Gauze packing may be a better hemostatic method to protect ovarian reserve during laparoscopic endometrioma cystectomy than conventional hemostatic methods.

PURPOSE: To compare the ovarian reserve of different hemostatic methods after laparoscopic endometrioma stripping (LES) and explore which factors may affect ovarian reserve. METHODS: Patients who underwent LES from January 2019 to December 2021 were retrospectively included. Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels were measured before, and 3 months after surgery to determine changes of serum AMH in each patient. A multivariate linear regression analysis was performed to identify significant factors that were associated with the rate of decline of serum AMH levels at month 3 after surgery. RESULTS: A total of 67 patients who underwent LES were included. Of these patients, 20 with gauze packing, 24 with bipolar dessication (BD), and 23 with suture to achieve hemostasis. The 3 groups were similar in terms of demographics, cyst diameter, and basal AMH levels, except basal hemoglobin levels. At 3 months after surgery, the decline rate of AMH levels was significantly greater in the suture and BD group compared with the gauze packing group [48.2% (interquartile range, IQR, 28.1-67.1) and 31.1% (IQR,14.6-49.1) vs. 15.1% (IQR,1.1-24.5), P = 0.001]. On multivariate regression models, significant predictors of the decline rate of serum AMH levels at 3 months after surgery were hemostatic methods (p < 0.001), basal AMH levels (p = 0.033), and lesion bilaterality (p = 0.017). CONCLUSION: Compared to BD or suturing hemostasis, gauze packing hemostasis led to less damage on ovarian reserve at 3 months after LES. Besides, hemostatic methods, bilateral endometriomas and basal ovarian reserve were independently correlated with the impairment of ovarian reserve after surgery.

Clinical and metabolic characteristics of endometrial lesions in polycystic ovary syndrome at reproductive age.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to explore the clinical and metabolic characteristics in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) patients with different endometrial lesions. METHODS: 234 PCOS patients who underwent hysteroscopy and endometrial biopsy were categorized into four groups: (1) normal endometrium (control group, n = 98), (2) endometrial polyp (EP group, n = 92), (3) endometrial hyperplasia (EH group, n = 33), (4) endometrial cancer (EC group, n = 11). Serum sex hormone levels, 75 g oral glucose tolerance test, insulin release test, fasting plasma lipid, complete blood count and coagulation parameters were measured and analyzed. RESULTS: Body mass index and triglyceride level of the EH group were higher while average menstrual cycle length was longer in comparison with the control and EP group. Sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) and high density lipoprotein were lower in the EH group than that in the control group. 36% of the patients in the EH group suggested obesity, higher than the other three groups. Using multivariant regression analysis, patients with free androgen index > 5 had higher risk of EH (OR 5.70; 95% CI 1.05-31.01), while metformin appeared to be a protective factor for EH (OR 0.12; 95% CI 0.02-0.80). Metformin and hormones (oral contraceptives or progestogen) were shown to be protective factors for EP (OR 0.09; 95% CI 0.02-0.42; OR 0.10; 95% CI 0.02-0.56). Hormones therapy appeared to be a protective factor for EC (OR 0.05; 95% CI 0.01-0.39). CONCLUSION: Obesity, prolonged menstrual cycle, decreased SHBG, and dyslipidemia are risk factors for EH in patients with PCOS. Oral contraceptives, progestogen and metformin are recommended for prevention and treatment of endometrial lesions in PCOS patients.

Comparison of laparoscopic and open approach in the treatment of heterotopic pregnancy following embryo transfer.

Purpose: Heterotopic pregnancy (HP) is a rare disease with the coexistence of an intrauterine and ectopic embryos. There is no consensus on the optimal treatment of HP at present. This research aimed to compare the perioperative and pregnancy outcomes of laparoscopic (LA) and open approach (OA) in patients with HP after embryo transfer. Methods: Women with HP receiving surgical treatment (LA or OA) were retrospectively recruited in this study between October 2006 and December 2020. The demographic, perioperative and obstetric data were collected and compared between LA and OA group. Results: Totally, 86 patients were included in this study. Among these patients, 62 underwent LA and 24 underwent OA. There was an increase in the adoption of LA between the 2006-2012 period and the 2013-2020 period [25% (6/24) vs. 90% (56/62), p < 0.001]. Compared with OA, patients treated by LA had much less blood loss [20 (10-50) vs. 30 (20-50) ml, p = 0.036] and fewer days of hospital stay [5.0 (4.0-7.3) vs. 9.5 (7-15.3) days, p < 0.001], but a relatively higher cost (15,580 ± 3196¥ vs. 11,717 ± 3820¥, p < 0.001). During the laparoscopic procedure, no one needed to be converted to open surgery. However, the rates of first trimester miscarriage, preterm, cesarean section, birth weight, 1- and 5-min Apgar were similar between LA and OA group (all p > 0.05). Conclusions: Compared with open approach, laparoscopy was shown to provide a comparable pregnancy outcomes and a better performance on perioperative outcomes in the treatment of HP patients with embryo transfer.

Construction and Validation of a Ferroptosis-Related Prognostic Model for Endometrial Cancer.

Endometrial cancer (EC) is one of the most common female reproductive system tumors, with close to 200,000 new cases each year. It accounts for approximately 7% of the total number of female cancers, but until now the cause of EC has remained unclear. Ferroptosis is regulated cell death that distinguishes apoptosis and caused by oxidative damage. The process has unique biological effects on metabolism and redox biology. In this study, we analyzed the relationship between EC and ferroptosis. According to the different expression levels of related genes, we first divided 544 EC samples into four clusters and found that most of the infiltrating immune cells were significantly different among the four groups. A differential gene expression analysis between Fe.cluster groups was performed, and the samples were again divided into three Fe.gene.cluster groups. The molecular characteristics and clinical characteristics of the groups were significantly different. Finally, 13 characteristic genes were selected as ferroptosis gene signatures, and the Fe.score was obtained by calculation. The Fe.score is closely related to the clinical and molecular characteristics of EC, and a low Fe.score has a significant survival advantage. The GDSC predicts that the IC50 of multiple chemotherapeutic drugs is also significantly different between the two groups. In conclusion, our research has explored the relationship between EC and ferroptosis in detail, provides comprehensive insights for ferroptosis-mediated EC mechanism research, and emphasizes the clinical application potential of Fe.score-based immunotherapy strategies.

Risk Factors for Urinary Incontinence in Chinese Women: A Cross-sectional Survey.

OBJECTIVE: Urinary incontinence is highly prevalent among women, with a substantial effect on health-related quality of life. This article aimed to investigate the independent factors for urinary incontinence (UI) and the relative importance of each factor. METHODS: This study was a cross-sectional survey of Chinese women in Guangzhou. Female 20 years and older were invited to participate. The International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Urinary Incontinence Short Form was used to determine whether respondents are experiencing UI. Univariate and multivariate unconditional logistic regression analyses were performed to determine the significant risk factors associated with UI. RESULTS: A total of 2626 women were invited to participate in the survey. The response rate was 80.5% (2114/2626). The prevalence of UI among the study population was 31.2%. Old age, increased body mass index, childbirth, family history of any female pelvic floor disorders, symptoms of chronic cough or rhinitis, wearing a corset, and often drinking were independent risk factors for UI. CONCLUSIONS: Urinary incontinence is common among Chinese women in Guangzhou. Among the factors that we are concerned with, old age and vaginal delivery are the two with greatest impact. Moreover, wearing a corset and drinking are the 2 lifestyle factors associated with UI.

The Fractional CO2 Laser for the Treatment of Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause: A Prospective Multicenter Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) is a common condition affecting of most postmenopausal women, which greatly impacks the quality of life,and need to treat. This prospective multicenter cohort study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of the fractional carbon dioxide (CO2 ) laser with that of topical estrogen for vaginal treatment and relieving symptoms of genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM). STUDY DESIGN/MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included 162 postmenopausal patients who received vaginal laser or topical Estriol cream therapy between January 2017 and May 2019 at eight study centers in China. The degree of GSM-related symptoms (vaginal burning, dryness, and dyspareunia) was evaluated using the Vaginal Health Index score (VHIS) and Visual Analog Scale (VAS) at baseline, 1, 3, 6, and 12 months posttreatment. The primary endpoint was the improvement in vaginal burning, dryness, and dyspareunia at 6 months after treatment. Multivariate logistic regression was used to compare the rate of improvement in the two groups. RESULTS: At baseline, the laser and control groups showed no significant difference in the mean age, time after menopause, and the VHIS (all P > 0.05). In the laser group, compared with baseline, significant differences were seen in the VHIS after the first or second treatment session and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months posttreatment (P < 0.01). In the control group, compared with baseline, the VHIS showed significant differences after 1, 3, and 6 months of treatment (P < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference after 3 and 6 months of follow-up between the two groups (P > 0.05). The VHIS scores were significantly higher after 1 month (16.63 ± 2.79 vs. 15.57 ± 2.43) and 12 months (15.72 ± 2.59 vs. 12.12 ± 4.08) of treatment in both the groups (P < 0.05). At 6 months after treatment, both groups showed improvement in vaginal burning, vaginal dryness, and dyspareunia (P > 0.05). The VAS findings at 6 months posttreatment were significantly different when compared with the pretreatment findings (P < 0.001). There were no significant adverse effects in the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Fractional CO2 laser vaginal treatment could be a safe and effective option for treating symptoms of GSM, including vaginal burning, dryness, and dyspareunia. The improvement in symptoms was comparable with that seen with topical estrogen therapy and lasted for at least 6-12 months posttreatment. Lasers Surg. Med. © 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC.

The prognostic value of the preoperative c-reactive protein/albumin ratio in ovarian cancer.

BACKGROUND: Inflammation plays an important role in the pathogenesis of ovarian cancer. This study sought to investigate the association between the preoperative c-reactive protein/albumin ratio (CRP/Alb) and oncological outcomes in ovarian cancer patients. METHODS: Two hundred patients with histologically verified ovarian cancer between June 2006 and July 2012 were retrospectively reviewed. Overall survival was evaluated by the Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test. The significance of risk factors for overall survival was evaluated with the Cox proportional hazards model. Additionally, area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was used to compare the predictive ability of CRP/Alb, Glasgow Prognostic Score (GPS), modified GPS (mGPS), neutrophil lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet lymphocyte ratio (PLR), prognostic index (PI) and prognostic nutritional index (PNI). RESULTS: The optimal cutoff value of CRP/Alb was 0.68. Increased CRP/Alb (≥0.68) was associated with advanced stage, residual tumor, ascites, elevated serum carbohydrate antigen(CA)-125 level, GPS, and mGPS (all p < 0.05). Patients with high CRP/Alb had poor overall survival compared to those with low CRP/Alb (p < 0.001). Multivariable analysis showed that CRP/Alb (Hazard Ratio (HR) 1.330, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.131-1.564, p = 0.001), tumor stage (HR 1.577, 95% CI 1.189-2.091, p = 0.002), residual tumor (HR 2.337, 95% CI 1.518-3.597, p < 0.001) and age (HR 1.017, 95% CI 1.000-1.035, p = 0.046) were independent prognostic factors for overall survival. Additionally, the CRP/Alb showed greater AUC values at 1 year (0.692), 3 years (0.659), and 5 years (0.682) than GPS, mGPS and PNI. CONCLUSIONS: The CRP/Alb is a novel independent marker of poor prognosis among ovarian cancer patients and shows superior prognostic ability compared to the established inflammation-based prognostic indices.

Polycystic ovary syndrome is associated with anogenital distance, a marker of prenatal androgen exposure.

Study question: Is the presence of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) associated with anogenital distance (AGD), a biomarker for the prenatal hormonal environment? Summary answer: The presence of PCOS is associated with longer AGD. What is known already: Although the aetiology of PCOS is unclear, emerging data suggest that the natural history of PCOS may originate from intrauterine life. Prenatal exposure to androgen hormones is considered an important factor of PCOS. AGD is the distance measured from the anus to the genital tubercle and there is considerable evidence in humans and animals to support AGD as a sensitive biomarker of prenatal androgen activity. Study design, size, duration: This case-control study of 156 PCOS patients and 180 reproductively healthy women (control subjects) was performed from October 2015 to July 2016. Participants/materials, setting, methods: The patients and controls were recruited from the out-patient Department of Gynecology of Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital. Participants completed health questionnaires and provided a blood sample for evaluation of serum reproductive hormone profiles. Anthropometric indices of AGDAF (anus-fourchette) and AGDAC (anus-clitoris) were measured in all subjects. We used logistic regression to estimate the association between the presence of PCOS and AGD measurements while accounting for important confounders, including age and BMI. Multiple linear regression was used to analyse the relationships between PCOS characteristics (e.g. polycystic ovaries and total testosterone (T)) and two measurements of AGD in the PCOS group and controls. Main results and the role of chance: Overall, logistic regression showed that women with AGDAF in the highest tertile were 18.8 times (95% CI 9.6-36.6; P < 0.001) more likely to have PCOS compared with those in the lowest tertile. Women with AGDAC in the highest tertile were 6.7 times (95% CI 3.7-12.1; P < 0.001) more likely to have PCOS than those in the lowest tertile. In the PCOS group, multiple linear regression analyses revealed that both AGD measurements were positively associated with T levels (ß = 0.246 for AGDAC, ß = 0.368 for AGDAF; P = 0.003 and P < 0.001, respectively), and AGDAF was positively associated with the presence of polycystic ovaries (ß = 0.279; P < 0.001). In the controls, a positive association was found only between T levels with AGDAF (ß = 0.177, P = 0.020), whereas no associations were found between the remaining covariates and AGD measurements. Limitations, reasons for caution: As this was an observational study, causal inference cannot be obtained. Wider implications of the findings: This study suggests that PCOS may originate in intrauterine life, and be affected by prenatal exposure to androgens. Study funding/competing interest(s): This study was supported by funds obtained from the Science Technology Research Project of Guangdong Province (2010B031600058 and 2015A030310083) and the Major Science Technology Research Project of Guangdong Province (ZKM05602S). The authors have no competing interests to declare. Trial registration number: Not applicable.

Overexpression of Lnk in the Ovaries Is Involved in Insulin Resistance in Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) progression involves abnormal insulin signaling. SH2 domain-containing adaptor protein (Lnk) may be an important regulator of the insulin signaling pathway. We investigated whether Lnk was involved in insulin resistance (IR). Thirty-seven women due to receive laparoscopic surgery from June 2011 to February 2012 were included from the gynecologic department of the Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University. Samples of polycystic and normal ovary tissues were examined by immunohistochemistry. Ovarian cell lines underwent insulin stimulation and Lnk overexpression. Expressed Lnk underwent coimmunoprecipitation tests with green fluorescent protein-labeled insulin receptor and His-tagged insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS1), and their colocalization in HEK293T cells was examined. Ovarian tissues from PCOS patients with IR exhibited higher expression of Lnk than ovaries from normal control subjects and PCOS patients without IR; mainly in follicular granulosa cells, the follicular fluid and plasma of oocytes in secondary follicles, and atretic follicles. Lnk was coimmunoprecipitated with insulin receptor and IRS1. Lnk and insulin receptor/IRS1 locations overlapped around the nucleus. IR, protein kinase B (Akt), and ERK1/2 activities were inhibited by Lnk overexpression and inhibited further after insulin stimulation, whereas IRS1 serine activity was increased. Insulin receptor (Tyr1150/1151), Akt (Thr308), and ERK1/2 (Thr202/Tyr204) phosphorylation was decreased, whereas IRS1 (Ser307) phosphorylation was increased with Lnk overexpression. In conclusion, Lnk inhibits the phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase-AKT and MAPK-ERK signaling response to insulin. Higher expression of Lnk in PCOS suggests that Lnk probably plays a role in the development of IR.

Germline and Somatic DICER1 Mutations in a Well-Differentiated Fetal Adenocarcinoma of the Lung.

Germ-line DICER1 mutations predispose to a distinctive tumour predisposition syndrome, the DICER1 syndrome, which is associated with a spectrum of rare mainly childhood-onset tumours. In 2014, a case of well-differentiated fetal adenocarcinoma of the lung (WDFA) was reported in a 16-year-old germ-line DICER1 mutation carrier. Here we report our finding of a characteristic somatic DICER1 RNase IIIb c.5127T>A (p.Asp1709Glu) missense mutation within the WDFA, confirmed using laser capture microscopy. The child has a personal history consistent with the DICER1 syndrome: she developed a multinodular goitre at age 14 years and an ovarian Sertoli-Leydig cell tumour at age 16 years, each of which were found to harbour a somatic DICER1 RNase IIIb missense mutation. The identification of two DICER1 "hits" in the WDFA strongly suggests that WDFA is a rare, previously-unrecognised manifestation of DICER1 syndrome.

[Investigation of the change of adiponectin level with menopause status in middle aged women and its relationship with androgen].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the change of adiponectin level with menopause status in women aged 40 to 65, and its relationship with androgen. METHODS: A cross-sectional study included woman (aged from 40 to 65) who were in hospital for routine check-up at the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital from August to October in 2013. All subjects underwent laboratory examinations of adiponectin, sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEA-S), total testosterone (TT), collected anthropometric measurements and then calculated free androgen index (FAI) and body mass index (BMI). According to their menstrual status, the subjects were divided into 4 groups: premenopausal group with 119 subjects, perimenopausal group with 60 subjects, early postmenopausal group with 62 subjects, late postmenopausal group with 64 subjects. RESULTS: (1) Adiponectin levels declined to its lowest level in menopausal transition and gradually becoming higher after menopause, which showed a U-shaped trajectory. When compared adiponectin levels in late postmenopausal group [(13 ± 5) mg/L] with those in perimenopausal [(8 ± 6) mg/L] or early postmenopausal group [(9 ± 6) mg/L], it all showed significantly difference (P < 0.05). (2) Both the adiponectin levels were negatively correlated with waistline in the 4 groups (premenopausal group, r = -0.276; perimenopausal group, r = -0.334; early postmenopausal group, r = -0.211; late postmenopausal group, r = -0.218; all P < 0.05). Levels of adiponectin were positively correlated with SHBG (r = 0.536, P < 0.05) and negatively with FAI (r = -0.363, P < 0.05) in menopausal transition, while in late postmenopausal group, negatively correlated with level of DHEA-S (r = -0.450, P < 0.05). When adjusted for age, BMI and waistline, the above correlations still exist. CONCLUSIONS: Adiponectin levels declined to its lowest level in menopausal transition and gradually becoming higher after menopause, which showed a U-shaped trajectory during the sequential menopause status transition in middle aged women. Low level of adiponectin in menopausal transition is closely associated with the relative excess androgen occurred during this stage.

Levonorgestrel Inhibits Human Endometrial Cell Proliferation through the Upregulation of Gap Junctional Intercellular Communication via the Nuclear Translocation of Ser255 Phosphorylated Cx43.

OBJECTS: To assess whether LNG exerts antiproliferation effects on human endometrial cells through changes of GJIC function and the phosphorylated Cx43. METHODS: Cell proliferation and apoptosis of human endometrial stromal cells (HESCs) and glandular cells (HEGCs) treated with LNG in a dose- and time-dependent manner. GJIC change and further total Cx43 and serine 368 and 255 phosphorylated Cx43 were measured. RESULTS: 5 × 10(-5) mol/L LNG revealed a time-dependent inhibition of cell proliferation and an increase of apoptosis in both HESCs and HEGCs. Furthermore, these cells demonstrated a significant GJIC enhancement upon treatment with 5 × 10(-5) mol/L for 48 hours. The effects of LNG were most noticeable in HESCs rather than in HEGCs. Associated with these changes, LNG induced a relative increase in total Cx43 in a time-dependent manner but not Ser368 phosphorylated Cx43. Moreover, laser scanning confocal microscope confirmed the increased expression of total Cx43 in the cytoplasm and, interestingly, the nuclear translocation of Ser255 phosphorylated Cx43. CONCLUSIONS: LNG likely inhibits the proliferation and promotes apoptosis in HESCs and HEGCs though an increase in gap junction permeability in vitro, which is achieved through the upregulation of Cx43 expression and the translocation of serine 255 phosphorylated Cx43 from the plasma to the nuclear compartment.

DICER1 mutations in a patient with an ovarian Sertoli-Leydig tumor, well-differentiated fetal adenocarcinoma of the lung, and familial multinodular goiter.

DICER1 syndrome, a recently described tumor-predisposition syndrome, often involves multiple organs and is characterized by pleuropulmonary blastoma (PPB), cystic nephroma, ovarian Sertoli-Leydig tumors, familial multinodular goiter, etc. Germline DICER1 mutations have been identified in individuals with a variety of malignant conditions. However, in a review of the reported DICER1 syndrome cases that feature an unusual array of neoplastic and hyperplastic phenotypes, no mentions are made of these patients also presenting well-differentiated fetal adenocarcinoma of the lung. Here, we present a 16-year-old Chinese adolescent suffering from an ovarian Sertoli-Leydig cell tumor,well-differentiated fetal adenocarcinoma of the lung, and familial multinodular goiter with a nonsense mutation (c.3540C > A; p.Tyr1180*) in exon 21 of DICER1. This report presents the first case in which the clinical features of DICER1 syndrome appear in combination with well-differentiated fetal adenocarcinoma of the lung. We hypothesize that this case may suggest that well-differentiated fetal adenocarcinoma of the lung falls within the wide spectrum of manifestations of the DICER1 syndrome. Remarkably, this mutation is reported in a patient from The International PPB Registry.

[Effects of levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system on endometrial estrogen and progesterone receptors in patients with endometrial hyperplasia].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the changes in local endometrial contents of estrogen receptors (ER) and progesterone receptors (PR) after insertion of levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system (LNG-IUS) and evaluate the efficacy of LNG-IUS in treating endometrial hyperplasia. METHODS: The endometrial histological changes were observed in 25 anovulatory women with dysfunctional uterine bleeding after insertion of LNG-IUS, and the contents of ERs and PRs in the endometrium were measured by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: The endometrial proliferation activity was obviously inhibited 6 months after LNG-IUS insertion with decreased endometrial glands, glandular dysplasia and decidualization of interstitial cells. The positive cell rate for ERs and PRs in the glandular epithelial and interstitial cells were significantly reduced after LNG-IUS insertion. CONCLUSIONS: LNG-IUS can reduce ER and PR expressions in the endometrium and inhibit endometrial proliferation, and therefore can be effective in treating simple and complex endometrial hyperplasia.

[The relationship of serum testosterone and its related index with the metabolism syndrome in women at perimenopausal or postmenopausal periods].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between testosterone level and related index and metabolic syndrome (MS) of women in perimenopause or postmenopause period. METHODS: From May 2009 to August 2010, 911 women aged 40-65 years underwent physical examination in the Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University were enrolled in this study, which were divided into 175 women with early perimenopause period in group A, 112 women late perimenopause period in group B, 161 women with early postmenopause period in group C, 132 women with moderate postmenopause period in group D, 88 women with late postmenopause period in group E, 243 women with regular menstruation as control group (group F). MS was defined according to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) criteria. The relationship of free testosterone level and MS of women in different stage of menopause was analyzed. RESULTS: (1) Compared with 1.13 nmol/L in group F, median testosterone level of 1.03 nmol/L in group A, 0.91 nmol/L in group B, 0.91 nmol/L in group C, 0.87 nmol/L in group D, 0.83 nmol/L in group E decreased significantly at early peri-menopause period (P < 0.01). Median free androgen index (FAI) was 1.33 in group A, 1.56 in group B, 1.69 in group F. When compared median FAI in group A with those in group F or B, it all showed significantly difference (P < 0.01); Testosterone (T)/estradiol (E(2)) were 0.042 in group C, 0.040 in group D, 0.042 in group E, 0.010 in group A. When compared T/E(2) in group C with group F, D and E, it all reached statistical difference (P < 0.01). (2) There were negative correlation among waist circumference (WC, r = -0.287), fasting blood glucose (FBG, r = -0.281), triglyceride (TG, r = -0.224) and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) and positive correlation with high density lipoprotein cholesterone (HDL-C, r = 0.314). The logistic regression analysis for MS showed that the MS was associated with SHBG significantly (OR = 0.993, 95%CI: 0.986 - 0.999, P = 0.035). (3) When cut-off value of SHBG was defined at 56.14 nmol/L, SHBG was used to predict MS with sensitivity of 63.13% and specificity of 69.45%. CONCLUSIONS: Serum testosterone was associated with MS in women at perimenopausal and postmenopausal period, so window period of preventing MS was set at perimenopausal period. A serum testosterone level was elevated from premenopause to postmenopause period. Because there was an association between SHBG and MS, SHBG was a selectable parameter to predict MS.

[Polymorphism of catechol-O-methyltransferase gene in relation to the risk of endometrial cancer].

OBJECTIVE: The 4- and 16-hydroxylated metabolites of estrogens have been implicated in carcinogenesis, whereas its 2-hydroxylated metabolites have been shown to have antiangiogenic effects. We aimed to examine whether the polymorphisms of catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) involved in the estrogen metabolism are associated with endometrial cancer risk. METHODS: Polymerase chain reaction-restrictive fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis was used to study the variant allele frequency distributions of COMT Val158Met genetic polymorphism in a population based case-control study with 132 endometrial cancer cases and 110 controls. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated by unconditional logistic regression after adjustment for known or suspected risk factors for endometrial cancer. RESULTS: The most frequent genotype was COMT(Val/Val) (47.2%, 52/110) in control group and COMT(Val/Met) (58.3%, 77/132) in endometrial cancer group. The difference between the two groups was of statistical significance (P < 0.05). Compared with COMT(Met/Met) genotype, the COMT(Val/Val) genotype was inversely correlated with endometrial cancer risk, and the adjusted OR value was 0.262 (95% CI: 0.080 - 0.862, P = 0.027). CONCLUSIONS: Among the genotypes in women in South China, genotype COMT(Val/Val) is mostly seen, followed by COMT(Val/Met), and COMT(Met/Met) is the least in control group. The endometrial cancer susceptivity of genotype COMT(Val/Val) carriers may be lower than COMT(Met/Met) carriers.