A randomized controlled trial of the efficacy of rosiglitazone and clomiphene citrate versus metformin and clomiphene citrate in women with clomiphene citrate-resistant polycystic ovary syndrome.

Objective: To compare the efficacy of rosiglitazone and clomiphene citrate (CC) with metformin and CC in women with CC-resistant polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Design: Randomized controlled trial (RCT).

Setting: A university teaching hospital in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Plasma adiponectin and insulin resistance in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

Objective: To determine plasma adiponectin concentration in women with and without polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and to assess possible correlations of adiponectin to the hormonal and metabolic parameters, including measures of insulin resistance (IR).

Design: Case-control study.

Setting: Tertiary-referral university hospital.

Structural study on cultured isolated fetal rat pancreatic islets.

Objective: To perform a morphometric and structural study of the cultured isolated fetal rat pancreatic islets.

Methods: Islets of the fetal rat pancreas, aged 22 days were isolated by the standard procedure of collagenase digestion and culture technique. The islets were cultured for 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 days.

Influence of age, sex, folate and vitamin B12 status on plasma homocysteine in Saudis.

Objective: To evaluate the reference intervals for fasting total plasma homocysteine concentrations in Saudi healthy males and females in relation to age, sex and the nutritional status of folate and vitamin B12.

Methods: A prospective study was conducted on randomly selected Saudi healthy males (n=642) and females (n=784) living in the Jeddah area, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Plasma homocysteine together with serum folate and plasma vitamin B12 concentrations were determined.

Are women at an increased risk of gestational thyrotoxicosis?

Objective: To evaluate the relative importance of thyroid hormones and human chorionic gonadotropin in relation to the risk of gestational thyrotoxicosis in Saudi women living in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Methods: A prospective study was conducted on Saudi healthy pregnant women (N=406) at 12-15 weeks of gestation and compared with healthy non-pregnant controls (N=200). Maternal serum levels of free thyroxine free triiodothyronine, thyrotropin, human chorionic gonadotropin and free b-human chorionic gonadotropin together with urinary iodine excretion were determined.

Urinary iodine excretion and maternal thyroid function. During pregnancy and postpartum.

Objective: To evaluate urinary iodine excretion during the course of pregnancy and postpartum in relation to maternal and neonatal thyroid function parameters in Saudi women living in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Methods: A prospective longitudinal study was conducted on Saudi normal pregnant women during the course of pregnancy (N=80), at term and 6-10 weeks postpartum (N=65), during the period January 1997 through to December 2000. Maternal urinary iodine excretion was determined together with serum levels of total thyroxine, total tri-iodothyronine, free thyroxine, free tri-iodothyronine, thyrotropin, reverse tri-iodothyronine, thyroxine-binding globulin and thyroglobulin.