title: The effect of estrogen treatment on plasma concentrations of steroid hormones, gonadotropins, prolactin and sex hormone-binding globulin in post-menopausal women.
abstract: Twenty-one post-menopausal women on no other medication were treated with a low dose (0.625 mg/day) of conjugated equine estrogen (CEE) for a mean (+/- SEM) period of 2.6 +/- 0.2 mth (range 1.75-4.75). Blood samples were collected before and at the completion of therapy, and alterations in the levels of prolactin (PRL), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) and certain steroid hormones, including the free testosterone (T) index (T/SHBG) were studied. Following treatment, a significant increase in SHBG levels produced a significant decrease in the free T index (P less than 0.005). As expected, no changes were observed in the levels of PRL and steroid hormones other than estrone (E1) and estradiol-17-beta (E2). Our observations indicate that treatment of post-menopausal women with low-dose estrogen lowers the unbound T.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D004967:Estrogens / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004970:Estrone / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D006062:Gonadotropins / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D008593:Menopause; D008875:Middle Aged; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood*; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin / Q000032:analysis*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D004967:Estrogens; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D006062:Gonadotropins; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin; D004970:Estrone; D013739:Testosterone; D004958:Estradiol; D011388:Prolactin; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone