Unscheduled vaginal bleeding and associated gynecologic care in postmenopausal women using hormone replacement therapy: comparison of cyclic versus continuous combined regimen / 대한산부인과학회잡지

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To measure gynecologic resources required to care for women who have unscheduled vaginal bleeding while using hormone replacement therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between January 1996 to December 1998, women presenting with abnormal withdrawal bleeding on HRT were identified and associated clinic visits and gynecologic procedures were recorded during a mean follow-up of 2 years. RESULTS: Among women using cyclic HRT, 28.9% had> OR =1 visit for unscheduled vaginal bleeding 8.7% had> OR =1 endometrial biopsy. Among women using continuous combined HRT, 19.3% had> OR =1 visit for unscheduled vaginal bleeding and 6.4% had> OR =1 endometrial biopsy. The gynecologic procedures used in women using cyclic HRT were 20% of reassurance, 50% of ultrasonograpy, 30% of endometrial biopsy and in women using continuous combined HRT were 50% of reassurance, 16.6% of ultrasonograpy, 33.3% of endometrial biopsy. The results of endometrial biopsy were reported all the benign condition. CONCLUSION(S) Unscheduled vaginal bleeding markedly decreased after 12 months of therapy in women using continuous combined HRT but did not decline among those using cyclic HRT.