Normal profile of sex hormones in women with primary fibromyalgia.

PURPOSE: One of the prevailing hypotheses on the pathogenesis of fibromyalgia (FM) emphasizes the role of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis in this condition. Aberrant function of the axis was inferred from decreased concentrations of growth hormone and serotonin and reduced urinary excretion of corticosteroid metabolites observed in FM patients. Studies in a very limited number of FM patients suggest that disturbances in the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis may also lead to changes in the synthesis of sex hormones. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This study was performed in 19 women aged 23 to 46 years in whom FM was diagnosed according to ACR criteria. The control group consisted of 18 healthy women aged 21 to 41 years. Pain intensity and sleep quality was assessed with the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). The number of points reported as painful ("tender points") was measured by dolorimetry. Hormones or contraceptives were not administered to the women during the pre-study period. Blood was collected on day 8 or 9 of the menstrual cycle and serum was prepared for measurements of estradiol and progesterone with Microparticle Enzyme Immunoassay (MEIA) and AxSYM reagents from Abbott (USA). RESULTS: The study and control groups differed as to pain intensity and sleep quality, as well as number of tender points reported. However, groups did not differ as to mean concentration of estradiol or progesterone. CONCLUSIONS: A deficit of sex hormones does not appear to be part of the manifestations of FM.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) cervical infections in women with normal and abnormal cytology.

In 48 adult women, subdivided into group 1 with no cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN-negative) and group 2 (CIN-positive), endocervical scrapes were tested for the presence EBV DNA and HPV DNA using PCR-ELISA. In addition, attempts were made to detect HPV 16 and HPV 18 using other PCR amplification techniques. In parallel, in biopsies of uterine cervix obtained from group 2 patients, presence of EBER was documented by RNA in situ hybridization (ISH). Sera of all patients were tested for anti-EBV antibodies. In group 1, presence of EBV DNA was noted in the material obtained from 8 women (30.8%), while HPV DNA was detected in 2 women (7.7%). In group 2, EBV DNA was present in the material obtained from 11 patients (50%), including 7 (31.8%) with HPV DNA also identified. In 5 women (22.7%) of group 2 only HPV DNA was detected. The identifical HPV DNA in all cases belonged to HPV 16 type. Both in group 1 and in group 2, all patients were found to carry serum IgG-anti-VCA and IgG-anti-EBNA antibodies. The results allow to conclude that, co-infection with EBV and HPV 16 may be of cervical significance in etiopathogenesis of uterine cervical cancer.