Uterine leiomyomas are the most common benign tumours of the female genital tract, often necessitating hysterectomy. The most common symptoms are dysmenorrhoea, menorrhagia, infertility and abortion. Ovarian hormones seem to play an essential role in pathogenesis, and deprivation of ovarian oestrogen causes leiomyomas to shrink significantly. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of the non-steroidal aromatase inhibitor letrozole on uterine leiomyomas and on bone metabolism. A prospective, open clinical trial was conducted in a university-based hospital. Sixteen premenopausal women with symptomatic uterine leiomyomas were treated with letrozole 5 mg/day orally for 3 months. The main outcome measures of uterine and uterine leiomyoma sizes, serum FSH, LH, oestradiol concentrations, ovarian volumes and myoma-related symptoms were noted at baselines and once a month during treatment. Lumbar spine bone mineral density and biochemical markers of bone metabolism were studied at the beginning and at the end of 3 months. Letrozole significantly decreased uterine leiomyoma sizes (P < 0.01) and promptly benefited women with heavy menstrual bleeding associated with leiomyomas without changing bone mineral density. Aromatase inhibitors may represent a new generation of medications for the treatment of leiomyoma and associated symptoms. Larger clinical trials are needed, however, to fully evaluate their safety and efficacy.

Uterine artery blood flow is reduced at night in dysmenorrhea cases. In correlation with this, the cases feel more pain at night. Our results may be important on the planning of working hours and their quality of life.

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Background: The effects of short-term and long-term regular exercise on body mass index and early follicular phase serum levels of leptin, testosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate in young female subjects are presented in this study. Methods: Volunteer young women (n = 94) participated. The volunteers were divided into three groups. Group I, the control group had a sedentary lifestyle. Group II had exercised regularly for more than 10 hours a week for 5 years. Group III had exercised for over 10 hours a week for more than 5 years. The serum leptin concentrations were determined using a specific human leptin radioimmunoassay. The testosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate concentrations were also determined radioimmunologically. Results: Compared with sedentary control subjects (group I), age-matched subjects with short-term (group II) and long-term (group III) sporting activity showed a statistically significant decrease in BMI (p < 0.05, group II; p < 0.001, group III) and serum leptin levels (p < 0.05, group II; p < 0.001, group III), as well as significantly higher testosterone levels (p < 0.05, both exercise groups). There were no significant differences for the levels of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate between any of these groups (p > 0.05). Conclusions: In young women, regular physical exercise activities decrease the BMI and serum leptin levels and increase serum testosterone levels. Increased serum testosterone levels appear not to be a cause for hirsuteness or menstrual cycle abnormalities. The levels of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate do not appear to be affected by exercise.