Chocolate and women's sexual health: An intriguing correlation.

INTRODUCTION: Historically chocolate has been reported to exert several effects on human sexuality, mainly acting as an effective aphrodisiac, increasing sexual desire, and improving sexual pleasure. AIM: The aim of our study was to assess whether there is an association between daily chocolate intake and sexual function in a convenience sample of Northern Italian women. METHODS: A convenience sample of 163 women (mean +/- SD age: 35.3 +/- 9.2 years; body mass index [BMI]: 22.5 +/- 3.5 kg/m2), recruited through advertising, completed an anonymous semistructured interview on recreational habits and questionnaires to assess sexual function (Female Sexual Function Index [FSFI]), sexual distress (Female Sexual Distress Scale), and depression (Beck Depression Inventory and Center for Epidemiological Survey Depression Scale). RESULTS: Complete data were available for 153/163 (93.8%) women. Participants who reported daily chocolate intake (Group 1: 120 women) were significantly younger than those (Group 2: 33 women) who did not report to eat chocolate (33.9 +/- 0.8 years vs. 40.4 +/- 1.6 years, respectively) (P = 0.0003), despite a similar BMI. Participants in Group 1 had significantly higher total (P = 0.002) and desire domain (P = 0.01) FSFI scores than participants in Group 2. No differences between the two groups were observed concerning sexual arousal and satisfaction, sexual distress and depression. Our data also confirm that aging has a high statistically significant impact on women's sexual function. CONCLUSIONS: It is alluring to hypothesize that chocolate can have either a psychological or a biological positive impact on women's sexuality. In our sample women reporting chocolate consumption have higher FSFI scores than women who do not eat chocolate. However, when data are adjusted for age FSFI scores are similar, regardless of chocolate consumption.

Predictors of prostate cancer after initial diagnosis of atypical small acinar proliferation at 10 to 12 core biopsies.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the factors that predict prostate cancer detection by means of 10 to 12 core repeat biopsies in patients with atypical small acinar proliferation (ASAP) results on initial biopsy. METHODS: From 1998 to 2004, 110 of 127 patients (87%) with a diagnosis of ASAP were rebiopsied with the same technique plus additional biopsies on the ASAP site (12.6 +/- 1.1 cores [mean +/- standard deviation]). Each histologic slide was reviewed blindly by a single experienced pathologist, who also differentiated highly suspicious (ASAPH) and not highly suspicious (ASAPB) lesions for cancer. RESULTS: On initial biopsy, a concomitant high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (HGPIN) was present in 26 patients (23%) with ASAP. The overall cancer detection rate was significantly higher in patients who had ASAP associated with HGPIN (58%), compared with patients who had isolated ASAP (35%; P = 0.04). The cancer detection rate was not significantly higher in patients with ASAPH than in those with ASAPB (49% versus 33%, respectively; P = 0.11). In the group of patients who had isolated ASAP, the rate of cancer detection was significantly higher in patients who had a prostatic volume less than 50 mL (56%) than in patients with a prostatic volume of 50 mL or more (27%; P = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: The cancer detection rate was significantly higher in patients with an ASAP associated with HGPIN on initial biopsy than in patients with isolated ASAP. In ASAP patients, the detection rate was lower for patients with a larger prostate than in those with a smaller prostate.

Pfannenstiel versus vertical laparotomy in patients undergoing radical retropubic prostatectomy with spinal anesthesia: results of a prospective, randomized trial.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of a standard vertical laparotomy versus a Pfannenstiel transverse laparotomy on intra-, peri-operative, and 6-month follow-up outcome in patients undergoing radical retropubic prostatectomy with pelvic lymphadenectomy with spinal anesthesia. METHODS: Between January 2003 and June 2003, 69 age-matched consecutive patients with clinically localized prostate cancer underwent radical retropubic prostatectomy with pelvic lymphadenectomy with spinal anesthesia and were randomized into Group 1 (vertical laparotomy: 35 patients) and Group 2 (Pfannenstiel laparotomy: 34 patients). An extensive analysis of the critical intra-, peri-operative, and 6-month follow-up clinical parameters was performed. RESULTS: Both the hemodynamics and the biochemical balance were not significantly different between the two groups. Overall blood loss (p = 0.78), autologous (p = 0.88) and homologous (p = 0.36) blood transfusions were similar regardless of the type of laparotomy. Surgical time was not significantly (p = 0.27) different between the two groups. Similarly, the two forms of laparotomy did not differ regarding the length of the surgical incision (p = 0.21), as measured at the end of the procedure. Post-operative oxygen saturation percentage by pulse oximetry, as well as post-op sedation score, were not significantly different (p = 0.06 and p = 0.97, respectively). Waiting time in the post-operative holding area (p = 0.15), and pain score in the post-operative holding area (p = 0.9) as well as on post-operative day 1 (p = 0.1) were not significantly different between the two groups. The rate of first flatus passage and of unassisted ambulation were similar regardless of the type of laparotomy during post-operative day day 1. The two types of incision made it possible to remove a similar (p = 0.34) number of pelvic lymph nodes and were associated to a similar rate of positive surgical margins among pT2 patients. At the 6-month follow-up the occurrence of a pelvic lymphocele and of deep venous thrombosis was similar in the two groups (p = 0.6 and p = 0.16, respectively). Complete urinary continence and spontaneous erectile function recovery was reported in a similar number of patients regardless of the type of surgical incision (p = 0.59 and p = 0.40, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that a Pfannenstiel transverse suprapubic laparotomy does not result in a significantly different outcome from a standard vertical laparotomy in patients undergoing a radical retropubic prostatectomy with pelvic lymphadenectomy with L2-L3 spinal anesthesia for clinically localized prostate cancer.