Int J Fértil Womens Med. 2006 Jul-Aug; 51 (4) : 171-5.

Low and Ultra low-dose estrogen therapy for climactric symptom control preliminary report.
Carranza-Lira S et al.
INTRODUCTION: Recent clinical trials have caused physicians to reconsider the use of hormone therapy (HT). Low-dose therapy has been proposed for those patients who tolerate standard doses poorly. OBJECTIVE: to evaluate low-dose and ultra low-dose estrogen therapy (ET) for vasomotor symptom control. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Thirty five healthy postmenopausal women with moderate to severe climacteric symptoms were recruited. Symptoms were evaluated at baseline and three months after the beginning of treatment by a modified Kupperman's index (KI). Endometrial thickness was assessed with pelvic ultrasonography. Patients were randomly assigned to one of these therapies: I) Esterified conjugated estrogens (ECE) 0.156 mg/day (ultra low-dose) (n = 18) or II) ECE 0.312 mg/day (low-dose) (n = 17) for 12 weeks. Statistical analysis was done with student's t test for independent and paired samples. RESULTS: In groups I and II, the abandon rate was 33.3% and 47.0%, respectively. No differences were found among the groups in general data nor in KI. The KI at the end of the study was 47.8+/-37.9 and 48.9+/-33.2 for group I and group II, respectively, for a mean decrease of 32.1% and 37% without differences between the groups. When comparing each group separately, KI decreased in group 1, but without statistical significance. In group II there was significant decrease in KI. Endometrial thickness increased from 2.5+/-1.0 to 4.2+/-1.7 mm in group I, and from 3.5+/-1.3 to 6.0 +/-1.4 mm in group II. CONCLUSION: low dose and ultra-low dose ET were useful in decreasing climacteric symptoms.


Cáncer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2006 Dec 19;[Epub ahead of print]

Physical Activity and Breast Cancer Risk: The European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition.
Lahmann PH. et al.
Department of Epidemiology, German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbrucke, Nuthetal, Germany.
There is convincing evidence for a decreased risk of breast cancer with increased physical activity. Uncertainties remain, however, about the role of different types of physical activity on breast cancer risk and the potential effect modification for these associations. We used data from 218,169 premenopausal and postmenopausal women from nine European countries, ages 20 to 80 years at study entry into the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition. Hazard ratios (HR) from multivariate Cox regression models were calculated using metabolic equivalent value-based physical activity variables categorized in quartiles, adjusted for age, study center, education, body mass index, smoking, alcohol use, age at menarche, age at first pregnancy, parity, current oral contraceptive use, and hormone replacement therapy use. The physical activity assessment included recreational, household, and occupational activities. A total physical activity index was estimated based on cross-tabulation of these separate types of activity. During 6.4 years of follow-up, 3,423 incident invasive breast cancers were identified. Overall, increasing total physical activity was associated with a reduction in breast cancer risk among postmenopausal women (P trend = 0.06). Specifically, household activity was associated with a significantly reduced risk in postmenopausal (HR, 0.81; 95% confidence interval, 0.70-0.93, highest versus the lowest quartile; Ptrend = 0.001) and premenopausal (HR, 0.71; 95% confidence interval, 0.55-0.90, highest versus lowest quartile; Ptrend = 0.003) women. Occupational activity and recreational activity were not significantly related to breast cancer risk in both premenopausal and postmenopausal women. This study provides additional evidence for a protective effect of physical activity on breast cancer risk.


Wien Klin Wochenschr, 2006 Dec; 118 (23-24):728-37.

Vegetarian Nutrition: Preventive potential and possible risks. Part 2: Animal foods and recommendations.
Strole A. et al.
Zentrum Angewandte Chemie der Universitat Hannover, Hannover, Germany, andreas.hahn@lw.uni-hannover.de.
INTRODUCTION: As shown in the first part of this article, consuming high amounts of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and nuts can lower the risk for several chronic diseases. However, the relevance of animal foods consumed within a vegetarian diet is less well-known. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We followed a nutritive and a metabolic-epidemiological approach to obtain dietary recommendations. A MEDLINE-research was performed for all animal food groups relevant with a vegetarian diet (key words: "eggs", "milk", "dietary pattern" "vegetarian diet", "cancer", "cardiovascular disease", "diabetes mellitus", "osteoporosis", "vitamin D", "vitamin B(12)", "iron", "iodine"). All relevant food groups were characterized regarding their nutrient content and rated with respect to the available metabolic-epidemiological evidence. RESULTS: Based on the evidence criteria of the WHO/FAO, colorectal cancer risk reduction by a high intake of milk and milk products is assessed as probable, while a higher risk of prostate and ovarial carcinomas is also probable. The evidence of a risk-increasing effect of eggs relating to cardiovascular disease, colorectal cancer and breast cancer is assessed as probable. As the data of prospective cohort studies suggest, a prudent diet pattern characterized high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and nuts is associated with a lower risk of coronary heart disease and diabetes mellitus type 2. In contrast, there is no overall association between prudent diet pattern and risk of breast cancer or colorectal cancer. The critical key nutrients for vegetarians are vitamin D and B12, iodine and iron. CONCLUSION: For the first time evidence based dietary recommendations were provided for persons on a vegetarian diet in the D-A-CH-region.


J Bone Miner Res.,2006 Dec 20; [Epub ahead of print]

Alterations of cortical and trabecular architecture are associated with fractures in postmenopausal women, partially independent of decreased bone mineral density measured by DEXA. The OFELY study.
Sornay-Rendu E. et al.
Microabstract We assessed the role of low areal bone mineral density (aBMD) and impaired architecture - assessed by a HR-pQCT system- in a case-control study of postmenopausal women with fractures. Vertebral and nonvertebral fractures are associated with low volumetric bone density and architectural alterations of trabecular and cortical bone, independently of aBMD assessed by DXA.


J Br Menopause Soc. 2006 Dec ; 12 (4) : 164-71

Health benefits of weight reduction in postmenopausal women : a systematic review.
Brown TJ. Centre for Food, Physical Activity and Obesity, University of Teesside, Middlesbrough, UK.
The objective of this systematic review was to determine the effect on long-term health outcomes of lifestyle interventions designed to produce weight loss in postmenopausal women. A systematic search of the MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsychINFO and CINAHL databases retrieved four randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and one controlled clinical trial (CCT) of at least 24 weeks' duration as well as one systematic review. The majority of the studies recruited from the community, had samples with similar baseline characteristics and assessed completers only. Drop-out rates varied from 2.5% to 16%. All active-treatment arms demonstrated significant improvements in weight and body composition from baseline. Significant effects between treatment groups were shown only in intervention versus control studies. Significant weight loss was not accompanied by beneficial changes in cardiovascular risk factors in the majority of studies. None of the studies of weight loss reported disease outcomes. Weight loss in active-treatment arms varied from 1.5 kg to 9 kg over 6-12 months. The study that produced the greatest weight loss demonstrated improvements in risk factors and it may be that only this one study produced sufficient weight loss to do so. Many of the studies were probably underpowered and too short in duration to detect change in risk factors. Lifestyle interventions do produce weight loss in overweight postmenopausal women and have the potential to improve disease outcomes associated with overweight.


Maturitas. 2007 Vol:56, Nº1, 69-77

The benefits of androgens combined with hormone replacement therapy regarding to patients with postmenopausal sexual symptoms.
"dePaula, F.JF et al.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the benefits and risks of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) combined with methyltestosterone (MT) in postmenopausal women with sexual dysfunction. DESIGN: This study was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled and crossover trial. Eighty-five women using HRT were divided into four treatment groups: GI-HRT plus placebo for 4 months; GII-HRT plus MT 2.5mg/day for 4 months; GIII-HRT plus placebo for 2 months and then replaced with HRT plus MT 2.5mg/day for 2 months; GIV-HRT plus MT 2.5mg/day and then replaced with HRT plus placebo for 2 months. Blood was collected at baseline, after 2 months (T1) and 4 months (T2) of treatment for hormone determinations of estradiol, FSH, total and free testosterone, GOT, GPT, glucose, total and fractions of cholesterol and triglycerides. All participants answered clinical questions and a validated questionnaire of modified McCoy's sex scale. RESULTS: The association of HRT with MT 2.5mg/day did not significantly change liver enzymes or increase cardiovascular risk factors. The patients of GII, GIIII and GIV when using MT presented amelioration of sex symptoms, mainly satisfaction and desire (p<0.01); however, GIII at T1 (1.3+/-0.3) presented similar problem score results as compared to GIII at T2 (1.5+/-0.6). CONCLUSION: All data suggest that combined HRT-androgen therapy may be beneficial for postmenopausal women receiving HRT who continue to complain of sexual difficulties or for postmenopausal women with sexual complaints who are not undergoing estrogen therapy.