title: One-year therapy with 10mg/day DHEA alone or in combination with HRT in postmenopausal women: effects on hormonal milieu.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects on hormonal milieu of 1-year therapy with 10 mg/day oral dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) or 50 microg transdermal estradiol plus 100 mg/day oral micronized progesterone in a group of 20 healthy postmenopausal women (age=50-58 and years since menopause (ysm)=1-6) and also the effects observed by combining these two therapies in a group of 12 postmenopausal women (age=54-61 and ysm=6-10) characterized by lower baseline DHEA and DHEAS levels (<2.40 and <0.55 microg/ml, respectively). DHEA produced a significant rise in androgens levels, whereas HRT did not. Moreover, DHEA alone induced a significantly lower increase in estrogens and beta-endorphin levels and a higher decrease in cortisol levels than HRT. DHEA and HRT also produced a significant similar increase in allopregnanolone levels. DHEA plus HRT induced a significantly higher increase in testosterone and estradiol and a lower increase in allopregnanolone and beta-endorphin levels and a significantly lower decrease in cortisol levels than HRT alone treated group. A similar increase was observed in progesterone and SHBG levels in all groups. These results suggest that 10-mg DHEA seems to be the proper dose to replace androgen deficiency in subjects with reduced Delta-5 androgens plasma levels. However, the aging process and the number of years since menopause may further modulate the effects of hormone therapy on hormonal milieu.
authors.affiliation: Department of Reproductive Medicine and Child Development, Division of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pluchino
authors.forename: Filippo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ninni
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stomati
authors.forename: Letizia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Freschi
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Casarosa
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Valentino
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Luisi
authors.forename: Alessandro D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Genazzani
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Potì
authors.forename: Andrea R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Genazzani
mesh_terms: D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000284:Administration, Oral; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004958:Estradiol / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D011280:Pregnanolone / Q000097:blood; D011374:Progesterone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D013256:Steroids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D013256:Steroids; D013739:Testosterone; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol; D011280:Pregnanolone