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Objectives An increasing number of women living with HIV are transitioning through midlife and menopause. Women living with HIV may experience earlier menopause and a higher symptom burden than women without HIV, but more evidence is needed. Data collection on menopause in women living with HIV is scarce and often not standardized. We sought to assess how menopause data are collected in cohorts and studies of women living with HIV. Methods This was a literature review conducted within the PubMed database. We included original studies and cohorts assessing menopause and/or menopausal symptoms in women living with HIV. Study characteristics and menopause data collection, including the definition of menopause, symptom assessment tools, and measurement of biomedical parameters, were noted and summarized systematically in data tables. Results We included 40 articles describing 37 separate studies published between 2000 and 2023; 27 of these were conducted in high-income countries, the majority in the USA (n = 16). Ten studies were from low- and middle-income countries; four of these were conducted in Brazil. In 20 studies, menopause was defined according to the World Health Organization's definition of over 12 months of amenorrhea. Twelve studies used the Menopause Rating Scale to characterize menopausal symptoms, five studies used other specified symptom assessment tools, and 12 studies used a study-specific tool. Conclusions Menopause data collection in women living with HIV is heterogeneous. We propose that standardized tools should be used to enable comparisons between studies and countries, thereby improving the quality of research and clinical treatment. Further research into the validity of menopausal symptom scoring tools is warranted., OBJECTIVES: An increasing number of women living with HIV are transitioning through midlife and menopause. Women living with HIV may experience earlier menopause and a higher symptom burden than women without HIV, but more evidence is needed. Data collection on menopause in women living with HIV is scarce and often not standardized. We sought to assess how menopause data are collected in cohorts and studies of women living with HIV.METHODS: This was a literature review conducted within the PubMed database. We included original studies and cohorts assessing menopause and/or menopausal symptoms in women living with HIV. Study characteristics and menopause data collection, including the definition of menopause, symptom assessment tools, and measurement of biomedical parameters, were noted and summarized systematically in data tables.RESULTS: We included 40 articles describing 37 separate studies published between 2000 and 2023; 27 of these were conducted in high-income countries, the majority in the USA (n = 16). Ten studies were from low- and middle-income countries; four of these were conducted in Brazil. In 20 studies, menopause was defined according to the World Health Organization's definition of over 12 months of amenorrhea. Twelve studies used the Menopause Rating Scale to characterize menopausal symptoms, five studies used other specified symptom assessment tools, and 12 studies used a study-specific tool.CONCLUSIONS: Menopause data collection in women living with HIV is heterogeneous. We propose that standardized tools should be used to enable comparisons between studies and countries, thereby improving the quality of research and clinical treatment. Further research into the validity of menopausal symptom scoring tools is warranted.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine condition affecting 6-18% of adolescents and is strongly associated with obesity and cardiovascular risk factors, enhancing the risk of atherosclerosis. Thirty-two adolescents with newly diagnosed PCOS were evaluated for lipid profile disorders, insulin resistance, inflammation, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and subclinical atherosclerosis through measurements of carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT). The relationships of the above markers with increased body mass index and abdominal obesity were investigated. Twenty-three adolescents (72%) were overweight (OW) or obese (OB). The OW/OB group had significantly higher insulin, HOMA-IR, high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP), visceral adiposity index (VAI), and lipid accumulation product (LAP) levels; and lower glucose-per-insulin ratios and HDL-C levels compared to the healthy weight group. The cIMT and small dense low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (sdLDL-C) levels did not differ between the two groups. Similarly, cIMT and sdLDL-C levels did not differ between PCOS-adolescents and healthy controls. CIMT was positively correlated with systolic blood pressure and waist circumference per height ratio. In conclusion, OW/OB PCOS-adolescents have a cluster of adverse factors predisposing them to atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Therefore, early cardiovascular risk assessment, as well as timely and targeted interventions, are necessary for prevention.

Synopsis Pediatric and adolescent gynecology presents unique barriers regarding the adoption of remote counseling. In this study, the authors assessed the feasibility and satisfaction of a hybrid telemedicine model which showed promising potential.