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Effects of tibolone on depressive and anxiety symptoms in symptomatic postmenopausal women Aims: We investigated the effect of tibolone therapy on menopausal symptoms, depression and anxiety scores in women with symptomatic natural menopause compared to control group using Kupperman’s Index, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and Beck Anxiety Inventory. Methods: One hundred thirty patients with menopausal symptoms enrolled into the study, and 121 patients completed. Group I patients were treated with tibolone 2.5 mg/day. Group II patients received placebo (calcium forte tablet 1000 mg/day). The menopausal, depressive and anxiety symptoms were assessed using Kupperman’s Index, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and Beck Anxiety Inventory before and at the end of the treatment. For statistical analysis, paired t, multivariate analyses tests were used. Results: At the end of 3 months of therapy, we observed significant improvement in menopausal symptoms, depression and anxiety scores in both groups. When we compared two groups’ Kupperman and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BDI) scores according to time before and after the treatment, Group I scored better than Group II. The superiority of tibolone comparing placebo on depressive symptoms could not be shown in this study. Conclusion: Tibolone’s effects in calming vasomotor symptoms and improving anxiety symptoms suggest it as an alternative when the possible side effects of estrogen and progesterone combination or estrogen

SUMMARY Objective: To compare the effects of norethisterone acetate (NETA) and drospirenone on thyroid hormones, glisemic control, serum lipid profile and androgen levels. Material and methods: 50 postmenopausal women with intact ovaries & uterus who have vasomotor complaints but otherwise healthy were prospectively enrolled into the study and 41 of them completed the study. Patients were randomly divided into two groups and prescribed 1mg E2 / 0.5 mg NETA (n=21) or 1mg 17 s E2 / 2 mg drospirenon (n=20) for 3 months. After the treatment thyroid hormones, glisemic control, lipid profile and androgen levels were compared both within the groups and between the groups. For the statistical analysis besides descriptive statistical methods paired and unpaired t test, Mann-Whitney U test and chi square test were used. Statistical significance level was accepted as p≤ 0.05. Results: There was no difference regarding body mass index (BMI), endometrial thickness and thyroid hormones both within the groups and between the groups after the treatment. Total cholesterol (p=0.03), insulin (p=0.009), Homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) (p= 0.01) and fibrinogen (p=0.01) levels were decreased in NETA group after three months. In drospirenon group there was decrease in LDL cholesterol level (p= 0.02), increase in trigliseride level (p=0.04). There was decrement in total testosterone level in both NETA (p=0.0001) and drospirenon (0.001) groups. Conclusion: NETA have beneficial effects on both lipid and carbohydrate metabolism in postmenopausal women. Drospirenon decreases LDL cholesterol while increasing trigliseride level and has no effect on carbohydrate metabolism. Under the light of these data it is wise to suggest NETA containing low dose hormone therapy preparations in postmenopausal women with diabetes risk for controlling vasomotor complaints.

Objective. To investigate the effect of raloxifene therapy on menopausal symptoms, depression and anxiety scores using Kupperman’s Scale, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) and Beck Anxiety Rating Scale (BARS) in osteopenic postmenopausal women. Methods. This was a prospective, randomised, parallel and open labeled clinical study. One-hundred thirty-two postmenopausal osteopenic women with natural menopause enrolled into the study. One-hundred twenty-four of them completed the study. Group I patients were treated with oral raloxifene (60 mg/day), Group II patients were treated with oral calcium supplementation (1000 mg/day) for 3 months. The patient’s menopausal, depressive and anxiety symptoms were assessed by using Kupperman’s Scale, HDRS and BARS, before and at the end of treatment. For statistical analysis unpaired t, ANOVA, RM-ANOVA, MANCOVA, Pearson correlation tests were used. Statistical significance level was established at p5 0.05. Results. Baseline Kupperman’s Scale, HDRS and BARS scores were not different among two groups. At the end of 3 months of therapy, there was improvement in menopausal symptoms, depression and anxiety scores within both groups. When we compared change of scores before and after the treatment; group I scores were better than group II scores. Conclusion. Our results suggest that raloxifene may have a positive effect on mood in osteopenic postmenopausal women.

article i nfo Objective: To compare the efficacy of vaginal versus sublingual misoprostol for second-trimester pregnancy termination, and to evaluate the effect on the blood flow of the uterine and umbilical arteries. Methods: Forty-nine patients were randomized to receive either 200 μg of vaginal misoprostol every 6 hours or 200 μg of misoprostol sublingually every 6 hours. Doppler velocimetry studies were assessed immediately before and 60 minutes after the administration of the first dose. Standard descriptive calculations, Mann-Whitney U, Wilcoxon, and χ 2 tests were performed. Results: The mean interval between induction and onset of active labor, induction and delivery, and the duration of oxytocin administration were significantly shorter in the sublingual misoprostol group. Both routes of administration increased the Doppler indices for the uterine arteries; however, misoprostol via the sublingual route did not affect the umbilical arteries. Conclusion: Sublingual administration of misoprostol for second-trimester medical abortion results in a higher success rate and does not affect umbilical blood flow.

To determine the diagnostic accuracy of different diagnostic methods (blind dilatationcurettage (DC), transvaginal ultrasonography (TVS), sonohysterography (SH), and hysteroscopy) compared with gold standard (hysteroscopic biopsy's histopathologic result) in diagnosis of focal intrauterine lesions of recurrent postmenopausal bleeding.36 postmenopausal women with recurrent vaginal bleeding after a normal DC results were enrolled into the study. TVS, SH, hysteroscopy were performed on all patients. Outcomes of blind DC, TVS, SH, and hysteroscopy were compared with results of gold standard. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and likelihood ratios (LR) were calculated.Blind DC sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV were 47, 68, 57, 59%, respectively in comparison with gold standard. Blind DC fails to diagnose 70% of all focal intracavitary lesions. TVS sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV were 63, 78, 89, 41%, respectively. SH yielded better results; with 93% sensitivity, 56% specificity, 86% PPV, and 71% NPV. Hysteroscopy sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV were 100, 44, 84, 100%, respectively.In experienced hands, SH can be an initial evaluation method of uterine cavity for detecting focal lesions in women with recurrent postmenopausal bleeding.

Single fetal death in a twin pregnancy in the late second or early third trimester is associated with significant morbidity and mortality rate in the surviving co-twin, especially in monochorionic twin pregnancies. The common causes are twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome, chromosomal abnormalities, and congenital anomalies of the fetus or anomalies of the umbilical cord-placenta. Here we report a case of monochorionic twin pregnancy in which one fetus had a single umbilical artery (SUA) while the co-twin had two umbilical arteries. The twin with SUA died in utero at the 30th week of gestation and the other fetus was delivered by cesarean section immediately due to fetal distress diagnosed by cardiotocography. Disseminated intravascular coagulation and multicystic encephalomalacia have been observed in the surviving neonate. This case and review of the literature suggest that neurologic complication rates are also increased in monochorionic twin pregnancies with single fetal demise despite the immediate delivery as in our case.