Changes in sex steroid levels in women with epilepsy on treatment: relationship with antiepileptic therapies and seizure frequency

PURPOSE: Reproductive dysfunction in epilepsy is attributed to the seizures themselves and also to antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), which affect steroid production, binding, and metabolism. In turn, neuroactive steroids may influence neuronal excitability. A previous study in this cohort of consecutive women with epilepsy showed that patients with more frequent seizures had higher cortisol and lower dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate levels than those with rare or absent seizures. The present study was aimed at evaluating, in these same women, the possible relationship between some clinical parameters, seizure frequency, AED therapies, and sex hormone levels. METHODS: Estradiol (E2), progesterone (Pg), sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), and free estrogen index (FEI) were measured during the luteal phase in 113 consecutive females, 16-47 years old, with different epilepsy syndromes on enzyme-inducing AED (EIAED) and/or non-enzyme-inducing AED (NEIAED) treatments, and in 30 age-matched healthy women. Hormonal data were correlated with clinical parameters (age, epilepsy syndrome, disease onset, and duration), seizure frequency assessed on the basis of a seizure frequency score (SFS), and AED therapies. RESULTS: E2, Pg, and FEI were lower, whereas SHBG levels were higher in the epilepsy patients than in the controls. However, sex steroid and SHBG levels were not different between groups of patients categorized according to SFS. Therapies with EIAEDs accounted for changes in E2 levels and FEI. CONCLUSIONS: Despite globally decreased sex steroid levels in serum, actual hormone titers were not significantly correlated with SFS in consecutive epilepsy women; rather, these hormonal changes were explained by AED treatments, mainly when EIAED polytherapies were given

Un caso di carcinoma del surrene sinistro con trombo cavale esteso all’atrio destro

We describe a case of cancer of the left adrenal gland with a thrombus of the vena cava that reached the right atrium which was treated with abdominal and cardiac surgery. The positive outcome and the current literature lead the Authors to sustain surgical intervention with the aim either of radical eradication or reduction of the neoplastic mass leading to a reduction of the ormonal effects and a better effectiveness of adjuvant therapy

Aeshna juncea

<p>Aeshna juncea (Linnaeus, 1758)</p> <p>Native status</p> <p>R</p> <p>Conservation status</p> <p>erl: LC; irl: LC</p> <p>Notes</p> <p>Flight period: II June - I October</p> <p>The species is found solely in the mountains, between ca. 950 and 1920 m a.s.l., the only exceptions being two historical records from Pian di Spagna at 200 m a.s.l. (one individual on 08.10.1972 and two on 08.10.1988, G. Perego, Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Morbegno collection, Balestrazzi and Pavesi (2008)), without further recent confirmation. It is absent from the Monza and Brianza Province, which is entirely below 400 m a.s.l.; the low number of observations in the Como Province is likely attributable to a lack of observations. In the study area, the species adapted to small watering ponds with at least a little aquatic or helophytic vegetation.</p>Published as part of <i>Bazzi, Gaia, Galimberti, Andrea, Foglini, Claudio, Bani, Luciano, Bazzi, Lionello, Bonvicini, Piero, Brembilla, Roberto, Brigo, Massimo, Cavenaghi, Alberto, Colombo, Giuseppe, Della Pieta, Cesare, Galliani, Carlo, Guarnaroli, Ettore, Larroux, Nicola, Monti, Alessandro, Orioli, Valerio, Ornaghi, Francesco, Pilon, Nicola, Pirotta, Giuliana, Radaelli, Giovanni, Tessa, Giulia & Assandri, Giacomo, 2023, Odonate diversity of a highly urbanised region: An annotated checklist of the damselflies and dragonflies (Insecta, Odonata) of Lario and Brianza (Lombardy, N Italy), pp. 111358 in Biodiversity Data Journal 11</i> on page 111358, DOI: 10.3897/BDJ.11.e11135

Erythromma viridulum

<p>Erythromma viridulum (Charpentier, 1840)</p> <p>Native status</p> <p>R</p> <p>Conservation status</p> <p>erl: LC; irl: LC</p> <p>Notes</p> <p>Flight period: III May - II October</p> <p>In the study area, the species occurs in rather few low-elevation localities, up to ca. 400 m a.s.l., where lakes, channels or slow-flowing rivers with warm waters and rich floating aquatic vegetation are found. Its occurrence at Lake Piano and Lake Sartirana, where the species was observed in 1977 and 1958, respectively (De Marmels and Schiess 1978, Balestrazzi and Pavesi 2008), has not been confirmed in recent years.</p>Published as part of <i>Bazzi, Gaia, Galimberti, Andrea, Foglini, Claudio, Bani, Luciano, Bazzi, Lionello, Bonvicini, Piero, Brembilla, Roberto, Brigo, Massimo, Cavenaghi, Alberto, Colombo, Giuseppe, Della Pieta, Cesare, Galliani, Carlo, Guarnaroli, Ettore, Larroux, Nicola, Monti, Alessandro, Orioli, Valerio, Ornaghi, Francesco, Pilon, Nicola, Pirotta, Giuliana, Radaelli, Giovanni, Tessa, Giulia & Assandri, Giacomo, 2023, Odonate diversity of a highly urbanised region: An annotated checklist of the damselflies and dragonflies (Insecta, Odonata) of Lario and Brianza (Lombardy, N Italy), pp. 111358 in Biodiversity Data Journal 11</i> on page 111358, DOI: 10.3897/BDJ.11.e11135

Enallagma cyathigerum

<p>Enallagma cyathigerum (Charpentier, 1840)</p> <p>Native status</p> <p>R</p> <p>Conservation status</p> <p>erl: LC; irl: LC</p> <p>Notes</p> <p>Flight period: II April - I October</p> <p>The species in the study area is found in three main habitats: 1) medium or large lakes with open waters (e.g. Lakes Como, Pusiano and Annone); 2) large and clean rivers, in particular the Adda and Mera CO, which are the only rivers at which the species is found in the study area; and 3) mountain watering or firefighting ponds up to 1750 m a.s.l. It is surprisingly absent at Lake Lugano and lacks recent confirmation at Lake Alserio, whereas its absence in the highly urbanised Monza and Brianza Province is not surprising.</p>Published as part of <i>Bazzi, Gaia, Galimberti, Andrea, Foglini, Claudio, Bani, Luciano, Bazzi, Lionello, Bonvicini, Piero, Brembilla, Roberto, Brigo, Massimo, Cavenaghi, Alberto, Colombo, Giuseppe, Della Pieta, Cesare, Galliani, Carlo, Guarnaroli, Ettore, Larroux, Nicola, Monti, Alessandro, Orioli, Valerio, Ornaghi, Francesco, Pilon, Nicola, Pirotta, Giuliana, Radaelli, Giovanni, Tessa, Giulia & Assandri, Giacomo, 2023, Odonate diversity of a highly urbanised region: An annotated checklist of the damselflies and dragonflies (Insecta, Odonata) of Lario and Brianza (Lombardy, N Italy), pp. 111358 in Biodiversity Data Journal 11</i> on page 111358, DOI: 10.3897/BDJ.11.e11135

Supplementary material 2 from: Bazzi G, Galimberti A, Foglini C, Bani L, Bazzi L, Bonvicini P, Brembilla R, Brigo M, Cavenaghi A, Colombo G, Della Pietà C, Galliani C, Guarnaroli E, Larroux N, Monti A, Orioli V, Ornaghi F, Pilon N, Pirotta G, Radaelli G, Tessa G, Assandri G (2023) Odonate diversity of a highly urbanised region: An annotated checklist of the damselflies and dragonflies (Insecta, Odonata) of Lario and Brianza (Lombardy, N Italy). Biodiversity Data Journal 11: e111358. https://doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.11.e111358

Site-specific checklist of the Odonata of Natura 2000 network of Lario and Brianz

Supplementary material 3 from: Bazzi G, Galimberti A, Foglini C, Bani L, Bazzi L, Bonvicini P, Brembilla R, Brigo M, Cavenaghi A, Colombo G, Della Pietà C, Galliani C, Guarnaroli E, Larroux N, Monti A, Orioli V, Ornaghi F, Pilon N, Pirotta G, Radaelli G, Tessa G, Assandri G (2023) Odonate diversity of a highly urbanised region: An annotated checklist of the damselflies and dragonflies (Insecta, Odonata) of Lario and Brianza (Lombardy, N Italy). Biodiversity Data Journal 11: e111358. https://doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.11.e111358

Site-specific checklist of the Odonata of the protected areas of Lario and Brianz

Orthetrum brunneum

<p>Orthetrum brunneum (Fonscolombe, 1837)</p> <p>Native status</p> <p>R</p> <p>Conservation status</p> <p>erl: LC; irl: LC</p> <p>Notes</p> <p>Flight period: II May - I October</p> <p> In the study area, the species is found mainly in the lowlands and hills, up to ca. 475 m a.s.l. At these elevations, <i>O. brunneum</i> is rather widespread throughout the three provinces in a broad variety of lotic habitats. Records between 600 and ca. 1250 m a.s.l. are probably referring to dispersing individuals.</p>Published as part of <i>Bazzi, Gaia, Galimberti, Andrea, Foglini, Claudio, Bani, Luciano, Bazzi, Lionello, Bonvicini, Piero, Brembilla, Roberto, Brigo, Massimo, Cavenaghi, Alberto, Colombo, Giuseppe, Della Pieta, Cesare, Galliani, Carlo, Guarnaroli, Ettore, Larroux, Nicola, Monti, Alessandro, Orioli, Valerio, Ornaghi, Francesco, Pilon, Nicola, Pirotta, Giuliana, Radaelli, Giovanni, Tessa, Giulia & Assandri, Giacomo, 2023, Odonate diversity of a highly urbanised region: An annotated checklist of the damselflies and dragonflies (Insecta, Odonata) of Lario and Brianza (Lombardy, N Italy), pp. 111358 in Biodiversity Data Journal 11</i> on page 111358, DOI: 10.3897/BDJ.11.e11135