[Sexuality in menopause. Importance of adequate replacement therapy]. / Sessualità in menopausa. L'importanza di un adeguato trattamento sostitutivo.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The harmful repercussions of estrogen deficiency in menopause on the female organism are also responsible for reduced libido and uncomfortable trophic disorders of the genitourinary tract leading to reduced vaginal lubrication and severe alterations affecting sexual function, as well as for the more commonplace vasomotor phenomena and psychoemotive changes. METHODS: The authors treated 102 menopausal patients who presented reduced libido and orgasmic difficulties, as well as other menopausal problems, with 17-beta estradiol+noretisterone acetate using a transdermal route. The main advantage offered by the transdermal route is that conjugated estrogens "bypass" the liver and reach the target organs in an unmodified manner. This treatment is well tolerated by almost all patients, even those suffering from slight gastroenteric and hepatic problems. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: This study showed the good tolerability and almost complete innocuousness of the drug used. None of the patients receiving replacement therapy reported any collateral effects worthy of note or the onset of malignant lesions of the breast or pelvic organs. The results obtained show that the use of 17-beta estradiol+noretisterone acetate can effectively modify menopausal symptoms, improving both quality of life and sexual function.

[Treatment of benign uterine hemorrhage and simple endometrial hyperplasia by endometrial ablation]. / Il trattamento del sanguinamento uterino benigno e dell'iperplasia endometriale semplice mediante l'ablazione dell'endometrio.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The technique of endometrial resection by resectoscope represents a valid alternative to hysterectomy in patients with a high operating risk suffering from benign uterine bleeding and simple endometrial hyperplasia refractory to medical treatment or uterine curettage. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the validity of the resectoscopic technique of endometrial ablation. METHODS: The authors performed endometrial ablation using a loop and roller resectoscope in a group of 24 women with refractory menorrhagia which failed to respond to other techniques of first choice. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The results obtained show the good tolerability of resectoscopic surgery by the patients who, for medical reasons, represented a high operating risk if subject to laparohysterectomy.

[Anomalous uterine hemorrhages in the climacteric. Their etiopathogenesis]. / Sanguinamenti uterini anomali in climaterio. Eziopatogenesi.

Anomalous uterine bleeding accounts for approximately two-thirds of the causes of outpatient gynecological check-ups for women in menopause. The high incidence of this pathology raises considerable problems from a clinical and social point of view. In this paper the authors outline the main causes of both organic and functional bleeding.

[Abnormal uterine hemorrhage in the climacteric. Diagnostic approach]. / Sanguinamenti uterini anomali in climaterio. Approccio diagnostico.

Having made a detailed list of the invasive and non-invasive diagnostic techniques used to evaluate anomalous uterine bleeding in menopause, the authors conclude by affirming that hysteroscopy undoubtedly represents the most reliable diagnostic technique and that echography should be the preferred first diagnostic step since it allows the adnexa to be examined and is less invasive and cheaper.

[Menopause. Hormone substitution therapy and prevention of cardiovascular risk]. / Menopausa. Terapia ormonale sostitutiva (HRT) e prevenzione del rischio cardiovascolare.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Cardiovascular disease is the major cause of death in over 60-year-old women. The mean age of onset is about 10 years later in women compared to men, a difference which can be explained by the end of physiological estrogen production in menopause. METHODS: The authors treated a group of 68 menopausal patients with HRT for a period of 5 years. RESULTS: A series of positive effects emerged from the study which were potentially capable of preventing ischemic cardiopathy. CONCLUSIONS: The authors reached the conclusion that--owing to its beneficial effects on lipid and glucose metabolism, as well as on coagulation factors and arterial pressure--HRT is able to prevent cardiovascular disease, reducing the risk of infarction by between 20 and 50%.

[Clinical efficacy of tamoxifen in the treatment of premenstrual mastodynia]. / Efficacia clinica del tamoxifene nel trattamento della mastodinia premestruale.

BACKGROUND: Premenstrual syndrome (PMS), which was first described by Frank in 1931, is a clinical condition that is not easy to classify in terms of either symptoms or from a diagnostic and therapeutic point of view. AIMS: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of tamoxifen, an antiestrogen drug, using a double-blind study with placebo in the treatment of mastodynia, one of the most frequent symptoms of PMS, given that an absolute or relative increase in estrogens is one of the most controversial etiopathogenetic hypotheses. METHODS: The study included a group of 88 outpatients aged between 22 and 40 with regular menstrual cycles and intense mastodynia. Before commencing therapy, a detailed medical history was compiled for each subject and all underwent a gynecological and breast examination, hematochemical and instrumental tests (scan and mammography) in order to rule out other PMS-related organic pathologies. The patients were randomly divided into two groups of 44: one group received tamoxifen at a dose of 10 mg by mouth from day 5 to day 24 of the menstrual cycle, whilst a placebo was administered to the other group using the same dosage scheme. All women underwent a thorough control examination at the end of treatment and two months after the end of treatment. RESULTS: At the end of treatment 90% of patients reported a complete resolution of symptoms, whilst 10% only showed a slight improvement. In the control group, 86% showed a transitory reduction in symptoms and 13% did not report any improvement. CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of the results obtained, the authors affirm the validity and efficacy of tamoxifen in the treatment of mastodynia in PMS owing to both its innocuity and its atoxity.

[Abnormal uterine hemorrhage in climacteric. Medical management]. / Sanguinamenti uterini anomali in climaterio. Terapia medica.

Following a review of the literature, the authors examine the drugs which are currently used to treat anomalous uterine bleeding during menopause, illustrating their aims and justifying the rationale underlying their use. They conclude by stating that a satisfactory treatment often does not exist, but it is the task of the specialist to gauge the level and sequence of treatments in order to achieve the hoped-for result.

[Use of a GnRH analogue (leuprorelin) in the therapy of endometriosis]. / Utilizzazione di un analogo del GnRH (leuprorelin) nella terapia dell'endometriosi.

BACKGROUND: Endometriosis is undoubtedly an extremely complex disease from both a diagnostic and therapeutic point of view. The finding that the continuous administration of GnRH analogs suppresses gonadotropin release by the hupophysis, thus blocking ovary function, has promoted researchers to use these drugs in the treatment of endometriosis. AIM: Having reviewed the data reported in the literature, the authors selected from the numerous drugs used to resolve implants (oestroprogestogens, danazol, progestogens, clomiphene citrata, GnRH analogs), a GnRH analog with a depot action known as leuprorelin (D-Leu6-Pro9-NH-Ethylamide). MATERIALS AND METHOD: This drug was administered to 98 patients suffering from endometriosis at a dose of one intramuscular phial every 30 days for six months. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The results obtained (complete resolution of disease in 610.2% of cases, partial remission in 30.6% of cases, transient improvement in 9.2% of cases owing to reduced patient compliance, percentage of pregnancies after treatment 12%), allow the authors to conclude that the use of a GnRH antagonist, like leuprorelin, owing to its efficacy and good tolerability, represents a valid alternative to oestroprogestogens and Danazol in the treatment of implants and the symptoms of endometriosis.