FGM is associated with a higher risk of gynecological and obstetrical consequences, acting on women's health and also on the economy of resource limited countries. Because of migration, health professionals could interface with women who underwent FGM and have to know their related complications.

Seven patients with the adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) were studied. As a control group we used 6 surgical patients who underwent minor surgical operation (inguinal hernia). For both groups the same sample collection and analysis was used. The presence of leuktorienes (LTs) B4 and C4 and of their isomers 11-trans LTC4 and delta 6-trans-12-epi LTB4 was determined in arterial, mixed venous blood and in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid. The samples, analysed by reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC), showed a similar chromatographic picture among ARDS patients, while the control group showed no detectable amounts of LTs in BAL or blood. The distribution of these arachidonic acid metabolites in mixed venous blood, arterial blood and BAL seems to suggest pulmonary metabolism and/or inactivation. It is suggested that these mediators act as humoral factors in pathogenesis of the ARDS.

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SYNOPSIS In five patients affected by classical migraine a longitudinal study was performed, dealing with the in vitro parameters of platelet aggregation, during prodromal, attack, post‐attack and interval phases. These patterns were compared with the analysis of blood leukotrienes, carried out by use of analytical reversed phase HPLC. Presence of leukotriene C4 (LTC4) during prodromal and attack phases, corresponded to a transient inhibition of epinephrine‐induced aggregation. Recovery towards normal or increased values of platelet aggregation occurred during both post‐attack and interval phases, which were accompanied by the presence in blood of 5–12 di‐hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (5–12 DHETE) and/or leukotriene B4 (LTB4) respectively, and by their subsequent metabolic breakdown products. Hypotheses on the role of leukotrienes in the pathogenesis of migraine are discussed.