Estradiol and testosterone levels are lower after oophorectomy than after natural menopause.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to compare hormone levels between women who became postmenopausal after a prophylactic bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, and women who became postmenopausal in a natural way.


METHODS
In this cross-sectional study, we investigated estradiol, testosterone, SHBG, IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 levels in 35 surgically and 40 naturally postmenopausal women.


RESULTS
Serum samples were drawn at a mean age of 45.9 years for women with surgical menopause and at 56.5 years for women with natural menopause. Mean estradiol levels declined 1.4 pmol/l per year in both menopausal groups, however, at an 11.1 pmol/l lower level for women with surgical menopause. Testosterone levels of naturally postmenopausal women remained stable at a level of 0.89 nmol/l, while testosterone levels of the surgically postmenopausal women declined 0.04 nmol/l per year.


CONCLUSIONS
For IGF-1, IGFBP-3 and SHBG, no differences were found between surgically and naturally postmenopausal women. Lower estradiol levels of surgically as compared to naturally postmenopausal women seem to be fully explained by the earlier onset of menopause in combination with the same age-related decrease. However, a decrease in testosterone levels seems to occur in oophorectomized women only, suggesting postmenopausal activity of ovaries in situ.
Korse
Catharina M
CM
Department of Clinical Chemistry, The Netherlands Cancer Institute-Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Hospital, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. t.korse@nki.nl
Bonfrer
Johannes M G
JM
van Beurden
Marc
M
Verheijen
René H M
RH
Rookus
Matti A
MA
D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3 / Q000097:blood; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism; D008593:Menopause / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010052:Ovariectomy; D010053:Ovary; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000097:blood*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin / Q000378:metabolism; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood*
D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin; D013739:Testosterone; D004958:Estradiol; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I