Evidence for association of sex hormone-binding globulin and androgen receptor genes with semen quality

The roles of androgen receptor AR(CAG)n gene polymorphisms and sex hormone-binding globulin SHBG(TAAAA)n gene polymorphisms on semen quality were studied. One hundred fourteen men were included in the study: 85 with normal sperm count and 29 oligospermic. The genotype analysis, on DNA extracted from spermatozoa, revealed five SHBG(TAAAA)n alleles with 6-10 repeats and 18 AR(CAG)n alleles with 12-32 repeats. The SHBG allelic distribution showed that in men with normal sperm count and motility, those with short SHBG alleles had higher sperm concentration than men with long SHBG alleles (P = 0.039). As concerns AR(CAG)n polymorphisms, men with short AR alleles had lower sperm motility compared to those with long AR alleles (P < 0.001) in both total study population and normal sperm count men. The synergistic effect analysis of the two polymorphisms revealed an association between sperm motility (P = 0.036), because of the effect of AR(CAG)n polymorphism on sperm motility. In conclusion, long AR alleles were found to be associated with higher sperm motility, while short SHBG alleles were associated with higher sperm concentration, supporting the significance of these genes in spermatogenesis and semen quality.

Coelomic cells show apoptosis via Fas/FasL system: a comparative study between healthy human pregnancies and missed miscarriages

BACKGROUND

The Fas/Fas ligand (FasL) system represents one of the main apoptotic pathways controlling placental apoptosis throughout gestation. In the current study, we have examined the Fas/FasL protein expression and the apoptotic incidents of coelomic cells, amniotic cells and trophoblastic tissue in first trimester human pregnancies and missed miscarriages (MM).

METHODS

Protein expression was determined by immunofluoresence, western blotting analysis, immunohistochemistry and indirectly by RT-PCR, whereas apoptotic cell death was assessed by in situ DNA fragmentation analysis.

RESULTS

Coelomic cells express Fas/FasL proteins, can undergo apoptosis and were the only cells in which apoptosis, Fas protein expression and FasL protein expression were accordingly increased along with gestational age (P = 0.001, P = 0.008; P = 0.012, respectively). In contrast, amniotic cells and trophoblast showed a consistency in the expression levels of Fas/FasL proteins in healthy pregnancies. MM were accompanied by increased Fas/FasL protein expression in all examined samples (P < 0.001). The increase of Fas/FasL protein expression was accompanied by proportional increase of apoptotic incidents among the coelomic cell population (P = 0.023, P = 0.009, respectively), whereas amniotic cells and trophoblast appeared to be resistant to Fas-induced apoptosis. The lowest expression of Fas/FasL proteins and the minimum occurrence of apoptotic incidents were detected in the trophoblast.

CONCLUSIONS

These data suggest that there is a different regulation and function of the Fas/FasL system in early human pregnancies. Aberration of the Fas-mediated apoptosis may represent one of the execution-step necessary for pregnancy loss in MM cases.

Fetal Anal Atresia Presenting as Transient Bowel Dilatation at 16 Weeks of Gestation

Congenital anal atresia is a rare abnormality which in two thirds of the cases is associated with other congenital abnormalities or syndromes. Prenatal diagnosis is usually achieved in cases with coexisting abnormalities. The diagnosis of isolated anal atresia is extremely difficult and can be suspected in the presence of colon dilatation. We present the case of a fetus in which marked dilatation of the colon was diagnosed at 16 weeks of gestation. Four weeks later the sonographic appearance of the bowel was normal and remained normal for the rest of the pregnancy. Anal atresia was diagnosed immediately after birth and corrected surgically. No other abnormalities were present. This case report illustrates that in anal atresia, bowel dilatation may be only transient.

Reproductive outcome in patients treated by oral methotrexate or laparoscopic salpingotomy for the management of tubal ectopic pregnancy

OBJECTIVE

To determine the reproductive outcome of women who have received methotrexate or been treated by laparoscopic salpingotomy (LS) for ectopic tubal pregnancy.

STUDY DESIGN

The study consisted of 123 participants, all women with tubal pregnancies, who had been treated either by methotrexate per os or by laparoscopic salpingotomy. The reproductive outcome of these women was estimated after a follow-up time-period of ten years.

RESULTS

In the methotrexate group, consisting of 34 women, the fertility rate was 82% with a mean interval time to conceive of 9.4 months after the treatment. In the group treated by LS, consisting of 89 women, the fertility rate was 82.6% and the mean interval time to conceive was 11.7 months.

CONCLUSION

The reproductive outcome of the women who received either per os treatment of methotrexate or LS for tubal pregnancy, remains high. Both therapeutic methods constitute reliable solutions for managing ectopic pregnancy.

Selecting distending medium for out-patient hysteroscopy. Does it really matter?

BACKGROUND

The aim of this prospective randomized study was to evaluate the role of carbon dioxide (CO2) and normal saline for diagnostic accuracy in out-patient hysteroscopy.

METHODS

Women admitted to our Department in order to undergo total abdominal hysterectomy also underwent diagnostic hysteroscopy, 12-24 h prior to surgery. The selection of distending medium was made after randomization. Two groups of patients were formed, group A (CO2; n=39) and group B (normal saline; n=35). More than half of the women in the study population were post-menopausal. Post-hysteroscopy, all women were asked to rank any symptom that they felt during the procedure on a 4-point scale (0=none; 1=mild; 2=severe; 3=inability to perform hysteroscopy). The hysteroscopic diagnosis was compared with the macroscopic findings and the histological examination of the surgical specimen after hysterectomy.

RESULTS

The percentage who completed hysteroscopy was 89.74% within group A and 97.14% within group B. Most patients of both groups felt some pain of mild intensity. The diagnostic accuracy of hysteroscopy was similar for both media when major pathology [large polyps (group A 91.7%; group B 92.7%), myomas (group A 81.25%; group B 92.7%) and/or hyperplasia (group A 87.5%; group B 90.2%)] of the endometrial cavity was detected. In contrast, in cases of minor pathology (small polyps, mucosal elevations, crypts, hypervascularization), hysteroscopy with saline presented with significantly higher diagnostic accuracy (85.4%) compared with hysteroscopy with CO2 (64.6%).

CONCLUSIONS

In out-patient hysteroscopy, CO2 and normal saline were comparable with regard to patient discomfort and for the detection of major pathology of the endometrial cavity. Normal saline seems to be the most appropriate medium for the detection of minor pathology of the endometrial cavity.

Apoptosis in human endometrium and endometriosis

Apoptosis plays a critical role in maintaining tissue homeostasis and represents a normal function to eliminate excess or dysfunctional cells. Accumulated evidence suggests that apoptosis helps to maintain cellular homeostasis during the menstrual cycle by eliminating senescent cells from the functional layer of the uterine endometrium during the late secretory and menstrual phase of the cycle. The BCL-2 family and Fas/FasL system have been extensively studied in human endometrium and endometriotic tissues. Eutopic endometrium from women with endometriosis reportedly has some fundamental differences compared with normal endometrium of women without endometriosis. The differences could contribute to the survival of regurgitating endometrial cells into the peritoneal cavity and the development of endometriosis. One mechanism that recently gained a lot of interest is the finding that apoptosis appeared in eutopic and ectopic endometrium of patients with endometriosis. This study is a current review of the literature focused on the physiological role of apoptosis in normal endometrium and the alterations in regulation of apoptosis in eutopic and ectopic endometrium from women with endometriosis. Similarities in characteristics of endometriosis at a molecular level with gynaecological tumours are also discussed. Finally, the role of apoptosis in the treatment of endometriosis is reviewed to link the basic research findings into clinical applications.

Germ cell transplantation: a review and progress report on ICSI from spermatozoa generated in xenogeneic testes

Results from the transplantation of donor male germ cells into xenogeneic recipient seminiferous tubules indicate that donor spermatogonia are capable of differentiating to form spermatozoa morphologically characteristic of the donor species. Germ cell transplantation procedures combined with developments in freezing, culturing or enriching germ cell populations have applications of paramount importance in medicine, basic sciences and animal reproduction. Additionally, these techniques can serve as an alternative approach for gonadal protection and fertility preservation in patients with cancer. This article is a chronological critical review of the technological advances that followed the initial successful transplantation of mouse germ cells into recipient mice. Furthermore, the factors responsible for the immunological privilege properties of the testis and the parameters influencing the potential of mammalian germ cells to undergo mitosis and meiosis within a xenogeneic testis are described. Finally, the role of human germ cell transplantation procedures in the therapeutic management of non-obstructive azoospermia is discussed.

The role of ultrasonographically guided puncture of the human rete testis in the therapeutic management of nonobstructive azoospermia

We attempted to characterize the cells collected from the rete testis via ultrasonographically guided puncture. Unilateral puncture of the rete testis was performed in nine men with obstructive azoospermia and 51 men with nonobstructive azoospermia. All the aspirated samples from the rete testis were observed via confocal scanning laser microscope and some of them after fluorescent in situ hybridization techniques. Then therapeutic testicular biopsy was performed in the punctured testis of each man. Spermatozoa were found in all rete testis samples and all biopsy samples from obstructed men. Twenty-two nonobstructed men demonstrated absence of spermatozoa in biopsy samples. Twenty-nine nonobstructed men showed spermatozoa in biopsy material and 24 of these men (82%) had demonstrated spermatozoa in rete testis samples. There were no significant differences in fertilization and cleavage rate between intracytoplasmic sperm injection trials using biopsy spermatozoa and rete testis spermatozoa both in obstructed and nonobstructed men. Considering that puncture of the rete testis does not reduce the volume of testicular parenchyma, is less invasive and apparently causes less detrimental effect on testicular vasculature than biopsy, puncture of rete testis is recommended as first line approach for the treatment of azoospermic men. If puncture is negative for spermatozoa in nonobstructed men, biopsy is indicated.

Surgical management of early stage cervical cancer: ten years experience from one Greek health region

PURPOSE OF INVESTIGATION

Cervical cancer is the second most common malignancy in women, in both incidence and mortality. In the present study, we report our results of treating 93 consecutive patients with early invasive cervical cancers (Stages I-IIA).

METHODS

The patients of this study comprised all women recognized with stage I-IIA cervical cancer during 1991-2000. Patients with stage IA1 cervical cancer without lymphvascular space involvement underwent either conservative management by means of large loop conization or simple hysterectomy. The remaining patients underwent radical hysterectomy and lymphadenectomy or radiation therapy. Mean (+/- SD) duration of follow-up was 6 (+/- 1.7) years.

RESULTS

The mean (+/- SD) age of patients with stage I-IIA cervical cancer was 41.3 (+/- 9.1) year. Thirty-five patients with stage [A1 disease were managed conservatively with loop excision and 19 patients subsequently became pregnant. Fifty-two patients with stage IA2, IB and IIA cervical carcinoma underwent radical hysterectomy and lymphadenectomy.

CONCLUSION

Young women with stage IA1 cervical carcinoma wishing future fertility who undergo loop excision have a 100% cure rate. Women with stage IA2, IB, and IIA cervical cancer should undergo radical hysterectomy and lymphadenectomy or radiation therapy.

Use of a highly sensitive quantitative telomerase assay in intracytoplasmic sperm injection programmes for the treatment of 47,XXY non-mosaic Klinefelter men

We evaluated the role of the sensitive quantitative telomerase assay (SQTA) in the management of men with non-mosaic Klinefelter's syndrome (KS). Diagnostic testicular biopsy (DTB) was performed in 24 men with KS. A part of the DTB was stained and the remaining fragment was processed for the SQTA. After 3-18 months, a therapeutic testicular biopsy (TTB) was performed in the same testicle and the recovered specimens were processed to identify spermatozoa. Men with a SQTA outcome equal to 0.00 Units microg-1 protein (n = 7) demonstrated therapeutic testicular biopsy material that was negative for spermatogenic cells. In five men with a SQTA outcome of 8.11-38.03 Units microg-1, the most advanced germ cell was the spermatogonium/primary spermatocyte. In the remaining 12 men, the most advanced spermatogenic cell in the TTB was the spermatozoon. In these men, the SQTA outcome was equal to 25.76-92.68 Units microg-1 protein. Using 39.00 Units microg-1 protein as a cut-off value, the accuracy of the SQTA in identifying men positive for spermatozoa was 91.6%. It appears that the SQTA has a role for identifying non-mosaic KS men who have testicular spermatozoa.

Cryptorchidism: seasonal variations in Greece do not support the theory of light

To examine seasonal trends of cryptorchidism in Greece, 583 males with true isolated cryptorchidism were analyzed. All 208 912 live-born boys born during the same period were used as a comparison group. Seasonality by month of birth was evaluated using both Edwards' model with adjusted frequencies and exact theta(i), and Walter-Elwood method with exact theta(i). Both tests resulted in consistent findings. The incidence of cryptorchid births in Greece follows a documented cyclic pattern of simple harmonic type with spring being the season of statistical predominance (peak in March with a second, almost equivalent, peak in May). In contrast, in autumn the incidence of cryptorchid births was considerably lower (trough in September). Given the fact that no significant differences in daylight length are found among seasons in Greece, the detection of a significant seasonal variation suggests that factors other than light are involved in the pathogenesis of cryptorchidism. Low environmental temperature is proposed as a causative factor negatively influencing the maternal hCG profiles and the inguinoscrotal phase of testicular descent. This is further supported by: (i) the similarity of our results to those reported by other European countries of different longitude and geographical width and (ii) our data showing significantly smaller maternal hCG profiles at the 26th week of gestation during winter compared with summer.

Bacteriological cultures of removed intrauterine devices and pelvic inflammatory disease

Intrauterine devices (IUDs) are highly effective, long-term methods of contraception. Although evidence of a direct association between IUD use and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is scarce, concerns about PID related to IUDs use has limited their use throughout the world. We designed this study to examine the effect of IUDs on PID. For the study, we recruited 200 participants from among women who requested an IUD as a means of contraception. The IUDs were removed 36 months later or in case of PID. No PID cases were recorded during the follow-up period. Prior to IUD insertion, 121 women (60.5%) had symptoms and/or signs of lower genital tract infection, whereas during the follow-up period 179 women (89.5%) had symptoms and/or signs of lower genital tract infection. The Papanicolaou smears were negative for Actinomyces throughout the study period. Also, cultures for sexualy transmitted disease microorganisms were negative throughout the study period. Following IUD removal, 189 IUD cultures (94.5%) were positive. The bacterial flora of the removed IUDs consisted of common aerobic and anaerobic microorganisms that do not account for PID. The most common microorganisms identified were Staphylococcus coagulase negative, Eschericia coli, and Enterococcus faecalis. IUDs are a very effective and safe method of contraception if potential recipients are selected carefully. Culture of the removed IUDs and therapeutic management of women with positive cultures are not recommended when women are asymptomatic for PID.

Short-term safety of celocentesis for the mother and the fetus

OBJECTIVE

Celocentesis offers the potential for prenatal diagnosis from as early as 6 weeks of gestation. The aim of this study was to examine the short-term safety of celocentesis.

METHODS

Eligible for the study were pregnant women with single live fetuses at 6-10 weeks of gestation, requesting pregnancy termination for social indications. At presentation, the patients were asked if they were willing to undergo celocentesis and in those women who agreed the procedure was performed at the time of the initial scan. A second scan was carried out just before termination to measure fetal crown-rump length and heart rate.

RESULTS

Four hundred and forty-seven women requested termination of pregnancy and 108 of these agreed to have celocentesis. There were no significant differences between the groups in maternal age, prevalence of primigravidas, cigarette smokers, existence of uterine fibroids, the median fetal crown-rump length or the interval between the initial scan (or celocentesis) at presentation and the pregnancy termination. At the time of termination, ultrasound examination demonstrated fetal death in five (4.7%) of the celocentesis group and nine (2.7%) of the controls (odds ratio, 1.804; 95% confidence interval, 0.5912-5.504). In all other cases, there was normal fetal growth and there were no significant differences between the groups in fetal crown-rump length.

CONCLUSIONS

The procedure related fetal loss associated with celocentesis may be approximately 2%.

Imaging and localization of pancreatic insulinomas

For pancreatic insulinomas, the treatment of choice is surgical excision, which when successful is curative. Intraoperative palpation combined with ultrasonography theoretically depict almost all tumors, however the accuracy of palpation is improved by the preoperative localization. All recent advances in imaging have improved the likelihood for curative surgical resection. Our purpose is to demonstrate the characteristics of all modalities, which may be used in the preoperative localization algorithm.

Comparative study of magnetic resonance angiography, digital subtraction angiography, duplex ultrasound examination with surgical and histological findings of atherosclerotic carotid bifurcation disease

This study was designed in order to determine the diagnostic accuracy in imaging of the extracranial arteries by using magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), digital subtraction angiography (DSA), B-mode duplex ultrasonic examination (DUE) in comparison with the surgical and histological findings of the specimen removed after endarterectomy. The degree of stenosis of the arterial lumen of the surgical specimen was compared with the imaging findings of MRA, DSA and DUE: a) the degree of agreement of stenosis with histologic findings was found in 89% of cases for MRA, in 93% for DSA and 88% for DUE; b) the correlation of morphology of the plaque showed agreement in 91% of the cases with MRA, in 94% with DSA and 87% with DUE; c) the constitution of the plaque was in agreement with DUE findings in 96% of cases. There is no significant difference between the three methods, as far as the estimation of degree of carotid stenosis and morphology of the atheromatous plaque in the carotid arteries. MRA findings are similar with those of DSA and DUE with a high sensitivity and specificity concerning the constitution of the plaque. The combination of MRA and DUE provides all the necessary information concerning the extracranial segments of the cerebral arteries for the preoperative evaluation of patients with carotid disease.

Abdominal aortic aneurysm and left sided inferior vena cava. A case report

The co-existence of abnormalities of the inferior vena cava (IVC) and abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a rare condition but with surgical significance. With the development of various imaging technics and the routine use of computerized tomography for the examination of the abdomen and/or the investigation of AAA these venous abnormalities can be disclosed. A male patient with AAA and left sided IVC is presented.