Effects of Hormone Replacement Therapy on Bone Mineral Density in Korean Adults With Turner Syndrome

Background@#Turner syndrome (TS) is a common chromosomal abnormality, which is caused by loss of all or part of one X chromosome. Hormone replacement therapy in TS is important in terms of puberty, growth and prevention of osteoporosis however, such a study has never been conducted in Korea. Therefore, the purpose of our study was to determine relationship between the starting age, duration of estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) in TS and develop a hormone replacement protocol suitable for the situation in Korea. @*Methods@#This is retrospective study analyzed the medical records in TS patients treated at the Severance hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea from 1997 to 2019. Total of 188 subjects who had received a bone density test at least once were included in the study. Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) was used for achieving bone mineral density (BMD) of normal control group. Student’s t-test, MannWhitney U test, ANOVA and correlation analysis were performed using SPSS 18.0. @*Results@#Each BMD measurement was significantly lower in women with TS than in healthy Korean women. Early start and longer duration of ERT is associated with higher lumbar spine BMD but not femur neck BMD. Femur neck BMD, but not lumbar spine BMD was significantly higher in women with mosaicism than 45XO group. @*Conclusion@#Early onset and appropriate duration of hormone replacement therapy is important for increasing bone mineral density in patients with Turner syndrome. Also, ERT affects differently to TS patients according to mosaicism.

Delayed postpartum regression of theca lutein cysts with maternal virilization: A case report / 대한생식의학회지

Theca lutein cysts are rare, benign lesions responsible for gross cystic enlargement of both ovaries during pregnancy. This condition is also termed hyperreactio luteinalis. Elevated human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) levels or states of hCG hypersensitivity seem to promote these changes, which in up to 30% of patients produce clinical signs of hyperandrogenism. Given the self-limiting course of theca lutein cysts, which are subject to spontaneous postpartum resolution, conservative treatment is the mainstay of patient management. Described herein is a rare case of theca lutein cysts with maternal virilization that failed to regress by 9 months after childbirth. Surgical intervention was eventually undertaken, necessitated by adnexal torsion.

MicroRNA-139-5p Regulates Fibrotic Potentials via Modulation of Collagen Type 1 and Phosphorylated p38 MAPK in Uterine Leiomyoma

Purpose@#This study aimed to elucidate whether microRNA-139-5p is involved in the pathogenesis of uterine leiomyoma. @*Materials and Methods@#Human leiomyoma and matched human smooth muscle samples were obtained from 10 women who underwent hysterectomy for uterine leiomyoma. MicroRNA (miRNA) expression was analyzed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. To assess the effects of miR-139-5p on cultured leiomyoma cells, cell migration, collagen gel contraction, wound healing, and the expression levels of hallmark proteins were evaluated in cells transfected with a miR-139-5p mimic. @*Results@#The expression of miR-139-5p was significantly lower in leiomyoma tissues than in matched smooth muscle tissues. Restored miR-139-5p expression in miR-139-5p mimic-transfected human leiomyoma cells resulted in decreased contractility of the ECM and cell migration. In addition, upregulation of miR-139-5p decreased the protein expression of collagen type 1 and phosphorylated p38 MAPK. @*Conclusion@#Expression of miR-139-5p is downregulated in leiomyoma cells and modulation of miR-139-5p may be involved in the pathogenesis of leiomyomas through the regulation of collagen type 1 and phosphorylated p38 MAPK. Therefore, miR-139-5p is a potential therapeutic target for leiomyoma.

MicroRNA-139-5p Regulates Fibrotic Potentials via Modulation of Collagen Type 1 and Phosphorylated p38 MAPK in Uterine Leiomyoma

Purpose@#This study aimed to elucidate whether microRNA-139-5p is involved in the pathogenesis of uterine leiomyoma. @*Materials and Methods@#Human leiomyoma and matched human smooth muscle samples were obtained from 10 women who underwent hysterectomy for uterine leiomyoma. MicroRNA (miRNA) expression was analyzed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. To assess the effects of miR-139-5p on cultured leiomyoma cells, cell migration, collagen gel contraction, wound healing, and the expression levels of hallmark proteins were evaluated in cells transfected with a miR-139-5p mimic. @*Results@#The expression of miR-139-5p was significantly lower in leiomyoma tissues than in matched smooth muscle tissues. Restored miR-139-5p expression in miR-139-5p mimic-transfected human leiomyoma cells resulted in decreased contractility of the ECM and cell migration. In addition, upregulation of miR-139-5p decreased the protein expression of collagen type 1 and phosphorylated p38 MAPK. @*Conclusion@#Expression of miR-139-5p is downregulated in leiomyoma cells and modulation of miR-139-5p may be involved in the pathogenesis of leiomyomas through the regulation of collagen type 1 and phosphorylated p38 MAPK. Therefore, miR-139-5p is a potential therapeutic target for leiomyoma.

Operative hysteroscopy-assisted pregnancy termination after failed surgical abortion in missed abortion of woman with complete septate uterus

Polycystic ovarian morphology is associated with primary dysmenorrhea in young Korean women

OBJECTIVE: This study was aimed at identifying a correlation between polycystic ovarian morphology (PCOM) and the severity of primary dysmenorrhea in young Korean women. METHODS: A total of 592 patients who visited a tertiary hospital from March 2008 to March 2015 for dysmenorrhea were examined. After excluding those with secondary causes of menstrual pain (for example, myoma, adenomyosis, endometriosis, and pelvic inflammatory disease), 361 women were recruited and retrospectively analyzed. Severe dysmenorrhea was defined as a visual analog scale (VAS) score ≥6. RESULTS: The mean patient age was 23.0±4.0 years, the average menstrual cycle length was 34.4±23.7 days, and the average pain intensity was VAS 6.7±0.1 at baseline. PCOM was assessed by ultrasound in 54 women (15%). Patients with severe menstrual pain were more likely to have irregular menstrual cycles (P=0.03) and heavy menstrual flow (P=0.01) than those with mild menstrual pain. After adjusting for weight, height, menstrual cycle interval, and menstrual flow in the logistic regression analysis, PCOM (odds ratio [OR], 2.26; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.05–4.97; P=0.04) and heavy menstrual flow (OR, 1.85; 95% CI, 1.05–3.28; P=0.04) were found to be significant independent factors influencing pain. CONCLUSION: Our study shows that PCOM may have a correlation with the severity of primary dysmenorrhea. Since PCOM may play a role in the development of menstrual pain, patients with PCOM should be under active surveillance with resources for prompt pain management readily available. It may also be necessary to further investigate the molecular mechanisms of pain development in primary dysmenorrhea.

Pretreatment neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and its dynamic change during neoadjuvant chemotherapy as poor prognostic factors in advanced ovarian cancer

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the prognostic implications of the pretreatment neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and its dynamic change during chemotherapy in patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of 203 patients who underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy prior to interval debulking surgery for advanced-stage ovarian cancer at Yonsei Cancer Hospital between 2007 and 2015. Pretreatment NLR was evaluated before starting neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Change in NLR was defined as the post-neoadjuvant NLR value divided by the initial value. The correlation of NLR and its dynamic change with chemotherapy response score, response rate, and recurrence was analyzed. RESULTS: The NLR ranged from 0.64 to 22.8. In univariate analyses, a higher pretreatment NLR (> 3.81) was associated with poor overall survival (OS), but not progression-free survival (PFS). Through multivariate analysis, high pretreatment NLR was shown to be an independent parameter affecting OS, but not necessarily PFS. Changes in NLR during chemotherapy were better predictors of PFS than baseline NLR. Patients with increased NLR during chemotherapy showed significantly poor PFS, and this change was an independent predictor of PFS. CONCLUSION: Pretreatment NLR and its dynamic change during chemotherapy may be important prognostic factors in patients who undergo neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

The Effect of Diagnosis-Related Group Payment System on Quality of Care in the Field of Obstetrics and Gynecology among Korean Tertiary Hospitals

PURPOSE: To examine changes in clinical practice patterns following the introduction of diagnosis-related groups (DRGs) under the fee-for-service payment system in July 2013 among Korean tertiary hospitals and to evaluate its effect on the quality of hospital care. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using the 2012–2014 administrative database from National Health Insurance Service claim data, we reviewed medical information for 160400 patients who underwent cesarean sections (C-secs), hysterectomies, or adnexectomies at 43 tertiary hospitals. We compared changes in several variables, including length of stay, spillover, readmission rate, and the number of simultaneous and emergency operations, from before to after introduction of the DRGs. RESULTS: DRGs significantly reduced the length of stay of patients undergoing C-secs, hysterectomies, and adnexectomies (8.0±6.9 vs. 6.0±2.3 days, 7.4±3.5 vs. 6.4±2.7 days, 6.3±3.6 vs. 6.2±4.0 days, respectively, all p < 0.001). Readmission rates decreased after introduction of DRGs (2.13% vs. 1.19% for C-secs, 4.51% vs. 3.05% for hysterectomies, 4.77% vs. 2.65% for adnexectomies, all p < 0.001). Spillover rates did not change. Simultaneous surgeries, such as colpopexy and transobturator-tape procedures, during hysterectomies decreased, while colporrhaphy during hysterectomies and adnexectomies or myomectomies during C-secs did not change. The number of emergency operations for hysterectomies and adnexectomies decreased. CONCLUSION: Implementation of DRGs in the field of obstetrics and gynecology among Korean tertiary hospitals led to reductions in the length of stay without increasing outpatient visits and readmission rates. The number of simultaneous surgeries requiring expensive operative instruments and emergency operations decreased after introduction of the DRGs.

Surgical technique for single-port laparoscopy in huge ovarian tumors: SW Kim's technique and comparison to laparotomy

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to introduce a method to remove huge ovarian tumors (≥15 cm) intact with single-port laparoscopic surgery (SPLS) using SW Kim's technique and to compare the surgical outcomes with those of laparotomy. METHODS: Medical records were retrospectively reviewed for patients who underwent either SPLS (n=21) with SW Kim's technique using a specially designed 30×30-cm²-sized 3XL LapBag or laparotomy (n=22) for a huge ovarian tumor from December 2008 to May 2016. Perioperative surgical outcomes were compared. RESULTS: In 19/21 (90.5%) patients, SPLS was successfully performed without any tumor spillage or conversion to multi-port laparoscopy or laparotomy. There was no significant difference in patient characteristics, including tumor diameter and total operation time, between both groups. The postoperative hospital stay was significantly shorter for the SPLS group than for the laparotomy group (median, 2 [1 to 5] vs. 4 [3 to 17] days; P<0.001). The number of postoperative general diet build-up days was also significantly shorter for the SPLS group (median, 1 [1 to 4] vs. 3 [2 to 16] days; P<0.001). Immediate post-operative pain score was lower in the SPLS group (median, 2.0 [0 to 8] vs. 4.0 [0 to 8]; P=0.045). Patient-controlled anesthesia was used less in the SPLS group (61.9% vs. 100%). CONCLUSION: SPLS was successful in removing most large ovarian tumors without rupture and showed quicker recovery and less immediate post-operative pain in comparison to laparotomy. SPLS using SW Kim's technique could be a feasible solution to removing huge ovarian tumors.