ABSTRACT
The postpartum period is characterized by high levels of circulating steroids which condition hypothalamo-pituitary activities. In pregnancy growth hormone (GH) levels are greatly increased and lack pulsatility. In order to investigate the behavior of GH during the postpartum period, the GH response to GH-releasing hormone stimulation (50 and 100 micrograms), to amphetamine, a dopamine receptor agonist, and to FK 33-824, an opiate receptor agonist, was investigated in women during the first 5 days after delivery. In all groups GH responses were significantly lower (p less than 0.01) than in normal women studied during the early follicular phase. FK-33-824-induced GH release was similar in postpartum and control women. These results demonstrate reduced pituitary GH response to GH-releasing hormone and to amphetamine in women during the postpartum period, confirming the peculiarity of the hypothalamopituitary component.
Subject(s)
Amphetamine/pharmacology , D-Ala(2),MePhe(4),Met(0)-ol-enkephalin/pharmacology , Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone/physiology , Growth Hormone/metabolism , Pituitary Gland, Anterior/metabolism , Postpartum Period/physiology , Adult , Amphetamine/administration & dosage , D-Ala(2),MePhe(4),Met(0)-ol-enkephalin/administration & dosage , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Female , Growth Hormone/blood , Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone/administration & dosage , Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone/pharmacology , Hormones/administration & dosage , Hormones/pharmacology , Humans , Pituitary Gland, Anterior/drug effects , Postpartum Period/blood , Stimulation, ChemicalABSTRACT
We evaluated the incidence of oral discomfort in post-menopausal women and the efficacy of hormone replacement therapy in patients complaining of such symptoms. Two studies were performed. In the first, we compared oral discomfort and oral mucosa smears in 47 patients receiving replacement therapy and in 40 untreated post-menopausal women. In the second, the efficacy of hormone replacement therapy with oestriol vaginal cream (22 patients) or conjugated oestrogens plus norethisterone acetate (10 patients) was evaluated. In the first study, oral exfoliative cytology showed a similar maturation index and volume in both groups. In the second, hormone replacement therapy improved subjective and objective symptoms in 12 out of 22 patients treated with oestriol and in 7 out of 10 patients treated with conjugated oestrogens plus norethisterone. These data suggest that oestrogen deficiency can be considered a possible cause of oral discomfort in some post-menopausal patients and that oestrogen replacement therapy may improve subjective symptoms.
