Endothelin Plas±a Levels in Primary Amenorrheic Adolescents Before and After Estrogen Treatment

Abstract

Objective: We evaluated the effect of estrogen administration on endothelin (ET) secretion in primary amenorrheic (PA) adolescent girls.

Methods: Fifteen PA adolescents (ten hypergonadotropic, group A; five hypogonadotropic, group B) were treated with estrogen and progestogen tablets. A control group of ten healthy adolescents (group C) was included in the study. The ET 1-21, FSH, and LH plasma levels were tested before treatment (PrT) and immediately after the last estrogen tablet but before the progestogen administration (PoT).

Results: A statistically significant difference (P < .01) in ET 1-21 plasma values was found between PrT (9.66 ± 0.80 pmol/L) and PoT (7.56 ± 0.89 pmol/L) levels in group A cases. A similar reduction (P < .05) was recorded between PrT (8.06 ± 0.46 pmol/L) and PoT (5.59 ± 0.53 pmol/L) ET 1-21 plasma levels in group B cases. Endothelin 1-21 plasma PrT values were higher in both group A and B cases in comparison with controls (6.66 ± 0.44 pmol/L; P < .01, P < .1, respectively).

Conclusions: Estrogens administered to PA adolescents reduce ET 1-21 plasma levels in both hyper- and hypogonadotropism.

Keywords

Endothelins primary amenorrhea adolescence estrogens

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