The influence of smoking on uterine bleeding during continuous and interrupted oral hormone therapy

N. H. Bjarnason, Henrik L. Jørgensen, H L Jorgensen, I. Byrjalsen, Peter Alexandersen, P Alexandersen, C. Christiansen, Claus Christiansen
Climacteric : the journal of the International Menopause Society · 2007 · vol. 10(6) , pp. 480–490 · doi:10.1080/13697130701632628 · PMID:18049941 · W1988801819
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Smoking postmenopausal women experienced significantly fewer days of uterine bleeding and higher amenorrhea rates than non-smokers during continuous and interrupted oral hormone therapy regimens.

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Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To study the influence of smoking on uterine bleeding patterns during continuous and interrupted oral hormone therapy (HT). METHODS: Using a post-hoc strategy, we included five oral HT groups from three studies. The therapies consisted of continuous estrogen (estradiol, estradiol valerate or piperazine estrone sulfate) in combination with continuous progestogen (cyproterone acetate, gestodene or norethisterone acetate) or in combination with interrupted progestogen (norethisterone) given on days 4-6, 10-12, 16-18, 22-24 and 28-30. A total of 145 healthy postmenopausal women (54 smokers and 91 non-smokers), who had been followed for 2 years, were included in the analyses. Uterine bleeding data were collected from bleeding calendars. RESULTS: In general, smoking women experienced significantly less days with uterine bleeding per cycle than non-smoking women during continuous and interrupted HT (0.53 +/- 0.1 vs. 1.6 +/- 0.1; p < 0.001). Smoking women were also more likely than non-smoking women to be amenorrheic during these therapies (48.2% vs. 29.7%; p < 0.05). Finally, more smoking than non-smoking women attained amenorrhea during HT (94.4% vs. 76.9%p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: In healthy postmenopausal women, smoking may reduce uterine bleeding during interrupted and continuous HT regimens containing a broad selection of estrogens and progestogens. Further study with appropriate stratification for smoking status is warranted.

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MeSH descriptors

Estrogen Replacement Therapy Postmenopause Smoking Uterine Hemorrhage Administration, Oral Adult Comorbidity Estrogens Estrogens Female Follow-Up Studies Humans Middle Aged Norethindrone Norethindrone Postmenopause Progestins Progestins Reference Values Smoking

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