Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

E C Baracat

Publications and source records attributed to E C Baracat.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2002

Urinary tract infection: immunological aspects.

The immunological aspects of urinary tract infection are of great importance in patients with recurrent episodes. Host factors such as immune response to uropathogens and increased susceptibility are reported. The authors describe pathogenic aspects of bacteria, including determinants of aggressiveness and interactions with normal bacterial flora. Initial efforts with vaccines to prevent the recurrence of infection are also considered.

Bacterial Vaccines↗
PubMed2002

Analysis of collagen in parametrium and vaginal apex of women with and without uterine prolapse.

Our objective was to compare the amount of collagen in parametrium and vaginal apex between women with uterine prolapse at pre- and postmenopause, and in women without prolapse. The study included 22 premenopausal women without prolapse (group A), 10 premenopausal women with prolapse (group B), and 23 postmenopausal women with prolapse (group C) (total 55). Patients in group A underwent abdominal hysterectomy for uterine leiomyoma, and patients in groups B and C underwent vaginal hysterectomy. During the surgical procedure we obtained biopsies from the lateral parametrium and vaginal apex. The tissue was stained for histological analysis with picrosirius. We observed a lower amount of collagen in the parametrium of women with uterine prolapse, both in menacme and in postmenopause, than in the parametrium of women without prolapse. We observed no statistically significant difference in vaginal apex between the groups.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Castration in female rats modifies the development of the pilocarpine model of epilepsy.

Previous studies have shown that the susceptibility to pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus (SE) in female rats changes according to estrous cycle phases. These studies have also shown that following pilocarpine administration changes occur in gonadal, hypophyseal and hypothalamic hormones that could contribute for the sequence of the epileptic events. Accordingly, the present work aimed to investigate the role of sexual hormones withdrawal on the development of the pilocarpine model of epilepsy in female rats. With this purpose, castrated and non-castrated adult female Wistar rats were injected with pilocarpine and some characteristic parameters of the experimental model were observed. The results showed increased mortality after pilocarpine injection in the castrated rats when compared with non-castrated females. The latency period for SE onset and for the first spontaneous seizure was decreased in castrated when compared with non-castrated animals. The mossy fiber sprouting measured by neo-Timm scale during the chronic period, reached grade 3 for castrated epileptic rats while the non-castrated epileptic rats showed grade 2. Our results indicate that castration interferes with the epileptogenesis in the pilocarpine model of epilepsy suggesting that female sexual hormones could have protective effects against pilocarpine-induced SE.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Estrogen regulation of uterine genes in vivo detected by complementary DNA array.

INTRODUCTION: In the present study, our aim was to identify differentially expressed genes involved in estrogen actions at the endometrium level in rats. METHODS: Thirty adult rats were ovariectomized four days prior to drug administration for 48 days. Rats were divided in 2 groups: I, control and II, conjugated equine estrogens (CCE). Total RNA was isolated from uterus, and differential expression was analyzed by array technology and RT-PCR. RESULTS: A total of 32 candidate genes were shown to be upregulated or downregulated in groups I or II. Among them, differential expression was already confirmed by RT-PCR for IGFBP5, S12, c-kit, and VEGF, genes whose expression was up regulated during CCE therapy, and casein kinase II and serine kinase expression was the same level in both groups. CONCLUSION: We have demonstrated that cDNA array represents a powerful approach to identify key molecules in the estrogens therapy. A number of the candidates reported here should provide new markers that may contribute to the detection of target estrogen receptor. This information may also aid the development of new approaches to therapeutic intervention.

Algorithms↗
PubMed2002

A randomized, open-label study of conjugated equine estrogens plus medroxyprogesterone acetate versus tibolone: effects on symptom control, bleeding pattern, lipid profile and tolerability.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of continuous combined conjugated equine estrogens plus medroxyprogesterone acetate (CEE/MPA) with those of tibolone on symptom control, bleeding pattern, lipid profile and tolerability in postmenopausal women. METHODS: This was a randomized, open-label, parallel-group, multicenter study. Generally healthy postmenopausal women with an intact uterus and no contraindications to hormone replacement therapy (HRT) or tibolone were enrolled. Each subject was randomly assigned to receive CEE/MPA 0.625 mg-5.0 mg or tibolone 2.5 mg daily for 13 treatment cycles, each of 28 days. RESULTS: A total of 85 subjects were enrolled and received at least one dose of study medication, of which 76 (89.4%) subjects completed the study (n = 40, CEE/MPA; n = 36, tibolone). The incidence of postmenopausal symptoms decreased significantly over time in both treatment groups, compared with baseline, including significant decreases in the incidence of urogenital and sexual health symptoms. Significant differences in symptom control (other than hot flushes) were observed between treatment groups in a few different cycles for different symptoms, but no consistent or clinically significant trends were observed. No statistically significant differences in the incidence of bleeding were observed between treatment groups after cycle 4. Significant decreases in total cholesterol (5.6%) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (7.5%) were observed at cycle 13, compared with baseline, in the CEE/MPA group, and significant decreases in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (8.5%) and triglycerides (13.7%) were observed at cycle 13, compared with baseline, in the tibolone group. Significant weight gain was observed at cycle 13 in the tibolone group (3.05 kg), compared with the CEE/MPA group (0.96 kg). The incidences of adverse events were similar in both treatment groups. CONCLUSIONS: Women treated with CEE/MPA or tibolone showed significant improvement of postmenopausal symptoms, including urogenital and sexual health symptoms, and had similar bleeding patterns after four cycles of therapy. CEE/MPA and tibolone each induced a different mix of changes in the lipid profile.

Aged↗
PubMed2002

Vaginal hysterectomy allied with Kelly-Kennedy surgery and perineal repair for the treatment of patients with a prolapsed uterus and urinary stress incontinence.

PURPOSE: To evaluate patients with uterine prolapse, before and after surgical treatment, using urodynamic and bladder neck ultrasound. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 33 postmenopausal patients with uterine prolapse were submitted to vaginal hysterectomy (Mayo-Ward technique) allied with Kelly-Kennedy surgery and perineal repair. The women were divided into three groups depending on the degree of prolapse. A urodynamic examination was performed before, after 30 days and in the third month after the operation. A bladder neck ultrasound was performed before and in the third month after the operation. RESULTS: In 23 women who lost urine preoperatively, 14 continued to show objective loss 90 days after the surgery. Ultrasound identified a significant elevation in the bladder neck during rest in groups I and II, but not in group III. There was a significant reduction in its mobility in all three groups. CONCLUSION: Kelly-Kennedy surgery does not have any indication, even in patients with urinary stress incontinence and a prolapsed uterus who are submitted to vaginal hysterectomy.

Female↗
PubMed2002

P27 expression in normal epithelium and condylomas of the vulva in HIV positive and negative women.

PURPOSE: The objective of the present study was to evaluate the expression of the p27 protein in the normal epithelium and vulvar condylomas in human immunodeficiency (HIV) positive and negative patients. METHODS: Eight samples of normal vulvar epithelium were evaluated (Group A), ten of the HIV negative vulvar condyloma patients (Group B) and another eight of the vulvar condyloma HIV positive patients (Group C). The DNA of human papillomavirus (HPV) was identified by means of polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Immunohistochemistry was the method used to evaluate the expression of p27 using monoclonal mouse antibody (Monoclonal Mouse, anti-human p27, Clone Sx 53 G8). The immunoexpression was evaluated at a magnification of 400x, counting a minimum of 1,000 cells per slide. RESULTS: The results obtained were the following: a) comparing groups A and B and groups A and C there was a significant difference in relation to the expression of the p27 protein which was 63.32% in group A and only 13.35% and 18.89% in groups B and C, respectively; b) comparing groups B and C among them, there was no significant difference. CONCLUSION: We concluded that in normal vulvar tissue the p27 protein is present in a large number of cells and that in vulval condylomas its expression is very much lowered both in HIV positive and negative cases.

Capsid↗
PubMed2002

Estrogen and selective estrogen receptor modulator regulation of insulin-like growth factor binding protein 5 in the rat uterus.

Insulin-like growth factor (IGF) binding protein 5 (IGFPB-5) is abundant in the uterus and is implicated in the sex steroid-induced growth of this tissue. The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential for modulation of the action of IGFPB-5 at the uterus level in the rat by estrogen and selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs). One hundred and twenty adult rats, 2-3 months of age, were included. Among them 100 animals were ovariectomized 4 days prior to the use of drugs for 48 days. Rats were divided into six groups: non-ovariectomized (group 1); ovariectomized (group 2); and those receiving conjugated equine estrogens, 50 microg/day (group 3), tamoxifen 250 microg/day (group 4), raloxifene 3 mg/kg (group 5) and toremifene 2.5 mg/kg (group 6). Total RNA was isolated from the uterus and IGFBP-5 mRNA levels were assessed by the semiquantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Our results demonstrate that conjugated equine estrogens were able to up-regulate mRNA levels of the IGFBP-5 gene, while oophorectomy alone as well as associated with hormone therapy such as tamoxifen, raloxifene and toremifene resulted in down-regulation of uterine IGFBP-5 gene expression. The up-regulation of IGFBP-5 expression induced by estrogens suggests that, in vivo, the uterotrophic effects of estrogen replacement therapy are mediated, at least inpart, by the IGF pathways. On the other hand, the use of SERMs (tamoxifen, raloxifene and toremifene) was associated with severe down-regulation of this gene at the transcription level.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Evaluation of the ultrasonographic volume of breast fibroadenomas in women treated with tamoxifen.

BACKGROUND: Fibroadenomas are the most frequent benign breast neoplasias. Although they are hormone-dependent, no hormonal treatment of proven effectiveness is available for these neoplasias. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the ultrasonographic volume of fibroadenomas in premenopausal women treated with tamoxifen at the doses of 5, 10, 20 mg/day or with placebo for 50 days, starting on the 1st day of the menstrual cycle. METHODS: A prospective and randomized study was conducted on 62 eumenorrheic women aged 15 to 45 years with no hormonal treatment or pregnancy during the last 12 months, with a clinical, cytologic and ultrasonographic diagnosis of fibroadenoma, later followed by a biopsy diagnosis. The patients were divided at random into 4 groups: A (n=15; placebo), B (n= 16; 5 mg/day tamoxifen), C (n=16; 10 mg/day tamoxifen), and D (n=15; 20 mg/day tamoxifen). Fibroadenoma volume was measured by ultrasound at 3 different times: on the 22nd day of the cycle that preceded the beginning of tamoxifen treatment, after 1 month of treatment, and on the day of the biopsy (50th day). The mean volume obtained for groups A, B, C and D was 3, 3.3, 1.9, and 2.3 cm3, respecti-vely. RESULTS: Statistical analysis revealed a significant reduction in nodule size only in group D (p=0.0024). CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that tamoxifen significantly reduced fibroadenoma volume when administered for 50 days at the dose of 20 mg/day. Further clinical studies are needed using the drug for a longer period of time, and in order to exclude the need for unnecessary treatment in some women.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Doppler velocimetry parameters of periurethral vessels in postmenopausal incontinent women receiving estrogen replacement.

Estrogen deficit causes significant alterations in the lower urinary tract of women, largely affecting urinary continence mechanisms. The urethral vascular bed accounts for about one-third of urethral pressure, and as it undergoes marked hormonal influence we became interested in investigating its behaviour both prior to and during estrogen replacement. We selected 25 postmenopausal patients with urinary stress incontinence and studied the periurethral vessels by means of Doppler velocimetry, analyzing the number of vessels, systolic peak, minimum diastole, resistance and pulsatility indexes and the A/B ratio, prior to estrogen replacement and after 1 and 3 months of hormone use. We concluded that estrogen replacement alone in postmenopausal women with urinary stress incontinence increased the number of periurethral vessels, systolic peak and minimum diastole; however, a trend of no statistical significance towards the reduction of resistance and pulsatility rates of periurethral vessels was found; nor was a significant difference in the A/B ratio shown.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Changes in the lower urinary tract in continent women and in women with stress urinary incontinence, according to menopausal status.

The aim of this study was to assess the impact of the postmenopausal period on clinical and urodynamic parameters and on the mobility of the bladder neck in continent women and in women with stress urinary incontinence. Fifty-seven postmenopausal women were studied: 30 were continent and 27 had stress urinary incontinence. They were subdivided according to postmenopausal stage into groups A (<5 years) and B (>5 years). Five years was a good marker to separate those women with mild and severe estrogen deficiency. Fifteen premenopausal incontinent women were selected for bladder neck ultrasound as controls. All underwent history, general physical and gynecologic examinations, LH and FSH determinations, type 1 urine and uroculture, circadian voiding diary, cotton-swab test, bladder neck ultrasound and urodynamic investigations. Analysis of the voiding diaries revealed a higher frequency of daytime micturition in both groups of incontinent patients than in the continent ones. Increased bladder neck mobility was also found, both in the cotton-swab test and an ultrasound, in group A and an ultrasound in the premenopausal incontinent women. Urodynamic investigation showed decreased bladder capacity at the first micturition urge, as well as decreased urinary volume in the group A patients compared to the continent ones. Decreased urethral closure maximum pressure was also found in group B patients in relation to the continent ones. We concluded that the effect of hypoestrogenism, manifested postmenopause, causes changes in the lower urinary tract of women, particularly those who are incontinent.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Ultrasonographic and morphological studies of the postmenopausal endometrium using unopposed estrogen replacement therapy with regular pause: a prospective preliminary study.

UNLABELLED: Hormone replacement therapy with progestogen is known to have severe side effects or complications in certain patients. OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of an alternative treatment regimen with a mensal pause using both transvaginal sonography (TVS) and endometrial biopsy to follow patients. METHODS: A total of 30 postmenopausal women were treated with unopposed estrogen for 21 days each month followed by a regular pause of 9-10 days, and were studied prospectively for 18 months. The TVS measurements of endometrial thickness and biopsy of the endometrium were done on the 21st day of treatment and the 7th day of the pause at 6-month intervals throughout the study. RESULTS: There was a significant decrease of proliferative activity at all three time points during the study (6, 12 and 18 months) when tested on the 7th pause day (PD7). The percentage of patients with hyperplasia without nuclear atypia and endometrial thickness > or =8mm was 32% at 6 months, but decreased to 22 and 19% at 12 and 18 months, respectively. All cases of hyperplasia regressed after the hormonal pause throughout the treatment period. CONCLUSIONS: This study presents an alternative treatment regimen for select patients having side effects or complications from progestogen administration; however, studies evaluating the safety and efficacy of this regimen over longer time periods are necessary.

Biopsy↗
PubMed2001

Ultrastructural aspects of the postmenopausal endometrium after oral or transdermal estrogen administration.

In this report we examined the ultrastructural features of the postmenopausal endometrial cells of women treated with different doses of conjugated equine estrogen (CEE), or transdermal 17beta-estradiol. Eight women with uterine prolapse and at least 5 years of menopause were randomly divided into four groups and treated as follows: (I) no hormonal treatment; (II) 0.625mg/day of CEE orally; (III) 1.25mg/day of CEE orally; (IV) 50microg/day of 17beta-estradiol transdermally. Hormones were administered for 28 days followed by vaginal hysterectomy. Fragments of the endometrium were prepared for transmission electron microscopic analysis. We observed that the postmenopausal endometrium of the untreated group was atrophic with lined superficial epithelial cuboidal cells. The presence of gland and stroma cells with clear cytoplasm containing few organelles and heterochromatin nuclei were also observed. On the contrary, the endometrium of the group that received 0.625mg/day of CEE showed signs of proliferative cells such as the presence of numerous organelles in the cytoplasm and euchromatic nuclei. All of the proliferative effects on the endometrium were more pronounced in the groups that received 1.25mg/day of CEE and 50microg/day of transdermal 17beta-estradiol. We concluded that the ultrastructural proliferative changes of the postmenopausal endometrium induced by 1.25mg/day of CEE were similar to 50microg/day of transdermal 17beta-estradiol.

Administration, Cutaneous↗
PubMed2001

Morphologic and morphometric study of the breast parenchyma of rats in persistent estrus treated with tamoxifen and conjugated estrogens.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the morphological and morphometric alterations produced by tamoxifen and conjugated estrogens in the mammary epithelium of rats in persistent estrus. METHODS: 33 adult female rats with persistent estrus induced by 1.25 mg testosterone propionate were divided at random into three groups: group I (n=12), receiving only water and used as a control; group II (n=10), treated with 500 microg tamoxifen daily; group III (n= 11), treated with 30 microg conjugated estrogens daily. The first abdominal-inguinal pair of breasts was extirpated and processed for morphological and morphometric study. Data were analyzed statistically by the Kruskal-Wallis rank analysis of variance (p<0.05). RESULTS: The morphological study revealed signs of epithelial atrophy and the morphometric study showed a significant reduction in mean number of ducts and alveoli in groups II (10.1 and 1.9, respectively) and III (11.1 and 3.5, respectively) compared to the control group 1 (25.0 and 6.6, respectively). There was no significant difference between groups II and III. CONCLUSIONS: The present results indicate that, at the doses and during the time of treatment used, both tamoxifen and conjugated estrogens induced atrophy of the mammary epithelium of rats in persistent estrus.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Quantitative evaluation of collagen and muscle fibers in the lower urinary tract of castrated and under-hormone replacement female rats.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the number of collagen and muscle fibers in the muscle layer of the urethra and in the bladder wall of castrated and under-hormone replacement female rats. METHOD: We studied 37 castrated female rats assigned to the following groups: Group C (n=9): received no medication; Group P (n=8) was given 0.1 ml of placebo, subcutaneous (SC) route; Group E (n=10): 17beta-estradiol, 10 microg/kg/day, SC route; Group PR (n=9): medroxyprogesterone acetate. 0.2 mg/kg/day, SC route; Group E+PR (n=9): association of 17beta-estradiol and medroxyprogesterone acetate. Sections were taken from the bladder wall and from the middle third of the urethra, and the specimens were stained with picrosirius for collagen and muscle fiber identification. RESULTS: Groups C and P showed a similar amount of collagen in the bladder and in the urethra, however greater than the other groups. Group E showed the smallest number of collagen fibers in the urethra. Groups E and E+PR presented a larger number of muscle fibers in the bladder. Group PR presented a larger number of muscle fibers than groups C and P, however smaller than groups E and E+PR. In the muscle layer of the urethra, the number of collagen fibers was smaller in Group E than in all the other groups, which were similar among one another. In regard to the urethral muscles, Group E was found to present the largest number of muscle fibers as compared to the other groups analyzed, while Group PR showed a significant decrease in the muscle layer, even in relation to the groups that were given no hormone medication. CONCLUSION: Estrogens significantly decrease the amount of collagen fibers, increase the amount of muscle fibers and determine a significantly decreased collagen/muscle ratio in both the detrusor muscle and in the urethral muscle layer. It is also noticed that isolated progestogen decreases the amount of collagen fibers and increases the number of muscle fibers in the detrusor muscle, but with less intensity than replacement with estrogens alone. It neither alters the number of collagen fibers nor decreases the muscle fibers in the muscle layer of the urethra, with increased collagen/muscle ratio in that structure. Finally, the estrogen-progestogen combination determines significantly decreased collagen fibers and increased muscle fibers in the detrusor muscle, causing no alteration to the collagen or muscle fibers in the muscle layer of the urethra.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Estrogen, progestogen and tamoxifen increase synaptic density of the hippocampus of ovariectomized rats.

The effects of gonadal steroids or tamoxifen over the synaptic density of the CA1 region of the hippocampus was investigated in ovariectomized (OVX) rats. Chronic oral administration of conjugated equine estrogen, conjugated equine medroxyprogesterone, a combination of both or tamoxifen was performed in ovariectomized (OVX) rats over a period of 60 days. Synaptic density of the stratum radiatum of the CA1 region was evaluated by means of electron microscopy. Significant increases in the range of 34-49% were found for treated animals as compared to OVX controls not subject to hormonal replacement. Our results confirm previously reported effects of estradiol over synaptic density in this region and reports for the first time an effect of medroxyprogesterone (alone or in combination with estrogen) and tamoxifen. Our findings support the notion that hormonal replacement therapy and tamoxifen might have beneficial effects for cognitive function.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed2000

Effect of estrogen-progestogen hormonal replacement therapy on periurethral and bladder vessels.

This study assessed the effect of hormone replacement therapy using estrogens and/or progestogens on the number of vessels in the proximal and distal urethra, vesicourethral junction and bladder of castrated adult female rats. Forty-five virgin adult rats (Rattus norvegicus albinus) castrated for at least 30 days were used. They were assigned to five groups; group I (control) received no medication; the others received via the subcutaneous route, respectively, 17-beta-estradiol (group II), medroxyprogesterone acetate (group III), a maize oil and benzyl acid solution - placebo (group IV) and 17-beta-estradiol combined with medroxyprogesterone acetate (group V), for a minimum of 28 days. Increased vascularization throughout the urinary tract, except in the distal urethra, was found following estrogen replacement alone. In the group that received combined estrogens and progestogens, no increase was found. It was concluded that estrogen replacement in castrated rats significantly increased the number of vessels in the lower urinary tract.

Animals↗