The effect of danazol and the LHRH agonist analogue goserelin (Zoladex) on the biological activity of luteinizing hormone in women with endometriosis

Maouris P, P Maouris, Mitch Dowsett, Dowsett M, M Dowsett, Gillian Rose, G Rose, Rose G, Edmonds DK, D K Edmonds, D. Keith Edmonds, Claire Rothwell, C Rothwell, Rothwell C, W R Robertson, Robertson WR
Clinical endocrinology · 1990 · vol. 33(4) , pp. 539–546 · doi:10.1111/j.1365-2265.1990.tb03891.x · PMID:2146047 · W2160159308
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Danazol treatment in women with endometriosis suppressed estradiol but did not alter LH/FSH levels or bioactive LH, while goserelin suppressed all measured hormones and downregulated the pituitary.

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Abstract

In an attempt to determine whether the suppression in oestradiol levels caused by danazol is due to an effect on the hypothalamic-pituitary axis, we compared the endocrine effects of danazol with those of the LHRH (GnRH) agonist analogue goserelin. Serum levels of immunoreactive LH (I-LH), FSH, 17 beta-oestradiol (E2) and bioactive LH (B-LH) (using a mouse Leydig cell bioassay), were measured in ten and 20 women with endometriosis treated with danazol and goserelin, respectively. I-LH was measured both by radioimmunoassay (RIA) and immunoradiometric assay (IRMA). During 6 months of treatment with 600 mg of danazol daily, mean serum E2 decreased (P less than 0.05) to levels near the upper limit of the post-menopausal range (to a mean (and 95% confidence interval of the mean) of 117 (65-169) pmol/l) whereas FSH, I-LH (both by RIA and IRMA) and B-LH levels were not significantly altered. During 6 months of treatment with monthly depot injections of 3.6 mg goserelin, mean serum E2 decreased (P less than 0.001) to well within the post-menopausal range (to 23 (18-28) pmol/l). The mean FSH, I-LH and B-LH levels also decreased (P less than 0.05) during therapy with goserelin (from 3.9 (3.1-4.7) to 2.0 (1.6-2.4) IU/l for FSH, from 5.3 (4.5-6.1) to 1.9 (1.7-2.1) IU/l for RIA-LH, from 2.9 (2.5-3.3) to less than 0.5 (less than 0.5) IU/l for IRMA-LH and from 9.1 (7.1-11.1) to 2.9 (2.6-3.2) IU/l for B-LH).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

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Condition tags

endometriosis

MeSH descriptors

Buserelin Danazol Endometriosis Luteinizing Hormone Adult Adult Buserelin Buserelin Buserelin Danazol Danazol Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Estradiol Estradiol Estradiol Female Female

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