We followed 62 post-menopausal previously symptomatic women monthly during 3 months after percutaneous (0.75 to 3.0 mg/d) 17-beta estradiol percutaneous gel. Those with an intact uterus also received cyclic or continuous natural micronized progesterone, 100-200 mg/d or cyclic medroxyprogesterone acetate, 5 mg/d. During treatment all patients presenting with hot flashes or craurosis had oestradiol levels <53 pg/ml; all those with breast tenderness, oedema or leg weight had values >193 pg/ml. Symptoms were highly correlated to oestradiol (p=0,0001) and FSH levels (p=0,001) but not to LH. Assymptomatic patients showed variable hormonal levels, with superposition of values in relation to clinically hypo and hyperestrogenic groups. This points to the need of laboratory proof of adequate estrogen supplementation in assymptomatic patients during ERT. In a 22 patient subgroup, waist-hip ratio (WHR) and body mass index (BMI) monthly variation were also analyzed and correlated with clinical and laboratory status. WHR fell significantly as early as in the first month (p=0,0008); mean values fluctuated in the second month and stabilized in the third. The variation could not predict the patient's clinical status. BMI did not change significantly during the period.
Menopause; Hormonal replacement therapy; Oestradiol; FSH; Waist-hip ratio
