[Estrogenic effects after 14-days administration of 0.06 mg ethinyl estradiol in postmenopausal women]

The effect of a 26 day oestrogen-gestogene sequence therapy on double endometrium thickness, uterus size, blood flow in the uterine blood vessels (pulsatility and resistance index), serum concentration of FSH, LH and SHBG and on vaginal cytology of postmenopausal women was tested double-blind in a placebo-controlled trial. Thirteen postmenopausal women received 0.06 mg ethinyloestradiol (EE2) over 14 days and then a 12 day combination treatment with 0.04 mg EE2 and 0.125 mg levonorgestrel. Eight women received placebo treatment over 26 days. In each group, half the women were less, and half were more than 10 years postmenopausal. The above parameters were unchanged in the placebo group. However, in the verum group, the double endometrium thickness increased from 2 mm to about 6 mm after a 7 day treatment with EE2 and after a further treatment week with EE2, increased another millimeter. There was no obvious difference in the treatment groups between women less than ten years after menopause or more than ten years after menopause. Blood flow in the uterine artery increased significantly (decrease in pulsatility and resistance index by about 50%). Again, there did not seem to be any obvious connection with the menopausal interval. FSH decreased after the first treatment week by about 50% and 65% after the second treatment week. There was no significant decrease in LH. SHBG increased by about a factor of 5. An oestrogen effect could be demonstrated in the vaginal cytology of all cases in the verum group.