Antegrade sclerotherapy has been used since 1987 to treat patients with varicocele. The method has proved to be easy to perform, safe, economical and effective. The treatment results in 285 patients who had undergone sclerotherapy for a total of 317 varicoceles are presented and discussed. This followup study revealed that 285 of the patients (91%) had no signs of recurrent or persistent varicocele. In 57 cases (42%) of inability to conceive the partners became pregnant after antegrade varicocele sclerotherapy. Antegrade sclerotherapy represents an alternative treatment to high ligation and retrograde sclerotherapy, as well as to laparoscopic and microsurgical procedures.

A block randomized, double-blind, group-comparative, placebo-controlled study was conducted to assess the effect of oestriol on recurrent urinary tract infections in postmenopausal women. 40 women, median age 78 years (66-91), 20 in each group, were treated with oestriol three mg p.o. per day or corresponding placebo for four weeks, followed by one mg per day for eight weeks. The main response parameter was the number of urinary tract infections per week in the two treatment periods. Both oestriol and placebo reduced the number of infections per week significantly in both periods, compared with the pretreatment period. There was no difference between oestriol and placebo treatment in the first period. In the second period, however, oestriol treatment was significantly more effective than placebo (p = 0.05). Correspondingly, there was a significant difference between the two groups in the vaginal pH at the end of the study (p less than 0.05). We conclude that oestriol reduces recurrent urinary tract infections in postmenopausal women.

Eighty-four male patients with a mean age of 56.4 years were subjected to a semistructured interview 12-21 weeks after acute myocardial infarction. Twenty-eight individuals (group A) perceived a considerably or somewhat improved total life situation, 39 patients an unchanged (group B) and 17 patients (group C) a somewhat or considerably worsened total life situation. In all groups there were appreciable alterations with respect to stress on the job, physical activity and intake of fat/calories. Sixty per cent had reduced or quit smoking, and 19% had reduced their alcohol consumption. Fifty per cent of the patients perceived an increased gratitude at being alive. Similar recordings were found regarding "joy of life", value of hobbies, family and having good health. Concern associated with a reduced health status was experienced as the most distressing consequence of MI. There were no significant differences between groups A, B and C with respect to severity of the MI in contrast to the number of "psychiatric cases" (GHQ). The study concludes that it is considered important also to discover and reinforce possible positive changes after MI.

Eighty-four male patients with a mean age of 56.4 years (range 34 to 65 years) were subjected to a semi-structured interview 12-21 weeks after acute myocardial infarction in order to elucidate possible positive changes in family or spouse relationships induced by or following on from the disease. There were appreciable positive alterations in the love and caring domains and in communication, especially in those patients (one third of the total) who considered their total life situation to be improved after the myocardial infarction. A majority of the patients judged their family's adaptation to the myocardial infarction as good. The authors argue that it is important to discover, and reinforce, possible positive changes within the family after a myocardial infarction in one of its members and not merely to focus on negative effects.

An interview study of 84 males recruited from a post-infarction anticoagulant trial revealed a number of positive changes regarding life-style and factors related to quality of life 3-5 months after the index infarction. In the present study we investigated the extent to which such changes persist after 2-4 (additional) years. Seventy-four of 75 survivors responded to a postal questionnaire. The answers concerning the total life situation, as compared with the last month before the myocardial infarction, were as follows (response after 3-5 months in brackets): improved 29% (33%), unchanged/uncertain 47% (47%) and deteriorated 24% (20%). There were still appreciable positive changes at follow-up regarding smoking, physical activity, alcohol consumption and stress at work. Similar changes or a slight reduction were observed in previously reported positive scoring of factors related to quality of life. The same applied to the two General Health Questionnaire scorings. We conclude that positive changes in psychosocial and life-style factors as seen shortly after myocardial infarction generally seem to persist after 2-4 years.