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Cynthia M Farquhar

Publications and source records attributed to Cynthia M Farquhar.

17 recordsLinked to original sources

A prospective study of 3 years of outcomes after hysterectomy with and without oophorectomy.

OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to determine the outcomes of hysterectomy with and without conservation of the ovaries. STUDY DESIGN: Data were collected prospectively for 3 years from 257 women undergoing hysterectomy (group 1) and 57 women undergoing hysterectomy with oophorectomy (group 2). RESULTS: Pelvic pain, abdominal pain, and depression scores were reduced in the 3 years after hysterectomy. Twenty-one percent of the women in group 1 and 43% in group 2 regretted the loss of fertility 3 years after hysterectomy. Satisfaction with the operation was greater than 90% after 3 years in both groups. New symptoms of pelvic pain were infrequent in groups 1 (3%) and 2 (5%). CONCLUSION: Three years after undergoing hysterectomy with and without oophorectomy, satisfaction is high although some women regret the loss of fertility.

Adult↗

Dysmenorrhoea.

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Acetaminophen↗

An economic evaluation of laparoscopic ovarian diathermy versus gonadotrophin therapy for women with clomiphene citrate-resistant polycystic ovarian syndrome.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Women with polycystic ovarian syndrome are typically anovulatory and require ovulation induction. Ovarian wedge resection was the first treatment for anovulation but was eventually abandoned because of the increased risk of postsurgical adhesions and as medical ovulation induction with clomiphene and gonadotrophins was introduced. However, with the advent of laparoscopy, there has been a return to surgical approaches. The potential advantages of laparoscopic surgery include avoidance of hyperstimulation and the lowered costs make ovarian surgery an attractive alternative to gonadotrophins. RECENT FINDINGS: Clinical trials in New Zealand and the Netherlands have compared costs of laparoscopic ovarian drilling with gonadotrophins. The total cost of treatment in the Netherlands study for the ovarian drilling group was euro 4664 and for the gonadotrophins group was euro 5418. Without the cost of monitoring and the diagnostic laparoscopy then the difference was euro 2110 in favour of ovarian drilling. It was estimated that the cost per term pregnancy would be euro 14,489 for gonadotrophin and euro 11,301 for ovarian drilling (22% lower). The higher rates of multiple pregnancy in the gonadotrophin group were considered to be responsible for the increased costs. In the New Zealand trial the costs of a live birth were one-third lower in the group that underwent laparoscopic ovarian diathermy compared with those women who received gonadotrophins (NZ$19,640 and 29,836, respectively). SUMMARY: Treating women with clomiphene-resistant polycystic ovarian syndrome with laparoscopic ovarian diathermy results in reduced direct and indirect costs. The reduction in multiple pregnancies makes the alternative of surgery particularly attractive.

Cost-Benefit Analysis↗

The association of hysterectomy and menopause: a prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether or not hysterectomy leads to an earlier onset of the menopause. DESIGN: A prospective cohort study. SETTING: Gynaecology service of large urban hospital. POPULATION: Premenopausal women with and without hysterectomy. METHODS: Multivariate survival analysis techniques were used to adjust for differences in initial follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) levels, body mass index, smoking and unilateral oophorectomy between the groups. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: FSH levels were measured for five years following hysterectomy and compared with the comparison group. Menopause was defined as a single FSH measurement of at least 40 IU/L. RESULTS: Two hundred and fifty-seven women undergoing hysterectomy were compared with 259 women who had not undergone a hysterectomy. Fifty-three women (20.6%) in the hysterectomy group and 19 women (7.3%) in the comparison group reached menopause over the five years of the study. Women in the hysterectomy group with a pre-operative FSH <10 IU/L reached menopause 3.7 years (95% CI 1.5-6.0 years) earlier than women in the comparison group independent of BMI, smoking and unilateral oophorectomy. Twenty-eight women in the hysterectomy group had unilateral oophorectomy and 10 (35.7%) of these women reached menopause over the five years of follow up. Women in the hysterectomy group with unilateral oophorectomy reached menopause 4.4 years (95% CI 0.6, 7.9 years) earlier than women with both ovaries in the hysterectomy group independent of baseline FSH, BMI and smoking. CONCLUSIONS: Hysterectomy is associated with an earlier onset of menopause. Hysterectomy with unilateral oophorectomy is associated with an even earlier onset of the menopause in this study.

Adult↗

An economic evaluation of laparoscopic ovarian diathermy versus gonadotrophin therapy for women with clomiphene citrate resistant polycystic ovary syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic ovarian diathermy and gonadotrophin ovulation induction for women with clomiphene citrate resistant polycystic ovary syndrome have been shown to result in similar pregnancy rates, but their relative cost-effectiveness has not been evaluated. METHODS: A cost-minimization study was undertaken alongside a randomized controlled trial in women with anovulatory infertility secondary to clomiphene resistant polycystic ovary syndrome. Inclusion criteria were age less than 39 years, body mass index less than 35 kg/m(2), failure to ovulate with 150 mg of clomiphene citrate for 5 days in the early follicular phase, more than 12 months of infertility and no other causes of infertility. Laparoscopic ovarian diathermy was compared with three cycles of urinary or recombinant gonadotrophins. Direct and indirect costs were based on the results of a randomized trial. RESULTS: The cost of a live birth was one third lower in the group that underwent laparoscopic ovarian diathermy compared to those women who received gonadotrophins (19 640 New Zealand dollars and 29 836 New Zealand dollars, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: This economic evaluation shows that treating women with clomiphene-resistant polycystic ovarian syndrome with laparoscopic ovarian diathermy results in a significant reduction in both direct and indirect costs.

Adult↗

The role of ovarian surgery in polycystic ovary syndrome.

Problems in inducing ovulation in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and anovulation are well recognized. In 1935, Stein and Leventhal first described surgical treatment by ovarian wedge resection at laparotomy for women with anovulation and PCOS. Ovarian wedge resection was eventually abandoned because of the significant risk of postsurgical adhesion formation, which resulted in tubal adhesions, and because of the advent of medical ovulation induction with clomiphene and gonadotrophins. However, since the arrival of minimally invasive surgical techniques, laparoscopic ovarian surgery has become feasible. The potential advantages of laparoscopic ovarian surgery include repeated single ovulations and less adhesion formation. Lowered costs make ovarian surgery an attractive alternative to gonadotrophins. However, although many case series have suggested that ovarian surgery is an effective strategy, few randomized, controlled trials have been undertaken comparing the success rates of surgery with gonadotrophins. The long-term concerns with surgery include adhesion formation and premature ovarian failure.

Cost-Benefit Analysis↗

Update on treatment of menstrual disorders.

There is evidence from well designed randomised controlled trials that modern medical and conservative surgical therapies (including endometrial ablation) are effective treatments for heavy menstrual bleeding for many women. Submucous fibroids may be resected directly via the hysteroscope, reducing menstrual bleeding, although data are available only from case series. Endometriosis is common, may also occur in young women and may present with atypical or non-cyclical symptoms; conservative laparoscopic surgery increases fecundity and reduces dysmenorrhoea and dyspareunia. Randomised trials of the levonorgestrel intrauterine system in women with menorrhagia have shown that hysterectomy can be avoided in 80% of cases, and that this system is an effective therapy for menorrhagia. The levonorgestrel intrauterine system may also be useful for managing symptoms of endometriosis, adenomyosis and endometrial hyperplasia, based on observational data.

Adult↗

Role of fertility treatments in multiple pregnancy at National Women's Hospital from 1996 to 2001.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the influence of fertility treatments on multiple pregnancy rates. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective audit of women with multiple pregnancies from 1996 to 2001 at National Women's Hospital (NWH), Auckland, New Zealand was conducted. Information was collected regarding the demographics, fertility treatment, outcome of the pregnancy and complications experienced by women discharged with multiple births as an discharge diagnosis. RESULTS: For the years 1996-2001 there were 1136 multiple births at NWH. Of these births, 201 (18%) were conceived following fertility treatment. Seventeen percent of twin births and 44% of triplet births were conceived following fertility treatment. There was a statistically significant increase in the number of births conceived following fertility treatment, from 9%, in 1996 to 24%, in 2001, although the proportion of births that were multiple overall did not change (20% in 1996 and 2.3%, in 2001). Sixty-three percent of all fertility conceived multiple births were following in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection treatment. Sixty percent of these women had two embryos transferred and 31% had three embryos transferred. Ovulation induction with follicle-stimulating hormone accounted for 19% of all fertility conceived multiple births. Nineteen percent of fertility conceived multiple births followed clomiphene treatment alone. CONCLUSIONS: The proportion of multiple pregnancies as a result of fertility treatments has increased over the 6 years studied.

Adolescent↗

Clinicians' attitudes to clinical practice guidelines: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: To systematically review surveys of clinicians' attitudes to clinical practice guidelines. DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE, HealthStar, Embase and CINAHL were searched electronically for English-only surveys published from 1990 to 2000. STUDY SELECTION: We included surveys with responses to one or more of seven propositions (see below). Studies were excluded if they had fewer than 100 respondents or if the response rate was less than 60%. RESULTS: Thirty studies included responses to one or more of the seven items, giving a total of 11 611 responses. The response rate for the included studies was 72% (95% confidence interval [CI], 69%-75%). Clinicians agreed that guidelines were helpful sources of advice (weighted mean, 75%; 66%-83%), good educational tools (71%; 63%-79%) and intended to improve quality (70%; 60%-80%). However, clinicians also considered guidelines impractical and too rigid to apply to individual patients (30%; 23%-36%), that they reduced physician autonomy and oversimplified medicine (34%; 22%-47%), would increase litigation (41%; 32%-49%) and were intended to cut healthcare costs (52.8%; 39%-66%). CONCLUSIONS: Surveys of healthcare providers consistently report high satisfaction with clinical practice guidelines and a belief that they will improve quality, but there are concerns about the practicality of guidelines, their role in cost-cutting and their potential for increasing litigation.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗

A randomized controlled trial of laparoscopic ovarian diathermy versus gonadotropin therapy for women with clomiphene citrate-resistant polycystic ovary syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effectiveness of laparoscopic ovarian diathermy with gonadotropin ovulation induction for women with clomiphene citrate-resistant polycystic ovary syndrome. DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial. SETTING: A tertiary referral fertility clinic. PATIENT(S): Women with anovulatory infertility secondary to clomiphene-resistant polycystic ovary syndrome. Inclusion criteria were age of <39 years, body mass index of <35 kg/m(2), failure to ovulate with 150 mg of clomiphene citrate for 5 days in the early follicular phase, >12 months of infertility, and no other causes of infertility. INTERVENTION(S): Laparoscopic ovarian diathermy versus three cycles of urinary or recombinant gonadotropins. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Cumulative pregnancy and miscarriage rates. RESULT(S): Cumulative pregnancy rates were 28% at 6 months for laparoscopic ovarian diathermy and 33% for three cycles of ovulation induction with gonadotropins. There were three miscarriages in each group. Women in the laparoscopic ovarian diathermy arm of the study had four additional spontaneous pregnancies 6 to 12 months after surgery. CONCLUSION(S): There was no statistically significant difference in pregnancy or miscarriage rates during the 6-month follow-up period or the three cycles. Laparoscopic ovarian diathermy is a safe and effective alternative to ovulation induction with gonadotropins.

Adult↗

Hysterectomy rates in the United States 1990-1997.

OBJECTIVE: To assess hysterectomy rates, type of hysterectomy, and other factors associated within the United States from 1990-1997. METHODS: A descriptive statistical analysis of national discharge data was undertaken. Data from the nationwide Inpatient Sample of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (from which national estimates are generated based on a 20% stratified sample of US community hospitals) were used for the years 1990-1997. All women who underwent hysterectomy were identified using International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification, procedure codes. Outcome measures included rate, type of hysterectomy, age of patients, length of stay, total hospital charges, and diagnostic categories. RESULTS: Rates of hysterectomy have not changed significantly over the years from 1990-1997. Rates for hysterectomy in 1990 were 5.5 per 1000 women and increased slightly by 1997 to 5.6 per 1000 women. The type of hysterectomy has changed, with laparoscopic hysterectomy accounting for 9.9% of cases by 1997, with a concomitant decline in abdominal hysterectomy but no substantial change in vaginal hysterectomy rates. Length of stay decreased and total charges increased for all types of hysterectomy. Vaginal hysterectomy and laparoscopic hysterectomy are associated with shorter length of stay than abdominal hysterectomy. Abdominal hysterectomy is the most common procedure (63.0% in 1997). CONCLUSION: The majority of hysterectomies are abdominal, and the most common indication is uterine fibroids. The introduction of alternative techniques for controlling abnormal uterine bleeding such as endometrial ablation has not had an impact on hysterectomy rates, and there has only been a limited uptake of laparoscopic approaches.

Adult↗

Translating research into practice: the future ahead.

OBJECTIVE: To summarize and analyze the focus and methodologies of the Translating Research into Practice (TRIP) projects funded in 1999-2000 by the US Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). DATA SOURCES AND STUDY DESIGN: An analysis of the successful applications for the TRIP I and II requests for applications in 1999 and 2000 was produced from the data collected. DATA COLLECTION: The following items were abstracted from each of the successful applications: provider focus, patient population, vulnerable populations, methodologies, interventions for change, outcomes measured, and conceptual framework used. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: AHRQ funded 27 TRIP grants in 1999 and 2000. A wide variety of health care providers, settings, and patients were the target of the grants. The most common study design was a randomized controlled trial. The most common TRIP interventions were educational and the most common frameworks were either adult learning theory or organizational theory. More than half of the projects planned to use information technology and half the projects had a focus on reducing errors. CONCLUSIONS: The TRIP projects encompass a broad range of providers, environments, patients, and interventions. The field of applied research and quality improvements should be considerably enhanced by these research projects.

Evidence-Based Medicine↗

The impact of endometrial ablation on hysterectomy rates in women with benign uterine conditions in the United States.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of endometrial ablation on the utilization of hysterectomy in U.S. women with benign uterine conditions. METHODS: Data are from the State Inpatient and Ambulatory Surgery Databases of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project for six states, 1990-97. Women who underwent hysterectomy (ICD-9-CM codes 68.3, 68.4, 68.5, 68.51, 68.59, 68.9) and endometrial ablation (68.23, 69.29) and had benign uterine conditions (ICD-9-CM code 218.0 and CCS groupings 47, 171, 173, 175, 176, 215) were extracted. Comparative rates, length of stay, total charges, age, payer, hospital, and teaching status of the hospital are reported. RESULTS: The rates of hysterectomy decreased in three states: Colorado (37% decrease; 33 per 10,000 women in 1990 to 21 per 10,000 in 1997), Maryland (18% decrease; 17/10,000 in 1990 to 14/10,000 in 1997), and New Jersey (11% decrease; 9/10,000 to 8/10,000); were static in two states (Connecticut and New York) and increased in one state, Wisconsin (11% increase; 19/10,000 in 1994 to 21/10,000 in 1997). The rates for endometrial ablation increased in all states. The ratio of hysterectomy rates to endometrial ablation rates fell in each state across the 7 years. In two states (New York and New Jersey) the rate of endometrial ablation was equivalent to the rate of hysterectomies by 1997. The total combined rate for hysterectomy and endometrial ablation for women with benign uterine conditions for each state increased by more than 10%, with the exception of Maryland, which had an increase of only 5%, and Colorado, which had a decline of 23%. CONCLUSIONS: In the six states studied, the diffusion of endometrial ablation has had a varying impact on hysterectomy rates among women with benign uterine conditions. However, endometrial ablation is used as an additive medical technology rather than a substitute.

Adult↗

Clinical practice guidelines as educational tools for obstetrician-gynecologists.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the awareness of and attitudes toward clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) produced by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) among its fellows and to identify factors that would enhance the perceived value of the CPGs. STUDY DESIGN: A questionnaire survey on clinical practice guidelines sent to 1,000 practicing fellows of ACOG. RESULTS: Four hundred sixty-two fellows (46.2%) responded. Virtually all (98%) were aware of ACOG CPGs; 61% stated that an ACOG CPG had changed their practice. Far fewer (6-56%) were aware of CPGs from other organizations; 71.9% were aware of all eight ACOG CPGs that were added in 2000 (range, 83.3-90%). Important factors that would enhance the value of CPGs to the respondents were CPGs that were up to date, had demonstrated improved outcomes, were evidence based and were produced by ACOG. Barriers to use were CPGs without summaries, CPGs not specific to the fellows' settings, CPGs not taking patient cost into account and patient requests for different procedures. CONCLUSION: The widespread awareness by ACOG fellows of CPGs produced by ACOG demonstrates the potential importance of specialty societies in disseminating CPGs. The data suggest that important characteristics of CPGs are being up to date, being evidence based, containing a summary and providing patient education materials.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗

Ectopic pregnancy.

Ectopic pregnancy is an important cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Use of transvaginal ultrasonography and quantitative measurement of the beta subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin (beta-hCG) has led to a reduction in the need for diagnostic laparoscopy. Furthermore, with earlier diagnosis, medical therapy with methotrexate can be offered and surgery avoided in some women, though the best regimen remains unclear. In the surgical management of ectopic pregnancy, the benefits of salpingectomy over salpingostomy are uncertain. Although there have been advances in the management of ectopic pregnancy there are still questions to be answered.

Female↗