No abstract available.
Antibodies* ; Endometriosis* ; Female ; Humans

OBJECTIVE: Endometriosis is a common and enigmatic disease affecting the reproductive life and health of women. Although the retrograde menstruation is a well established model for both transplantation and induction theories, the discrepancy between an incidence of retrograde menstruation and a prevalence for endometriosis suggests the possibility that the development and the progression of endometriosis is associated with individual susceptibility such as altered immune function. An impaired immune response may result in a defect in the ability to remove refluxed menstrual debris, thereby increasing the possibility of endometriosis. We carried out the study to elucidate the immunologic alteration in patients with endometriosis. MATERIALS and METHODS: Fifty-six patients undergoing pelviscopic surgery or open laparotomy for benign gynecological disease were enrolled in this study. The study groups consisted of group I (normal control patients, N=22), group II (endometriosis stage I and II, N 17), and group III (endometriosis stage III and IV, N=17). Lymphocyte subset including total T cell, helper T cell, suppressor T cell, B cell, helper/suppressor ratio, natural killer (NK) cell, monocyte population and cytokine profile including interleukin (lL)-1, soluble interleukin-2 receptor (slL-2R), IL-2, IL-6, IL-S, monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1 of peripheral blood and peritoneal fluid were analyzed using flow cytometry and enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA) method respectively. RESULTS: Peripheral blood and peritoneal fluid lymphocyte subset were indistinguishable among the 3 groups (p>0.05). And there were no significant difference in peripheral blood and peritoneal fluid cytokine profile among the 3 groups except peripheral blood MCP-1 level. Group III showed higher peripheral blood level of MCP-1 than control patients (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: In this study, lymphocyte subset and cytokine profile except MCP-1 in peripheral blood and peritoneal fluid from patients with endometriosis did not differ from those of the control group. Immunologic alterations of patients with endometriosis might be resulted not from the changes of the number of lymphocyte subsets and cytokine, but from the modification of functions.
Ascitic Fluid* ; Endometriosis* ; Female ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Incidence ; Interleukin-2 ; Interleukin-6 ; Interleukins ; Laparotomy ; Lymphocyte Subsets* ; Lymphocytes* ; Menstruation Disturbances ; Monocytes ; Prevalence

No abstract available.
Progesterone*

OBJECTIVES: Osteoporosis, defined as decreased bone mass and structural deterioration of bone, increases the incidence of fractures. Recently, there have been reports suggesting that thyroid hormones are related to bone mineral density (BMD). It has been reported that low normal circulating thyrotropin (TSH) levels correlate with lower BMD and that thyroxine (T4) and bone density are negatively related. This research aims to examine the relationship between BMD and thyroid diseases and other functional changes in postmenopausal women. METHODS: The medical records of 2,279 postmenopausal women who attended the health care clinic in eight university hospitals between March 2001 and December 2007 were reviewed retrospectively. We determined the baseline characteristics of the women, including age, height, weight, and body mass index (BMI). The BMD was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). The correlation between the thyroid status and BMD was analyzed using the SPSS 12.0 program. RESULTS: This research used data from a relatively large number of postmenopausal women gathered in a multicenter approach. Of the thyroid functional tests, thyroid stimulating hormone (triiodothyronine or T3) and T4 correlated with BMD, while free T4 and TSH did not show a statistically significant correlation. After adjusted age, thyroid function test did not correlate with BMD. Osteopenia was significantly higher in the group with TSH below 0.5 mU/L compared with groups that had normal or high TSH. There was no statistically significant difference in lumbar BMD and total hip BMD among patients with thyroid diseases and healthy patients. CONCLUSION: The level of T3 and T4 correlated well with BMD in Korean post-menopausal women.
Absorptiometry, Photon ; Body Mass Index ; Bone Density ; Bone Diseases, Metabolic ; Delivery of Health Care ; Female ; Hip ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Incidence ; Medical Records ; Menopause ; Osteoporosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Thyroid Diseases ; Thyroid Function Tests ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroid Hormones ; Thyrotropin ; Thyroxine

OBJECTIVES: To investigate bone responses to hormone therapy (HT) according to basal bone mineral density (BMD) and previous responses to HT, as well as the frequency and clinical characteristics of HT non-responders in Korean postmenopausal women. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed a total of 1,836 postmenopausal women who received HT from seven university hospitals. BMD data at the lumbar spine (LS), femur neck (FN), femur trochanter (FT) and total hip (TH) before HT, and at one, two, and three years after HT were collected. All patients were divided into three groups according to basal BMD: normal, osteopenia, and osteoporosis. RESULTS: Women with a greater loss of BMD during the first year of HT were more likely to gain BMD in the second year at any of the four skeletal sites. Bone responses to HT during the third year were not related to the responses during the first year. Mean BMD changes during the first year were significantly higher in the osteoporosis group, but mean BMD changes during the second year were not different between three groups except in LS. The frequency of non-responder (annual BMD losses more than 3%) during the first year was significantly higher in the normal basal BMD group. Mean basal BMDs were higher in the two-year consecutive non-responder group at LS, FN and FT, but those of the three-year consecutive non-responder group were not significantly higher except in FN. CONCLUSION: Most women who lose BMD after HT are likely to gain BMD during the next year. The frequency of non-responders is higher in the higher basal BMD group, and patients with lower basal BMD will be likely to respond better to HT.
Bone Density ; Bone Diseases, Metabolic ; Female ; Femur ; Femur Neck ; Hip ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Osteoporosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Spine

OBJECTIVES: Premature ovarian failure (POF) is a syndrome defined as the cessation of ovarian function before the age of 40 years that is characterized by amenorrhoea associated with elevated gonadotropin levels. The aim of this study was to compare clinical manifestation of primary amenorrhea and secondary amenorrhea group. METHODS: This study was designed as a retrospective multicenter study of 262 women with premature ovarian failure. Sixty eight women with primary amenorrhea and 194 women with secondary amenorrhea were evaluated and hormonal level, lipid profile, bone mineral density, and pregnancy rates were compared. RESULTS: The estradiol level was markedly lower in primary amenorrhea than secondary amenorrhea. The pregnancy rate of 43.3% before the diagnosis in secondary amenorrhea was markedly higher than the rate of 0% in primary amenorrhea. The pregnancy rates after treatment was 5.9% in primary amenorrhea, but 1.0% after diagnosis and 2.8% after treatment in secondary amenorrhea. The pregnancy rate after hormonal treatment was 3.7% in total, 8.3% in primary amenorrhea, and 2.8% in secondary amenorrhea. In nine cases of pregnancy, seven cases were after estrogen-progestin (EP), one case was after clomiphene citrate and one case was after EP/human menopausal gonodotropin (hMG). And In nine cases of pregnancy, six cases resulted from oocyte donation. The prevalence of osteopenia/osteoporosis was markedly higher in primary amenorrhea than in secondary amenorrhea. CONCLUSION: Premature ovarian failure has negative influences on the physical and psychological health of young patients. Effective management should include earlier diagnosis and intensive medical intervention to relieve symptoms of estrogen deficiency and to treat long-term disease such as osteoporosis and in assisted pregnancy by oocyte donation.
Amenorrhea ; Bone Density ; Clomiphene ; Estradiol ; Estrogens ; Female ; Gonadotropins ; Humans ; Oocyte Donation ; Osteoporosis ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Rate ; Prevalence ; Primary Ovarian Insufficiency ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVES: To determine the baseline serum concentrations of estradiol and estrone in postmenopausal Korean women and the serum concentrations of estradiol and estrone after 4 and 16 weeks of treatment using 1 mg of estradiol and 2 mg of drospirenone. METHODS: This was a multicenter study. Thirty-six subjects were screened. Serum estradiol, estrone and drospirenone levels were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and radioimmunoassay. RESULTS: The mean estradiol concentration was 8.37 +/- 12.1 pg/mL at baseline and increased to 53.7 +/- 52.1 and 41.4 +/- 26.1 pg/mL after 4 and 16 weeks of treatment, respectively. The mean estrone concentrations were 28.7 +/- 26.8, 266.1 +/- 182.9, and 256.1 +/- 179.1 pg/mL at baseline, and after 4 and 16 weeks of treatment, respectively. When women were stratified according to the basal estradiol level, the level after 4 weeks of treatment was significantly higher in the women with a detectable level (> or = 5 pg/mL) than in women with an undetectable level (< 5 pg/mL; 65.2 +/- 21.5 vs. 37.4 +/- 25.8 pg/mL, P = 0.008). After 16 weeks of treatment, the estradiol level was still higher in the detectable group (51.6 +/- 28.6 vs. 38.7 +/- 21.7 pg/mL, P = 0.09). CONCLUSION: This study showed that 1 mg of estradiol and 2 mg of drospirenone is an appropriate regimen to achieve the desired serum estradiol level. The difference in serum hormonal levels after 4 weeks of treatment could be caused by different basal levels.
Administration, Oral ; Androstenes ; Estradiol ; Estrogen Replacement Therapy ; Estrone ; Female ; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry ; Humans ; Postmenopause

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this survey was to compare Korean menopausal women's perceptions of hormone replacement therapy before and after publication of the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) study. METHODS: This study was conducted through a survey of 713 postmenopausal women, who attended lectures on health to commemorate Korean Menopause Awareness Month, during 2009 in Seoul and the provinces (Incheon, Daejeon, Daegu, Gwangju and Busan). RESULTS: Respondents' knowledge concerning the cause of menopause have been increased to 86.7% in 2009, compared to 56.6% in 2002. Women who required hormone therapy increased to 57.6% in 2009, compared to 56.6% in 2002. As a source of information about hormone therapy, media was about 34.0% in 2009, different from the previous study that doctor's advice was 60.7%. Among the women who stopped hormone therapy, the most common reason was fear of cancer (31.8%), which increased compared to 9.3% in 2002. Women who received regular screening for breast cancer increased to 82.3% in 2009, compared to 35.0% in 2002. Women who checked bone mineral density (BMD) increased to 71.8% in 2009, compared to 40.2% in 2002. CONCLUSION: Menopausal women in Korea have increased their awareness of menopause. They responded that hormone therapy was helpful to manage menopausal symptoms, even after WHI study. They obtained menopause-related information through various sources, and the role of mass media has been greatly increased. But they were concerned about the increased risk for cancer, especially breast cancer.
Bone Density ; Breast Neoplasms ; Female ; Hormone Replacement Therapy ; Humans ; Korea ; Lectures ; Mass Media ; Mass Screening ; Menopause ; Publications ; Republic of Korea ; Women's Health

In this article, research trend of biomaterials for spinal fusion was summarized with an emphasis on hydroxyapatite (HA), titanium(Ti), and polyetheretherketone (PEEK) as representatives of ceramics, metals, and polymers, respectively. Ceramic materials represented by HA are highly biocompatible but have low strength and fracture toughness, so there has been much effort to improve these mechanical properties. Metals such as titanium, Ti, are mechanically strong but have a drawback of stress shielding effect, which can be avoided by fabricating into porous body. Also there have been many researches to improve the biocompatibility of PEEK, which has been widely used recently as a substitute to Ti.
Biocompatible Materials ; Ceramics ; Durapatite ; Ketones ; Metals ; Polyethylene Glycols ; Polymers ; Spinal Fusion ; Titanium

Neonatal lupus erythematosus(NLE) is a distinct subset of lupus characterized by cutaneous findings, cardiac conduction defects, hepatic or hematologic abnormalities. These manifestations are associated with the presence of maternal auto-antibodies such as anti-SSA/Ro, anti-SSB/La, and rarely anti- RNP(U1RNP) antibodies. Cases of U1RNP antibody-positive NLE have somewhat atypical cutaneous manifestation without cardiac or systemic abnormalities. We report a case of cutaneous NLE associated with U1RNP antibodies.
Antibodies*