title: Endometrial polyps during menopause: characterization and significance.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To characterize postmenopausal women with endometrial polyps and to evaluate their significance.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study population included all consecutive postmenopausal patients with a diagnosis of endometrial polyp, treated at our center over a two-year period. Demographic, medical and gynecological data were assessed with regard to the endometrial histologic findings.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 146 eligible patients, 15 had endometrial hyperplasia (four with atypia); there were no cases of endometrial carcinoma. The 20 patients (13.7%) using hormone replacement therapy had a significantly higher rate of endometrial hyperplasia than non-hormone users (p<0.006). No differences were observed among the endometrial histological categories for any of the presenting symptoms and signs, ultrasonographic findings, or medical histories.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Postmenopausal endometrial polyp is a common, mostly benign entity. However, the relatively high rate of concomitant endometrial hyperplasia, especially in patients receiving hormone replacement therapy, dictates a thorough histological evaluation in all cases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Rabin Medical Center, Petah Tiqva, Israel.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Orvieto
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bar-Hava
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dicker
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bar
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ben-Rafael
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Neri
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D004717:Endometrium / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006965:Hyperplasia; D008875:Middle Aged; D011127:Polyps / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D017698:Postmenopause; D012189:Retrospective Studies