HORMONAL PROFILES IN POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN AFTER THERAPY WITH SUBCUTANEOUS IMPLANTS

Abstract

Plasma hormones were estimated in 24 postmenopausal patients who were castrated. Each was given a s.c. implant of either 100 or 50 mg of estradiol, or 50 mg of estradiol with 100 mg of testosterone or 200 mg of testosterone. Plasma hormone estimations were repeated at 2 wk, 1 mo. and then monthly for up to 12 mo. Plasma follicle stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone concentrations fell at 2 wk after all implants containing estradiol. Plasma testosterone concentrations rose from a mean concentration 1.0 to 5.0 and 6.7 nmol/l after implants of 100 and 200 mg testosterone, respectively. Implants containing estradiol caused the pretreatment ratio of the concentrations of estrone to estradiol to change from 2:1 to 1:2. The implant of 100 mg of estradiol caused the plasma estradiol concentration to rise to a mean value of 602.3 pmol/l and those of estrone to rise to 356.7 pmol/l. The more commonly used implants contain 50 mg of estradiol and these caused the mean concentration of plasma estradiol to rise to 346.7 pmol/l and estrone to rise to 233.9 pmol/l. These values compare favorably with those attained after oral estrogen therapy.