title: Bleeding patterns during continuous combined estrogen-progestogen therapy.
abstract: Bleeding and climacteric symptoms were recorded in two groups of postmenopausal women receiving either continuous combined estradiol and norethisterone acetate or estradiol and cyproterone acetate. Out of a sample of 99 postmenopausal women aged 45 to 54 years, 86 completed a 2-year, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Comparison of the bleeding patterns in the two groups revealed a statistically significant difference: More women in the estradiol-cyproterone acetate group experienced bleeding and for a longer duration. Thirteen women in the estradiol-norethisterone acetate group were amenorrheic, compared with two in the other group. The Kupperman index score in both groups declined to about 30% to 40% of initial values (p less than 0.001). The hot flushes in both treatment groups decreased to a highly significant degree (p less than 0.001), to a value below 20% of baseline values. We conclude that a continuous combination of estrogen and progestogen can produce amenorrhea and symptomatic relief. However, the progestogen components seem to differ in their ability to control bleeding.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Chemistry, Glostrup Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Marslew
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Riis
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Christiansen
mesh_terms: D000568:Amenorrhea / Q000139:chemically induced; D000726:Androgen Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003534:Cyproterone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017373:Cyproterone Acetate; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000139:chemically induced*; D006801:Humans; D008593:Menopause / Q000187:drug effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D009640:Norethindrone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010349:Patient Compliance
chemical_list: D000726:Androgen Antagonists; D017373:Cyproterone Acetate; D004958:Estradiol; D003534:Cyproterone; D009640:Norethindrone