Treatment of postmenopausal women with topical progesterone creams and gels: are they effective?
- PMID:25196424
- DOI: 10.3109/13697137.2014.944496
Treatment of postmenopausal women with topical progesterone creams and gels: are they effective?
Abstract
Topical progesterone creams and gels can be obtained over the counter and/or by prescription from custom-compounding pharmacies and are used by thousands of postmenopausal women for hormonal treatment. However, the effectiveness of these preparations for protecting the endometrium from unopposed estrogen is controversial, due largely to the very low serum progesterone levels that are achieved. Despite these low serum levels, salivary and capillary blood levels are very high and a protective endometrium has been reported in a limited number of studies. Topical alcohol-based, but not water-based, gels appear to yield luteal-phase serum progesterone levels but studies with these preparations are scant. Long-term studies with percutaneous progesterone creams and gels are likely to provide valuable information for treatment of postmenopausal women with this popular route of administration.
Keywords: CAPILLARY BLOOD; CREAM; ENDOMETRIUM; GEL; PLASMA; POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN; PROGESTERONE; SALIVA; SERUM.
Similar articles
- Percutaneous administration of progesterone: blood levels and endometrial protection.Stanczyk FZ, Paulson RJ, Roy S.Stanczyk FZ, et al.Menopause. 2005 Mar;12(2):232-7. doi: 10.1097/00042192-200512020-00019.Menopause. 2005.PMID:15772572Review.
- Percutaneous progesterone delivery via cream or gel application in postmenopausal women: a randomized cross-over study of progesterone levels in serum, whole blood, saliva, and capillary blood.Du JY, Sanchez P, Kim L, Azen CG, Zava DT, Stanczyk FZ.Du JY, et al.Menopause. 2013 Nov;20(11):1169-75. doi: 10.1097/GME.0b013e31828d39a2.Menopause. 2013.PMID:23652031Clinical Trial.
- Effect of sequential transdermal progesterone cream on endometrium, bleeding pattern, and plasma progesterone and salivary progesterone levels in postmenopausal women.Wren BG, McFarland K, Edwards L, O'Shea P, Sufi S, Gross B, Eden JA.Wren BG, et al.Climacteric. 2000 Sep;3(3):155-60. doi: 10.1080/13697130008500109.Climacteric. 2000.PMID:11910616Clinical Trial.
- High local endometrial effect of vaginal progesterone gel.Ficicioglu C, Gurbuz B, Tasdemir S, Yalti S, Canova H.Ficicioglu C, et al.Gynecol Endocrinol. 2004 May;18(5):240-3. doi: 10.1080/09513590410001692519.Gynecol Endocrinol. 2004.PMID:15346659Clinical Trial.
- Transdermal natural progesterone cream for postmenopausal women: inconsistent data and complex pharmacokinetics.Elshafie MA, Ewies AA.Elshafie MA, et al.J Obstet Gynaecol. 2007 Oct;27(7):655-9. doi: 10.1080/01443610701582727.J Obstet Gynaecol. 2007.PMID:17999287Review.
Cited by
- INDIVIDUALIZATION OF CUSTOM COMPOUNDED HORMONE THERAPY IN A PATIENT WITH CHEMOTHERAPY INDUCED PREMATURE OVARIAN INSUFFICIENCY AND IMPAIRED LIVER FUNCTION - CASE REPORT.Franić D, Sever M, Janež A, Franić-Ivanišević M, Jensterle M.Franić D, et al.Acta Clin Croat. 2019 Mar;58(1):167-172. doi: 10.20471/acc.2019.58.01.21.Acta Clin Croat. 2019.PMID:31363339Free PMC article.
- Progestogens in menopausal hormone therapy.Bińkowska M, Woroń J.Bińkowska M, et al.Prz Menopauzalny. 2015 Jun;14(2):134-43. doi: 10.5114/pm.2015.52154. Epub 2015 Jun 22.Prz Menopauzalny. 2015.PMID:26327902Free PMC article.Review.
MeSH terms
Substances
Related information
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Other Literature Sources
Medical