Hormonal, metabolic and clinical effects of danazol in the treatment of endometriosis
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Danazol treatment (600 mg/day) for endometriosis showed excellent clinical efficacy with regression of lesions and few side effects, alongside hormonal and metabolic changes including altered liver enzymes and gonadotropin levels.
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Abstract
The effect of danazol in a dose of 600 mg a day was studied in 20 women with moderate or severe endometriosis. The clinical effect was found to be excellent and repeat laparoscopy after about 6 months treatment revealed a marked regression in all patients with only small residual foci of endometriosis in two of them. The side effects were few. The metabolic studies revealed a significant increase in serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), serum potassium, serum albumin and serum creatinine, but a significant decrease in serum gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (GT). Serum sodium showed no alteration. A longitudinal study of basal plasma luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and their responses to 25 microgram gonadotrophic releasing hormone (GnRH) i.v. as well as basal plasma levels of oestradiol, oestrone, progesterone and prolactin was performed. During treatment with danazol (600 mg a day) basal levels of LH, FSH, oestradiol, oestrone and progesterone were low but did not differ from the levels found in the early follicular phase of the menstrual cycle. On the other hand the pituitary response to GnRH was significantly greater for both LH and FSH than observed during the early follicular phase. These conflicting results are discussed. It seems that danazol inhibits the pituitary secretion of biologically active LH and FSH and this action is responsible for the decreased ovarian steroid secretion. Whether the atrophy of the uterine and ectopic endometrium is an effect of the reduced oestradiol levels or is a direct effect of danazol on endometrial oestrogen receptors, or a combination of both modes of action, is not clear.
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Cited by (27)
- Postmenopausal endometriosis: a challenging condition beyond menopause 2024
- Effects of dienogest (a synthetic steroid) on coagulation, fibrinolysis, and platelet aggregation in female monkeys 1998
- Endocrinological and histological changes after treatment of uterine leiomyomas with danazol or buserelin 1995
- Liver Damage Induced by Danazol 1994
- Tissue and endocrine responses to gestrinone and danazol in the treatment of endometriosis 1993
- A comparative treatment trial of endometriosis using the gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonist, nafarelin, and the synthetic steroid, danazol 1991
- The effect of danazol on pulsatile gonadotropin secretion in women with endometriosis 1991
- The effect of danazol and the LHRH agonist analogue goserelin (Zoladex) on the biological activity of luteinizing hormone in women with endometriosis 1990
- Placebo-controlled comparison of hormonal and biochemical effects of danazol and high-dose medroxyprogesterone acetate 1990
- Genital bleeding during the administration of danazol 1988
- Danazol inhibits steroidogenesis by the human ovary in vivo 1986
- Fulminant hepatic failure associated with aplastic anaemia after treatment with danazol. Case report 1986
- Serum estradiol and danazol. I. Endometriosis response, side effects, administration interval, concurrent spironolactone and dexamethasone 1985
- Short-term effects of danazol on endometrial histology 1984
- Regression of endometriosis following shorter treatment with, or lower dose of danazol. Comparison of pre- and post-treatment laparoscopic findings in the Scandinavian multi-center study 1984
- Serum estradiol and danazol. I. Endometriosis response, side effects, administration interval, concurrent spironolactone and dexamethasone 1984
- The influence of danazol on pituitary function and on the ovarian follicular hormone secretion in premenopausal women 1984
- Danazol treatment of severely symptomatic fibrocystic breast disease and long-term follow-up--the Hjørring project 1984
- Profound alterations of the lipoprotein metabolism during danazol treatment in premenopausal women 1984
- The effect of danazol on gonadotropin secretion during the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle 1983
- Peripheral androgen levels in danazol-treated premenopausal women 1983
- Absence of effect of danazol on estrogen-induced luteinizing hormone release from rat hypothalamo-pituitary axis in vitro 1983
- Cholesterol, high density lipoprotein and danazol 1981
- Changes of prolactin secretion following long-term danazol application 1981
- Danazol and uterine leiomyomas. 1981
- Danazol: endocrine consequences in healthy women 1981
- Danazol in the treatment of endometriosis 1980
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