title: Clinical evaluation of a new combined oral contraceptive desogestrel--ethinylestradiol.
abstract: A clinical study was performed with a new progestogen, desogestrel, in a 0.15 mg dose associated with 0.03 mg of ethinylestradiol and was administered cyclically during 21 days; 632 cycles were evaluated in 56 women. Side-effects were scarce and generally of a mild nature. Monthly bleeding was normal and present in all cycles. Patients with irregular cycles were normalized to 28/29 days. The intermenstrual bleeding (spotting) was an isolated event in 16 cycles. Mastalgia, the most frequent symptom, disappeared spontaneously in the majority of patients. In only 2 cases was it necessary to stop medication because of side-effects. The contraceptive effect was excellent; no pregnancies occurred. A progestative effect was evident in the cervical mucus and the endometrium. The patients who started treatment with acne improved noticeably. In the mild cases, acne disappeared completely. A discrete improvement in hirsutism was reported. The body-weight variation was not significant. Biochemical studies revealed an increase in HDL-C and a decrease in the ratio LDL-C/HDL-C. Cholesterol and triglycerides did not show variations, which could indicate a lesser cardiovascular risk.
authors.affiliation: Gynecology and Human Reproduction Service, Jose Ignacio Baldo Hospital, Caracas, Venezuela.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Yabur
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alvarado
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Brito
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002582:Cervix Mucus / Q000187:drug effects; D002784:Cholesterol; D003277:Contraceptives, Oral, Combined / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017135:Desogestrel; D004717:Endometrium / Q000187:drug effects; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007989:Libido / Q000187:drug effects; D008074:Lipoproteins; D008597:Menstrual Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D008598:Menstruation / Q000187:drug effects; D009652:Norpregnenes / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014280:Triglycerides; D014621:Vagina / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D003277:Contraceptives, Oral, Combined; D008074:Lipoproteins; D009652:Norpregnenes; D014280:Triglycerides; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol; D017135:Desogestrel; D002784:Cholesterol