Estro G-100 herbal extract and hot flashes in postmenopausal women: A randomized double-blinded controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to determine the efficacy of EstroG-100 herbal extract on hot flashes in postmenopausal women. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was performed on postmenopausal women recruited from two university hospitals complaining of hot flashes. The intervention group received two extract capsules (daily for 12 weeks), and the control group received two placebo capsules (daily for 12 weeks). Finally, the frequency and severity of hot flashes (F&S) were subjectively reported and compared weekly during the treatment for 12 weeks. RESULTS: Out of 120 randomized participants, 35 entered the final analysis for each group. In the third week, participants of the control group significantly reported more moderate hot flashes than other group (MD=1.00, P = 0.004). However, in terms of mild (MD=0.74, P = 0.057) and severe (MD=0.60, P = 0.064) hot flashes, the groups did not differ. In the sixth week, mild (MD=1.51, P<0.001), moderate (MD=1.54, P<0.001), and severe (MD=1.22, P<0.001) hot flashes were significantly reported more in the control group compared with another group. CONCLUSION: The present study revealed that EstroG-100 herbal extract could improve hot flashes in postmenopausal women.

Assessment of legacy mine metal contamination using ants as indicators of contamination.

Most legacy mines contributed to contamination of the environment before and after cessation of mining. Contamination from waste rock, slag and tailings can introduce large concentrations of metals and metalloids to the surface soil and downstream sediments. Since ants are able to accumulate metals in their bodies, we investigated the possibility of using the elemental compositions of ants as indicators of metals at legacy mines developed on ores rich in copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), arsenic (As), silver (Ag) and lead (Pb). Our results showed the concentrations of manganese (Mn) and Cu in ants were not significantly different between mine and reference samples and only Zn was significantly different between contaminated and reference areas. Crematogaster spp. and Notoncus spp. from reference areas accumulated larger concentrations of metals in their bodies compared to ants from the mine. Ants accumulated metals in different parts of their bodies. The abdomen was the main site for accumulation of Mn, iron (Fe) and Zn. Mandibles were only associated with accumulation of Zn. Copper and Pb showed no area of preferential accumulation and traces were detected in the whole body of the ants. Ants from five genera had similar regions for metal accumulation. The exoskeleton did not contribute to accumulation of metals; instead all metals were stored in internal organs. Not all genera were suitable for use as indicators; only Iridomyrmex spp. and Ochetellus spp. accumulated larger amount of metals in mine samples compared to reference samples.

The Effect of Vitamin D Supplementation on Insulin Resistance among Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of vitamin D supplementation on insulin resistance in a group of Iranian patients with polycystic ovary syndrome and vitamin D deficiency. METHODS: This was a clinical trial conducted in a tertiary medical center in Tehran, the capital city of Iran, from May 2015 to September 2015. The participants included 41 women between 20 and 40 years of age with polycystic ovary syndrome based on the Rotterdam criteria and vitamin D deficiency. The fasting blood glucose and insulin levels, as well as serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) levels were measured at baseline and two months post treatment with a single dose of 300,000IU intramuscular vitamin D3. The main outcome measures were plasma levels of vitamin D, fasting blood sugar and insulin levels, as well as insulin resistance. RESULTS: The mean age of participants was 26.6±4.1. The serum level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D increased (5.7±1.77 to 16.34±8.99 ng/mL, p<0.001). The mean fasting blood glucose reading significantly decreased from 109.56±14.59mg/dL in pre-treatment to 103.71±13.72mg/dL post treatment (p=0.003). There was a significant decrease in the mean fasting serum insulin level from 8.52±5.48 mcU/mL before treatment with vitamin D to 7.07±5.03 (p=0.019) µU/mL after the treatment. The mean HOMA-IR, as a sign of insulin resistance, significantly decreased from 2.37±1.76 to 1.87±1.49, indicating less insulin resistance. CONCLUSIONS: A single injection of vitamin D significantly decreased serum insulin levels and insulin resistance among patients with polycystic ovary syndrome.

Prevalence of human papillomavirus infection among Iranian women using COBAS HPV DNA testing.

BACKGROUND: Persistent infection with High Risk Human Papillomavirus (HR HPV) typesplaysamajor role in the development of cervical cancer. Therefore, the detection of HR HPV types is an essential part of cervical cancer screening. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of HR HPV infection among healthy women undergoing routine cervical cancer screening in Iran. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study,the results of HPV DNA typing in 2453 normal Iranian womenwhowere referred for routine cervical cancer screening from September 2015 to March 2017 were analyzed. Participants were screened using COBAS assay for HPV DNA typing and liquid based cytology. RESULTS: A total of 2453 healthy sexually active women were included in this study. The mean age was 35.1 ± 8.08 years. The overall prevalence of HR HPV infection was 10.3%. HPV16 was found in 73 (3%) women. The prevalence of HPV18 and other HR HPV typeswere 16(0.7%) and166 (8.2%),respectively. Approximately, 5% of the study population had an abnormal cervical cytology (ASCUS or worse), of whom 34% were infected by HR HPV. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of HR HPV infection among Iranian women has increased in the recent years which indicates the need for public education and health planning toprevent this cancer through vaccination and early diagnosis using screening tests.HPV DNA typing, diagnosisand the distribution of prevalent genotypes should be considered in the development of comprehensive cervical cancer prevention programs in Iran.

Comparison between performance of single-fiber reflectance spectroscopy (SFRS) system and colposcopy: a phase III trial.

Herein, the performance of single-fiber reflectance spectroscopy (SFRS) in detection of cervical pre-cancerous squamous intraepithelial lesions (SIL) was compared with colposcopy. Based on the previous results obtained from 167 samples and finding the contributing parameters in differentiating SILs from non-SILs, a user-friendly interface was developed to detect the SILs using SFRS system. Detection of SILs in 301 patients was performed by both SFRS system and routine colposcopy. In addition to physician-determined sites, four quarters of the cervix were measured by SFRS system and suspicious lesions detected by either method were biopsied. Histopathologic results of the biopsied species were compared to the physician judgments based on colposcopy and the results of SFRS system. SFRS could differentiate between SILs and non-SILs with mean sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of 38.3, 60.9, 15.2, and 84.3%, respectively. These values were obtained as 88.3, 10.6, 15.4, and 83.1% for the colposcopy, respectively. Although sensitivity of SFRS in detection of SILs is about twofold less than the colposcopy, it can reduce the number of unnecessary biopsies by a factor of more than 5.5. Therefore, the aid of SFRS system to the physician can reduce the number of unnecessary biopsies. On the other hand, both colposcopy and SFRS methods equally suffer from low detection worth in terms of positive/negative predictive values. In conclusion, using the online, simple and non-invasive SFRS system to choose between several suspicious sites in a patient in the clinic may be recommended.

Preoperative evaluation of risk of ovarian malignancy algorithm index in prediction of malignancy of adnexal masses.

BACKGROUND: Differentiation between benign and malignant ovarian neoplasms is essential to create a system for patient referrals. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present prospective trial was to analyze the value of the risk of ovarian malignancy algorithm (ROMA) in prediction of adnexal masses malignancy in pre- and post-menopause women before operation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Preoperative serum samples were tested for CA125 and HE4 using fully automated methods (Abbott architect) and gained best cutoff. The ROMA index was analyzed in 99 patients (including 68 pre-menopause and 31 menopause) with adnexal masses referred to Imam Hossein Hospital/Tehran/Iran and had been scheduled for operation. The pathological results showed 43 cases (22 menopause) with malignant adnexal masses and 56 cases (9 menopauses) with benign adnexal masses. Demographical data, clinical symptoms and the ROMA index were separately analyzed and contrasted in benign and malignant in both menopause and pre-menopause patients. RESULTS: The only significant difference was the older age of the malignant group vs. benign group (P = 0.001) regarding demographic findings. As concerns the clinical symptoms, presence of abdominal discomfort in pre-diagnosis period was the only significant parameter in malignant group (P = 0.001). Additionally, data analysis of patients as a total group showed that specificity (96.4%), positive predictive value (PPV) (94.1%), area under the curve (AUC) (0.907), and diagnostic accuracy (DA) (86.9%) of the ROMA were higher than HE4 (91.1%, 85.7%, 0.857 and 81.8%. respectively) and CA125 (87.9%, 67.3%, 0.828 and 75.8%, respectively) alone. Besides, negative predictive value (NPV) (86.4%) and sensitivity (86.1%) of CA125 were higher than HE4 (79.7% and 69.8%, respectively). In contrast, specificity of HE4 (91.1%) was higher than CA125 (67.9%). Data analysis of patients as two groups (pre and post menopause groups) showed the same results. CONCLUSIONS: Specificity, DA and AUC of the ROMA were higher than HE4 and CA125 taken separately.