An overview on the relationship between endometriosis and infertility: the impact on sexuality and psychological well-being.

Purpose: Women with endometriosis represent a significant proportion of all outpatient gynecological consultations. Endometriosis is a benign chronic condition characterized by the spreading of endometrial-like tissue outside the uterus. A correlation between endometriosis and infertility has been strongly underlined in the literature about the topic: recent data suggest that up to 50% of women with infertility may suffer from this disease. The aim of this brief commentary is to focus the attention on the importance of a multidisciplinary approach for patients with endometriosis, including an accurate psychological and sexological counselling.Materials and Methods: We propose a brief point of view about a multidisciplinary approach in the treatment of endometriosis and associated infertility.Results and conclusions: Endometriosis is associated to a worse quality of life. Women with endometriosis also report higher levels of psychological conditions such as anxiety and depression. For this reason, an integrative approach is strongly advisable in order to improve social functions and mental health of these women and their partners. This may allow a more correct therapeutic management of these patients, reducing the potential negative impact of the disease on the mental wellbeing of the couple.

A comparison of sacral neuromodulation vs. transvaginal electrical stimulation for the treatment of refractory overactive bladder: the impact on quality of life, body image, sexual function, and emotional well-being.

Overactive bladder syndrome (OAB) is defined by the presence of urinary urgency, with or without urge incontinence, usually accompanied by an increase in urinary frequency and nocturia in the absence of urinary tract infections (UTI) or other diseases. The overall prevalence of OAB symptoms in the female population is reported to be 16.6% and increases with advancing age and menopause. The aetiology of OAB is not fully understood and is likely to affect a heterogeneous population of patients due to changes to their central and peripheral nervous systems. Although OAB is frequently associated with female sexual dysfunction (FSD), its real impact on sexual function in women has been evaluated only in a few studies. The first line of treatment for OAB includes behavioural modification and physical therapy, either as monotherapies or in combination. Many patients who have not had success in managing their symptoms with more conservative therapies may decide to resort to third-line treatments for refractory OAB. These treatments include neuromodulation therapies, particularly transvaginal electrical stimulation (TES) and sacral neuromodulation (SN). The aim of this short commentary is to provide an overview of the effectiveness of these treatments and of their impact on quality of life, body image, sexual function, and emotional well-being.

Mediterranean diet adherence in the Mediterranean healthy eating, aging and lifestyle (MEAL) study cohort.

A decline in adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern has been observed over the last years. The aim of this study was to assess the level of adherence to the Mediterranean diet and possible determinants in the Mediterranean healthy Eating, Aging and Lifestyle (MEAL) study cohort. Demographic and dietary data of 1937 individuals were collected in 2014-2015 from the general population of Catania, Sicily (Italy). Food frequency questionnaires and the MEDI-LITE score were used to assess adherence to the Mediterranean diet. The score well characterised consumption of major food groups, micro- and macro-nutrients. The cohort had a general good adherence, but only a minority was highly adherent. High adherence was directly associated with education, non-smoking and physical activity and inversely with high occupational status. In conclusions, Mediterranean diet is still followed in Sicily; however, nutrition education campaigns should promote healthy traditional dietary patterns in certain groups of individuals.

Psychological impact of fertility preservation techniques in women with gynaecological cancer.

Gynaecological cancer is a very stressful experience for women and treatments can compromise fertility and reproductive capacity. Fertility preservation techniques in women with gynaecological cancer can play an important role in improving the quality of life of these patients but, in many cases, the information about this type of treatment is not adequate. It is important to further investigate this topic in order to reduce the impact of gynaecological cancer on the quality of life of survivors as much as possible.

Reliability and relative validity of a food frequency questionnaire for Italian adults living in Sicily, Southern Italy.

The aim of this study was to develop and test the reliability and relative validity of a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) specifically developed for individuals living in Sicily, southern Italy. This study was conducted on a convenient sample of 178 adult volunteers aged 18-80 years recruited in the urban population of Catania. Dietary intake estimated by 2 FFQs was compared with six 24-h recalls covering a period of 10 months. A total of 110 food items were included in the FFQ. Person's coefficients between the first FFQ and mean of the six 24-h recalls showed high correlations for coffee, tea, pasta and dairy products, alcohol, total fats and carbohydrates (in women). The test-retest analysis showed high reproducibility of the FFQ. We showed that our FFQ provided a useful estimate of both food and nutrient intake in a healthy adult population.

Factors associated with adherence to the Mediterranean diet among adolescents living in Sicily, Southern Italy.

The present study aimed to examine the factors associated with increased Mediterranean diet (MD) adherence among a sample of Italian adolescents. A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 1135 students (13-16 years) attending 13 secondary schools of Sicily, southern Italy. Validated instruments were used for dietary assessment and the KIDMED score to assess adolescents' adherence to the MD. A higher adherence to the MD was associated with high socioeconomic status (Odds Ratio [OR] 1.53, 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 1.03-2.26) and high physical activity (OR 1.19, 95% CI: 1.02-1.70), whereas lower adherence was associated with living in an urban environment (OR 0.65, 95% CI: 0.44-0.97) and being obese (OR 0.59, 95% CI: 0.37-0.94). The adolescents' KIDMED scores were inversely associated with adolescents' intake of sweets, fast foods, fried foods, and sugary drinks, and directly with fruit, vegetables, pasta, fish, and cheese intakes. Urban-living adolescents were less likely to eat fruit and more prone to consume meat, sugary drinks, and fast food than rural-living adolescents. The latter were more likely to eat sweets and snacks. A general poor quality of food consumption in Italian adolescents away from the MD was reported, especially among those living in urban areas.

Health related quality of life in colorectal cancer patients: state of the art.

BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer in males and the second in females with a progressive increase in prevalence in industrialized countries. The loss of health due to the cancer and/or the consequence of the treatment may result in psychophysical, functional and social impairment; all of these affect health-related quality of life (QoL). DESCRIPTION: The most frequently CRC-specific QoL questionnaires is the FACT-C. QoL is not only important for the well-being of cancer patient but it also influences survival and response to therapy. Many studies investigated various determinants involved in the assessment of QoL in CRC, suggesting that symptoms, surgical procedures and the number of comorbidity significantly affected QoL. CONCLUSION: Despite that CRC patients have a relatively good QoL compared with the general population, a wide range of intervention could be undertaken to improve their QoL. The finding of this review may be useful for cancer clinicians in taking therapy and surveillance-related decisions. However, future research should be directed to large-scale prospective studies using well validated QoL instruments to facilitate comparison of results.