Menopause : the journal of the North American Menopause Society
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The menopausal transition is characterized by irregular menstrual cycles and unpredictable hormone levels, including dramatic swings in estradiol (E2). An increasing number of studies have found variable high E2 and low luteal phase progesterone occur with progression of Stages of Reproductive Aging Workshop (STRAW)stage, but the cause remains unclear. To explore the causes of the erratic changes in E2, individual within-cycle secretion patterns of E2, progesterone, follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, inhibin A, and inhibin B were explored in detail. ⋯ Many of the marked increases in ovulatory cycle E2 and cycle irregularities during the menopausal transition may be due to LOOP events and appear to be triggered by prolonged high follicular phase follicle-stimulating hormone levels.
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Editorial Comparative Study
Risk factors for low back pain in women: still more questions to be answered.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Measuring symptom relief in studies of vaginal and vulvar atrophy: the most bothersome symptom approach.
To assess the importance and usefulness of self-reported symptom data, especially the most bothersome symptom, in the evaluation of treatment for vulvovaginal atrophy. ⋯ : The most bothersome symptom approach represents a meaningful new standard for measurement of self-assessed vulvovaginal atrophy symptom change, but evaluation of change in individual symptoms remains an important, unbiased primary analysis of efficacy in vulvovaginal atrophy studies.
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The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) provides a forum through which researchers can present scientific abstracts. After presenting an abstract, the goal is to publish the research as a full-length article. The objective for this study was to determine the publication rate of abstracts presented at NAMS meetings. ⋯ The percentage of abstracts published by NAMS is within the range and within a similar time frame compared with other scientific meetings. Oral presentations are more likely to be rapidly published and may therefore be of higher interest and clinical relevance along with sound methodology and results. Menopause contained the most manuscripts, demonstrating a possible preference of submission to the Society's journal.
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The evidence regarding the risks, benefits, and quality of life impact of tamoxifen and raloxifene for prevention of breast cancer in postmenopausal women was reviewed. Five placebo-controlled trials were identified, four with tamoxifen and one with raloxifene. The individual placebo-controlled trials of tamoxifen for breast cancer prevention vary in size and risk status of the women who participated. ⋯ The toxicity profiles for the two drugs were similar, with the exception of fewer hysterectomies, pulmonary emboli, and deep vein thrombosis in the raloxifene-treated group. There are now two effective Selective estrogen-receptor modulators available for use in postmenopausal women to reduce the risk of breast cancer. Women at high risk of breast cancer should be offered this therapy, and if one drug is not well tolerated, the other should be considered.