EXACERBATION OF PREMENSTRUAL ASTHMA CAUSED BY AN ORAL-CONTRACEPTIVE

Background: The relationship between sex hormones and asthma has not b een clarified. Studies have suggested a potential beneficial effect of exogenous sex hormones and/or contraceptive pills on asthma in premen opausal females whereas the data for postmenopausal females are incons istent. Case report: A 33-year-old woman suffering from asthma with pr emenstrual exacerbations had a stable course until she began taking or al contraceptives. At that time she experienced clinical deterioration of her asthma associated with decline of pulmonary function tests. No other precipitating factors were identified. After discontinuing the contraceptives, her condition returned to baseline. Conclusion: We fou nd only two reports of worsening of asthma related to hormonal therapy (estrogen in one case, contraceptive pills in the other) in premenopa usal women. Our report, together with these observations, suggests tha t in some premenopausal women exogenous sex hormones and/or contracept ive pills may, contrary to expected, produce exacerbation of asthma.