Assessment of insomnia and related risk factors in postmenopausal women screened for the metabolic syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Sleep disturbances are common during female mid-life. Nevertheless, there is limited available information linking sleep characteristics to the menopause and the metabolic syndrome (METS). OBJECTIVE: To assess insomnia prevalence and related risk factors in postmenopausal women screened for the METS. METHODS: In this cross sectional study 204 natural postmenopausal women participating in a METS screening program filled out the Athens insomnia scale (AIS), the hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS) and a general socio-demographic questionnaire. Criteria of the Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP-III) were used to define the METS. RESULTS: Median age of the whole sample was 56 years. A 50.5% of women had the METS, 57.4% hot flushes, 58.3% were abdominally obese, 51.5% hypertension, 25.0% hyperglycemia, 15.7% depressed mood and 29.9% anxiety. A 33.8% presented insomnia according to the AIS (scores 6 or more). The AIS displayed a high internal consistency as computed Cronbach's alpha was determined to be 0.86. Multiple linear regression analysis determined that male premature ejaculation, female psychotropic drug use, hot flush intensity, mood morbidity (higher total HADS scores) and higher parity positively and significantly correlated to higher AIS scores (more insomnia). CONCLUSION: In this postmenopausal sample insomnia was not related to the METS or its components yet to other psycho-somatic female and partner issues.

Detailed fetal anatomy assessment in the first trimester at 11, 12 and 13 weeks of gestation.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present observational study was to evaluate the feasibility of a morphological scan and determine the detection rate of fetal organs, structures and systems in the first trimester of pregnancy. METHODS: 977 single pregnant women attending our Fetal Medicine Section to undergo first trimester screening for aneuploidies were enrolled and divided into three groups depending on gestational age and crown-rump-length measurement. Scans targeted on a total of 26 fetal anatomical structures were performed by a single operator. RESULTS: The overall detection rate was 96% at 11 weeks and reached 100% at 12 and 13 weeks, with a significant statistical difference between 11 and 12/13 weeks for the majority of the investigated fetal anatomical structures. CONCLUSIONS: Evaluation of most part of the fetal anatomical structures is feasible with high accuracy in the first trimester. Visualization of the majority of the targeted fetal organs improves from 11 to 13 weeks.