Eleven women with menopausal symptoms were treated with 150 micrograms Clonidine (dixarit) daily. Before and during therapy, plasma estradiol-17 beta, LH, FSH and prolactin levels were measured by specific radio-immunoassays. In addition, each patient recorded the number of hot flushes a day and symptoms were monitored by the Kupperman-index. A highly significant fall in the number of hot flushes by day and night occurred during therapy (p less than 0.001) and the Kupperman-index similarly improved. Significant pulse and blood pressure changes were not noted and plasma hormone concentrations remained unaltered. Medication was well tolerated. Clonidine therapy would appear to be the treatment of choice for menopausal symptoms if estrogens are contraindicated.

Background: The newly introduced German pediatric screening examination at the end of the third year of life (U7a) incorporates visual function testing in particular; there is no ophthalmic screening during childhood in Germany. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between participation in U7a and visual function at the preschool health examination (PHE) in the sixth year of life. Methods: This study evaluated PHE data from school enrollment years 2009/2010 to 2014/2015 of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Visual acuity (VA) at PHE was assessed with Rodenstock visual acuity test device (tumbling E) wearing glasses if present. The relationship between participation in U7a and VA <0.7 at PHE was calculated for reduced monocular and binocular VA using multiple logistic regression adjusted for potential confounders. Results: Data from 189,704 children (91,041 girls) in 35 out of 36 districts were included. The first children to participate in U7a were enrolled in 2011/2012 school year. In total, 90,339 children (47.6%) had U7a before PHE, while 99,365 (52.4%) had not. VA <0.7 in at least one eye was measured at PHE in 8429 (4.4%) children, and in both eyes in 4345 (2.3%) children. Participation in U7a was not associated with VA <0.7 at PHE (odds ratio 0.99; 95% confidence interval: 0.94–1.04). Conclusions: The proportion of children with VA <0.7 at PHE was high. No beneficial effect of newly introduced German U7a pediatric screening examination was found for reduced VA at PHE.

No abstract