Increased endometrial thickness in women with hypertension.
OBJECTIVE
We noticed an increase in endometrial thickness in women with hypertension who were treated with a combination of medications, including beta-blockers. The purpose of this study was to examine whether the endometrium of hypertensive women is thicker than that of healthy women and to determine whether endometrial thickening in hypertensive women is directly related to the antihypertensive beta-blocker treatment.


METHODS
We compared 3 groups of postmenopausal patients as follows: (1) women with a history of essential hypertension treated with a combination of medications, including beta-blockers; (2) women with a history of hypertension treated with a combination of medications that did not include beta-blockers; and (3) healthy women without hypertension. All patients were interviewed and examined, blood tests were performed, and endometrial thickness in the anterior-posterior diameter was measured by vaginal ultrasonography. Among the exclusion criteria were diabetes or an abnormal fasting blood glucose level, obesity, hormonal medication or replacement hormonal therapy during the previous 6 months, and a history of hormonal disturbances, infertility, or polycystic ovary syndrome.


RESULTS
Of 45 hypertensive women enrolled in the study, 22 were treated with a beta-blocker combination medication and 23 were treated with other antihypertensive medications. They were compared with 25 healthy women. There was no statistically significant difference in endometrial thickness between women treated with medications, including beta-blockers, and those who were treated with other hypotensive agents. Twenty percent of women with hypertension and none of the healthy women had endometrium >5 mm thick (P <.017; odds ratio, 8.22; 95% confidence interval, 1.22-infinity).


CONCLUSIONS
Twenty percent of hypertensive postmenopausal women were found to have increased endometrial thickness. However, we were unable to substantiate an association between the type of treatment administered, whether beta-blockers were included, and the increase in endometrial thickness.
Bornstein
J
J
Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Carmel Medical Center, Haifa, Israel.
Auslender
R
R
Goldstein
S
S
Kohan
R
R
Stolar
Z
Z
Abramovici
H
H
D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000368:Aged; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015992:Body Mass Index; D004717:Endometrium / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D014463:Ultrasonography
D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents