Antral follicular count as a predictor of ovarian response in induction of ovulation in patients with anovulatory infertility

Sixty-four women in the reproductive age between 30-40 years diagnosed to have anovulatory infertility were randomly selected for this study. They were exposed to transvaginal ultrasound at day 3 of the cycle for the determination of ovarian volume and antral follicle numbers. Blood samples were also provided at the same day for the measurement of follicle-stimulating hormone [FSH] levels. FSH levels, age, ovarian volume, antral follicular count and pregnancy rate were compared and a correlation analysis was made. Older women had significantly higher FSH levels, smaller ovarian volumes and fewer antral follicles than the younger ones. Ovarian volume and antral follicle numbers were found to be strongly correlated with the pregnancy outcome

Evaluation of leucine aminopeptidase and superoxide dismutase as markers in nasopharyngeal carcinoma

This study was designed to define changes of leucine aminopeptidase [LAP] and total superoxide dismutase [SOD] levels in nasopharyngeal carcinoma [NPC] patients after radiotherapy as a trial to correlate these parameters with disease activity and response to treatment. The study comprised 20 patients with NPC and 20 control subjects of those attending blood bank for blood donation. All patients underwent detailed history taking, full ENT clinical examination, and general examination for draining lymph nodes. Lesions characters and TNM staging were determined. All study participants gave blood samples for estimation of total blood SOD and serum LAP [pre-treatment] and were re-estimated 2 and 4 months after radiotherapy. There was a significant [P<0.05] increase in patients age and number of males [18:2] with significant increased incidence in smokers [16:4]. Eleven patients had stage I, 4 patients had stage II and 5 had stage III lesions. All patients with stage II and III lesions and 7 with stage I were smokers. Pre-treatment levels of LAP showed a significant [P<0.05] increase compared both to control, 2-m and 4-m levels with progressive steady decease with treatment. The levels detected 4-m after treatment showed a non-significant difference compared to control levels. The pretreatment SOD levels showed a significant [P<0.05] increase compared to both control and 4-m levels. Also, the SOD levels detected 2-m after treatment showed a significant [P<0.05] increase compared both to control and 4-m levels. There was a positive significant correlation between pretreatment levels of LAP, [r=0.85 1, P<0.001] and SOD, [r=0.643, P=0.002] and progress of tumor growth manifested as stage. We can conclude that pretreatment determination of total SOD and serum LAP correlate with severity and aggressiveness of NPC and could be used as an aid for staging. Furthermore, serum LAP correlates with response of NPC to radiotherapy and could be used to follow-up patients and as a prognostic marker

One-stop clinic for peri-, postmenpausal bleeding; does it have a role?

The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of one stop PMB clinic on reaching a diagnosis and initiate treatment. Since the service started, 107 women were referred to PMB clinic. The prospective finding of eighty patients who met the criteria of direct general practitioner referral to PMB clinic was analyzed. The mean time from GP referral to consultation at PMB clinic was 14.8 days [range 2-24 days]. TVS was done for 97.5% of women and abnormal findings were reported in 67.5%. Pipette endometrial sampling was performed in 31 patients and a sample was obtained successfully in 21 women. Ten women referred directly for diagnostic hysteroscopy and another ten had hysteroscopy following failed pipette sampling. After reassurance by consultation and normal TVS, 24 women discharged back to their GPs. Seventy women considered a single PMB clinic visit was satisfactory. This study demonstrated the effective role of one-step PMB clinic to provide quick reassurance, arrive at a diagnosis and initiate plan of management during single outpatient visit