HORMONE PROFILE IN PREMENSTRUAL TENSION: EFFECTS OF BROMOCRIPTINE AND DIURETICS

Abstract

The premenstrual tension syndrome (PMT) is characterized by a variety of mental symptoms and a feeling of swelling, such as abdominal bloating, breast enlargement and edema. The commonest mental symptoms are anxiety, irritability and depression. Plasma levels of prolactin, FSH [follitropin], LH [lutropin], progesterone and 17-.beta.-estradiol [E] in 20 women with premenstrual tension were compared with those in 20 controls. The former group was studied also during treatment with bromocriptine. The mean prolactin level in the PMT group was lower in the follicular phase than in the luteal phase (P < 0.01), but there was no difference between the PMT and control group in the luteal phase. No differences were found between the controls and the PMT group in FSH, LH, 17-.beta.-E and P levels in the luteal phase. Bromocripitine suppressed prolactin concentrations (P < 0.01), but had no effect on the FSH, LH, 17-.beta.-E or P levels. The diuretic used was bumetanide.