[Endometrial cytology in normal postmenopausal women and during hormone replacement therapy].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the possibility of endometrial cyopathologic examination as a method of monitoring endometrium during hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in postmenopausal women. METHODS: Endometrial cells were taken via tubal aspiration in 60 normal postmenopausal women (non-HRT group) and 41 with HRT for 3-18 months (HRT group). Their morphologic changes were observed and compared by cytopathologist. RESULTS: Atrophic endometrium was found in 51.7% of the non-HRT group. Its proportion increased with age and the time after menopause. Macrophages were seen in 68.3% of this group. However, in the HRT group the occurrence of atrophic type and macrophage (12.2%, 7.0% respectively) was significantly lower than that in the non HRT group (P < 0.05). Heterogeneity of endometrial cell type was shown both in non-HRT (38.3%) and HRT (65.8%) groups. CONCLUSIONS: Endometrial cells of postmenopausal women are not always atrophic in appearance. They change significantly during HRT. Endometrial cytological examination may be useful for monitoring during HRT.