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Introduction. Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) induces changes in bone health by increasing the fracture risk but not throughout currently measurable anomalies as Bone Mineral Density (BMD) changes but throughout qualitative disturbances of the cortical bone structure, the glycosylation of bone matrix proteins and consecutive decreased bone turnover markers. Aim. We analyzed the bone parameters in menopausal women with or without T2DM. Material and methods. This is a transversal study in menopausal women (for at least 1 year post-menopause), aged between 40 and 80 years who were not previously treated with anti-resorbtives or hormonal replacement therapy. Body Mass Index (BMI), central DXA, 25-OH vitamin D levels, and bone turnover markers were performed. Results. 310 women were included: group 1 with T2DM - 64p and group 2 (control) without T2DM -- 246p. Mean age and BMI were not statistically significant (SS) different between groups (59 yrs, respectiv 31.42 kg/m2 vs. 30.19 kg/m2 in control group). Fractures percent was 6.25% in group 1 and 9,7% in group 2. Lumbar and femoral neck BMD (higher in diabetics) were not SS different unlike total hip BMD (1.9 g/cm2 vs. 0.95 g/cm2, p=0.01). Mean 25-OH vitamin D was low but similar between the two groups. Bone turnover markers were SS lower in diabetics: osteocalcin 19.29 ng/ml vs. 23.24 ng/mL (p=0.01) and CrossLaps: 0.36 ng/mL vs. 0.48 ng/mL (p=0.04). Conclusions. Based on our observations BMD is higher in menopausal women with diabetes with statistically significant results in hip while the bone turnover markers are statistically significant lower in diabetics. No differences were found in 25-OH vitamin D levels and overall prevalence of fractures was lower in diabetic patients. The relationship between type 2 diabetes mellitus and bone is .complex, many of the observations being provided during the last years but there are still a lot of aspects incompletely known. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Androgenetic alopecia holds responsible factors such as genetics and androgenous hormones. FPHL (female pattern hair loss) can present excess of androgens. The study aims at investigating the degree in which hormones determine the disease. We included in the study 200 women (under 40 years old, mean age 30.2). 60 of them presented androgenetic alopecia, with moderate to severe FPHL. For these pacients, we analyzed the blood levels of estradiol, progesterone, DHEA-sulfate and free testosterone. According to our results, androgenetic alopecia with normal hormonal values were found in 10 females (17%) and abnormal hormonal values of androgen excess in 83% (50 patients). The results, interpreted statistically also showed that: 33% of the patients presented increased levels of testosterone, 10% presented increased levels of DHEA-Sulfate, 84% presented a blood disequilibrium between the levels of free testosterone and DHEA-sulfate (which increased to 31%) versus the levels of estradiol and progesterone (which decreased to 53%). Our study points out the importance of hormonal investigation in females with androgenetic alopecia because of the high percentage (83%) of hormonal disorders found in FPHL patients. Since the treatment of the disease may be very dissapointing, we strongly suggest the need of a new hormonal therapy, other than anticoncepţional pills, to cope with the high value of the hormonal percentage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stress urinary incontinence is defined as an involuntary loss of urine. This symptom is relatively frequent among women and has a negative impact on their quality of life. More than 200 types of anti-incontinence surgical procedures are currently described. Since its introduction în 2001, the transobturator tape (TOT) technique has been considered effective for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence in women [1]. Aims. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and the complications of the TOT surgical technique in the treatment of stress urinary incontinence în women. Methods. This study was a single-center retrospective study, including all patients operated for stress urinary incontinence during a 5 year period in the service of obstetrics-gynecology în Mulhouse (France), using the TOT technique. Urinary incontinence was classified into 4 stages, and all patients underwent a urological evaluation preoperatively. The mean follow-up of patients was approximately 7 months postoperatively. Results. The study included 176 patients with a mean age of 57 years, age range between 32 and 87 years. The majority of the patients were at stages 2 (53.4%); 81.3% of the patients had stress urinary incontinence, 17% mixed urinary incontinence, and 1.7% urge urinary incontinence. Of all patients, 86.36% were considered healed and 5.11% improved during the postoperative period. In 18.75% of the patients late postoperative complications were noted, most of them consisting of urinary retentions and urinary infections. Conclusions. The TOT surgical technique is an effective method for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence în women, with good and very good results in more than 90% of the cases. The presence of complications did not change late results regarding urinary continence. Age did not seem to influence the results, except for patients aged over 70, in whom effectiveness seemed to be lower. The presence of a failure of the urethral sphincter slightly altered the effectiveness of the results, which remained satisfactory. The advanced stages of urinary incontinence diminished postoperative results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chlamydia trachomatis, one of the most common bacteria sexually transmitted, with over 90 million new cases annually/WHO, is a major etiologic agents of PID (pelvic inflammatory disease), being detected in approximately 20-40% of cases in the cervix of women with this condition. The objective of this study is to reveal the importance of detection of antigen LPS (lipopolysaccharide) and Chlamydia trachomatis DNA as markers of genital infection with Chlamydia trachomatis, in women with PID in order to establish an early and appropriate treatment. For all cases investigated AgLPS of Chlamydia trachomatis was detected in 5 cases, DNA -- Chlamydia trachomatis was detected in 8 cases, and AgLPS and DNA - Chlamydia trachomatis were found together in one patient. The prevalent genital marker in case of Chlamydia trachomatis infection is Chlamydia trachomatis DNA followed by AgLPS. The usaged of molecular biology techniques -- PCR, LCR -- would reveal more early latent asymptomatic infection and would help establish an effective antimicrobial therapy, thus preventing installation of PID and its complications and future contamination of sexual partners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies reported an increased cardiovascular risk in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, especially in the presence of the secondary antiphospholipid syndrome. We present a case-report of a woman with systemic lupus erythematosus associating secondary antiphospholipid syndrome with a large spectrum of vascular disease during her history: arterial and venous thrombotic events and atherosclerotic vascular lesions. This case emphasized the importance of the assessment of antiphospholipid antibodies, including those considered as being "non-diagnostic" antibodies, in patients associating arterial and venous thrombotic events, even in the presence of traditional cardiovascular risk factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a case of renal angiomyolipoma, sporadic form, late diagnosed in a female patient without any history of kidney disease. Preoperative diagnosis was established by echography and abdominal CT scan. The tumor was about 28/18 cm, complicated with haemorrhage and severe anaemia, which prompted for emergency nephrectomy, without further preoperative investigations. The evolution was favourable after the treatment. We present this case because it is a rare pathology and the diagnosis was difficult. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psycho-social factors represent the part of complex functional handicap in different chronic diseases. The goal of the study was to assess how the patients differ from healthy women in depression and quality of life and how mutually interrelate the defects in functions, depression, and quality of life in patients with the breast cancer diagnosis. The group of 35 patients with breast cancer was compared to equivalent group of 35 healthy women. The defects in functions issued from International classification of functions, disabilities and health of WHO were assessed. Specific questionnaires ICF for patients and medical workers, quality of life (SF-36), and depression were used. A statistically significant difference was showed in depression level, as well as in all dimensions of SF-36 between the group of women with breast cancer and the control group. A negative significant relation of the depression score to summary mental subscale SF-36 was assessed as well as the relation of ICF domains of defects in body functions and restrictions on activity and participation and the quality of life SF-36 in surveyed group. These results should be taken in the concept of comprehensive rehabilitation and psychological interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Women are particularly at risk of developing urinary tract infections because of their short urethra, and certain behavioral factors which include delay in micturition, sexual activity and the use of diaphragms and spermicides which promote colonization of the periurethral area with coliform bacteria. Infection in women most often results from perineal or periurethral bacteria that enter the urethra and ascend into the bladder, often in association with sexual activity. The rate of infections is high in postmenopausal women because of bladder or uterine prolapse causing incomplete bladder emptying, loss of estrogen with attendant changes in vaginal flora (notably, loss of lactobacilli), which allows periurethral colonization with Gram‑negative aerobes, such as Escherichia coli, and higher likelihood of concomitant medical illness, such as diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the evolution of the immune parameters, viral load and the clinical picture of a severe acute viral hepatitis (AVH) type B occurring in a 42-year female patient immunosuppressed after chemotherapy for breast cancer. The immune status evaluated at 16 days after the onset through measuring lymphocyte T subsets CD4, CD8 and the ratio CD4/CD8 demonstrated immune suppression in contrast with increased ALAT and viral load levels (interpreted as direct cytopatic effect of the hepatitis B virus). She was treated with lamivudine, 100mg/day, for 18 months from the onset of the clinical and laboratory features of severe acute viral hepatitis type B. After only four days of treatment with lamivudine the clinical status improved and at 40 days the viral load DNA-HBV was undetectable. Seroconversion of HBe Ag to HBe Ab occurred at 8 months, the patient remained HBs Ag positive at 18 months. In evolution, the subsets of lymphocytes progressively increased and we interpret the liver cell injury related mainly to the effect of the immune response and less to the direct virus activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Genital infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus are common in medical practice and therefore, knowing the resistance phenotypes, namely the sensitivity to antibiotics of the circulating strains, as well as the emergence of methicillin-resistant strains, is a major goal motivating this study to start an appropriate early therapy. Material and method: I studied the antibiotic sensitivity of 420 strains of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from vaginal secretions during the period June 2010 - December 2011. The strains were isolated and identified in the laboratory of Filantropia Hospital of Craiova. The isolates were from patients hospitalized in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology I of the Filantropia Hospital of Craiova. Specimens were seeded on selective and nonselective culture media and the identification was based on culture and morpho-dyeing characteristics, on the presence of coagulase and on biochemical properties. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed by two methods: diffusimetric - Kirby-Bauer and the determination of minimum inhibitory concentrations between two break points. Results and discussions: Of the 420 studied strains, 121 (28.8%) were methicillin-resistant, and 299 (71.2%) methicillin-sensitive. The tested strains showed reduced susceptibility to macrolides and lincosamides, the dominant resistance phenotype was not inducible. Regarding aminoglycosides, 38.09% of the analyzed strains were resistant to kanamycin, 13.09% to tobramycin, and 10.95% to gentamicin. The strains showed high resistance to tetracycline (45.95%), relatively low resistance to ciprofloxacin (10.95%) and low resistance to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (3.09%). Conclusions: Methicillin-resistant strains represented 28.8% of the tested strains. All strains tested were sensitive to vancomycin and linezolid. In case of drug-resistant strains, trimethoprimsulfamethoxazole may be a therapeutic option. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents antiviral agents in use for the treatment of HBV and HCV [interferon (HBV and HCV), lamivudine (HBV), adefovir (HBV) and ribavirin in combination with interferon (HCV)] and antiviral agents in use for HPV infection, the most prevalent for sexually transmitted diseases, with 75% of women in USA acquiring genital HPV infection at some point in their lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main signs of urinary infections are frequently urination associated with burning or pain. Some people have no symptoms or it may become clear in 2-5 days. Urinary infections are much more common in women, but elderly men are prone to them. These conditions occur because various microorganisms reach the urinary system, multiplying and overtime lead to changes in the normal functioning of the kidneys and urinary tract. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) currently represents a major public health problem throughout the world. Most of the research that has been done on COPD blamed almost exclusively cigarette smoking for the development of the disease. However, in real life, there are numerous patients with COPD that are never-smokers. A low suspicion index makes diagnosing COPD a real problem in this population and severely underestimates its incidence. The current study wishes to paint a demographic image of the non-smoker COPD patient in Vâlcea county in order to raise a flag for this often missed diagnosis. In the studied population, we observed a predominance of the female gender and the low educational status. Most patients live in the rural environment and use biomass as the primary heating source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]