title: Suitability of cyproterone acetate in the treatment of osteoporosis associated with athletic amenorrhea.
abstract: The effectiveness of the antiandrogenic agent cyproterone acetate (CA) in its contraceptive form (2 mg CA + 50 micrograms ethinyl estradiol) in the treatment of osteoporosis associated with athletic amenorrhea was studied in seven high-performance athletes. Four women with similar characteristics served as controls. Their mean age was 21.9 years +/- 3.9. Training was started at a mean age of 14.0 years +/- 2.0. The mean training intensity expressed as kilometers run per week was 35 +/- 15. Mineral density was primarily affected by the hypoestrogenic status of these athletes (= 22 pg/ml +/- 8.8 in the midluteal phase). All participants showed low serum progesterone (= 2.85 ng/ml +/- 2.10) and LH profiles (= 5.6 mlU/ml +/- 0.8) during the midluteal phase. Cyproterone acetate was administered for 8 months to treat the increased bone loss in seven women athletes. Vertebral density appeared to be increased with 9.5% +/- 2.45% (mean +/- SD) while cortical base mineral content measured at the radius was not significantly changed. Our results demonstrate that cyproterone acetate administered in combination with estrogens provides a suitable therapeutic agent in the management of osteoporosis due to a hypoestrogenic status. This treatment could substitute other contraceptive agents. Moreover, women with the most severe estrogen deficiency showed a more pronounced reaction to this therapy.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Physical Education, Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: De Crée
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lewin
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ostyn
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000568:Amenorrhea / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000378:metabolism; D003534:Cyproterone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017373:Cyproterone Acetate; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D008903:Minerals / Q000378:metabolism; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood; D013177:Sports
chemical_list: D008903:Minerals; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol; D011374:Progesterone; D017373:Cyproterone Acetate; D004958:Estradiol; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D003534:Cyproterone