Prevalence of osteoporosis and osteopenia assessed by densitometry in Japanese puerperal women.

AIM: The aim is to examine the prevalence of low bone mineral density (BMD) (osteoporosis and osteopenia) of lumbar and femoral bones in puerperal women for the prenatal and postnatal care to ensure their optimal bone health. METHODS: We analyzed the first scan data of 1079 Japanese puerperal women without bone fracture (mean age 33.5 ± 4.5 years) who had undergone deliveries at Niigata City General Hospital for 10 years. We measured BMDs of the lumbar spine [LS], femoral neck [FN], and total hip [TH] with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) within 30 days after delivery. RESULTS: The rates of osteoporosis of LS, FN, TH, and comprehensive diagnosis (CD) were 0.6%, 4.8%, 1.5%, and 5.4%, respectively, and osteopenia were 20.2%, 39.5%, 29.3%, and 44.3%, respectively. The multivariable-adjusted odds ratio (OR) for body mass index (BMI) before pregnancy reflected significant decreases in risk for low BMD with an OR of 0.78 (95% CI: 0.74-0.82) with the 1 kg/m2 increases. In lean women (BMI < 18.5), 71% of them had low BMD. CONCLUSIONS: Approximately 50% of puerperal women had low BMD without bone fracture. BMD measurements at puerperium, especially for lean women, may be very useful for identifying at risk of osteoporosis in future.

[Epidemiology and pathophysiology of post-pregnancy osteoporosis.]

Post-pregnancy osteoporosis is a rare condition with little known pathophysiology. Most cases are diagnosed in the late stage of pregnancy or in the post partum while breastfeeding, particularly in first pregnancy. Non-traumatic vertebral fragility fractures are most commonly observed and characterized by prolonged severe pain and functional limitations. Conventional radiography will confirm the fracture in most cases, and magnetic resonance, which can be safely used during pregnancy, is effective in detecting vertebral fractures and bone marrow edema. It is important to exclude secondary osteoporosis, e.g. endocrine diseases, chronic liver and kidney diseases, autoimmune diseases, genetic diseases, drugs and malignant tumors. The prevalence of post-pregnancy osteoporosis is unknown, and may be estimated more than 3 for every ten thousand pregnant women. The pathophysiology of post-pregnancy osteoporosis is also unknown. The physiological bone resorption during reproduction does not normally cause fracture;instead, women who do fracture may be more likely to have additional secondary causes of bone loss and fragility, e.g. low body weight, low peak bone mass, malnutrition and heredity.

Outcomes of treatment with cyclic administration of dienogest after ovarian endometriotic cystectomy.

To evaluate the outcomes of patients treated with cyclic administration of dienogest after ovarian endometriotic cystectomy, following the completion of treatment. We retrospectively evaluated 26 patients treated with dienogest (2 mg/day) after cystectomy (revised American Society for Reproductive Medicine [r-ASRM] stage III-IV) in a pilot study. Dienogest was administered cyclically, for a total of six cycles, each comprising three weeks on and one week off. Outcomes of interest included severity of menstrual pain and recurrence of cysts at baseline, during the immediate post-treatment period and at the final outpatient follow-up. The mean outpatient follow-up period was 45.0 months. The visual analog scale score for menstrual pain following 6 cycles of dienogest treatment was significantly lower than that at baseline; it remained low at the final follow-up. The recurrence rates of cysts were 4% and 21% at 24 and 48 months after the completion of dienogest treatment, respectively. Six patients with recurrent disease were all classified as having r-ASRM stage IV. Our results suggest that cyclic dienogest for six months after cystectomy could relieve menstrual pain and reduce the recurrence of cysts, for approximately four years. The necessary treatment period for patients with r-ASRM stage IV disease requires further study.

Multiple paraovarian cysts requiring emergency surgery: A rare clinical finding.

This report presents an unusual case of multiple paraovarian cysts that required emergency surgery due to a paraovarian cyst being entrapped by another paraovarian cyst. Laparoscopic surgery is considered useful for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes and is, therefore, recommended owing to difficulty in differentiating paraovarian cysts from ovarian cysts.

Laparoscopic surgery for a hydrocele of the canal of Nuck with an ovarian tumor: An extremely rare clinical finding.

This clinical image presents an unusual report of simultaneous laparoscopic resection of a hydrocele of the canal of Nuck and an ovarian tumor. Laparoscopic treatment with a proper approach is a useful technique in some cases.

Acute psychiatric symptoms in a young woman with anti-N-methyl D-aspartate receptor encephalitis: A case of successful early diagnosis and therapeutic intervention.

This clinical image presents a report on the diagnosis and treatment of anti-NMDAR encephalitis, a rare disease. This report emphasizes the importance of a differential diagnosis for acute psychiatric symptoms. Accurate and timely diagnosis is critical for the selection and implementation of treatment and for optimal patient outcomes.