[Double-blind method of the effect of menopause symptoms, lipid profile, and endometrial thickness of continuous therapy with estradiol valerate and medroxyprogesterone acetate]

Abstract

Continuous combined therapy (CCT) using estrogens and progestagens has appeared as an alternative to avoid vaginal bleeding, which is characteristic of sequential hormone therapy, and the main reason for the stopping treatment. Irregular vaginal bleeding can occur at the beginning of treatment, but it has been observed that after a few months patients are in amenorrhea. Fifty postmenopausal women were studied in order to evaluate the clinical outcome. Half of them were treated with a product containing 2 mg estradiol valerate and 2.5 mg medroxiprogesterone acetate, while the other half received a placebo. Menopause symptomatology was recorded as described by Blatt-Kupperman, depression was evaluated with the use of Hamilton's test, lipid profile by enzymatic methods and endometrial thickness by transvaginal ultrasonography. Patients were evaluated at the beginning, third and sixth month of the study, following a double blind methodology. Symptomatology diminished both in patients under CCT and using placebo, although improvement was significantly greater in patient under CCT. Thus in the hormone treated group the Blatt-Kupperman score fell from 12.1 to 6.4 and 3.2 in the third and sixth month respectively, while in the group receiving placebo the score fell from 11.5 to 6.3 in the third month and raised to 7.4 in the sixth month. Hamilton's test showed a significant improvement of depression only in patients under hormone therapy. Nineteen out of twenty five women using CCT had vaginal bleeding, showing no changes in the endometrial thickness during the study. Finally, HDL-cholesterol was raised in 14.5% while LDL-cholesterol was lowered in 18.7% (p < 0.01).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)