Zorana Arizanovic

Influence of obesity and hormone disturbances on sexuality of women in the menopause

Abstract Objective: To assess influence of obesity and hormone disturbances on sexuality in the menopause. Methods: The study included 73 menopausal women, who were divided into groups according to body mass index (BMI) ≥ 26.7 kg/m2. Anthropometric characteristics and blood pressure were measured. Blood was taken at 08:00 for hormones. All the participants filled in McCoy Female Sexual Questionnaire for the assessment of sexual life. Statistics: Student’s t-test, correlation, analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results: Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH) and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) were very significantly lower in obese compared to controls. E2 and systolic blood pressure were very significantly, while diastolic blood pressure significantly higher in obese compared to controls. Obese women had significantly decreased frequency of pain during sexual intercourse (3.48 ± 2.64 vs. 4.09 ± 2.81). Influence of age on frequency of sexual intercourse was very significant. Significant influence in interaction between BMI and age on frequency of sexual fantasies as well as significant influence of BMI on satisfaction with partner as lover is also found. Conclusion: Obesity has influence on different aspects of sexuality in the postmenopausal women. Our results suggest the need of awareness toward obesity and its impact on sexuality in the menopause.

Hot flush values of gonadotropins and estradiol in the menopause

* Accepted papers are articles in press that have gone through due peer review process and have been accepted for publication by the Editorial Board of the Serbian Archives of Medicine. They have not yet been copy edited and/or formatted in the publication house style, and the text may be changed before the final publication. Although accepted papers do not yet have all the accompanying bibliographic details available, they When the final article is assigned to volumes/issues of the journal, the Article in Press version will be removed and the final version will appear in the associated published volumes/issues of the journal. The date the article was made available online first will be carried over.

How to Prevent Cardiovascular Disorders: Influence of Gonadal Steroids on the Heart

In the ancient Rome, average life duration was 23 years; in Sweden at the end of the eighteenth century, 36.6 years for women and 33.7 for men; and in many European countries at the beginning of the twenty-first century, life expectancy was 72 and 76 years, respectively. The menopause (period in women’s life 1 year after the last menstruation until the end of life) and involutive hypoandrogenism in males (testosterone below 12 nmol/L and typical symptoms) are characterized by decrease of gonadal steroids and initiating of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Rahman [1] found that women who entered early menopause (40–45 years) had 40% increase of heart disease. Meta-analysis confirmed these data (Table 16.1).

Luteinizing hormone and insulin resistance in menopausal patients with adrenal incidentalomas: The cause‐effect relationship?

A high prevalence of insulin resistance (IR) has proven to manifest in patients with adrenal incidentalomas (AI). It has been demonstrated that an increase in IR is related to the size of tumourous masses; additionally, luteinizing hormone (LH)‐dependent adrenal pathologies are well documented in patients with LH‐responsive adrenal tumours occurring under conditions of physiologically elevated LH. We hypothesized that an association between LH and insulin might play a role in adrenal tumourigenesis and steroidogenesis.

Adipose Tissue and Menstrual Disturbances: Obesity Versus Anorexia Nervosa

Maintaining body homeostasis is a prerequisite for normal reproductive function, which is vital for the survival of the species and an important process of natural selection. Body weight is an independent regulator of the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis activity.

Gender-Specific Hypertension

It is well known that hypertension can be primary or secondary. However, among secondary causes of hypertension, gender-specific hypertension is one lately recognized.

Contraception in Climacterium

Climacterium is the phase in women’s life beginning with the first menopausal symptom and cycle irregularities and ending 1 year after the last menstruation. Endocrinological, biological and clinical changes become apparent at that time.

Premature Ovarian Failure: Fertility Challenge

Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) (also known as premature menopause) is a heterogeneous disorder of multifactorial origin defined as the occurrence of secondary amenorrhoea, hypergonadotropism (follicle-stimulating hormone above 40 IU/L) and hypoestrogenism (oestradiol below 50 pmol/L) in women under the age of 40 years.

Transsexualism: Endocrine Aspects

Harry Benjamin, the father and establisher of transsexualism, tried to describe this phenomenon as terra incognita or noli me tangere (1966), trying to explain that many doctors were blinded in the presence of a new undescribed and undiagnosed disorder [1]. Ira Pauly described one hundred transsexuals from 13 countries [2].

ESTRADIOL/NORETHINDRONE THERAPY EFFECT ON AMBULATORY BLOOD PRESSURE IN HYPERTENSIVE POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN: PP.18.189

Objective: Numerous physicians are loath to prescribe hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for women with elevated blood pressure (BP) because of their concern that hypertension might worsen. Studies have advocated that Drospirenone combined with estradiol significantly reduces BP in postmenopausal women with hypertension. Design and Method: In the present study, we examined the effects of estradiol / norethindrone acetate on 24-h ambulatory blood pressure (ABPM) in 182 hypertensive postmenopausal women (PMW, 52 ± 2 [mean ± SE] years, BMI 21.81 ± 3.29 kg/m2). Validated, Meditech ABPM 05 ambulatory blood pressure monitor was used to obtain 24-h BP before and during six months therapy with estradiol / norethindrone acetate. Most women did not change antihypertensive treatment during the study. Results and Conclusions: After six months on HRT BP was lowered by an average of 1 mmHg systolic and 2 mmHg diastolic per day and per night BP was lowered by an average of 2 mmHg systolic and 1 mmHg diastolic. BP reductions were not significantly lower with regard to systolic or diastolic BP before initiation of HRT nor to action on day and night-time BP. BP reduction in PMW with hypertension after six months receiving estradiol / norethindrone acetate may lower the physicians concern that hypertension might worsen if they prescribe HRT. Hormone replacement therapy should be considered as a first line therapy in postmenopausal women with hypertension if there is no contraindication.