Pituitary-ovarian response to the gonadotrophin-releasing hormone-agonist test in anovulatory patients with polycystic ovary syndrome: predictive role of ovarian stroma.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the influence of ovarian stroma on basal and poststimulus androgen secretion in patients affected by secondary amenorrhoea and polycystic ovaries (PCO) at ultrasound (US). DESIGN: Prospective study. PATIENTS: Fifty-one patients with PCO selected from a group of 72 normal weight women aged 20-25 years affected by secondary amenorrhoea and 10 normal ovulatory controls. METHODS: All subjects underwent US to evaluate volume, area, stromal area and stromal/total area ratio of both ovaries. Plasma levels of gonadotrophins, oestradiol (E2) and androgens were measured before and 24 h after GnRH-a injection. 60 min after stimulus LH and FSH were also assayed. RESULTS: Thirty patients had increased ovarian stroma (IS) and 21 patients normal ovarian stroma (NS). Significantly higher LH levels characterized the IS group, both basally and after GnRH-a stimulation compared with NS and controls (P < 0.01). Baseline levels of androstenedione, testosterone and 17-OHprogesterone (17-OHP) were significantly higher in IS group. Moreover, 17-OHP hyper-response to GnRH-a was demonstrated in IS group in comparison to NS and control groups (P < 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: Stroma evaluation may be of use in discriminating between different pathogenic factors in secondary amenorrhoea. This criterion may be applied to support the correct diagnosis of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Indeed, in line with the most recently proposed guidelines, patients affected by multifollicular ovaries could be classified as PCOS. The possibility of taking into account more than one US criterion or of carefully reanalysing the significance of increased stroma volume should be considered.

Selective effects of pioglitazone on insulin and androgen abnormalities in normo- and hyperinsulinaemic obese patients with polycystic ovary syndrome.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the effectiveness and safety of pioglitazone (45 mg/day) on clinical and endocrine-metabolic features of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), we studied 18 obese PCOS patients, classified as normoinsulinaemic (N-PCOS, n = 6) and hyperinsulinaemic (H-PCOS, n = 12) according to their insulin secretion. METHODS: Evaluation of clinical signs, hormonal and lipid profile assays, oral glucose tolerance tests and euglycaemic hyperinsulinaemic clamps were performed at baseline and after 2 (visit 2), 4 (visit 3) and 6 (visit 4) months of treatment. RESULTS: Body weight, body fat distribution and blood pressure remained stable throughout the treatment; hirsutism and acne significantly improved (P < 0.001 for visits 3 and 4 versus baseline) in both groups. A restoration of menstrual cyclicity was observed at visit 4 in 83% (P < 0.001) of H-PCOS and in 33% of N-PCOS. A decrease in LH, LH/FSH ratio, androstenedione and 17-hydroxy-progesterone was observed in both groups, attaining statistical significance in H-PCOS. A significant amelioration of insulin secretion, sensitivity and clearance was obtained in H-PCOS. A trend towards improvement was observed in lipid assessment of both groups. Therapy was well-tolerated. CONCLUSIONS: Present data suggest that there is a selective effect, partially independent of insulin secretion, of pioglitazone on the clinical and hormonal disturbances of PCOS.

A self-controlled, naturalistic study of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors versus tricyclic antidepressants.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effectiveness of serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) for anxiety and mood disorders in a naturalistic setting. METHODS: 114 of 2,000 outpatients drawn from a private facility with a diagnosis of mood or anxiety disorder had two separate episodes during which they were treated once with a SSRI and once with a TCA. The drugs had to be in monotherapy and appropriate according to the recent guidelines. Key outcome measures included several rating scales, the results of which were combined into three measures of outcome: full response (no symptom), partial response (residual symptoms), poor response. RESULTS: TCAs produced a better response in 63 cases and SSRIs in 18 cases (p < 0.00001). When the outcome was dichotomized, TCAs were still superior (stricter criterion of full response: p = 0.0002; lower threshold: p < 0.0001). Considering depressive and anxiety disorders separately, TCAs remained superior in terms of efficacy (for depression: p < 0.0001; for anxiety: p = 0.026). Moreover, the second episode of illness showed a better outcome than the first (p = 0.0008). CONCLUSIONS: In those cases where two different antidepressants were prescribed over two different episodes of illness, TCAs were significantly more effective than SSRIs, regardless of the type of disorder and order of prescription.

Detection of central pelvic recurrent disease with transvaginal color Doppler ultrasound in women treated for gynecological malignancy.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate color Doppler characteristics of small recurrent tumors detected within the central pelvis in follow-up patients treated for gynecological malignancy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A prospective study was performed on 340 patients who were being monitored following treatment for gynecological malignancies. A selected group of 27 patients, with small pelvic masses located in the central region of the pelvis, underwent a color Doppler examination. A subjective assessment of the vascularization (vascular score), the lowest resistance index (RI), the highest peak velocity (PSV) and the highest time averaged maximum velocity (TAMXV) of the vessels detected within the lesion were analyzed. RESULTS: In 16 patients the pelvic mass was found to be benign while in 11 patients a malignant recurrence was diagnosed. Gray-scale examination could not differentiate between benign and malignant lesions. The color score of tumor recurrences was significantly higher in comparison to that in benign lesions (color score 3 in 54% vs. 0%, P < 0.005). The malignant lesions showed significantly lower mean values of RI and significantly higher mean values of PSV and TAMXV when compared with benign lesions (0.39 +/- 0.09 vs. 0.81 +/- 0.22, P < 0.0001; 19.3 +/- 4.7 vs. 10.5 +/- 5.6 cm/s, P < 0.0001; 8.9 +/- 3.7 vs. 4.3 +/- 2.7 cm/s, P < 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: Color Doppler analysis added to transvaginal gray-scale ultrasonography seems to be a helpful tool in the diagnosis of recurrent tumors in the central region of the pelvis.

A pilot study of the long-term effects of acipimox in polycystic ovarian syndrome.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the effects of long-term acipimox administration on glucose-induced insulin secretion and peripheral insulin sensitivity in polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), 20 PCOS subjects (eight lean and 12 obese) and 14 body mass index-matched controls (seven lean and seven obese) were investigated. METHODS: Fasting blood samples were collected for basal hormone and lipoprotein assays, after which patients underwent an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). The following day a euglycaemic-hyperinsulinaemic clamp was performed. After 4-6 weeks of treatment with acipimox at a dose of 250 mg given orally three times a day, the patients repeated the study protocol. RESULTS: No significant differences were found in the glucose, insulin or C-peptide responses to OGTT before and after anti-lipolytic drug administration in any group, nor was there any effect on insulin sensitivity. Concerning the lipid profile, acipimox administration led to a significant decrease of cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein levels in obese PCOS patients as well as in obese and lean controls. Lower triglycerides were found after the drug administration in both obese groups. Post-treatment free fatty acid levels were not significantly different when compared with basal values. CONCLUSIONS: Acipimox does not appear to be an effective insulin-lowering drug in PCOS, even if it can be used in obese women with PCOS as an additional therapeutic agent to ameliorate the atherogenic lipid profile of the syndrome.

Recombinant versus urinary follicle-stimulating hormone in the low-dose regimen in anovulatory patients with polycystic ovary syndrome: a safer and more effective treatment.

BACKGROUND: We studied polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) in fifty 25- to 37-year-old women who failed to conceive with clomiphene citrate treatment. METHODS: Twenty patients were submitted to treatment with low-dose (75 IU) urinary FSH (uFSH) in order to achieve ovulation and 30 patients were treated with recombinant FSH (rFSH) according to the same protocol. RESULTS: Ovulation was achieved in 75 and 97% of the cycles after uFSH and rFSH, respectively (p < 0.02). The length of treatment needed to achieve ovulation, the number of ampules given and dose per kilogram were significantly lower in the rFSH group. Mild ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) was observed in 9 uFSH cycles, whereas only 1 of the women treated with rFSH developed an OHSS (1/38 vs. 9/36; p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: rFSH is more efficient than uFSH in inducing ovulation in PCOS patients. The high prevalence of ovulatory cycles using a lower dose guaranteed greater safety of treatment and significantly reduced the incidence of OHSS.

Metabolic and endocrine consequences of acute suppression of FFAs by acipimox in polycystic ovary syndrome.

To evaluate the effects of acute lowering of FFAs on glucose-induced insulin secretion and GH response to GHRH in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), 27 PCOS subjects (11 lean and 16 obese) and 17 body mass index-matched controls (8 lean and 9 obese) were investigated. Patients underwent an oral glucose tolerance test and a GHRH test before and after administration of the antilipolytic drug acipimox (250 mg orally 3 h and 1 h before the starting of the tests). Blood samples were collected for 2 h after GHRH bolus and for 4 h after the oral glucose tolerance test. Serum concentrations of GH, insulin, glucose, and c-peptide were assayed in each sample, and the results were expressed as area under the curve (AUC). No significant differences were found as to glucose, insulin, and c-peptide AUC before and after acute FFA plasma reduction in any of the investigated groups. Basally, lower GH-AUC was found in lean PCOS compared with body mass index-matched controls and in obese vs. lean controls; no significant differences were found as to the same variable between the two obese groups. The acipimox induced FFA suppression elicited in the four groups a sustained increase in the GH response to its trophic hormone; indeed, the GH-AUC nearly doubled with respect to basal evaluation in all the studied groups. However, the antilipolytic drug was not able to abolish the differences found between lean groups in basal conditions. In conclusion, the presented data confirm that FFAs have a main role in regulating GH secretion at the pituitary level; however, it does not seem that they could explain the GH as well as insulin dysfunction of PCOS.

Naltrexone effect on pulsatile GnRH therapy for ovulation induction in polycystic ovary syndrome: a pilot prospective study.

The aim of the present study was to analyze the opioid influence on LH pulsatility in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) patients and to evaluate the effectiveness of a long-term opioid antagonist (naltrexone) treatment in improving the pulsatile GnRH therapy which is successful in this syndrome. Ten obese women affected by PCOS participated in the study. Patients were hospitalized during the early follicular phase and underwent an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) with 75 g of glucose and a pulse pattern study followed by a GnRH test (100 pg i.v.). All patients were then treated for ovulation induction with pulsatile administration of GnRH (5 microg/bolus every 90 min). Since pregnancies did not occurr in any patient, after spontaneous or progestin-induced menstrual cycles, all patients received naltrexone at a dose of 50 mg/day orally for 8 weeks and during treatment repeated the basal protocol study and the ovulation induction cycle with the same modalities. The naltrexone treatment significantly reduced the insulin response to OGTT and the LH response to GnRH bolus, whereas it did not affect the FSH and LH pulsatility patterns. Concerning the ovulation induction by pulsatile GnRH, naltrexone treatment was able to improve, although not significantly, the ovulation rate (60% pre-treatment vs 90% post-treatment). Furthermore, the maximum diameter of the dominant follicle and the pre-ovulatory estradiol concentration were higher after long-term opioid blockade (follicular diameter 19.5+/-1.76 mm pre-treatment vs 21.6+/-2.19 mm post-treatment, p<0.001; maximum estradiol level 728.7+/-288.5 pmol/l pre-treatment vs 986.4+/-382.1 pmol/l post-treatment, p<0.05). During the naltrexone-pulsatile GnRH co-treatment two pregnancies occurred. In conclusion, our data show that naltrexone-pulsatile GnRH co-treatment is able to improve the ovarian responsiveness to ovulation induction in obese PCOS patients when compared to pulsatile GnRH alone. This action seems to be related to a decrease of insulin secretion. Further randomized studies should be performed in order to obtain significant conclusions on the possible clinical application.

A new ultrasound criterion for the diagnosis of polycystic ovary syndrome: the ovarian stroma/total area ratio.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether some ultrasound parameters of ovarian morphology can discriminate between control women and patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). DESIGN: Retrospective data analysis. SETTING: Volunteers women in an academic research environment. PATIENT(S): Eighty amenorrheic or oligomenorrheic women and 30 normal ovulatory control participants. INTERVENTION(S): None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): We evaluated ovarian volume, area, stroma, and the stroma/total area (S/A) ratio by use of transvaginal pelvic ultrasound; and we assayed serum levels of gonadotropin, androgen, and estradiol during the early follicular phase (days 2 to 5) of the menstrual cycle in regularly cycling controls and on a random day in amenorrheic patients. RESULT(S): Patients with PCOS showed significantly higher ovarian volume, area, stroma, and mean S/A ratio when compared to multifollicular and control groups. Cut-off values have been defined for ovarian volume (13.21 mL), area (7.00 cm2), stroma (1.95 cm2), and S/A ratio (0.34). The sensitivity for PCOS diagnosis was 21%, 4%, 62%, and 100%, respectively. The S/A ratio showed the most significant correlation with the androgen levels. CONCLUSION(S): The evaluation of the S/A ratio can differentiate between PCOS and control or multifollicular women with both a sensitivity and a specificity of 100%. Furthermore, this ultrasound parameter is strictly related to hormonal milieu and to anthropometric characteristics.

Neuroendocrine features of pubertal development in females with mental retardation.

In order to evaluate the hypothalamic-pituitary effects of mental retardation during pubertal development, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) responses to gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) administration were evaluated at various pubertal stages in a female population with mental retardation (MR) compared to a healthy control group of adolescents. Fifty-six girls aged 8-16 years with MR and 146 normal females of the same age participated in the study. The analyzed subjects were divided into different pubertal stages, ranging from P2 to P5, in line with their degree of sexual maturation. Each patient underwent a GnRH test (100 micrograms); blood samples were collected basally and 15, 30, 60, 90 minutes after the GnRH injection. FSH and LH were assayed in each sample; the gonadotropin response to GnRH administration was evaluated as incremental area. No differences were found at any pubertal stage between the two studied groups with regard to the age, body mass index, or age at menarche. Patients with mental retardation during stages P2 and P3 showed lower FSH secretion in response to GnRH bolus compared with control subjects (P2, p < 0.05; P3, p < 0.01). In conclusion, our data show that MR is related to an impaired response of the FSH-secreting pituitary cells to their appropriate stimulus; this feature is present only in the initial pubertal stages, whereas it disappears during sexual development.

Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis sensitivity to opioids in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the influence of the opioid system on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). DESIGN: Controlled clinical study. SETTING: Academic research environment. PATIENT(S): Eight lean and 12 obese women with PCOS, and seven lean and 5 obese control subjects. INTERVENTION(S): Each patient received an i.v. bolus of naloxone at a dose of 125 microgram per kilogram of body weight; 48 hours later, each patient received 16 mg of loperamide p.o. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Samples were collected for 2 hours for the naloxone test and for 3 hours for the loperamide test. Levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol were measured in all plasma samples. RESULT(S): The obese women with PCOS had a greater ACTH and cortisol response to opiate blockade than either the lean women with PCOS or the control subjects, but there was no difference between the lean or obese control subjects and the lean women with PCOS. There was no difference in the responsiveness of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis to loperamide between the PCOS and control groups. CONCLUSION(S): The data indicate that the sensitivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis to opioids cannot be altered in women with PCOS. However, abnormalities of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in women with PCOS could be central in origin, as suggested by the effects of naloxone administration, and probably are related to the anthropometric characteristics of these hyperandrogenic patients.

Rectal cancer in pregnancy: a new management based on blended anesthesia and monitoring of fetal well being.

Colorectal carcinoma presenting during pregnancy is an extremely rare condition associated with a poor prognosis. In this report we studied a patient referred to our hospital at 26 weeks of gestation with the diagnosis of rectal adenocarcinoma. Tumor resection with a colostomy was planned in the attempt to preserve pregnancy until fetal viability could be reached. Blended anesthesia (general and epidural) was chosen to avoid surgical and anesthesiological risks; in fact this technique allows either an optimal block of neurohormonal response or a good control of surgical stress to be obtained. In order to monitor fetal well being during surgery, Doppler evaluations of fetal heart rate and umbilical artery flow velocity waveforms were performed. The patient was dismissed in good health and then rehospitalized at 32 weeks of gestation in order to perform an elective cesarean section. In conclusion we suggest that, with the choice of a good anesthesiological technique and monitoring of fetal well being, surgical treatment in case of rectal cancer could be performed without affecting the course of pregnancy.

Predictive value of uterine artery velocimetry at midgestation in low- and high-risk populations: a new perspective.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the value of uterine artery Doppler velocimetry performed at 18-20 and 22-24 weeks of gestation in predicting preeclampsia and adverse pregnancy outcome in low- and high-risk patients. METHODS: 865 pregnant women were evaluated: 335 and 530 pregnant women represented the high- and low-risk groups, respectively. Doppler ultrasound examination of the uterine arteries was performed at 18-20 weeks of gestation in 385 patients and at 22-24 weeks of gestation in 659 patients. Pregnancy outcome was evaluated in terms of: onset of preeclampsia; birth weight <2,500 g; birth weight <1,750 g; delivery before 36 weeks, and delivery before 32 weeks. RESULTS: At 18-20 weeks of gestation the sensitivity for the prediction of preeclampsia was 100 and 94% in low- and high-risk groups, respectively. Excellent negative predictive values towards birth weight <1,750 g (97% in low-risk and 93% in high-risk groups) and delivery prior to 32 weeks of gestation (99% in low-risk and 95% in high-risk groups) were obtained. At 22-24 weeks of gestation the sensitivity for the prediction of preeclampsia was 100 and 97% in low- and high-risk groups, respectively. Negative predictive values towards birth weight <1,750 g were 97% in low-risk and 94% in high-risk groups, whereas towards delivery prior to 32 weeks of gestation they were 98% in low-risk and 94% in high-risk groups. CONCLUSION: Doppler evaluation of the uterine artery at 18-20 and 22-24 weeks of gestation represents a useful predictive test in high-risk pregnancy and can also be used in prenatal surveillance of a low-risk population.

Influence of body mass on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal-axis response to naloxone in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the influence of body mass on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA)-axis response to naloxone in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). DESIGN: Controlled clinical study. SETTING: Academic research environment. PATIENT(S): Ten lean and 10 obese women with PCOS compared with 7 lean and 8 obese control subjects matched for body mass index. INTERVENTION(S): Each patient received an IV bolus of naloxone at a dosage of 125 microg/kg. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Samples were collected 30 minutes before and 0, 15, 30, 60, 90, and 120 minutes after injection: ACTH and cortisol levels were measured in all plasma samples. RESULT(S): No significant differences were found in the ACTH and cortisol responses to opioid blockade between lean women with PCOS and lean as well as obese control subjects; conversely, obese patients with PCOS showed a higher ACTH and cortisol responses to naloxone compared with all other groups. CONCLUSION(S): Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal-axis abnormalities of PCOS may be central in origin and abdominal obesity seems to play a key role in the HPA-axis hyperactivity of women with PCOS when naloxone is administered.

Impact of insulin and body mass index on metabolic and endocrine variables in polycystic ovary syndrome.

To assess the differential impact of the insulin secretory pattern and obesity on the endocrinometabolic features of the polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), we studied 110 PCOS women. Patients underwent a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) test, an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), and basal evaluation of hormonal and biochemical parameters. Basal androgens and lipids, basal and stimulated gonadotropins, insulin, and glucose levels were measured. Patients were classified into four groups according to the body mass index (BMI) and insulin secretion: normoinsulinemic-lean ([NL] n = 24), normoinsulinemic obese ([NO] n = 24), hyperinsulinemic lean ([HL] n = 17), hyperinsulinemic obese ([HO] n = 45). HL patients showed a higher luteinizing hormone (LH) area under curve (AUC) after GnRH stimulus compared with NL patients (HL v NL, 4,285 +/- 348 v 3,377 +/- 314 IU/L x 120 min, P < .05), whereas we failed to find a statistically significant difference in a similar comparison among obese subjects (HO v NO, 3,606 +/- 302 v 3,129 +/- 602 IU/L x 120 min). A trend toward increased plasma testosterone and decreased sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) was found in relation to hyperinsulinemia and obesity, thus resulting in a higher free androgen index (FAI) in groups HL and NO versus NL (HL, 5.54 +/- 0.51; NO, 5.64 +/- 0.49; NL, 4.13 +/- 0.33; P < .05 and P < .01, respectively). The presence of both exaggerated insulin secretion and obesity resulted in a synergistic additive effect on the FAI in the HO group (6.81 +/- 0.34). Concerning the lipoprotein lipid profile, the NL group showed lower plasma triglyceride levels compared with the other three groups, whereas no significant differences were found for nonesterified fatty acid (NEFA) concentrations. Higher low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and very-low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C) and lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels were found in the obese groups compared with the lean counterparts, whereas the same parameters did not significantly differ in a comparison between normoinsulinemic and hyperinsulinemic groups. In conclusion, our data suggest an important role of hyperinsulinemia in the LH response to a GnRH stimulus and an independent and synergistic additive effect of obesity and hyperinsulinemia on the FAI in PCOS.

Leptin levels in menopause: effect of estrogen replacement therapy.

To evaluate the effect of menopause and estrogen replacement therapy on leptin levels, 17 white postmenopausal women were recruited for the study. After an overnight fasting, blood samples were collected for LH, FSH, estradiol, testosterone, androstenedione, DHEA sulfate, insulin and leptin assays. Body mass index (BMI) and the waist-to-hip ratio were also evaluated. Patients were reanalyzed after a 12-week administration of transdermal estrogen patches delivering 50 microg 17beta-estradiol. The results were compared to those obtained from a group of 11 female volunteers in reproductive age, in whom basal blood was sampled during the early follicular phase of their cycle. Patients were divided into lean and obese according to their BMI. Obese postmenopausal women showed lower leptin levels when compared to premenopausal counterparts (25.1 +/- 5.9 vs. 37 +/- 11.3; p < 0.05), whereas no significant differences were found between the lean groups (14.5 +/- 3.8 vs. 14.4 +/- 4.9). Estrogen administration did not significantly change serum leptin concentrations in hypoestrogenized women (obese: 25.1 +/- 5.9 vs. 28. 6 +/- 9.2; lean: 14.4 +/- 4.9 vs. 17.6 +/- 7.2). A positive linear correlation was found between leptin plasma levels and BMI only in obese patients (r = 0.58; p < 0.01) both before and after estrogen treatment. Menopause is characterized by a decreased expression of the obese gene, even if estrogens do not seem to represent a main causal factor.

Insulin and polycystic ovary syndrome: a new look at an old subject.

In recent years the metabolic implications of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have received a great deal of attention; in fact 50% of women with PCOS are obese and a similar percentage of subjects was found to show exaggerated insulin secretion and reduced insulin-stimulated glucose uptake. The presence of these features in women with PCOS has profound clinical implications in terms of morbidity due to diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, hypertension and cardiovascular disease. Moreover, hyperinsulinemia has recently been proposed as a possible independent risk factor for endometrial and breast cancer. In the light of these considerations, the importance of metabolic screening in patients with PCOS in order to improve their quality of life cannot be underestimated. In this review we analyze all the clinical pathologies in which hyperinsulinemia of PCOS could be involved. Furthermore, in order to clarify the possible mechanisms leading to the insulin disorders of the syndrome, we review the available data about the insulin receptor abnormalities, as well as those concerning the insulin resistance and the exaggerated insulin secretion. Finally, we examine the main therapeutic strategies to ameliorate the insulinemic status of PCOS patients in order to potentially be able to prevent the long-term consequences of this syndrome.

[Usefulness of color Doppler in the differential diagnosis of adnexal masses]. / Utilizzo delle metodiche color Doppler nella diagnosi differenziale delle masse annessiali.

BACKGROUND: The aims of this study were to verify the predictive performance of color-Doppler analysis in the differential diagnosis of adnexal masses and to evaluate the prognostic value of a new "vascular score". METHODS: One-hundred-ninety-six patients referred to our Institute for adnexal masses were evaluated with color and pulsed Doppler within 2-3 days from surgery, and the velocimetric results were compared to histopathological data. On the basis of histopathology, patients were classified in 166 with benign and 30 with malignant ovarian tumors. RESULTS: The predictivity obtained with color Doppler analysis ("vascular score") was compared to that of some "morphological scores" commonly used in the literature. The sensitivity was 100% for all the techniques used, but Doppler analysis had a higher specificity with respect to the others (95% vs max 76% for echographic techniques). The introduction of a new "vascular score" based on the introduction of the acceleration of flow in another score system previously presented, was not able to improve the predictive performance of color Doppler analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Color Doppler ultrasonography of ovarian tumors seems to be a reliable method in the differential diagnosis of adnexal masses, and its potential use in the choice of a less-invasive surgical approach in selected cases (those negative to the "vascular score") should be considered.

Short-term maternal oxygen administration in fetuses with absence or reversal of end-diastolic velocity in umbilical artery: pathophysiological and clinical considerations.

BACKGROUND: The aim of our study was to evaluate the hemodynamic response to acute maternal hyperoxygenation (O2 test) in a group of growth retarded fetuses with absence or reversal of end-diastolic velocity (AREDV) in the umbilical artery (UA) and to correlate this response to a series of feto-placental velocimetric parameters and clinical variables. METHODS: In 25 singleton pregnancies, feto-maternal Doppler velocimetry was performed before and after acute maternal hyperoxygenation. RESULTS: Ten fetuses (40%) exhibited an increase of middle cerebral artery Pulsatility Index (PI) >20% after O2 (Responders), while in 15 fetuses PI did not change relevantly (Nonresponders). Non-responder fetuses showed a higher prevalence of reverse flow in umbilical artery (6/15 vs 0/10: p<0.03) and a slight, but not significant, higher percentage with reversed flow in inferior vena cava (% of A). Also the prevalence of a % of A greater than 95th confidence interval was higher in Non-responders (13/15 vs 4/10; p<0.04). Finally the Responder fetuses showed higher peak velocities in the cardiac outflows, even if the difference reached a statistical significance only for the pulmonary artery. The outcome of the two groups did not differ significantly. CONCLUSIONS: Our results seem to prove an ability of O2 test in selecting a group of AREDV fetuses characterized by a higher degree of hemodynamic deterioration and hence 'placed' in a more advanced step of the pathological process leading to overt cardiac decompensation, even if the clinical application of such a test seems to be still of limited value.