Publications by authors named "Lotta Lindh Astrand"

Article Synopsis
  • Resistance training can help improve menopausal symptoms and enhance the quality of life for postmenopausal women, but many do not engage in regular workouts.
  • The study involved 15 low-active postmenopausal women who participated in a 15-week resistance training program and shared their experiences through interviews, revealing key themes that influenced their motivation.
  • Findings showed that while initial motivation stemmed from wanting symptom relief, it evolved into a desire for overall well-being, indicating that support and accountability were crucial in maintaining their commitment to exercise.
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Physical inactivity and the onset of menopause increase the risk of cardiovascular disease amongst postmenopausal women. We aim to investigate the effect of resistance training (RT) on plasma levels of selected cytokines, adipokines, myokines, and sex hormones in postmenopausal women with vasomotor symptoms. This was a sub-study of a randomised controlled trial investigating the effects of RT on vasomotor symptoms in postmenopausal women.

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The objective of this study was to determine if 15 weeks of resistance training (RT) can alter the levels of blood lipids, body iron status, and oxidative stress in postmenopausal women with vasomotor symptoms. Postmenopausal women enrolled in a randomised controlled trial were allocated to either a sedentary control group (n = 29) or a RT group (n = 26). Blood samples were taken at week-0 and week-15 for all participants.

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Background: The majority of observational studies have found associations between pacifier use and shorter breastfeeding duration. Results from four randomised controlled trials did not reveal any difference in breastfeeding outcomes. The relationship between early pacifier use and breastfeeding outcomes remains unclear.

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Objectives: To investigate the effect of 15 weeks of resistance training on the frequency of moderate to severe hot flushes in postmenopausal women.

Study Design: Postmenopausal women with at least 4 moderate or severe hot flushes or night sweats per day day were randomized to a 15-week resistance training intervention or unchanged physical activity. Participants did not exercise regularly at baseline and had not used any therapy for hot flushes two months prior to study entry.

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Objectives: To assess how women in Sweden with breast cancer (BC), endometrial cancer (EC), and/or pulmonary embolism (PE) were dispensed menopausal hormone therapy (HT).

Study Design: A retrospective study of Swedish women aged 40 years or more on 31 December 2005 (n = 2,863,643), followed through to December 2011. The study analysed three mandatory national healthcare registries: the Swedish Prescribed Drug Register, the National Inpatient Register and the Cancer Register.

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Introduction: Use of medication for different kinds of symptoms and diseases during pregnancy is common. When counseling the pregnant woman, an understanding of her perceptions concerning the use of medication as well as possible associated anxiety and obstacles is important to ensure high adherence to the treatment regimen.

Material And Methods: A questionnaire was developed regarding the use of medication, perceptions on use of medication, as well as perceptions about pregnancy outcomes in association with medication use during pregnancy.

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Objectives: To determine precision of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) based fat and muscle quantification in a group of postmenopausal women. Furthermore, to extend the method to individual muscles relevant to upper-body exercise.

Materials And Methods: This was a sub-study to a randomized control trial investigating effects of resistance training to decrease hot flushes in postmenopausal women.

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Objectives: Hot flushes and night sweats affect 75% of all women after menopause and is a common reason for decreased quality of life in mid-aged women. Hormone therapy is effective in ameliorating symptoms but cannot be used by all women due to contraindications and side effects. Engagement in regular exercise is associated with fewer hot flushes in observational studies, but aerobic exercise has not proven effective in randomized controlled trials.

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Internet-delivered therapies have a short history and promising results have been shown for several health problems, particularly for psychiatric conditions. This study was a first attempt to evaluate whether Internet-delivered applied relaxation for hot flushes in postmenopausal women may be useful. Due to a high drop-out rate the study was prematurely terminated after inclusion of approximately two thirds of calculated women.

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Objective: Menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats may persist for 10 to 20 years or even longer. Information about the extent to which older women use hormone therapy is limited. The aim of this study was to determine the use of hormone therapy in Swedish women aged 80 years or older.

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Objective: This work aimed to study the efficacy of group therapy with applied relaxation on vasomotor symptoms and health-related quality of life in postmenopausal women.

Methods: In this open, randomized controlled trial, 60 healthy postmenopausal women with at least seven moderate to severe hot flashes per 24 hours were randomized to either group therapy with applied relaxation (n = 33) or untreated control group (n = 27) for 12 weeks. A follow-up visit was scheduled 3 months after the end of therapy or participation in the control group.

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The effect of treatment with percutaneous E(2) (100 μg/24 h) during 2 weeks perimenstrually on the number and severity of menstrual migraine attacks was studied in 27 women in a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover trial. We were not able to demonstrate any difference between E(2) supplementation and placebo on the number or severity of migraine attacks, but both regimens showed significant effects compared with before treatment. CLINICAL TRIAL IDENTIFICATION NUMBER: NCT00204074.

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Objectives: FM is a condition that preferentially affects women. Sex hormones, and in particular oestrogens, have been shown to affect pain processing and pain sensitivity, and oestrogen deficit has been considered a potentially promoting factor for FM. However, the effects of oestrogen treatment in patients suffering from FM have not been studied.

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Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate whether tapering down of combined estrogen plus progestogen therapy (EPT) reduced the recurrence of hot flashes and resumption of therapy compared with abrupt discontinuation. A secondary aim was to evaluate whether health-related quality of life (HRQoL) was affected after discontinuation of EPT and to investigate the possible factors predicting resumption of EPT.

Methods: Eighty-one postmenopausal women undergoing EPT because of hot flashes were randomized to tapering down or abrupt discontinuation of EPT.

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Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent of reappearance of vasomotor symptoms after cessation of postmenopausal hormone therapy (HT) in women who started HT because of hot flashes.

Methods: A cross-sectional postal survey was conducted. A validated questionnaire was sent to all women 53 to 54 years old living in Linköping, Sweden (n = 1,733), including questions about menopause, HT, and vasomotor symptoms.

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Objective: This study compared the effectiveness of individualized acupuncture plus self-care versus self-care alone on hot flashes and health-related quality of life in postmenopausal women.

Methods: This study involved a multicenter, pragmatic, randomized, controlled trial with two parallel arms. Participants were postmenopausal women experiencing, on average, seven or more hot flashes per 24 hours during seven consecutive days.

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Objective: To investigate knowledge of hormone therapy (HT), reproductive physiology, and menopause in a population of 53- to 54-year-old women. Further aims were to determine whether the knowledge differed between users and nonusers of HT and between groups with different levels of education.

Design: In 2003, all 53- and 54-year-old women (N = 1,733) in Linköping, Sweden, were sent a questionnaire containing questions about reproductive physiology related to menopause and HT.

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Aim: To explore, with a qualitative approach, whether the conception of menopause varies between women seeking medical advice because of climacteric symptoms and, if so, to describe these different conceptions.

Background: For many women, the menopausal transition is a troublesome period of life, often associated with decreased well-being and a number of symptoms. Besides the hormonal changes, many other factors such as psychological, sociological and lifestyle factors affect how women perceive their menopause.

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Objective: To assess attitudes and beliefs about the menopausal transition in a population of peri- and postmenopausal women, and if these attitudes differed before and after publication of studies on risks and benefits with hormone therapy (HT).

Materials And Methods: In 1999 and 2003 all women aged 53 and 54 years in the community of Linköping, Sweden, were sent a questionnaire about use of HT, menopausal status and attitudes regarding menopause and HT.

Results: Most women regarded menopause as a natural process characterized by both hormonal deficiency and aging and these views did not differ between 1999 and 2003.

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Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) has a high prevalence in women and is often associated with insulin resistance and hence with aspects of the so-called metabolic syndrome.

Methods: Ten women diagnosed with PCOS were consecutively included (aged 21-39 years, average 30.2 +/- 1.

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Objectives: To assess changes in women's attitudes towards risk and benefits of, and use of hormone treatment in the menopausal transition (HT) before and after Heart and Estrogen/Progestin Replacement Study (HERS) and the oestrogen and progestin trial of Women's Health Initiative (WHI).

Methods: Postal questionnaires to all women 53 and 54 years of age in a Swedish community in 1999 (n=1.760) and 2003 (n=1.

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Objective: To investigate how risks and benefits of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) are communicated to women in clinical practice. To evaluate the usefulness of a risk classification based on context framing, i.e.

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Objective: To assess if regular physical exercise or oral oestradiol therapy decreased vasomotor symptoms and increased quality of life in previously sedentary postmenopausal women.

Setting: A prospective, randomised trial at a University Hospital.

Methods: 75 postmenopausal, sedentary women with vasomotor symptoms were randomised to: exercise three-times weekly over 12 weeks (15 women), oral oestradiol therapy for 12 weeks (15 women) and 45 women to three other treatment arms.

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Background: Some extragenital symptoms have been suggested to be associated with the menopause and thus to be affected by estrogen status. In such case extragenital symptoms may be more frequent in postmenopausal women without hormone replacement therapy (HRT) than in premenopausal women or women using HRT.

Objective: To assess if the prevalence of a number of extragenital symptoms is higher in postmenopausal women without than with HRT, or in premenopausal women of the same age.

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