Effect of paramethasone acetate on women with secondary amenorrhea: a preliminary report.

Twelve women of normal weight (ages 17 to 36 years) with scanty menstrual bleeding were studied. They had no signs of virilization, gynecologic or endocrine pathology, or past history of hormonal treatment. Five women (group 1) experienced withdrawal bleeding after a 3-day course of chlormadinone acetate (2 mg/day) and the other seven did not (group 2). Daily venous blood samples were obtained 10 to 15 days afterward for 5 consecutive days of no treatment (control period) and during the next 5 days while the women received paramethasone acetate (PA), 2 mg/day (treatment period). In each plasma sample the concentrations of 17beta-estradiol (E2) and luteinizing hormone (LH; LER-907) were determined. The mean plasma E2 levels in group 1 were 35 +/- 8 and 86 +/- 10 pg/ml during the control and treatment periods, respectively (P less than 0.001), and the mean plasma LH levels were 28 +/- 6 and 94 +/- 34 ng/ml, respectively (P less than 0.001). No significant changes in plasma E2 and LH levels were observed in group 2 in either period. During the control period, the plasma E2 level in group 2 (14 +/- 2 pg/ml) was lower than that in group 1 (P less than 0.01); however, plasma LH levels were similar in both groups. The administration of PA for 5 months induced monthly ovulation in group 1 but not in group 2. These data suggest that the best results are obtained in women with optimal pretreatment levels of plasma E2.