Florence Comite

Last updated

Florence Comite, MD
FComite - Headshot.jpg
Comite in 2014
Born
Florence Comite
NationalityAmerican
Occupation Medical Doctor
Employer(s)ComiteMD, Northwell Health [1]
Known forAssociate Clinical Professor Yale University School of Medicine
Title Endocrinologist
Website Official website

Florence Comite is an American endocrinologist [2] who has helped develop new therapies for osteoporosis, endometriosis, fibroid disease, and infertility. [3] She was awarded a patent for developing a new method of determining fertility in women [4] In 1990, Comite was awarded a second patent for the use of Clomifene to increase bone mass in premenopausal women. [5] Alongside her work in precision medicine and integrated medical analysis, she is also known for founding Women's Health at Yale in 1992. [6] [7] Comite is known for her work in clinical hormone research, and as the founder of Women's Health at Yale in the early 1990s.

Contents

Field of study

Comite is known for having an integrated approach to health care delivery using precision medicine. [8] [9] She has researched hormonal changes and aging, and in particular, issues of Hypogonadism (Low T) in men and how it impacts the onset of certain associated diseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease. [10]

Her research involves studying delivery systems and how they impact health outcomes; it has been her focus as a Senior Clinical and Research Adviser to the Offices of Alternative Medicine (OAM) at NIH. [11]

Education and early career

Comite graduated summa cum laude from Brooklyn College of the City University of New York Yale University School of Medicine; she was an associate clinical professor on the Yale faculty for 25 years; She founded Women's Health at Yale in 1988. [12] Comite completed a fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology, incorporating training in Medicine, Pediatrics, Gynecology and Andrology, [13] at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development at NIH. In early 1980, she was researching the use of Gonadotropin-releasing hormones to treat precocious puberty. [14] [15]

Comite had researched in the area of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). [16]

Comite has served on advisory councils and committees with the NIH, the Egyptian Ministry of Health, and on the Balance Documentary Medical Advisory Board, [17] the Age Management Medicine Group, Independent Doctors of New York, [18] and the American Fertility Society as well as Alpha Omega Alpha. [19]

Awards

Alan P. Mintz, MD Award for Clinical Excellence in Age Management Medicine, 2013. [12]

Publications

Comite has been published in the New England Journal of Medicine, [20] and the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism . [21]

In June 2013, Comite published a work focused on male menopause, entitled: "Hormonal Expression of Androgen Deficiency in Aging Men (ADAM)". [22]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anastrozole</span> Chemical compound

Anastrozole, sold under the brand name Arimidex among others, is an antiestrogenic medication used in addition to other treatments for breast cancer. Specifically it is used for hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. It has also been used to prevent breast cancer in those at high risk. It is taken by mouth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gonadotropin-releasing hormone</span> Mammalian protein found in Homo sapiens

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) is a releasing hormone responsible for the release of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) from the anterior pituitary. GnRH is a tropic peptide hormone synthesized and released from GnRH neurons within the hypothalamus. The peptide belongs to gonadotropin-releasing hormone family. It constitutes the initial step in the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis.

In medicine, precocious puberty is puberty occurring at an unusually early age. In most cases, the process is normal in every aspect except the unusually early age and simply represents a variation of normal development. There is early development of secondary sex characters and gametogenesis also starts earlier. Precocious puberty is of two types: true precocious puberty and pseudoprecocious puberty. In a minority of children with precocious puberty, the early development is triggered by a disease such as a tumor or injury of the brain.

Hypogonadism means diminished functional activity of the gonads—the testicles or the ovaries—that may result in diminished production of sex hormones. Low androgen levels are referred to as hypoandrogenism and low estrogen as hypoestrogenism. These are responsible for the observed signs and symptoms in both males and females.

Adrenarche is an early stage in sexual maturation that happens in some higher primates, typically peaks at around 20 years of age, and is involved in the development of pubic hair, body odor, skin oiliness, axillary hair, sexual attraction/sexual desire/increased libido and mild acne. During adrenarche the adrenal glands secrete increased levels of weak adrenal androgens, including dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S), and androstenedione (A4), but without increased cortisol levels. Adrenarche is the result of the development of a new zone of the adrenal cortex, the zona reticularis. Adrenarche is a process related to puberty, but distinct from hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis maturation and function.

Pubarche refers to the first appearance of pubic hair at puberty and it also marks the beginning of puberty. It is one of the physical changes of puberty and can occur independently of complete puberty. The early stage of sexual maturation, also known as adrenarche, is marked by characteristics including the development of pubic hair, axillary hair, adult apocrine body odor, acne, and increased oiliness of hair and skin. The Encyclopedia of Child and Adolescent Health corresponds SMR2 with pubarche, defining it as the development of pubic hair that occurs at a mean age of 11.6 years in females and 12.6 years in males. It further describes that pubarche's physical manifestation is vellus hair over the labia or the base of the penis. See Table 1 for the entirety of the sexual maturity rating description.

Fulvestrant, sold under the brand name Faslodex among others, is an antiestrogenic medication used to treat hormone receptor (HR)-positive metastatic breast cancer in postmenopausal women with disease progression as well as HR-positive, HER2-negative advanced breast cancer in combination with abemaciclib or palbociclib in women with disease progression after endocrine therapy. It is given by injection into a muscle.

Xenoestrogens are a type of xenohormone that imitates estrogen. They can be either synthetic or natural chemical compounds. Synthetic xenoestrogens include some widely used industrial compounds, such as PCBs, BPA, and phthalates, which have estrogenic effects on a living organism even though they differ chemically from the estrogenic substances produced internally by the endocrine system of any organism. Natural xenoestrogens include phytoestrogens which are plant-derived xenoestrogens. Because the primary route of exposure to these compounds is by consumption of phytoestrogenic plants, they are sometimes called "dietary estrogens". Mycoestrogens, estrogenic substances from fungi, are another type of xenoestrogen that are also considered mycotoxins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">McCune–Albright syndrome</span> Mosaic genetic disorder affecting the bone, skin and endocrine systems

McCune–Albright syndrome is a complex genetic disorder affecting the bone, skin and endocrine systems. It is a mosaic disease arising from somatic activating mutations in GNAS, which encodes the alpha-subunit of the Gs heterotrimeric G protein.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Triptorelin</span> GnRH-agonist

Triptorelin, sold under the brand name Decapeptyl among others, is a medication that acts as an agonist analog of gonadotropin-releasing hormone, repressing expression of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luteinizing hormone/choriogonadotropin receptor</span> Transmembrane receptor found in humans

The luteinizing hormone/choriogonadotropin receptor (LHCGR), also lutropin/choriogonadotropin receptor (LCGR) or luteinizing hormone receptor (LHR), is a transmembrane receptor found predominantly in the ovary and testis, but also many extragonadal organs such as the uterus and breasts. The receptor interacts with both luteinizing hormone (LH) and chorionic gonadotropins and represents a G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR). Its activation is necessary for the hormonal functioning during reproduction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Endocrine disease</span> Disorders of the endocrine system

Endocrine diseases are disorders of the endocrine system. The branch of medicine associated with endocrine disorders is known as endocrinology.

Feminizing hormone therapy, also known as transfeminine hormone therapy, is hormone therapy and sex reassignment therapy to change the secondary sex characteristics of transgender people from masculine or androgynous to feminine. It is a common type of transgender hormone therapy and is used to treat transgender women and non-binary transfeminine individuals. Some, in particular intersex people, but also some non-transgender people, take this form of therapy according to their personal needs and preferences.

An androgen-dependent condition, disease, disorder, or syndrome, is a medical condition that is, in part or full, dependent on, or is sensitive to, the presence of androgenic activity in the body.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aromatase excess syndrome</span> Medical condition

Aromatase excess syndrome is a rarely diagnosed genetic and endocrine syndrome which is characterized by an overexpression of aromatase, the enzyme responsible for the biosynthesis of the estrogen sex hormones from the androgens, in turn resulting in excessive levels of circulating estrogens and, accordingly, symptoms of hyperestrogenism. It affects both sexes, manifesting itself in males as marked or complete phenotypical feminization and in females as hyperfeminization.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Inborn errors of steroid metabolism</span> Medical condition

An inborn error of steroid metabolism is an inborn error of metabolism due to defects in steroid metabolism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leydig cell hypoplasia</span> Medical condition

Leydig cell hypoplasia (LCH), also known as Leydig cell agenesis, is a rare autosomal recessive genetic and endocrine syndrome affecting an estimated 1 in 1,000,000 individuals with XY chromosomes. It is characterized by an inability of the body to respond to luteinizing hormone (LH), a gonadotropin which is normally responsible for signaling Leydig cells of the testicles to produce testosterone and other androgen sex hormones. The condition manifests itself as pseudohermaphroditism, hypergonadotropic hypogonadism, reduced or absent puberty, and infertility.

Puberty blockers are medicines used to postpone puberty in children. The most commonly used puberty blockers are gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists, which suppress the natural production of sex hormones, such as androgens and estrogens. Puberty blockers are used to delay puberty in children with precocious puberty. They are also used to delay the development of unwanted secondary sex characteristics in transgender children, so as to allow transgender youth more time to explore their gender identity. The same drugs are also used in fertility medicine and to treat some hormone-sensitive cancers in adults.

Gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT), also called hormone replacement therapy (HRT) or transgender hormone therapy, is a form of hormone therapy in which sex hormones and other hormonal medications are administered to transgender or gender nonconforming individuals for the purpose of more closely aligning their secondary sexual characteristics with their gender identity. This form of hormone therapy is given as one of two types, based on whether the goal of treatment is masculinization or feminization:

The medical uses of bicalutamide, a nonsteroidal antiandrogen (NSAA), include the treatment of androgen-dependent conditions and hormone therapy to block the effects of androgens. Indications for bicalutamide include the treatment of prostate cancer in men, skin and hair conditions such as acne, seborrhea, hirsutism, and pattern hair loss in women, high testosterone levels in women, hormone therapy in transgender women, as a puberty blocker to prevent puberty in transgender girls and to treat early puberty in boys, and the treatment of long-lasting erections in men. It may also have some value in the treatment of paraphilias and hypersexuality in men.

References

  1. ↑ "Florence Comite, MD". Northwell Health.
  2. ↑ "Male Menopause Crisis Finds Solutions In Hormone Optimization Program". Red Orbit. April 24, 2007. Retrieved April 2, 2014.
  3. ↑ "Complementary and Alternative Medicine in the United States: Committee members". National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine. National Institute for Health. Retrieved April 2, 2014.
  4. ↑ using clomifene.Andrews, Edmund (April 29, 1989). "Patents; A Method to Determine Fertility in Women". New York Times. Retrieved April 2, 2014.
  5. ↑ Yale, University. "Use of clomiphene to increase bone mass in premenopausal women '13 Nov 1990'". Justia Patents. Retrieved June 11, 2015.
  6. ↑ Dunkel, Tom (January 15, 2010). "Vigor Quest". New York Times Magazine. Retrieved April 2, 2014.
  7. ↑ Curtis, John (December 11, 2013). "Florence Comite, MD'76, honored for hormone research". Yale School of Medicine. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
  8. ↑ Hutkin, Erinn (January 7, 2014). "Hormone therapies help older adults find new life". UT San Diego.
  9. ↑ Langille, Jane (March 20, 2014). "Low T: Separating Facts From Frenzy low-testosterone". MedShadow.
  10. ↑ Florence Comite, Janet Baek. "Hormonal Expression of Androgen Decline in Aging Men (ADAM)". Male Reproductive Endocrinology & Case Reports Clinical. The Endocrine Society. Archived from the original on December 2, 2020. Retrieved June 15, 2013.
  11. ↑ "Late Nights with Jim Bohannon". The Jim Bohannon Show. December 13, 2013. Archived from the original on May 20, 2014. Retrieved May 19, 2014.
  12. 1 2 Curtis, John (December 11, 2013). "Florence Comite, M.D.'76, recognized for hormone research". Yale Alumni Journal. Retrieved April 2, 2014.
  13. ↑ Urist, Jacoba (October 21, 2013). "Men Have Biological Clocks, Too". The Atlantic. Retrieved April 2, 2014.
  14. ↑ Comite, Florence; Cutler, Gordon B.; Rivier, Jean; Vale, Wylie W.; Loriaux, D. Lynn; Crowley, William F. (December 24, 1981). "Short-Term Treatment of Idiopathic Precocious Puberty with a Long-Acting Analogue of Luteinizing Hormone-Releasing Hormone". New England Journal of Medicine. 305 (26): 1546–1550. doi:10.1056/NEJM198112243052602. PMID   6458765.
  15. ↑ Sonis, William A; Florence Comite; ORA H. PESCOVITZ; KAREN HENCH; CHARLES W. RAHN; GORDON B. CUTLER Jr.; D L LORIAUX; ROBERT P. KLEIN (May 28, 1985). "Biobehavioral Aspects of Precocious Puberty". Journal of the American Academy of Child Psychiatry. 25 (5): 674–679. doi:10.1016/s0002-7138(09)60293-4. PMID   3760417.
  16. ↑ Prevention, Committee on the Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine by the American Public, Board on Health Promotion and Disease (2004). Complementary and alternative medicine in the United States ([Online-Ausg.] ed.). Washington, DC: National Academies Press. p.  321. ISBN   978-0-309-09270-8.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  17. ↑ Richards, Avis. "Balance Documentary". Birds Nest Foundation. Archived from the original on April 7, 2014. Retrieved April 2, 2014.
  18. ↑ "New York Superdoctors" (PDF). Independent Doctors of New York: IDNY.org. May 19, 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 7, 2014. Retrieved April 2, 2014.
  19. ↑ "Alpha Omega Alpha". Directory. Alpha Omega Alpha. Retrieved April 2, 2014.
  20. ↑ Comite, Florence; Fernando Cassorla; Kevin M. Barnes; Karen D. Hench; Andrew Dwyer; Marilyn C. Skerda; D. Lynn Loriaux; Gordon B. Cutler Jr; Ora H. Pescovitz (May 16, 1986). "Luteinizing Hormone Releasing Hormone Analogue Therapy for Central Precocious Puberty". Journal of the American Medical Association. 2613-2616. 255 (19): 2613. doi:10.1001/jama.1986.03370190097031.
  21. ↑ Comite, Florence. "Endocrine Press". The Endocrine Society. Archived from the original on April 2, 2014. Retrieved April 2, 2014.
  22. ↑ "Hormonal Expression of Androgen Decline in Aging Men (ADAM)". Endo 2013. June 15, 2013. Archived from the original on December 2, 2020. Retrieved May 19, 2014.
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