Topical progesterone cream has antiproliferative effect on estrogen-stimulated endometrium - Abstracts: recently published abstracts - Abstract

Alternative Medicine Review, Oct, 2001

Objective: Transdermal progesterone cream (PC) has become a popular alternative to hormone replacement therapy despite the lack of control trials. We designed a study to determine the effect of topical PC on the estrogen-stimulated endometrium of post-menopausal women. Method: Healthy postmenopausal women underwent an initial EMB after 14 days of oral estrogens only (0.625 mg conjugated equine estrogen [CEE]). Subjects then were randomized to 4 weeks of daily CEE with twice-daily application of vaginal or topical PC in various concentrations (placebo, 1.5%, 4%). A final EMB was performed after the 4 weeks of CEE and PC treatment. The EMBs were scored as to the degree of proliferation (EPS). The pretreatment and posttreatment EPS then were compared by ANOVA of ranks. Results: Fifty-eight women finished the study. The average age was 55.2 years, body mass index (BMI) was 26.7 kg/m(2), and years since menopause was 6.2. All routes and concentrations of PC resulted in significant decrease in EPS from pretreatment and posttreatment EMB (P <0.05). Both topical and vaginal placebo groups showed no difference in their EPS pretreatment and posttreatment EMB. Aversion to the application of PC was 35% in the vaginal group versus 0% in the topical group. Conclusion: Topical and vaginal application of progesterone cream appears to have an antiproliferative effect on the endometrium. Patients preferred the topical application of progesterone cream

Anasti JN, Leonetti HB, Wilson KJ. Obstet Gynecol 2001;97:S10.