Characteristics of nasal epithelial cells in naturally postmenopausal women receiving hormone therapy with 1 mg 17beta-estradiol and 2 mg drospirenone: a prospective study.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effects of drospirenone on nasal respiratory epithelium in postmenopausal women who are treated with hormone therapy (HT).

DESIGN

Thirty-five naturally postmenopausal women participated in the prospective study. Women received continuous-combined HT containing 1 mg 17beta-estradiol and 2 mg drospirenone. Cytological changes of nasal middle and inferior turbinate respiratory epithelium were evaluated by using the maturation index, performed at baseline and on the sixth cycle of HT.

RESULTS

Hematoxylin-eosin staining for the maturation index of the epithelial nasal cells of women reached better trophic aspects during 17beta-estradiol/drospirenone intake with respect to those observed at baseline (P < 0.001). The smears during HT emphasized the superficial and the intermediate types of cells, with a ratio index greater than 2. The parabasal cell content was less than 20%, and the karyopyknotic index showed degenerative changes in superficial and intermediate cells.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study confirmed that the nasal respiratory epithelium is an ovarian steroid target. Drospirenone acts on nasal cells similarly to other progestogens.