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Choi, Lee, and Yoon: Effects of Transdermal Estrogen Gel in Postmenopausal Korean Women
Original Article
The Journal of Korean Society of Menopause

The Journal of Korean Society of Menopause 2012; 18(2): 113-118.

Published online: 29 August 2012

DOI: https://doi.org/10.6118/jksm.2012.18.2.113

Effects of Transdermal Estrogen Gel in Postmenopausal Korean Women

Dong-Seok Choi, M.D., Dong-Yun Lee, M.D., Byung-Koo Yoon, M.D.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

Address for Correspondence: Byung-Koo Yoon, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 50 Irwon-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul 135-710, Korea. Tel: +82-2-3410-3519, Fax: +82-2-3410-0630, bkyoon@skku.edu

Received 17 January 2012       Revised 20 January 2012       Accepted 20 January 2012

Copyright © 2012 by The Korean Society of Menopause

(open-access):

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/).

Abstract

Objectives

To evaluate the effects of transdermal estrogen gel on postmenopausal Korean women.

Methods

In this retrospective study, 49 healthy postmenopausal women were treated with transdermal gel (0.1%, 1.5 mg/day +/- progestogen) for 1 year. After 3 months of transdermal hormone therapy (HT), deviations from baseline of the global index for menopausal symptoms and the frequency of side effects were evaluated. Anthropometric factors including weight, body mass index, waist circumference, and metabolic parameters (such as serum cholesterol, lipoprotein(a), fasting glucose, fibrinogen, C-reactive protein, and deoxypyridinoline levels) were measured at baseline and after three, six, and twelve months of HT. In addition, bone mineral density was also measured at the lumbar spine and femoral neck at baseline and after six and twelve months of HT. Differences between baseline values and subsequent post-HT measurements were compared.

Results

After 3 months of transdermal HT, the global index for menopausal symptoms decreased significantly (P < 0.001). Side effects within 3 months included problems related to the breast, which were most common (32.1%), followed by headache (17.8%) and skin irritation (14.3%). Anthropometric factors did not change after HT, however, metabolic parameters creased significantly. There was a notable increase in bone mineral density at the lumbar spinebut not at the femoral neck.

Conclusion

Transdermal gel HT improves menopausal symptoms and metabolic parameters in postmenopausal Korean women and increases bone mineral density at the lumbar spine.

Keywords: Administration cutaneous, Hormone replacement therapy, Menopause

Figures and Tables

Fig. 1
Change of global score after 3 months of transdermal hormone therapy (HT). Paired t-test shows that global score decreases significantly after HT.
jksm-18-113-g001
Fig. 2
Changes of metabolic parameters after transdermal hormone therapy. (A) total cholesterol, (B) low-density lipoprotein, (C) fasting glucose, (D) deoxypyridinoline. *P < 0.05 by repeated measures analysis of variance compared with the baseline value.
jksm-18-113-g002
Fig. 3
Percent changes of bone mineral density from baseline after transdermal hormone therapy. *P < 0.05 by repeated measures analysis of variance compared with the baseline value.
jksm-18-113-g003
Table 1
Baseline characteristics of the study subjects
jksm-18-113-i001

Data are presented as mean ± SD or %

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