Open AccessPeripheral Hormone Levels and the Endometrial Condition in Postmenopausal Women
Author(s) -
Brody S.,
Carlström K.,
Uexküll A.K.,
Lagrelius A.,
Lunell N.O.,
Rosenborg L.
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
acta obstetricia et gynecologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.401
H-Index - 102
eISSN - 1600-0412
pISSN - 0001-6349
DOI - 10.3109/00016348309154230
Subject(s) - estrone , medicine , endometrium , endocrinology , dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate , endometrial hyperplasia , testosterone (patch) , hormone , prolactin , hydroxyprogesterone , hyperplasia , steroid , androgen
. Thirteen postmenopausal women with benign endometrial changes including proliferative, secretory and polypous endometrium, endometrial hyperplasia and atypia (group I) and 13 randomly selected age‐matched controls with normal atrophic endometrium (group II) were studied with respect to serum levels of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHA) and its sulfate (DHAS), testosterone, total estrone, estradiol‐17β, progesterone, FSH and prolactin. Serum levels of DHA, DHAS, testosterone and total estrone were significantly higher in group I than in group II; otherwise no significant differences Were found. Mean values for body weight and for Broca's index, respectively, were almost identical in the two groups. It is speculated that the adrenal androgens may affect the endometrium in two ways, viz. via peripheral conversion to estrogens and/or via direct interaction with endometrial steroid receptors. The results give further support to the hypothesis of an association between adrenocortical hyper‐activity and endometrial abnormalities including endometrial carcinoma.