pmol/L vs. 64.5 pmol/L (p < 0.001) and median NT-proANP/NT-proBNP ratios was 0.20/0.18/4.81 vs. 4.14 (p < 0.001). In acute hypothyroidism, FT3 levels were positively correlated with NT-proANP (r = 0.38, p = 0.005), NT-proANP/NT-proBNP ratios (r = 0.47, p = 0.001), heart rate (r = 0.39, p = 0.005), and negatively with mean arterial blood pressure (r = −0.58, p < 0.001).Conclusions: Our results indicate that NT-proANP reflects more accurately direct thyroid hormone effects than NT-proBNP. Thyroid hormone-dependent hemodynamic effects seem to be overlapped on the direct stimulatory effect of thyroid hormones on NT-proANP secretion by cardiac myocytes.

Excimer laser therapy and narrowband ultraviolet B therapy for exfoliative cheilitis.

BackgroundExfoliative cheilitis is a condition of unknown etiology characterized by hyperkeratosis and scaling of vermilion epithelium with cyclic desquamation. It remains largely refractory to treatment, including corticosteroid therapy, antibiotics, antifungals, and immunosuppressants.ObjectiveWe sought to evaluate the safety and efficacy of excimer laser therapy and narrowband ultraviolet B therapy in female patients with refractory exfoliative cheilitis.MethodsWe reviewed the medical records of two female patients who had been treated unsuccessfully for exfoliative cheilitis. We implemented excimer laser therapy, followed by hand-held narrowband UVB treatments for maintenance therapy, and followed them for clinical improvement and adverse effects.ResultsBoth patients experienced significant clinical improvement with minimal adverse effects with excimer laser therapy 600-700 mJ/cm2 twice weekly for several months. The most common adverse effects were bleeding and burning, which occurred at higher doses. The hand-held narrowband UVB unit was also an effective maintenance tool.LimitationsLimitations include small sample size and lack of standardization of starting dose and dose increments.ConclusionExcimer laser therapy is a well-tolerated and effective treatment for refractory exfoliative cheilitis with twice weekly laser treatments of up to 700 mJ/cm2. Transitioning to the hand-held narrowband UVB device was also an effective maintenance strategy.

The interaction of a single‐nucleotide polymorphism with age on response to interferon‐α and ribavirin therapy in female patients with hepatitis C infection

Older female patients exhibit a poor response to the current standard treatment for hepatitis C, interferon-α, and ribavirin (PEG-IFN-α/RBV). In this study, we reported that the combination of age and the genotype of a novel SNP can predict response to standard treatment (P = 7.31 × 10(-8)). The model incorporating genotype of the novel SNP, rs1287948, predicts response more accurately (AUC = 0.934; 95% CI = 0.881-0.988) in women as compared with the model using age and the previously identified SNP, rs8099917.

New Self-Reporting Questionnaire to Assess Urinary Tract Infections and Differential Diagnosis: Acute Cystitis Symptom Score

Objective: Development and validation of a simple and standardized self-reporting questionnaire for acute uncomplicated cystitis (AUC) assessing typical and differential symptoms, quality of life and possible changes after therapy in female patients with AUC. Materials and Methods: Literature research, development and evaluation of the Acute Cystitis Symptom Score (ACSS), an 18-item self-reporting questionnaire including (a) six questions about ‘typical' symptoms of AUC, (b) four questions regarding differential diagnoses, (c) three questions on quality of life and (d) five questions on additional conditions which may affect therapy. The ACSS was evaluated in 286 women (mean age 32.3 ± 12.3 years) in the Russian and Uzbek language. Measurements of reliability, validity, predictive ability and responsiveness were performed. Results: Cronbach's alpha for the ACSS was 0.89, split-half reliability was 0.92 and correlation between halves was 0.85. Mann-Whitney test revealed significant difference scores of the ‘typical' domain between patients and controls (10.75 vs. 2.02, p < 0.001). The optimal threshold score was 6 points, with a 94% sensitivity and 90% specificity to predict AUC. The symptom score decreased significantly when comparing before and after therapy (10.7 vs. 2.1, p < 0.001). Conclusion: The new validated ACSS is accurate enough and can be recommended for clinical studies and practice for initial diagnosis and monitoring treatment of AUC. Evaluation in other languages is in progress. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel

1850 CORRELATION OF URINARY OXIDANT STRESS MARKER LEVEL WITH THE RESPONSE OF ANTIMUSCARINIC THERAPY IN PATIENTS WITH FEMALE OVERACTIVE BLADDER

You have accessJournal of UrologyUrodynamics/Incontinence/Female Urology: Female Urology (II)1 Apr 20131850 CORRELATION OF URINARY OXIDANT STRESS MARKER LEVEL WITH THE RESPONSE OF ANTIMUSCARINIC THERAPY IN PATIENTS WITH FEMALE OVERACTIVE BLADDER Teruhiko Yokoyama, Shinjiro Shimizu, Kazuhiko Fukumoto, Yoshiyuki Miyaji, and Atsushi Nagai Teruhiko YokoyamaTeruhiko Yokoyama Kurashiki, Japan More articles by this author , Shinjiro ShimizuShinjiro Shimizu Kurashiki, Japan More articles by this author , Kazuhiko FukumotoKazuhiko Fukumoto Kurashiki, Japan More articles by this author , Yoshiyuki MiyajiYoshiyuki Miyaji Kurashiki, Japan More articles by this author , and Atsushi NagaiAtsushi Nagai Kurashiki, Japan More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.juro.2013.02.2269AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookTwitterLinked InEmail INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES Recent animal study demonstrated that oxidative stress and inflammation may be key factors in the development of overactive bladder (OAB) and increased bladder activity is associated with elevated oxidative stress markers (Neurourol Urody 31: 185, 2012). In this study, we explored the correlation the level of the urinary oxidative stress marker 8-hydroxy-2`-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) with response after antimusucarinic therapy in female patients with OAB. METHODS Urinary 8-OHdG levels were measured in 20 female patients (median 70.0 years old) with OAB. Patients were treated with solifenacin 5 mg once a daily. Urine samples were collected before, 1 and 3 months after treatment. Evaluations included International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), QOL index and Overactive Bladder Symptom Score (OABSS) before and 1, 3 months after treatment. Effects on bladder function was evaluated before and 3 months after treatment by filling cystometry. Urinary 8-OHdG levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique (ELISA) and the results were normalized based on creatinine (Cr) concentration. A p value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS Average IPSS, QOL index, OABSS were significantly improved from 16.0, 5.3, and 10.1 at baseline to 9.3, 3.0, and 5.9 at 1 month, to 7.4, 2.4, and 5.1 at 3 months after treatment. Urinary 8-OHdG levels did not decrease from 11.8±5.7 ng/mg Cr at baseline to 12.2±6.2 ng/mg Cr at 1 month (p=0.556), but significantly decreased from baseline to 7.9±3.8 ng/mg Cr at 3 month (p=0.0464) after treatment. As to cystmetric findings, volume of first desire to void and maximum cystometric capacity significantly increased from 114±41.7ml, 279±95.0 ml at baseline to 151±38.9 ml, 316±79.7 ml at 3 months, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Solifenacin treatment was subjectively and objectively effective for female OAB patients. The urinary 8-OHdG levels significantly decreased after antimuscarinic therapy with solifenacin. It could provide important information on clinical significance between oxidative stress and OAB. © 2013 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 189Issue 4SApril 2013Page: e759 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2013 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.MetricsAuthor Information Teruhiko Yokoyama Kurashiki, Japan More articles by this author Shinjiro Shimizu Kurashiki, Japan More articles by this author Kazuhiko Fukumoto Kurashiki, Japan More articles by this author Yoshiyuki Miyaji Kurashiki, Japan More articles by this author Atsushi Nagai Kurashiki, Japan More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement Advertisement PDF downloadLoading ...

Dissociation Predicts Poor Response to Dialectial Behavioral Therapy in Female Patients with Borderline Personality Disorder

A substantial proportion of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) patients respond by a marked decrease of psychopathology when treated with Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT). To further enhance the rate of DBT-response, it is useful to identify characteristics related to unsatisfactory response. As DBT relies on emotional learning, we explored whether dissociation-which is known to interfere with learning- predicts poor response to DBT. Fifty-seven Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) patients (DSM-IV) were prospectively observed during a three-month inpatient DBT program. Pre-post improvements in general psychopathology (SCL-90-R) were predicted from baseline scores of the Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES) by regression models accounting for baseline psychopathology. High DES-scores were related to poor pre-post improvement (β = -0.017 ± 0.006, p = 0.008). The data yielded no evidence that some facets of dissociation are more important in predicting DBT-response than others. The results suggest that dissociation in borderline-patients should be closely monitored and targeted during DBT. At this stage, research on treatment of dissociation (e.g., specific skills training) is warranted.

Do Different Susceptibility Breakpoints Affect the Selection of Antimicrobials for Treatment of Uncomplicated Cystitis?

Because of increasing antibiotic resistance in Escherichia coli, the main uropathogen of uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs), updated susceptibility data are vital in guiding the selection of first-line treatment agents. interpretation of these data depends on the breakpoints adopted, that may vary among different guidelines.In this study we report the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of eight antibiotics and compare antimicrobial susceptibility results obtained in 2315 E. coli strains recently collected during the ARESC survey using EUCAST and CLSI breakpoints. We have also evaluated the clinical impact of breakpoint discrepancies on the overall susceptibility patterns.Fosfomycin, nitrofurantoin and mecillinam showed the highest susceptibility rates in all countries (>92%) according to both CLSI and EUCAST criteria. Minor category shifts were observed for ciprofloxacin, amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, ampicillin and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole. A large number of strains classified as intermediate resistant to cefuroxime according to CLSI are included by the EUCAST in the susceptible category.In conclusion, fosfomycin, mecillinam, and nitrofurantoin have preserved their in vitro activity in all countries investigated, regardless of the criteria adopted. They continue to represent effective options for the empiric therapy of female patients with uncomplicated cystitis. The use of different interpretative criteria for E. coli responsible for Utis therefore has no influence on the decision to be taken by the physicians managing the patients.

Basistherapie der Multiplen Sklerose unter „anderen Umständen”: Sicherheit für Patientinnen und ihren Nachwuchs vor, während und nach der Schwangerschaft

Standard basic therapeutic agents that are approved for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS) should be discontinued before pregnancy or when pregnancy occurs at the latest . There is no adequate or only limited data on the effect of these agents on gestation, pregnancy and the fetus or newborn child as well as lactation . The objective of this presentation is to illustrate on the basis of a case report the management of immunomodulatory therapy in female patients with MS from their wish to become pregnant until lactation.

Sex-dependent effects of fluoxetine and triiodothyronine in the forced swim test in rats

The effects of triiodothyronine (T3) and fluoxetine, administered separately and combined, on behavior of male and female rats in the forced swim test, a procedure for screening antidepressant-like activity, were determined. There were no consistent effects of low doses of fluoxetine (5 mg/kg) or T3 (20 μg/kg), administered daily for 2 weeks. Fluoxetine administered daily at 10 mg/kg for 7 days reduced immobility and increased active behaviors in male rats, but had no effects in female rats. The effects of fluoxetine in male rats were not potentiated by T3. In female rats, T3 at 100 μg/kg given daily for 7 days decreased immobility and increased swimming when these were measured 72 h after the last injection, but not when measurements were performed at an earlier time point. These results provide some support from an animal model for the efficacy of T3 as antidepressant therapy in female patients, but do not provide support for the augmentation and acceleration effects seen clinically when T3 is used in conjunction with established antidepressants such as fluoxetine.

Gender difference in clinicopathologic features and survival of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

To determine the influence of gender on the clinicopathologic characteristics and survival of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). A retrospective analysis of medical records was performed in 299 patients with HCC and their clinicopathologic features and survival were compared in relation to gender. There were 260 male (87%) and 39 female patients (13%), with a male-to-female ratio of 6.7:1. Female patients had lower mean serum bilirubin levels (P=0.03), lower proportion of alcohol abuse (P=0.002), smaller mean tumor size (P=0.02), more frequent nodular type but less frequent massive and diffuse types of HCC (P=0.01), were less advanced in Okuda's staging (P=0.04), and less frequently associated with venous invasion (P=0.03). The median survivals in females (14 mo) were significantly longer than that of male patients (4 mo) (P=0.004, log-rank test). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that high serum alpha-fetoprotein levels, venous invasion, extrahepatic metastasis and lack of therapy were independent factors related to unfavorable prognosis. However, gender did not constitute a predictive variable associated with patient survival. Female patients tend to have higher survival rates than males. These differences were probably due to more favorable pathologic features of HCC at initial diagnosis and greater likelihood to undergo curative therapy in female patients.

Underuse of reperfusion therapy in female patients: Insights from the TETAMI study and registry (The safety and efficacy of subcutaneous Enoxaparin versus intravenous unfractionated heparin and of myocardial infarction)

Underuse of reperfusion therapy in female patients: Insights from the TETAMI study and registry (The safety and efficacy of subcutaneous Enoxaparin versus intravenous unfractionated heparin and of myocardial infarction)

Prevalence of premenstrual dysphoric disorder in female patients with seasonal affective disorder

Background: Both seasonal affective disorder/winter type (SAD) and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) are cyclical disorders characterized by so-called atypical depressive symptoms. In the present study we compared the point prevalence rates of PMDD between a sample of premenopausal female patients suffering from SAD and healthy female controls. Methods: Forty-six female patients with SAD and 46 healthy controls were included in our study. All subjects underwent a semistructured clinical interview according to DSM IV criteria and completed the Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire. PMDD was diagnosed in a self-rating interview for PMDD according to DSM IV criteria. To verify the diagnosis of PMDD, all patients were followed up in stable summer remission using daily self-rating scales for two full menstrual cycles. Results: Patients with SAD fulfilled significantly more often the diagnostic criteria for PMDD than female healthy controls (46% vs. 2%, respectively; chi-square: P<0.001). Conclusions: These results provide preliminary evidence for a high point prevalence rate of PMDD in premenopausal females with SAD. Clinical implications: It would be worthwhile to investigate whether an additional diagnosis of PMDD has an impact on the clinical outcome and the response to bright light therapy in female patients with SAD.

Leptin concentrations are related to glycaemic control, but do not change with short-term oral antidiabetic therapy in female patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

This study evaluated the relation of leptin with glycaemic control and the effect of 14 days of diet, or diet combined with gliclazide, glipizide-GITS or metformin treatment, on leptin concentration in 51 female patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Leptin levels were similar both at baseline and after treatment in diabetic and control groups. Diabetic patients with basal fasting plasma glucose (FPG) < 10 mmol/l or with basal postprandial plasma glucose (PPPG) < 13.9 mmol/l had significantly higher leptin levels than diabetic patients with basal FPG > or = 10 mmol/l or with basal PPPG > or = 13.9 mmol/l (19.6+/-8.7 vs. 13.65+/-5.4 microg/l, p < 0.05; and 20.2+/-7.9 vs. 12.9+/-5.2 microg/l, p < 0.05, respectively). Mode of treatment did not influence leptin levels. Delta leptin showed a weak correlation with basal FPG (r = 0.346; p < 0.05), basal and post-treatment PPPG (r = 0.335, p < 0.05 and r = 0.325, p < 0.05, respectively) and a moderate correlation with post-treatment FPG (r = 0.391, p < 0.01). In conclusion, leptin level is not affected by the presence of type 2 diabetes mellitus and by short-term treatment with diet or oral antidiabetic drugs but is directly related to glycaemic control in female patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Androgens and ankylosing spondylitis: a role in the pathogenesis?

The frequency and severity of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) show a male preponderance, and androgenic steroids have been implicated in its etiology. Some reports have indicated that serum androgen levels are slightly elevated relative to estrogen levels in patients with AS as compared to controls. In more recent studies, however, serum testosterone, 17 beta-estradiol, and androstenedione levels did not significantly differ between AS patients and controls. Moreover, testosterone levels measured directly in serum can be spuriously elevated, especially in patients using phenylbutazone. Elevated serum levels of the adrenal steroids 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) sulfate have been found in patients with AS. These elevations might be explained by partial 11 beta- or 21-hydroxylase deficiencies, but may also be secondary to an enhanced stress response. In vitro studies as well as studies in animals and humans indicate that DHEA enhanced, and 17 beta-estradiol and progesterone inhibit, the cell-mediated immune response, which may play a role in the pathogenesis of AS. Oral estrogen therapy in female patients and human chorionic gonadotrophin injections in male patients with AS, increased the 17 beta-estradiol/testosterone ratio and resulted in a moderate clinical improvement. In conclusion, serum testosterone levels are not elevated in patients with AS. Therefore testosterone probably has no role in the perpetuation of long-standing AS and provides no basis for antiandrogenic treatment. Cross-sectional case-control studies, however, cannot clearly distinguish etiological factors from secondary disease effects, especially when blood sampling occurs many years after the onset of AS. Consequently, the role of sex steroids in the pathogenesis is still insufficiently elucidated.

Deterioration in Blood Glucose Control in Females with Diabetes Changed to a Basal‐bolus Regimen Using a Pen‐injector

Although the basal-bolus regimen of insulin delivery is more physiological than conventional twice daily insulin it does not usually improve blood glucose control. Having recently withdrawn 3 patients from pen-injector therapy for deteriorated blood glucose control we examined the records of all our diabetic patients on a pen-injector for at least 1 year. Of the 51 patients identified, 3 had died, 2 moved away, and 4 patients (3 females) had pen-injector therapy withdrawn for poor control; 3 patients had inadequate records. The remaining 21 males and 18 females were well matched for age, duration of diabetes, and duration of pen-injector treatment. Blood glucose control deteriorated significantly during pen-injector therapy in female patients (9.6 +/- 1.2 to 10.7 +/- 1.4%, p = 0.02), but not in the males (9.3 +/- 1.3 vs 9.4 +/- 1.4%, NS). Weight and insulin dose did not change significantly in any patient. Blood glucose control may deteriorate in young women with diabetes changed to insulin therapy with a pen-injector.

Can oestrogens be used as adjuvant therapy in female patients with rheumatoid arthritis?

In this review the arguments for a relation between female sex hormones and rheumatoid arthritis are discussed. Clinical evidence includes a relation between disease activity and menstrual cycle and a clear decrease in disease activity during pregnancy. A protective effect of oral contraceptives on the development of rheumatoid arthritis is claimed. There are conflicting data with regard to the plasma levels of sex hormones in women with rheumatoid arthritis. In vitro gonadal hormones suppress T-lymphocyte proliferation, while B-lymphocyte differentiation is enhanced by oestrogens and diminished by testosterone. Some pilot studies suggest that oestrogens may ameliorate disease activity in women with active rheumatoid arthritis. Presently we are conducting a randomized, double-blind trial comparing oestrogens with placebo as adjuvant therapy in women with rheumatoid arthritis.