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Objective Both smoking and the release of nitric oxide ( NO) in the uterine cervix are determinants for high-risk human papillomavirus (hr HPV) infection. We compared the cervical NO release between smoking and non-smoking women with and without hr HPV infection. Design Open clinical cohort study. Setting University Hospital in Finland. Population One hundred and twenty-five smoking and 301 non-smoking women, with ( n = 244) and without ( n = 182) hr HPV infection. In total, 264 women showed cytological and/or histological cervical epithelial changes. Methods The presence of hr HPV was tested by an HPV DNA test and the release of NO was assessed from NO metabolites in the cervical fluid by the Griess reaction. Main outcome measures The difference in cervical NO release between smoking and non-smoking women with and without hr HPV. Results Infection with hr HPV in smokers (70%) was more frequent ( p = 0.001) than in non-smokers (52%). As a whole, smoking was accompanied by a 35% decrease ( p = 0.04) in NO release in hr HPV-infected women (35.9 μmol/L, 95% confidence interval 27.0-44.2) compared with non-smoking hr HPV- infected women (48.3 μmol/L, 95% confidence interval 38.0-56.2). No difference in NO release between smokers and non-smokers was seen in women with healthy cervical epithelium, but smoking was accompanied by a suppressed (26%) NO release ( p = 0.03) in women with either cytological or histological changes. Conclusions Smoking may suppress NO release in the uterine cervix in women with hr HPV infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Sex-related physiological differences result in different expressions of diseases for men and women. Data are contradicting regarding the increase in the female risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) at mid-life. Thus, we studied possible sex differences in age-adjusted mortality for CVD and non-vascular diseases stratifying our findings by specific age groups. Methods: Over one million deaths (1 080 910) reported to the Finnish nationwide Causes of Death Register in 1986–2009 were analyzed. A total of 247 942 male deaths and 278 752 female deaths were of CVD origin, the remaining deaths were non-vascular. The annual mortality rates were calculated per 100 000 mid-year population, separately for men and women in 5-year age categories. Results: The age-standardized risk of death from CVD was 80% higher for men (442/100 000) than for women (246/100 000). After age 45–54 the male CVD mortality rate elevated parallel to the non-vascular mortality, whereas in women the CVD mortality elevated considerably more rapidly than the non-vascular mortality from age 60 years onwards. Conclusions: Heart disease mortality in men accelerates at a relatively young age, but in women the risk shows a steep increase at approximately 60 years of age. These data emphasize the need to identify and prevent risk factors for CVD, especially in women in their mid-life years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. To study the risk factors of placental abruption during the index pregnancy. Methods. One hundred and ninety-eight women with placental abruption and 396 control women were identified among 46,742 women who delivered at a tertiary referral university hospital between 1997 and 2001. Clinical variables were compared between the groups. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was applied to identify independent risk factors. The clinical manifestations of placental abruption were also studied. Results. The overall incidence of placental abruption was 0.42%. The independent risk factors were maternal (adjusted OR 1.8; 95% CI 1.1, 2.9) and paternal smoking (2.2; 1.3, 3.6), use of alcohol (2.2; 1.1, 4.4), placenta previa (5.7; 1.4, 23.1), pre-eclampsia (2.7; 1.3, 5.6), and chorioamnionitis (3.3; 1.0, 10.0). Vaginal bleeding (70%), abdominal pain (51%), bloody amniotic fluid (50%), and fetal heart rate abnormalities (69%) were the most common manifestations. Neither bleeding nor pain was present in 19% of the cases. Overall, 59% had preterm labor (OR 12.9; 95% CI 8.3, 19.8), and 91% were delivered by cesarean section (34.7; 20.0, 60.1). Of the newborns, 25% were growth restricted. The perinatal mortality rate was 9.2% (OR 10.1; 95% CI 3.4, 30.1). Retroplacental blood clot was seen by ultrasound in 15% of the cases. Conclusions. Maternal alcohol consumption and smoking, and smoking by the partner turned out to be independent risk factors for placental abruption. Smoking by both partners multiplied the risk. The liberal use of ultrasound examination contributed little to the management of women with placental abruption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To study the role of progesterone (P4) in the regulation of circulating leptin in early human pregnancy, we measured the levels of leptin before and after administration of the antiprogestin mifepristone, followed by misoprostol in early pregnancy.Thirty-four women requesting termination of pregnancy, with≤63 days of amenorrhea, received 200 mg of mifepristone on day 0, followed by either oral or vaginal administration of 0.8 mg of misoprostol on day 2. Five serial serum samples were assayed for leptin, human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG), P4, estradiol (E2), cortisol, and mifepristone.Circulating leptin concentrations decreased by 8.7 ± 29.7% (mean ± standard deviation) (p < 0.05) following the ingestion of mifepristone. After misoprostol administration on day 2, a decrease of 12.6 ± 17.0% (p < 0.05) was followed by a rebound on day 3 to 87.6 ± 25.7% of the pretreatment values. Two weeks after mifepristone, leptin levels had declined by 25.4 ± 30.4%. In contrast, E2, P4, and hCG concentrations continued to increase following mifepristone, followed by rapid declines from day 2 to day 3. Serum cortisol concentrations increased by 89.7% ± 82.7% in response to mifepristone, but this increase did not correlate with the decrease in leptin. The decrease in leptin levels on day 2 correlated with the decreases in P4 (r = 0.37,p < 0.05) and in E2 (r = 0.44,p < 0.05) levels.The fall in leptin levels following mifepristone implies a role for P4 in the regulation of leptin in early pregnancy. Moreover, the significant correlation between the changes in leptin and those of P4 and E2 at the time of luteolysis suggests that corpus luteum may also play a role in the regulation of circulating leptin in early pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights the 34th Nordic Federation of Societies of Obstetrics and Gynecology to be held in Helsinki, Finland on June 12-15, 2004. Scientific program; Continuing medical education; Social program.

The article presents the observational study conducted by the researchers regarding the evidences for the role played by hot flushes in the vascular function of postmenopausal women. The research administered to 143 women having a recent postmenopausal using the radial artery tonometry. The result shows that women with serious vasomotor hot flushes have greater vascular responsiveness on nitroglycerin compared to those who does not have hot flushes.