cyproterone and Hemorrhage

Bleeding and climacteric symptoms were recorded in two groups of postmenopausal women receiving either continuous combined estradiol and norethisterone acetate or estradiol and cyproterone acetate. Out of a sample of 99 postmenopausal women aged 45 to 54 years, 86 completed a 2-year, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Comparison of the bleeding patterns in the two groups revealed a statistically significant difference: More women in the estradiol-cyproterone acetate group experienced bleeding and for a longer duration. Thirteen women in the estradiol-norethisterone acetate group were amenorrheic, compared with two in the other group. The Kupperman index score in both groups declined to about 30% to 40% of initial values (p less than 0.001). The hot flushes in both treatment groups decreased to a highly significant degree (p less than 0.001), to a value below 20% of baseline values. We conclude that a continuous combination of estrogen and progestogen can produce amenorrhea and symptomatic relief. However, the progestogen components seem to differ in their ability to control bleeding.

Topics: Amenorrhea; Androgen Antagonists; Cyproterone; Cyproterone Acetate; Double-Blind Method; Drug Therapy, Combination; Estradiol; Estrogen Replacement Therapy; Female; Hemorrhage; Humans; Menopause; Middle Aged; Norethindrone; Patient Compliance

Serum lipids and lipoproteins were studied in 76 healthy postmenopausal women treated for 1 year with either oestradiol valerate sequentially combined with the anti-androgenic progestogen cyproterone acetate (CPA) or placebo. The women were examined every 3 months between days 18 and 21 of the tablet cycle, where the progestogen had been added to the oestrogen for at least 6 days. Combined oestrogen-CPA therapy resulted in significantly reduced levels of total serum cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol at all examinations, but serum triglycerides and HDL-cholesterol levels were similar in the two groups. Total serum cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol were reduced by approximately 5% (P less than 0.01) and 8% (P less than 0.01), respectively, after 1 year of combined oestrogen-CPA therapy in comparison with both the initial values and the placebo group but serum triglycerides and HDL-cholesterol levels were unchanged in both groups.

Topics: Androgen Antagonists; Cholesterol, HDL; Cholesterol, LDL; Cyproterone; Cyproterone Acetate; Drug Combinations; Estradiol; Estrogens, Conjugated (USP); Female; Hemorrhage; Humans; Lipids; Menopause; Middle Aged; Vaginal Diseases