90068875 The antiestrogenic effect of cigarette smoking in women

361 90068875 The ratkstrogenic effect of cigarette smoking in women Baron J.A.; La Vecchia C.; Levi F. Darthmouth Medical School, Hinman Box 7927, Hanover, NH 03756 AM. J. OBSTET. GYNECOL. 1990 16212 (502-514) Epidemiologic results indicate that women who smoke cigarettes are relatively estrogen-deficient. Smokers have an early natural menopause, a lowered risk of cancer of the endometrium, and an increased risk of some osteoporotic fractures. Moreover, women who smoke may have a reduced risk of uterine fibroids, endometriosis, hyperemesis gravidarum, and benign breast disease. Several possible mechanisms for these effects have been identified. Smoking does not appear to be clearly related to estradiol levels, at least in postmenopausal women, although levels of adrenal androgens are increased. Moreover, smoking appears to alter the metabolism of estradiol, leading to enhanced formation of the inactive catechol estrogens. 90069079 Endobrush sampling for endometrial cancer Vuopala S.; Klemi P.J.; Maenpaa J.; Salmi T.; Makarainen L. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Central Hospital. 90220 Oulu 22 ACTA OBSTET. GYNECOL. SCAND. 1989 68/4 (345-350) The two intra-uterine cytological sampling methods Endobrush and Pistolet were compared for clinical applicability in 66 premenopausal and 47 postmenopausal women. The taking of the specimens succeeded in 94% of the cases with the Endobrush method and in 99% with the Pistolet method. The two in&a-uterine sampling methods were both almost painless. The Endobrush and the Pistolet specimens were filtered and stained by the Papanicolaou method. The Endobrush specimens were also used to make smears, which were also stained by the Pap method. According to the separate evaluations of two cytologists the Endobrush smear yielded specimens with a large or moderate number of cells in 59.0 to 71.4%, the Endobrush filter method in 73.6 to 76.5% and the Pistolet filter method in 71.4 to 76.8070. Specimens with good or moderate quality were found in 83.3%, 86.8 to 89.6% and 93.7 to 99.1%, respectively. Unsatisfactory specimens accounted for only 2.8- 0.9% of the cases. All four endometrial carcinomas were placed in Pap classes 3 to 5 on the basis of the Endobrush and Pistolet filter specimens. The results suggest that the Endobrush filter method yields cytological endometrial samples which are similar in cell number, quality and diagnostic value to those obtained by the Pistolet method. Endobrush method is also simple, quick and painless, and therefore well acceptable to patients and suitable for clinical use. 90071416 Factor VII activation and menopausal status Scarabin P.Y.; Bonithon-Kopp C.; Bara L.; Malmejac A.; Guize L.; Samama M. INSERM, Unite d’Epidemiologie Cardiovasculaire, U 258. Hopital Broussab 75674 Paris Cedex 14 THROMB. RES. 1990 57/2 (227-234) The incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD) is higher in postmenopausal or oophorectomised women than in premenopausal women of the same age. The difference cannot be explicable in terms of conventional CHD risk factors. Since factor VII may be relevant to the pathogenesis of CHD, we have investigated the menopause-related changes in factor VII activation in 228 healthy women aged 45- 54 years. A standard factor VII clotting assay (FVIIc) and a factor VII antigen assay (FVIIag) were carried out on the same plasma samples. Both FVIIc and FVIIag levels were significantly higher in postmenopausal than in premenopausal women. Despite the strong correlation between the two assays (r = 0.80), the FVIWFVIIag ratio was positively and significantly associated with the menopause, suggesting that activated factor VII form might in part account for the high FVIIc levels in