title: Effects of the repetitive administration of progesterone by nasal spray in postmenopausal women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the effects of 10 days of nasal spray P treatment on P serum levels and the endometrium.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective.
  
  
  METHODS
  University Medical School.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eight postmenopausal women received oral conjugated estrogens at a daily dose of 0.625 mg for 4 weeks immediately before vaginal surgery for prolapse. For the first 9 of the last 10 days the patients also received a nasal spray dosage of 11.2 mg P three times a day; on the 10th day they received only one dose.
  
  
  METHODS
  Blood samples were taken at 8:00 A.M. on treatment days 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, and 11 to follow P serum concentration levels. Endometrial samples for histologic examination were collected before P administration and immediately after surgery to evaluate the end-organ effect.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean P serum levels increased sixfold after 9 days of nasal spray P administration [from 0.612 +/- 0.280 ng/mL (1.958 +/- 0.896 nmol/L) to 3.925 +/- 1.553 ng/mL (12.560 +/- 4.970 nmol/L)] and declined thereafter, returning to the before treatment levels 24 hours after the last administration. In all subjects, the first histologic evaluation showed proliferative endometrium; the second showed clear secretive changes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Repetitive nasal spray P administration for 10 days in postmenopausal women led to increasing P serum levels and, when the estrogen stimulation was adequate, to secretory changes in the endometrium (end-organ effect).
authors.affiliation: Cattedra di Patologia Ostetrica e Ginecologica, University of Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cicinelli
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cignarelli
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Resta
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Scorcia
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Petruzzi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Santoro
mesh_terms: D000281:Administration, Intranasal; D004717:Endometrium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause; D011374:Progesterone / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014596:Uterine Prolapse / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone