Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2010;32(2):88-93
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032010000200007
PURPOSE: to evaluate the effect of the prolonged use of a high dose of tibolone on the body weight variation and lipid profile of oophorectomized female rats. METHODS: 15 Wistar rats weighing 250 g were randomly divided into two groups. The Experimental Group (n=9) received 1 mg/day of oral tibolone. The Control Group (n=6) received daily 0.5 mL of 0.5% carboxymethylcellulose by gavage. Bilateral oophorectomy was performed 30 days before the beginning of the experiment. On day 0 of the experiment, the animals began to receive the respective treatment for 20 weeks. Body weight was controlled every seven days and food consumption was measured every three to four days along the experiment, in order to establish the daily mean consumption per animal. The results were compared by the Student's t-test, with the significance level set at p<0.05. RESULTS: the daily food consumption of the Tibolone Group was significantly lower (12.7±1.2 g, p<0.001) compared to the Control Group (14.5±1.4 g). This difference was also significant when the body weight was compared between the Tibolone and Control Groups (p<0.001), with the Tibolone Group having lower weight along the experiment. At the end of the experiment, the mean body weight was 215.6±9.3 g in the Tibolone Group and 243.6±6.4 g in the Control Group. Regarding the lipid profile, the Tibolone Group had significantly (p<0.001) lower total cholesterol compared to the Control Group (30.3 versus 78.6 mg/dL). The level of HDL-c was also significantly different (p<0.001), with the Tibolone Group showing lower levels than the Control Group (9.0 versus 52.0 mg/dL). No significant difference between the groups was registered in the other biochemical parameters examined (LDL-c, VLDL-c and triglycerides). CONCLUSIONS: tibolone causes a significant reduction of HDL-c and total cholesterol and has a deleterious effect on the body weight of oophorectomized rats, which may be related to the lower food ingestion by these animals.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2006;28(3):158-164
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032006000300004
PURPOSE: to describe and analyze the results of conventional serology for toxoplasmosis in pregnant women during prenatal care at the Hospital Materno-Infantil Presidente Vargas in Porto Alegre. METHODS: specific IgG and IgM determinations were performed using fluorometric tests, with IgM capture. A second sample within two to three weeks was requested from all IgM-positive pregnant women and IgG avidity was performed in IgM-positive pregnant women at the beginning of pregnancy. Neonatal IgM was obtained when the delivery occurred at the institution. The analysis was based on the binomial distribution, through simple ratio estimate, to assess soropositivity prevalence and susceptibility to T. gondi infection. RESULTS: the prevalence of infection in 10,468 pregnant women was 61.1% and 38.7% pregnant women were susceptible. Among the 272 IgG and IgM-positive pregnant women, 87 returned for a second test and in 84 of them the antibody levels remained unchanged. Of nine pregnant women with avidity, there was only one low avidity and her newborn was IgM positive. In 44 newborns delivered at the institution, the neonatal IgM was positive in four. CONCLUSIONS: a high prevalence of infection and congenital toxoplasmosis was found in pregnant women, even without data on seroconversion. Most of the IgM-positive serologies were related to past infection. The cost-benefit ratio of prenatal care in isolated samples may be optimized analyzing the risk of mother-to-child transmission in IgM-positive pregnant women. When there is a risk, a neonatal IgM test must be requested and the newborn should be followed during the first year of life.