title: Endocrine changes in postmenopausal women after high-dose danazol therapy.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinological Gynecology, University of Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rigano
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sturlese
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rigano
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Baviera
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D004965:Estrogen Antagonists; D006728:Hormones; D003613:Danazol