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Effect of the levonorgestrel‐releasing intrauterine system on the uterine artery pulsatility index in postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy
Author(s) -
Järvelä I.,
Raudaskoski T.,
Tekay A.,
Jouppila P.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
ultrasound in obstetrics and gynecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.202
H-Index - 141
eISSN - 1469-0705
pISSN - 0960-7692
DOI - 10.1046/j.1469-0705.1997.10050350.x
Subject(s) - medicine , levonorgestrel , uterine artery , hormone replacement therapy (female to male) , estrogen , transdermal , progestin , endocrinology , gynecology , population , pregnancy , gestation , testosterone (patch) , pharmacology , environmental health , biology , family planning , research methodology , genetics
The aim of this study was to determine the effect of continuous intrauterine release of progestin on the uterine artery pulsatility index (PI) in women on postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy (HRT). The voluntary participants, 13 symptomatic postmenopausal women, received transdermal estradiol (50 µg/day) for 1 month before combining the levonorgestrel‐releasing (20 µg/day) intrauterine system (LNG‐IUS) with estrogen replacement therapy. The PI of uterine artery Mood flow was measured by transvaginal color Doppler ultrasonography before the onset of HRT, 1 month after the treatment with estradiol (estradiol‐only phase) and 1, 3 and 6 months after insertion of the LNG‐IUS. The mean uterine artery PI decreased significantly from its pretreatment level after 1 month of transdermal estradiol treatment ( p < 0.05), but the LNG‐IUS induced an increase in PI, and 6 months after its insertion the PI did not differ significantly from the pretreatment level ( p > 0.05). Compared with the estradiol‐only phase, the last measurement of the PI was significantly increased ( p < 0.05). The results suggest that continuous intrauterine release of levonorgestrel abolishes the vasodilatory effect on the uterine arteries accomplished by post‐menopausal estradiol treatment. Copyright © 1997 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology