Impaired olfactory function in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrine disorder which affects 6.6% of women of child-bearing age. Although olfactory dysfunction is frequent in the population and it negatively affects quality of life, neither physicians or patients consider this important. This case-control study included 30 patients diagnosed with PCOS, and 25 healthy age-matched controls. Sniffin' sticks tests (BurghartGmbH, Wedel, Germany) were used to analyze olfactory functions, and the Beck Depression Inventory was used to evaluate depressive symptoms. The total odor score was significantly lower in the PCOS group compared to the control group (p<0.005). The Beck depression score was higher in the PCOS group (p<0.005). There was a negative correlation between the total odor score and the Beck Depression Score. Patients with PCOS have impaired olfactory function. This might be related to depressive disorders that are also observed in those patients.

Does progesterone therapy increase nuchal translucency in women with threatened miscarriage?

OBJECTIVES: The effect of exogenous progesterone on fetal nuchal translucency (NT) has been proposed recently. In this study, we aimed to compare the thickness of NT of patients receiving and not receiving progesterone for threatened miscarriage. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This study was designed as a retrospective comparative study. Ninety five women treated with progesterone constituted the study group whereas 97 women who were not treated with progesterone constituted the control group. An ultrasonographic examination was performed on all of the women to measure NT. All patients were treated with oral micronized progesterone in the study group. The main parameters recorded for each woman were; age, body mass index (BMI), obstetrical characteristics, and gestational age at first examination, treatment duration of progesterone therapy, and results of combined and triple tests. RESULTS: A total of 192 pregnant women with threatened miscarriage were included in this study. The mean NT thickness was statistically significantly higher in the study group (p < 0.001), and mean serum level of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) was also higher in this group (p < 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference between groups in terms of age, BMI, and gestational age at first examination. ROC curve analysis demonstrated that only increased NT (area under the curve: 0.634, p = 0.005, 95% CI: 0.541-0.727) was a discriminative factor for women receiving progesterone for threatened miscarriage. Also there was a positive correlation between NT and treatment duration (r = 0.269; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: We think that oral progesterone therapy may increase NT depending on treatment duration without causing abnormal prenatal screening test results.

Cost and effectiveness comparison of immediate colposcopy versus human papillomavirus DNA testing in management of atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance in Turkish women.

BACKGROUND: A small but significant proportion of cases with atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS) may harbour CIN 2-3, or even invasive carcinoma. Although immediate colposcopy, HPV-DNA testing or expectant management are three recommended options in ASCUS triage, a consensus does not currently exist on which one of these approaches is the most efficient. In this study, we aimed to compare the performance and cost of immediate colposcopy and colposcopy based on the human papillomavirus (HPV) testing for detecting histologically confirmed high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) in women with ASCUS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Records of 594 women with an index Papanicolaou smear showing ASCUS were retrospectively analyzed. Women in the immediate colposcopy arm were referred directly to colposcopy (immediate colposcopy group, n=255) and those in the HPV triage arm were proceeded to colposcopy if the high-risk HPV (hrHPV) test was positive (HPV triage group, n=339). High grade CIN (CIN2+) detection rate and treatment costs were compared between the groups. RESULTS: The detected rate of CIN2+ was higher in the HPV triage group compared to immediate colposcopy group (8% vs. 1.6%, p=0.011). In the HPV triage group, the total cost, cost per patient, and the cost for detecting one case of high grade CIN were higher than the immediate colposcopy group (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In women with ASCUS cytology, HPV DNA testing followed by colposcopy is more costly than immediate colposcopy, but this approach is associated with a higher rate of CIN2+ detection. This findings suggest that HPV DNA testing combined with cervical cytology could reduce the referral rate to colposcopy.