title: Neutral effect of prolonged transdermal hormone therapy on liver function of postmenopausal women with chronic active hepatitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To test whether transdermal hormone therapy can be safely administered to postmenopausal women with chronic viral hepatitis B and/or C.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-one postmenopausal women with chronic viral hepatitis B and/or C and with severe vasomotor symptoms were treated for 5 years with transdermal estradiol (50 microg/day) continuously and with transdermal norethisterone (250 microg/day) for 14 days of every 28-day cycle. Another 95 women with viral chronic hepatitis but without climacteric symptoms were used as controls. Liver enzymes (glutamic-oxalacetic transaminase, glutamic-pyruvic transaminase, gamma-glutamine-transferase, and alkaline phosphatase) were measured every year.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At baseline, liver enzymes were similar in the two groups, with the exception of gamma-GT, which was slightly higher in untreated women (P < 0.01). Liver enzymes did not significantly vary with time in hormone-treated and untreated women. No significant difference was observed between the two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Transdermal estradiol and norethisterone can be safely administered for a prolonged period to postmenopausal women with chronic viral B and/or C hepatitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology Obstetrics and Neonatology, Universities of Parma, Italy.
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rinaldi
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cagnacci
authors.forename: Francesco E
authors.initials: FE
authors.lastname: Pansini
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: de Aloysio
authors.forename: Maria Paola
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Sgarabotto
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bacchi-Modena
mesh_terms: D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000378:metabolism; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000378:metabolism; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D003280:Contraceptives, Oral, Synthetic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018450:Disease Progression; D004958:Estradiol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000201:enzymology*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000201:enzymology*; D006529:Hepatomegaly / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D009640:Norethindrone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017698:Postmenopause; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014463:Ultrasonography; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D003280:Contraceptives, Oral, Synthetic; D004958:Estradiol; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D009640:Norethindrone