LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF PERCUTANEOUS ESTRADIOL ON BONE LOSS AND BONE METABOLISM IN POSTMENOPAUSAL HYSTERECTOMIZED WOMEN

Objective: To determine whether percutaneous estradiol (pE(2)) (1.5 mg /day) is able to counteract the postmenopausal bone loss in postmenopa usal hysterectomized women, in a double-blind study Versus oral estrio l (E-3) (2 mg/day). Methods: The bone mineral density of the lumbar sp ine (LS) and of the proximal femur (PF) was measured every 3 months by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry for 2 years in 43 hysterectomized po stmenopausal women (21 in the E-2 group and 22 in the E-3 control grou p), and in a subset of patients for a 3rd year. The statistical analys es were performed on Macintosh using StatView II(TM). Results: A signi ficant bone loss of 1.2 (0.4)% and of 1.3 (0.3)% per year was observed in the control group, respectively at LS and at PF, versus a signific ant gain of 1.2 (0.5)% per year in the treated group at the LS. No sig nificant change at PF occurred in the treated group. In the 20 patient s followed up for a 3rd year on pE(2), an increase of 1.2 (0.9) and 2. 5 (1.4)% at LS in the 12 former active group patients and the eight fo rmerly control patients, respectively was seen. The same trend was obs erved at the proximal femur. Conclusion: pE(2) (1.5 mg E-2) is able to counteract the postmenopausal bone loss in hysterectomized women, whe reas E-3 (2 mg/day administered orally) is unable to maintain bone mas s. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.