Updates

Using the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database, a population-based cancer registry covering 26% of the US population, Sprehn and colleagues were able to compare survival rates with marital status at the time of diagnosis in cancer patients [1]. A total of 3.9 million people were included in the analysis of all-site cancers. Survival… Read More

The role of the endothelial cell in secreting the important local regulatory substances that control the vascular system has been established for many years [1, 2]. The cells produce several smooth muscle relaxing factors such as nitric oxide (NO), which is derived from the transformation of the amino acid L-arginine by the activity of NO… Read More

Osteoarthritis or degenerative joint disease is characterized by the breakdown of articular cartilage, which leads to rubbing and friction of adjacent bones and consequent local inflammation, pain and impaired movement. Osteoarthritis is associated with aging and is more prevalent in menopausal women, suggesting a role for female hormone deficiency in its etiology [1]. A recent… Read More

Sleep complaints, which are very common in the menopause, may have a substantial impact on quality of life, but can be improved by hormone replacement therapy through its beneficial effects on nocturnal hot flushes and sweating, periodic limb movements and bruxism. However, sleep quality may be also affected by sleep breathing disorders, a situation that… Read More

Back pain is a very common complaint and may be associated with various etiologies, among which osteoarthritis, discopathy and spinal stenosis are probably the most prevalent in the postmenopausal period. Osteoporosis per se, without a fracture or a change in vertebral morphology, is usually considered a silent disease condition. A recently published study in Japan… Read More

Endometrial polyps are usually benign, localized overgrowths of endometrial tissue that are covered by epithelium and contain variable amounts of glands, stroma and blood vessels. They are most commonly found in perimenopausal women, with a prevalence among the general symptomatic female population of up to 50% and even higher if asymptomatic women are included. Hormone… Read More

Almost two-thirds of postmenopausal women experience hot flushes; 10–20% of these find it very distressing [1]. Symptoms may last for up to 5 years after natural menopause, and, in at least 20% of women, flushes may persist for up to 15 years. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is the most efficacious treatment. However, alternatives are needed… Read More

The cumulative risk of fracture for a postmenopausal woman over the age of 50 years can reach up to 60%. Exercise has the potential to modify fracture risk in postmenopausal women through its effects on bone mass and geometry [1]. To determine the magnitude of these effects in postmenopausal women, Hamilton and colleagues have performed… Read More

Vegetarianism is regarded by many as one of the best ‘eat healthy’ strategies. Epidemiological studies have shown that consuming a vegetarian diet is associated with lower levels of low density lipoprotein cholesterol and a smaller incidence of overweight, hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus compared to consuming a diet with meat [1]. Some studies have… Read More

In the general population, low body weight and body mass index (BMI) are known and significant risk factors for any fracture, but the specific association between body weight, BMI, and prevalence of vertebral fractures in osteoporotic women is not fully recognized. In a paper recently published in Journal of Bone and Mineral Metabolism, Pirroand colleagues… Read More