ORIGINAL ARTICLES   

Minerva Ginecologica 2008 August;60(4):281-5

Copyright © 2008 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: Italian

Endometrial survey during phytoestrogens therapy in postmenopausal women

Torella M., Tammaro C., Auriemma S., Zurzolo L., Natullo V., Scaffa C., De Franciscis P., Panariello S.

III Clinica Ostetrica e Ginecologica, Seconda Università degli Studi di Napoli, Napoli, Italia

Aim. The aim of this study was to verify the effects on endometrium of short-term phytoestrogens therapy in postmenopausal women.
Methods. This randomized study compared two groups of 50 patients undergone respectively to phytoestrogens therapy or placebo. An endometrial survey was performed on the study groups by ultrasound and hysteroscopy at baseline and at 6 and 12 months.
Results. The ultrasonographic findings and the hysteroscopic biopsies in the 47 women submitted to phytoestrogens therapy that completed the follow-up showed an atrophic and/or inactive endometrial mucosa less than in one patients (2.1%) with endometrial thickness and proliferative endometrium bioptical sample after 12 months of treatment; no cases of endometrial hyperplasia were found.
Conclusion. In the authors’ 12 month experience, phytoestrogens therapy in postmeno-pausal women was safe for endometrial stimulation because did not cause any significant alteration of the mucosa in a short-term administration.