[Transdermal estrogen treatment. A placebo controlled study]. / Transdermal østrogenbehandling. En placebokontrollert studie.

A double blind, crossover study was used to test the effect of transdermal oestrogen therapy (Estraderm) in 22 women with climacteric complaints. The number and intensity of hot flushes were both reduced by approximately 80% (p less than 0.0025). Some improvement was also seen as regards general wellbeing, disturbed sleep and tiredness. We noted a significant increase in serum oestradiol to premenopausal follicular phase levels, and a decrease in FSH values. Systolic blood pressure was lowered during active treatment (p less than 0.025), a smaller reduction of diastolic pressure was not significant. Body weight remained unchanged. Some patients reported tender breasts, and some reported slight irritation of the skin. Neither condition necessitated withdrawal of treatment. It is concluded that Estraderm is effective and suitable for treatment of climacteric complaints.

Lincomycin in selective medium for the isolation of Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

For the isolation of gonococci, the selective culture medium containing colistin, vancomycin, nystatin and trimethoprim which is usually employed has been changed by substituting lincomycin for vancomycin. The best result was obtained if a concentration of 1/2 mug lincomycin/ml medium was used. This is a concentration of lincomycin considerably lower than that which by other investigators is considered most suitable for the purpose. However, the culture medium used by the latter did not contain trimethoprim. The use of 1/2 mug lincomycin/ml instead of vancomycin 3 mug/ml in the medium caused a slightly more pronounced growth of unwanted organisms. In spite of this, the results obtained by the medium containing lincomycin showed that the number of samples positive for gonococci was 7 per cent higher, and that the number of patients with gonococcal infections to be discovered was 4 per cent higher than the numbers obtained by the medium containing vancomycin. The results were considered highly favourable and, accordingly, by now our laboratory uses 1/2 mug lincomycin/ml medium in the routine isolation of gonococci.