Comparing the effects of intrauterine progestin system and oral progestin on health-related quality of life and Kupperman index in hormone replacement therapy.

AIM: The aim of this study was to compare the effects of intrauterine-system-releasing 20 µg daily of levonorgestrel (LNG IUS) plus 1 mg 17 beta-estradiol daily, orally with combined oral pill containing 1 mg 17 beta-estradiol/2 mg drospirenone daily as hormone replacement therapy, on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and climacteric symptoms in postmenopausal women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A 6-month prospective clinical trial was conducted at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Dr Lutfi Kirdar Kartal Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. Ninety postmenopausal women were accepted to be part of the study. The Euro Quality of Life-5 Dimensions (EQ-5D) and Euro Quality of Life Visual Analogue Scale (EQ VAS) indexes for HRQoL and Kupperman indexes were compared between two groups of patients. RESULTS: Kupperman indexes of both treatment groups decreased gradually over 6 months, but indexes decreased significantly more in the group with intrauterine-system-releasing 20 µg daily of levonorgestrel. Elevations were observed in EQ-5D indexes and VAS values of both groups. EQ VAS values significantly increased in the group on intrauterine progestogen system. Similar changes were observed in the EQ-5D indexes of both groups. CONCLUSION: A hormone replacement therapy regimen that includes an intrauterine progestin system decreased climacteric symptoms and increased HRQoL in postmenopausal women during a follow-up period of 6 months. The extent of the relief of symptoms was greater in this group than in women receiving oral combined hormone replacement therapy. It seems therefore that the intrauterine progestin system could represent a method of choice for endometrial suppression in women using estrogen replacement therapy with distinct advantages over systemically administered progestogens, which have been the subject of considerable debate as reported in the recent literature.

Successful management of uterine prolapse during pregnancy with vaginal pessary: a case report.

UNLABELLED: We present a case of uterine prolapse complicating a second trimester pregnancy which was managed successfully with a vaginal pessary. CASE: A 19 year-old primigravid woman referred to the obstetric emergency unit at the 16th week of gestation complaining of uterine prolapse. A silicone ring-shaped middle-size vaginal pessary was placed into the vagina. On each control visit, when the vaginal pessary was removed, the uterine prolapse still persisted until birth. The patient gave birth at 38(th) week by spontaneous vaginal delivery to a healthy baby. After birth, with uterine contractions, uterine prolapse regressed progressively. CONCLUSION: The management and treatment of uterine prolapse in pregnancy should be individualized depending on the patient's preference. A vaginal pessary may be helpful to avoid complications of this condition and should be considered during patient counseling.

Imperforate hymen: a new benign reason for highly elevated serum CA 19.9 and CA 125 levels.

Imperforate hymen is a urogenital tract anomaly that represents the most frequent congenital malformation of the female genital tract. CA 19-9 and CA 125 are widely used as tumor markers, however several benign conditions are also known to increase serum CA 19-9 and CA 125 levels. According to classical textbook knowledge, imperforate hymen is not listed under the benign conditions that increase serum CA 19-9 and CA 125 levels. In this case report we describe a relation between imperforate hymen and elevated serum CA 19-9 and CA 125 levels.