Estradiol Valerate/Dienogest

In: Drugs · 2002 · vol. 62(3) , pp. 491–504 · doi:10.2165/00003495-200262030-00006 · PMID:11827562 · W2092103770
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Estradiol valerate/dienogest formulations were effective for treating climacteric symptoms, with dose-dependent effects on bleeding patterns and similar endometrial safety profiles to other HRT.

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This paper describes an oral fixed-dose estrogen/progestogen formulation of estradiol valerate 2 mg plus dienogest 2 or 3 mg, summarizing pharmacologic rationale and evidence from randomized, double-blind, multicentre and noncomparative studies in 581 and 1501 postmenopausal women, respectively. In a 1-year randomized trial, both estradiol valerate 2 mg/dienogest 2 mg and estradiol valerate 2 mg/dienogest 3 mg reduced climacteric symptoms similarly to a comparator regimen (Kupperman Index reductions ~74–78%), with the lowest bleeding-free days reported in the 2/2 mg group and biopsy findings showing mostly atrophic endometrium and no hyperplasia across groups. The paper also reports adverse events in a 48-week noncomparative study, including breakthrough bleeding, endometrial thickness increases, and metrorrhagia, and notes that endometrial biopsy outcomes were comparable between regimens. This paper does not explicitly discuss endometriosis or adenomyosis; it was included in the corpus via a keyword match in the upstream search index.

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Abstract

Estradiol valerate 2mg/dienogest 2mg is an oral estrogen/ progestogen formulation that has been approved throughout the European Union for the treatment of climacteric symptoms in postmenopausal women. Dienogest is a progestogen that combines the properties of both progesterone and 19-nortestosterone derivatives. It has moderate affinity for the progesterone receptor, significant antiproliferative and antiandrogenic activity, and produces secretory transformation of the endometrium. Estradiol valerate is an esterified form of natural 17beta-estradiol, the most potent endogenous human ovarian estrogen, and is hydrolysed to estradiol soon after oral administration. Results from a randomised, double-blind, multicentre trial showed that oral estradiol valerate 2mg/dienogest 2mg and estradiol valerate 2mg/dienogest 3mg once daily for 1 year were each as effective as estradiol 2mg/estriol 1mg/norethisterone acetate 1mg in the treatment of climacteric symptoms in 581 postmenopausal women; reductions from baseline in Kupperman Index scores were 78.5, 74.5 and 75.0%, respectively. The number of days without any type of bleeding was lowest in patients treated with estradiol valerate 2mg/dienogest 2mg (8.7 days), and highest in the estradiol valerate 2mg/ dienogest 3mg group (12.1 days). During the twelfth month of treatment with estradiol valerate 2mg/dienogest 2mg, the percentage of patients who reported bleeding was 14.5%. Endometrial biopsy results were similar in patients treated with estradiol valerate 2mg/dienogest 2mg, estradiol valerate 2mg/dienogest 3mg or estradiol 2mg/estriol 1mg/norethisterone acetate 1mg once daily for 1 year; 90.8, 87.4 and 87.5% of samples, respectively, contained atrophic material. Proliferative material was found in 4.2, 2.5 and 4.4% of the biopsies, respectively; there was no incidence of hyperplasia in any of the treatment groups. A noncomparative multicentre study in 1501 postmenopausal women demonstrated that adverse events associated with estradiol valerate 2mg/dienogest 2mg once daily for 48 weeks included breakthrough bleeding, mastalgia, headache, abdominal pain, hypertension, thrush, migraine, weight gain, increase in endometrial thickness and metrorrhagia.
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Abstract

- ▴ Estradiol valerate 2mg/dienogest 2mg is an oral estrogen/progestogen formulation that has been approved throughout the European Union for the treatment of climacteric symptoms in postmenopausal women. - ▴ Dienogest is a progestogen that combines the properties of both progesterone and 19-nortestosterone derivatives. It has moderate affinity for the progesterone receptor, significant antiproliferative and antiandrogenic activity, and produces secretory transformation of the endometrium. - ▴ Estradiol valerate is an esterified form of natural 17β-estradiol, the most potent endogenous human ovarian estrogen, and is hydrolysed to estradiol soon after oral administration. - ▴ Results from a randomised, double-blind, multicentre trial showed that oral estradiol valerate 2mg/dienogest 2mg and estradiol valerate 2mg/dienogest 3mg once daily for 1 year were each as effective as estradiol 2mg/estriol lmg/norethisterone acetate lmg in the treatment of climacteric symptoms in 581 postmenopausal women; reductions from baseline in Kupperman Index scores were 78.5, 74.5 and 75.0%, respectively. - ▴ The number of days without any type of bleeding was lowest in patients treated with estradiol valerate 2mg/dienogest 2mg (8.7 days), and highest in the estradiol valerate 2mg/dienogest 3mg group (12.1 days). During the twelfth month of treatment with estradiol valerate 2mg/dienogest 2mg, the percentage of patients who reported bleeding was 14.5%. - ▴ Endometrial biopsy results were similar in patients treated with estradiol valerate 2mg/dienogest 2mg, estradiol valerate 2mg/dienogest 3mg or estradiol 2mg/estriol lmg/norethisterone acetate lmg once daily for 1 year; 90.8, 87.4 and 87.5% of samples, respectively, contained atrophic material. Proliferative material was found in 4.2, 2.5 and 4.4% of the biopsies, respectively; there was no incidence of hyperplasia in any of the treatment groups. - ▴ A noncomparative muticentre study in 1501 postmenopausal women demonstrated that adverse events associated with estradiol valerate 2mg/dienogest 2mg once daily for 48 weeks included breakthrough bleeding, mastalgia, headache, abdominal pain, hypertension, thrush, migraine, weight gain, increase in endometrial thickness and metrorrhagia. Similar content being viewed by others

References

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Continuous-combined treatment of the menopause with combinations of oestradiol valerate and dienogest: a dose-ranging study. Maturitas 2000 Jun 30; 35(3): 253–61 Author information Authors and Affiliations Corresponding author Rights and permissions About this article Cite this article Wellington, K., Perry, C.M. Estradiol Valerate/Dienogest. Drugs 62, 491–504 (2002). https://doi.org/10.2165/00003495-200262030-00006 Published: Issue date: DOI: https://doi.org/10.2165/00003495-200262030-00006

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