Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2008;30(12):594-601
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032008001200002
PURPOSE: to evaluate factors associated with women's dyslipidemia during menopause. METHODS: case-control study of prevalent cases and controls selected from a dedicated outpatient clinic. From recent biochemical parameters found in patients' files, women have been grouped in 'case' and 'control'. Women who presented any alteration in the blood levels of total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, triglycerides and/or HDL-cholesterol were considered as case, and the ones who presented normal levels of them, as control. Data concerning socioeconomic situation, physical activity, etilism and tabagism, anthropometric measurements and food ingestion have been collected and then compared between the groups. Ratios have been compared by the χ2, Fisher's exact test and/or t-Student test, depending on the distribution type. The crude relationship between each factor and the presence of dyslipidemia has been estimated by logistic regression. RESULTS: data have been collected from 84 women aged from 42 to 59 years, as 45 of them were grouped as case (dyslipidemic) and 39 as control (non-dyslipidemic). Age average of cases and controls was 52.1±4.2 and 52.2±4.7 years old, respectively. The sample showed to be homogeneous for the socioeconomic characteristics (income, occupation and schooling), physical activity practice, etilism and tabagism, and food ingestion, with no significant correlation with dyslipidemia. The groups presented an income up to two minimal wages, low schooling level (up to the fourth grade of lower school), and the housewife occupation. Smoking and drinking alcohol was not very frequent. Practicing physical activity was non-existent, thus characterizing a sedentary population. Food ingestion was adequate for carbohydrates, protein, lipids, but not for cholesterol (excessive) and fibers (insufficient), in both groups. Concerning the anthropometric evaluation, there has been an association with dyslipidemia, as the body mass index (BMI) and the waist circumference (WC) were significantly larger in case than in control. The waist-hip ratio has been similar in both groups. Weight excess has been found in most of the cases (73.3%) as almost half of them (44%) presented WC >88 cm, which represents a very increased risk. CONCLUSIONS: it is possible to conclude that, in the studied sample, only the anthropometric measurements have been considered as risk factors associated with dyslipidemia, during post-menopause.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2008;30(3):113-120
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032008005000001
PURPOSE: to evaluate quality of life of climacteric women attended at a school hospital in Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil, adopting the Medical Outcome Study 36-item Short Form Health Survey (MOS SF-36 Health Survey) and the Women's Health Questionnaire (WHQ), as well as the modified Blatt-Kupperman index. METHODS: according to a descriptive, transversal study, 233 women, assisted from February to June 2006, were evaluated. Within a convenience sample, the inclusion criteria were age from 40 to 65 years old and agreement in participating of the research, excluding previous history of bilateral oophorectomy, hormonal therapy in the last semester and uncontrolled illnesses. The sample size was calculated admitting a prevalence of climacteric symptoms of 4% and a precision of 2.5%. The variables were: general health and physical and mental components based on the MOS SF-36 Health Survey; quality of health based on the WHQ and climacteric symptoms according to the modified Blatt-Kupperman index. Data were analyzed by the Statistical Package for Social Sciences, version 13.0 software. RESULTS: the quality of life was classified as bad. Based on the MOS SF-36 Health Survey, there was more damage in the mental component (18.53 versus 27.77% for physical components), higher losses in social functions (80.28%) and limitations for emotional problems (78.61%). According to WHQ, there were limitations due to sleep disturbances (69.77%), somatic (69.15%) and vasomotor symptoms (68.80%), considering regular sexual function and menstrual symptoms. Estrogenic deficiency symptoms were found in 53% of the women. The increase of hypoestrogenism symptoms were followed by worsening of general and menopausal health. CONCLUSIONS: it seemed reasonable to assume that menopause, for the researched women, was really configured as a biopsychosocial event, more than organic, derived predominantly from estrogenic deficiency.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2007;29(8):415-422
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032007000800006
PURPOSE: to evaluate climacteric symptoms and related factors in women living in rural and urban areas of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. METHODS: a cross-sectional study involving 261 women in the climacteric was performed. A total of 130 women from Natal and Mossoró (urban group) and 131 from Uruaçu, in São Gonçalo do Amarante (rural group), were studied. Climacteric symptoms were assessed by the Blatt-Kupperman Menopausal Index (BKMI) and Greene Climacteric Scale (GCE). Statistical analysis involved comparison of median between groups and logistic regression analysis. Patients were defined as "very symptomatic" when the climacteric score was >20 for both questionnaires (dependent variable). Independent variables were: age, living area, schooling, obesity and physical activity. RESULTS: the urban group had significantly higher scores than those of the rural group, both for BKMI (median of 26.0 and 17.0, respectively; p<0.0001) and for GCE (median of 27.0 and 16.0, respectively; p<0.0001). For the entire sample, a total of 56.3% (n=147) of the women were classified as "very symptomatic". This prevalence was significantly higher in urban than in rural women (79.2 and 33.6%, respectively; p<0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that the likelihood of belonging to the group defined as "very symptomatic" was greater for urban women [adjusted odds ratio (OR)=7.1; confidence interval at 95% (95%CI)=3.69-13.66] who were literate (OR=2.19; 95%CI=1.16-4.13). Individuals over the age of 60 years had less chance of having significant symptoms (OR=0.38; 95%CI=0.17-0.87). CONCLUSIONS: the prevalence of significant climacteric symptoms is less in women from a rural environment, showing that sociocultural and environmental factors are strongly related to the appearance of climacteric symptoms in our population.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2006;28(2):91-100
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032006000200004
PURPOSE: to evaluate the efficacy of the use of isoflavones in the treatment of depressive symptoms in climacteric women. METHODS: placebo-controlled, randomized double-blind experimental study with 84 climacteric women who were assisted at the Lauro Wanderley University Hospital Ambulatory, in João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil. In the evaluation of the depressive symptoms the Self-evaluation questionnare of Hamilton's rating scale for depresion (QAEH-D) was used in the pretreatment visit (VT1), and in the 8th (VT2) and 16th (VT3) week after treatment. The experimental group (GExp) received soy extract with isoflavones, 120 mg per day, and the control group (GCont), placebo. The comparison of the scores of the QAEH-D between the VT1, VT2 and VT3 groups constituted the primary measure of efficacy (t test, p<0.05). Secondary analysis included the estimate of the "domino hypothesis" and the clinical and laboratory evaluation of side effects. RESULTS: there was a significant reduction of the QAEH-D scores in the GExp (VT2
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2005;27(7):415-420
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032005000700008
PURPOSE: to evaluate the cost of preventive mammographic screening in climacteric women, as compared to the cost of breast cancer treatment in more advanced stages. METHODS: one thousand and fourteen patients attended at the Climacteric outpatient service of the Gynecology Department, Federal University of São Paulo Paulista School of Medicine, were included in the study and submitted to mammographic test. All mammographic test's were analyzed by the same two physicians and classified according to the BI-RADS (Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System American College of Radiology) categories. The detected lesions were submitted to cytological and histological examination. RESULTS: the final diagnostic impression of the 1014 examinations, according to the classification of BI-RADS categories was: 1=261, 2=671, 3=59, 4=22 and 5=1. The invasive procedures were performed through a needle guided by ultrasound or stereotactic examinations: 33 fine-needle aspiration biopsies, 6 core biopsies guided by ultrasound and 20 core biopsies guided by stereotactic examination. Five cancer diagnoses were established. The total cost of this screening based on Brazilian procedure values was R$ 76,593.79 (25,534 dollars). Therefore, the cost of the diagnosis of the five cases of cancer in this screening was R$ 15,318.75 (5,106 dollars) each. However, the average cost per patient screened was R$ 75.53 (25 dollars). CONCLUSIONS: considering that the total treatment cost of only one case of breast cancer in advanced stage including hospital costs, surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and hormonal treatment is similar to the cost of 1,000 mammographic screenings in climacteric women, it may be concluded that the cost of the early cancer diagnosis program is worth it and should be included in the public health program, as a way of lowering the public health expense.