[Luteal insufficiency and elevation of sex-binding proteins by demegestone]

Demegestone, a norprogesterone derivative, was administered during the luteal phase in 6 normally ovulatory women and in 10 patients with luteal insufficiency. Demegestone decreased the LH surge and the plasma concentrations of estradiol and progesterone in the normally ovulatory women and did not modify the binding capacity of sex steroid binding protein (SBP). In the patients with luteal insufficiency, demegestone increased significantly SBP (0.94 +/- 0.24 vs 1.32 +/- 0.56 micrograms/dl, p less than 0.05) and decreased the free testosterone index (T/SBP) (38.8 +/- 33.3 vs 25.4 +/- 18.5, p less than 0.05). Transcortin, was unchanged during demegestone treatment in both groups of women. The results showed that demegestone did not exercise androgenic activity on SBP conversely to the nortestosterone derivatives which decrease SBP and confirmed that progesterone and norprogesterone derivatives influence positively the regulation of SBP.