ENDOTHELIN PLASMA-LEVELS IN PRIMARY AMENORRHEIC ADOLESCENTS BEFORE AND AFTER ESTROGEN-TREATMENT

OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the effect of estrogen administration on endot helin (ET) secretion in primary amenorrheic (PA) adolescent girls. MET HODS: Fifteen PA adolescents (ten hypergonadotropic, group A; five hyp ogonadotropic, group B) were treated with estrogen and progestogen tab lets. A control group of ten healthy adolescents (group C) was include d in the study. The ET 1-21, FSH, and LH plasma levels were tested bef ore treatment (PrT) and immediately after the last estrogen tablet but before the progestogen administration (PoT). RESULTS: A statistically significant difference (P < .01) in ET 1-21 plasma values was found b etween PrT (9.66 +/- 0.80 pmol/L) and PoT (7.56 +/- 0.89 pmol/L) level s in group A cases. A similar reduction (P < .05) was recorded between PrT (8.06 +/- 0.46 pmol/L) and PoT (5.59 +/- 0.53 pmol/L) ET 1-21 pla sma levels in group B cases. Endothelin 1-21 plasma PrT values were hi gher in both group A and B cases in comparison with controls (6.66 +/- 0.44 pmol/L; P < .01, P < .1, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Estrogens a dministered to PA adolescents reduce ET 1-21 plasma levels in both hyp er- and hypogonadotropism. Copyright (C) 1996 by the Society for Gynec ologic Investigation.