Efficacy on climacteric symptoms and safety of low dose estradiol transdermal matrix patches

Investigated were estradiol (E2) transdermal matrix patches releasing 25 mu g/day E2 (D-25) or 37.5 mu g/day E2 (D-37.5) in comparison with a placebo patch (PLAC), to assess the minimum effective dose on climacteric symptoms. Enrolled were 156 patients in natural or surgical menopause suffering from a minimum of 5 hot flushes per day. After screening and a 2-week baseline period, the patients were randomly and blindly assigned to the 3 parallel g roups of 52 patients each. The patches were applied twice weekly, continuou sly for 12 weeks, without progestin opposition. D-25 and D-37.5 were signif icantly more effective than Placebo. Since D-25 is equally effective as D-3 7.5 and exposes to patients to a lower load of E2, D-25 should be preferred for low dose HRT.