MORPHOLOGIC AND MORPHOMETRIC ASPECTS OF THE ENDOMETRIUM OF POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN BEFORE AND AFTER CYCLIC ESTROGEN REPLACEMENT TREATMENT

Objective: The aim of the study is to observe the morphology and morph ometry of the endometrium of postmenopausal women treated with cyclic conjugated oestrogens. Study design: Three groups of nine postmenopaus al women received cyclic conjugated oestrogens for 21 days (with a sev en-day pause) during six months. The endometrial specimens were obtain ed using a modified Novak suction curet, in the second or third day of the period of drug washout. The slides were stained with haematoxylin and eosin (H.E.) in order to measure epithelial height and determine the gland/stroma ratio. Results: Morphologic examination showed that s ingle daily doses of 0.3 mg of conjugated oestrogens caused discrete e ndometrial proliferation after three and six months of treatment. Howe ver, a more intense effect was observed in women receiving doses of 0. 625 and 1.25 mg/day of the hormone, in the same period. Morphometric s tudy revealed significant increases both in epithelial thickness and i n the gland-stroma ratio, specially in women receiving higher doses of the conjugated oestrogen (0.625 and 1.25 mg/day). Conclusions: We con cluded that there were marked proliferative alterations without atypia s in the endometrium of women that received 0.625 and 1.25 mg of conju gated oestrogens during six months. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.