Menstrual disorders in patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the etiology of menstrual disorders in patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis (CHD).


METHODS
The menstrual histories, along with hormonal, biochemical, and hematological data, were investigated in 25 reproductive-aged CHD patients.


RESULTS
All subjects had had regular menstrual cycles before entering CHD therapy. Of the 20 women who developed amenorrhea after beginning CHD therapy, 8 showed a return to their regular cycles and 6 improved to oligomenorrhea, 3 months to 66 months later, while 6 remained amenorrheic. The serum prolactin (PRL) levels were significantly higher in the patients (n = 9) with normogonadotropic amenorrhea or oligomenorrhea than in patients (n = 13) with regular cycles (53.6 +/- 36.2 vs 27.8 + 15.2 ng/ml, p < 0.05). The serum LH levels were high in both groups. In a cross-sectional study, the serum PRL levels gradually decreased with longer duration of dialysis.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients undergoing CHD are likely to develop menstrual disorders. Hyperprolactinemia in part contributes to these menstrual disorders. However, menstrual disorders in CHD patients tend to improve during long-term follow-up, because of the gradual decrease in serum PRL levels during long-term CHD therapy.
Kawashima
R
R
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Kagoshima University, Japan.
Douchi
T
T
Oki
T
T
Yoshinaga
M
M
Nagata
Y
Y
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D006966:Hyperprolactinemia / Q000150:complications; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D008599:Menstruation Disturbances / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D014511:Uremia / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy
D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone