Efficacy of pulsed estrogen therapy in relatively younger patients with surgically induced menopause.
BACKGROUND
Pulsed estrogen therapy is a new approach in estrogen replacement therapy. We carried out a prospective study to evaluate the efficacy of pulsed estrogen therapy in relatively younger patients with surgically induced menopause.


METHODS
Patients (n=138) <45 years old and suffering from severe vasomotor symptoms secondary to surgically induced menopause were included in the study. After the initiation of pulsed estrogen therapy (300 microg/day), the patients were re-evaluated every 4 weeks. The dose was increased at each follow-up, if necessary (to a maximum of 600 microg/day). The patients who preferred another method after the first 12 weeks were prescribed oral conjugated estrogen (0.625 mg/day) and at the end of the second 12 weeks their satisfaction levels were assessed.


RESULTS
At the end of the first 12 weeks, 26 patients were completely satisfied (18.8%) and 47 were moderately satisfied (34.1%), whereas 65 concluded that the pulsed estrogen therapy they received was ineffective (47.1%). At the end of the second 12 weeks, all the patients were completely satisfied.


CONCLUSIONS
Pulsed estrogen therapy for 12 weeks reduced the frequency of hot flushes in relatively younger patients with surgically induced menopause; however, 81.2% of patients were not completely satisfied at the end of this period.
Yesildaglar
N
N
Zübeyde Hn Women's Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. Nerter@turk.net
Erkaya
S
S
Uygur
D
D
Göl
K
K
Bingöl
B
B
Günenç
Z
Z
D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy / Q000379:methods; D004967:Estrogens / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D005483:Flushing / Q000188:drug therapy; D013509:Gynecologic Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D008593:Menopause; D009330:Nebulizers and Vaporizers; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D020551:Pulse Therapy, Drug; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D004967:Estrogens