| Abstract: | The effect of estrogen therapy on climacteric symptoms and tissue changes was studied in 100 castrated women. 1/2 of the women received 2 mg/day estriol succinate and 1/2 received 2 mg/day estradiol valerate for 6 months beginning 1 month postcastration. Measurements were made of the thickness of the epidermis before treatment and after 3 and 6 months. 5 patients did not respond to the estriol succinate and 1 did not respond to the estradiol valerate. Urinary estrogens were high in all cases after 3 and 6 months of treatment. The effect of estriol succinate revealed significant ( p less than .01) thickening of the epidermis in 3 out of 5 cases after 3 months of treatment. There was little difference between 3- and 6-month specimens. The estrogen effect in the vaginal smears was usually weak after both 3 and 6 months. It was concluded that estrogen substitution may play a role in preventing postmenopausal degenerative changes. |
