Efficacy of pulsed estrogen therapy in relatively younger patients with surgically induced menopause

Abstract

Background: Pulsed estrogen therapy is a new approach in estrogen replacement therapy. We carried out a prospective study to evaluate the efficacy of pulsed estrogen therapy in relatively younger patients with surgically induced menopause. Methods: Patients (n = 138) <45 years old and suffering from severe vasomotor symptoms secondary to surgically induced menopause were included in the study. After the initiation of pulsed estrogen therapy (300 μg/day), the patients were re-evaluated every 4 weeks. The dose was increased at each follow-up, if necessary (to a maximum of 600 μg/day). The patients who preferred another method after the first 12 weeks were prescribed oral conjugated estrogen (0.625 mg/day) and at the end of the second 12 weeks their satisfaction levels were assessed. Results: At the end of the first 12 weeks, 26 patients were completely satisfied (18.8%) and 47 were moderately satisfied (34.1%), whereas 65 concluded that the pulsed estrogen therapy they received was ineffective (47.1%). At the end of the second 12 weeks, all the patients were completely satisfied. Conclusion: Pulsed estrogen therapy for 12 weeks reduced the frequency of hot flushes in relatively younger patients with surgically induced menopause; however, 81.2% of patients were not completely satisfied at the end of this period.