Spinal bone loss and ovulatory disturbances
Article Abstract:
Osteoporosis is a major health concern of postmenopausal women. The loss of bone mineral increases the likelihood of bone fractures, which are not only a major cause of suffering among the elderly, but contribute to premature death, as well. The condition seems to be related to loss of estrogen, and women with amenorrhea (the absence of menstruation) due to other causes, such as prolactin-secreting pituitary tumors and anorexia nervosa, are also subject to accelerated bone mineral loss. Intense exercise, especially when combined with inadequate nutrition, may also cause amenorrhea and its associated bone mineral loss. However, less is known about the effects of intense athletic training on bone loss among women with regular menstrual cycles. A one-year study of 66 premenopausal women was conducted to determine factors which contribute to bone mineral loss. All subjects were between 21 and 42 years of age; 21 women were training for marathon running, 22 ran regularly but with less intensity, and 23 women had more sedentary lifestyles. The bone mineral density of the spine was evaluated by computed tomography at the beginning and the end of the year. The results indicated that the loss of bone mineral density was associated with ovulatory disturbances, but not with the intensity of exercise. Ovulatory disturbances, defined as either anovulatory cycles or cycles with a short luteal phase, were observed in 29 percent of all cycles in the study. There was no significant difference between the women training for the marathon and either of the other two groups. Thirteen women had anovulatory cycles during the year, and these women lost 4.2 percent of bone mineral during the study, in contrast with a loss of 2.0 percent for the subjects overall. Amenorrhea was not observed among the strenuous runners, although several previous cross-sectional studies have identified amenorrhea as more common among intensive runners. This disparity may be due to the requirement of two normal cycles prior to entry of a subject into the present study. This study indicates that an abnormal menstrual cycle, rather than physical exercise, is a contributing factor to the development of increased bone mineral loss. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)
Publication Name: The New England Journal of Medicine
Subject: Health
ISSN: 0028-4793
Year: 1990
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A trial of desmopressin (1-desamino-8-d-arginine vasopressin) to reduce blood loss in uncomplicated cardiac surgery
Article Abstract:
During the first day following heart surgery, patients often bleed from their wounds. In some cases the bleeding is severe enough to require blood transfusion or surgical intervention. Various studies have pointed to problems with blood coagulation; patients may lack adequate reserves of various components required for clotting. Recently the use of desmopressin (1- desamino-8-d-arginine vasopressin) has been suggested as a protective treatment for heart surgery patients even though its mode of action has not been ascertained. Given the risk of viral infection from transfusion of whole blood or blood products, any treatment that could lessen the need to use blood products is valuable. This experiment investigated the effect of desmopressin in 150 surgical patients who underwent a heart-lung bypass (cardiopulmonary bypass) procedure. The medication was found to be ineffective in reducing the loss of blood during the first day following surgery, and patients treated with desmopressin required the same quantity of blood products as did patients treated with a placebo (control group). Heart surgery patients did not benefit from desmopressin.
Publication Name: The New England Journal of Medicine
Subject: Health
ISSN: 0028-4793
Year: 1989
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The psychological consequences of predictive testing for Huntington's disease
Article Abstract:
Individuals at risk for Huntington's disease may experience less anxiety after undergoing a genetic test to determine their probability of inheriting the disorder. Huntington's disease is a genetic disorder that develops in adulthood and is characterized by progressive degeneration of the nervous system. Among 135 individuals at risk of Huntington's disease who underwent a genetic test to determine their probability of inheriting the disease, 37 had an increased risk of Huntington's disease, 58 had a decreased risk and 40 had no change in risk. Twelve months after learning their test results, individuals with a decreased risk or an increased risk were less depressed and anxious than they were before the test. Individuals with a decreased risk felt less anxious within seven to 10 days of learning their test results.
Publication Name: The New England Journal of Medicine
Subject: Health
ISSN: 0028-4793
Year: 1992
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