High-sensitivity C-reactive protein is not independently associated with self-reported infertility in National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2015-2018 data.

Objective: To study the association between high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and infertility among reproductive-age women while controlling for obesity and other metabolic markers. Previous studies found a link between infertility and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). C-reactive protein is a sensitive marker of CVDs, and its levels are affected by obesity. Design/Setting: We conducted a cross-sectional study using national data from 2015 through 2018. Patients: A total of 940 women aged 20-45 years who self-reported infertility, had hs-CRP values measured, and did not have CRP >10 mg/L, asthma, arthritis, bronchitis, thyroid disease, bilateral oophorectomy, hysterectomy, and who were not breastfeeding or pregnant, premenarchal at the time of study or had menarche after the age of 20. Interventions: N/A. Main outcome measures: Infertility status (ever reporting inability to conceive with 12 months of trying to become pregnant). Results: In comparison to noninfertile women, self-reported infertile women had higher mean of hs-CRP (3.11 mg/L vs. 2.40 mg/L) and higher percentage of moderate/high hs-CRP values (77.0% vs 58.8%). However, after adjusting for metabolic markers, there was a nonsignificant association between moderate/high hs-CRP and self-reported infertility in the multivariable logistic regression analysis. Odds ratio estimates of the association between hs-CRP and infertility increased over 40% after removing obesity measures and/or high-density lipoprotein from regression models. Conclusion: There was no association between hs-CRP and self-reported infertility after controlling for obesity measures and other risk factors for CVDs in a sample of U.S. women aged 20-45 years.

A call to assess the performance of international medical graduates in Obstetrics and Gynecology residency training programs in the United States.

International medical graduates contribute to an important section of the practicing physicians in the United States. However, there is not enough data to understand their performance in Obstetrics and Gynecology residency training programs of the United States. International medical graduates who apply to residency programs, including those with previous clinical experience, are often disfavored by most Obstetrics and Gynecology residency training programs, based on the theoretical inferior performance of these applicants during their residency years. The previous experience obtained by the international medical graduate-applicants are often valued by other developed countries that were reported to have better healthcare system in women health compared to that of the United States. Studying the performance of international medical graduate-residents in Obstetrics and Gynecology training programs could help set a standard that aid the program leaders choosing their potential residents and could also protect the rights of these international medical graduate-applicants. This is especially important amid recent changes in certifying exams, volatile immigration system of the United States, and the increasing number of medical graduates.

Obesity in Infertile Women, a Cross-Sectional Study of the United States Using NSFG 2011-2019.

Reproductive health can be affected by obesity through various mechanisms. Obesity-associated inflammatory markers and altered hormones can have direct and indirect impacts on female reproductive health. However, little is known about obesity prevalence and trend among infertile women and obesity association with infertility in reproductive-age women of the U.S. In a cross-sectional study, we sought to conduct a secondary analysis of National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG) data from 2011 to 2019. A total of 6,035 infertile and non-pregnant fecund women aged 20-44 years were included in a nationally representative sample of the U.S. The weighted prevalence of obesity (BMI ≥ 30) among infertile women was 41.63% for the period 2011-2019. Obese women had 62% higher odds of infertility (95% CI 1.24, 2.17) compared to non-obese women of reproductive age (20-44 years). However, there was no specific trend of obesity among infertile and non-pregnant fecund women aged 20-44 years in the U.S. from 2011 to 2019. Given the negative impact of obesity on female reproductive health and in light of our results, it is important to counsel obese infertile reproductive-age women of the U.S. about behavioral changes that include weight management. Future longitudinal studies are needed to evaluate the risk of infertility among obese women.

Sex Hormones and Novel Corona Virus Infectious Disease (COVID-19).

Given the rapid spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and its overwhelming effect on health care systems and the global economy, innovative therapeutic strategies are urgently needed. The proposed primary culprit of COVID-19 is the intense inflammatory response-an augmented immune response and cytokine storm-severely damaging the lung tissue and rendering some patients' conditions severe enough to require assisted ventilation. Sex differences in the response to inflammation have been documented and can be attributed, at least in part, to sex steroid hormones. Moreover, age-associated decreases in sex steroid hormones, namely, estrogen and testosterone, may mediate proinflammatory increases in older adults that could increase their risk of COVID-19 adverse outcomes. Sex hormones can mitigate the inflammation response and might provide promising therapeutic potential for patients with COVID-19. In this article, we explore the possible anti-inflammatory effects of estrogen and testosterone and the anabolic effect of testosterone, with particular attention to the potential therapeutic role of hormone replacement therapy in older men and women with COVID-19.

Testosterone Replacement Therapy and Rehospitalization in Older Men With Testosterone Deficiency in a Postacute Care Setting.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to examine whether receipt of testosterone replacement therapy was associated with reduced 30-day rehospitalization after postacute care among older men with testosterone deficiency. DESIGN, PATIENTS, AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using a 5% national sample of Medicare beneficiaries. We identified 1290 nonsurgical inpatient postacute care discharges between January 1, 2007, and October 31, 2014, for male patients, 66 yrs or older, with a previous diagnosis of testosterone deficiency. Multivariable logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for 30-day postacute care rehospitalization related to receipt of testosterone replacement therapy. RESULTS: In older men with testosterone deficiency, receipt of testosterone replacement therapy was not associated with rehospitalization (odds ratio = 0.87, 95% confidence interval, 0.59-1.29) in the 30 days after postacute care discharge. These findings persisted after adjustment for quintile of propensity scores (odds ratio = 0.90, 95% confidence interval = 0.62-1.30). CONCLUSION: Testosterone replacement therapy was not associated with reduced rehospitalization after postacute care discharge in older men with testosterone deficiency. Further research in this population should examine the effects of testosterone replacement therapy on functional recovery and community independence.