Diet assessment and the screening for osteoporosis: a survey in a healthy menopause population.

AIM: The aim of this study was to investigate about diet assessment in the screening for osteoporosis. METHODS: In 1,441 women (group A, mean age 53.5 years, mean time from menopause 3.92(+/-4.33)] the number of daily/weekly servings/cups of different foods has been collected. In 71 women (group B, mean age 59 years, mean time from menopause 6 years) diet was assessed through a detailed questionnaire. Demographic and clinical data and dietary habits were related to bone mineral density (BMD) values, using Student t-test and the chi2 test. RESULTS: Group A: borderline/reduced BMD 40%, the percentage increasing with age and the duration of menopause (P<0.001). BMI within normal range 56.28%. BMD values were positively associated with Body Mass Index (BMI, P<0.001), education level (P<0.005), job (P<0.01), oral contraceptives use (P<0.001), negatively with family history of osteoporosis (P<0.05). BMD values showed a positive relation with the number of eggs per week (P<0.05), positive not significant trends were observed with dairy products, vegetables, red and white meat intake. A low/reduced BMD was related to low calcium food intake in less than 50% of the women. Group B: borderline/reduced BMD 55%; BMD showed positive trends, not significant, with daily calcium intake, BMI, physical exercise. Estimated calcium intake less than 700 mg/day was found in 33% of the sample. CONCLUSION: Diet assessment is not useful in the screening for osteoporosis. In women with borderline or reduced BMD, diet assessment helps to detect those at low calcium intake who need calcium supplementation, alone or in combination with other treatments.

[Human papillomavirus of the female genital tract: prevalence in women attending a centre for early cancer detection]. / Il virus del papilloma umano genitale: note sulla prevalenza nell'utenza di un centro per la prevenzione dei tumori femminili.

AIM: The authors study the trend of cytologic human papillomavirus (HPV) detection in the period between 1980 and 2000 in women attending a clinic for genital cancer early detection. METHODS: Routine activity, besides pap smear, is based on clinical evaluation, colposcopy and target biopsy in the presence of a lesion. The cytological trend is compared with that of histologic and clinical findings of HPV lesions on the basis of data prospectively collected. RESULTS: About 5% of cytologic HPV detection is observed in the whole, with a pick of about 11% in the years 1992-1994, and values around 2-3% up to 1991 and after 1995. The finding does not change if the whole pap smear group is considered (46,862) or only the first pap smear per woman (16,810). A similar trend, but with a smaller pick, is observed in histologic findings, not in colposcopic findings. The clinical finding of condylomata is higher in the first period of observation, sloping down through the time intervals considered. Standardization on age or patient's recruiting does not change the evidence. CONCLUSION: The trend of the HPV parameters studied could represent an epidemiological model for HPV infection. The clinical epidemics is followed by a period of HPV cytological pick, which might be followed, at suitable time interval, by more cervical intraepithelial neoplasia/squamous intraepithelial lesions, according to the well known latency between infection and premalignant changes.

[Climacteric syndrome: comparison of several secondary therapies]. / La sindrome climaterica: confronto tra alcune terapie secondarie.

During a first one year period a random treatment for climacteric symptoms with "Estriol vaginal cream" vs "Trazodone and Estriol vaginal cream" and, after it and only in patients not complaining of dyspareunia, with "Trazodone" vs "Veralipride" has been conducted. After the first year all women complaining of dyspareunia were treated with Estriol vaginal cream. Eighty women were enrolled in the five treatment groups. After three months of treatment, a good remission of symptoms was shown, with differences in relations to treatment schedules. Dyspareunia subsided for more than 70% in women treated with Estriol vaginal cream (either by itself or in association), and Estriol vaginal cream achieved the best response from the highest number of the considered symptoms, besides being the only active treatment in insomnia. A good answer on hot flushes and "irritability, anxiety, depression" was obtained by Trazodone, while Veralipride showed to be more active on all neurovegetative symptoms (hot flushes, sweatings, tinglings, palpitations, astenia).

[Relation between laboratory tests and densitometry values: characterization of the baseline profile in a perimenopausal population at anamnestic risk for osteoporosis]. / Relazione tra esami di laboratorio e valori densitometrici: caratterizione del quadro base in una popolazione perimenopausale a rischio anamnestico per osteoporosi.

The relationship between usual laboratory indexes of bone metabolism and dual photon densitometry in perimenopausal women at anamnestic risk for osteoporosis are studied. One hundred and twenty five women, with one or more risk factors for osteoporosis, have been investigated by: plasma calcium, phosphorus, osteocalcin, ALP-bone-isoenzyme, PTH, and 24 hours urinary calcium and hydroxyproline, besides dual photon densitometry of lumbar spine. Laboratory indexes are indicated as "above normal values" and, within the range of normality, "at lower limits", "average values", and "at upper limits". More than 90% of patients show laboratory findings at the upper limits. Furthermore, 46% of them show both hydroxyproline greater than 20 mg/24 h and urinary calcium greater than 200 mg/24 h; 81.7% osteocalcin greater than 7.00 ng/ml and plasma calcium greater than 4.9 mEq/l; 87.9% osteocalcin greater than 7.00 ng/ml and urinary calcium greater than 200 mg/244; 86.4% densitometric values less than 0.700 g/cm2 and osteocalcin greater than 7.00 ng/ml. Our at risk population shows a wide agreement among the laboratory indexes, to indicate an increased bone metabolism.