Once and twice a week transdermal estradiol delivery systems: clinical efficacy and plasma estrogen levels.
We compared the clinical efficacy and circulating estrogen levels from two transdermal delivery systems, 'drug-in-adhesive' type, in 20 healthy postmenopausal women. Both patches, developed by Beta Pharmaceutical Laboratories in Argentina, deliver estradiol at a rate of 50 micrograms/day; the replacement frequency of system A (TrialSat) was twice a week and for system B (TrialSat LA) once a week. The women were treated for 180 days, in a continuous regimen, with additional oral medroxyprogesterone acetate 5 mg/day for 14 days of each cycle. Blood samples were taken at the end of the wearing period: the 3rd day for Group A and the 7th day for Group B, to determine levels of estradiol, estrone, non-sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG)-bound estradiol and SHBG. Both treatments had similar clinical efficacy and were well tolerated. Plasma estradiol levels were higher in Group A throughout the study, probably owing to the different sampling times. SHBG and non-SHBG-bound estradiol were unchanged in both groups. As there was a similar performance of both delivery systems, the 7-day patch may be preferable, and produce greater compliance.
Siseles
N O
NO
Climacteric Section, Gynecology Division, French Hospital, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Benencia
H
H
Mesch
V
V
Gutierrez
P
P
Novelli
J A
JA
D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D004958:Estradiol / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood*; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy; D004970:Estrone / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017258:Medroxyprogesterone Acetate / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause; D011485:Protein Binding; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin / Q000378:metabolism
D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin; D004970:Estrone; D004958:Estradiol; D017258:Medroxyprogesterone Acetate