P-365

Characterization of novel estrogens found in conjugated estrogens.Thomas W. Leonard, Edward N. Hill, Garratt W. Ponder. Endeavor Phar-maceuticals, Inc., Wilmington, NC.

Objective: To characterize novel estrogens found in conjugated estrogens(CE) for the purpose of identifying compounds with potential clinicalrelevance.

Design: Multi-dimensional analyses were conducted on samples of CE toidentify and isolate potential novel estrogens.

Materials and Methods: Samples of conjugated estrogens from differentmanufacturers were subjected to HPLC analysis using both UV and fluoro-metric detection techniques. Additional mass spectrometric analyses wereconducted on the samples. The MCF-7 breast cancer cell line was used forits response to estrogenic compounds.

Results: Equilin is susceptible to degradation by molecular oxygen be-cause of the unsaturated and unstable B-ring. Conjugated estrogens werefound to contain several compounds chemically related to equilin with adouble bond in the B-ring. Most notable is the known conversion of equilinsulfate and 17�-dihydroequilin sulfate to equilenin sulfate and 17�-dihyro-equilenin sulfate, respectively. The analyses yielded two novel estrogeniccompounds, which are the 6-ol forms of equilenin sulfate and 17�-dihy-droequilenin sulfate. The estrogenic activity of these compounds was dem-onstrated by a cell proliferation assay using the MCF-7 breast cancer cellline.

Conclusion: This discovery identifies two novel estrogens that, based onthe results of the cell proliferation assay, demonstrates estrogenic activity.Additional pharmacological profiling will indicate the potential clinicalrelevance of these novel estrogen-like compounds.

P-366

Comparison of the effects of conjugated equine estrogen�medroxyprogesterone acetate, tibolone, and raloxifene on the development ofosteopenia induced by ovariectomy in rats. Munire Erman Akar, SibelCubukcu, Eylem Seker, Seyda Karaveli, Omur Taskin, Bilal Trak. MedicalSch of Akdeniz Univ, Antalya, Turkey.

Objective: To investigate and compare the effects of tibolone (0.25mg/kg/day po), conjugated equine estrogen (0,1 mg/kg/day po) and raloxifene(1mg/kg/day po) administered for 4 weeks on the development of osteope-nia caused by bilateral ovariectomy in 3-month-old female Wistar rats.

Design: The experiments were carried out on five groups of animals: I(C)—control sham operated rats, II (OVX)—ovariectomized rats, III(OVX0.25)—ovariectomized rats which were administered tibolone at adose of 0.25mg/kg, IV (OVX0,1)—ovariectomized rats which were admin-istered conjugated equine estrogen at a dose of 0,1 mg/kg, V (R-1)-ovariectomized rats which were administered raloxifene at a dose of 1mg/kg.

Material and Methods: The following parameters were examined in allthe groups: body weight gain, bone mass, length and diameter, mineral andcalcium contents in the tibia and femur, endosteal and periosteal transversegrowth, endosteal and periosteal osteoid width, transverse cross-section areaof the cortical diaphysis and that of the marrow cavity in the tibia, epiph-yseal cartilage width, trabeculae width in the epiphysis and metaphysis ofthe femur. Mechanical properties of the femur were also studied.

Results: Bilateral ovariectomy induced osteopenic skeletal changes inmature female rats. Tibolone (0.25 mg/kg/day), raloxifene (1 mg/kg/day),conjugated equine estrogen (0,1 mg/kg) administered to ovariectomized ratsfor 28 days decreased the development of osteopenic skeletal changesinduced by bilateral ovariectomy.

Conclusion: Osteopenia in surgical menopause patients is not a low riskand can be prevented. Treatment should be individualized.

MENTAL HEALTH

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Assessment of anxiety in women undergoing In Vitro Fertilization(IVF) by the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Debora Seibel,Daniela S. Lobo, Eduardo L. A. Motta, Jose A. Kotecki, Daniel Fuentes,Paulo C. Serafini. Huntington Ctr Medicine Reprodutiva, Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Objective: The STAI is one of the most reliable instruments for measur-ing anxiety in adults and it can differentiate between temporary and long-standing states. Since infertility and treatments such as IVF cause a greatdeal of anxiety, it would be of particular importance to evaluate its appli-cability as STAI is an easy inventory that takes approximately 10 min for itsadministration and there is no standard tests being used.

Design: Prospective study.Materials and Methods: Twenty-four infertile women undergoing their

first IVF treatment were invited to participate in this research. 20 (83%)range from 23- 39 yr agreed to participate and received the questionnairesthat assess State (S) and Trait (T) anxiety in four different phases of thetreatment considered as the highest levels of stress: a) before initiation of theovulatory agents (10 days); b) before the egg retrieval; c) before the embryotransfer, and d) on the day of the pregnancy test. These patients did notreceive any specific psychological counseling other than routine medicalinformation. Informed consents were signed before participation. The datawas analyzed with paired-t test and p�0.05 was considered significant.

Results: The average �SD of the scores obtained in each one of the 4phases are shown in Table1. There were no significant differences betweenthe average values obtained during these 4 phases of major anxiety inwomen treated with IVF. The maximum variability in the data points was 20observed in 1 individual (there was a lowering in levels of anxiety from theinitiation of ovulation induction therapy to egg collection).

Conclusion: The findings of this preliminary evaluation are unexpectedsince high baseline STAI-S and STAI-T scores were observed in all but 2women. Moreover, non significant variations on the STAI-S scores wereobserved at intervals of high anxiety during IVF. The data suggest thatanxiety specifically generated by IVF does not change an already “elevated”anxiety state. Notwithstanding, these findings imply that STAI-S/T could beapplicable anytime during the IVF treatment for diagnostic purposes. Fur-ther studies incorporating psychological and/or pharmacological interven-tion are warranted.

P-368

Assessing concerns and needs of women with Polycystic Ovary Syn-drome (PCOS) through an online survey. Lesa Childers, BarbaraMcGuirk, Ronald F. Feinberg. PCOStrategies, Inc., Sylva, NC; Reproduc-tive Assoc of Delaware, Newark, DE; Reproductive Assoc of Delaware,Newark DE & Yale Univ, New Haven, CT.

Objective: To determine the health and educational issues consideredmost important to women diagnosed with PCOS, as well as their percep-tions of physician-provided information and non-profit programs devoted toPCOS.

Design: Retrospective analysis of a Likerd scale questionnaire madeavailable online for 4 weeks as an unsolicited survey.

Materials and Methods: Issues of relevance to women with PCOS wereincorporated into a Likerd scale questionnaire, which assessed respondents’level of concern about long term health, weight, fertility, cosmetic prob-lems, and mental health. In addition, the survey sought information aboutrespondents’ utilization of nutritional counseling, exercise, PCOS educa-tion, and mental health services. The survey was open for 4 weeks via theweb site of the PCOStrategies, Inc. (www.pcostrategies.org), a federal501(c) non-profit organization that sponsors educational and motivationalprograms about PCOS. Results were tabulated from 425 respondents whoarrived at the web site from common search engines.

Results: During the time the questionnaire was available there were 2,548visitors to the home page of PCOStrategies, Inc., of which 425 individuals(17%) completed and returned the survey electronically. Among the respon-dents, 397 (93%) indicated that a physician had diagnosed them with PCOS;343 (80%) were age 19 to 34 while 71 (17%) were age 35 to 50. Levels ofconcern with PCOS-related issues were:

S242 Abstracts Vol. 80, Suppl. 3, September 2003