Endocrine changes in postmenopausal women after high-dose danazol therapy.
BACKGROUND
Purpose of the study was to investigate changes in the hormonal pattern in postmenopausal women after high dose danazol therapy. In 16 postmenopausal women (mean age 66.4 +/- 8.6) treated with danazol 1.2 g/die x21 we studied serum levels, before and after therapy, of FSH, LH, E2, fE2, T, fT, D4-A, DHEAS, SHBG.


METHODS
FSH, LH, SHBG by IRMA kits (DPC); E2, T, DHEAS, D4-A by RIA kits (Sorin Biomedica) after celite microcolumn chromatography; fT by coat-A-count kit (DPC); fE2 by equilibrium dialysis; serum albumin by bromocresol-green colorimetric methods.


RESULTS
After therapy there was a statistically significant decrease of LH by 13%, of FSH by 19%, SHBG by 84% and increase of fE2 by 24.5%, fT by 77%. Other hormones show changes that are not statistically significant.


CONCLUSIONS
In postmenopausal women danozol therapy, even if at a higher dose, has about same effect on hormonal pattern as in normally cycling women. Danazol showed a clear antigonadotropic effect and can play a role in therapy when reduction of gonadotrophins and E2 secretion is desirable.
Rigano
A
A
Department of Endocrinological Gynecology, University of Messina, Italy.
Sturlese
E
E
Rigano
M
M
Baviera
G
G
D000368:Aged; D003613:Danazol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004965:Estrogen Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006728:Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000097:blood* / Q000187:drug effects
D004965:Estrogen Antagonists; D006728:Hormones; D003613:Danazol