Vasodilator effects of estrogen are not diminished by androgen in postmenopausal women.

OBJECTIVE

To compare the effects of estrogen with estrogen-androgen treatment on vaginal blood flow velocity and fingertip postocclusive hyperemic blood flow response.

DESIGN

Prospective, randomized, parallel, double-blind study.

SETTING

Healthy human volunteers in an academic research environment.

PATIENT(S): Postmenopausal women receiving estrogen replacement therapy for at least 12 months and treated with placebo before this investigation.

INTERVENTION(S): Esterified estrogens or esterified estrogen + methyltestosterone were administered orally; laser Doppler velocimetry was used to determine vaginal and fingertip blood flow responses at baseline and after 4 and 8 weeks of daily drug administration.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Fingertip postocclusive area under curve (AUC); vaginal blood flow velocities.

RESULT(S): The AUC for postocclusive fingertip blood flow and vaginal blood flow increased to a greater extent in the estrogen-androgen group, but changes were not statistically significant between groups.

CONCLUSION(S): Estrogen-androgen treatment does not diminish the vasodilator effects of estrogen treatment in postmenopausal women.