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Obstetrics & Gynecology 2001;98:1053-1058
© 2001 by The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
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ORIGINAL RESEARCH

Transdermal Hormone Replacement Therapy in Postmenopausal Women With Uterine Leiomyomas

Stefano Palomba, MD, Teresa Sena, MD, Roberto Noia, MD, Costantino Di Carlo, MD, Fulvio Zullo, MD and Pasquale Mastrantonio, MD

From the Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Catanzaro, Catanzaro; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Gynecology, Obstetrics, and Human Reproduction, University of Naples "Federico II," Naples; and University of Messina, Messina, Italy.

Address reprint requests to: Stefano Palomba, MD, Via Nicolardi 188, 80131 Napoli, Italy; E-mail: stefanopalomba{at}tin.it.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of transdermal hormone replacement therapy (HRT) on uterine and leiomyoma size and on uterine bleeding patterns in postmenopausal women with uterine leiomyomas.

METHODS: The required sample size was calculated to be 30 subjects per group to detect an effect on the size of one standard deviation (SD) with an {alpha} value of 0.05 (two-sided) and a power 1 {delta} = 0.8. At the end of the study, the power analysis showed a value of ß = 0.826. Seventy postmenopausal women with uterine leiomyomas were enrolled and treated for 12 cycles of 28 days each with transdermal 17 ß-estradiol (E2) patches plus oral medroxyprogesterone acetate continuously added (group A) or with calcium carbonate (group B). At entry and every three cycles, uterine and leiomyoma dimensions were measured by trans-vaginal ultrasonography. To evaluate the effect of trans-dermal HRT on the characteristics of uterine bleeding, 35 healthy postmenopausal women without uterine leiomyomas (group C) were enrolled and treated with the same regimen as group A. A daily diary was used to record the abnormal uterine bleeding episodes, and a rank scale was used to assess the severity of bleeding.

RESULTS: There were no significant changes in mean uterine or leiomyoma size between groups A and B, or in each group compared with basal values. No significant difference was detected between groups A and C in uterine bleeding patterns.

CONCLUSION: Transdermal HRT did not increase the size of uterine leiomyomas or affect uterine bleeding patterns in postmenopausal women.




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 JWatch Women's HealthHome page
Postmenopausal HT Does Not Increase Size of Leiomyomas
Journal Watch Women's Health, February 5, 2002; 2002(205): 8 - 8.
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