B.-M. Landgren

Morphometric analysis of the human endometrium in relation to peripheral hormone levels

Twelve indices were quantitated at three sites in 68 endometrial biopsies from 14 women in five cycles each in which daily plasma levels of luteinizing hormone (LH), estradiol (E 2 ), and progesterone (P) were measured. It was found that a single biopsy specimen is representative of the entire endometrium. Using classic dating, 59% of the biopsies were correct. The error rate increased with the distance from the LH surge. The morphometric indices revealed significant differences among all 48-hour secretory phase periods except days LH +7 to LH +10. The glandular diameter was positively correlated with proliferative phase E 2 levels and with secretory phase P levels; the latter were negatively correlated with stromal mitoses. Basal vacuoles were negatively correlated with E 2 and positively with P levels.

Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic Effects of Small Doses of Norethisterone Released from Vaginal Rings Continuously During 90 Days

The pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic effects of norethisterone (17 α-ethinyl-17β-hydroxy-4-estren-3-one; NET) released continuously from vaginal devices at a rate of 50 μg/24 h and 200 μg/24 h, respectively, were investigated during a 90-day period in two groups of seven women each with regular menstrual periods. Blood samples were taken three times weekly (mondays, Wednesdays, and fridays) during a control cycle and during the entire study period for the estimation of estradiol, progesterone, and NET levels, and hourly blood samples were collected throughout a 24-hour period after 6 weeks of exposure to assess the short term variation in NET levels. In addition, an endometrial biopsy was taken on days 21–23 of the control cycle and after 6 and 10 weeks with the device in situ.

The interaction between sex hormone binding globulin and levonorgestrel released from vaginal rings in women

The levels of levonorgestrel (L-NOG), progesterone and estradiol were measured in plasma samples of 17 normally menstruating women during a control cycle and during a subsequent period (90 days) with a L-NOG-releasing vaginal ring. During days 38-66 after the insertion of the vaginal ring the concentrations of sex hormone binding globulin binding sites (hereafter: SHBG levels) were also assayed. Significant correlations were found not only between the corresponding levels of SHBG and L-NOG during exposure to the latter compound (r = 0.44; P less than 0.05), but also between the levels of SHBG in the control cycle and the levels of L-NOG measured during exposure (r = 0.60; P less than 0.01). Furthermore, the decrease in SHBG levels during the vaginal administration of L-NOG was directly proportional to the levels of SHBG in the pretreatment cycle (r = 0.64; P less than 0.01). A significant relationship was found between the levels of L-NOG (and, hence - indirectly - the levels of SHBG) and the degree of suppression of ovarian function. Thus the levels of L-NOG were lower (P less than 0.01) in the subjects (n = 8) with an apparently normal or partially suppressed ovulatory-like pattern of progesterone than in those subjects (n = 9) in whom progesterone levels were completely suppressed.

Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic effects of vaginal rings releasing levonorgestrel at a rate of 27 μg/24 hours: A pilot study

The pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic effects of vaginal rings releasing levonorgestrel (L-NOG) at an initial rate of 27 μg/24 h were studied in a group of 12 normally menstruating women during 90 days of continuous use (i.e., during three 30-day treatment segments). Blood samples were drawn immediately before insertion, 15 and 30 min, as well as 1, 2, 4, 8, 12 and 24 h after insertion of the rings, and thereafter three times weekly throughout the study for the analysis of L-NOG, estradiol, progesterone and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG). Endometrial biopsies were obtained for a morpho-metric analysis in a pre-treatment (control) cycle and in the 6th and 10th weeks of treatment. The peak of average L-NOG levels was reached within two hours after the insertion of rings. Until 24 h after insertion, the levels did not change significantly. Thereafter, a decrease at a rate of 0.2% per day was initiated. The L-NOG and SHBG levels were highly correlated. This was seen for both the pre-treatment SHBG vs L-NOG (r = 0.96) and the treatment SHBG vs L-NOG levels (r = 0.92). There was a significant (p < 0.001) decrease of SHBG levels due to treatment. During the total of 36 treatment segments, a normal ovarian function was seen in 47% of the segments. The women were anovulatory and had an inadequate lutal function in 28% and 25% of segments, respectively. No correlation between the L-NOG levels and ovarian reaction to treatment was found. The use of L-NOG induced significant changes in the endometrium; the number of glands/mm2 decreased after 6 (p < 0.02) and 10 weeks of use (p<0.01). Also, the diameter of glands and the occurrence of vacuolated cells decreased significantly (p < 0.02 and p < 0.005, respectively). None of the endometrial parameters or dating was correlated with the ovarian reaction to treatment, indicating independent endometrial effects of L-NOG.

Pharmacodynamic effects of ethinyl estradiol in women using vaginal devices releasing small doses of levonorgestrel at a constant rate

Eight normally menstruating women were provided with vaginal devices releasing levonorgestrel (NOG)4) at a constant rate of 20 micrograms/24 h. On day 71 or 72 following the insertion of the device, oral doses of 50 micrograms of ethinyl estradiol (EE) were administered daily for one week. Peripheral blood samples were drawn three times weekly during a pretreatment (control) cycle and from day 29 of the treatment period. The levels of progesterone (P), estradiol (E2) and NOG were measured by radioimmunoassay, sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) by a steady state polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and the percentage of binding of NOG, testosterone (T) and E2 by equilibrium dialysis of diluted plasma. An endometrial smear and a biopsy were taken from each subject on 3 occasions, viz. during the control cycle (cycle day 20-22), during the period with the NOG-releasing device in situ (44-50 days after the insertion of the device), and on the 7th day of concomitant EE administration.

Pituitary, ovarian and endometrial effects of graded doses of medroxyprogesterone acetate administered on cycle days 7 to 10

Eighteen apparently healthy women with normal menstrual cycles were studied during a control cycle and then during a treatment cycle, in which graded doses (2.5, 5.0 and 10 mg/day) of medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) were administered orally on cycle days 7 to 10. In both the control and the treatment cycle peripheral blood was drawn daily for the assay of luteinizing hormone (LH), estradiol (E2) and progesterone (PROG) and an endometrial biopsy was taken on cycle day 11. The lowest dose of MPA (2.5 mg X 4) did not influence the various cycle characteristics. Administration of higher doses (5.0 or 10 mg X 4) resulted in a lengthening of the duration of E2-peak (P less than 0.05), an increase in the area under the E2-peak (P less than 0.05), a decrease in the area under the PROG-curve (P less than 0.05) and a reduction in the height of the LH-peak (P less than 0.05). Furthermore, in 5 of these 12 subjects there was no ovulatory-like PROG-pattern during the cycle in which MPA was administered for 4 days. Morphometric analysis of the endometrial biopsy specimens revealed that the administration of MPA increased the diameter of endometrial glands (P less than 0.01) and the number of vacuolated glandular cells (P less than 0.001), decreased the number of glandular (P less than 0.01) and stromal (P less than 0.05) mitoses and reduced pseudostratification (P less than 0.001). There was no change in the number of endometrial glands and in glandular epithelial height. No leukocytic infiltration was observed. Dating of the biopsies indicated that all control biopsies were proliferative and all, but one (a suppressed proliferation including predecidual reaction), biopsies obtained after MPA administration were early secretory. The most conspicuous effect of MPA administration was a marked increase in subnuclear vacuolation, which could be demonstrated even at the lowest dose (P less than 0.01).